Adventures From Salt Lake Comic Con 2015

Over the weekend I went to the third annual Salt Lake Comic Con. (That's #SLCC15 for those of you who speak in hashtags.) I've been to all three of them, and I've had a better experience each time. (You can read about the first two here: Year 1, Year 2.) Here are some thoughts (and pictures) from this year's convention:

Iron Man sure has a big head.

As we walked into the building, we were greeted by a large banner featuring a man opening his shirt to reveal yellow tights with the letters "SJ." Then the banner declared: "Siegfried & Jensen, Injury Attorneys, Welcome to Comic Con!" Because there's nothing quite as heroic as a personal injury lawyer, right?

His super powers? Faster than a speeding ambulance! More powerful than a legal motion! Able to plea bargain in a single bound!

You run into good guys and bad guys at Comic Con. Here's the bad guy from the movie Big Hero 6.

Spoiler Alert: It's Professor Callahan!

I've been to Comic Con three straight years, and each time I'm absolutely amazed and entranced by the carpet at the Salt Palace Convention Center. It's hypnotic!

You are getting sleepy. Very sleepy.

The celebrity guests are usually very entertaining. The highlight for me this year was Marina Sirtis, best known as Counselor Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation. She was witty, energetic, and a lot of fun! Unfortunately, the picture I took of her during her presentation is an excellent demonstration on the limitations of camera phones. This picture, of Walter Koenig, best known as Chekov on Star Trek, is twice as good as the one of Marina Sirtis, and it's not very good, either.

Ensign Chekov is now a short, bald, old man.

This year, since I'm attempting to be a full-time writer, I took full advantage of the many entertaining and informative panels at Comic Con. This panel featured published authors telling us how to write a book series. (For me, I think the first step would be to write one book before I worry about a trilogy.)

Even shirtless men with battle scars want to know how to write a book series.

There was a lot of cosplay, and it wasn't all Deadpool and Harley Quinn, even though it may have seemed that way at times.

Obscure Sesame Street characters? Yip! Yip!

Even the parking garage beneath Nordstrom wasn't safe from cosplay villainy.

Transformer vs. Dr. Octopus!

Do you want a super-hero t-shirt? Comic Con is the place for you!

So many t-shirts! Unfortunately, none of them are in my size.

And yes, there actually are comic books at Comic Con!

Of course, they're all sealed in plastic bags so you can't read them unless you buy them.
(This is a Comic Con, not a library!)

I really enjoyed the writing panels. Here, Richard Hatch from the original Battlestar Galactica expounds on how to get your book published.

Who knew Captain Apollo wrote books?

Did I mention that the Salt Palace Convention Center carpet is a bit trippy? It looks like something Steve Ditko would have drawn for one of Dr. Strange's alternate dimensions.

I dare you to stare at that carpet without getting dizzy.

Over the course of the three years they've had the Comic Con here in Salt Lake, they've greatly improved upon how much time is spent standing in lines. I spent very little time standing in lines this year! Unfortunately, however, there is still some work to be done about the lines in the parking garage.

Parking garages are fun!

Maybe next year I'll just arrive via jet pack.