Every !So! often: Comicfest
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My 3DS Friend Code for those that street passed me: 1504-6082-8447
It’s finally that time again, the time for that wonderful convention life, the reason that we fans of all things fun and awesome have to hangout in a large group together. This time its Comicfest a comic, Anime, Video game and all nerd culture Convention organised by Comic Collectors of Trinidad and Tobago and the Sensational Shaun Riaz.
Most fans of anime, comics, manga, video games and all other nerd culture tend to be introverted. My use of the word is not a bad thing, but the honest fact is that most of us don’t usually like the company of others. We may have our small circles that we are comfortable with over the regular days but the rest are just facebook, twitter and forums. The time we get at a convention to gather and express our fandom as only we know how is sacred. I have been attending conventions for about 2 years + now and I have enjoyed each and everyone, even the ones that were not the best. Conventions are mostly about the people and the people you meet at most of these are some of the best you will ever meet. They are passionate, interesting, and fun. Earlier before I started writing this article I spent some time with a girl named Sally, why Sally? Well simple really. She was cosplaying one of my favourite anime Characters, Trafalgar law. Sally’s cosplay was flawless, and not just because she was Law. Sally had the entire cosplay of the surgeon of death down to a T, and all made by her. I have to admit I was in awe, by the attention to detail in her craft. She was not alone though. She was in fact accompanied by her friend who was cosplaying monkey D Luffy, himself. She too had an awesome cosplay that was just amazing, not as good as law though (just because it is law), Sorry Luffy.
Wow I think I’m getting ahead of myself here. You don’t want to know about my total fan crush on Law. What is most important is the story, the story of how I got here. The original plan for the day was that I would be driving to the event with a few of my closest friends, but faith has a way of throwing you curveballs when all you want is a fastball. The owner of the car I had arranged to use called and said that the car was still in the shop and that I would not be able to have it for the day as originally planned. At first I was numbed by the fact, but then my father called, and convinced me to get my arse up out of bed and attend. “Even though all is not according to plan you have to make the best of it”, or something along those lines he said. lol. I got out of bed had a shower and left for the convention with nothing but $100 TTD cash in pocket and my bank cards. I initially tried to convince one of my friends to accompany me on the supposed long trip ahead but he declined his loss. I was still going with the faith that I would make it to the event and back safely. I got in a Taxi of a familiar family friend, who charged me $20 for a $3 trip, some family friend he is. Not discouraged by this at all I soon was in Curepe (A Trinidadian town) waiting for a Taxi to San Fernando (another town, my destination). It wasn’t too long before I had a girl ask me “is that Laws hat?” She was also attending the event and so I had, somewhat traveling company for the convention. We all got into a taxi and were convention bound. As we arrived I preceded past my fellow travel buddies into the event building. With band on hand I started roaming the event floor meeting and greeting friends I had not seen since the last convention I attended. First I fund Sam, and then Cece, Nigel, G, Jason, Mark, Johnny, Shane, Tali, Adrian, Kervaughn, Liu, and Guru (not sure if that order is correct, you know me I’m a scatter brain). There are more of you not mentioned by name in this article, but you know who you are. After greetings were over, long greetings mind you. After it was all over I got something to eat, my first meal for the day. Two hotdogs with cheese, they were Awesome btw. After that it was back to hanging with the sensational Shawn Riaz. I then got my long awaited hug from Sam and got to catch up with my bro Adrian, I missed you bro.
Catching up with all who I got to do so with was fun honestly I wish we had more time as I didn’t get to catch up with everyone. Time has a way of flying when you’re having fun, this time was no different. I moved from greeting mode to picture mode Q in what seemed like an instant and I went on the hunt to get my grummy paws on as much pictures as I could with all the amazing cosplayers. These cons have some of the best cosplayers in the region/world and some of the cutest too. I can just remember that little captain America and a little Luffy. These little kids are getting into cosplay earlier than most of us did because we are their parents. This means they have more time and opportunities than some of us had growing up with nerd culture. This culture is also more acceptable now by the masses which make it more accessible for the young ones. Younger people care a lot about what their pairs think and in most cases more so than even their parents, so if our culture is not frowned upon by the average blokes as it used to be then it means more kids that are interested in it will be willing to express that interest.
With Picture taking out of the way and some bribery for a certain cosplayer to win the cosplay competition I returned to my bird’s eye view of the event to watch the competition unfold while I started this article. I got through about 3-4 paragraphs of the initial draft before I noticed the time was 6 pm, my agreed upon departure time. I was almost convinced by Guru to record a podcast at the event but due to the arrangements I had made with my father earlier that day I had to leave the event earlier than I wished. I gathered all my stuff said my final goodbyes and hit the road. Looking back all I can do is smile. Everything this year was amazing. Thank you all for being amazing. The event organizers, my bro the sensational Shaun Riaz, the video game tournaments group of Chrono fantasy, Kenteck, GSpot and any other affiliates, The Cosplay competition, by Alias and Access Power, all the amazing fan merch by shoppe anything, every other boot on Convention floor and most of all everyone that attended.
This comicfest was one of the best. I can’t wait for the next one, but until then there are still more awesome Cons to attend here in Trinidad.
