WonderCon 2014
Anaheim, CA
Listen up, Nerds! I proclaim to you a new order! Put WonderCon on your “To Go” list for next year! Imagine if you could step back in time eight or ten years to the past and attend SDCC? What would you find? Cosplayers? Yes. Reasonable crowds? Absolutely! Industry attendance? For sure. Overpriced tickets and lousy conditions? Not a chance. And that’s why I’m putting WonderCon on my list every year from here on out.
So what happened at WonderCon that has me so excited? First of all, it’s the vibe. Sure, everyone was there to have a good time and to see and be seen just like every other Con. But somehow, it managed to feel well-attended without being under/overcrowded. If you wanted an exclusive, there were plenty. If you wanted an autograph, you didn’t have to set up a camp at the far end of the convention center complete with an altar to pray to your gods that it would happen. Even at the event’s largest video game presence, Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8, the lines were not overwhelming to score some time behind the wheel. We practically walked right onto their giant photo op where you got to sit in a replica of a kart. You felt like a VIP everywhere you went. Not bad for $25/day!
So, the floor show is as good as SDCC for a fraction of the cost? Maybe that’s true, but what about the panels? I’m glad I asked. If you only attend SDCC for the jaw-dropping, life-altering sneak peeks, then you won’t be disappointed at WonderCon. The DC Comics: Batman panel delivered up a slew of great guests from the writers of the four major titles currently in publication to a couple hints about what to expect from the Bat in his 75th year. One of the touchier subjects was also brought up when an attendee asked, “How do you feel about Bill Finger not getting a by-line as the creator?” And while the writers tried to ignore the question (for the sake of their jobs), Larry Ganem, editorial director at DC Comics, stated, “We at DC have made peace with the Finger family and this is no longer an issue.” So maybe there’s been a backdoor deal made and this is as close as we’re going to get to what it was.
Other panels of note, included several from the major studios, including Warner Bros. and Fox, who showed new footage from Godzilla. There were also a slew of industry guests from shows like Revolution to Once Upon a Time. There was a Behind the Scenes panel for the highly anticipated upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated series, which is set between Episodes III and IV. But the best part of the Con had to be the World Premier of Son of Batman!! Now that was an exclusive worth it’s weight in gold! If you’re interested in my spoiler free review, it’s here on the blog, as well. And more great panels just like these. 
Ultimately, it was a Con for the fans. There were food trucks galore and photo opportunities to match. If you’re looking for something special to add to your “To Go” list, this should be at the top of it. Sure, SDCC is the juggernaut, but WonderCon was far more satisfying, because I actually got to do everything I wanted. And that’s what makes a good Con!
The Bad Nerd
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