Joecon 2018

[nacho]

I keep getting emails about signing up for this con. Two things strike me:

1) They claim this is going to be the final one, so I guess it's getting absorbed by the mothership into "hascon" going forward?

2) It's taking place an hour and a half from my house, and I still can't get motivated to sign up. I've never been to one because they were so far away, but now that it's close, I feel like I should go even though the club is run by retarded monkeys.

Anyone actually been to one? Was it worth the trouble? Should I take my kids? The con set is a travesty, some kind of python/marauders mix that I feel like I've seen a thousand times before. Nothing even remotely interesting there, especially since they're charging a billion dollars for it. Any kind of attendee package, even the one that includes zero toys, is stupid expensive. However, general admission gets you access to nothing but later-than-everyone-else, picked-over vendors. No panels, workshops, or events of any kind.

I'm talking myself out of even considering it as I type, but I'd hate to miss something cool if former attendees claim it's worth the trouble.

 

[NSA]

I think if there was one in LA or San Diego or something I might consider going.

I haven't seen any info on this though.. what kind of prices are we talking about?

My GI JOE boner is so small and shriveled right now, I have a hard time drumming up much enthusiasm.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I know there were a couple guys here that used to love to take their kids. Though I think that people are a lot more enthusiastic when they want the con sets. If you don't even want that or need anything else, I guess all that you're left with is "the experience". Do you need that?

 

[ThunderDan19]

Yeah, it'd be really tough to get excited for a Joe only con these days. Something like SDCC maybe.

 

[nacho]

I think if there was one in LA or San Diego or something I might consider going.

I haven't seen any info on this though.. what kind of prices are we talking about?

My GI JOE boner is so small and shriveled right now, I have a hard time drumming up much enthusiasm.

No-frills one-day general admission is $25 per adult, $10 per kid, $12 parking... so for me and my son to go there for a single afternoon, it's $47 plus gas, food, etc. If I want "early bird" access to the vendors, that's $80 per person (wtf).

If my son was actually into Joe, I'd probably just go. As it stands, he'd be humoring me and tagging along so that I didn't feel like an adult weirdo at a toy convention. I kinda hate skipping it since it's the last one, and it's close... but I can't find an actual compelling reason to go.

 

[NSA]

For probably a $100 day with snacks and gas, I'd say go. Just do it to say you did it, he can tell his grandkids one day he saw the infamous "GI JOE" that turned Amerikan children into bloodthirsty killers.

 

[pcsguy88]

I skipped the one in KC during the height of Joe and that was 20min away. Finally went to a Planet Comicon 2yrs ago and it was surprisingly big with tons of cosplayers. It was fun to experience something new, but in reality unless you are dying to pay for someone’s autograph or some stupidly priced toy from a booth there is just no reason to go more than once. At least with Joecon you get to see dio’s and stuff in person?

 

[nacho]

I've been to Heroescon in Charlotte a half-dozen times, and that's a load of fun. Tons of comics, toys, and artists. the kids have enjoyed it the two times I took them. But this is Joecon. Aside from just saying we did it, there is no good reason to go. I've already liquidated my MOC vintage collection, so I'm not looking for overpriced collectibles.

It might be a good way to get my son excited about Joe... maybe? If he saw all the cool stuff, I might get him interested, but I doubt it. I guess the good news is that general admission tickets are sold day-of at the door only, no advanced purchase. So I have plenty of time to waffle about it

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

He's into LEGO right? Heh, what kid isn't. Do they ever have LEGO conventions? Nearby? Take him to that?

 

[nacho]

We're into nothing BUT lego. If they still had Kre-O stuff to sell/display, I'm might have gotten some traction with that.

I'll take him to any lego event we're near. But that doesn't solve my joecon dilemma. Since I have no interest in ordering a $500 box of repaint python patrol figures (seriously, even as a huge joe fan, that's just beyond stupid), I guess I'll wait until it's closer and see if the spirit moves me.

