The Convention   Portland Comic Con

The Place: Oregon Convention Center

The Dates :  24 – 26 Jan 2014

Convention season has got of to a rousing start with Wizard World’s Portland. Portland Comic con is a major Comic Con like convention. Both Kiju Kitty and Chococcat were my companions

Friday /Saturday:  I vacillated between going or not because of the lack of any advance schedule  of events. The preview   page makes make Portland Comic Con look like Celebrity Porn. Noting sexual vut   the man focus is on celebrities over fan future and  media.    It ok if one likes to go goo-goo gaga over their favorite celebrity, but for me I am more of a fandom an d media person. I decided  to go  late Friday night because  I was board.

I went out for my traditional pre-convention breakfast at   Hometown Buffet before head out to the convention space. The line to redeem my ticket was very long but it went fast, only taking a half an hour.  I took in the dealers den, took a few photos before heading out to the first panel in the Bat Cave with the original dynamic duo Adam West and But Ward. Both were very cordial. The panel was more question and answer but I was wishing for more about Batman and the 1960’s show. Afterward I stayed in the room for Stan Lee One on One with Stan Lee; it was more questions and answers and too light on insight. I left half way for Does Science in Science Fiction matter panel.  It was a very interesting panel worthy of Orycon or NewCon that Comic Con.  I latter went back to the dealer’s room and picked up another Sanrio Pop figure for my collection.  The headed out to the Apocalypse How panel. I hung around the con afterwards   until the Cosplay contest. I have mixed feelings about the contest  as  Heroes of Cosplay was filming it; I had say  knowing  how scripted so called reality  shows are, I cannot be certain the was no fix in the judging.    I called it a day around 9:00pm.

Sunday, Second Helpings: paid for a second redeemed my ticket. The panel picks were slim. The One on One panel with William Shatner was the highlight of the convention. He was very actuate and passionate and had a lot more depth   than previous celebrity panels I attended.  After that I was more in lounge mode; attended the last of Cassandra Peterson’s panel as well then hung  out at the dealers den until the chased us out by 5:00pm

The Good:  William Shatner panel and it was a con.

The Bad: lest start with lack of a advance schedule.  Second I say the issue of Portland Comic Con being just celebrity porn; noting nothing sexual but like porn there a single emphasis on a single item. It this case it the celebrity. I am more of a media man myself. For example I rather see the stars’ and the director and writer of the Walking dead on a panel than just the stars. Dear Wizard World, plastering pictures of the celebrity on your website is not doing anything to convince me to pay up and go. Which brings me to my final point Wizards World is too expensive, I could but Rose City comic con and Kumoricon    for the price of you weekend advance pass.  IF Wizard World just cut the number of celebrities they probably can offer a competitive price.

The Ugly: nothing

As I sad overall I had a good time.  There  were some gems but  with Rose City  comic con costing  60% less and  photo ops seem to be around $40.00, I say Portland Comic Con  is  one I may go again if  I had extra money but if not the no other compelling reason to go.

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