Before going to Los Angeles Comic Con I was a bit worried due to the recent name change and the fact that very little of the convention seemed to focus on comics. Add to that my sheer dislike of the LA convention center and you have a very steep hill to climb for a positive review. However, like in years past, the staff of Comikaze, this conventions previous name, do great work and the event has more than enough to do for the limited amount of time it is open per day.
No matter the event or time of year the LA Convention Center is horrible in terms of parking and food options. Both days had the parking structure fill up and the traffic to downtown Los Angeles makes even an early start does not guarantee parking. There aren’t many food options, but food trucks do show up to most events. However, this time the food trucks were on the other side of the convention center making them very difficult to get to mid-con. More than that, the lines for food either in the con center or via the food trucks was a wait that can mess up any schedule. When it comes to food your best bet is to pack a lunch or power through until the lines die down.
There were plenty of panels that covered a variety of subjects. Most of the panels were hosted by guests or professionals, but a few "fan panels" slipped in, but none of those were worth attending. The nice part about having Stan Lee’s name attached to this event is that it does bring in a good amount of professionals and that can lead to some great networking and learning opportunities. The panels are on a staggered schedule so you may have to leave one panel early in order to hit a different panel. Like many comic cons, the panels that are built around the A-list guests fill up very quick, but unlike most of those cons there were plenty of times to see the celebrities on the main stage in the dealer hall. The panels are one aspect of this convention that keeps improving, but hopefully next year some of the weaker panels can be sorted out.
The dealer hall was one of the biggest draws for LA Comic Con. The layout has shifted from previous years with the main stage being shifted to the right side of the hall rather than being set in the back center. The booths were then set into sections for guests, dealers, and industry. The numbering system was a little confusing, but once you figure it out the hall is easy to navigate. The hall could get crowded, but most guests did not have crazy long lines. The PA system seemed to have some issues, but it is hard to say if that is a convention problem or if their equipment was having issues. Finally, if you want to avoid the crowds (and don’t care about guests) there is the option of showing up on Friday for the preview night styled first day. On Friday, the dealer hall is open, but there are no panels and most of the guests are not in attendance. While that kind of thing doesn’t appeal to me, it could be a great way to find rare merch with little crowding.
The one thing about LA Comic Con is that every year they seem to expand the convention and improve the convention without causing more problems. The minor changes come gradually, but they are welcomed. It’s the reason why there are more panels and most of them are quality. It’s the reason the dealer hall is one of the better organized halls at a mid-sized convention. Also, the guest list gets bigger each year and it is well handled so lines don’t overcrowd the whole event. All these changes have made this a great event, but the vibe hasn’t changed much since the earlier years. The vibe has always been on the lower end of the midrange in terms of feeling. People aren’t rude, but people aren’t really friendly either. It feels like everyone has their own clique or is just apathetic to others, but no one is outright trying to put others down. If you are going with friends you will be fine, but rolling solo can be a bit disheartening.
Overall, this was a pretty good event. There was more than enough to do and enough guests to appeal to just about everyone. More than that, the creative guests are available for questions and industry run panels are a fun way to learn from professionals. However, there is no major reason to go to both of the main days. If there is a panel you want to see or a guest you want to meet go on the day that allows you to do that and save a few dollars on your badge.
The team had a good time at LA Comic Con and despite the fact that we came with low expectations we all had a great time with some fun memories. We are looking forward to next year and hope that the convention continues to improve. Special thanks to those who made our experience so great and until next time I will leave you with my list and ask you to give my love to the two million Harley Quinns that showed up at the convention.
THE LIST:
- Harley Quinn drinking game
- Sandwich
- It’s High Noon
- The ‘jerky’ boys
- RE4: I see what I did there
- Networking
- No cosplay this time
- Imperial bound?
- One bad panel
- You changed the name, but kept the mascot
- Note to self: do some shopping next time
- Easy badge grab
- Next Cosplay: Something spooooooooky
- Re13: Because the con was on Halloween
- Escape from LA
- Missed those figures
- Every now and then you need to sanity check
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