Con Etiquette
By Mathew Bredfeldt
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The comic/science fiction convention season is starting up for another year in Dallas next month and I thought I would post something for those of you out there that are thinking of going to your first convention in 2013. These are just seven simple rules for you as the attendee, and one for the guests, to follow to make your convention experience a more pleasant one. First if you are going to a convention and want to make nice with the guests, do not go out and get yourself hammered that same day early in the morning and then turn around and go to a panel and give the panelists a beer from the refreshment stand as well. Sure you'll think you are doing a good thing, but you will be forever known as the drunken person who got up and offered Dan Didio a beer during a panel at 10:00am. (This happened at Wizard World Dallas one year.) I know it is always four o'clock somewhere in the world, but come on. A kind word about how you like their work and possibly buying something from them at their table later on will get you a lot further than one bottle of beer will. Second, if you are in a panel and have a cause that you want to promote; just stand up and say your piece and then sit down and wait for an answer/comment from the panelists. Don't go all hogging the microphone demanding an answer. You won't get booed that way and more people will get to ask more questions. Third, politeness on your part as an attendee to your fellow attendees is greatly appreciated. If you get in line to have something autographed by the writer or artist of your favorite comic; try to keep your items to no more than about five to be autographed. It drove me up the wall when I went to the Dallas Comic-Con this past May and got in line to get something autographed by George Perez and someone was way ahead in the line with a stack of at least twenty things to be autographed that have to be unbagged, then signed and then rebagged before he can go on to the next book. It's things like this that make me reluctant to go get anyone's autograph that is not charging for it. Three and a half: Guests, don't be insulted if someone is dumbfounded when they come up to meet you and you comment on the picture they have chosen. I know several years ago when I went to a Sci-Fi Expo here in Dallas and I met Dave Prowse (Darth Vader in the original Star Wars Trilogy) he and his handler commented on the picture that I had brought for him to autograph. I'm afraid I might have insulted him when they said that and I really did not know how to react. Normally I am very on top of my game when someone compliments me on something, but this was Darth Vader (at least the actor half) and I really did not know how to react. When I got my faculties about me and I watched him sign the picture that I chose I thanked him and went on my way. I felt bad not saying anything other than that and am hoping I did not insult him. If I did then I want to apologize right now. Fourth, attention attendees; guests are not there to be your friend. They are professionals and need to be treated as such. Don't stand at the table of a guest at a con and talk to them and ask them inane questions. I'm sure they are only answering them to be polite, but the person that is in front of the guest getting the autograph might want to say hi to them and maybe ask a brief question. Fifth, and this is a biggie, hygiene is the key. If you are coming to a con for one day or all the days it runs, always take a shower before you go to the con either the night before the next day or the next day, and use soap in the shower and deodorant when getting dressed for crying out loud. Nobody wants to be around you and your righteous B.O. after one day let alone three or four. Also Axe Body spray is not deodorant contrary to what it says on the container. It will also not get the booth babes attention any better than not wearing Axe body spray. Sixth, if you feel you must bring a little one to the convention, try not to leave your stroller in the middle of the flow of foot traffic as you look at a dealer's table. This is for two reasons, politeness and safety. Leaving a stroller in the middle of foot traffic is really rude to the people who just want to get around and look at everything in the dealer's room before making a purchase at a table. We have to go around your stroller that you left in the middle of everything and possibly also bump into people who we don't know and cause an incident. The safety aspect comes from the fact that if there is an emergency (heaven forbid) and people have to leave in a hurry, your little one in the stroller will not be trampled by the crowd that does not always leave in a orderly fashion. If you can, forgo the stroller and get a Baby Bjorn and carry the little one around in that. Seven, if you feel you must take a picture of a really cool cosplayer, then do not stop in the middle of a footpath in the dealer's room and take their picture. This causes a back-up in foot traffic that is worse than most of the vehicle traffic on the major roadways here in Dallas on a non-Holiday weekday. If you can, try to catch the cosplayers in a wide open area like the lobby or the outdoors where people can easily get around you and that will save a few headaches on everyone's part. There you have it, seven simple rules for you as an attendee, and one for guests, to follow before going to your first convention in 2013.
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