A little about Comic-Cons
For the first time in two years, Comic-Con is back in London. To me, this is absolutely an exciting thing. I have always loved this event, ever since my first time going. There is just something about the environment that makes you feel an acceptance. Everywhere you turn, there is someone in cosplay or discussing something that would, outside this sort of environment, would be considered uncool. So where did this event come from and where did it first begin?
To start with, it should probably be said that London MCM isn’t the main or biggest Comic-Con, it isn’t even the first. It’s just the one that holds a place in my heart. The honour of first, biggest and most influential Comic-Con has to go San Deigo in the US. In 1970, San Diego held its first large Comic Book Convention, which is where the abbreviation Comic-Con comes from. Though it is more than that now, they originally started out as conventions primarily for comic books, with there being a separate convention, called Worldcon, which began in 1939. Worldcon was a place primarily for fans of science fiction to gather and debate and discuss elements of the genre. Mostly, it was just a celebration of the worlds that the science fiction writers had created. In the evening on Saturday, people dress up as they imagine the characters from their favourite sci-fi novels would be dressed and would then attend a masquerade party. This is where we get cosplaying from, with it having become developed greatly over the years, no longer just book characters but characters from tv, film and even games.
The first San Deigo Comic-Con was designed to incorporate all facets of popular culture, not just comic books, like all of the Comic-Cons that were before. This first large Comic-Con was called San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Con. It was meant to be an inclusive event, not only just on Sci-Fi or comics but also other genres of written work. In 1976, the unreleased Star Wars movie was promoted using limited edition posters that have since become a sort after collectable. At the time of the convention in 76, they were sold for less than two dollars. Recently, however, one has been sold for four thousand dollars, more than two thousand times the original price. Since the establishment of SDCC, the term Comic-Con has come to encompass more than just one type of convention, with it being used as the umbrella term when talking about things such as popular culture conventions, comic conventions, or even conventions for specific interests, though this title is less commonly used for such conventions.
There is a precious part of my heart that is made up of memories I have made at a Comic-Con and while it is, at most, two days out of my year, I am immensely grateful for the wonderful environment that such a place creates. You can be anyone, see anyone. It is a place to share art and outfits and interests. I am excited for Comic-Con this year, and Comic-Con’s to come.
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