I thought it would be easy to purchase a comic book at Comic Con. Well, it is easy to buy ancient collector’s pieces and rarities, which are nice and all, but I’m not willing to spend over 20 bucks on my very first comic book.

While waiting in line for Straczynski I was between two comic book connoisseurs and for 45 minutes I did not know what they were talking about.  They mentioned authors, illustrators and even superheroes I’ve never even heard of. I knew I couldn’t leave Comic Con without my own comic and I decided I wanted to stick to the classics.

I narrowed it down to a specific character I wanted before I began my search- Phoenix of the X-men. Her story has always been fascinating to me and I’d love to see how much the animated series stuck to the original story. She was not easy to find. I was about to give up on her when we passed a nice gentleman who appeared to not want to be there anymore, but he had what I wanted. His prices were also cut significantly, a common aspect of Sundays at Comic Con, I learned. Everyone wants to get those last sales in before its time to close up shop.

He had a table of comics and right on top was an X-men What If series of phoenix entitled “What if the Phoenix Had Not Died?” telling the same story as the original comic but gives an alternate ending where the Phoenix originally died. I feel like I’m writing an English paper now so I’ll skip to the point, I bought it! Phoenix kills all her friends before destroying the entire universe- The end.

Among his pile was the first issue of a Marvel/DC crossover where the X-men and Teen Titans get together to destroy the Phoenix.  Of course, I had to get that too and with those I was given a free Fantastic Four comic. I was told they weren’t the most exciting superheroes, but I’ll have to see for myself. Now, the proud owner of three classic comic books I was sad my journey was almost over.

I knew what downtown would feel like the next day- the same as the day after you take down Christmas decorations- boring with a lack of magic riddled with a back-to-business type of feeling.

But as I caught a few last glimpses of the exhibit hall, the announcement giving thanks to Comic Con’s visitors for a successful 2011 Comic Con rang throughout the convention center. For a brief second, transactions were postponed and people stopped in their tracks. All several thousand people there applauded the end and I knew I shouldn’t be sad.

It WAS a successful Comic Con, a first for me. With a new understanding of what goes on, I now have a whole year to prepare for the next, waiting for it to be special again. Thank you Comic Con and the people that continue to participate in it year-after-year.