Each year Phoenix Comicon storms into downtown Phoenix filling the streets with comic book fans and pop-culture enthusiasts alike, Phoenix Comicon 2018 was looking to be no exception. That is until the announcement was made that as of the 2018 convention season, to distance themselves from a nasty battle that was playing out in a court of law against Comicon International and Salt Lake City Comicon over the trademark to the name Comicon, The convention was going to be renamed. With that announcement Phoenix Comicon was dead, However like Greek mythology states The Convention would receive new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor to become Phoenix Comic Fest.

With the memories of what played out just a year ago during the 2017 Phoenix Comicon when an armed man entered the convention center with the intent to harm attendees and talent alike, you could tell security was on the forefront when it came to planning this year’s convention. Entrance to the convention was limited to three areas, outside of those areas were badge pick up booths and security checkpoints. For the first time in all the years I have been attending this convention the security measures felt on point for a convention of its size, but that wasn’t without some confusion from the staff on what was and wasn’t allowed into the convention, as I seen one fellow member of the media turned away over her tripod being considered a band item. Even with the measures in place the fine people behind Phoenix Fan Fest have a long way to go when it comes to security and consistency was a major issue. On day one the bag and security checks where thorough as staff went through everything, checking every pocket of your bag or purse but as the weekend went on that thoroughness became less and less to the point on the final day of the convention it was less of a search and more of a shaking of your bag. This could have been due to the number of complaints by many about how the security staff treated attendees/exhibitors/guests with some manner of verbal disrespect which I personally experienced first hand as we where told to “Shut The Hell Up And Listen” by event staff during a fire alarm evacuation that took place Saturday night. An event that would end up forcing the convention to shut down early on the busiest day. 

Another change implemented this year was the use of RFID technology and the switch from badges to wristbands. This was one change that I personally wasn’t a fan of as The wristbands were not able to be undone once clipped together. The other issue is that after you have been walking around in the spring heat of Phoenix all day as well as around the convention halls, sweat was causing the RFID to no longer function correctly as was the case with my wristband. Don’t get me wrong I am a fan of the use of RFID technology as it reduces the wait time to enter the convention but I personally feel the technology is better utilized in a removable badge like they do at WonderCon and San Diego Comicon rather than in a wristband.