 

[Gungho-joe]

I took my boys in 13 to indianapolis and they had a blast. My daughter was too young then and I promised her that I would take to her one day. I had a unexpected financial gain come my way so yesterday 3 minutes after registration went live I registered to take my kids. All three of my kids love the Operation Dragonfire mini series. When I told my oldest son the theme of the con set he went crazy. He has been saving up for a playstation 4 but he decided he wanted to use his money toward the con and the figure set. I guess we are going to take it up a notch and instead of staying at a hotel we are going to camp at Raccoon Mountain Park. I am going to make sure this trip is a memory maker!!! They are already preparing their costumes. My olest son Tommy (13) is going as old Snake, Robert (10) is going as Sgt. Slaughter and Kiara (8) is going as Covergirl.

 

[NSA]

That sounds awesome, and the way these things should go.

Hope you have a blast! I love it when Joe stuff still can be kid centric.

 

[Gungho-joe]

Thanks man!!! As I type this all three are putting together scenes with figures and vehicles and taking pics for a slideshow movie about the Joes leading up to Chattanooga. My oldest is very talented with the movie maker thing on the laptop. When they have the first episode done I will post it. I know it sounds crazy to spend that much cash on stuff that gets opened up and played with but it really brings out their imaginations and creative sides.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

So cool that they are into it. That's the nerd father's dream!

I think YT1 was another guy who used to take his youngsters.

 

[Gungho-joe]

I am a nerd father!!!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

We're all here on a toy forum. None of us has to tell any of the others that we're nerds.

 

[nacho]

If we were any bigger nerds, there would be a crusty old dean trying to shut us down, or at the very least, put us on double secret probation.

 

[NSA]

I mean.. nerd'dom has mostly taken over the world.. everyone walks around with a personal computer in their pocket.. superhero & Sci-Fi movies are the biggest things out there.. and rich nerds get all the hot chicks

 

[pcsguy88]

I'm a geek, not a nerd. I definitely do not dig deep enough into mythos or analyze what happened in what episode or show any signs of fandom outside the house to earn my nerd badge.

 

[NSA]

So you're telling me you don't know who the 678th most popular GI JOE figure is?! GEEK! Get out of here, GEEK!

 

[pcsguy88]

I've never even read an Expanded Universe for any property.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

As far as I've ever known, geek/nerd/dork/any other similar word were all synonyms.

 

[pcsguy88]

As far as I've ever known, geek/nerd/dork/any other similar word were all synonyms.

https://www.goingthewongway.com/difference-between-nerd-geek-and-dork/

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I mean, it's cool that someone took the time to address it, and I like the authors rational, but that doesn't make it official. Especially when he says "The common thought is that nerds, geeks, and dorks are one and the same. However, I don’t think so. Semantics, shemantics, you say."

I can agree with it for sure, though I don't know if I'll remember it.

 

[NSA]

I think to a normal person they're all basically the same, but if you are one of those people you don't want to be call the other name/etc.

Like how an Irishman wouldn't want to be called English or whatever even though they're basically all the same.

 

[pcsguy88]

I always took Nerds as the super smart who know their shit and are socially awkward. The cast of Big Bang Theory. Geeks like geeky things like sci-fi, toys, anime, technology and video games but take it at a user level and could care less about how it all works at the electron level.

I really do not agree with that link I posted, but that's what I came up with since you tossed the word Dork into it.

This is one is more in line with my beliefs:

The words "nerd" and "geek" are often used interchangeably, as if they mean the same thing. They actually don't:

• geek - An enthusiast of a particular topic or field. Geeks are “collection” oriented, gathering facts and mementos related to their subject of interest. They are obsessed with the newest, coolest, trendiest things that their subject has to offer.
• nerd - A studious intellectual, although again of a particular topic or field. Nerds are “achievement” oriented, and focus their efforts on acquiring knowledge and skill over trivia and memorabilia.

http://bigthink.com/laurie-vazquez/are-you-a-geek-or-a-nerd

 

[pcsguy88]

And there might have been a time when I liked to get geeked out of my mind.

 

[NSA]

I'd say I'm 60/40 Geek/Nerd.

 

[Gungho-joe]

I love this place!!!! I was gone far too long...

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

We're all here on a toy forum. None of us has to tell any of the others that we're nerds.

I was wrong.