Since WonderCon left San Francisco, CA in 2011, there has been a severe lack of major video game/comic conventions in the bay area. After a five year wait, we may have the solution to that very problem. We Baconeers were able to venture down to the first annual Silicon Valley Comic Con down on the southern tip of the bay area in San Jose. Now with the event’s conclusion at the end of March, here are seven things we learned from the SVCC.

 

7. Guest Panels Can Actually Be Entertaining

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Since this is just the first instance of SVCC, no doubt Wozniak was going to pull out all of the stops. In order to pull off a rather landmark first year, he invited a supreme cast of guests and friends along to help him such as Stan Lee, William Shatner, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Renner, and the entire cast of Back to the Future just to name a few.

For the visitors who actually went to the guest panels, Stan Lee’s first panel was by far the highlight of the con. To wrap things up, Lee actually recommended that the Academy Awards should have a “Best Cameo Actor” category so he could actually win an Oscar. There were plenty of other stand out panels with Stan Lee, Jon Heder, and Wozniak as well as Shatner vs Wozniak, but those you will have to check out on your own. Mwahahaha.

Also while I am not necessarily a fan of his work, Jeremy Renner is absolutely hilarious when making public appearances like SVCC. Let’s just say he acted rather eccentric on stage by hugging a birthday girl, pulling audience members for selfies on stage while taking questions, and just adding the right amount of vulgarity. Damn you Renner, you almost redeemed yourself.

 

6. 3D Printing At Your Disposal

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Interested in the newest innovations in 3D printing? Of course, who isn’t? Sandwiched between “App Alley” (more on that later) and the VR demonstration was an area entirely dedicated to how far 3D printing has come since its concept stage. While there weren’t as many vendors as you would expect to find at Silicon Valley, aka “The Nerdiest City in the Country,” but it definitely wasn’t disappointing. Syfy had one of the more impressive displays hidden in the 3D printing section, featuring various printed memorabilia for their hottest new shows. All of the memorabilia was created by 3D design company Voodoo Manufacturing, who has partnered with Syfy to make a line of 3D printed toys strictly for Syfy’s various marketable titles. Need a 12 Monkeys time machine?

 

5. Oculus Showcases Superior Virtual Reality

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Let’s face it, gamers have been awaiting the official arrival of consumer virtual reality equipment for a while now. With a handful of big names finally joining the VR tech industry, its no wonder that VR has boomed in recent years. With a fair amount of different VR sets at my disposal, I was able to finally get my hands on more than just the Oculus or Google Cardboard. While it is still quite evident that Oculus is definitely leading in the VR war, there are a number of contenders for that gold crown in the HTC Vive and Baobab’s VR systems. Also thanks to my visit to the SVCC, I was able to finally play Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes properly with the Oculus. It is an entirely different way of playing that any fan of VR needs to experience for themselves. The next question is…what about augmented reality?

 

4. Introducing the Newest in Nerdy Start-up Apps

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Now when you go to the majority of conventions, an “Artist Alley” of sorts is not an uncommon sight. Everyone wants to be able to snag their own authentic prints from their favorite artists, so why not take that audience and give them a chance to try something new? Welcome to the “App Alley,” a dedicated section of SVCC that took the Silicon Valley “start-up culture” and put it on display for the world to see. This was the perfect opportunity for all of the little start-ups that occupy Silicon Valley to really shine and show attendees exactly what they are determined to bring to market. Need a clearer picture? Picture a traditional convention like San Diego Comic Con blended together with Las Vegas’s Consumer Electronic Show and Tech Crunch. Considered a major highlight across the board, we can’t wait to see what companies will demonstrate for the masses next year.

 

3. SVCC Proves Comic-Con Needs More Technology

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When you think of comic and gaming conventions, you don’t normally think about/expect any advances in technology. Just like everyone else, I didn’t expect anything going in…but I should have known better. As Wozniak has continued to state in interviews, SVCC will “bring together America’s two greatest superheroes: Pop Culture and Technology.” This began right as you entered the gate, as I (as well as other attendees) had to scan our wristbands at the entrance to collect data via NFC technology. I wasn’t sure what exactly they were collecting initially, but after some research it was stated that is was to monitor traffic for its first year and wouldn’t hold any personal information. What a nifty trick, Woz.

 

2. Only The Woz Could Have Brought Them Together

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One of the many famous nerdy figures to grace Silicon Valley, Steve Wozniak has wanted to bring a convention back to the San Francisco Bay Area for a long time. This want even grew stronger after WonderCon left to go down south. Wozniak didn’t want this to be like every other convention and really wanted to embrace the technology and geek culture that Silicon Valley is known for. Also, when you are a massive success with monumental amounts of money and connections you of course have to bring your friends along! Even though it has only be one year, I would say Wozniak succeeded.

 

 

1. Version 2.0 in 2017 Will Be Even Better

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Overall, the first instance of the Silicon Valley Comic Con was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, there were plenty of minor problems that plagued SVCC such as disorganization, long lines, poor judgment of attendance etc…but these are the same problems that every convention has to deal with for their first time around. On the other hand, SVCC came out swinging and was able to grab our attention with their fusion of technology and comics. Also, just toy with this idea for a second. If Wozniak was able to bring this many high profile celebrities together for the first year, 2.0 in 2017 should be even more massive.

Now are you excited for the future of the con? Will the Silicon Valley Comic Con be able to replace the hole WonderCon left in our hearts? Which special guests would you like to see at SVCC 2017?  Stay tuned for plenty of reviews and news with us at Nerd Bacon!