Keep your eye on DragonCon this weekend

3 SEPTEMBER 2015

Happy Labor Day weekend. Maybe you have a camping trip or some other getaway planned; maybe just a three-day homebound celebration of laziness. One thing I know you're not doing, however, is going to DragonCon because if you were, you'd be too busy partying it up in Atlanta to be reading this.

DragonCon isn't the biggest Con in the country (63,000 attended last year) but it is one of the most rewarding if you fit into its attendee base. For that reason, I advise all SDCC hopefuls - and we're all hopeful at this point, not one of us has a 2016 badge yet - to look over the DragonCon coverage this weekend and figure out if this might be a home for them next year.

First let me address the objections I hear.

There's no serious movie star presence there. That used to be the case but there are plenty of movie/TV celebrities afoot these days. Cast members from Game of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica, American Horror Story, Arrow, Defiance, Lost Girl and other shows will be there this year.

It's in Atlanta. So what? Atlanta is fun. And if you've never been to that part of the country before out of some knee-jerk "The South is so backwards" stance, you should go and experience it for yourself. Extend your trip and drive up to Savannah and Charleston, 2 of the most beautiful cities in America. I lived briefly in Charleston and Folly Beach and I promise you that between the surfing, the antebellum architecture and the Southern food, it is a languorous dream of a trip.

It's weird. Well, yeah, that's a selling point. If you think a weekend spent among costumed eccentrics, aging goths and socially awkward science fiction fans is a bad thing, I can't help you. DragonCon's creative, free-thinking attendees are why so many nerds love this Con above all others.


Onto the good stuff.

Music. You'll have your choice of performers like the Cruxshadows, Voltaire and Rasputina. Yes, there's a theme here. This probably isn't for Taylor Swift fans. But the mix of local bands and national acts makes for some appealing entertainment options.

Diverse events. Puppet slams, burlesque shows, wrestling, DJs, a night at the local aquarium - you'll find something you like.

Paranormal offerings. The cast of Ghost Hunters has shown up at SDCC before (and they'll be here too) but by and large, San Diego skips over the paranormal side of life. And it's a big draw with many Con attendees, which is why smaller Cons often feature ghost hunts, paranormal panels and occult authors. DragonCon dishes up paranormal reality show celebrities and topics for people who want that at their Con.

Alternative communities. Emerald City is progressive, LGBTQA-friendly and had a few panels on kink last year, but I've found that DragonCon tends to have a more entrenched/experienced poly-kinkster demographic. That's not to say this Con is one big play party or that you'll even notice this element if you don't look for it. But it's there if you want to socialize in that way or just feel comfortable bringing your poly family to an event. In general, DragonCon attendees have a range of lifestyles and it's pretty easy to meet like-minded friends if you're part of a religious, sexual or gender minority.

Deep, serious science fiction. "But that's at so many Cons," you say. To which I say: "Not so much." Just take a look at their fan tracks and you'll see separate categories for fantasy, urban fantasy, classic sci-fi, science, sci-fi media, Star Wars, Star Trek and more. DragonCon was birthed in a blaze of science fiction glory and it continues to offer the panels and creators fans want to see. It's especially great for readers who want to see both legends in the field and newer writers.

Nerd intelligentsia. Other Cons often present panels with interesting content but a heart of promotion. There are hundreds of smart people sitting in one room, but there's no real dialogue. DragonCon has thinkers and conversations about technology, AI, surveillance culture, STEM, space exploration, skeptics, robotics, the future. There's no shame in wanting to meet and talk to other people who share your scientific and intellectual interests - and DragonCon is a great place for that.

I didn't talk about cosplay and comic books and gaming but yes, they're here too. And the very set-up of the Con - it takes place within a group of neighboring hotels - tends to foster a more social experience than SDCC and other behemoth Cons. Tie all that together, and you may have the Con of your dreams.

But you don't have to decide that now. Keep on eye on the photos and articles and posts that flow out of DragonCon this weekend and see if it feels like a good destination for you next summer should you not get an SDCC badge. Or maybe you'll be intrigued enough that you'll end up doing both.

Why NYCC, DragonCon & SLCC matter

3 MAY 2015

We're almost midway through the year. By now you've either gone to a West Coast Con like ECCC, WonderCon or are preparing to go to one, like San Diego or Phoenix. Or maybe you've done none of that - in which case you might want to consider the second half of the year and a few options therein.

I was at a Cinco de Mayo party last night where I heard the typical nay-saying against any other Con; they're boring; no one important goes to them; there's nothing to do; San Diego is it. These arguments almost always come from people who've barely been to any Con at all and are just parroting the media's breathless coverage of San Diego Comic-Con. But streetsmart nerds and geeks know the truth - that there are Cons out there that offer just as good (if not better) an experience, and it's smarter to find a Con that reflects your interests than just rolling the dice on SDCC year after year.

