Denver Comic Con 2017 - Are You Prepared?

Well folks, DCC is a little under two weeks away. Soon we will be geeking it up in the Colorado Convention Center. But due to the need for a safe environment there are some new rules on what you can take in and what you can wear. So how can you prepare to make entry into the convention as easy as possible? And what can you do to make sure you have fun? Well I am glad you asked.

1. First things first, the main entrance has moved. Now it near the Bellco Theater Entrance. If you are still not sure where that is, it is the opposite side of the building of the big blue bear. You know the one.
2. There will be bag and prop checks this year on the way in. I know what you are thinking, "Man this sucks, I don't have a bag or prop, now I am stuck waiting behind all these yahoos while they have everything checked". Well good news you whiner! There will be an entry line just for people that are only bringing themselves in. As you can imagine this line will be faster, so if you really don't need to bring anything (which is going to contradict something further down in this article) then leave it at home and get in a tad faster. For those of us that do have bags or props though, there will be multiple bag check lines, so that is some kind of consolidation.
3. If you did not get your badges mailed, then you will need to go to "Lower B Lobby on the Welton Street side of the Convention Center" to get things swapped out. There will also be multiple bag check lines here.

In addition to these notes on entry, DCC posted a PSA called "5 Tips To Get In Without Channeling Your Inner Hulk". The two big ones here are get there around 11:00 AM. Yes that is an hour after the show floor opens. But unless you REALLY need to hit the floor right away, what will you really miss in that hour? Besides possibly being in line at that time anyway? The other one is get your badge on Thursday if you have to pick it up on site. 

Now that we have entry covered, lets talk convention survival. The average high in Denver in June is 81° F and July is 88° F (source). That means it can be very VERY hot, and that means you need to stay hydrated. So take a bag (contradiction!) and put a water bottle in it. Or get a carabiner and strap one to your belt / belt loops. Sure it might seem annoying, but you know what is more annoying? Heat stroke, that is what. Should you be from out of town, and more importantly from a lower altitude, then you are even more susceptible. But hey, at least your alcohol tolerance will be lower so you just became a cheap date!

Speaking of alcohol, they do sell beer on the show floor. I AM BREWT is the official beer of DCC 2017, and in order to enjoy it without causing problems you are going to want to eat. This brings the 2nd reason to have a bag. Bags can hold snacks that didn't run you $4+ each. What I usually do is have a box of granola bars in my backpack to keep my up and running. This is usually over kill but lasts all weekend easy. Last reason to bring a bag if food and water are not good enough reasons. You are going to buy stuff. I have found a laptop pocket is great for storing comic books in at cons. It keeps them unbent and safe from most outside forces while walking around. Sure you can use a plastic bag that the seller had, but will that really keep a spilled drink or weird walker from accidentally hitting it? The bag should at least have a flap or zipper to keep your purchases safe from these convention hazards and, as a bonus, away from prying eyes on the way home.

Finally, you cosplayers. DCC likes to be as family friendly as possible. That means that the "no pointy bits" rule applies to costumes. Not sure what I mean by that? Good, you still have an innocent mind. Know exactly what I mean and just want to feign ignorance? Well DCC has a very convenient chart showing what must be covered.

There you go. The "no pointy bits" rule also applies to weapons. Is that prop able to hurt someone one? It counts. Any weapon that looks like it could be real is probably (definitely) not going to make it in. And you don't want to travel all the way to the convention just to be turned away because of your clothes. Want more details on what can or cannot be used in your cosplay? Then review the Official DCC 2017 Cosplay page. "But Chris, I have already spent months working on my costume and a vital part of it won't be allowed in under these rules". Sorry?

And that is all. Is there something you thing I missed? Well fell free to add to the comments. Lets help make this the best DCC to date!