There’s nothing quite like your first con.

I would know.

I just went to mine. Convention, that is.

I’m not talking about a convention where you go, and you learn about health care or finances or see self-help speakers.

I’m talking the mecca of all destinations for a geek: the comic convention.

There are a number of these blessed events throughout the year and throughout the United States, but the biggest are, without a doubt, San Diego Comic Con & New York Comic Con. Held in July (San Diego) and October (New York), these events draw hundreds of thousands of fans together for four days to experience entertainment and comics at a level of saturation you’d be hard pressed to find outside of…

I don’t even know.

I have never seen this kind of saturation before.

Like I said, it was my first con.

Let me take you through some of the finer points.

Your ticket? It’s a badge. And you wear it on a lanyard around your neck. And everyone can tell how cool and/or devoted and/or important you are just by looking at it. Because it says things like “Speaker” or “Press” or “4 Day” or “Pro 4 Day” or…if you’re me, “Friday.”

There are a lot of lines. If you’re not terribly concerned with getting into see a specific star or writer, you don’t really have to wait in them, but if you go to a con with purpose, come prepared to wait.

It’s a little like Disneyland in that way.

There is a schedule. And it’s important to be familiar with it. You could miss something really awesome, like The Felicia Day Experience or Robot Chicken because you didn’t get in line early enough. Also, things are scheduled at the same times and sometimes you just have to pick what is more important to you.

I had goals today. One was seeing Felicia Day of The Guild and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog fame. That was thwarted by my bus.

My other goal was going to Bonnie Burton’s Star Wars craft demo. That I made. That I was the first one in line for. That I sat in the front row for and acted like a huge dork for. Because that’s okay at a con. (This may be one of the best things about going to a con. Everyone is just as excited as you are, and they are really excited that you’re excited.)

Did I mention that I made an Admiral Sackbar puppet? Because I did. That’s not mine in the link. He didn’t survive the bus ride home, but Bonnie was kind enough to sign my book and I have plans to make him again… and some other fun things too.

I was at New York Comic Con for roughly eight hours today. I didn’t get to see everything by any stretch of the imagination. There was actually a whole floor I never went to explore. But I did what I could with the time I had, and it was totally worth the four hour bus trip at 6 AM.

I met some awesome people I have been conversing with on Twitter for a while now. That’s right. It’s okay to move friendships from the internet to the real world. It happens. It’s good.

I saw the awesome people who run The Daily BLAM! and fangirl’d about everything con over a hasty slice of pizza before getting on a bus to go home.

I acquired six books. Seriously. I have a problem. Someone needs to stage an intervention.

But one of the books was free! That makes it okay, right?

I got a really cute t-shirt from Her Universe and some really cute underoos with Boba Fett on the butt.

Because there’s no such thing as enough Star Wars themed underwear. Seriously.

It was an epic 24 hours of being a fan. It was a crazy good first con experience.

If you like comics or super heros, or movies or video games, you should go to a con. You will never see so many epic costumes or talented people gathered in one place again. And they are all so friendly and excited to be there.

But wear comfy shoes. Because you will stand for pretty much the entire day. I’m not sure my legs will ever recover.

Photo: some of my awesome swag from the day