Here are three upcoming major Cons that might appeal to different audiences. I'll be at least one, and I hope you  consider the same - especially if you got shut out of San Diego.


DragonCon

Attendance last year: 63,000

This is always a fun time for sci-fi, fantasy and comic book fans. It's more of a party than SDCC is, with more entertainment and more adult-only events, but some family fare as well. While it's numerically smaller than Cons like ECCC and Phoenix Comicon, the intense round-the-clock engagement of attendees means that it feels like a bigger Con.

Wrestling, live bands, puppet slams, burlesque shows, Rocky Horror and even a night at the local aquarium are just a few of the offerings; the panels and sessions are just as diverse, and focus on the paranormal, cosplay, sci fi, comics, alternate history, tech, gaming, books and more. In many ways, this is a truly nerdy Con in a way SDCC and NYCC shed a while ago - less mainstream pop culture and more of the weird and specific interests nerds tend to drill down into and get obsessed with. It's also more social; the bands and parties, and general friendliness of attendees, means you will always find a party to go to and people to party with. Yes, it's a popular Con for the poly/kinkster crew, but it's also easy just to make friends and find fellow fans and nerds to hang out with.

This year it happens 4-7 September in Atlanta, which means one important deadline looms on the horizon: 15 May is the final day to get the $110 Membership Rate. However you can still register through 15 August for the full $130 rate.



Salt Lake Comic Con

Attendance last year: 120,000

SDCC's nemesis is happening this year 24-26 September. Passes are on sale right now - with rates for all budgets. This Con has grown very rapidly and ranks up there with NYCC and SDCC in terms of size. I've never been, but it seems like a fairly generic pop culture and comic book convention, one that is a bit more wholesome than some other Cons. It's quite popular with parents who are looking to share their nerdy interests with their kids - something that was once guaranteed at SDCC, but these days is a bit harder to pull off, especially for a family of four or larger.

This is in Salt Lake City and tends to reflect the local culture; for instance, the Con runs Thursday-Saturday and does not have any events on Sunday. That can be a selling point for attendees looking for more of a family environment, while attendees looking for a more libertine experience might be happier elsewhere. Programming is still getting announced, but you can see some guests and news.




New York Comic Con

Attendance last year: 151,000

Last year NYCC dethroned SDCC as the biggest pop culture/comic convention. That only should tell you that this is a not a consolation prize for people who couldn't get into SDCC, but a massive and desirable event that offers many advantages San Diego does not.

The obvious: you're in New York. You're not going to struggle finding a hotel room, and if you've never been to NY, you can build in extra days to see the city or even drive into New England and see the autumn foliage. (Despite hailing from that region, I'm not a huge fan of New York - however, I do believe it is a city that everyone should experience at some point.) On the other hand, you won't find that city-wide sense of nerd community that San Diego offers so richly. It's very easy to walk away from NYCC and ten minutes later, feel completely alienated from the milieu you just left.

NYCC is run by ReedPOP, which means it differs from SDCC in other ways. While CCI does clearly want to improve our Comic-Con experience, ReedPOP has superior change management skills and a vastly greater appetite for change in general. From the cosplay red carpet to sexual harassment policies to recognizing and incorporating ECCC's excellent culture, they are willing to adapt to the ever-evolving Con community needs. They have to be that agile; they also run ECCC, Paris Comic Con, Shanghai Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration, C2E2, other Cons and are pretty much colonizing the planet.

There's also New York Super Week. NYCC happens 8-11 October; however, it's part of a larger event called New York Super Week that runs 5-11 October. This takes place out and about in the city and a few events have already been announced:

• Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular (1st time in America)
• After Party with BBQ Films
• Workshops on Writing for TV and Film - led by top network & studio writers and producers
• A Shipwreck Fan Fiction Competition
• Karaoke with Broadway Stars

Many more events will be added over the spring and summer; cardholders also get discounts at various bars, attractions and restaurants. You can get the Super Week card if you buy a 4-day NYCC ticket for $105, while other ticket holders can buy it for an extra $10. Yes, it's really that cheap.

Tickets go on sale for both NYCC and Super Week go on sale 13 May; don't delay on this because they will go fast. You can buy online, at Special Edition NYC 6-7 June, or at a special Midtown Comics event this summer.




Other conventions are consistently presented as the community college to SDCC's Ivy League. This just isn't true anymore. If you were willing to shell out for San Diego and didn't get a badge, consider using that money for another Con. You are not settling for second best, even if it feels like it at first. You are being smart - and you're also getting ahead of the future attendees who will eventually turn NYCC and other Cons into the same traffic-jammed nightmare that SDCC is now. Be adventurous, try out these unique offerings of these Cons and enjoy them while you can. I don't think you'll regret it.

