FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention 2018 was FAN-tastic!

Front Row Reviewers Utah was privileged to go to FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention 2018 and here’s what our happy reviewers had to say.

Christy Hudson (Reviewer): FanX 2018 was my first Comic Con(vention) experience (I know it’s not called that in Salt Lake anymore, but still). As soon as there was even a possibility of being able to go with Front Row Reviewers Utah, I informed my brothers to make sure they would be jealous of me.
I had a lot of fun. Most of the panels that I attended were in the grand ballroom, which were the ones with the celebrities. I especially enjoyed Rainn Wilson’s panel, as well as Gaten Matarazzo’s panel. I loved hearing the behind-the-scenes tidbits they shared about their work, particularly on The Office and Stranger Things (FYI: Directly from Dwight Schrute himself, the Tibetan sun bear is best). Also, I went to the panel with Paige O’Hara and Robby Benson, who were the main characters in Beauty and the Beast, and I heard a Disney princess sing live. That was pretty great as well.
There were also so many cool and unique costumes. I was impressed by a lot of the ones in the cosplay competition. I mean, I don’t think I can even sew a patch on a hole in a pair of jeans, but some of those people literally built armor, and other crazy costumes. One girl recreated the dress worn by Katniss in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which turned from white to black as she spun. Even just walking around the convention, people had creative and inventive costumes. The booths, the artwork, and the merchandise were all interesting to look at, too.
One thing I hope is improved by next year is the app where they have the schedule and events. I used it a lot, but it was hard to navigate through the schedule, because it would always jump to the top of the page, instead of the events that were currently going on, or upcoming. I created a schedule of the things I knew I definitely wanted to see, but then I would forget some of the other options, and I would miss things I maybe would have still tried to go to. I just could have been more functional and easier to navigate.
There are certainly a lot of people around here who are interested in pop culture and fandoms. FanX is something that we needed in Utah, and I hope it continues to grow each year. People get to go and meet other people who share their interests, and they can appreciate each other’s talents. Getting the chance to meet some great celebrities is also really awesome. I would go again if I get the chance.

