DALLAS FAN EXPO 2023
June 9th-11th 2023 Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, TX
It’s not that I never wanted to go to a fan convention (is it okay for me to call it a “con?”). For whatever reason, I feel like mainstream culture, at least during my most formative years, discouraged any kind of dedicated fandom. “Those” people – people with any serious devotion to a certain section of pop culture – are typically portrayed as nerds, outcasts, losers, and generally undeserving of dignity or respect.
But as I reflect on my first fan convention, I submit to you a question: “Why does anybody enjoy any art?” I think, when you really get down to brass tacks, the main reason anyone loves any art form is because of how it makes a person feel. When you lock eyes with Mona Lisa, or, when “Dido’s Lament” washes over you. When Han Solo saves the day, even though we were all sure he took off with his money. What you really love is the evocative nature of art – and a handful of media have unlocked chemicals you didn’t know were in your cortex.
Please, somebody, explain to me why it can be a bad thing to attach yourself to art that makes you feel things that you want to feel.
Cons have been around for decades, but I feel like Con Culture has come a long way in the last 8 years or so. Since the fast-tracked development of social media groups, we’ve really been able to pinpoint what provokes cult followings, devotions, and in short, fandoms. As a result, fans are finding more and more effective ways of expressing themselves and connecting with artists and other fans. Given these more recent developments, I figured, as a nerd and outcast, it was time to join the party.
I should point out that my company for the weekend – brother/photographer Sonny Reza and friend/fellow IUF contributor Cory Hodges, are NOT first-time convention attendees. They are both far more seasoned than I am, and I’m thankful to have had them along to point me in the right directions.
I am also thankful that my first convention was a real one. A good one. A BIG one. Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Fan Expo’s host, is one of the largest convention centers in America, sitting at a whopping 2 MILLION total square feet. Fan Expo occupied what felt like a very large portion of that, but I know in reality, there was probably a lot of convention center left. The facilities are clean, well-maintained, and secure. I should point out that Fan Expo, as an event, is well staffed with lots of easy-to-find volunteers and employees covering lots of ground efficiently. They were, I feel, relatively well-informed and generally cheerful and polite. That’s something worth mentioning, right?
Of the many questions racing through my mind when I entered the exhibit halls, the most burning was this: what is IN a convention? There were several key components to Fan Expo that I feel need to be recognized, and each taught me a valuable lesson that I will carry with me into my next convention.
First and most obviously – there are artists and vendors. Hundreds of them. These artists are slinging everything one might need to express their own fandom – wall art, comic books, apparel, toys, custom lightsabers, coffee, (real) tattoos – you name it. Many artists feature existing and familiar properties, but many of them also bring original characters and stories to the fan conversation. There is literally more to see at Dallas Fan Expo than there is time for. Con lesson number one: if you are interested in this stuff (and you should be) – do research before the event and plan ahead.
Next, there is the celebrity autograph and photo op area. For a small premium, fans can reserve a minute or two of their favorite celebrity’s time for a quick picture or signature, along with a brief, but quite special interaction. After examining the lineup, I sprung for a few of these things. The fees are reasonable, but as I said before, Con Culture is really dialing in on the properties and characters that people really, truly, love, and after a few trips through the lines, those small fees can add up pretty quickly. Con lesson number two: save up a little money. I chose to collect some autographs to display in my workspace at my day job as a second grade teacher. I think my students will be thrilled to see displayed signed photos from Vivien Lyra Blair (who played young Princess Leia in Disney +’s Kenobi and who I might add is amazingly well-spoken and quick witted) and Bonnie Wright (who portrayed Ginny Weasley in all Harry Potter films), both of whom charged a very nominal fee to snap a cell-phone selfie in addition to the 8×10 included with the autograph price. My brother and I also splurged for photo ops with Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker to most of us) and several cast members of NBC’s The Office. There were too many big names in Autograph Alley to name here, but I can say that even though a few bucks here and there adds up quickly, I find myself, oddly enough, wishing I had spent a few more.
From an outsider’s point of view, I can see how it seems trite or unnecessary to spend money just for a few seconds of a celebrity’s time. After all, they are just people, and to them, you are no different from the dozens (or hundreds) of people in front of and behind you in line. And, if you are an outsider, you might see something of an objectification involved in a person standing and taking money to be photographed or conversed with a rabid fan. I myself have had these thoughts before, but, I’m happy to admit, Fan Expo showed me the magic. It’s something special to get to share a moment with someone who means so much to you and to have a little souvenir of that moment.
