Hey guys!
We went to Comic Con! More specifically, Emerald City Comic Con {ECCC}. If you don't know what a comic con is, it's basically a gathering place for nerds. Plus actors and actresses from tv shows!
Unfortunately, Jenna Coleman canceled about a week before, which was really sad, because she's my {Willow's} favorite actress. But they managed to replace her with Alex Kingston (River Song from Doctor Who) which was a happy consolation :)
I {Willow} cosplayed Clara Oswin Oswald, played by Jenna Coleman in her Governess Dress from The Snowmen from Doctor Who. Darrion {D} cosplayed Agent Melinda May, played by Ming-Na Wen from Agents of Shield. Ammelia {Ammie} cosplayed Agent Jemma Simmons, played by Elizabeth Henstridge from Agents of Shield.
So it took us about two hours to find a parking spot (Dad dropped us off in front of the con about 15 minutes before he found a parking space ~ 6 blocks away!). So we missed the early signings, but knew that there were more to come.
This was my first souvenir {below}! It cost me quite a bit, but we all waited in line {minus Dad} for about forty minutes to get Chloe's autograph.
I didn't have time to get a cool picture from eBay or Amazon, but they have photos there that are free if you buy the autograph. I had to wait in a shorter line to buy the autograph at the celebrity's booth, which you pay for and then they give you a little card that looks like a business card, but has a sticker that you give to the person next to the celebrity. They then give the celebrity the thing to sign. They also have a sticky note pad where you wrote what you wanted them to write on your object. I chose the picture below from the free pictures they had there and then took my place in line.
While there, I saw that someone in front of me had a picture like mine that was signed by multiple actors/actresses from AoS. I decided I wanted that too, so I quickly hurried to the desk to the sticky note pad and scribbled what you see on the pink sticky note on the picture below. The lady selling the autographs smiled in a oh-how-cute way, but I was too excited to really care.
We jumped to the next line for photo ops, Hayley Atwell! Her op was about fifteen minutes after Chloe's. Thankfully, photo ops take forever to wait in line and get done, and the fact that Haley was only there for that day meant that tons of people were waiting for a photo with her. The poor lady was tired (D's note: you'd be too, if you had to stand and smile with high-heels on all day!), but she said hello and we posed with her, then we left to get our picture from the photo printing booth. She DOES have a real British accent, just like in the movies and show!
Then we waited in line with D for Hayley Atwell's signature, on the piece of art that D had spent hours feverishly drawing. Here's a post that she wrote about the experience on her blog: http://sincerelydarrion.blogspot.com/2015/06/agent-carter-signed-by-hayley-atwell.html
What made us worried was that our Alex Kingston photo op was coming up, and we were still in line. We actually almost missed getting in line because of all the people getting stuff signed by her. That was freaky. Ammie and I scouted out the line for Alex Kingston's op, and were anxiously being anxious until D could get her art signed. D said to go on without her, but we refused, and waited more. Finally, we were at the front of the line. Hayley was pretty quiet, but she did say that D was talented to draw the fanart (D's note: and that it was fantastic *faints*). We didn't take much time to marvel over that, but dashed over to our Alex Kingston op!
Thankfully, the line hadn't really moved for at least twenty minutes, so we were fine, all that anxiousness for nothin'. D had a backpack that she was carting around that held some cookies, and a protective place to put her fanart. Thankfully, it was also a protective place to put the pictures and my signed picture (D's note: good this I'd brought that hard paper stuff, or we'd have bent up everything! If you ever go to a con, remember to do that, or you'll be a very sorry camper when you get home). I had also brought along my Time Journal, which I made with my art teacher's help out of a book. It's a replica of River's Journal in Doctor Who. We decided to ask her to hold it. Then Ammelia wanted to change into her 11th Doctor outfit that she'd carted along in her backpack, so she and I left to do that. We got back with still plenty of time.
While we were standing in line chatting with the people behind us, we saw Chloe Bennett leaving her panel {presumably} and waved again. She saw us and said "Hi again!" and we all grinned at each other (D's note: and I shouted Hi! back).
Finally, we reached the front of the line. They have a table were you can put your bags and such so they're not in the picture, and while D and Ammie were doing so, I took my Time Journal and asked Alex Kingston "could you hold this, please?". "Oh," she said in her lovely voice {it sounds just like it does on Doctor Who!} and held it and posed. When the op was done, we thanked her and left to get our printed picture. Ammie touched her cheek and said that Alex's hair had touched her cheek. We were still giggling as we went to show Dad our pictures.
Then we went to get Alex's signature on my Time Journal, but the lady who was directing the line said that it was full and to come back in a half hour! I was crestfallen, but we went to go cosplay-watch for a while with Dad again. It was getting almost to the end of the con, and I was anxious to get my book signed. After about ten minutes we decided to try again. It worked, and I paid for it and we stood in line again!
