When you pay anywhere from twenty to seventy (yes, SEVENTY) dollars to get into a fan convention, only to be greeted by a floor full of dealers, artists, and celebrities thirsting for MORE of your money, it makes sense that free stuff is very sought after. At Wizard World conventions, where someone who hasn’t done even a sub-par movie since the advent of the VHS format charges twice the price of your admission to scribble down their own name, free stuff is pretty much all that the fans can afford before long.
As I spent Father’s Day weekend 2011 strolling around the floor of downtown Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center, browsing the offerings of Wizard World East 2011, I kept my sixth sense honed into any and all free stuff being offered. The most usual items offered include business cards, postcard-size fliers, posters, stickers, and pins. Very blah, in this blogger’s humble opinion (and if you don’t agree, start your own damn blog). Only truly unique freebies will have the distinction of making it onto the pages of Inochiblog here. Such as…
MASK
The folks at Avatar Press were promoting their latest offering, Crossed, with, among other things, an assortment of free masks. Presumably, the face held in place over your own by Burger-King-birthday-crown-quality straps is that of one of the main characters. I have no clue. All I *do* know is that the friends I was with at the time stated in no uncertain terms that they would refuse to associate with me were I to wear the mask. This greatly disappointed yours truly, who wished to view the entirety of “Green Lantern” later on that evening through the mask’s eye holes. According to a healthy number of critics out there, it would have served me well to have kept the eye holes covered while doing so.
BAG THAT IS LARGER THAN THE SWAG BAG OFFERED BY THE CONVENTION
I am in no way interested in joining the National Guard, primarily because I flat-out refuse to guard a nation that glorifies “American Idol” and overall stupidity. I must admit, however, that the bags its representatives brought to Wizard World were pretty decent, in that, as you can see, they are significantly larger than the bags given out by the convention itself. In fact, at many points, my official Wizard World East 2011 bag was INSIDE this one.
COIN
The National Guard does it again! This time, my tax dollars forged a freebie in the form of a rather colorful coin. Not a pin. Not a sticker. A damn COIN. True, the coin probably possesses the exact value (probably less) of the price I paid for it (jack shit), but it's still a damn COIN. I could, like, flip it and stuff. I could be an exceptionally patriotic Two Face. For all I know, that's where the former Harvey Dent is headed upon DC Comics' universe revamp this coming September.
MINTS
MyPHL17, Philadelphia’s Tribune Broadcasting-owned television network, had a presence at the convention. In addition to freebies like posters and stickers, the table’s underpaid associates greeted the top and bottom of each hour with a spin of a large prize wheel sitting upon their table. Spaces on the wheel were reserved for various MyPHL17 syndicated programs, including “Family Guy,” “Burn Notice,” “Big Bang Theory,” etc. If a contestant correctly answers a trivia question about the program in question, he/she/it will win a small prize. Since said prize costs nothing more than your knowledge of syndicated television, it thus counts as a free item.
My correct guess at some question concerning “Burn Notice” landed me a tin of mints. In a convention full of people emitting breath that smells so rank it ALMOST overpowers their body odor, a tin of mints would seem totally out of place. However, I and my then-current bout of halitosis welcomed them with an open mouth.
COPIES OF “THE ONION”
The popular satire publication “The Onion” recently (within the past year) brought its free weekly newspaper to the streets of Philadelphia. Also represented via table at Wizard World East 2011, their offerings included the standard assortment of business cards, pins (including a great one reading “Fuck Off; I’m Reading the Onion”), etc. Also scattered around the table were free copies of a few past issues.
Works for me.
A HALL PASS
The Inkbot table got creative with their giveaways, at least when it came to their webcomic “Mallville.” Included among the assortment of postcards festooned with their URL and various titles was a mock hall pass, designed to tie directly in with the goings-on of Mallville.
Plus, the next time I happen to create extra-dimensional female trouble, I have proper documentation for my file.
Inochiblog 