El and Will's characters get nothing being in a relationship with Mike. Idk why milvns think El breaking up with Mike and being an independent character would be bad for her when it is like one of the best things that will happen to her character. She is so lucky.

i don't feel like arguing because i'm obviously not gonna convince you of anything but i just wanna say that even if mike was the great boyfriend people thought seasons 1 and 2 set him up to be el still should never have been with him when she was coming out of a year of isolation and twelve years of abuse in the lab. it's literally a horror story like mike being one of the people to socialize her and her main introduction to the outside world is so gross her first boyfriend taught her the concept of privacy like ewww👎👎 it's a good story though. just not in the way mlvns think. and it would be gross even if mike had gone on to sign all his letter love, mike. and mlvn breaking up being good for el isn't even about el being independent in a girlboss she's better off not having a boyfriend ever because girls being single is feminism way it's about her identity being so tied to her relationship with mike because, again, he's the first person she formed an emotional bond with when she got out of the lab where she was abused constantly, and about her growing out of that relationship and having a sense of identity outside of it. it's so insane that people call you a misogynist for suggesting that she should have had other experiences before getting a boyfriend and just go well you can grow as a person while being in a relationship as if el had a normal upbringing when six months into their relationship she didn't even know what she liked! she didn't even know she was allowed to like things!!! besides being a hater what was hopper doing bro

So I'm going to my first comic con in almoat two weeks but I'm nervous?? Cuz Idk what to expect?? Can you share some of your experiences?? ILY 💞

Mmmm it’s kind of hard to say because I’ve only ever been to New York comic con and not any of the other locations, but I’ll try to help you out as best I can!

I have no idea if you’ve been to prior cons before (anime, ect), but if you have, then the same basic principles of con etiquette apply. This is just a bigger and more crowded con than what you’re probably used to. Some specifically NYCC and general comic con things that stuck out to me:

There’s not much going on Thursday, so it’s honestly the best day to just explore and go shopping. Dealers room is huge, and there’s also artist alley. There’s really not any panels or stuff going on the first day, so it’s a good time to get all your sightseeing and shopping out of the way. 

Don’t be afraid to approach booths for stuff you’re unfamiliar with if it looks Really Cool–there was this one video game stand at NYCC last year with a giant dragon you could sit on. Had no clue what the fuck it was for, but you better believe I was lining up to sit on a life size dragon, lmao.

Comic con also always has lots of exclusives sold for just the con! For instance, when VLD panels are at cons, the Lionforge booth usually sells variant cover exclusives of the new comics and such. You can look through the comic con website for your specific location and see what exclusives will be offered. 

Get to the entryway early!! My friend and I were in line probably an hour before NYCC opened, and we made pretty good time. Also, we got this neat bag–that they eventually ran out of, lmao. Even while waiting on the line to get in, comic con offers some fun exclusives and you miss that stuff if you’re there too late. And of course, it’s just always a good idea to be there early. At least then you get a chance to explore the venue and sort out where you need to be later on, buy an exclusive that might sell out quickly, ect. 

Also, you should definitely go over that schedule beforehand and see what panels and things you’re interested in–try to workout at least a basic outline for how you want to do things. Plan to line up for panels wayyyy in advance…even at small cons you could wait an hour on line. At NYCC, you might well end up waiting upwards of two hours for your panel or signing. Sometimes there are also caps put on the lines, so just like…be Prepared

If you can kind of scope out the venue ahead of time and see where a good place to eat would be, take note! Also, always good to have a general idea of where bathrooms are. You don’t want to have to be running around looking for things last minute.

If you’re kind of uneasy in crowds (I got some of that Social Anxiety myself), make sure you’re just,, generally prepared for big crowds. Because, trust me, there will be lots and lots of people. Anticipate having a hard time finding places to sit and eat inside. 

Don’t forget to bring your ID just in case they check it with your badge. They didn’t ask me for mine last year (though, Thursday is like a slow day). But just in case, make sure you have an ID on hand.  

