I have never been to a convention of any kind ever
 

But a friend brought my attention to this http://www.heroesonline.com/heroescon/guests/

So you don't really have to read this, today I saw Brian Clevinger was going to be on the list there. So is there anything anyone would like before I capture him and take control of these forums here?

You're going to beg us on your knees to take it back within a week.

I generally really want to go to conventions, but never do because I don't want to go alone. I might go to Yaoicon later this year though.

This concept is terrifying to me.

That said, I just went to my first con last weekend. Steampunk rather than anime, and it was rather small as a first-year con, but it was still rather amazing.

If I can recall, Nikose told me that Anime North is called Yaoi North or something.

I've been to the last... 4 San Diego Comic Cons, and 1 Botcon. Botcon was nice enough, but I didn't care for many of the panels they had that year, and Botcon's exclusives are hideously overpriced. (Of course, to be fair, my back had just gone out prior to Botcon, so my skipping of many panels might have more to do with that, rather than the content.)

I have considered going to New York Comic Con instead of SDCC, seeing as how I live on the East coast, and SDCC is on the west. (Plus, after SDCC, I've heard that NYCC is the 2nd largest con.)

The reason why I keep hitting SDCC, is that there's always more than a few panels I enjoy seeing (assuming I can get into the room).. There's more than a few premiere showings of some straight to DVD stuff.. The exclusives are always interesting, and sometimes even worth buying.. Plus, there's a butt ton of freebies to be had, I'm disappointed if I don't manage to snag at least 6 t-shirts, 1 convention bag & maybe a DVD or 2.

My suggestion to picking a Con is always to look at the kind of panels they get, at least look at the prior year, as you won't likely know everything before they sell out of tickets. You might like the theme behind the con (like Anime), but if its just showing movies you can rent/already own, plus costume play... Well that's a waste of your time & money.

SWB

Guide to Cosplay: The Doctor is never out of place. Ren Fair? The doctor is visiting 1500. Anime convention? The Doctor is crossing demenions. Steampunk? Fuck you, The Doctor is Steampunk from the future, you can't even handle it.

I appreciate your interest in something but holy fuck don't force it upon everyone.
 

It honestly seems that any anime con becomes an excuse for yaoi fans to rally together and clamor for the most attention possible. They, in general, were hands-down the most annoying and aggravating group(s) at Otakon a few times.

I went to Fan Expo Canada last year and it was really fun, so I'm going again this year.

Oh, you went to Steampunk World Fair? I was there too. You might've seen me on stage with the Clockwork Dolls. I was wearing a grey pinstripe conductor's hat, tan vest, and pants to match the hat. I also had a leather tool belt.

Over here it's a tad different, we have multiple occasions where Girls ranging from 15 to 17 went to these events as "Towel girls" which is pretty much a generic Anime girl dresses with just a Towell around her body (And panties) or pretty much a softcore hentai cosplay.

That's... bad for the image of any serious event, but it got a little worst when they were repeatedly spotted on multiple events with little signs saying stuff like "Kisses $2, Hug $3" etc...

I want to go to a steampunk con some time, I'm planning my new wardrobe entirely on asian/indian and subtle steampunk mix, trying to make it classy rather than obvious though.

Anime cons are ok, from my experience you have screenings which are like free movie theaters, you have conferences which are like city hall meetings for silly flash and browser games, you have your art halls for buying really niche wapanese things, swords, keychains, overpriced anime stuff, ect, your really really good gamers room where people who are sick of beating all of their friends all the time have specifically come to this con in the hopes they wont have to go easy. and you have your obligatory overcrowded sealed-vent large rooms that smell like a different shameful bodily excretion every hour.

The people are pretty tame and most lack self confidence, so I don't feel threatened at all by anyone when I go to them ^_^

Many of them need to learn what soap is!
 

Yeah, I hear you. Now and again I've seen young women get thrown out for the costumes they've tried to wear around, or lack of them I guess. And the obsession with "free hugs" and the like as signs...

At first, cons were amazing to me, as the actor and licensing company panels were outstanding and the dealer room super fun and the music video contests quite enjoyable. But then the fans. Oh man the fans. If anything has had a negative effect on my involvement in the medium and all that my fellow fans have certainly been one of the most negative influences.

Last year I went to a medieval festival/convention thing called Castlefest in the Netherlands.
Very fun and a nice atmosphere, and were it not for the fact I don't have a costume I'd go again this year. Last year I really just went to see the folk-band Rapalje play. *shrugs*

And later this year, I'll be going to LEGO World in Zwolle (again, the Netherlands), which should prove fun too.

I tried really hard to get to Gencon this year, but things just didn't pan out. Im probably going to hit up NYCC though.

I think the closest thing I've been to an actual con was the Magic: The gathering Grand Prix in toms river a few years ago, and Going to Neutral Ground before it closed

Squeaky dick gets the oil.

My regular con is Anime Central in Chicago. It's pretty huge and awesome. It's kind of amusing. I go there, and this year I didn't go to any panels at all but I still had an awesome time. I go with a huge group of friends, so I can't imagine going alone.

Fans can be really irritating. But on the flip side, some of them are some pretty cool people. I've been going to Acen for three years now and every year we've run into this one cosplayer who we really got along with, so now we look for each other every year.

Nah, World Steampunk Expo. It was in Detroit.

Oh. I had some friends who went there as well, but I couldn't make it. =P

I met Brian and Scott, yeah we are on a first name basis now. I got two volumes of Atomic Robo signed and spent a lot of money on assorted artists and Deadpool comics. I talked to the Star Wars people about Star Wars. The Star Trek people never showed up, but I could have talked to them. I talked to the Farscape people about Farscape and Star Gate. Oh and I got a check in the mail from a job I quit two years ago. Pretty awesome day overall.

What concerns you peons is that Brian said I could have the forums. Everything you see here? Yeah it's mine now. Well I have been driving forever so I need sleep.