Comic-Con, Vid-Con, Toy-Con… what?

Have you heard of Comic-Con, Vid-Con, or Toy-Con? A few years ago, I hadn’t either! I don’t know much about the history of these conventions, but I am guessing that Comic-con (shortened for Comic Convention) has been around the longest. And it seems every year another “con” (convention) crops up within the entertainment industry.

At these Comic Conventions, people get to see comic book writers, actors, people dressed up as characters, artists, and more. At vid-con, folks who are well known in the YouTube world show up and sign autographs and do meet-and greets.

If you have children or grandchildren above the age of about 8, you’ve probably heard them talking about a “con” of some kind. And if you have a husband around the age of 48, well… he may have mentioned it as well. Even 48 year old “boys” get excited to see comic book heroes and authors and actors in person. (Ask me how I know this!)

Celebrity Experience at Toy-Con

This weekend, my husband took my three kids to Toy-Con Las Vegas, which was a Toy and Comic Convention. It offered a pretty affordable entry, with Tom Kinney, the VOICE of Sponge-Bob as one of the main headliners on Saturday. My children were OVER THE MOON excited about the prospect of meeting him. (Me? I was glad to stay home and read a book in my empty house…ah, silence). For a “reasonable” price, they were able to get a photo with him and an autographed picture of Sponge-Bob.

I was so happy that they were able to meet him, and it turns out he’s a really nice guy. He recognized the kids several other times as they were wandering the convention and he even remembered my oldest son’s name later in the day. For a celebrity experience, this was a pretty great one!

My husband also got to meet Jeremy Bulloch, the man who played Boba Fett in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”. He got himself an autograph and photo too. All in all – a great day, for ALL the “kids”.