Everyone remembers their first con. The feeling of being part of something, the rush of meeting someone you admire who helps make your favorite characters come alive, the joy of meeting others with the same interests as you. Conventions are a place where people, no matter what fandom, feel acceptance and like they belong.
I had the pleasure of witnessing this first hand at Des Moines Con, where I shadowed a first timer. As many who have listened to my podcast know, I was a nanny for a family for a very long time, and I got to join that family in attending Des Moines Con 2024 this past May, which was the first convention for the youngest member of the brood.
Noah (they/them) at the time was a fourteen year old deep in the trenches of fandom, tumblr, shitposts, discord servers, the whole nine yards. On our way to pick up badges I asked them what they were feeling about seeing the exhibit hall for the first time and they simply made a sound similar to a delighted squeak. And while I have an outside perspective of witnessing everything, I took time to talk with them about their first con experience after the whole convention was over for this feature.
Rilo: So how would you describe the feeling you felt when you first entered the main hall? Noah: Awe. Mostly awe. Rilo: You cosplayed? Noah: Yeah! Rilo: Can you tell me what that was? Noah: Madoka from Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Rilo: Did you meet others who knew who that was? Because I sure as hell didn’t. Noah: I actually met another Madoka who got her cosplay from the same website as I did! Rilo: What surprised you the most? Noah: Just how good everyone’s cosplays were and how nice everyone was too. Rilo: Are there any cosplays that stood out to you? Noah: There was someone who had like a giant puppet of a rock troll from the Hobbit and the head was bigger than my entire body! It was really cool.
Rilo: What panels did you go to?
Noah: I went to a toy collecting and toy panel. I went to the cosplay contest, which was extremely cool. I went to a puppet panel with that guy [who had the rock troll puppet] and he just told us how to make puppets for cosplay. They were all really cool.
Rilo: Did you meet any of the guests?
Noah: Me and my family actually got a private photo shoot with Steve [Burns] from Blue’s Clues. It was really cool. Yeah I was dressed up as a Madoka and you just took a photo together. I was feeling kind of overwhelmed by that time, but going into that room I instantly felt calmed by his presence. It was magical.
Noah was also kind enough to indulge me on our first day there and happily held the rather cumbersome cosplay prop I had while I met Alex Brightman, of BeetleJuice the Musical and Hazebin Hotel fame.
Rilo: What was something that surprised you most?
Noah: Like I said everyone was just so nice, I also was surprised that people liked my cosplay. I got a lot of photos. I got a photo with a lot of people who had much better cosplays than me, which was surprising.
Rilo: I know you bought some items, what did you get?
Noah: I got some posters, most notably I got a poster for us that had some really good Smiling Friends fanart on it. I got a Madoka keychain and I got a Madoka Magica art book.
Rilo: If you had to describe your first con experience in one word, what would it be?
Noah: Amazing.
Rilo: Last question, do you plan on going to any cons in the future?
Noah: Yes!
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