Wondercon 2018 Highlights

WonderCon is always a great convention to attend and WonderCon 2018 definitely did not disappoint.

By the time the fun started on Friday, all passes except for a few single day passes for Sunday had sold out (which sold out entirely by Saturday). One of the great things about this convention is that even when it is at maximum capacity, it is still easy to maneuver through. I cannot stress how happy this makes me because as much as I love San Diego Comic Con, the absolutely absurd crowds are almost too much to handle.

The panel lineup was a perfect blend of classic favorites like “Quick Draw” and panels for television for both established and upcoming shows (Fear the Walking Dead, Lucifer, The Terror and Sirens to name a few). There were also a great number of panels focussed on comics, cosplay, and the all-around industry of geekdom.

A number of autograph signings took place on the exhibit hall floor with some big names including many in the comic book industry like Jim Lee, Scott Snyder and Gail Simone. A new process for obtaining a wristband for limited signings was introduced this year: attendees received an email that directed them to the Comic Con member ID page where they would sign in and select which autograph signings they would like to try for and then were told to check back the Monday before WonderCon to see if they had been selected. This meant that there was no need for participating in line drawings in the wee hours of the morning each day of the con, freeing up a lot of time. It also meant you could plan out what you brought to be signed, rather than bring a book or two because they are easier to carry and keep your fingers crossed that you made it into the signing. I sincerely hope this was a practice run for SDCC and that we will see this same process used come July. Wasting time in lines at conventions has become a growing problem and this seems to have worked great for all involved.

Photo by Annie Thornton

My favorite piece to the pop culture convention puzzle has always been cosplay and let me tell you, WonderCon attendees bring their A game. Not only is just about every fandom you can think of represented, but the level of detail of so many of the costumes is extraordinary. Cosplay is for everyone and at WCA, everyone gets in on it!

Photo by Annie Thornton

The dates have already been set for WonderCon 2019: March 29-31 and will be held once again at the Anaheim Convention Center.