I find smaller cons are generally better if you’re hoping with more…interaction with fans, I guess? Like, it seems at NYCC, everyone is on the move and has someplace to be. At smaller cons, you’ll generally have people come up and talk to you more. Still, if you’re wearing a cosplay, you’ll definitely get some people that’ll come over and say hi :D 

General con etiquette and knowledge stuff if you’re just really new to cons in general:

FOOD AND WATER IS NOT OPTIONAL!! Something magical happens at cons where you suddenly forget to eat, drink or sleep and if you and your friends haven’t stopped for a break in a while, pull them aside and just hydrate real quick. Pack water bottles and snacks!! You probably have that one Responsible friend in the group who insists on bringing food and water and stopping for breaks–and they are never wrong. Listen to your friend. They know what’s up.

Be Responsible,,–yes, you should bring enough money to cover food and all the nerd stuff you’re gonna splurge on. But try to set a realistic threshold of how much you want to spend so you don’t go overboard. 

Just so you know, lots of cosplayers (myself included!) love when people give them compliments or take pictures!! :D It’s super fun! HoweveR,, please be aware that there’s certain expected con etiquette. Do not just take a picture without asking, it’s incredibly rude and kind of unsettling. Also, feels like a breach in privacy. If you want to take a picture, simply go up to them and ask for permission first. Most of the time they’ll be happy to! 

If the cosplayer is already surrounded by like five or ten people taking pictures, there’s also the general unspoken rule that you can just join in and take one too, as it’s clear they’ve already given their permission. Just make sure they’re okay with being photographed first, that’s the main thing. 

Also, do not ask if they’re in the middle of eating or going on a bathroom break. These are pretty general con etiquette rules that basically everyone knows. But then you get people like the guy who asked my friend for a photo while they were midway through biting into their sandwich. Do not be that guy,, let cosplayers have breaks too.

Also, if you’re taking a picture with another cosplayer, ask before posing with them! For example, if you can put your hand on their shoulder, hug them, ect. I’m really small so it’s easy to lift me–consequently, I’ve had people pick me up and cradle me and even kiss me at cons without asking,, :/ It can be pretty upsetting if people just do that without consent. Oftentimes, if I can prepare myself for it first, I’m okay with lifts and hugs, ect, but don’t ever just spring that shit on someone–if you wouldn’t do it to a stranger, don’t assume it’s okay to do it to a cosplayer.

Also, remember cosplayers are people too! They have their own thoughts and feelings. That sounds silly, but like…I’ve cosplayed Keith while my friend was Lance and I can’t tell you how obnoxious it was for girls to just run up to me and scream “kLA/NCE!!” like…please don’t make cosplayers feel awkward or get in their face. Also, please understand if they don’t want to do a ship photo with another cosplayer. Whatever you say to them “in character,” please remember there’s an actual real person in that costume. 

If you’re a cosplayer, congratulations!! I hope you have lots of fun!! But also, just know if you’re a little shy or anxious that people are going to want to come over and say hi. Again, you can tell people not to take pictures if you aren’t comfortable, and never feel pressured to pose or do something just because you’re in cosplay! Also, if you’ve got a costume you made yourself–little sewing kits are a life saver, as are hairsprays and things to maintain wigs. Dress for the weather! You might look cool, but not if you’re dying from the heat. If you’re costume’s getting cumbersome or exhausting to wear, make sure you have something comfy to change into just in case. 

Try to wear comfy shoes!! You’ll start to really feel it after walking around for several hours ;;

I don’t know if it’s the weather or packed crowds or running around on limited resources, but someone in the friend group always has a headache at some point. Try to pack some Advil or something if you can! Same goes for any other “just in case” items–even if you think you won’t need it, so long as there’s a chance, bring it! Also, a quick addition to your emergency pack--a portable phone charger. There were some charging stations at NYCC, but they’re always very crowded. 

BudDY SYSTEM!! Go to cons with a group of friends and try to make sure one of you is always with a buddy. It’s generally a bad idea to split up in my experience. 

anyway, hope you have fun at the con anon!!