Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, entertainment, flash, gotham, sdcc, tv, Wondercon 2015

WonderCon '15 – A Satisfying Alternative To SDCC? Plus Photogallery

Published Tue, 07 Apr 2015 22:00:23 -0500

By Jason Strangis

For most fans, Comic-Con International: San Diego is an impossible dream. Because the show now sells out within hours after going on sale online, getting a Golden Ticket to San Diego is like winning the lottery.

That's why events like WonderCon might be the best way to go for many fanboys and fangirls. It's still a huge show with anywhere between 60,000-80,000 people, yet it's within reach for the majority of comic book lovers to attend.

WonderCon 2015 was held at the Anaheim Convention Center from April 3-5. The recent switch from the Bay Area to Anaheim is mostly positive and attendance numbers have hiked the past few years. Luckily, the Anaheim Convention Center is plenty big enough to host this gigantic show with 815,000-square feet making up the main exhibit floor.

There are also dozens of hotels nearby to accommodate fans, with easy walking distance to the convention center. It's a nice, safe, clean area with Disney nearby [*Note: though the convention has now been announced as of Sunday afternoon to be at Los Angeles Convention Center in 2016 which will change things up a little and the result remains to be seen].

The first day of this year's WonderCon — Friday, April 3 — drew a large number of fans but still not overcrowded. The showroom floor was impressive with 800-plus exhibitors, gaming areas, artists alley, and of course lots of panels. All totaled, there was more than 200 hours of programming featuring comics, movies, and TV shows.

The best panels for me seemed to take place on Friday featuring a special tribute to Star Trek, the top geek movies of 1985, and a focus on dangerous women in comics.

Friday also featured the world premiere of the new animated movie, Batman vs. Robin, that was held in the main arena.

Saturday drew the biggest crowds (as expected) as the convention center quickly filled up with eager attendees. And there were costumed characters galore! Hundreds of superheroes and villains staged a grand battle, much like Kingdom Come, outside in front of the convention center. It was quite a spectacle and drew thousands of fans to watch this amazing superhero sight.

Meanwhile, inside the crowded convention center, actors from the FOX television series Gotham made a special appearance to talk about the series and give a preview to the first-season finale.

[Babs Tarr signs Batgirl for a young fan]

On Sunday, it was the Flash's turn to take center stage with actors from that popular TV show making an appearance in Anaheim. Sunday also spotlighted well-known comic creators such as Dan Jurgens, Len Wein, John Ostrander, and Darwyn Cooke.

While there were several media guests signing autographs for fans, it wasn't nearly the high volume of celebrities that fans would see at Wizard World events. Perhaps WonderCon leaders will consider adding more celebrity guests in the future.

They might also want to consider adding more space for panels, and even more programming down the road.

But all things considered, WonderCon 2015 was a fun show with everything you'd expect from a large-scale comic con. After all, WonderCon is produced and operated by San Diego's Comic-Con International and WonderCon has become a big event in its own right.

So if San Diego seems out of reach, West Coast fans (and everyone else for that matter) might want to consider good alternatives such as Stan Lee's Comikaze in Los Angeles, and WonderCon, also in LA in 2016.

Here's a photogallery from my experience of the convention this year, including some cosplay! :