Consolation Cons you should consider

9 MAY 2014

If you were determined to prevail in the badge resale next month, and felt lucky and certain that this time you'd get a badge - yesterday's announcement may have hit you hard. So while I know that none of the below are San Diego Comic-Con, I'm still going to suggest you consider attending one of these instead.


Phoenix Comicon is 5-8 June. I attend this every year so I'll devote some words to it.

Yes, Phoenix is hot in June but it's not nearly as bad as you think. Here's my opinion of this Con; it's not "the next best thing to San Diego," which is the rose-colored branding it's acquired. It does have its charms, however. There are a fair amount of celebrities, like Nathan Fillion, Charlaine Harris, Mark Sheppard, my goddess Julie Newmar, Stan Lee and such. And it's WAY easier to interact with them than at San Diego. If chatting with comic book artists and writers is your thing, there are quite a few who come here, having been priced out of attending San Diego.

There's an endearing community feel and the creators are very collaborative in terms of letting attendees contribute to the programming, which I love. This isn't about corporate mass-market products, but a grassroots art scene. Some of the events have an adolescent feel, but this Con is good about hosting everything from Steampunk Balls to Zombie Beauty Pageants to Geek Speed Dating to Science Fairs. If you ever feel swallowed up by the crowds at SDCC, that won't happen here; people are very friendly and it's easy to network or just get invited to a party.

Special Edition is New York Comic Con's first comic book-focused Con. Brand new this June, so who knows how it'll go - but if you're in the area, it's probably worth attending.

DragonCon is in Atlanta - 29 Aug 29- 1 Sept. I hate to call this the "fun" Con because it implies the others aren't, but well, it just has a more rollicking, open-minded feel than your typical Con. You don't have to be a hardcore sci-fi/fantasy fan to have a good time, either.  Get your badges now at a discount.

London Film and Comic Con is 11-13 July. In addition to a ton of Doctor Who and Game of Thrones actors, there are randoms like Sherilyn Fenn from Twin Peaks. I can't speak to the programming because I've never been. But if I was a globe-trotting heiress instead of a writer on a budget, I'd be at this in a heartbeat and hanging out with Natalie Dormer.

San Diego Comic Fest is in October. Probably not appealing if you like SDCC strictly for the celebrities, but if you're a comic fan, don't miss this.

New York Comic Con is 9-12 October - smaller than San Diego (though not by much these days) and fairly similar in content. This has begun selling out in recent years, so don't wait too long to snap up a ticket.


If your automatic reaction is to sneer at all of these - give them a chance. They are cheaper (depending on airfare) than San Diego. They often offer friendlier people, more parties (that you can actually attend), more accessible celebrities (who you'd never get a chance to speak to in San Diego) and a relaxed atmosphere that went extinct at SDCC years ago. No, you won't see the new Walking Dead trailer before anyone else in the world, but so what? You also won't be standing in line overnight.

Just think about it. It's something to tide you over this year until you try again next year for San Diego.

Is Dragon*Con for you?

31 AUGUST 2013



This is the weekend I play the role of the jealous person at home enviously reading all the tweets and articles on the Con - Dragon*Con, that is. I didn't try to go, because right now my Con dance card is full enough, but it's definitely becoming the other Con to go to; witness yesterday's CNN article calling it a "pilgrimage."

Dragon*Con is often seen as the more free-spirited, sluttier Con and it makes this bold claim: "We are the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film in the entire universe." You'd think a convention birthed by sci fi nerds would know better than to profess that kind of cosmological knowledge, but there's no denying that Dragon*Con acts as a destination vacation for people who might consider San Diego to be too vanilla and predictable. This year it's expected to bring in 55K attendees, which is less than half of SDCC, but let's be honest - that can be a very good thing.

The CNN article doesn't shy away from the child molestation charges against one of the founders (who's since been cut off from the convention) and its struggle in becoming a family-friendly Con while still bearing a reputation for more "adult" parties and activities. What it doesn't convey is what seems to be Dragon*Con's openness and spontaneity (neither of which the mammoth SDCC could achieve at this point). My friends who are there have experienced some scheduling and exposure opportunities that are impossible to imagine happening at San Diego. 

All of which is my way of suggesting Dragon*Con as an alternative for those of you who can't go to SDCC or simply find it too bland and mainstream for your adventurous nerd hearts. Maybe 2014 is the summer you go rogue and fly to Atlanta instead of San Diego. At least keep it in mind if the badge sales don't go as you want over the coming months. As options go, this is a good one.