CONVENTION REVIEW: TERRIFICON

August 17-19 I had the pleasure to attend Terrificon for the third time in as many years.  Terrificon has typically been my favorite comic convention to attend due to the heavy focus on Artist Alley, something I don’t see at other cons in the area.  This year was NO different.

Terrificon was held at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, as usual.  However, the con moved to the brand-spanking new Convention Center.  The Center is massive and easily doubled the space of previous Terrificons.  As soon as I entered through security, I was ushered towards a truly gigantic birthday card for Superman’s 80th birthday.  Sharpie in hand, I signed our best wishes to Supes on a card illustrated by Jerry Ordway who has been a frequent guest in Artist Alley every year.  Terrificon was attempting to break the Guinness Book of World Records for most signatures on a greeting card.  A feat I believe they accomplished.

After that, I passed by the panel rooms, one very large one for the main panels and a few smaller ones for the intimate panels and other activities such as gaming and activities for the kids.  The large panel room dwarfed panel rooms at previous Terrificons and was another welcome change.

The pathway toward the convention center continued past all of the invited cosplayers, most of which I’d seen at previous cons.  After passing concessions and bathrooms (perfect placement in my opinion) you were in the main convention center which contained vendors, artist alley and the celebrities.  Everything was contained in one giant hangar with a cement floor (my only complaint).  I was greeted with a 20 foot sculpture of Thanos created by Decimated Design Studios.  There was a button next to the statue which you could press upon approach that told you whether you ‘survived the snap’.  A nice touch.  I was sacrificed, if you must know.

The layout was perfect as far as I was concerned as you had to make your way through all of the vendors who were at the front of the con and work your way back toward artist alley and the celebrities that were in the back.  Artist Alley is where I like to spend most of my time, and the set-up was much better than previous years, due to the expanded space.  One of my loves of Terrificon is that the fans seem…smarter?  I don’t know if that’s the right word.  A couple of years ago I was at Boston Comicon and luminaries such as Marv Wolfman were sitting alone, no one approaching them, like the last of the old guard.  That was not the case here.  Lines abounded at just about every table, which were magnificently spaced about 6 feet apart from eachother.  Artists were swamped.  Our friend Joe St. Pierre had several people request commissions while he was still setting up on Friday night. The longest lines were reserved for two of the last living legends from Marvel and DC.  Roy Thomas on Friday and Saturday and a very rare appearance by Denny O’Neil on Sunday.  There were also very healthy lines for David Michelinie, Ron Frenz, Alan Davis, Jim Starlin, Ron Lim, and Christopher Priest.  Marvel also sent a contingent of their hottest writers, Charles Soule and Nick Spencer, accompanied by current editor-in-chief, CB Cebulski.  Hot Batman artist Jason Fabok and Superman writer Peter Tomasi rounded out the current DC stars.  There was something for every true comic fan in Artist Alley, and con runner Mitch Hallock deserves great praise for putting together the best collection of writers and artists consistently year after year.

The panels were awesome, as you would expect with such a star-studded line-up.  An Infinity Gauntlet panel with Jim Starlin, Ron Lim and Joe Rubinstien.  A Venom panel with creator Dave Michelinie, Larry Hama, Ron Frenz and current Venom artist Ryan Stegman.  a 50th anniversary party for the Black Panther featuring Don McGregor, Christopher Priest, Bob Almond and Afua Richardson.  A What’s New at Marvel panel featuring CB Cebulski , Nick Spencer and Charles Soule and the crown jewel:  Marvel Comics the last 45 years featuring current editor-in-chief CB Cebulski and former editor-in-chief, Roy Thomas.

But that wasn’t all as Terrificon had some celebrities too!  The celebrities here, as in other years of Terrificon, are more accessible than other conventions where I’ve found them at times to be unapproachable.  Not here!  Walk right up and say hello to the ‘Karate Kid’ Ralph Macchio and ‘The Fonz’ Henry Winkler.  Lou Ferrigno, Michael Jai White, Guardians of the Galaxy’s Mantis, Pom Klementieff were all in attendance as well as the Comic Book Men, hot off their final season on AMC.

The only negative thing I would say about the show this year, other than the aforementioned cement floors, is the severe lack of cosplay.  I don’t know what happened this year compared to other years and other conventions this year but there was very, very little cosplayers here.  Not to say the con wasn’t crowded because attendance was very, very healthy.  But it just seemed like the cosplayers didn’t turn up.

My final words of Terrificon are this.  Great convention, great panels, great guests, great time.  Kudos to Terrificon, see you next year! 4 out of 5 stars!