Denver Comic Con 2015: A Guide for the Uninitiated

Written by Scotty

Although I have had the privilege of attending Denver Comic Con the last few years, I have a couple of friends from work that will be attending for the first time ever.  I am excited to see and hear their take on the event since they have been talking about going for so long and this will be their first year attending.  So I have passed on a couple words of wisdom that I have learned from the past couple of years and just hope that it will make their experience even more mind blowing than they could have ever imagined, and well, I hope my advice to them can help anyone else that is getting their taste of the DCC Experience as well. 

The first thing that they must do is get to the convention center early, like when the sun starts to rise.  I know that this is a pain in the neck to do, but when you are one of the first people to walk into the doors, it no longer matters.  Besides, this is the best time to people watch your fellow con goers as everyone is there for the same thing, the enjoyment of the con.  I have waited in these lines for a couple of years and have always had a good time talking to my fellow fans, along with eyeballing some of the costumes that are roaming around.  I will admit that I was pleasantly happy watching two Dalek’s go after each other in line one year and then a band of Doctors attacking them when they were both moments away from victory.

The second thing is that they must have an idea of what they want to accomplish.  A couple of my friends are only going for one day and although it will be a great time, there is too much to see and do in that little bit of time.  So, if they want to get autographs from their favorite stars, or want to get their comics signed by their favorite artist or author, that needs to be the first thing to do.  Although all of the guests will be in the convention center for the entire day, most of them will be away from their tables for some time while being featured in panels, lunch, or photo ops.  I found this out first hand several times and although I was able to catch them the next day, that might not always be an option, especially if you are only there for one day.

When you have that one autograph, print, or whatever was your primary goal, then you need to take in the sights.  There is nothing better than people watching at DCC.  The one thing that I always enjoy seeing are the families that have come to this event, I still get lost looking into the little one’s eyes when they see something new, or something that they love.  With costumes galore, it is easy to lose your focus on what you are looking for, so that is why I would save this for when you have completed what you really wanted. 

Panels, panels, panels. There is a panel for everything under the sun and if you need to take a load off and sit for a bit, there is not a better place to do it than in a panel.  With a Weird Science reunion panel, to all kinds of Doctor Who ones running, there is no shortage.  And if you are with your kids, you can also go and check out the Pop Culture Classroom Corral and have your little ones get lost in all of the activities.  Admit it, your kids have much more energy than you do and this might be one of the best ways for you to get a rest while they get to expand their minds and have a great time while doing it.

The next to last thing you need to do, walk the entire showroom floor.  I always send most of my time checking out Artist Valley and I would recommend this to everyone.  Even if you are not a huge comic book lover, most of the artists have something much more to offer than you could expect.  There is no shame in picking up a piece of art at the con, in fact, I would be surprised if you didn’t with all of the talent that will be on hand.  Then walk through the Merchant Mesa and find things that you may have never known existed.  With shirts, posters, Pop! figures and anything geeky that you can imagine, this can be the most dangerous spot on the con floor, since it has everything that your heart can desire.

Last but not least, you need to have fun.  That is what the con is all about and if you do not have fun when visiting, it is not worth the trip.  If you are just there to take in the sights, to show off your awesome cosplay or even working at the event, you need to have fun doing it. The smiles and laughter that rage through the convention center during this weekend will last a lifetime.  Like I said above, I have seen several children’s eyes light up when they get to see their favorite star, character, or find that ultimate toy.  I am not beyond this myself since I always seem to walk out with something that I never expected to find and it makes my weekend beyond complete.

Well, that is what I tell my friends and I hope it helps you all as well.  There are the basic things as well, like bring cash, hand sanitizer, an agenda and all of the goes without saying stuff, but that is not fun, it is just basic.  I hope you all have a great time at Denver Comic Con this year since it seems to get better every year it takes place.  Even if you are not able to get everything that you want to get done while there, I hope you leave with a smile on your face.  Hope to see you there!

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