Fandemonium from p 20 Console, a rudimentary K-9, and it evolved from there. Now people can walk through the TARDIS into a full-blown control room. Ambrosia: All of these local [cosplay] groups are all together in one corner [of the exhibitor hall]. There’s cross-pollina- tion between [us and] all these other groups, like some of our members are in Phoenix Ghostbusters or some are in the [Justice League of Arizona], or the Arizona Avengers. Warners: Not a lot of conventions devote that much space to cosplay groups. It makes for a really fun photo op and a memorable experience. Many memorable times at the event over the years have also involved celebrities. Matt Hinds: From 2010 to 2014, there was turnout was small enough to where celeb- rities could stay at a nearby hotel and interact with everyone. It was a lot looser and more accessible then. Kazmierczak: When I saw Ed Asner was there, I was blown away. It was 20 bucks to meet him, and I thought, “20 bucks? A Lou Grant DVD costs more, so I’ll go talk to Ed Asner, I guess.” So I paid $20 and I chatted with him for like 10 minutes. It was an amazing time. Matt Hinds: The year Jeff Lewis and Sandeep [Parikh] from The Guild were at the con, it was 10 o’clock and they’re getting a late-night appetizer outside at [the Hyatt’s bar]. And I’m just trashed and walk up to the table and ask to sit down, and they were cool with it. Jones: We came up with a “Who-llywood Squares” game with our cosplayers as the stars. And John Barrowman, who played Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who, was there that year. So we’re in the middle of the game and in walks John Barrowman. He taps our Captain Jack on the shoulder and says, “You’re in my seat,” and joins the game. We were all flabbergasted. Warners: One of my favorite years was 2014, when they had panels by Adam West, Nathan Fillion, Stephen Amell, and Bruce Campbell one after the other in the same ballroom. I spent all day in there. Totally worth it. I think Stan Lee had a panel moderated by Todd McFarlane some- where in that mix, too. McFarlane: I was sorta Robin to Stan Lee’s Batman. He needed someone to emcee and asked, “Hey Todd, I’m getting old, I can’t see, and I can’t hear. Can you come do panels with me?” What I remember is, even at his age then, the energy of that man was phenomenal. He was a born performer. Warners: I remember 2015, was also an amazing year for guests. They had Jason Momoa and Karl Urban, which were both really good gets. 22 The convention’s biggest year to date happened in 2016, when attendance topped out at 106,096 people. Astell: It was easily one of the biggest events in the state, second only to the Tucson Festival of Books, which typically got around 120,000 each year [before the pandemic]. Dawna Davis: The people coming by our booth [that year] were nonstop. I was really tired when it was over. Matt Hinds: Every inch of [exhibitor hall] was occupied by vendors and artists. There was stuff all over the convention center, the Hall of Heroes on the third floor, and hotels like the Hyatt. That was the absolute peak. Bumps In the Road In 2017, tragedy was averted after Phoenix Police arrested local resident Matthew Sterling brought a cache of weapons — including three handguns, a shotgun, and a combat knife — into the convention center during the first day of the convention. He intended to kill Mighty Morphin Power Rangers actor Jason David Frank, a guest of that year’s event. (Sterling was later TaraRebeka/CC BY 2.0/Flickr Geek icon Wil Wheaton playing Rock Band at Phoenix Comicon 2009. sentenced to 25 years in Arizona State Hospital for the incident.) The situation caused Square Egg Entertainment, the con’s parent company, to implement stricter security measures at the behest of the convention center, including banning all cosplay weapons and props. It caused lengthy delays and long lines in the 110-degree-plus heat as attendees were screened by security. Matt Hinds: Somebody pinged me about the situation and I was like, “Okay, they dealt with it. He’s arrested. We’re good. Controversy handled. I didn’t think it was an issue until we woke up the next day. I was like, “I’m willing to go get people’s props to store them in our hotel room and give them water. Warners: The day after, I got to the convention center super-early in the MAY 26TH– JUNE 1ST, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
