Thousands of pop culture fans packed Kansas City’s Bartle Hall for Planet Comicon (Logo property of Planet Productions)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Planet Comicon 2015 is in the history books!
Thousands of people caravanned to Bartle Hall in Kansas City to celebrate the best in pop culture.
I have been attended Planet Comicon since its inception in 1999. The show has come quite a long way from its early days at the Overland Park International Trade Center and this year’s show landed in my Top Five conventions that I have ever attended!
How did 2015 Planet Comicon land in my top five?
Here are several factors that separate this year’s show from the rest of the pack:
Planet Comicon’s VIP pass lead up to its name as countless attendees got special access to their favorite media guests. (Logo property of Planet Productions & photo property of Jacob Elyachar)
VIP Passes: This past December, Planet Comicon offered an online exclusive: its VIP Access Membership Pass. The VIP Passes played a crucial role in countless attendees’ experiences. From granting priority access at celebrity autograph lines and photo opportunities to reserved seating at panels, the VIP Pass exponentially improved fans’ experiences and almost every VIP member that I talked to during the convention hopes that Planet Comicon brings the pass back next year.
Astonishing Attractions: In between meeting their favorite guests and attending panels, fans were able to purchase custom-made lightsabers from Ultrasabers, saw Master Lego Builder Allen T. Hickmon bring Gotham City to life through Legos and sit in both the 1966 Batmobile and Back to the Future’s Best DeLorean Time Machine. Planet Comicon attendees also saw Korso the Curious perform several magic tricks and heard music from The Musical Blades.
It was truly an honor to meet Ming-Na Wen. She is an incredible woman and “Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (Photo property of Epic Photo Ops)
Making once-in-a-lifetime memories: Every year, Planet Comicon becomes a mini-Disney World for pop culture aficionados to meet their favorite actors and creators. Each guest had terrific and meaningful interactions with their fans at their booths.
Incredible Panels: Every panel I went to this weekend was not only informative, but also very entertaining. From learning about Garrett Wong’s unsuccessful prodding of the Star Trek Voyager producers to have the cast insert humor into their Starfleet Officers and Erin Gray teaching her audience about Tai Chi to diving deep into the multi-decade resumes of both Raphael Sbarge and Ming-Na Wen, the panels produced some incredible moments. In addition, there were multiple belly laughs as Robbie Amell demonstrated his “Firestorm” exit and instant flashbacks as both Steve Cardenas and Jason Faunt successfully recreated their Red Ranger morphs for Power Rangers fans.
Cosplayers Assemble: Every year, Planet Comicon cosplayers continue to up the ante with their marvelous costumes. As I was traveling across the show floor, I encountered some familiar sights: multiple Darth Vaders, Harley Quinns, Jokers and Stormtroopers. But, thanks to Disney’s ever growing control in the pop culture sphere: a couple of Belles and Elsas, two Captain Jack Sparrows and a Oogie Boogie. I also found the oddest couple walking around together: Gumby & Chewbacca. However, the best costume I saw has to be this lifelike Groot that won this year’s costume contest!
I want to thank several people for making this weekend memorable: Rick Stasi, Jessica Meditz-Porter, Robbie & Stephen Amell, Steve Cardenas, Jason Faunt, Raphael Sbarge, Garrett Wang, Ming-Na Wen, Elite Comics and the countless volunteers and Planet Comicon attendees that I interacted with this weekend!
To see some of my photos from Planet Comicon, head over to my Facebook page!