Elise C. Hanson (Reviewer): FanX smells intensely of cinnamon. Everywhere one steps in the expansive Salt Palace Convention Center, cinnamon follows like a trail of tantalizing vapor, wafting over the scene of favorite characters from childhood and hitting you with a nostalgia mallet. There is indeed something very homey about the FanX convention. As one panelist noted, “it’s like being among 80,000 of your dearest friends”.
A great deal of delight comes from people-watching: observing folk from all walks who express their passion in the form of costume, many with committed intricacy and attention to detail. My favorite I saw was an elegant young lady dressed as Nabooru from Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, though I did see a Donna Noble from Doctor Who who was a dead ringer for Catherine Tate.
Lectures are also a great deal of fun, as one can receive instruction, makes connections, and listen to fellow geeks pontificate on the minutia of one’s favorite television programs, movies, and literature. I attended panels on forming themes in literature, on whether or not Lex Luthor and Clark Kent (as depicted in Smallville) were destined to be enemies, on the special, tight-knit community of The Rocky Horror Picture Show through the decades, on the creation of comic books, and on the effectual nature of horror film scores. There is a great deal to glean from such lectures, and even more to enjoy. The Rocky Horror panel ended with a spontaneous chorus (and dancing) of “The Time Warp”, during which the audience rose to their feet, eager to take that “jump to the left and step to the right”.
There is a game to the Grand Ballroom, the space wherein celebrities step on stage to share wit, wisdom, and anecdotes. Any type of guest is welcome to camp out through a series of swapping stars, so if one wants a seat close to the front, it is best to arrive early, stake out your space, and bring bottled water and something to snack on. Members with reserved seats or VIP passes get the coveted seats near the front, designated with varied colors. I found a seat near a kind young woman and remained there for the better part of the day, enjoying interviews with Lucy Lawless, Renee O’Connor, Evangeline Lilly, Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Jeff Goldblum, David Tennant, and Rainn Wilson.
Highlights from the speeches included Rainn’s favorite Office episode: “It’s called ‘Money’. Jim and Pam come to stay at Dwight’s beet farm while he’s in mourning over his relationship with Angela. The show has what I think is the quintessential Office moment when Dwight is crying in the stairwell and Jim comforts him. Jim gets up to leave without Dwight knowing and Dwight turns to embrace him only to find him gone. That’s what The Office was so good at: blending heartfelt moments with devastating humor.” Wilson also told of a time he and fellow FanX guest Jeff Goldblum were in Twelfth Night together, with Goldblum as Malvolio and Wilson as Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum kept the audience roaring with laughter, Welling with his little jibes at Rosenbaum’s expense (“Wait, you don’t get residuals from The Arrow?”), and Rosenbaum with his impressions, jokes, and recollections of on-set pranks. Lucy Lawless treated us all to her Xena war-cry, which is still in pitch-perfect condition. Evangeline Lilly promoted her Squickerwonkers book series alongside her artist Rodrigo Bastos Didier, who apparently posted fan art for the book on Lily’s Facebook page which was noticed by Lily herself. Didier was hired after meeting her at a Brazil Comic Con, a story that should give any ambitious artists hope. The books looked to be delightful, and Lily had some words of advice for middle-school girls and women of all ages: “You are powerful because of your femininity, not in spite of it. Just be whoever you are.” David Tennant spoke on how excited he was about the appointment of fellow Broadchurch alum Jodie Whittaker in the role of The Doctor and how brilliant he expects her to be in it. And now what can one say of Jeff Goldblum? He was at his Jeff Goldblumiest and is everything I’ve ever imagined him to be. The weird, sweet, eccentric, idiosyncratic, endearing kookiness is real, people.
There are things to expect at Comic Con. It is crowded and unlikely to have ready and available seating. People, thankfully, are generally polite and don’t mind if you camp out on the floor next to them while you eat your lunch and charge your phone. I met some lovely, geeky people this way who wanted just as dearly as I did to jabber about every aspect of pop culture and nerddom. It’s a festival, so food and vendor items are every bit as overpriced as they are at any festival. Outside food is not permitted, but small snacks in a backpack or purse are just fine, as are water bottles. Saving up some spending money is not a bad idea, especially if one wants photos or autographs. Overall I think FanX has done a pretty swell job at hosting such an enormous gathering without much incident.
I’ll close this report with a tip: don’t eat pizza and then try to wipe your mouth with the hand they put the hand-stamp on. At best, you will look like you didn’t really commit to your Smurf cosplay.

Samuel Barber (Reviewer): Fan X 2018 was awesome.
I only went on Saturday, but I am hoping that I can make it again next year to see more.
My favorite part was the panel with Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine). He is the opposite of the evil Sith lord he plays in Star Wars. McDiarmid is very respectable gentleman, humorous, and had a good thing to say about every actor who he has worked with.
The costumes were amazing, and a lot of them were hand made. There a few that I didn’t get a picture of, but my personal favorites were the Yellow Pikmin, she was adorable, and the captain from Treasure Planet.
If I were to suggest improvements, well, I didn’t have a map and got horribly lost multiple times, but I suppose a map would have helped with that. Water and beverages of any kind were not easily found. I personally didn’t see any place to quench one’s thirst though I am sure they must have existed. Specific water stations could be a good idea. Lastly, I was impressed with the range of different groups that the Con supported, but there were quite a few things out in the open that I think eould have been better to keep a little more separated from the younger audiences.
All in all though, I had a wonderful time and look forward to next year.

Richy Hicken (Reviewer): It is easy to see how FanX in Salt Lake is the second largest comic convention in the US. They put on a fantastic convention with a ton of fun things to do. Just walking around and seeing all the great cosplay costumes makes attending FanX worth it. Then there is also the great panels where you can hear about upcoming movies and comics, discuss theories, and meet others that are just as enthusiastic about pop culture as you are. I was blown away by the number of really famous actors and writers that are available to listen to, talk to, and get pictures with. They really do not hold back on getting the best talent. If you are thinking about going, I strongly recommend you stop thinking about it and do it. My only recommendation would be to go on Thursday or Friday, as the crowds on Saturday are overwhelming.

