A Day At Eternal Con 2014

A Day At Eternal Con 2014

Before I get rolling with my thoughts, and I’ll say this again at the end, you can go to Eternal Con tomorrow 6/15/14.  It is a two day event and doors tomorrow are at 10AM until 5PM!  Go get your tickets now!  

MUReview brought you coverage of Eternal Con 2013 last year, around the same time.  This year, we were honored to once again be guests for Eternal Con 2014 at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City New York.

In Eternal Con, Long Island  (New York) has an incredible gem to behold.  A convention that is very quickly coming into it’s own by growing just right and playing to it’s fantastic strengths.

On entering the convention grounds con goers are flanked by a video game bus and a LARPing ground with eager LARPers right out there in the open flinging arrows and flailing swords at each other.  A common enough occurrence in the geek world, but a rarity to see out in the open and certainly not something you get to see out in front of a building on concrete.

The down to earth nature of con staffers cannot be touted enough.  I attended today as a member of the press to bring this event to you, but before my passion for all things pop culture and comics, is my passion for my family…so I had to bring my wife (chief photographer) and two little guys with me…and my nephew (no they weren’t press, they were paid entrants and it was worth every penny!).  A gentleman of some convention approached my wife seeing her holding my two year old in the line and walked us up to the front of the line concerned for my wife’s well being having to hold my little guys lumpy little butt standing in line.  I’ve lived on Long Island my whole life…that kind of stuff is so rare, but so appreciated.

On entering we were given a flier with show info and a map.  While appreciated, eventually the flier seemed a little out of date.  I don’t tell you this as a complaint, but if you are going tomorrow, know this.  Celebrity signings were not on the third floor, nor were photo op or signing tickets.  Celebrities were off the main hall in a door to the right follow the path around to a room with signing tables.  The ticket purchase desk for signings is now in that same room.

That SNAFU aside, our hunt for the autograph tables took us on a quick goose chase of the upper levels where we got to check out floors without fighting crowds that probably wouldn’t have made their way up their until later.  That said, you enter the show to an open area of vendors with all sorts of incredible collectible wares for you to buy and I suggest you do.  Some vendors of note, Razorsedgecollectibles.com, Tribbletoys.com and Bestcomics.com.  It seems like most if not all vendors support transactions by credit card thanks to handy dandy tablets and either Square or Paypal card readers.  As a warning though, there appears to be some wifi troubles with so much use and you would be better served, and certainly more quickly if you pay in cash.

Let’s go up to the third floor though, that’s where we started.  Interesting tables with independent artists and authors abound, you really shouldn’t miss it.  The same was the verse for the second floor where I met Derwin Roberson, a man who draws a mean Nova Prime.  His table is not to be missed, nor should you walk by any of the other artists tables without stopping.

Another stop not to miss on the second floor, movie prop displays and a little hall of horrors, check it out!

Heading back down to the first floor, I don’t want to forget to talk about all the exceptional Panels that can be found there!

A highlight of any convention is it’s celebrities.  Eternal Con hit home with me big time here, Zack Galligan, Catherine Mary Stewart, Taimak!  All a few feet from each other….well Zack and Catherine Mary were…and that was so full of awesome I’ll be telling my grandkids about it.  (I don’t have grandkids yet).  Autographs and photo ops were priced very reasonably.  However, be warned that photo ops are around the corner from the autograph table, and do not expect to receive your photo right away.  We took pictures at about 11:30 AM and I had to return between 5 and 7PM to pick up a picture.  Not a big deal, just prepare for it.

Now then, I mentioned playing to it’s strength.  Cosplayers.  Cosplayers rule this con!  Features of costume creation abound, and I’m not sure whether they are formally part of the show or not but the roaming zombies are both incredible and horrifying.  Keep an eye out for them in the area just behind the vendor hall at the entry (where you can also find more vendors).

Not to be missed as well, gaming areas on the first floor, tand the car show exhibit to the left of the building entry.

I’m thrilled to have been able to be a part of Eternal Con 2014.  I know there are some things I missed that I can’t get back, a few panels I wanted to see and the Cosplay parade, but I can’t win them all and thankfully, with how fast this con seems to be growing in both attendance and physical size (they definitely took up more space at The Cradle of Aviation Museum just around the corner from Nassau Coliseum than they did last year), well, there is always next year!  I can’t wait for it either!

If you like what you read and you want to check it out, I absolutely implore you, buy a ticket and get to Garden City tomorrow for 10AM doors!

Now, for your enjoyment, see a little of what we saw today!