Wizard World Portland Comic Con '13

Instead of going to the Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle that we've been to for the last two years this year we decided to check out the local Comic Con scene. My dad found a Groupon for discounted admission to Friday of the Wizard World Comic Con. We knew it wasn't going to be as big but we still wanted to see what it was like compared to Seattle's. My dad also found out that the people that run Emerald City's Comic Con are now in charge of the Rose City Comic Con that this fall. So instead of doing two days in Seattle we decided to do two separate days at  two different Portland Comic Cons. Also as a bonus we didn't have to spend money on hotels since it is just across the river.
All in all we had a blast! "We" include myself, my dad, Connor and Katie which is a perfect sized little group. Most people wouldn't think of us as die hard comic nerds but there are some great other things about Comic Con other than the nerdiness and adoration for fantastical worlds and characters that wouldn't necessarily come to mind first. The thing that I fell in love with when we went to our first Emerald City Comic Con was the art. Getting to go from table to table and see different interpretations on beloved characters and different styles just fills me the happiness that led to me become an art major. I love getting to flip through different artist's portfolios, talk to them about techniques and get to see the faces that go behind the amazing pieces of work before me and just chat or joke around with them. We get to meet and interact with such interesting people who's passion has directed them to this world.
The second thing I love is the costumes. Some may make fun of these people and think they're "nerds" and not in touch with reality or they need to grow up but I don't see that. I see people who have gotten to know characters and worlds created in such a great way that they've fallen in love with them. Nobody would make fun if these people were dressed up as strictly literary characters. I just love that these people love these fantasy worlds so much and that they get a chance once a year to be awesome to a select crowd of people for looking like that character. Also it's a fun puzzle trying to figure out who each character is or what they're from.
The third thing I love about these conventions is the panels. Unfortunately there weren't any on the day we went that interested us enough to go but it was okay with us.

Pros to this Comic Con:
-THE CROWDS- We knew it was going to be smaller so we were totally prepared. But smaller has some benefits, as in we didn't have to stand in a mass huddle of a couple hundred people waiting to get in the doors just to get our ticket with a giant smelly guy trying to make friends with us or a backpack jutting into my face for an hour. We got our tickets easy enough stood in a line but it was fun because it wound around the room and went upstairs so we got to watch passerby's costumes while we waited. And going around from booth to booth was SO MUCH BETTER. Usually it takes a little effort to get through each lane and you sometimes have to wait at certain booths for lines but this was so low-key that we got to move around at our own pace without feeling pressure to move on.
-DISTANCE- I already mentioned this but it is nice saving money on hotels and going to one that was closer to home. That way we don't feel too guilty for how much money we spend on art.
-SEEING FAMOUS PEOPLE- At the Emerald City Comic Con the whole lower level is devoted to the celebrities that come and that you can meet and take pictures with. But there behind curtains most of the time or they are just really far away so you see them but don't really see them. Well the celebrities at this Comic Con were just out in the open. They still had their lines and tables they were at but we got within a couple feet of them. Highlights were Lou Ferrigno and Henry Winkler (in a cute pink sweater) who Connor got a "How's it going?" from! So cool to see them being real people!

Cons to this Comic Con:
-SIZE- Emerald City is rather grander and a lot bigger. Which just means more artists you get to see and more to do.
-PANELS- This was really just because we went on Friday (which was the only day our Groupon was good for). I think there were some on Saturday that we would've gone to. But again we were totally okay with not going to any
-MINI-VACATION- There is something nice about taking a mini-vacation to Seattle, especially going to Pike's Place Market. But this way I didn't have to deal with the stress of having to take time off work.

Again we all had a blast and left with a little less cash but a few personally prized additions to our own Comic Con art collections.

but now the part you really want to see, the pictures:

Portland Expo Center

Dad (and character from the poster behind us): Expert level photobombers

 

That kid's Assassin's Creed costume was quite impressive and he's hanging out with Link!

This is mainly what we do at these conventions. Flipping through portfolios and seeing different art on display (this guy only had b/w comic book panels for sale)

Connor and Daredevil

For lunch we walked down a block to Subway which we thought was a better idea than paying $9+ dollars for a sandwich inside the center

Darth Vaderess Punk Rock Version?

Every so often an artist would come over and sketch on the windows of Zipcar as part of a promo

An awesome little Megaman

Me and cool blue haired Asian fairy

With the only member of the 501st Legion (charity that dresses up as Star Wars characters and give proceeds to Children's Hospital) that was available for pictures

Lou Ferrigno! (you were terrible on Celebrity Apprentice but man you got muscles!)

The best picture I could get of Henry Winkler (he's the one in the pink sweater) because pictures weren't really allowed but I was being sneaky

My first print that I fell in love with at first sight. This artist creates images using text from the books/movies. SO NEAT!

Doctor Who Tardis in the Clouds print (the line is from the scanner, it was too long to fit)

10th Doctor "Mew" (Connor got the whole set of all Doctors as cats!) I just couldn't not buy this print