Costumes are a big part of the Comic-Con experience every year in San Diego. Whether or not you decide to wear one to the show, you are inevitably going to be crossing paths, taking pics of or posing with people doing some kind of cosplay. And since this is the world of comic, anime and gaming cosplay, a lot of those costumes revolve around weapons.
Now while you’d think that Comic-Con would be the safest place to be when the zombie bath salt apocalypse breaks out because it is filled with weapon equipped geeks who have spent more hours training for such an event (i.e. watching Night of the Living Dead, reading the Walking Dead and playing Dead Rising), this might not be the case in 2012.
Comic Con International has sent out an updated set of guidelines for costume weaponry this year. Here is the full release from Comic Con International on the specifics:
Simulated or costume weapons are allowed as a part of your costume, subject to prior approval by security and compliance with the following:
- All costume weapons must be inspected at the Weapons Check Desk in Lobby E.
- All costume weapons must conform to state and federal law.
- Projectile costume weapons must be rendered inoperable.
- Costume swords must be tied to your costume in such a way that they can’t be drawn.
- After each person’s costume weapon has been checked, it will be tagged by security, and you will be given a wristband to wear to designate that your weapons have been checked.
- Security will escort you to the security station for inspection if your costume weapon is not tagged.
If you do not want to have your costume weapons inspected or tagged, or if you are not willing to comply with these policies, please do not bring your costume weapons.
While we appreciate the effort, the most dangerous weapon on the comic book floor is still the pencil. Not because of the power of journalism… but because it was used in the most recent act of violence on the convention floor (and immediately spoofed by con-goers later that afternoon). And what about the tons of weapons sold on the con floor?
I am happy that swords cannot be drawn on the show floor but what about the giant battle axes, hammers and scythes? And most importantly, what about lightsabers? Those are the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy. Do those fall into the sword category too?
