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Much attention is paid to the big Conventions each year. The huge, sold-out gatherings like San Diego Comic Con receive volumes of free press, and really have little need any longer of advertising. People will attend without ever having to know who the special guests will be or what premiere events will happen at the Con, because everyone knows that - no matter what - it's going to be an experience.
For some people, though, it can be an overwhelming experience. Visit San Diego Comic Con on Saturday, for instance, and you'll discover if you have any latent agoraphobic tendencies. The hall is packed, and all it takes to bring an entire section to a standstill is one celebrity sighting. Now, for some, that's part of the appeal. Everyone who is anyone goes to the Big Convention, and that alone makes it a "must attend" event. For others, though, and particularly for first-time convention attendees, it may just be too much.
This is where smaller, more local conventions shine, and Phoenix Comicon is a good example of this. Comicon has been growing steadily since starting in 2002, and this year expected attendance in the 10,000 - 12,000 range. While it doesn't offer the kind of exhibitors that San Diego can (none of the big movie studios or game companies were in Phoenix), they did feature a number of celebrities and a good assortment of artists and vendors.
For perspective, this was the first time my wife has ever attended a comic convention. She put together a basic Steampunk costume, and learned the validity of what I've said before - going to a Con in costume is a kick. While she has gone to the Renaissance Faire in costume many times, and been asked for photos, she's never been asked as many times in one day as she was on Saturday at Phoenix Comicon. With a bit more persuasion, I might have talked her into taking part in the Steampunk Fashion Show, as frankly, I think her costume was a better representation of the genre than some of the others taking part in the show.
Like the big conventions, though, a bit of planning is necessary to help maximize the experience. We neglected to peruse the schedule before we went, and as a result, missed some panels and programs that we would have liked to attend. This is kind of an important point - don't assume that because a Con is small, it will lack good programming. Phoenix Comicon offered a wide variety of panels and seminars, covering a vast spectrum of interests. The Exhibitor Floor is only one part of the weekend, and my wife is already talking about planning out our visit next year so that we can enjoy more of the Con.
One observation, though, and it may well apply to other local conventions - Phoenix Comicon is having to deal with growing pains, and while it didn't seem to cause any great problems that I witnessed, they are learning the lessons of being larger than a handful of exhibitors and a few hundred attendees. The Steampunk Fashion Show, for instance, attracted far more people than the room could accommodate, and despite a standing-room only crowd, many others were turned away at the door because there simply wasn't space for them. This is, of course, a good kind of problem, as opposed to a scheduled event that doesn't attract much of anyone. It showed that the organizers planned events that would interest a large number of people, and made the locations easy enough to find. Next year, I suspect if they have the Steampunk Fashion Show, it will be in a larger hall, perhaps even with a real runway so that the "models" can be up high enough for everyone to see easily.
I've read and heard quotes from various attendees and exhibitors at Phoenix that they really enjoy this convention, and one artist comment I read stated the opinion that it's the best west-coast convention of all. Another comment was that it's a bit more personal than the big conventions, and more of what a convention should be. While that's all subjective, such quotes give a good impression of the appeal of a local Con. We didn't have to drive for hours and hours to get there, hotel rooms were reasonable (we found many listed for under $50 a night for two people, and decent rooms at that), and the Con itself was more affordable (pre-registration costs $30 for the entire Convention, Thursday through Sunday).
If you can't make it to one of the Big Conventions this year, or even if you can, consider checking out the smaller, local conventions near you. You may just find that they're also fun, and worth the time to attend. Additionally, if you support your local Con, you may just find that they'll soon be able to attract some of the elements that you love about the big Cons.
http://www.phoenixcomicon.com/
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