My afternoon started off with me getting stuck behind a train (not too uncommon considering where my office is located). While I waited, I crafted this response:
I arrived at the con, forgot it was Thursday and that I could park closer, and ended up walking quite a ways to the con. I was meeting up with Shauna, so I went to get our wrist bands and start wandering the con. This year the admissions and games (board and video) are in the lower section of the Big Four.
Behind me off screen to the left was the arcade, board games, food court and admissions area. To the right was this curtained off, dark, PC gaming area. I didn't take a peek inside, but from here I could see a lot of glowy.
Ooookay I took way too many portrait photos. So upstairs was the usual exhibit area with artists and vendors. Saw a Dalek, about a million flasks and was quite proud of myself for recognizing a Harry Dresden cosplay (however he was NOT in front of the staff shop, which was mildly disappointing). I found a bullet bracelet for Sarah and about a million of those leather watches I actually spotted in a pharmacy the other day. Shauna texted me at this point, so I wandered outside to find her.
I met up with Shauna where she adjusted her wrist band and complained about being expected to wear a sparkly band for 4 days (because people like doctors or lawyers who may attend might not want to wear a band the whole weekend if they had to be in a professional setting). I waited for her to get it right and we wandered back to the land of flasks...after we passed these two:
We wandered around in the Big Four for awhile, and I found a giant stock of Toothless plushes. I'll have to see how drastically they diminish over the weekend.
Again...why did I take so many PORTRAIT PHOTOS. We wandered past the food trucks outside (pretty much the same ones as last year if anyone is wondering - perogies truck, Viet truck, candy truck, Japanese place and a coffee kiosk) and back into the BMO Centre to the exhibition halls. We started walking the aisles as I randomly blurted out random characters and art that I saw as we nearly got plowed over by other people equally not paying any attention where they were going (and this is THURSDAY mind you). I turned the corner and saw the most amazing sight.
The Tower of T-shirts MOVED. For the first time (at least since I've been going), the Tower is not along the edge creating a human singularity. For once, planning actually makes sense. It's dead centre. It's truly a sight to behold. I still didn't go inside because that's a claustrophobic nightmare, but I was still impressed someone had the foresight to put it there this year.
No idea wtf the giant purple head was, but there were these crazy glowy dresses on the other side. I think these are the people that make the Useless Machines.
So there were a few things this year that were...well, a "thing." Above you see two of them, Pop Figurines and life-sized cardboard cut outs. Both were everywhere in abundance. The Pop Figures have been around in large quantities for a few years now, but the cut-outs are fairly new...at least this many of them. There's even one of good old Drumpf with a $50 sticker covering his mouth. Shauna made the quip that she wondered if it came with darts. I asked the vendors and they said unfortunately not. The other thing we saw a lot of was...
...life sized anime body pillows. I've seen them at the con before, but there were A LOT of places selling them this year. One place (seen in the top picture with Shauna), even invited you to "turn them over."
Shauna wanted to be sure we pointed out some...details. I have questions, but I don't think I want the answers.
I still don't know how Five Nights At Freddy's is so popular. I saw a lot of fan art and cosplays. Like...way more than was reasonable. This seems strange to say but I now understand a little piece of my job a bit more. An understanding that asks way too many more questions as a result.
Naturally, even today, the cosplay is on point. There were some pretty impressive costumes around, even this early in the con.
Shauna made the mistake of pointing them out to me, then I'd derail our explorations by asking for pictures. I'll likely be taking way more pictures of cosplayers on Saturday/Sunday. I'm really sad I missed out on pictures of an adorable Deadpool dad and Harley Quinn daughter, Kylo Ren and Rey, and Ike and Marth. I just missed all of them.
The one place over in the autographs building of the BMO centre had some interesting pieces this year. There was no Gollum or Azog, but there were a couple of cool displays including an impressive Balrog in a case.
I was particularly impressed by the Balrog. Most of this stuff is for sale in some shape or form, but it's for people much richer...or much more dedicated than I.
We finished off our day by saying hello to some puppies. Shauna was having a little trouble holding this little fellow, who was eager to get back to his human.
And thus concludes Day 1 at the con, of which we left to get cheap fast food because we were both starving. We decided to pass on the food trucks for now. Tomorrow will likely be short because I'm only running over (possibly literally) to the con to see Agent Coulson, Then I'll be unfortunately preoccupied for the evening.
As a recap, the merch at the con this year is pretty good. A lot of the same webcomic creators are back. Most of the same artist vendors with the same prints. Too many cardboard cut-outs, FNaF, and body pillows were around. There were tons of great t-shirt places, the usual comic stores, the same tattoo place, that weird visual theme park ride thing, and PUPPIES. I haven't found the LEGO display though...
PS - I FORGOT THIS PHOTO
Best picture of Captain America ever.
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