(CON)QUEST: Thanks, Comic Con nerds! Love, An Otaku

Super late post on Comic Con, but a must! Comic Con 2015 was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Interesting (though not necessarily surprising) enough, the demographic was older than Anime Expo. This led me to the realization that while I always imagine “comic book nerds” as ostracized teens, they’re now at a point where a lot of them are grown up.

While most of those in attendance hovered around the 18-25 age range, there were also plenty of parents with children in the convention center. I had the privilege of getting my own pass through my internship and walking around during my free time. The convention center was always PACKED and there were moments where I wouldn’t be able to walk in any which way for a good 2 minutes. However, everyone was very open to conversation and commiserating on the crowd troubles.

I’m going to be honest, sensory overload are two very accurate words for SDCC. Sponsors upon sponsors upon artists upon costumes upon promotional posters upon people…on and on! The spirit of the community radiated through every inch of the place and with a very established sense of unity and continuity, it was easy to see why hundreds of thousands of people made trips from all across the far reaches of the globe to experience this event.

A week after Anime Expo, I had the opportunity to draw connections between the two cultures. Through this, I became very grateful and aware of the lives these people must have led.

It’s no secret that comic book nerds, before they became mainstream, were regularly bullied and ostracized for liking something people considered strange. It wasn’t until relatively recently that liking comic books became a cool thing rather than something that makes you a loser.

In the same vein, I’ve gotten plenty of strange looks when I’ve told people I’m into anime. In fact, my first month and a half at USC felt a bit hollow because I couldn’t find many others that shared my love for anime.

However, I was never bullied for liking anime. I was never subject to humiliation specifically because I enjoyed Japanese animation. And as I walked through the sea of people at Comic Con 2015, I realized that many of these folks paved the way to making what I enjoy, acceptable. Cool, even.

It was inspiring to realize that even through what these attendees must have endured, the community banded together and created something extraordinary out of an art form. And where bitterness should have taken root, love and passion continued to bloom into the culture—even expanding into gaming and some anime.

All in all, between the slew of celebrity sightings (like this one of me standing in the general vicinity of Daniel Radcliffe who is to the top right of my head!!!!) 

and the overwhelmingly colorful atmosphere, I can say that Comic Con is a must-have experience for comic book lovers and art-lovers alike. Although increasingly difficult to purchase tickets for, it’s worth every refresh.