On this note, I want to pause to point out the extra special talents of one particular crew member. My brother and I spent the better part of Saturday waiting in line for Hayden Christensen’s photo op, somewhere on the other side of the galaxy (or convention center) from the rest of the expo. Hayden himself is a trouper for putting in something like 12 hours with very little reprieve, but the guy in charge of the lines was nothing short of a true superhero. For somewhere in the vicinity of two and a half hours, we watched as this guy wrangled seemingly endless hordes of scruffy-looking nerf-herders. I can’t imagine what goes through your head when you have to tell Boba Fett – for the fourth or fifth time – that he isn’t allowed to sit against the doors. Or what kinds of frustrations you must feel when adults – ADULTS – forget the meaning of the words “single file” over and over again. But we watched him do his thing, never waning on enthusiasm and energy. I don’t know if he was employed by the convention itself or by the center, but the Force was certainly strong with him, and we here and Interview Under Fire salute him.
Now, moving on. The next important part of a convention, and probably my favorite part, are the panel discussions and Q&A sessions. There were too many to attend, which is a good problem to have, spread across multiple theaters and meeting rooms, ranging from high-profile (such as Rosario Dawson or Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn and Grace Van Dien) to more low-key events (such as the Boba Fett vs. Obi Wan Kenobi character litigation). These were moderated and timed, but are largely fan-driven and most included opportunities for fan questions. We attended as many events as we were able to, and some of the highlights for us included the remarkable Jon Bernthal, the magical and endearing cast of voice actors from Star Wars: Clone Wars, the endlessly entertaining Danny Trejo, the witty and interesting Vivien Lyra Blair, and the legendary cast of National Lampoon’s Vacation. Con lesson number three: make a schedule. Fan Expo has a great mobile app for this, by the way, that contains a master schedule of all events, and allows you to build and view your own schedule.
At this juncture, I feel the need for another quick pause to applaud another singular person – Victor Dandridge, also known as “The Hardest Working Person in Comics,” who, aside from being a comic book writer and artist, is a professional convention panel moderator. By the third day of Fan Expo, if it came down to two or more panels that we wanted to attend, we chose the one moderated by Victor. He comes across as truly one of the fans – as if he were plucked from one of the many crowded pathways of the convention, blessed with good articulation skills, charisma, and nerves of steel, and then put on stage. It can’t be easy to keep your cool sitting in between a known celebrity and a sea of fans who might know more about them than you do, while translating nervous chatter from socially awkward question-askers (such as myself) and maintaining a characteristic level of poise and enthusiasm. It takes a formidable talent that can’t be overlooked.
There were all kinds of other things going on at pretty much all times. Backdrop photo ops, movie screenings (Sonny and I popped in for Pokemon: The First Movie for a while), video game tournaments, and cosplay meetups being among them. Fan Expo also boasts a food court with many refreshment choices, ranging from typical festival fare to specialty and health foods (I ate acai bowls all weekend). See lesson 2.
Finally, and most importantly, a convention contains FANS. Fan Expo attracts roughly 60,000 fans annually. There is so much diversity along commonly acknowledged dividing lines, united firmly in fandom. Everywhere you look, there’s a carefully crafted costume, a family bringing their young child along for their first convention experience, or a group of brand new friends enjoying one another’s company. There’s a certain air of familiarity among all attendees. Not one person minded that I asked to take photos of their amazing or creative costume, and as a matter of fact, I don’t recall having a single unpleasant interaction with anybody at any point during the entire three days. I would get in line for an autograph and immediately make friends with the person in front of and behind me. I would stop to take note of an artist’s work, and even if I didn’t buy anything, they were thankful for the attention. Every time someone found out it was my first Con, they expressed very genuine excitement for me. Imagine going to a sporting event and there’s no opposing team – everyone in the building is supportive, friendly, and glad you’re there.
This brings me to my biggest lesson learned from Fan Expo. Con Culture is about connection. The reason people love these things so much is because they get to be in a room with thousands of other people who get it. I mean, really get it. They encourage you to own your fandom. It’s okay – really! Regardless of the perceptions of the general public, the people at a Con are willing to give you the dignity and respect that everyone else isn’t. Fan Expo Dallas was a truly unforgettable experience, and I’m excited about the next one.
-James
Note: Fan Expo’s counterpart event, Fan Days, hits the Irving Convention Center on the weekend of October 20th-22nd, 2023
