Convention season is off to a strong start. Wondercon has grown in the past years, leaving their usual home in Anaheim and trying on Downtown Los Angeles for size. The new venue compensates for a lot. One hall is big enough to house all of the registration booths, autograph sign-ups, and even provides a resting area with convenient charging stations. Once you grab your pass, it is hard to figure out what to do first!

Right out of the gates, there are tons to do, but perusing the main convention hall is always a good start. Once you walk into the doors, you’ll be transported to a grand hall, filled with many vendors, artists, and attractions. Many of the big publishers might be the first stands that you see. Artists and vendors also start to show up as you venture into the hall.

The vendors take up about four-fifth of the floor, while Artist Alley fills in the rest. If you have any sliver of interest in the geek culture, you would be able to find something that you would like. From comics, to toys, to light sabers, you’ll probably find it here. I personally like to dive into long boxes filled with graphic novels that are labeled 50% off.

A great thing about Wondercon is that they definitely show love for the local artists. Their Artist Alley is definitely bigger than most comic conventions. You can support your local artists by buying their wares, and you can find something special here, maybe even something you didn’t think you wanted. You can always count on finding beautiful fan art, but you can also find sculptures, toys, and clothing of your favorite pop culture icons.

You might run into some Cosplayers roaming the convention floor, but if you’re looking for great costumes, you can find a plethora of them in the lobby. The lobby provides a haven of opportunities to meet and take pictures with/of a wide span of amature to professional cosplayers. Some professionals may have booths on the convention floor, but you might also run into them in the lobby. Most, if not everyone, is friendly to take pictures and talk about their creations, so go ahead and ask them. I even found a dance off between cosplayers, including the Hip Hop Trooper.

This wouldn’t be a convention if there weren’t any panels with your favorite celebrities and creators. Whether you’re trying to ask your favorite celebrity a question about themselves, learning about how something is created, or speed dating, there is something for everybody. We attended the Half Hour Happy Hour live podcast and Agent’s of SHIELD panel.

Even though the convention spans over 3 days, it is impossible to see everything. It might even be impossible to see everything on the Sales Floor. If you’re looking for to attend your first comic convention, or attend a great one in general, Wondercon should definitely be on your list.