Thankfully, we stood behind some very friendly people, former homeschoolers, and we chatted about lots of fandom and homeschool stuff while we waited. There were hardly any people left in line by the time I handed the assistant my Time Journal. There was a little ribbon that was used as a bookmark in the original book, so I knotted its end and put a clothing tag that said "happening in the present" on it and a little gift tag that I'd written "Willow's Time Journal (Spoilers!)" on it, it was supposed to be like were we were in time at that point, but it's rather hard to explain. {If you read our someday-coming A Study In Time it will be explained.}
I hadn't been able to think of something to have her write on it, especially because I didn't know she would be there until a week before the con! {I thankfully had already made my Time Journal, so there was no rush about that!} So I asked the assistant to have her sign it Alex Kingston as River Song.
Alex Kingston took the journal and looked it over, and noticed my little bookmark. She actually read out loud "Willow's Time Journal, (Spoilers!)". So she signed it "This book is full of spoilers, River Song" then lower down, "AKA Alex Kingston".
I was so pleased because that was so much better than just plain "Alex Kingston and River Song" especially for the inside cover! {Just a note, the little sticker letters around the edge of the page say "Spoilers" and "Hello Sweetie"}. I wasn't really able to say anything, but Ammie told her that she liked her dress {which was gorgeous!}. (D's note: as I gawked at her big hair.)
We ran into the former homschoolers that were in front of us in line again and I showed them my book.
Then it was almost the end of the con, so we left, along with basically everyone else.
We basically spent the whole con on the celebrity floor, because we had a packed schedule. We didn't know that standing in line would take so long. And we almost didn't get a picture with Chloe Bennett! We had already purchased the ops for Alex and Hayley, but were unsure if we'd have enough time for Chloe. Thankfully, they moved her op fifteen minutes before Hayley's, so we decided to take a chance! Happily, Chloe had originally been only going Saturday and Sunday, but had to change her schedule to only Friday. Lucky us!
But Clark Gregg {Phil Coulson, Marvel movies, Agents of Shield} had moved his days as well, to Saturday and Sunday instead of all three, as had John Barrowman {Captain Jack Harkness, Doctor Who}. Anthony Mackie {Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron} also went only on Saturday and Sunday. Stan Lee was there all three days, and we actually saw him while we were waiting for Alex Kingston's autograph.
Overall it was pretty overwhelming, but we're so glad we went! We spent quite a bit on the autographs and photos, but my parents paid for our tickets {thanks Mom and Dad!}.
D was disappointed about not getting to look at the artwork and not get to buy any cool stuff, but it was jam packed, and it was hard to just get into the art area (D's note: seriously, how can you look at stuff with tall people crowding you and the art?).
So we are hoping to go to the Rose City Comic Con in Portland this September, and meet and get pictures with Brett Dalton {Grant Ward, Agents of Shield} and Elizabeth Henstridge {Jemma Simmons, Agents of Shield}.
We've come up with two group cosplays for those days, if we get to go. Agents of Shield for when we meet/get pictures with them, me as "meet" Skye, D as May again and Ammelia and Simmons again. The other day {there are two days of that con} we hope to do a Big Hero Six group with me as Gogo Tomago and D as fem!Tadashi and Ammie as Honey Lemon and my mom as Aunt Cass.
D's note: Over all, it went quite well, and was a very interesting experience. We didn't lose anyone, and didn't miss anyone, so that's a plus :) The "minions" aka the comic con helper people, we very nice! Even when we ended up in the wrong building {the kid's building} a helper guy walked us across the street and helped us get programs.
Anyway, we'd do things a little bit differently if we do it again... get our cosplays ready earlier, go to a smaller con (maybe), and save up lots of money. And I mean lots. And our advice for you if you're going to a con... wear comfortable shoes, don't wear lots of layers, and be prepared for everything to take a long time (and a lot of standing in lines).
~Willow (and D's notes)
We went to Comic Con! More specifically, Emerald City Comic Con {ECCC}. If you don't know what a comic con is, it's basically a gathering place for nerds. Plus actors and actresses from tv shows!
Unfortunately, Jenna Coleman canceled about a week before, which was really sad, because she's my {Willow's} favorite actress. But they managed to replace her with Alex Kingston (River Song from Doctor Who) which was a happy consolation :)
I {Willow} cosplayed Clara Oswin Oswald, played by Jenna Coleman in her Governess Dress from The Snowmen from Doctor Who. Darrion {D} cosplayed Agent Melinda May, played by Ming-Na Wen from Agents of Shield. Ammelia {Ammie} cosplayed Agent Jemma Simmons, played by Elizabeth Henstridge from Agents of Shield.
