It’s really exciting to watch a small local con finally grow into itself. That’s what The Blot witnessed this past weekend as I attended vastly improved Space City Comic Con at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. The past few years Space City Comic Con really searched for an identity as it morphed from Space City Con to The Houston Con and then to Space City Comic Con. During that same time period it has changed locations even more than it changed names, and not always for the betterment of its attendees. But this year really showed what SCCC could be come.
I think the key to Space City Comic Con’s growth was its new location. Leaving hotels behind, it moved into NRG Park, which is a good size convention center. This coupled with a new set up for buying and/or picking up badges cut down on lines and wait time to get into the convention considerably (one of last year’s show’s biggest complaints). But what really made The Blot happy was the new layout of the dealer room, which included more vendors and comics than ever before! The celebrity autograph area was also really big and accommodating for lines and crowds.
The Blot had a great time talking with comic book creators throughout the weekend, including popular artists such as Norm Rapmund, Jonathan Glapion, Scott Kolins, Sean "Cheeks" Galloway, Walden Wong and Carlo Barberi. It was especially a treat to meet the iconic Allen Bellman, who was involved in the early days of Marvel Comics. All of the artists spoke glowingly of Space City Comic Con, many of whom had never been to Houston before. I think that’s especially key as a convention continues to grow by bringing in more and more creators and celebrity guests.
My only real complaint was how cramped the artists alley was, with the aisles way too narrow. You should have seen how I clogged each row with my large double stroller on Saturday. It made stopping to talk to artists and browse through their work almost impossible. That being said, I was blown away by the show’s guest list and really enjoyed meeting so many talented comic book professionals!
All in all The Blot had a fantastic time at Space City Comic Con, and I hope the show is able to build upon the success of this year’s show. I can really see the huge improvements the organizers made to the show this year and it really pad off! I can’t wait to see what SCCC has in store for us next year. I for one will definitely be back.
