Book Nerd Events
October 31 - November 02, 2014
by Talya
Oh look, Batman! Queen Elsa. Superman! Queen Elsa. Captain Zapp Branagan and Leela! Queen Elsa. Big Daddy! Queen Elsa. EHMAHGURD, Star Lord! Queen Elsa. It was pretty clear who was the fan favorite of Stan Lee’s Comikaze 2014. Frozen made a heavy appearance, followed by the usual Deadpool Corps army, Wonder Womans, and even a few Transformers. But are costumes the sole reason why people go to these comic conventions?!
Well, judging by the crowd that gathered in the middle of the hall during the cosplay contest, the largest draw for the convention were the costumes that were made. Comikaze was the placed for costume and prop makers to make an appearance and promote their businesses/art. And with any Saturday or three day pass purchase, con-goers were offered the chance to attend an after-party at Club Nokia sponsored by Club Cosplay. All that being said, costuming was well-represented at Comikaze.
Besides that, 1990’s nostalgia also made a huge appearance at the con. From the Gargoyles costume group, to the reuniting of the cast from MAD TV, nostalgia made every 90’s fanboy and fangirl think back to their childhoods. Vintage Star Wars and Star Trek ships were well represented, along with many golden and silver age comics.
The con was well-run with caped volunteers holding up signs ready to answer any questions, to greeters at doors ensuring that only those that paid were allowed to the vendor hall. This years’ celebrity presence seemed smaller than last year, and it was a bit sad not to walk side-by-side with MMA superstar Rampage Jackson like I did last year. Well, here’s to hoping that future Comikazes offers more free opportunities to meet up with favorite celebrities!
The major drawback I found was in the food selection. The Los Angeles Convention Center is located in an area with very few restaurant choices. Luckily, the convention had about 6 food trucks outside. However, if it weren’t for the hour wait for our quesadillas, I would have said the food selection was a smashing success! Well, not really. The on-site cafeterias served overpriced mediocre food at best, and the food trucks were clearly not prepared to deal with the large nerd crowd. I can only hope that Comikaze improves the situation, so that fans aren’t spending most of their time in the line ride, and more listening to panels or walking the vendor floor.
Overall, the convention was like every other. Lots of caped crusaders. Lots of vendors offering both new and vintage wares. A great selection of artists that you can get up close and interact with. But be warned, most of them can be very shy. Approach with caution and maybe you may get a smile or two out of them! I will definitely consider going back in 2015, but I will make sure to bring an energy bar or two. That hour long wait for a burger had better be worth it!!!
Nerd Review by Talya!
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