Friday, Saturday, Sunday January 24, 25, 26:
I finally got a temping job, just for three days, but! But! It was for three days of working at:
COMIC CON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I finally got a temping job, just for three days, but! But! It was for three days of working at:
COMIC CON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Portland Wizard World Comic Con 2014
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I worked at one of the wrist-band ticket booths for the Portland Wizard World Comic Con. I've always been curious about the whole Comic Con thing, and I was soooooo excited to get this assignment! I don't quite understand it all, but apparently there are many types of Comic Con (comic book convention), big ones and little ones, and the really big one that is in San Diego every year. Wizard World has big ones, especially in Chicago and some other cities, about 13 every year.
I was expecting there to be odd things--costumes mostly--but before I even got past the convention hall lobby, there was a guy dressed as Darth Vader in a kilt, riding a unicycle, and playing the bagpipes.
Well, of course there was! This is Comic Con!
I was expecting there to be odd things--costumes mostly--but before I even got past the convention hall lobby, there was a guy dressed as Darth Vader in a kilt, riding a unicycle, and playing the bagpipes.
Well, of course there was! This is Comic Con!
Love these costumes! (The line behind us is for Stan Lee, I think) Most people came in regular clothes, which surprised me, as I thought most would be in costumes. The ones that were costumed were really great about posing for pictures, really into it, and were happy to pose for pictures. They are doing the Cosplay (costume play) thing, which was another thing I was introduced to at Comic Con, but don't quite understand. What also was surprising was the range of costumes--lots of Star Wars and Star Trek, but also Dr. Who and Tinkerbell and comic book characters that I'd never heard of, and all kinds of stuff: Marvin the Martian, Katniss, various superheros, rather realistic-looking zombies, a lot of bounty hunter types with guns (there was a weapons check at the door for all swords, guns, etc.), and original costumes that people made up (I asked a lot of people at the box office who they were, so I got the scoop.)
Of course this makes sense to me now, but I was surprised to see that most of what Comic Con is, is comic books and comic book artists' art. The convention center was rows and rows of displays of art, comic books, comic book-related paraphernalia, such as t-shirts and hats and action figures and mugs and etc. And also computer games, movies, etc.
Droids! Moving and chirping and blinking their lights! These were made by the Pacific Northwest R2-D2 Builders. So cute!!!!
The kids had fun, too! (Although, FYI, if you ever want to take your kids to a Comic Con, be aware that there are some, ahem, skimpy costumes and art around!)
And there were Wookies! Compliments of the Peter Mayhew Foundation (the actor who played Chewbacca) there was this photo op. Awesomeness!!
Celebrities that were at Comic Con included: Stan Lee, William Shatner, and Adam West--all of whom I did not see, due to their often being behind a curtained-off area with long lines of people waiting to see them and pay for photo ops and autographs.
However, I did catch glimpses of other celebrities : Ron Perlman, Robert Englund, Summer Glau, Billy Dee Williams, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Norman Reedus (Walking Dead), and a wrestler named CM Punk. There were others, too. It was easy to know where to look since they had their own sections with lines of people waiting to meet them, but it would have been helpful to have a little more info on who they all were. However, if you are a fan, I guess you would know, and some people did seem to be there just to meet the celebs. They all charged for photos and autographs, too, and based on the lines, I think they did pretty well!
Celebrities that were at Comic Con included: Stan Lee, William Shatner, and Adam West--all of whom I did not see, due to their often being behind a curtained-off area with long lines of people waiting to see them and pay for photo ops and autographs.
However, I did catch glimpses of other celebrities : Ron Perlman, Robert Englund, Summer Glau, Billy Dee Williams, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Norman Reedus (Walking Dead), and a wrestler named CM Punk. There were others, too. It was easy to know where to look since they had their own sections with lines of people waiting to meet them, but it would have been helpful to have a little more info on who they all were. However, if you are a fan, I guess you would know, and some people did seem to be there just to meet the celebs. They all charged for photos and autographs, too, and based on the lines, I think they did pretty well!
Note that the woman getting her picture taken is a Where's Waldo/Where's Wanda character. Muppets!
It occurs to me, writing this, that if there were a Comic Con (and costumed participants) in Holland, Michigan, then that would be a real head-turner for sure. But in Portland, not as much?
It occurs to me, writing this, that if there were a Comic Con (and costumed participants) in Holland, Michigan, then that would be a real head-turner for sure. But in Portland, not as much?
It was easy to tell the Comic Con folks from the non-folks, as the Comic Con people were into it, came in with smiles and paid the admission and went in happy, whereas the people who were just curious and wanted to take a peek were all like, "It costs HOW much? But I saw a cheaper price on line...." and then they might move over to the side to confer and see if they really wanted to go in or not. FYI, the Wizard World Comic Con costs about $50 per day for admission at the door. I got a free blue box office t-shirt and free 3-day admission, which I was able to use for about 2 hours in bits and pieces. I also saw part of the costume contest on Saturday evening, but then I went home because I was TIRED after 11 hours of selling tickets!
I kind of wanted to be able to flash my 3-day wrist band around, but of course I was working the whole convention. On the bus home one night, though, I did connect with a couple of other comic con wristband wearers: a girl dressed as Princess Mononoke ("Mononoke Hime" in Japan--that's right, I know some stuff! Well, just that, actually...), and a guy wearing a green ski cap and sweatshirt, and Mountain Dew-logo covered pants. He also commented that he had had a sort of wrestling champion type belt, but it was his friend's and he had to give it back. I asked him who he was, a Mountain Dew Champion? And he said, yeah, something like that. So, there you go.)
I kind of wanted to be able to flash my 3-day wrist band around, but of course I was working the whole convention. On the bus home one night, though, I did connect with a couple of other comic con wristband wearers: a girl dressed as Princess Mononoke ("Mononoke Hime" in Japan--that's right, I know some stuff! Well, just that, actually...), and a guy wearing a green ski cap and sweatshirt, and Mountain Dew-logo covered pants. He also commented that he had had a sort of wrestling champion type belt, but it was his friend's and he had to give it back. I asked him who he was, a Mountain Dew Champion? And he said, yeah, something like that. So, there you go.)
So, yay! I got to work! And from now till forevermore, I get to say that my very first job in Portland was Comic Con! How completely awesome is that? :)
Maybe next year, I'd like to go back again for a day, because I want to see the Star Wars one-act play and some of the other stage shows and I would love to see some of the panel discussions. Wouldn't you like to hear what kinds of questions people ask William Shatner? I would!
BTW: It's been years since I've done a direct customer service job, and I have renewed respect for anyone who does this day in and day out. Even with most of the customers being easy-going, well-mannered Comic Con fans, this job still wiped me out!
Maybe next year, I'd like to go back again for a day, because I want to see the Star Wars one-act play and some of the other stage shows and I would love to see some of the panel discussions. Wouldn't you like to hear what kinds of questions people ask William Shatner? I would!
BTW: It's been years since I've done a direct customer service job, and I have renewed respect for anyone who does this day in and day out. Even with most of the customers being easy-going, well-mannered Comic Con fans, this job still wiped me out!
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