It is amazing how much the Long Beach Convention Center has improved over the years. There are plenty of places to go eat, in addition to food trucks that stop by during the midday hours. There is more than enough parking for this size of an event and the walkway outside the convention center is perfect for the car show. As there are more people this year things could get crowded in a few hallways, but it’s usually because a line was miss managed or people are crowding the food vendors.

The guest list was very strong this year. Voice actors from various childhood favorites arrived including cast members from GI Joe, Winnie the Pooh, and Jem. This was in addition to the various comic artists and writers from TV and comics. There was a guest that could appeal to just about any fan of any nerdy genre. It is great to see this level of guests at a smaller event. You can talk, ask questions and not feel rushed by a massive crowd. However, the biggest name they got this year as John Barrowman who showed up on Sunday after recently flying back from Europe. He was great and you could tell that he was happy to meet his fans at a smaller venue.

The panels were great this year, for the most part. Just about every guest could be seen at one or more panels. More rooms were used this year and just about every hour there was something to see. However, some of the panels got off on time for reasons that seem unclear. Also, some of the panels really needed a moderator because keeping some of the panelists on topic was not handled very well. In addition this year had a couple special presentations inclining the very fun ‘Live Art with Pierre Bernard” and the surprisingly fun “Video Games Live”. If you are staying a little late at the con check either of those out they are both interesting experiences.

One of the biggest changes is the vibe of the convention. The event is usually laid back, but this year it was obvious that this event has become a very family heavy event. Kids make comic cons so much more fun. There’s nothing better than hearing a kid get all excited about seeing a Spider-Man or Batman cosplayer. Families also usually mean that people are a little more friendly and relaxed as parents want their kids to have a good time and most other fans view the kids as younger version of themselves and that just brings the happy young nerd memories. Even the con is aware of the demographic shift and has a play area set up in the dealer hall now.

I really enjoyed my time at LBCC this year, despite going to a few panels that could have been run better. I didn’t pick up anything at the dealer hall, but I got to meet some cool writers and actors so it felt like a fun convention experience to me. As I wrap up I’d like to give thanks to: John Barrowman, the LBCC staff, the great guests, John Diggs, the Video Games Live team, the crew of Death of Superman Lives, and Chel. Until next time, I leave you with my list and ask you to give my love to Space, the final frontier.

The List:
1. Back on the old stomping grounds
2. A Cars car?
3. RE: 2 – Let’s not make a habit of that.
4. I want a superhero cosplay team.
5. Gotta catch ‘em all!
6. Hello, Captain
7. Met John Barrowman, good times
8. Fart jokes, really?
9. Original is better than derivative
10. Where’s my TPBs?
11. Not to Self: get a frame for the poster
12. Met some cool people
13. I missed the food trucks?!
14. Next Cosplay: Shipwreck (toy version)
15. Watch ‘Death of Superman Lives’
16. Can’t waity for the next video Games
17. Missed ‘Live Art’ this year
18. Free chips!!!!
19. Can’t wait for the next one

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