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It's CON SEASON. Not rabbit season, not duck season, but CONVENTION SEASON. That time when a fan-boy/girl's fancies turn to milling around convention centers across the country, looking for loot, checking out displays, and simply fanning. For once, you are among comrades, equals, compatriots. Mundanes, you know who you are, beware. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. .... sorry, lost control for a sec. Anyway, what exactly is the big deal?
1. See the good stuff IN PERSON. Ok, so you dont' have $1000 to blow on Star Convoy, mint-in-box. Still, this is the closest you'll get to see the REAL stuff, beyond staring at another catalog scan(By the way, I've seen it at a con, it's unfortunately not all that impressive in person.).
2. Neat, CHEAP stuff. Not all of us has $400 to snag the full-sized version of Great Goldran. Very cool toy, but rent is kinda important. Well, I wandered through a con, and guess what, I found a smaller version for $10.00. Ok, so it's not as detailed, has only 1/2 the transformations, and is only 7" high. However, for $10, I hav a decent version of Great Goldran that still separates into it's three base parts with a ton o' extra weapons to mess with. The lesson? You can always find neat, AFFORDABLE stuff at a con. Besides, you really wanna explain what's in that monster-sized box at the x-ray machine at the airport? Didn't think so.
3. Networking. Best chance to get business cards for other shops, hook-up with other collectors, and talk to big-wigs at companies if you're really ambitious.
4. Show me the money. If you feel like being a capitalist, getting a table at a con can be a good way to score bucks on the pieces in your collection you can bare to part with.
5. The Anime Room. Considering the cost of anime, and the hassle to rent/borrow, this is a great chance to sample all sorts of stuff. I became hooked on 'cowboy BeeBop', and FINALLY saw 'Ghost in the Shell' while at an anime room(If you're wondering, the hype is well deserved in both cases.)