Sunday afternoon, about 2PM. I enter the Doubletree Hotel in Westlake, people entering the building wearing big eye-catching costumes, and leaving with big brown bags heavy with loot. With a seven dollar admission, I enter into a meeting room stuffed to the brim (and overflowing into the hallway) with tables selling their comic books, toys, animation production artwork, and other fandom-based wares. Two or three dozen small business, local and from neighboring states, have set up camp for the next five or so hours, eager to sell to me and to the few hundred customers dropping in. I’ve attended this triannual event in the past as frequently as I can, scoring big and adding to my collection of obscure and vintage comic books over the past three years. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve attended a few bigger fan conventions, capping attendance in the mid to high 10,000s. Ultimately, it’s those smaller, hole-in-the-wall, locally run comic book and collectible shows that I find myself going back to. No matter what your “fandom” is, you’re sure to find something to love at these fan conventions- both big and small!
With Free Comic Book Day around the horizon, we’re excited to share our own love for our fandoms and comic books! To get into the spirit with us, here’s a selection of fiction and nonfiction books about comic and fan conventions that can be found at WPPL!
Check them out!
