The BucketHillist: Phoenix Comicon

Starting a new section to enjoy encountering later: The Buckethillist. These blog names, just pure genius oozing out man (sarcasm).

Anyway, I want to document these significant bucket list events for posterity, or personal hilarity... or for something I guess. Anyway, struggling to write a good introduction for this, so let's move on.

BucketHillist #42: Attend a Comicon

What: Phoenix Comicon - #PHXCC

When: Saturday, May 30, from 8:30 - 3:30 p.m.

With: Bonnie, Casey, Casey and 8000 other people

Where: Phoenix Convention Center, also the Phoenix Light Rail

Why: Whether it's a secret or not, that's up for the jury - but I'm a closet nerd who wanted to appreciate the free reigns to geek out with fellow beings who understood my enthusiasm for certain subjects of interest.

Comicon had this magical phenomenon over society I wanted to understand further. Also, I wanted to admire not-so closet nerds for their boldness in cosplay. The costumes were phenomenal man.

To name the costumes I called out in joy when I saw:

• Dozens of Doctors from Dr. Who (and hundreds of fezzes)

• Still on the Dr. Who Train: Children dressed up as weeping angels, Daleks, companions, etc... (Dr. Who seemed to be the main champ for cosplay this year)

• Stormtrooper, "Sand Trooper," and I didn't even know there were more troopers than that...

• Basically any Star Wars character a recognized (and discovered just how little I actually know about Star Wars from all the characters I didn't recognize)
• Teeeen Girlll Squad: Cheerleader, So-in-So, What's Her Face, The Ugly One! (No joke)
• And of course No Face from Spirited Away. I quite literally yelled "No Face" in a busy, crowded hallway and stopped him(her???) for a picture. See that face below? That's pure Hiyao Miyazaki enthusiasm coming out. Remind me to blog about why he's one of the greatest cinematographers/artists of our time (if you like Pixar, then, you know, you should probably be thanking this man).

Oh, and funny story time: Bonnie and Casey totally wanted to get a picture with this Halo character guy.

So remember when I was in Video Games Live last March? Well, as an orchestra member I got exclusive access to all those who cosplayed it up for the costume competition. I made mention of getting a picture last year at VGL with a Halo guy and he lit right up. Long story short - same dude. The world if a very small place. Nice to see you again, mysterious suited guy. I guess I didn't recognize you because your voice was significantly lower...

Overall, my takeaway included several things: There are many interests I had no idea existed. Like British Zombies? Indeed. In addition, I learned that I do not know that much about Star Wars. Also, there is a whole business empire built around the magical and futuristic worlds these movie, TV, comic, and gaming creators designed and Comicon is where they go to cash on it. I discovered that girls get in free for sci-fi speed dating (it was the equivalent to clubs in the mainstream world - guys wrapped around the conference hall). Also, I let my inner emo child out - decided I was too happy to be an emo child after that (search #EmoSelfie on Instagram sometime - it's quite fantastic).

And finally, nerds are my favorite group in society - it is so much better to be interested and passionate about things in the world than boring and concerned about what people think of you. I'll close with this favorite Shel Silverstein poem:

I deeply admired Comicon goers for not wearing figurative masks (it was quite literally the opposite). Be yourself courageously, you're not alone, and there's a group out there who feels like you.