So it took us about two hours to find a parking spot (Dad dropped us off in front of the con about 15 minutes before he found a parking space ~ 6 blocks away!). So we missed the early signings, but knew that there were more to come.
This was my first souvenir {below}! It cost me quite a bit, but we all waited in line {minus Dad} for about forty minutes to get Chloe's autograph.
I didn't have time to get a cool picture from eBay or Amazon, but they have photos there that are free if you buy the autograph. I had to wait in a shorter line to buy the autograph at the celebrity's booth, which you pay for and then they give you a little card that looks like a business card, but has a sticker that you give to the person next to the celebrity. They then give the celebrity the thing to sign. They also have a sticky note pad where you wrote what you wanted them to write on your object. I chose the picture below from the free pictures they had there and then took my place in line.
While there, I saw that someone in front of me had a picture like mine that was signed by multiple actors/actresses from AoS. I decided I wanted that too, so I quickly hurried to the desk to the sticky note pad and scribbled what you see on the pink sticky note on the picture below. The lady selling the autographs smiled in a oh-how-cute way, but I was too excited to really care.
When we FINALLY got to meet Chloe, she was so nice! She asked how I was, and I was pretty excited and nervous to actually meet her {we'd been freaking out because we could see her from our line} and I asked how she was. She copied how I'd written what I'd like her to say on my picture.
Then she saw Darrion's and Ammelia's costumes and was like "Oh my gosh! Guys, my co-workers are here!" She also said she liked our costumes. Then she said "Let me take your picture to send to them," meaning Elizabeth Henstridge {Simmons} and Ming-Na Wen {May}. D and Ammie couldn't really talk, but they posed together and Chloe took their picture with her phone. She then said goodbye and we floated away, me making little squeals under my breath and D and Ammie having huge smiles on their faces.
After that, we knew we had Chloe's photo, but we had to get our receipt that Mom had printed at home after we'd bought the photo ops online and given to Dad to hold. I texted Mom and told her about Chloe, and we sat with Dad for awhile to cosplayer-watch.
Then we went to go see if the lines had started for Chloe's op yet, and as we were walking, Dad pulled me back and said to watch out. I turned to the left and there was Chloe, heading to her next gig! She said hi again, and we managed to utter a greeting.
Then we waited in line for what seemed line hours, especially because a guy {who I think was cosplaying casual Wolverine from X-Men, but I don't know X-Men, so you never know} was flirting with a shy girl, both of them in front of us {and there was a girl further up in the line who took about ten thousand selfies!}.
But we finally made it! Chloe said "Hey, my co-workers are back! We've got to pose! You {to Ammelia} stand like this, like Elizabeth does. You {to D} stand like this, like Ming-Na. And you {Willow} just do something". She was so friendly. She posed, and we all posed! She said that she hoped we could come to her panel, and then said goodbye again and we left the booth to get our picture from the printer people.
We jumped to the next line for photo ops, Hayley Atwell! Her op was about fifteen minutes after Chloe's. Thankfully, photo ops take forever to wait in line and get done, and the fact that Haley was only there for that day meant that tons of people were waiting for a photo with her. The poor lady was tired (D's note: you'd be too, if you had to stand and smile with high-heels on all day!), but she said hello and we posed with her, then we left to get our picture from the photo printing booth. She DOES have a real British accent, just like in the movies and show!
Then we waited in line with D for Hayley Atwell's signature, on the piece of art that D had spent hours feverishly drawing. Here's a post that she wrote about the experience on her blog: http://sincerelydarrion.blogspot.com/2015/06/agent-carter-signed-by-hayley-atwell.html
What made us worried was that our Alex Kingston photo op was coming up, and we were still in line. We actually almost missed getting in line because of all the people getting stuff signed by her. That was freaky. Ammie and I scouted out the line for Alex Kingston's op, and were anxiously being anxious until D could get her art signed. D said to go on without her, but we refused, and waited more. Finally, we were at the front of the line. Hayley was pretty quiet, but she did say that D was talented to draw the fanart (D's note: and that it was fantastic *faints*). We didn't take much time to marvel over that, but dashed over to our Alex Kingston op!
Thankfully, the line hadn't really moved for at least twenty minutes, so we were fine, all that anxiousness for nothin'. D had a backpack that she was carting around that held some cookies, and a protective place to put her fanart. Thankfully, it was also a protective place to put the pictures and my signed picture (D's note: good this I'd brought that hard paper stuff, or we'd have bent up everything! If you ever go to a con, remember to do that, or you'll be a very sorry camper when you get home). I had also brought along my Time Journal, which I made with my art teacher's help out of a book. It's a replica of River's Journal in Doctor Who. We decided to ask her to hold it. Then Ammelia wanted to change into her 11th Doctor outfit that she'd carted along in her backpack, so she and I left to do that. We got back with still plenty of time.
