The Great Con

Being a geek is cool again. But no, busty girls with lensless glasses all over Instagram, you all don’t count. We’ll define a real geek, lovingly, as someone who knows almost everything — maybe way too much — about his or her subject of choice. And you don’t really earn your stripes until you’ve attended at least one convention where you can commune with your people and add to your encyclopedic knowledge of that comic series, movie franchise, or whatever else. The ultimate such gathering place for South Floridians is the annual Florida Supercon, the sprawling summertime affair that does away with the usual subcultural divides of fandom and brings dozens of tribes together under one roof. The event, which runs from Friday to Monday, bills itself as a “comic book, anime, animation, videogame, fantasy, sci-fi, and pop culture” convention. That means pretty much anything a little left-field and obsessive goes. Want to show up in your most delicate gothic Lolita refinery? Cool, there’s a meetup specifically for Saturday. (If dressing up like My Little Pony is where you get your jollies, just show up to the same area a little earlier that same day.) If getting an adrenaline rush from squaring off on a screen is your thing, the Nexus Gaming Alliance returns this year with a videogame room that spans systems and games from vintage to cutting-edge. If comics are your true love, there’s an entire section where you can flip through bins until you get paper cuts. Or if you just want to hang out, people-watch, and hear some music, there are even live, local bands too. Of course, as with most conventions, a major selling point is the featured panel of guest speakers and autograph signers. This year, that includes comic-book artists like Neal Adams, Carmine Infantino, and George Perez. It also includes a slate of “media” guests you’ll recognize from TV and film, everyone from pro wrestler Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake to Dana Snyder, the actor who voices Shake in Aqua Teen Hunger Force. With the roster of activities and talent booked, the ticket prices are pretty much a steal. They range from $15 for a one-day Monday pass to $55 for a four-day pass. Call 954-339-1330, or visit floridasupercon.com.
Fri., June 29, noon-3 a.m.; Sat., June 30, 11-3 a.m.; Sun., July 1, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., 2012