Gigantic was the first word that came to mind when I entered the Pennsylvania Convention Center for Keystone Comic Con. Through security, up the escalator, and around the corner was an incredibly large room set up for the convention. And yet, surprisingly not overwhelming. Everything was spaced well enough to accomodate the vendors and con-goers alike.
There were plenty of vendors and artists throughout the convention, making sure there was a little something for everyone. If you wanted art prints, you were covered. Interested in indie comics? There were many interesting books for purchase. Apparel and accessories could be seen throughout, as well. These included countless fandom, too. Everything from Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Marvel, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and even Supernatural could be spotted. Keystone Comic Con was surely the place to let your nerd flag fly proudly.
Speaking of being nerdy, I was incredibly impressed with the amount of cosplayers attending the convention. Folks were certainly dressed to impress everyone! Several Spider-Man cosplayers and several Luke’s (from Gilmore Girls) were spotted, in honor of guests Tom Holland and Scott Patterson. Several wizards could also be seen in honor of the Harry Potter guests. One of the most impressive cosplays came from NY Tony Stark and Shannon Rona’s portrayal of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. The convention also had their own cosplayers on hand for interactive Star Wars and Marvel experiences. Wrestling fans also got to enjoy matches near the food and refreshments!
Of course, panels were the highlight of the day! DJs and entertainers were on hand throughout the weekend to entertain con-goers as they waited for the panel. Games were played and prizes were given out. One of the biggest panels on Saturday was the Weasley reunion with Bonnie Wright, and James & Oliver Phelps, better known to Harry Potter fans as Ginny, Fred, and George Weasley. It was a huge celebration of the franchise with many questions pertaining to the series. For instance, James would choose a hedgehog as his patronus, Oliver would choose Gryffindor as his Hogwarts house, and Bonnie would choose an invisibility cloak as her magical item. They also all chose their favorite characters; Oliver chose Gilderoy Lockhart, Bonnie chose Remus Lupin, and James chose Dobby.
Attendees also got to hear stories from behind-the-scenes and how they got their roles. For Bonnie, she really looked up to her brother and they were fans of the book series. So, when her brother said she should try out for Ginny, she did just that. The twins went to open auditions and were the only set of twins not dressed alike. Con-goers also got the story of how Oliver went out with set makeup still on. In this case, a mangled ear. He said that absolutely no one was standing around him on the tube.
A few hours later, it was time for Gilmore Girls fans to get their geek on with Scott Patterson. His panel was full of stories, from his love of David Bowie (he is a huge fan!), to how he likes his coffee (straight or with a little honey). On if there will be more Gilmore Girls to look forward to, Patterson said there is about one or two more years for Netflix’s contract. However, creators Daniel Palladino and Amy Sherman-Pallidino are currently busy with award-winning hit The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. He mentioned he loved the quality of production in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. It was well done and looked like a movie. Though, he admits he was a little disappointed and would have loved a big wedding for Luke and Lorelai.
When he got the part for Luke, he was auditioning non-stop. He read the script for Gilmore Girls, but he did not think he had a shot. He thought a big movie star would get it. Gilmore Girls was his second out three auditions that day. He just played himself and it felt right, it worked. By the time he got home that day, he had the part! He told the audience that he got along great with the cast. He admits he and Melissa McCarthy had similar personalities and would do voices and crack each other up. Sean Gunn was very easygoing, and Milo Ventimiglia was great. He has a tremendous amount of respect for Lauren Graham, and they both worked hard at creating the most organic scenes. Fun fact from the panel: it took just one take for him to push Milo into the water in season 2. It was a long day and they were running out of time. The panel ended with a real treat, Patterson playing the guitar and singing one of his original songs!
Needless to say, Saturday was a blast! It was filled with wonderful conversations and fantastic celebrations of fandoms. From choosing the dark side (oops!) to having my mind blown by the screen-accurate costumes, it was certainly a memorable con experience!