THE DARK SIDE OF THE CON:

WHAT BAD ELEMENTS TO LOOK FOR (AND POSSIBLY AVOID) AT

CONVENTIONS AND OTHER FANDOM EVENTS

By Shane Ramey

Every year, we fans of the multiple aspects of pop culture are presented with hundreds of conventions and events to satisfy our variety of tastes.  Some events are small, more local, and genre-specific, and others are larger events that draw people from all around the country.  And then you have the mega-events such as San Diego ComicCon, which draws people from all around the world.  But no matter how big the “Con” or event is, and no matter how many of us fans show up to it, the majority of us have one common goal- to hang out with our fellow geeks and just have a good time.

            Now… notice I said “the majority” or us.  Pretty much anywhere you go, you’re going to run into some bad elements that will go out of their way to give the place or event a negative image, or just to make it a bad experience for those around them in general.  Fandom events are no different.  And the larger the event, the more likely you are going to run into one, two, or maybe a few groups of them.

            However, don’t fret fellow con-goers.  There are ways to spot these “Geek Anti-Christs” as I like to call them, and the more you learn about them, the better chance you have of avoiding them.  In this article, I hope that myself and some of the costumers and fellow con-goers that have kindly allowed me to quote them can in some small way help us honorable and self-respecting geeks preserve what Cons and fandom events are truly about.

            Through discussing this matter with my fellow con-goers, as well as my own person experience, I have divided this basket of bad apples into five sub-categories:  The Sex-Crazed Geek, The War-Making Geek, The Artificial Geek, The Slutty Geek, and The Snobbish Geek.  Some of these, such as the Sex-Crazed Geeks, are a headache to endure because they go out of their way to make themselves known.  Others, like the Snobbish Geek, are more subtle.  But either way, none of them really belong at an event where people just want to escape from reality and the drama that goes along with it.

            The first on our list is the Sex-Crazed Geek.  Sex-Crazed Geeks are those who follow around and track down attractive costumers like they’ve got some kind of radar in their pants.  On the surface this seems innocent enough.  Everyone turns their head when they see an attractive costumer… its human nature.  However, there is a big difference between politely showing someone your admiration of their beauty and their costume, and just being an annoyance:

Margie (Comic Book Costumer): “Nothing annoys me worse than some half drunk person at DragonCon trying to treat some poor costumer like a stripper. I've actually been asked, "Would you and Catwoman mind kissing each other?" I mean--the nerve...”

If the perverse actions that Margie had to endure don’t sound bad enough, for some costumers it gets worse.  Some go beyond just asking lewd questions.  Some have been completely inconsiderate of a costumer, some physically harassing, and some downright scary:

Austrian Belle (Comic Book Costumer):  “OMG! I know about the whole being in a hurry and being stopped all too well. If I say I'm in a hurry they get ANGRY at me.  I got sick at D*C last year thanks to some bad sushi and one guy stopped me as I was shuffling back to my room with my arms wrapped around my stomach and wouldn't let me leave until he got my picture after I protested I was sick and I'd be back down once I felt better.  So he got a crappy picture of me for that because I was not into the whole posing thing... and then he proceeded to get even angrier at me at the fact that I didn't try.  I have also been stalked... it was a bit scary that he followed me across three hotels before he left me alone.”

            The next group in our grand collection of con nuisances is the War-Making Geeks.  I use the plural this time because usually you find these geeks in flocks, droves, legions- or whatever term you want to use.  These geeks range from low-life jerks who just want to start trouble to talented costumers who have way too much of a problem with those who costume as an opposing fandom- or sometimes even the same fandom.  For example, a group cosplaying Naruto may go insane when they see a group cosplaying Inuyasha- or another group cosplaying Naruto!  It seems ludicrous that somebody would develop the idea that nobody has the right to costume certain fandoms or even fandom genres but them, but several costumers have either witnessed, if not endured, the actions resulting from such an idea.

