A comic convention is not only a fun place to visit if you’re into comics and sci-fi, but they can also be great places to make friends. One of the biggest benefits of the con scene is that you can easily tell what other people are into by the way they’re dressed, or what panels they’re attending. This makes it very easy to home in on which people you’ll have something in common with.

Many adults in their late 20’s and 30’s say they have trouble making friends once they’re out of college. The opportunities to meet people are less at that time in their lives. However, if you’re a con-goer, you have a huge advantage in that arena. You have access to an entire convention full of people who probably have at least one thing in common with you. It might be a favorite character, a favorite costume construction technique, or a shared love for a movie series. And few things bring people together faster than a shared obsession over a particular fandom. 😉

Our Comic Con Friend

The second time my brother and I attended Roc Con, we entered the costume contest. So we ended up standing in line for a while with the other participants. Because there were many participants, we were there quite a while and ended up befriending the guy in line ahead of us. We conversed quite a while waiting in line, and we quickly hit it off having similar senses of humor and a few shared favorite fandoms.

We’ve been “comic con friends” ever since. While we don’t really see each other outside of the comic cons, due living fairly far apart, we do exchange messages over email and social media. And we meet up with each other at a comic con or two every year.

Smaller Conventions Offer A More Intimate Setting

Don’t overlook the smaller cons as great friend making opportunities. In my experience, the smaller the con, the better the chance of making friends is. The local community college has a small comic con every year (and by small I mean the entire convention area only takes up 3 rooms). My brother and I never miss that convention as the small, close atmosphere is so great for talking to the other attendees.

There hasn’t been a single year that we’ve attended where we haven’t ended up chatting for large blocks of time with fellow geeks. Because it is so small, it’s slower without the hustle and bustle of the bigger cons. It makes it so much easier to talk to people. The social interaction is our favorite part about the college’s convention. Such a fun time.

Be Friendly, Not Desperate

Of course you don’t want to come off as creepy while you’re trying to make friends at a comic con. Let’s face it, many of us nerds have been stereotyped as being lonely weirdos. And while that’s not necessarily true, you don’t want to look like it is. So you probably don’t just want to walk up to someone at a convention and say “Hey, wanna be my friend?” It might come off as a bit desperate.

Instead find someone who you think you have something in common with, and use that to start a conversation. If they’re looking though the box of Teen Titans comics, mention how great the issue they’re currently holding was. When you’re waiting in line to see an actor, ask the con-goer next to you which of the actor’s roles is their favorite. If you’re riding in an elevator with someone dressed as one of your favorite characters, tell them what a nice job they did making their costume.

Don’t Be A Creep

The one caution in that area is to be complementary, not flirty. Avoid saying how great someone looks in the costume as it can make you look more like you’re hitting on them than trying to befriend them. It’s especially true if you’re talking to a woman in a skimpier costume.

Instead, tell the cosplayer what a nice job they did in the construction. Complement their technique in the details they added, or the great fabrics they used. And don’t overlook the benefits of just discussing the character itself. Having a favorite character in common is a great opportunity to turn a brief discussion into a fully blossomed friendship.

Leave me a comment below if you’ve ever gone to a comic con and ended up with new friends in the process.

By Amber Reifsteck, The Woodland Elf

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