Ever March, the city of Seattle plays host to a large gathering of fans who come to experience everything related to comics, books, anime, gaming and entertainment. Celebrating it’s sixteenth year, the Emerald City Comic Con, or ECCC, is one of the best conventions around. The mixture is perfect, the setup can not be beat and the only complaint is that it is over in four days.
Emerald City takes up the entire Washington State Convention Center as well as the nearby Hyatt Regency. You might expect that this would be a gigantic space where a person can not find anything, but you would be mistaken. The sections are all related so going where you want is a breeze. Want to find a book or your favorite artists? Head up to the sixth floor. Looking for that one comic to complete your collection? Main floor, west side. A conventioneer does not know how a convention is set up, but they know a bad one when they go. This setup allows a person to get maximum enjoyment without the feeling of missing out. A lot of people are there, but it doesn’t feel crowded. The end of the day, you are tired, but not worn out.
Celebrities are always a big selling point of any convention, and ECCC gave fans a fantastic lineup. One deserves special mention. Jonny Cruz, Lúcio from Overwatch and Jordan Cross from Hitman, had fans laughing and smiling as he signed autographs and posed for pictures. There was no rush, no hurry to get to the next in line. Jonny talked to people, finding out what they connected to and discussing that. His parting words were always, “You good?”, as if to make sure the fans got everything they needed. Seeing the other celebrities tables, this feeling was all around. Celebrities were there for the fans. They “get it”, at least at ECCC.
A good convention always has a sneak preview of an upcoming project. For ECCC, it was the terrifying new AMC series NOS4A2, coming this summer. The tale of the creepy Charlie Manx and the people who oppose him, the show looks to be supernatural and down to earth. The first episode sets everything up, and by the time the credits are rolling, you want to see what happens next. This show looks amazing and if nothing else, you will never hear “Oh Christmas Tree” quite the same way ever again.
ECCC was a an amazing convention, not one negative thing to say about it. It’s amazing that the show has been using the entire Convention Center for only six years, but have mastered how to give fans the best possible experience. From lines that move very quickly to exclusive items you can only find at the show, ECCC has it all. If you go to comic conventions and have not yet traveled to Emerald City Comic Con, you are missing out on one of the best conventions ever.