This year, the first day of December marked the opening day of Los Angeles Comic-Con 2023, an event fans have been anticipating all year. Attending LACC 2022 took me relatively by surprise. You can read about my first time attending LACC as a member of the press by clicking here. It was my first big assignment from The Game of Nerds, and I was anxious but excited about this newest challenge. This year, I was personally invited by the convention staff to return to LACC and cover the event, and this time, I was ready.
I downloaded the official LACC app, which I recommend to all future attendees, and used it to navigate and plan my weekend ahead of time. Dressed as the iconic Ash Ketchum, I headed for L.A. early Saturday morning. I arrived just in time for the doors to open and got in with no issue. I got my Press badge and began my exploration of the convention hall. I started from one side of the exhibit hall and worked my way to the other side. While walking around, I saw couples dressed as Luffy and Nami, Rogue and Gambit, and Peach and Daisy. Numerous people in costumes varied from casual to incredibly detailed. I saw one girl who replicated the Lucy Gray dress from the latest film installment of The Hunger Games series, and I saw someone dressed as Jigsaw riding a tricycle. I love the detail people put into their costumes. It shows how much time and effort people have put into prepping for Comic-Con.
While exploring the exhibitor hall, I got stickers from the non-profit Qweerty Games, who are working to level up game representation. I got an illustrated novel from the non-profit Prism Comics, which is similarly working to increase positive representation in comic books and graphic novels. I got reeled into a TikTok and scored some Pokémon cards. I scoured a 2024 calendar from the official Neopets booth. I am a Pokémon fan, but Neopets were an additional obsession as a kid. I remember loving the designs of each Neopet. Some were cute, while others were plain weird.
Eventually, I stopped to smell fandom-inspired candles courtesy of my favorite candlemaker, Animoo Candles. They were celebrating their first time attending LACC, and I bought their Spy Family and Rose Whip variants. If you want stocking stuffers for friends and family, purchase some of their candles. They sell unique scents that are wonderful for anime fans. I, for example, love their Demon Sister variant, but the Spy Family may be my new favorite because its scent reminds me of hot chocolate and the holidays.
On my way to Artist Alley, I toured the Spooksieboo booth. With Coraline being one of my favorite stop motion films, I was familiar with Spooksieboo because she collaborated with LAIKA to produce her Coraline-inspired products. Now, she is collaborating with the minds behind the beloved character Strawberry Shortcake, who are partnering with female independent artists, creators, makers, and bakers (known as the Strawberry Shortcake Collective) over the next year to stay true to Strawberry Shortcake’s nature, which is about love and friendship. While touring the booth, I noted several families grow increasingly excited. Little girls, mothers and grandmothers alike were excited to see what was in store for them. As someone who also fawned over Strawberry Shortcake and her friends as a child, I loved seeing multiple generations come together to celebrate her anniversary.
When I asked Spooksieboo about her inspiration as an artist, she said: “I love all things cute. I also love spooky, but switching things up is always fun. For example, one thing I love about Strawberry Shortcake is that she is something I share with my mom, who loved her growing up in Mexico.” This generational celebration proves icons like Strawberry Shortcake can travel across multiple generations and cultures. I cannot wait to see what more is in store for Strawberry Shortcake fans of all ages. If you want to stay tuned to Strawberry Shortcake and her adventures in mainstream media, click here!
Once I reached Artist Alley, I purposely looked for my friend, freelance artist and cosplayer Nekkokya. We have met at conventions such as WonderCon for the past year, and I was excited to see her again. When she announced her attendance at LACC 2023 via her social media channels, I commissioned her to draw Ramona Flowers. With no surprise, it turned out amazing. I can’t wait to commission her at the next convention! I love supporting her business!
Afterward, I came across Leah’s Lovely Junk. I recognized her art style from Anime Los Angeles earlier this year and was delighted to learn some of her original pieces had sold. Visiting her booth felt like I was seeing an art gallery. I highly recommend checking out her work. She sells prints, charms, and canvases inspired by different fandoms.
Since WEBTOON was not vending this year, I made it my mission to find the WEBTOON creators that were tabling in Artist Alley. I was incredibly excited because, before the convention, creators Graveweaver and Purpah announced their attendance. If you are unfamiliar with these creators, click here for my interview with Purpah and click here for my interview with Graveweaver to learn more about them and their creative journeys. Unfortunately, Graveweaver fell ill and could not attend LACC, but her parents were operating the booth, and I could tell they were proud of her. Likewise, Purpah was running her booth with the aid of her mother. I had the pleasure of meeting Purpah and her mother in person at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year, so it was a delight to see them again. I love seeing parents support their children’s creative journeys.
I later attended the How I Broke Into Hollywood As A Screenwriter panel and learned from the experiences of Hollywood genre writers, including one of the writers behind the Supernatural TV series, Meghan Fitzmartin. Listening to their stories was reassuring because they all insisted that there was no clear-cut path to success as a writer. As someone who struggles with Imposter Syndrome, I often wonder if what I do is enough to succeed, but going to these types of panels reminds me how many people are trying to make it as writers. It creates a sense of community that I find incredibly encouraging.
Next, I attended the Restaurant Fiction panel, learned about food in fictional settings, and left home hungry. The next day, I returned to the convention hall wearing more casual attire and stumbled across Asian Boba Girl, who was selling bobaesque candles. They were super cute and were perfect as gifts. I enjoyed the scents of each candle, especially her Lychee Jelly candle. I later got a “This is Fine” sticker from Best Auntie Ever, whom I recognized from Instagram. Her hand-crafted bags are amazingly unique and fun to look at. She clearly puts a lot of love into making her iconic bags.
While exploring, I spotted folks taking photos with Halloween celebrity Mr. Floats, whom I recognized from Creep It Real Festive. I encountered another familiar face, a fellow writer and creative mind, S.G. Blaise, whom I met through previous conventions. If you love a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, you should check out her The Last Lumenian Series. Writer to writer, it is always a delight to see her at conventions and see her succeed. Moments like these inspire me to go home and write my first novel. Yes, I am trying to write my novel when I am not writing for The Game of Nerds. Wish me luck, folks!
Lastly, I attended the Writing Your Way From Fan Into Professional panel and learned from writers whose experience spanned comics, animation, and live-action. Once again, I was encouraged and delighted to be surrounded by fellow writers. The panelists insisted that “no one has the same journey,” and respecting and supporting each other as artists is essential. They also insisted that things like Imposter Syndrome never go away. Instead, it is about coping and learning to push through self-doubt and criticism.
Afterward, I had lunch with a friend from the panel. We spent hours discussing the convention, animation, and everything else under the sun. We admired passersby in costume and talked to other convention patrons. Usually, I would be apprehensive talking to strangers, but I gushed about the new Super Mario movie with a couple dressed as Wario and Waluigi. Just something about Comic-Con and other conventions brings out my inner extrovert.
Overall, I greatly loved this year’s Comic-Con. I loved the costumes and the panels, but I especially loved that I met up with friends I had only ever known online. Conventions gave us the excuse we needed to come together and bond over what we loved, and that is the true spirit of Comic-Con. It brings people from all backgrounds together because they share a core love for animation, comics, cartoons, and games.
Are you going to attend L.A. Comic-Con next year? Tell me in the comments what your favorite part of my 2023 Comic-Con weekend adventure was and what Southern California conventions you want me to cover in the new year.
