Which Comic Convention is the best to go to?

We get asked all the time by friends, family, other comic book vendors and fans which comic book conventions are the best to go to. Well here is our answer:

First, it depends on what you are going to the convention for. If you want to discover new, indie, self-published comic books then your best bet to find those would be to go to the smaller conventions. The ones that have just started up or are within a couple of years of being around, these conventions are the ones that tend to have more undiscovered talents. These conventions although small offer several things that the big shows just can not anymore. This would include the following: smaller crowds, which give you time to look at all the booths and get a chance to talk to the artists, writers and exhibitors with out being rushed. The lines for panels are small and you have a much better chance of being able to attend the panels that you would like to go to without having to stand in line for hours on end. You can take your time and you are not rushed to see everything since you have room to breathe and enjoy. Just because it might be a smaller show, do not think that guest speakers and celebrities will not be in attendance, cause you would be wrong. Many smaller conventions attract celebrities as they also enjoy the more intimate environment and being able to chat with fans without rushing from one panel to the next. Plus the smaller conventions are normally more reasonably priced and you will not have to sell a kidney to be able to afford the entry price.

Example: For Southern California that would be conventions like The Long Beach Comic Con, Long Beach Comic Expo and Wondercon.

Now, bigger conventions are great as well. If you are into the mainstream, Marvel , DC Comics, then these shows would be more your speed. At the bigger conventions, it is easier to find these types of comics as well as some pretty cool memorabilia. Here, you will most likely see the bigger named stars as well as have them be in several panels and do more signings. These types of conventions also feature more movie trailers, t.v. show panels , so if you want to see your favorite celebrities you will have a higher chance at one of these more widely known conventions.If you attend one of these bigger conventions, you might want to plan out what you want to see ahead of time as there is a lot to see and do! But all that being said, be WARNED!!  These conventions drawn big crowds, long lines for panels, do not offer the chance to truly get to see all the convention has to offer and are very pricey. Also,unforuntitly, there has been a rise in harassment to cosplayers. As comic book conventions have gained more media attention and popularity over the years, which is great for the industry and up and coming talents, it has started attracting the type of people that normally would not have come to the conventions if it was not deemed the cool thing to do. So be careful when you visit any convention.

Example : For Southern California that would be conventions like San Diego Comic Con and Comikaze in Los Angeles.

Secondly, location, location, location! On any given weekend there is a comic book convention going on somewhere in the country. With the newly found popularity that conventions are enjoying, new conventions are popping up everywhere. Here it comes down to cost and point number one above: What you are going to the convention for. It does not make sense to travel across the country, spend several thousand dollars for a small convention, unless that is your thing then that is great!, to attend a convention that is small. Many people pick out one or two big conventions a year to go to and plan out the trip.

Example: New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic Con.

Thirdly and Lastly, Research! Simply doing a Google search for conventions to see what artists, comic book vendors and celebrities as well as panels planned can help in your decision making. Look at all the convention has to offer and if it is something you would find fun! After all conventions are suppose to be a fun thing! We can not tell you how much this helps people in choosing the conventions to go to!

Overall, all types of comic book conventions are great and each offers something that the others do not. It all depends on the points listed above. Conventions are fun, if they were not then we would not be going to them! We hope this helps in helping you choose which conventions to go to! Make sure to check out our blog section for our experience at several comic book conventions in Southern California!