Comic-Con is more than an event; it gathers souls who travel through the universe together. For some, Comic-Con means comic books; for others, it means pop culture and science fiction, but for many, it means the ultimate “happy place.”
In March 2017, I experienced the Con that changed my life. For those lucky enough to experience the 15th Annual Emerald City Comic-Con (ECCC), we sat among the likes of comic book legend Stan Lee and the nostalgia-inducing cast of the Animaniacs – Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, Rob Paulson, and Jess Harnell.
ECCC, located at the Washington State Convention Center, had 91,000 attendees in 2017. I remember walking shoulder to shoulder with other like-minded fanatics through the convention floors. Row after row was filled with artists, designers, and exhibitors.
Every year, I select a favorite artist. This year I discovered Jenny Parks. Like me, Parks is a nerd and avid lover of all thing’s cats. Her passions helped her to find a very niche type of art. Parks’ scientific illustrations combined with her love for cats translated into extraordinary and fun pieces of art. Most homes have a wall with framed family photos, but I have a wall to display my cat-themed art collection.
ECCC 2017 had amazing panels with guests like Milly Bobby Brown, Michael Rooker, and Jeremy Renner. But my favorite panel of the Con was a hilarious panel session with voice actors Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, Rob Paulson, and Jess Harnell. From the Animaniacs to Pink and the Brain, these actors brought back all the nostalgia of Saturday morning cartoons.
“Watching the panel guests talk about their experience together with the show made me realize how similar their relationship was to the characters they voiced.”
ECCC Fanatic Brittany Padgett
I never thought my Con experience would get better than meeting, Seattle Seahawks legends, Bobby Wagner and Richard Sherman from ECCC 2016, but I was wrong.
The biggest highlight from ECCC 2017 was meeting the late Stan Lee. Lee is the creator of the Amazing Spiderman, founder of Marvel, and a comic book legend. To meet him, I waited in line for three nerve-racking hours. As my turn finally arrived, I pulled out my Amazing Spiderman #700 that I obtained months prior – the one where Peter Parker dies – and kindly asked him to autograph it.
Lee happily took my comic book and penned a quick signature across the cover. This moment was easily a “Top 10” life experience for me. I was very fortunate to meet him before he passed the following year in 2018.
My overall experience of ECCC 2017 was nostalgic, exciting, and one for the record books. Even though this was not my first comic book convention, it was the most memorable and impactful. ECCC 2017 changed my Con perspective forever.
Description: I photographed my collection of ECCC memorabilia from the past few years.
Product Used: Adobe Photoshop/Microsoft Word
Highlights: I enjoy taking photographs, editing, and sharing my finished work. Looking through my memorabilia was an added bonus.
Jessica Kupcake 