Phoenix Comicon Wrap-up

Phoenix Comicon has drawn to a close, and WHEW! was it crazy. SOOOO many nerds!

The move to the Phoenix Convention Center was a bit of a difficult one. While the extra space was certainly welcome, it didn't really feel like it helped much. While there was certainly more space, there were simply so many booths in the Vendor Hall and so many con-goers that traffic slowed to an absolute halt in many places. The programming was also a bit lacking. While primarily a comics convention, even the panels in this vein were uninteresting. A rather disappointing number of events, and panels lacking in focus meant that much time was spent simply meandering through the hall. And that's really where the action is.

A ridiculous amount of cosplay is on display at every con, and this was no exception. With costumes ranging from the elaborate to the awesome to the downright pathetic, quite a lot of fandom was on display. Surprisingly, the usual anime obsessions were not present, with a shockingly low number of Naruto, Code Geass, and Kingdom Hearts characters on display. I only saw one Cloud all con, and it was a rather unimpressive one at that.

The vendor hall was PACKED with some excellent stuff. Our good friends at WorldWide Villains were back with new merch, as was Travis Hanson, back to break another record for free sketches (I myself snagged a nice one of Abraham Hitler, the completely gratuitous fusion of two of history's greatest leaders, Lincoln and Hitler). We also met a few new artists, including the authors of '68, a zombie Vietnam comic, and TalisX of the Miniskirt Army, doing some rather delicious fanservice pics. Some adorable art pieces by Kokeshi Love and a new comic named SuperFrat, about a fraternity full of superheroes (except Norm, who was on a beer run when the meteor hit).

The guest line-up was a bit disappointing. While heavyweights like Felicia Day and Stan Lee were in attendance, their prices for autographs and waiting times were outrageous. The anime voice actors were a little too mainstream, with Colleen Clinkenbeard, Stephanie Sheh, and Mike McFarland of One Piece, Naruto, and Dragonball Z fame appearing. A wider range of guests would have been more appreciated. If a tiny anime con like Saboten can rope in Vic Mignogna, Steve Blum, and Chuck Huber, then surely Phoenix Comicon can attract the likes of Chris Patton, Luci Christian, or others. While the term "mainstream" is thrown around a bit too much, perhaps actors from less mainstream shows could make an appearance.

Which leads me to another point; there was no love for the gamer at this con. While there were the usual game rooms devoted to crap like Street Fighter and (*gasp*) Cock of Doody; Modern Gayfuckstupid 2, there were no panels or voice actors present. Last year's Phoenix Comicon saw the inclusion of Rueben Langdon, voice actor and motion-capture performer. This con saw nothing of the sort. With no dedicated con for gamers, even a little concession would be welcome.

Overall, this was quite a con. The transition from the previous location was a bit of a rocky one, with a more crowded location, fewer panels, and a more confusing layout, but overall, Phoenix Comicon is still fantastic. With a slight update to the panes and a better selection of guests, this could be a must-attend.