So, with just under a month left until Comic-Con Africa, and with the rAge Gaming Expo just two weeks after that; and with the surprising number of first-time con-goers on the Friends of Africa Comic-Con Facebook group alone; I figured I’d lend some geeks a hand and help out with a few things, mainly preparations and a few ‘dos and donts’.

 

First up is clothing.
Unless you’re cosplaying, make sure to wear the most comfortable clothing possible; you don’t want to be stuck in a queue for three hours only to realise that your new bra has wires sticking out of it or that your boxers are hiking up your legs to the point you might as well be wearing a pair of briefs a few sizes too small.

Next in line is jackets.
While it might not be too cold in SA in September (being our Springtime), these last few years, Johannesburg has experienced a cooler spring and even a few cold snaps in October, so at the very least, take a jacket, you can leave it in the car if the weather proves warm enough.
Although for rAge, you can leave the warm clothing at home, the Dome has a tendency to get a little toasty.

Along that vein: shoes.
Hours are long and queues are even longer; make sure to use a well-worn pair of shoes (or at least a pair that you’ve managed to break in). If you can’t wear a specific pair of shoes for more than half an hour, DO NOT wear them to the con, believe me, any available seating is either in panel areas or is (somehow) always taken.

 

Then we have your bag.
As cute as your little Pikachu bag might be, maybe swap it out for something slightly larger. Chances are, you’ve been saving up so that you can buy all manner of cool stuff at the con, and that little Pokémon isn’t going to be able to carry all of it. Get yourself a backpack or a large messenger bag, and make sure the straps are comfortable.
And most importantly, when it comes to backpacks, keep the straps at least a little tight – if the straps are loose and the bag is practically hanging off your back, it will do all kinds of damage to your spine as you start loading the bag with more and more stuff, keep the straps tight enough to have the bag sit comfortably just below or at your shoulders.

 

Up next: food and water.
While some convention centres don’t let you bring drinks in, they’re usually okay with a bottle of water; they will not, however, let you bring food in (ever). And, if you’re a first-time con-goer, make sure to bring extra cash with, food inside the convention centre tends to be rather expensive – prepare to pay for the most expensive hot dog you will ever pay for. Or, you know, just leave and go to a nearby restaurant or fast-food joint; whatever works for you.
I have, however, been informed that there will be an allocated area outside the convention building with food trucks and a beer garden, so, prices permitting, there should at least be a wide selection of foods to choose from on the convention centre grounds.

 

Cash or card?
While most stands belonging to larger companies like Cosmic Comics or Smallville will have card machines, many smaller companies, like independent artists or people selling homemade fudge and biltong, may not have card machines on them – I’ve spoken to a few independent artists, they’re all trying to get card machines, but most aren’t sure if they’ll ever get them. There are usually ATMs in or near the convention centre, so make sure to withdraw extra cash when you get the chance.

 

On that note: security.
Here is another reason to wear a jacket; inside pockets. Cons aren’t just fun-days for geeks, they are equally fun (and profitable) for pickpockets. If you can help it, keep your devices and wallets in your bag or in an inside pocket – but be wary, the sight of a closed bag won’t stop most pickpockets, so keep your eyes peeled and your head on the swivel for anyone or anything suspicious. Either that or just keep your hands in your pockets WITH your wallet and phone.
Continuing on with the theme of security; try not to bring too many devices with you, leave your tablet and laptop at home, just bring your phone; in the event you do get your pockets picked, the more you bring, the more you lose, keep that in mind.

 

Up next: interactions.
Be it with a celebrity or a new friend, try not to make them uncomfortable, they’re there to have fun too (and get paid, in the case of the celebs). Remember to be kind to your fellow con-goers, you’ve all been stuck in that same queue for the last hour, the least you can do is be stuck in that same queue TOGETHER. If you bump into someone, or they bump into you, make sure to simply apologise, compliment their shirt or necklace (or whatever item they are using to display their fandom) and move on; you’re all crammed into the same building, you’ve all been brushing shoulders with unfamiliar faces and some of you will be tired and irritated, but it simply won’t do if you get into a fight with someone – no, seriously, security has a way of just appearing out of thin air and they have a way of making people disappear only to reappear outside the convention building.
Oh, and don’t glomp* someone without permission.

 

Glomp*: run up to someone and jump so that you either land on top of them or they are forced to catch you.

 

Following on from that: interacting with cosplayers.
I’ll touch more on this in a separate post, but for now, this will do.
DO NOT glomp cosplayers, they have worked hard on their cosplay and makeup, don’t go ruining it just because you want your favourite character to catch you when you fall.
DO NOT touch a costume or prop without express permission; again, they’ve worked hard, so don’t touch it, because regardless of how careful or gentle you are, you just might break it.
DO NOT play with a prop. That staff is a prop, that hammer is a prop, that sword is a prop, and not all of them are meant to be swung around at high speeds – on top of that, you might just hit someone.
DO NOT steal a prop/wig/costume piece, seriously, that’s a dick move, regardless of whether or not you’re planning on giving it back, no matter how funny you think you’re being, you’re being a dick.
DO NOT interfere with a photoshoot. If a cosplayer is in the middle of being photographed, go ahead, snap a shot from behind or next to the photographer who was already there, but make sure to ask for permission from both the cosplayer and the photographer, it is their shoot, don’t interrupt.
ASK for a photo or selfie; have some manners, don’t just get in there and take a snap.
DO NOT photograph a cosplayer while they are eating, resting or not in full costume. They have had a long day of posing in a sweaty, uncomfortable cosplay (even some of the skimpier costumes tend to be extremely uncomfortable) in a crowded, noisy place; have some respect.

And finally, still sticking with cosplay:
COSPLAY IS NOT CONSENT!
You do not lay a finger on a cosplayer without their express permission; hell, you maintain a safe following distance until you get said express permission. Too often, con-goers think they’re just having a laugh when, instead, they are making a cosplayer feel extremely uncomfortable; seriously, take a moment and think before walking up to or taking a photo of a cosplayer.

 

 

Look, all of these are just suggestions (except the part regarding cosplayers, those are less like guidelines and more like rules, much more like rules). Stick to the suggestions regarding clothing and security, and you’ll be all set go; stick to the rules regarding cosplayers, and you most probably won’t get kicked out of the con.
At the end of the day, we’re all there to have fun and make friends, so let’s do just that.

Have fun at the con guys.

Oh, and I will most definitely be there (for the whole weekend)!!!
If you see me and I’m not eating or talking to someone, you have full permission to glomp me and say hi – just please don’t flatten me, being dead won’t look too good on my college attendance records.