As another year closes I am once again doing a ranking of how much I enjoyed the conventions I attended this year. Now to clarify the reviews are more geared towards objectively explaining how well a convention did and puts my personal entertainment value a bit on the side. This list is entirely subjective and based solely on just how much fun I had at the convention. This year was a very weird one as events I’ve grown to expect an amazing time failed to impress while others that usually fall low on my list were at their best.
So the last place on this list was pretty easy to pick as this was the only event that I really disliked everything about how it was executed. It was so bad that it was really impossible to have fun the day I was there.
Yeah this one surprised me too. Anime Weekend Atlanta previously placed first on this list more than once and has always done rather well. This year though I just felt like it lacked that element that it had in previous years that just made me fall in love with the event. This year it really felt more about transactions than about memories.
12. Yama Con
Yama Con is always a fun experience but it’s also a fairly tricky one to do for a list like this. The best part of Yama Con weekend is about how I can go back and forth between the convention and the local attractions and if I were to rank them collectively the convention would be placed higher. However, focusing solely on the convention I really didn’t spend all that much time there because it’s an event where I grab any autographs I want, do some shopping, say hi to some friends and then off to the attractions I go.
11. Matsuricon
Here’s another surprise as Matsuricon has also placed first on this list multiple times but now doesn’t even make top 10. It really came down to the one big mistake that it made. Taking a VIP perk after the passes sold out and initially doing nothing to compensate for that was enough to put a bad vibe for the entire weekend. Being perfectly honest the pass was worth the money even without the perk that was taken, but it’s not about whether or not you get your money’s worth. It’s about being given what you’re paid for and when you buy something from a convention you place your trust that they will do just that. That trust is broken and I am heavily debating never going back because of that. As for the rest of the event it was still fun and had some amazing panels but it’s not the same event it used to be.
10. Fanboy Expo
Yet another surprise for this list. Fanboy has always been an event that I just go to for autographs and then go home. A problem that tends to be more unique for this event but this year more events have had that problem and Fanboy managed to up it’s game. By better using the space the venue was more comfortable to be in and so I enjoyed being here more than ever before.
9. Farleycon
Farleycon was a fun event where I got to do some shopping, spend time with friends and I had plenty of time to talk to the guests. I did only spend a day there and that’s plenty of time to do everything so it was a rather short experience but a fun one.
8. Huntsville Comic and Pop Culture Expo
Huntsville had a great guest list and I got to spend time with some amazing friends. What really prevented it from being higher on this list was how dependent I was on the VIP pass just to meet guests because of how bad the crowds were. I don’t like crowds and I don’t like feeling cramped and it’s honestly a mood killer at conventions.
So the events of Smoky Mountain Terror were honestly so rough I was thinking of not going to this event at all but it had someone my wife really wanted to see. Honestly while it had some of the same issues with the crowd, being able to have S’mores with the 7th Doctor from Doctor Who was one of the most enjoyable and unique events I’ve done all year.
6. Lexington Toy and Comic Con
Another surprise for this list which seems to be the reoccurring theme. I almost always enjoy Lexington but normally it doesn’t place this high because it’s always been about meeting people and going home which is something I enjoy more here because it’s very close to home. To put it in perspective I drive less both ways to attend this convention than I do just to get to almost every other convention on this list. However, this year really ignited a love for comic books and meeting comic book writers and artists. That was enough to really elevate this convention’s entertainment value.
While I’m familiar with Galaxycon this was my first time going to what I’ve heard to be the big Galaxycon. It has some crowding issues and that did hinder the entertainment value as I don’t like crowds and I think other Galaxycons manage them better. However, they had an amazing roster of guests to meet, the panels were fun and honestly the photos I took at the convention were even shared by the people who run the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender Instagram page which happened during the event.
So remember how I said this was all about how much fun I had? This is what I had in mind when I wrote that. Execution wise Queen City would not go in the top five as the lines to get into the vendors, the lack of lines for the guests which devalue the VIP pass and just the general size of the event in comparison to the other ones on this list. However, this event had Alice Himora and Chris Hackney as guests who are two of my absolute favorite voice actors. Plus the lack of lines at their booths meant I got to have nice conversations with them. Add the fact that I got to play Super Smash Brothers with Kira Buckland and you have a very fun weekend and one of the most enjoyable ones I had all year.
3. Momocon
So something that’s not surprising which is Momocon placing high. It had amazing guests, the vendors were some of the best and I even got a commission from an artist I’ve been a fan of for a long time. It’s one I’m considering going back to next year but for a bit longer.
The pizza party at this convention was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had all year. I got to have drinks and pizza with guests from various industries. A power ranger, reality TV star, and voice actors including the voice of Scooby-Doo. You can’t put a price on how memorable an experience like that is. Outside of the party I had a great time socializing with everyone at this event, saw some unique items to purchase and I’m already committed to going to this event next year. I’ll even add it’s the only event I’ve locked in for 2025 at this time.
1. LA Comic Con
With my previous visits to the Los Angeles Convention Center all being for Anime Expo I got used to a lack of organization every time I come here. Coming to LA Comic Con was a massive shock as it showed that a big event with proper organization can happen here and I got to do so much that it would be hard to list them all out here. The sheer amount of stuff I got to do, people I got to meet and stuff I got to buy all with no difficulty what so ever made this the clear choice for number one.
Getmorexp 