My First Convention

2020 is by far the worst year for upcoming comic conventions and entertainment expos. Should they have gone as scheduled, thousands of attendees and guests would run the risk of catching the covid-19 virus. Organizations offered online conventions to serve as a remedy, but to me, it doesn't feel the same. In a tinge of nostalgia, close friends and I reminisced about our past adventures and discussed how and when we got into them. This alone gave me the idea to talk about one vital event  that led me down the path of a collector and a convention enthusiast.

It was the Summer of 2006. I had a wide assortment of toys from King Kong, Star Wars, Transformers, Jurassic Park, and of course, Godzilla. Those kept me inside the house, imagining large scale battles while the rest of my family were occupied with other things. Like any other parent, my mother yearned for me to go outside and get some fresh air. At the time, I was stubborn against going outside and was more interested in setting up imaginary battles for my action figures. Knowing that I would not go outside unless it involved, movies, comics, or toys, my mom had something in mind.

The Distinguished Rosemont Water Tower!

I'm not entirely sure how she got me in the car, but I'll just assume that she said she had a surprise for me. For the next hour, I had no idea where she was taking me. We passed familiar locations such as the Chicago Skyline and Old Orchard Mall but the places after were beyond me. One distinguishable spot that I noticed was a rose painted water tower. This serves as the first clue to where I would be. Driving towards parking, I see all these wide, spaced-out buildings. They looked different compared to the compacted towers and office buildings in downtown. When we got out of the car, I followed my mother to a seemingly normal building  Inside, she told me to wait near the entrance. I noticed people walking back and forth, so nothing out of the unusual. There was no indication that a convention was happening here. Maybe I was looking down on the ground to see the obvious banners and wall art.

Seriously, how could I miss something like that and not think something's going on?

Made by Godzilla fans for Godzilla fans!

After five minutes or so, my mom leads me down a narrow corridor full of people. She stops in the middle and turns me to the room on the right. And at that moment, I thought I found heaven. A brightly lit room filled with rows of Godzilla toys. Before, we had a couple of stores that specialized in Godzilla toys but unfortunately, we went on rare occasions and by the time we go back, they're gone out of business. To see everything related to Godzilla from one end to the other, stacked on shelves as high as the ceiling, my mom went above and beyond to find the kind of utopia that I will gladly go outside for.

Just a quarter of the Dealers Hall

I was so overwhelmed by the dealers hall that I didn't know there were more places to explore. My mom would lead me around the various booths so that I don't linger for long periods of time. As a novice kaiju enthusiast, I didn't know a lot of Godzilla's allies and foes and this place introduced me to those iconic or obscure kaiju. All the time spent was inside the dealers hall, walking back and forth booths, observing every detailed figure, and obtaining said figures that caught my attention. When we finally left for home, I couldn't resist taking my souvenirs out of the bag and thoroughly enjoying these newly acquired figures.

My first haul from Godzilla Fest. (Left to Right: King Ghidorah, Godzilla Jr., Destoroyah, Mechagodzilla 2, and Mech-King Ghidorah)

Cosplay is a rare occasion at G-Fest

While I fondly remember this convention, it didn't remember what this convention was called.  I didn't get any name tags or a booklet (big mistake as I love collecting convention booklets and theme park maps) and my mom didn't remember the convention years after going. I assumed it was a one time only event and just went along with it, being fortunate to go and add these figures to my ever growing collection. It was until 2014 that I rediscovered Godzilla Fest. After coming back from Wizard World 2013 (my first comic con), I went online to look up other conventions located in Chicago, and what do I find? The one place that started it all. I wouldn't go back until 2016 as I forgot to attend G-Fest 2014 and by the time I remembered G-Fest 2015, my friends couldn't pay for their badges. Despite the setbacks, coming back to 2016, in addition to the 2014 Godzilla movie, rekindled my love for everything Godzilla. This time I made sure to get myself a booklet as a memento. Unlike my first journey, I took more time to explore the panels, model showcase, video game room, and the artists alley. I got to meet famous artist Matt Frank who drew art for my favorite Godzilla comic book series Rulers of Earth. Additionally, I filmed and published my adventure for on YouTube. Funnily enough, I went on the day before I started Summer classes so G-Fest 2016 was a good way to end the weekend. Ever since, I've made it a goal to go every year, meeting new friends and obtaining new collectibles along the way.

Although Wizard World introduced me to the concepts of cosplay, contests, and panels, Godzilla Fest introduced me to the concepts of a convention and when this whole covid-19 pandemic blows over, I'll be coming back. Thanks for stopping by, stay safe indoors, and tune in for more content in the future!