Why Some Comic Conventions Are Banning Fake Weapons

Growing concerns about safety and attendee behavior have moved event producers to ban fake guns and other items.

Cosplayers dressed as Star Wars stormtroopers posed with children at Arizona Comic Con in 2015.
Cosplayers dressed as Star Wars stormtroopers posed with children at Arizona Comic Con in 2015.

In response to growing concerns about safety and behavior for attendees, comic conventions are banning more items, from selfie sticks to prop weapons. On Wednesday, Flame Con—an annual comic convention that focuses on L.G.B.T.Q. issues—announced that it is banning all toy guns and firearms at its second annual event, which takes place Aug. 20 to 21 at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. In addition, Flame Con this year is also prohibiting “any weapon that looks or feels real” and “any prop that is heavy, hard, or sharp enough to injure a person,” according to a statement.

Flame Con, which is owned and produced by Geeks Out, made the decision in response to the June 12 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, and after having discussions with local law enforcement, security personnel, venue representatives, and others.

"We reached out to some of the attendees first," says Geeks Out president Joey Stern. “In the wake of the attack on the L.G.B.T.Q. community in Orlando, it really was a decision we had to make about what is the best version of this convention we can do, not just in terms of safety, but also in terms of comfort and community-building, and what is going to make everyone feel best about attending this con. So far, the response has been really positive.”

To get the word out about the new policy, Flame Con made an announcement on its website, social media, and in an email message to registered attendees and other people on its mailing list. Stern says no attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, or vendors have cancelled as a result. In fact, this year the event expects about 4,000 attendees, up from the 2,200 people in its first year.

For many people who attend comic conventions, much of the fun comes from "cosplay": dressing up as characters from comics, movies, television, and video games. Cosplay also has become a big business at comic conventions, which usually have cosplay costumes, accessories, and props for sale. Fake weapons such as guns, swords, knives, bows, and arrows are often part of these costumes.

The debate over what attendees should or should not be allowed to bring to events covers more than weapons. A new policy at Comic-Con International in San Diego last year blocked selfie sticks. The policy was also applied to Wondercon, Comic-Con International’s annual sister convention that takes place in the Los Angeles area. Other items that many comic conventions have banned in recent years include helium-filled products, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, and hoverboards. Emerald City Comicon in Seattle (a ReedPop event from Reed Exhibitions) has prohibited weapons that are not made of cardboard or foam. Comic conventions that still allow a variety of fake weapons—such as Comic-Con International and ReedPop's New York Comic Con—typically inspect them on an individual basis before attendees enter the event.

"Safety is always of the utmost importance at our conventions, and we take our attendees’ security very seriously," says Reed Exhibitions senior vice president Lance Fensterman. "We already have many measures in place, including bag checks at the convention entrances and a strict policy on what types of prop weapons are allowed into the show, in addition to other measures that are not made visible. We are updating policies to be more strict about prop weapons, and more mindful of what our exhibitors are able to sell on the show floor to keep fans’ safety our number-one priority."

"This is a community that already wants to make everyone feel good," Stern says. "People who get dressed up [in costumes] don't go to these events to get people stressed out. They want to be visually interesting and draw attention to their art. Knowing their intent is not malicious, having this rule for our convention made the decision [to ban toy guns] easy."

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