As I’m getting my cosplay ready, Emma and Chris open the door to my apartment, casually arguing about which panels we should get in line for. Since the break-up, both of them have been spending quite a lot of time at my place. I love having them over, but it’s six in the morning. I’m half-naked and barely awake. The sudden entrance startles me. I nearly burn myself with the hair straightener.
“I’ll be out in a minute, just finishing up!” I yell.
That doesn’t stop Emma from bursting in, an enormous smile on her face. Like a kid at Christmas. Comic Con is her favorite time of year.
“Hurry up! We’ve gotta get the Uber soon so we can get a good place in line.”
“I know, I know! Help me draw some tally marks on my skin.”
“Oh, right. Amy Pond and the Silence. Love it!”
“And whose idea was it for Bob and Linda Belcher? Chris?”
“Of course, he’s obsessed with Bob’s Burgers. You know he only wanted to try Blue Apron because they have burger recipes inspired by that show. They were delicious, so I didn’t complain. But yeah, he made a good case for this year’s cosplay. I let him win this time.”
“And I bet the costumes are much more comfortable than Zelda and Link. It’s strange seeing you with glasses, though.”
The cosplay ensemble she’s put together transforms her. Emma is a young, stylish art gallery curatorial assistant with perfect vision. Dressed as Linda Belcher, she has turned into a forty-something mom of three with big red glasses and a thick New Yorkish accent.
“I can’t wait to see what Chris looks like. Let me throw on my pants and blazer.”
“All right, I’ll tell Chris we are ready to go then.”
Thirty minutes later, we arrive at the Javits Convention Center. Our Uber driver is kind enough to drive us to the end of the line, which thankfully hasn’t made its way to the back of the building yet. I take out my phone and open the NYCC app, browsing the panels and events scheduled for Friday – Day 2. While in line, the three of us make our plans for the day.
We had already purchased a photo op with Jason Momoa, Chris’s one request for this year’s comic con. Everything else has to fit around that. We pick out a couple of panels, deciding to get in line for the Game of Thrones reunion as soon as we get into the building. Once we get our wristbands, we head up to the show floor to check out all the fantastic exclusive merch.
After walking up and down a few aisles, Chris announces he’s hungry. From years of experience, I know there is a snack stand at the end of the aisle, even though the horde of people in front of us makes it impossible to see. We choose to stop there for a short break and re-energize. On the way, I spot a booth displaying Lego mini-figures that I need to stop at for a closer look. I ask Emma to pick me up a cup of tea and a snack that isn’t popcorn or nachos. After handing her some cash, Emma takes Chris’s hand and continues down the aisle while I check out the booth.
I don’t know why, but I love collecting these things. On the show floor, it’s guaranteed that there will be at least one booth filled with characters from various fandoms, sure to please just about anyone. Over the years, I’ve probably collected at least one hundred. Some of them are of the same characters but in a different color or different outfit.
While admiring the angry Unikitty, I feel someone move up alongside me. I don’t think anything of it because the show floor is packed with people, making it hard to walk without bumping into anyone.
“Are you supposed to be Zsasz?” A voice to the right of me asks.
I look up to see a cosplayer in a full combat Batman suit. He’s staring right at me.
“Sorry, what?” I reply.
“Zsasz. He’s a villain from the Batman comics. A serial killer who carves tally marks in his skin for each person he kills. I thought maybe that’s who you are supposed to be?” The Batman says, less confident now after seeing my look of confusion.
“Oh! No, I didn’t even know there was such a villain in Batman. That’s dark. Have you watched Doctor Who? I’m dressed as Amy Pond.”
“I’ve watched a few episodes here and there. I know who Amy Pond is though not sure I’ve seen this one. Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. This Amy is only seen for a few minutes in one out of the hundreds of Doctor Who episodes. Just happens to be my favorite story arc.”
“So, what do the tally marks mean for Amy?”
“There are these aliens that when you turn away from them, the memory of seeing them erases from your brain. So the tally marks are meant to trigger alarm and count how many of the aliens she’s seen.”
“That’s a lot of alien sightings.” We both laugh, and Batman says that maybe he should make a real go at watching the series.
I can’t stop staring into his bright green eyes. It’s like staring into an endless ocean surrounding an infinite forest. Noticing my obvious enchantment, he smiles bashfully at me and turns toward the Lego booth.
“Sorry,” I say softly. “Your eyes are mesmerizing. I got stuck in a trance.”
He turns his head back to me with a big smile. “Are you hitting on me?”
“Probably.” I smile back, trying not to look into those dangerous green eyes.
“So, are you into Legos or buying for someone else?”
“I used to build with my brother when we were kids. It was the only thing we had in common, and I remember having lots of fun together. Maybe that’s why I really enjoy collecting these guys.”
“How many have you collected?”
“Uh, I usually get five or ten every Comic Con. This is my eleventh year, so I have maybe one hundred? Probably more.”
“Do you know which ones you are going to get this con?”
“This Unikitty is adorable, so definitely this one.” I hold out the mini-figure I’ve been fondling since Batman approached me.
“Cute,” he says with no hint of sarcasm, sounding completely sincere. I could seriously dive into those green eyes and die. He picks up one of the Batman mini-figures. “What about this one?”
“Already have it. But…” I reach down and pick up the mini-figure that best matches what this Batman is wearing and say, “I don’t have this one yet.”
“You are hitting on me.”
I smile bashfully, feeling my cheeks heat up and turn red. Quickly, I turn toward the mini-figures display and pick out three more. Then I pay the exhibitor who packages them in a small paper bag, which I toss into my canvas bag. Batman is still standing next to me. When I look back up, he asks if he can walk the aisles with me.
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