by Mary Anne Butler (Mab), photographer and reporter

ComicsOnline’s Mab writes from her hotel room on the first day of Atlanta’s DragonCon 2012:

Here we sit for our third trip to DragonCon, north America’s second largest media-fandom convention.

As a fan of Cosplay-cosplayers, this is the MECCA. I’d always wanted to attend, this desire kindled largely by seeing the “Dawn look-a-like” contest recaps on the back page of Wizard magazine every year.

I first attended D*C before San Diego Comic Con (SDCC). The sheer amount of friendly people willing to answer newb questions, give directions and offer advice gave me high expectations for other large cons that since have proved disappointing.

There is a culture of “Me first and only me!” at SDCC that seems non existent in Atlanta during Labor Day Weekend. Part of this might be because each of the large panel rooms holding upwards of 5,000 people get emptied out completely between sessions. They manage to do this EVERY time. Without issue, quickly and expediently. That means no waiting in line on Tuesday for a panel that starts on Sunday because you’ll never get in otherwise.

This year at comic con on Friday, the line ushers outside the main programming hall told those waiting for panels THAT DAY they weren’t going to make it in for their Saturday panel. This to me is absolutely ridiculous. There is no reason why they can’t flush the rooms between sessions and clear out the seat savers so every attendee gets the chance to see their favorite fandom presentation. Cons shouldn’t feel so competitive, and so uncaring.

I’ll admit, my first SDCC experience (2011) was MISERABLE. No redeeming moments. On preview night (normally the night before the con is open to the public, industry and press are able to go thru the dealer hall and take photos of the various exclusives and awesome displays) the “professionals” and other members of the press where rude.  By rude, I mean they were full body checking me into walls and trying to knock the large camera out of my hands. I’m short, and I don’t take up much space, but these full grown men felt they needed to treat me like absolute crap. It only got worse from there. Press credentials at SDCC amount to little more than an extra word on your badge, and get you no more access to anything than a normal badge, unless you have a studio or “big news” outlet as your sponsor.

This year was much better. There were still the rude and ruthless ready to trample children and small adults (like me) to get to the Mattel both only to find out the thing they wanted was sold out (which made me chuckle the two times it happened to the guys who punched me in the shoulders). The other press folks I spoke to all seemed to be in agreement the various kinks and issues from ’11 made it the most difficult SDCC to date.

One of the other things that puts D*C above SDCC in my opinion is DragonConTV.

Best described as adultswim meets SNL (Saturday Night Live) and MTV (back when they played music videos and things relevant), DCTV plays on the inhouse channel during the convention in the five attached hotels.  Music videos, cartoons, fan vids, sketch comedies and replays of the biggest panels play 24 hours a day, for four days. It’s something we look forward to all year.

The bar scene is also VERY different than any other con we’ve attended. The in hotel bars serve until 4am, and there are satellite kiosks set up to aide in anti line congestion. Want to throw a private party in your double suite? No problem, tell your concierge, and for a fee they’ll bring you a bar on wheels with bartender for your shindig. Go to any local restaurant, and they’ll be friendly, polite, and cheerful helping you sit in your giant steampunk costume while you get a bite to eat before one of nearly a dozen costume contests and masquerades.

Still on California time? Awesome, you’ll be able to stay awake for all the after hours programming, like Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow cast Lips Down on Dixie that starts at about 1:30-2:00am, or concerts/raves that run from 3am til 7am. That 10am panel REALLY sucks though after you’ve been dancing all night, lemme tell you.

Main programming starts tonight, with a concert by steampunk group The Extraordinary Contraptions.

Get a drink and head back to ComicsOnline.com for more D*C 2012 coverage, and for everything geek pop culture!