Florida Comic Cons, a news media website that covers conventions and cosplayers in The Sunshine State, spent the weekend at St. Pete Comic Con 2022 on January 8-9 in St. Petersburg, Florida. And it was spectacular. Here are 10 reasons why:
Reason # 1: The cosplay talent was astounding
Everywhere we looked there were talented cosplayers who clearly invested time, creativity, and passion into their creations. Here is a sampling (photos by our friend Leo Nocedo — all of his photos from St. Pete Comic Con 2022 are here).
And if you want more cosplay talent from St. Pete Comic Con 2022, check out this music video by J-Philly Productions:
Reason # 2: The con-vibe at St. Pete Comic Con 2022 was very strong
The “con-vibe” is what we call the general feeling of the con collective — attendees, vendors, artists and guests — at an event. Enthusiasm, inspiration, awe, excitement and laughter are good yardsticks to measure the con-vibe. In addition, the percentage of attendees who are cosplaying is a major contributor to the con-vibe, which means the higher the percentage of cosplayers the better the con-vibe.
And the con-vibe at St. Pete Comic Con 2022 was very strong. The crowd’s excitement was as electric as Spider-Man’s foe the Shocker, and we estimate an astounding 8-in-10 attendees were cosplaying — an unusually high percentage of people in costume and character. All of this made for a memorable con-vibe.
Reason # 3: It was the first-ever comic con in St. Petersburg
This was a first-time convention in a city that has never had one. And St. Pete Comic Con was warmly welcomed by attendees, vendors and guests. In addition, @ClosetChloeCosplay produced an excellent vlog that assessed the brand new con. “A cosplay new year’s resolution is achieved in the first week of 2022 – how a last-minute decision ended this new convention with a bang,” she writes on her You Tube channel.
Reason # 4: There was a Marvel photo shoot
And yet again, we’re talking about our friend Leo Nocedo, who is known for organizing incredible Marvel photo shoots at cons like Megacon Orlando, Tampa Bay Comic Convention, and Central Florida Comic Con . So, to put a face with a name, we included a snap of him with his Marvel photoshoot snaps at St. Pete Comic Con 2022.
Reason # 5: There were two cosplay contests
Maybe we’re getting spoiled, but one cosplay contest doesn’t seem to be enough anymore. And St. Pete Comic Con 2022 didn’t disappoint in this regard. Saturday’s contest was ‘Craftsmanship’ that awarded $500 in cash prizes. And Sunday’s was ‘Runway’ with winners getting cool medals. While we didn’t get a list of the winners, here are some photos of the top talent at the contests. (photos courtesy of Leo Nocedo)
Reason # 6: Free pro photos in front of backdrops were great!
Photographer Greg Rice set-up a section with various backdrops and invited cosplayers inside for free photos. As you can imagine, “free pro photos” were popular. If he snapped you, all of his photos are available here. Below is a small sampling.
Reason # 7: Big crowds were no problem at all
St. Pete Comic Con 2022 saw big crowds with an estimated attendance of nearly 3,500 for both days. But we could still easily navigate the throngs of cosplayers, anime fans and comic collectors to get to the vendors, panels and guests. And honestly, we sort of like being in a big crowd of talented cosplayers and avid comic con fans.
Reason # 8: St. Pete Comic Con 2022 was a “super-success”
Don’t take our word for it. Read the news article in the St. Pete Catalyst titled “St. Pete’s first comic con a super-success.”
Reason # 9: Did we mention there were lots of talented cosplayers?
Here are some photos we snapped while cruising the con. Enjoy!
Reason # 10: Florida Comic Cons co-founders had a fantastic time
One simple measure of a convention’s success is if we have a good time. And Florida Comic Cons co-founders Blu Caruthers and Scarlet Caruthers, sisters who attend high school in St. Petersburg, had a great time at their city’s first convention. The two help their dad, Dewey Caruthers, and his staff, with Florida Comic Cons and Florida Cosplay Digital Magazine. Blu is a senior at Hollins High School Academy of Entertainment Arts, and Scarlet is a freshman — a program that prepares students for post-secondary arts education and a career in entertainment arts.
Until next con…
Next up for Florida Comic Cons is Villicon, a villain-themed sci-fi and horror convention in Orlando on January 21-23 at the Doubletree Orlando (which is located at the entrance to Universal). If you want to learn more, read our blog titled “5 marvelous reasons to attend Villicon 2022.” See you there!
