As I sit here and reflect on Monster-Mania 46, my first convention in nearly 22 months, the importance of such conventions and the impact they have on fans became very prevalent. Arriving at the hotel on Thursday evening, I felt like I came home. While yes it has been a long time, 24 months for this event, nothing felt different. Recognizable faces of convention-goers sitting in the lobby sharing a laugh or two was as normal a feeling as I could remember. And let’s be honest the word “normal” and the year that was or the even the current world that we are trying to maneuver have become distant strangers.
The 3-day event was nothing short of outstanding. Nearly two dozen celebrity guests appeared headed by stars from Cobra Kai like William Zabka and Martin Kove. Such films like Scream, Childs Play, Fright Night and the Friday the 13th franchise were all well represented. Even Machete himself, Danny Trejo appeared all three days. Obviously we are still in the midst of the pandemic. This made masks a requirement at Monster-Mania. Did it deter from the enjoyment? I’m sure for some it might have but I would say for the majority of us, we just happy to be there.
The big fear with masks revolved around photo ops whether it be table selfies or professional ones. With most stars it was a non-issue. Some would remove their mask just prior to the photo being taken. There were others who didn’t bother wearing a mask at all. And then there were circumstances with older stars like Chris Sarandon and Brad Dourif who posed with either plexiglass separators or floor markers. These markers indicated where we should stand. I wasn’t a fan of the plexiglass. They looked like eyesores in the pro photos. What I appreciate so much about the Monster-Mania community is the willingness of people to help others. For those who weren’t completely satisfied, many offered to photoshop the plexiglass out. Some of the edit enhancements were so creative that I venture this could become a paid extra by the photo op people in the near future.
There were vendors galore to satisfy our buying needs. From the usual t-shirts, movie posters, horror films on DVD to horror-themed bath bombs and tea. The vendors were all helpful and engaging, Speaking of engaging, I have had the experience of attending conventions for over 30 years. The last decade covering them for not only this site but others as well. Monster-Mania guests continue to be the collective best. This convention is very personable. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with Lillard, Trejo, Amy Steel (Friday the 13th, Part 2) and a new personal favorite of mine, P.J. Soles (Halloween ’78). This is just to name a few, The general consensus from everyone I talked with all agree about how awesome the guest experiences were. Not every convention can say that.
My final thoughts on MM46 is that it was sorely missed by its fans. In addition, Dave Hagan the man behind this event, he and his sons weathered the storm that was 2020 and gave us a show to remember. I look forward to returning to their next show. Until then, continue to stay safe and stay healthy.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
