We stopped by the Derby City Comic Con to check out the setup and socialize with our fellow Con enthusiasts. Read all about our experience…
Throughout the year I keep an eye out for local events whether it be a Renfair, a Haunted House, or even Rock Concerts. Typically we show up and provide coverage while having an excellent time and seeing what each event has to offer. I’m not quite sure if I have pinpointed the exact reason yet, but Comic Cons are always my favorite. Perhaps it’s the celebration of Geek Culture, or seeing attendees in spectacular Cosplay, or maybe it’s just being able to socialize with so many people that have the same interests as me.
I have been to Derby City Comic Con before and met with Chuck Moore a handful of times. Having such great admiration for someone that brings this type of event to Louisville, I was deeply saddened when I heard that he was departing the event.
The silver lining in all of this was Lexington Comic Con’s own Jarrod Greer would be taking the helm which thrilled me to no end. For those of you that haven’t ever been to the Lexington Comic Con, stop what you are doing and visit the Official Site to familiarize yourself for the future. You can find our coverage for that event here. The size of the Lex Con is enormous and if I ever had one complaint about the Derby Con it was with the size. I always found it super cool, but surprisingly small and hard to occupy yourself for multiple days. I would love to see the Derby Con grow to match the same scale as it’s sister event, but I also realize that this will take some time and may take a few years to achieve. I absolutely feel that Louisville has the potential to support an event of this type on a much larger scale, but I’m also not an operations manager and could be missing out on some of the behind the scene logistics. That being said, I am grateful that Louisville has an event like this period and was anxious to see what this year would have in store.
Yoda greeted me as I walked in the door and started to absorb the atmosphere for the first time. Perhaps I sound a bit overly dramatic with that statement, but anyone who has ever been to one of these events will know what I mean. Throughout our normal lives and average day to day interactions we are typically greeted by society’s sense of normality. I think I speak for all of us “Geeks” when I say our sense of normal is quite a lot different. While you can argue that in today’s world it is becoming more and more acceptable to embrace the “Geek” culture, it’s still not quite that way everywhere. When people like me walk into a venue that completely embraces these things, it’s like a breath of fresh air. Finally we are surrounded by everything that we love and people that embrace the exact same things. It’s truly refreshing and like coming home for the first time after a long trip.
A few short minutes after getting there and starting down our first aisle I caught a glimpse of the Pixel Brain Production guys. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Pixel Brain Productions is an excellent group of talented people that specialize in short films and movies. They get extra points from me since they are Louisville natives and shoot all of their productions in town. I have known Matt Gaither and a handful of the other guys for quite a few years now. While we don’t really hangout or anything, we are constantly in the same circles and I always jump at the opportunity to stay up to date on their latest projects.
The most recent endeavor of theirs is the fantastic web series titles Bagged & Bored. I wasn’t entirely sold on this show at first, but I managed to give a try after a close friend of mine landed a brief role. I also took advantage of attending the screening they had at this year’s Con and thoroughly enjoyed the three episodes that were showed. The production value is always top notch and while at times the acting is intentionally over the top, these episodes are superb and highly enjoyable. The comedic moments are almost so spot on I found myself wondering how the crew managed to execute these situations and interactions so well. I feel thrilled to know a handful of these guys and to watch their productions and talents get better with every effort.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e65SNQ3wm9w]
This is a prime example of the types of experiences you are able to have at a Comic Con. You come across a booth of an artist or project and spend a few moments talking with them, the next thing you know you have entered a whole new world of exciting art and awesome people to connect with. While I knew Matt and some of his crew prior, I met a ton of other interesting vendors as well. Not to mention the opportunity to spend a few minutes with comic legend Allen Bellman and his lovely wife. They are a terrific couple filled with so many stories and have such personality.
You never really know what exactly you will see or encounter while at events like these. The Derby City Comic Con did a great job of utilizing the space that was available to them and whether you see booths like the one above or this beauty…
there are always plenty of things to look at and discover. I always enjoy seeing the setup that the 501st Legion has in place as well. Something about seeing a bunch of Stormtroopers hanging out or standing guard always blows me away. The Cosplay we encountered at this year’s Con was spectacular. This is always one of the aspects I look forward to the most… Seeing attendees with their interpretation of famous characters and creatures. Whether you are staring down a 7 foot tall predator or a 3 foot Ninja Turtle, the experiences are always different and exciting.
We were lucky enough to run into this guy…
There were so many great outfits out there and I would have loved to just sit back and capture them all. But if any of what I mentioned appeals to you, I would be doing you a disservice by spoiling all of the fun to be had in person. That is really where these events shine the most and the Derby City Comic Con is no exception. Sure it can stand to grow a bit (as i’m sure it will), but trust me when I say that Louisville is in good hands with Jarrod Greer. I look forward to seeing this event continue to grow and reach it’s full potential in the coming years. For all of you fellow geeks out there, quit reading about these Comic Cons and looking at Cosplay galleries… Just go out there and experience it for yourself. Better yet, pick your favorite character and attempt to recreate it in your own way. Just don’t forget to be creative and dome something unique. Who knows maybe I will see you there.
For more information on the Derby City Comic Con you can visit the Official Site. If you are disappointed that you missed out on all the fun, don’t worry the Lexington Comic Con is coming next March.