While we were standing in line chatting with the people behind us, we saw Chloe Bennett leaving her panel {presumably} and waved again. She saw us and said "Hi again!" and we all grinned at each other (D's note: and I shouted Hi! back).
Finally, we reached the front of the line. They have a table were you can put your bags and such so they're not in the picture, and while D and Ammie were doing so, I took my Time Journal and asked Alex Kingston "could you hold this, please?". "Oh," she said in her lovely voice {it sounds just like it does on Doctor Who!} and held it and posed. When the op was done, we thanked her and left to get our printed picture. Ammie touched her cheek and said that Alex's hair had touched her cheek. We were still giggling as we went to show Dad our pictures.
Then we went to get Alex's signature on my Time Journal, but the lady who was directing the line said that it was full and to come back in a half hour! I was crestfallen, but we went to go cosplay-watch for a while with Dad again. It was getting almost to the end of the con, and I was anxious to get my book signed. After about ten minutes we decided to try again. It worked, and I paid for it and we stood in line again!
Thankfully, we stood behind some very friendly people, former homeschoolers, and we chatted about lots of fandom and homeschool stuff while we waited. There were hardly any people left in line by the time I handed the assistant my Time Journal. There was a little ribbon that was used as a bookmark in the original book, so I knotted its end and put a clothing tag that said "happening in the present" on it and a little gift tag that I'd written "Willow's Time Journal (Spoilers!)" on it, it was supposed to be like were we were in time at that point, but it's rather hard to explain. {If you read our someday-coming A Study In Time it will be explained.}
I hadn't been able to think of something to have her write on it, especially because I didn't know she would be there until a week before the con! {I thankfully had already made my Time Journal, so there was no rush about that!} So I asked the assistant to have her sign it Alex Kingston as River Song.
Alex Kingston took the journal and looked it over, and noticed my little bookmark. She actually read out loud "Willow's Time Journal, (Spoilers!)". So she signed it "This book is full of spoilers, River Song" then lower down, "AKA Alex Kingston".
I was so pleased because that was so much better than just plain "Alex Kingston and River Song" especially for the inside cover! {Just a note, the little sticker letters around the edge of the page say "Spoilers" and "Hello Sweetie"}. I wasn't really able to say anything, but Ammie told her that she liked her dress {which was gorgeous!}. (D's note: as I gawked at her big hair.)
We ran into the former homschoolers that were in front of us in line again and I showed them my book.
Then it was almost the end of the con, so we left, along with basically everyone else.
We basically spent the whole con on the celebrity floor, because we had a packed schedule. We didn't know that standing in line would take so long. And we almost didn't get a picture with Chloe Bennett! We had already purchased the ops for Alex and Hayley, but were unsure if we'd have enough time for Chloe. Thankfully, they moved her op fifteen minutes before Hayley's, so we decided to take a chance! Happily, Chloe had originally been only going Saturday and Sunday, but had to change her schedule to only Friday. Lucky us!
But Clark Gregg {Phil Coulson, Marvel movies, Agents of Shield} had moved his days as well, to Saturday and Sunday instead of all three, as had John Barrowman {Captain Jack Harkness, Doctor Who}. Anthony Mackie {Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron} also went only on Saturday and Sunday. Stan Lee was there all three days, and we actually saw him while we were waiting for Alex Kingston's autograph.
Overall it was pretty overwhelming, but we're so glad we went! We spent quite a bit on the autographs and photos, but my parents paid for our tickets {thanks Mom and Dad!}.
D was disappointed about not getting to look at the artwork and not get to buy any cool stuff, but it was jam packed, and it was hard to just get into the art area (D's note: seriously, how can you look at stuff with tall people crowding you and the art?).
So we are hoping to go to the Rose City Comic Con in Portland this September, and meet and get pictures with Brett Dalton {Grant Ward, Agents of Shield} and Elizabeth Henstridge {Jemma Simmons, Agents of Shield}.
We've come up with two group cosplays for those days, if we get to go. Agents of Shield for when we meet/get pictures with them, me as "meet" Skye, D as May again and Ammelia and Simmons again. The other day {there are two days of that con} we hope to do a Big Hero Six group with me as Gogo Tomago and D as fem!Tadashi and Ammie as Honey Lemon and my mom as Aunt Cass.
Anyway, we'd do things a little bit differently if we do it again... get our cosplays ready earlier, go to a smaller con (maybe), and save up lots of money. And I mean lots. And our advice for you if you're going to a con... wear comfortable shoes, don't wear lots of layers, and be prepared for everything to take a long time (and a lot of standing in lines).
~Willow (and D's notes)
