Broken Frontier

Grab your emerald green corset and your cardboard broadsword, the Dragon Con is here! Hyped as the biggest annual science fiction and fantasy convention in the South East, Dragon*Con is a four day long convention that draws in fans from all over the nation. And with the media attention the con garners, it’s no wonder why.

One of the highlights of the Dragon Con, and the first thing you’ll notice when exiting your car, landspeeder, or broom, is the large number of fans that show up dressed as their favorite characters. So many fans come to the con dressed up they felt the need to start a Dragon Con parade. The city off Atlanta blocked off several blocks of downtown welcoming devoted fans dressed as everything from students from Hogwarts to Imperial Stormtroopers. I have been to many comic book conventions in my time, from California, to New York, and all the way down to Orlando, but I have never been to a con where there were so many dressed up fans. Dressed in civilian clothes I was in the minority.

Just when you think the convention couldn’t possible get any cooler, you actually step inside. The Dragon Con is so massive it actually takes place in three  separate hotels. Each hotel had a theme, be it dealers, panels, or celebrities. The comic creators were in with the dealers which is where I spent the majority of my time. Rather then just comic book dealers like you’d find at many conventions, the Dragon Con attracts dealers of many fantasy items and role playing games. It really can be quite hazardous to a fanboy’s bank account.

When it came to comic creators the guest list at Dragon Con was a force to be reckoned with. There were a couple folks I have met before that never disappoint, such as David Mack and Mike Avon Oeming. But there were a couple folks I had never seen at a con before such as Peter David, Eric Powell, and Ted Naifeh. I got a handful of books signed and my wife even landed a Courtney Crumrin sketch from Naifeh. 

Sadly, when it comes to news there isn’t much to report. The big comic book companies show favoritism to the larger cons (especially run by Wizard) and rarely bother to make an appearance at cons like Dragon Con and MegaCon.

During our time at the con we also made our way to the Walk of Fame, which was where they hid all the celebrities. There were a ton of folks there, far too many to mention. But chances are if you like something, there was someone there to represent it. There were several Star Wars actors, three gents from Harry Potter, Shepard from Serenity, and even David "Bud Bundy" Faustino. The highlight for me and my wife: the folks from Ghost Hunters and Myth Busters. Many of these guests also had extensive panels and Q & A sessions. This gave fans an opportunity to spend a bit more time with them and asked them nerdy stuff they could later post on message boards.

This was our first time at Dragon Con, but I can guarantee we will be back. The walk from one hotel to another can be a bit annoying, but it’s worth it. There were a couple minor details that really made it stand out that didn’t really have anything to do with science fiction or comics. One thing that really impressed me was that there were many water coolers that anyone could help themselves to, and they hotels made sure that they were filled and cooled regularly. There were also a couple decent places to eat in the hotels themselves there weren’t ridiculously overpriced. This was by far one of the most fan-friendly cons I had ever attended.

So if you live in a state close by, or even if you don’t, consider going to this con. It’s a bit heavier on the science fiction and fantasy then it is on the comics, but it really is a good time.