            Brandi (TV and Film/Anime Costumer):  “Sometimes I really wonder if they’re trying to stir trouble. In all honesty I really think they don’t. I think it’s just apart of their social ineptness! I actually have a friend who is like this. He doesn’t really realize he's doing it until we call him on it (only then- after he complains for 15 minutes) will he chill. We just laugh at him- we still love him. But it does really really get under my skin sometimes. I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but people should also respect others’ opinions as well!!! A lot of them need reminders that we’re all geeks and geek-loving people, why are they trying to make war out of this? Didn’t we all get into this for fun in the first place? I believe these are the kind of people who can’t live without drama in their lives to begin with (sad... but from what I’ve seen... true). They have to make an issue and complain about something constantly. They'll never truly be happy or without worries or hate. And for that, in the end, I pity them more than anything. If they want to stress out or be angry with something, that’s ten years off of their life, not mine!”

            Next we have a geek that is sometimes difficult to spot: The Artificial Geek.  These are the ones who only “geek-out” at Cons because it’s the cool thing to do there.  The rest of the time, you’ll often find them urging you not to ramble on about Comics or Anime or Star Wars because they themselves are ashamed of their love for fandoms.  Sometimes, you can actually catch artificial geeks in costume, not because they know a single thing about the fandom behind the costume, but because it’s popular or currently connected to the mainstream media (and sometimes because it let’s them show off their skin, but we’ll discuss that later).

            Bellechere (Comic Book Costumer): “(My aggravation with other costumers) is not based on looks, though, or on the quality of costume, but people simply seem to be doing (costumes like) Black Cat just because she’s popular. Do these costumers really know the character? I'd like to hope so, but the conversations I've held with some have proven me otherwise. Some haven't even read a comic with her in it. I'll never snub or insult, though I do get a little disappointed and do try to encourage people to know the character they're costuming.”

            The Slutty Geek (and contrary to popular belief, this term can refer to both men and women) is similar to the Artificial Geek, only a lot more obvious to observers.  They are not at Cons to celebrate a love of pop culture, but to get drunk and flaunt their bodies.  While some put on lingerie/underwear or various forms of tape and call it a costume, others go as far as to desecrate otherwise incredible costumes like that of barbarian warriors or the famous Slave Leia bikini, wearing them simply on the basis that they are revealing costumes, not because they have any interest in the fandom the costume represents.

            Maumi (TV and Film Costumer): “I think sexy costumes are fun, but I don't get the “Let's put stickers on our nipples and wear nothing but jeans with that”.  I think body paint is cool if it's done right. But yes duct tape or just paint on the nipples, (I) don't get that at all. But oh well, to each their own.”

            Anonymous Costumer: “I used to get irritated at the people who would show up in nothing but strategically placed pieces of duct tape, but now I simply pity them. It's an obvious cry for attention "LOOK AT MY BODY! SOMEONE PLEASE LOOK AT ME!!!" - it's really pathetic and sad.”

            Finally, we come to what many consider is the worst of the worst at Cons; The Snobbish Geek.  These are the ones who fail to remember that they are at a convention, and tend to stay in their own little groups.  They often look down on anyone they think are inferior to them, sometimes not even acknowledging a greeting, question, or even a compliment.  They would rather place themselves in some exalted state than to make new friends, which in my view is what Cons are all about.  I myself once tried to help out a group of people at DragonCon by alerting them that the registration area was closed and therefore saving them a trip.  They acted as if I was totally invisible and keep walking.  Here is an account from another con-goer:

            Trip (Historical Costumer): “Sadly, when you DO introduce yourself, they act like, ‘Who do you think YOU are?’  They beg for the attention, but then get their REAL thrill by turning people away that try to talk to them ‘just as friends or fellow humans’.  It gives them a feeling of "Control" and "Worth" in a life that's out of their control.”

            Bottom line, Cons and similar events are those special times of the year when we can put all the BS we have to put up with behind us and just have a good time.  The last thing we need is for that same BS to rear it’s ugly head in the form of the five categories mentioned above.  So I’m hoping this little “heads-up” on who to avoid will be helpful to those of you like myself who go to Cons for more enjoyable realities like indulging in you favorite fandoms and making life-long friends.