WELCOME, WELCOME

TAKING THE TIME TO ENCOURAGE WILD DREAMS ALSO INCLUDES SOME BORING TECHNICALITIES

Boom always says he wants to be a veterinarian when asked what he wants to be when he grows up. He doesn't say it in a confi dent way. He says it like he thinks it's the right answer. He also says it like someone who knows we're going to tell him he needs to not say math is boring if he plans to be a vet.

We tell him he could design Transformers. There are people who build Legos for a living. It seems important to make sure he sees things in real life that people are doing because it's their passion. What Boom really wanted in 2018, though, was to do the Padawan training he missed out on in 2017. So we arrived early and took a long walk from Times Square on a foggy morning to be there as soon as the doors opened. I'm not sure he appreciated how smooth the entry was in 2018 compared to other years... —MV

Boom waits outside the Javits Center because we arrived so early

Madeline Vega

On a scale of 1 to 10 with "1" being the most boring, Boom gave waiting to get into the con on Saturday a 1. Some wristbands could only be secured in online lotteries, but others required attendees to arrive when doors opened. Luckily I saw the sign about Padwan Training sign-ups.

SYFY and Deviant Art teamed up for signage

Madeline Vega

IT’S A FAN MADE THING

The convention provides so many opportunities and outlets for fans, but at the same time some things just never change, like seating. Need a break? You might be sitting on the curb or the stairs, hoping you don't get scolded by staff. Meanwhile, SYFY partnered with Deviant Art to bring in original art for signage and had makeup artists on hand for face painting, but fans need places to sit. I love the food trucks on site, but how about a table? —MV

The stairs at 10:04 a.m.

Madeline Vega

The same stairs at 12:55 p.m.

Madeline Vega