It’s been quite a while since I came to Connecticon fellow Otaku & Metalheads. I didn’t come to 2019 for reasons (Long story I don’t want to talk about), and it’s obvious as to why things didn’t happen last year. So when I heard that this glorious convention was coming back, I confess I didn’t believe it at first. Hell, when I pre-registered back in June, I admit that my mind still wasn’t comprehending what was going on. After adjusting, I realized I was coming back to my geeky home in Connecticut after 2 years away, and a little more normality came back not just into my life, but the lives of everyone that showed up. With that said, time to dust up an old tradition, and review my experience at Connecticon. Let the review begin!
Good Points
Before I talk about everything else here, I gotta talk about how tight the entry into the convention was. It was stated months in advance, you were to either have had a negative COVID test, or a picture of your vaccination card. A month or two after that (I can’t recall correctly), things were changed so you actually had to bring the card itself to show to the staff. On top of that, you had to have a mask. Outside of any eating area or the Games Room, you had to have your mask, and the entry wristband that you were given when you were approved. There was also a 20 dollar charge of you broke what held the wristband in place, which is definitely a good incentive to get people to not tamper with it. I was really impressed with how well implemented it all ways, and outside of one issue (See in “Other Points”), I saw everybody wearing masks, and not once did anybody complain for stupid reasons!
Now, let’s go into what was good, and for starters was the atmosphere! Despite a plague hanging relatively high above everyone’s head, the convention was full of people with high spirits. Everything felt a little more happy, the environment a little more colorful, and the people were just a bit more brighter when compared to the disease-filled miasma that was 2020. I didn’t care about everything else necessarily (Even though the rest was good): I just cared about being among a group of like minded individuals in a place where we can all feel safe.....if just for a weekend.
Next up is the amount of stuff that was there. So many panels, so many events, so many dealers & artists, so many other activities, etc. I confess that I didn’t go to that many panels and events on account of just wanting to be there, but the few that I did were top quality. In particular, the Cosplay Pro Wrestling shows (I went to two of them) were an absolute blast! On top of that, the Cosplay Deathmatch was perhaps the most energetic and the most efficient one I’ve ever been to in all my years at Connecticon. The crowd was so cooperative when The Drunks were called upon to solve a tie, and the whole thing lasted for an hour less than it normally was because things were moving along so good!
Finally, this was some of the best damn cosplay I’ve seen since Connecticon 2018. Hell, it was some of the best since Katsucon of last year! Everybody had over a year to make something that would be badass, and by god the badassery was in full gear! However, there was also cosplay of a more simple and humble nature. Costumes that weren’t as complex, but still showed off the artistry & skill of the individuals that made them. Regardless of which style, everyone were themselves when portraying whatever character they summoned. I look forward to whatever 2022 brings!
Okay Points
Possibly the only thing I can think of in this category would be the lack of social distancing. There really wasn’t much of it going on in anyway, save for I think the lines for autographs if I recall correctly. To play a little bit of Devil’s Advocate, they had the strict entry requirements like I talked about in the above section, and have you ever tried to get a horde of geeks/nerds/otaku to follow along (Outside of being quiet when calling upon The Drunks during the deathmatch)? Still, this is the only point I’m putting here.
Bad Points
In all honesty, there isn’t a really bad thing I can say about Connecticon this year. The staff hit it out of the park this year with practically everything they did. From the guests, to the panels & other bits of entertainment, to the COVID regulations, they hit the ball out of the park with incredible skill. About the only thing I could say was bad was the vendors. Now, I’m not complaining about what I could purchase, because I was able to get a bunch of things. I’m commenting more on how many vendors were there. Normally every booth would be filled. This year, I’d guess only two-thirds of the stalls had occupants. This made the Dealer’s Room feel a little smaller than in prior years, but for another case of Devil’s Advocate, some were probably scared off by the plague, which is fair.
Final Thoughts & Rating
Connecticon 2021 was a slice of Heaven in a sea of Plague-Ridden hell. There were some small things that prevented this convention from getting a perfect score, but they in no way ruined how damn good this was. After being away from Hartford for over 2 years, it was great to be back among some of the finest geeks/nerds/otaku in all of the United States! Hopefully, things will be a little more clean by next year, and we won’t have to worry about disease threatening a good time!
Connecticon 2021 gets a 9 out of 10.
And that’s my review. Again, it feels absolutely weird doing one of these, but refreshing at the same time. Hopefully next year, I can get a review up for 2022! Well, join me towards the end of the month, when.....I got something serious to say. See you then!
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If you’re curious about the last time I came to Hartford, then click on the link below:
Convention Review: Connecticon 2018
Also, and I don’t know if this is possible, I’d like to get in contact with John St. Jon’s handler from this year. They did a good job, and I’d like to complement them on it.
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