What I Loved and Learned at Comic Con

Posted on by greaves524

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For years, comic conventions have been bringing thousands of fans together across the country. Big conventions like San Diego and New York bring in over one-hundred thousand people to the events, while smaller cons like Rhode Island bring around sixty thousand. So what is it about these conventions that attract such a large number of fans? What could be good enough that people will wait in mile-long lines for hours just to get in? For me, a lot of things, and it’s worth it.

My first Comic Con was Rhode Island Comic Con on November 2nd 2014. I knew what the big cons were like from seeing pictures and stories about them on the internet, but I was so excited to finally experience a convention for myself. I went dressed as Star Lord from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and I saw that one of the actors from the film was on the guest list. I also desperately wanted to meet John Rhys Davies, who played Gimli in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, one of my favorite film series. It was crowded, as I expected and the line to get in the door was long enough that I couldn’t see the end. It was cold and misty and busier than I figured for a Sunday, but I was glad to be there. Inside the con, I learned just how hectic cons can be.

Thousands of people, many clad in elaborate costumes of their favorite characters, flooded the building. It was quite the sight to see all the creativity and care that was placed into making their outfits. The positivity was overwhelming, seeing so many people taking pictures with each other and complimenting them was uplifting, to be sure. I was thrilled to witness the smiles on people’s faces as they walked away with a celebrity’s autograph or after taking a picture with someone. As much fun as I was having, I learned quickly that things weren’t organized as smoothly as they should have been. Celebrity photo-ops were constantly being rearranged; I spent over an hour being run around by staff members and even a celebrity who were all telling me different things about when my photo was scheduled. Later I heard how the convention had over-sold tickets and turned away many fans who tried to enter the building.

I was also unprepared for just how expensive things can be, from merchandise to autographs or even getting a picture with a celebrity which was usually about $40. Aside from all the ticks in the system, Comic Con was a fun experience. Saying hi to celebrity guests, meeting other fans and geeks, and being able to dress up in an environment where most other people were dressed up, was awesome. Comic Con is a place to be yourself, celebrate the forms of entertainment that you love, and share that love with others. I went again in 2015 and had an even better time, and I hope to go once more this year to Rhode Island again.

By the Books

Posted on by greaves524

J.K. Rowling’s fantasy book series Harry Potter has sold over 450 million copies worldwide, and the films based off of them have made over $7.7 billion. It’s one of the most profitable franchises in history with a devoted fan base who still cling to the series, even though it has ended.

It is safe to say that the movies were wildly successful, but as with any book that is adapted into a film, there are bound to be many inconsistencies. The Harry Potter series started off going mostly by the books, but later, the story lines diverged into very different paths. Specifically, the 5th film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix traveled so far away from the source material that it’s almost baffling to me.

Now, I didn’t actually read all 7 HP books until after I had seen every movie. So I didn’t realize how the 5th film barely resembled the book until a few years later when I finally read it. I was shocked and also a little angry. Why would the movie leave all this stuff out and change other parts of the story? There still doesn’t seem to be an answer to that question.

Aside from the large and glaring differences in the story that were changed for the movie, there are smaller details that are inconsistent in several of the books respective adaptions. One such detail is the fact that Harry is supposed to have his mother’s eyes. It’s mentioned repeatedly by different characters throughout the books and films and yet, the movie characters do not have the same eye color. The film makers tried, but one of the actors had an allergic reaction to the contact lenses they needed to wear. Sure that’s a valid excuse, but many fans (myself included) are not convinced the problem couldn’t have been dealt with another way.

It may seem like a small thing to care about, but this one thing is actually very important in the context of the story. But what is more aggravating to me, is how several of the films ignore and/or change key elements of characters and their personalities. The funny and strong book character of Ginny Weasley faded into the background when on the film screen. Dudley Dursely who hated Harry for all 7 books and nearly every film finally accepted Harry as someone of worth in a scene that was filmed but not kept in the movie. Why??

These are the things that matter more than Harry’s hair not being messy enough as described in the books (at least Prisoner of Azkaban got it right.) These movies remind us of the unpleasant reality that a book will probably never be perfectly adapted into a film. Although, for Harry Potter fans, it could have been so much worse (like the Percy Jackson films.) We were pretty blessed by some fantastic movies that just beg to be marathoned. There’s something to be said for the people who both read and watch what they love. It gives another dimension to a world you already know, no matter what the series. My advice? Buy the books.