These tips for attending comic book conventions are for people attending their first convention in the near future and for seasoned attendees as well. These tips are based on mistakes I made in the past or mistakes I have seen people make over and over again.
2010 Detroit Fanfare comic book convention
Create an Itinerary
Even small comic book conventions have dozens of activities happening during a weekend. Larger conventions might have hundreds when you consider panels, special screenings, parties, and other convention-only events. Comic book convention websites often have all of the events and activities listed well before the doors are officially opened.
Sit down a day or two before the convention and write down the information about each event you want to attend. Make sure you include the name of the event, the time, and location. Once you have all of these written down, make sure you do not have any times overlapping or events which might force you to run from one end of a convention hall to another. People carrying stacks of comics do not like people running by them. This planning might save you from fretting or missing an event.
Check the Fundage Before Leaving the House
Don’t go to a comic book convention with $25 in your pocket. You are going to have to eat, you are going to see things you want to buy, you might have to pay for tickets, and you are probably going to want a drink later on (if you are over 21 of course). Make sure you have enough money on you or readily available. You just look silly if you run out of money two hours after arriving at the show.
Pace Yourself
If a comic book convention is a few days long, do not try to do everything and see everything in the first few hours you are there. At the 2012 Detroit Fanfare, I noticed a couple which tried to see everything at the convention in the first hour the show was open. I watched them rush from booth to booth and from room to room as if they were in a race to see everything first. They were blown out a few hours into the show and dragged for the rest of the weekend and wished they had not tried to rush.
Bring Snacks
I usually attend comic book conventions with a backpack or some other type of bag full of snacks. I would much rather spend a few dollars on a box of granola bars before a convention than $2.50 for a chocolate bar at the show. Snack prices at conventions are inflated and take away from the money to be spent on comics (or drinks at the parties…oh the parties). Also, by keeping snacks handy, you can keep your energy levels high for the long-term.
Know Who Will NOT be There
Check the comic book convention’s website before you head out the door. Many conventions will post messages about guests which have cancelled. I have seen comic book convention attendees upset because their favorite writer or artist cancelled. In most cases, their disappointment at the show would have been averted by simply checking out the website.
General Walk
I take a general walk around a convention before purchasing anything. Of course, there are vendors who have specials for the first so many people to come to their booths, I plan accordingly. General walks will help give an idea of the layout of the show and help me gain an idea of what I am going to want to purchase over the next few hours or days. How many times have you purchased something from one vendor and seen the same item for less on the other end of the hall? This trick helps to prevent that experience.
Make Sure You Eat
I cannot count the number of times I have attended comic book conventions and seen people dragging their feet because they had not eaten. If you are going to try to pull a full day at one of the comic book conventions, make sure you eat. This is a basic necessity which people often forget about when there is excess excitement in the air.
My year revolves around comic book conventions. I have learned over the years how to make each convention better than the last for myself. Learn from my mistakes if you want to have the best convention experience possible.
