FANeXpo 2012: highlights from day 1

Welcome to Day 1 of FANeXpo 2012!

Though the floor officially opened at 4PM today, with the official distribution of advanced and regular tickets opening at 2PM, I didn't show up until closer to 7PM to make my rounds.

The reason for that is simple: after going to this thing for close to a decade, I've seen it all: the drama, the hype but most especially, the stupidly long lines. Especially the advanced ticket lines on the first bloody day of the convention. 

How long? Well you only need to look at the room where they handed out the advanced tickets.

So yeah. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and never wore the damn thing. So rather than suffering in a stifling hot room with a lot of people by myself being utterly bored, I decided to stay home in my nice apartment, read a book, watch some television and come around later. So instead of a giant line, I was met with this.

No line. No people. 5 seconds to get my ticket. #WIN!

Though yes, I will admit, there is a downside to showing up on the late end of things though. For starters, the CTV booth was handing out 150 FREE Big Bang Theory Bobbleheads at 3PM (regular retail price is at $15 dollars on the convention floor) 

Though don't get overly excited either with that particular freebie though. They were mostly Howard Wolowitz bobbleheads. When I talked to one of the vendors there about it, it turned out they only had 5 Sheldon Cooper (aka the bobblehead everyone actually wants) to give away.

Which makes sense when you think about it. Why give away something that people will actually pay for?

Oh and yes, the other thing I missed was watching Stan Lee celebrate the 50th anniversary of Spiderman today at 6:30PM in the dealers room by the Marvel booth which could have been cool in a "oooooh nerdy history" kind of way.

Though let me be honest here : FANeXpo didn't officially announce this event until literally hours before the show opened so I'm not even certain if it was in the plans.

In any case, a lot of people did show up. Though it is debatable whether they came to see the event and Stan Lee, or for the cake.

It wasn't too much off my back as far as I'm concerned though.(I'm nowhere near a fan of comic books. I watched the television shows and movies - but that's as far as it goes pretty much)

I still was able to grab a few freebies they had available there.

DAY 1'S DEALER'S ROOM PICKS

I actually have two Dealer's Room picks for the day (because it is the first day and it's all about the merchandise on Day 1) that you should look into or consider as a purchase.

My first pick goes to those adorable little POPS bobbleheads of various cult characters from Captain America to Slave Bikini Leia.

And seriously who doesn't love chibi?

Now the booth I took this picture at - Super Power Toys - was selling these for $12 per, but really they've proliferated in popularity to a point where you can basically find these bobbleheads at any booth that sells nerdy little devices.

I couldn't really tell you what I wanted. On one hand, the Star Wars one was sufficiently nerdy enough to make me look at it and squee but on the other hand, the Sheldon Cooper one was adorable as hell.

Oh hell with it, where are the ones from the Lord of the Rings?

Second pick is one of two massive t-shirt walls at the convention.

Now for me it goes without saying that the selection of nerdy graphic t-shirts sold to women are NOWHERE NEAR as cool as the one catered to men. And it really was never fair. 

But this year, I'm actually pretty impressed, if not fully approve, the selection available to women in the t-shirt section. It's much more interesting this year (and less pink most importantly) and it really does a good job of meeting the geek within without absolutely objectifying them.

The t-shirts retail for anywhere from $20-$25 dollars per, though some areas (like this particular wall) sells them at a special (though not really) at 2 for $45 dollars. Pick wisely and well.

COSPLAY

Honestly, cosplay should be getting it's own photo post, but for today it's not going to.

Why?

Let me just get this statement out of the way:

First day convention cosplays suck.

Few people shows up in costume and those that do, don't generally do a terribly good job at it. The look can tend to be bland or lack anything of interest.

That isn't to say that there was something there for the typical convention people to enjoy. And there isn't good costumes wandering around the halls. I'm just saying that the larger majority of these costumes are not anything worth writing home about.

I mean, the above Poison Ivy had a great costume if she didn't have so much of her chaps hanging out of it. (Now that I think of it, for some that could have easily been the highlight of their day)

But that may also be the longtime congoer in me talking like a cosplay elitist.

Either way, today's fare was largely unimpressive and fairly vanilla as far as costuming goes. Nothing really mind-blowingly bad or lame. 

I did thing this outfit was good.

(Honestly, don't know who she is or where this costume is from. If anyone can enlighten me I'm all ears, though I think they mentioned it's either Guild Wars or World of Warcraft this outfit was inspired by)

I thought was a very impressive costume on COSTUMING value - especially for the first day. Cleanly made, no weird bulges and the armour looked solid and made well.

But THIS had to be my Costume of the Day for me.

IT'S THE FAIRIES FROM FAIRLY ODD PARENTS.

Yes I realize this costume was a relative strange choice for "costume of the day" but hear me out. I thought the idea was incredibly clever both in choice and in execution. For one, it's so easy to assemble - everyone has to have at least one or two of these pieces in their wardrobe.

For another, they didn't go halfway with this either. Dyed hair, well styled and the crowns definitely made it clear who and what they are dressed as.

It won because for me, this was the cleverest and most original costume of the day. And that deserves big-time points with me.

Until tomorrow, here are some giant lego figures!