Hello all you beautiful Comic Impact readers. I’m in a pleasant mood because I had an incredible time at the Long Beach Comic Con.
Now in its 5th year the Long Beach Comic Con has become my favorite convention around. LBCC is big but not too big because it doesn’t have much of a Hollywood presence to attract hoards of people for celebrity sightseeing. It’s small but not so small feel bored and there is always something to do.
As a lifetime pass holder I always make sure to get the most of this 2 day experience. As soon as you get to the Long Beach Convention Center you can feel the magic in the air. The lobby was always filled with cosplayers, photographers and fans eager to get in for the show. The main floor was easy to navigate and filled with friendly and talented comic creators. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti were on site signing books for a long of fans that always seemed a mile long, Richard Starkings stationed at the Elephantmen booth drawing sketches for fans and the fine folks at The Devastator chatted up fans about their comedy magazine. The show was great for indie publishers because they didn’t have to compete with a Hollywood presence or a large comic publisher.
In recent years one of the problems I had with Long Beach Comic Con was a less than stellar Masquerade, but this year was different. The Masquerade on Saturday night was sponsored by Nerd Like Us and they put on a great show. About 40 contestants showed off their costumes on a fashion show style stage. The whole thing fast tracked and lasted about an hour, a big step up from the seemingly endless San Diego Comic Con Masquerade.
Overall there isn’t much to dislike about Long Beach Comic Con. A perfect sized show, a family friendly environment, great professional guests, great for cosplayers and entertaining panels. Without hesitation I can say that Long Beach Comic Con is my favorite convention around. Best of all you only have to wait a few more months before it returns as the Long Beach Comic Expo.
– Uncle Dunfy
MattD@comicimpact.com
