
The local SD news confirms that there will be a crackdown on badge counterfeiting and trading at this year’s San Diego con with the institution of random ID checks when entering the show—as well as the usual cosplay weapon checks.
While this isn’t quite stop-and-frisk or reasonable suspicion, and probably won’t go to the Supreme Court…it is a buzzkill for those of uswho were in the habit of gaily tossing a bonus badge to a pal so they could get a picture with a stormtrooper.
However, policing those fearsome cosplay weapons may be a blessing.
The Good Samaritan from Hellboy? It had better be a prop replica and the owner will have to wear a wristband handed out by security.
Any costume sword must be tied to your costume in such a way that it cannot be drawn. So, there will be no more posing for pictures on the convention floor with your raised sword and a severed head.
Boo.
UDPATE: Just as a reminder, there are several reasons for these measures, and while we can’t resist a badges joke, the reality is that counterfeited badges mean regular paying attendees may not be able to get in, and there are many many safety issues involved with overcrowding AND cosplay. And considering the number of people who attend Comic-Con—and the fervor with which they attend—incidents are extremely rare. And that is because of the many safety precautions in place.
The bottom line: once you have your lawfully acquired badge, you are going to have a good safe time.
And now we see a boom in fake IDs.
Ed Brubaker? Yeah, he’s a black guy, didn’t you know that? Here’s my ID. haha!
Please ban baby carriages next. And people that stop in the middle of an aisle to take a picture.
I second joec!!!
I wish I had bonus, free/comp’d PRESS passes to toss to my friends at Comic-Con…
/Fourth Estate Comicsratti problems
/First World Nerd problems
To my amazement, the past few years as an exhibitor at the Comic-Con, I’ve had people visit my booth and confide that they somehow talked their way in or finagled a badge in some way at the last minute or at the front door. I I guess when there’s a will there’s a way, but I suppose this will make it even tougher to do.