During the weekend of April 3-5 the streets of Anaheim were teeming with people dressed as superheroes and other notable characters from famous comic books such as Marvel and DC for WonderCon 2015. The event was located at the Anaheim Convention Center, which is right across Disneyland, so con-goers visiting the area for the convention could make a spontaneous trip to the theme park if they felt like it. A somewhat smaller version of Comic-Con, which is annually held in San Diego during the summer, WonderCon gives nerds an early chance to dress up and geek out with one another.
(Image source: Collider, Steve Weintraub)
People dressed up as their favorite characters are called “cosplayers” and they are not limited to just comic book characters – others include characters from anime, cartoons, Disney movies, and even movie actors/actresses. There are those who order their outfits online and those who take it upon themselves to design their own. Some cosplayers got into character while others acted normally, but when photographers asked for their pictures it was not just a smile that they gave but also a variety of poses that fit in line with the characters they were supposed to act as.
(Image source: Collider, Steve Weintraub)
(Image source: Comicvine, Tony Guerrero)
Inside the convention center, con-goers were able to decide whether they wanted to attend a panel, go through the artists’ alley where original artworks were displayed, or stroll through the exhibit hall to purchase merchandise. The convention center is huge, so walking around was like going through a maze.
For the panels, a variety of topics were discussed throughout the three days such as “How to Get a Job in Video Games,” “Drawing Notes: Inside the Music of Animation,” and “Working in the Star Wars Universe.” There were special guests who attended the convention and appeared at these panels like Neal Adams who is a writer and artist for Batman, X-Men, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, and Deadman.
The artists’ alley had many artists sitting behind their booths and displaying their artwork. Some drew on the spot so that con-goers passing by could see talent right before their eyes. Artworks were for sale and those with an eye for the arts held no hesitation when it came to buying these from the artists themselves.
The exhibit hall was the largest area in the convention center; it consisted of numerous booths that were selling merchandise or beckoned con-goers to participate in the games or contests they held. From clothes to plushies to weapons, there were an array of items people could purchase and what made these items so unique was that they came from the shows and comic books that the fans love.
Badges were sold on a single-day basis or as a 3-day pass. WonderCon badges are easier to get a hold of than Comic-Con ones, so for those who were not able to get their Comic-Con badge early or on time, they were given the opportunity to go to another convention that is pretty much the same as Comic-Con although it is not the international convention, which is one of the reasons why Comic-Con is so famous. WonderCon is held annually usually around the spring time and definitely before Comic-Con, so if this is your first time hearing about it and you cannot believe you missed out on it, there is always next year.