Ten Surprises on Day One of Denver Comic Con

The geek have once again inherited the earth….or at least downtown Denver. The Denver Comic Con has invaded the Colorado Convention Center for the seventh year in a row, and if the crowds at opening day on Friday, June 16, were any indication (the event continues through the weekend), 2018 will be another record-setting year for attendance.

We’ve already talked about the things you shouldn’t miss at DCC, and the things you can specifically do with your dad over Father’s Day weekend, and offered up interviews with some of the special guests (Darryl DMC McDaniels, Christopher Priest and Ross Marquand). But like prior incarnations, Denver Comic Con 2018 is proving to be full of surprises. DCC always finds new ways to amaze. Here are our ten favorites this year.

Yes, the Lines...and the Excitement...Are Real
It's just a reality of an undertaking as huge as Denver Comic Con: crowds (and the significant lines caused by them) are gonna happen. This was the crowd that had gathered just minutes before they opened the floor around 10 a.m.; it snaked around this room, down some stairs, and out into the Colorado Convention Center lobby. "It's not my favorite part of the day," said one attendee (who was either dressed as a de-clawed Wolverine or was just wearing a white sleeveless undershirt). "I just think of it as the prelude to the awesomeness." Way to be, almost-Logan. Way to be.

Green Arrow Really Likes Doughnuts
Protecting the city is hungry work, you know, and you can burn a surprising number of calories ziplining and parkouring around all night. And if you think about it, patience is one of the hallmarks of super-heroism, so...doughnut line? No challenge, Superfriend.

You Can Still Find Amazing Stuff
This is a screen-used prop from the first episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, from back in 1993, now owned by John Hernandez, from Home of Heroes and Collectibles in Colorado Springs. For those of who remember that year of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You and Bill Clinton taking office and Unforgiven winning Best Picture, we have some bad news for you: it was a quarter-century ago. Luckily, we can collect seriously cool things like this to make us feel better in our old age.

Father's Day Stuff Is Back
Last year, DCC had to move off of Father's Day weekend because of scheduling conflicts with other events that had already reserved the center; that meant fewer examples of Dad-related merchandise from which to choose. Fortunately, DCC is back on Dad's day, which means that nerd-Dads all over Denver not only have something to do, but will be getting much better gifts.

Photo Sleeves: a Convention Gold Mine
Considering how many people are spending a few twenties (or more) on autographs and signed photos from their favorite celebrities, it's curious how few of them arrange for protective sleeves to keep their prizes secure and safely un-bent and un-smeared.  So good for those merchants who recognize the opportunity and will save your photo-treasure butts for only a buck (and make a good profit besides). Scrooge McDuck is giving a feathery thumbs-up from his money vault.

Spider-Man: Not Amazing at Jenga
Clearly, Spider-sense doesn't extend to which block is going to make the whole thing come tumbling down. Also, doesn't Black Cat have lucky powers? This hardly seems fair.

Lots of Specifically-Not-LEGO Figures
There's more than one vendor marketing some unlicensed LEGO figures, but none seemed to have the sheer selection of Brick Bunch, a business out of Longmont that specializes in custom LEGO-compatible mini-figs, including just about every character under the sun. When their lineup includes Bob-Ross-Deadpool, you know they're just like you: completist collectors, bless ’em.

Former Bronco David Bruton Jr. Reads a Story
Strong Safety David Bruton Jr. has both a Super Bowl ring and a passion for childhood literacy. (Let's remember fondly the last time the Broncos won it all, shall we? Take as long as you like. It's been a tough road since.) Bruton has partnered with Mile High United Way to help low-income kids K-3 become strong readers — and in that spirit, he showed up at DCC to read from a book called Quit Calling Me a Monster!  Which is cool in too many ways to count.

Free Bibles
Despite the fact that it's apocryphally the best-selling book in the history of the world, you don't often see Bibles anywhere at comic-book conventions. But here, tucked into the corner of a big booth of back-issue comics, was a box full of them. For free. There's probably something to be said about the fact that the nearby stack of Hellboy comics costs $140, and the Bibles are free for the taking, but let's not focus on that. Hey, is that Skeletor over there? Rad.

Even Yoda is a Little Awestruck
Granted, you don't get a lot of conventions coming to Dagobah, but still: pretty awesome, it is.