Caden Mustoe and Hannah Mustoe (Reviewers): Caden: My favorite panel was the Jackie Chan one. The commentators were entertaining but the real punch (pun) were the clips they showed. I know it made me want to seek out more Jackie Chan stuff. I got a signed print from Popculture Artisan that I noticed last year. It’s a shout out or parody of the Great Wave. It adds aspects from The Legend of Zelda. The print is lovely, it was very affordable, and I consider it art worthy of framing and hanging it.
There were panels, you could play games, you could cosplay, buy merchandise, buy snack foods, and talk with people who also dressed as Mabel and Dipper, the cosplay costumes my wife and I chose to wear.

Hannah: I very much enjoyed David Tennant, and I am huge fan of his. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed about Tennant is he is kind and gracious to his fans. He is real and unpretentious. (I can’t say this about every celebrity panelist, however.) I love cosplay and being “Mabel Pines” and my husband Caden being “Dipper” (from the Disney channel show Gravity Falls) earned us quite a few requests for photos and we had the added fun of seeing others dressed in the same costumes, to whom we’d nod and do other Gravity Falls-ish things.  I also was able to wear a very comfortable costume. I love the vibe of comic convention and everyone can be nerds and nobody is judgmental about it.

Jennifer Mustoe (CEO/Editor-in-Chief Front Row Reviewers Utah): This was my second Con. We covered FanX’s last convention and it was my goal to really go the extra mile for this one. FanX 2018 gave us seven passes and I doled them out to those who committed to going all three days. My reviewers were champs, as this three-day event is very fun, but is also exhausting.
FanX is a feast for eyes, ears, and emotions. There is something fantastic to see everywhere you go. It is crowded, but wonderfully, every. single. person there was nicer than I’ve seen in any other big crowd. There were long lines, but no whining or complaining. People were enthusiastic and eager to enjoy the spectacle. It is great, great fun to be in the halls packed with be-costumed people. The large convention center area bustles with people, stocked to the gills with stuff to buy, and farther to the back, we can hear screams of delight when the stars show up to talk to or have their photos taken with their many adoring (and willing to pay) fans.
I was blown away by the panels I attended. My favorites were a panel about the best worst B movies ever made, and a panel about how Marvel’s Black Panther relates to real life. I sat in on several events in the Grand Ballroom and each star was funny and tender. Though some of them seemed rather dismissive and even curt to the fans, I found, strangely and charmingly that all the stars were very sweet to the littles in the audience, giving them high fives and compliments. I also noticed that their interviews with the littles got the biggest laughs because the kids always made deadpan, brutally honest replies. Who says you should never perform with kids?
Here are my tips to anyone who wants to go to a Comic Convention:

1. Wear a comfortable costume (meaning no corset–unlike lame me on my first day) and comfortable shoes.
2. Either wear gloves or bring hand sanitizer or both. Con crud is real. I know. I got it.
3. Bring granola bars and water bottles, etc. Food is expensive and looked a little sketchy to me.
4. Read up on the panels beforehand so you know what they’re talking about. For instance, I saw Black Panther in the theater, but had forgotten about a lot of the details, so when the panelists (one who said he’s seen the movie 17 times!) talked about little tiny details, I was lost.
5. Park at the Trax station and then take Trax in. You won’t have to pay parking and you can be on Trax with a bunch of people in costume. It’s fun–trust me.

FanX 2018 made great strides in improving an already great event last year and I know they asked for feedback, good and bad, to make next year’s event even better. Take this time to get your favorite cosplay costume going and go next year and have a blast!

Here is a Facebook album from our page Front Row Reviewers Utah with costumes we liked. However, there were way more that didn’t get any coverage from us that can be found on the FanX 2018 Comic Convention Facebook Page. Go see the splendor.