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Charlotte Mini Con Highlights Geeks From All Walks of Life

Jonathan Rich writes,

The "Queen City" of Charlotte, North Carolina has had an identity crisis as long as I have known it. Being a native of this "tar heel state" and a resident of Charlotte for most of 1990s, I know all too well how this mid-sized metropolis yearns to be both an arts and tourism draw similar to its bigger and even more southern cousin Atlanta while also striving to be a commercial banking center similar rivaling greater Gothams.

Before I ever began collecting comics, however, Charlotte was already a desired destination for fandom due in large part to the celebrated mega-store Heroes Aren't Hard To Find. Since 1980, popular comic shop owner Shelton Drum has faithfully shared his love of what some may call "funny books" via his Heroes Convention which brings together big name talent and capacity crowds to revel in the power of paneled storytelling over the course of three days each June.

The annual, massive HeroesCon is different from many similar comicons across the country in that the primary focus is, oddly enough, on the comics. Industry professionals and diehard fans exchange ideas much more than they vie for convention exclusives and my past excursions to Heroes' celebration of comics over media hype has always been a delight.

Knowing all this, I didn't know what would be in store for me when I attended the much smaller Charlotte Minicon sponsored by Heroes but held in the much smaller Grady Cole Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on January 30^th.

I am proud to day much like the city itself, my miniaturized Charlotte convention experience was a bite-size taste that teased the bigger things to come.

For those in the audience like me who do not worship at the altar of all things sports-related, please know that Charlotte is a sports town and as I type this, hometown heroes the Carolina Panthers are preparing to play in "the big game" next weekend (which I will only refer to as Super Sports Ball Bowl).

As I arrived in Charlotte from my home in the Blue Ridge mountains, I noticed greedy vendors had set up shop in the parking lots of just about every convenience stores and strip mall I passed selling all sorts of licensed and unlicensed clothing and memorabilia commemorating the local gridiron greats.

Closer to the event, huge signs directing travelers to the NASCAR Hall of Fame dwarfed the small placards posted in the grass letting those traversing the side streets know they could explore a different kind of thrill at the Grady Cole Center if only they would park across from an empty and locked football field and pay $5 for an afternoon of sci-fi fun.

I hoped these would be more reflections on the sports-centric town than the convention which called it home, and the convention guest list proved I was correct. The guests of honor were the creative team behind Marvel's impressive new "Patsy Walker: AKA Hellcat" series.

Bleeding Cool's esteemed editor Rich Johnston raved about the book when it debuted last month and giving these gals the spotlight for their tremendous product spoke well for continuing the progressive trend in fandom both inside and outside the geek realm.

It has been encouraging in recent years to see prominent fantasy characters such as Jessica Jones (which includes another interpretation of Walker/Hellcat) in her Netflix series and Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" books and films become so popular with the masses after years of divisiveness regarding sci-fi fandom in general. I hope this indicates a wider acceptance for quality products which are entertaining regardless of the labels and marketing associated with them.

Or, maybe just people like enjoying kick-ass stories featuring kick-ass female characters.

Whatever you want to call it, it seems there are more quality female characters being created by female forces within the sci-fi genre and for Charlotte Minicon to give them a prominent place at the con table is encouraging.

Upon paying my $5 and entering the confines of the Grady Cole Center's mid-sized basketball arena, what impressed me the most was how organizers managed to cram so much into a small venue which I had previously visited for pro wrestling matches and women's roller derby. Not an inch of floor space was wasted. Merch tables encircled the ground floor to accommodate artists doing sketches and vendors selling all sorts of comics and comic book-related trinkets.

Even more impressive was the presence the superhero TV shows on the CW network presented. On the stage where I once watched The Darkness and Elvis Costello sing, convention goers lined up to play a version of Plinko from "The Price Is Right" game show to win sunglasses, t-shirts, and posters advertising "Arrow," "The Flash" and "DC's Legends of Tomorrow." While waiting in line, we could also send a text to a number in hopes of winning full seasons of these shows on DVD and Blue Ray. I didn't get a t-shirt on my first try, but the kind con staff enthusiastically encouraged me to get back in line and try again later. Second time was the charm, and I now have a CW "Flash" shirt to match my CW "Flash" shades. Whoo hoo!

It would have been great if DC's other television property "Supergirl" had joined in on the synergy, but as that show airs on another TV network here in the states I understood its absence.

Rather than detail one of the few perils of my Minicon experience (the dreaded comicon smell which I had experienced before, but was still not prepared for even a slightly less pungent odor emanating from this smaller crowd), but I will instead share these impressions:

There was some really great cosplay going on down South (particularly from KFC's Col. Sanders and a tricked out Deadpool wandering the floor).

I noticed many more attendees appeared to have XX chromosomes than in the past trips. That's a good thing, as it prevents the fandom from becoming too male-centric. Good on you, Charlotte Minicon for embracing and endorsing diversity.

Female cosplayers were representing everything from Harley Quinn (comics-accurate incarnation, as opposed to the one from the upcoming "Suicide Squad" movie) to gender swapped interpretations of The Riddler, Afro Samurai, and Constantine.

As a result (or maybe this is a chicken-and-egg situation), it seemed there was more comic-centric jewelry for sale than superhero T-shirts. Maybe online retailers and mass market shops have the hero clothing market cornered, but I had never noticed as many baubles and trinkets geminating from geek culture for sale. Again, this is a good thing for all fandom, so bring on more merch.

Like most cons, several self-centered nerfherders saw something shiny on display and felt the immediate need to stop where they were and take a picture or gawk without giving much consideration to the crowd patiently trying to maneuver past them. However, this is the American South so if a geek bumps into you they will usually say "Excuse me" in a genuine and polite tone before you can get too bent out of shape.

I saw as many moms and dads cosplaying with their kids as I did adults wearing Carolina Panthers gear, so it seems the geek may yet inherit the Earth (or at least Earth-2).

As expected due to increased interest from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," screen-accurate and fully-uniformed members of the 501^st Legion were a big hit with those who follow the Jedi, the Sith, or their own hybrid path. In addition to circulating at conventions they also visit children in the hospital, so bravo for these nerds for doing some good dressed up as the bad guys.

All in all, Charlotte Minicon was a fun few hours of diverse folks sharing and celebrating what they love about comics, sci-fi films, fantasy TV shows, video games, and many other assorted forms of nerdity.

While it may not have lasted long, it was well worth the $5 admission price to tide folks over until the much bigger Heroes Con descends this summer. Some fans wore their superhero capes while others sported their sports gear; professionals working in the industry were happy to meet and greet their fans (even if some didn't want to be quoted about the experience for Bleeding Cool), and fandom of all genders, ages, and interests found a place where they fit in for a little while.

Even though Charlotte may be a sports town on the verge of a big win, everyone who attended Charlotte Minicon seemed to enjoy some big fun.

Jonathan Rich is a freelance journalist, high school educator, and professed comic book nerd working in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. He writes about entertainment and pop culture for various prints and web publications, including bleedingcool.com.

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