Thread by @GailSimone

One of my favorite con memories was at this huge event center, they had massive lines to get in for two events, right next to each other; a comicon and a modeling con for young models. 1/

So, the line on one side is happy, laughing comicon people, cosplayers, readers, families, everyone casual, having a good time, waiting an hour for the doors to open. Facing the other direction, a few feet away, hundreds and hundreds of immaculately dressed beautiful models. 2/

And the models are doing their hair and make-up, terribly serious, all looking like they’re about to do the catwalk, while next to them, you know, is Tennis Deadpool and genderswapped Harley Quinn. 3/

I won’t say it was a look of horror on either side, but definitely healthy skepticism. Each line was like, ‘who the hell are THESE people?’ And a lot of comics people ogling the models with the models just STARING at the comics people, like two sides of the Maginot Line. 4/

What no one seemed to say was how similar the events were, people carrying swag bags, waiting for a chance to meet someone they aspired to be like, very similar. But visually, it was almost disturbingly entertaining, the contrast. 5/

The two events were separated by a big common hall, that’s where the restrooms, cafes, and shops all were, and all day Friday, anywhere you went was 100% segregated, one side full of comics people, the other side fill of models, no mixing AT ALL. 6/

At the end of the first day, I personally witnessed one of the models compliment a cosplayer in a cool Tardis dress. The model says she loves Doctor Who. 7/

And it just sort of...happened, that by the next day, the comics people and models were complimenting each other and asking questions. I saw a Harley giving a table of girls a lesson in cosplay make-up, just off the cuff. 8/

On the very last day, no one cared about who was there for which event, but people from both sat together in all the locations, chatting and laughing. Little comics girls asking model questions, models asking about the celebrity actor guests...9/

So, first day, of you stood in the middle, it looked like two separate species almost, each on its own side. Last day, it just looked like a huge party of nerds and actresses. Everyone having a great time. 10/

This Storytime With Gail doesn’t have a punchline, but I think about how cool it was, like those videos where an owl and a cat become best friends. People can be pretty great if given a chance. 11/

AND I thought about it because after that long thread about awkward convention moments, it’s a nice reminder that conventions can ALSO be pretty magical. Places where people are happy and engaged, and that’s worth celebrating. 12/

I met my best friends at a convention 7000 miles from home. I have seen people meet at cons who went on to get married. I have never been to a con where SOMETHING extraordinary didn’t pop up.

13/

Which is why I still go. I don’t go to sell stuff, I don’t go to promote my books.

I go to meet readers and talk about the stuff I love, and to wait for that weird little explosion of unpredictable nerd coolness I know is coming.

Makes me happy to think about.

:)

End/