The Importance of Panels in the Geek Convention Experience

When I think of conventions, I always think about the panels. They’re not on the radar for all con-goers, especially at expo-style conventions—after all, there’s so much going on at the convention center that it can be easy to forget about them. But to me, they’re a huge part of the con experience.

As an example, at Twin Cities Con 2022, I decided to check out the panels in addition to all the chaos in the exhibit hall and main programming on its Saturday lineup. I checked out some of the more extensive panels in the biggest rooms as well as the niche geeky discussions that cozied up in the more intimate rooms.

Clifford Chapin (left) and David Matranga (middle) on the anime voice acting panel at Twin Cities Con 2022.

To get a taste of the big events, I went to the panel featuring two actors who worked on the English dub of My Hero Academia, Clifford Chapin and David Matranga. Even though I’d only seen a handful of episodes of the show, it was a fun experience. The moderated interview led to some entertaining industry stories about how the sausage is made, particularly when it comes to casting for anime dubs. There were also some fun stories about the actors being starstruck when they met such legends as Tim Curry and Frank Welker on the convention rounds—they seemed over the moon as Transformers fans to have met the voice of Megatron. Moments like that made the panel feel highly relatable and fascinatingly informative.

As a change of pace, I then ventured upstairs to the second floor, where most panel rooms were located. It felt like entering a different building—the main level was a swamp of lines for the many walk-up registrations, but the second floor was wide open, with quieter areas. In a way, it was the perfect location for smaller panels with more informative topics.

On “Looking Up to Heroes,” local leaders Amáda Márquez Simula (mayor of Columbia Heights) and Curtis Johnson (Roseville school board member) spoke openly about the issues they faced as political leaders in their community and their love for all things geeky. Márquez Simula boasted about the various geek references in her campaign, like Star Wars. Listening to how local political leaders and activists take as much comfort in geeky spaces as the rest of us was fantastic. It’s also a sign of the times that politics now opens up more to the geeky crowd: Márquez Simula brought up how she was initially cautious about this approach to her campaign, but her geeky obsessions brought her inspiration. In particular, the musical Hamilton was a driving factor to be proud of her fandom.

Amáda Márquez Simula (left) and Curtis Johnson (right) on the “Looking Up to Heroes” panel.

Also located in the cozier rooms was the LGBTQA+ panel, composed of a diverse group of speakers that included included Mashika (trans), Daryl (drag performer), Chandler (gay), and Jack (nonbinary). In addition to discussing queer issues, the panelists had a great time gushing about their favorite segments of fandom. Daryl brought up his deep insight into X-Factor comic books, and Jack admitted to a love of horror. From anime to D&D, there was a great range of geeky interests. Most of the session was spent highlighting the progress of representation within the Twin Cities area and geek-centered media. The speakers told stories of how hard it was to remain in the closet during less open times and how refreshing it is to find a comforting space within geek conventions.

Although this sentiment was similar to the one expressed in “Looking Up to Heroes,” the LGBT panel was more involved and inspiring in how much it offered. The panelists talked about how far we’ve come, where to go next, and how to continue fostering a better community of inclusivity. Panels like these are an apt example of what makes these conventions so much fun for everybody. It was also an intriguing conversation for bringing up issues of bi erasure, when to defend yourself, and tips on coming out.

Within the smallest of rooms, far off to the side upstairs, there was a Star Trek fan panel that I had to attend. This was the bold and conversational type of session I love—the eclectic panelists spoke of their love and criticisms of Star Trek’s current crop of shows and how they relate to previous entries. Watching them react to the pitch of a Worf spinoff series staged as a workplace comedy was also hilarious. There was trivia, with some fun questions posed by the host and plenty of hilarious moments as the fans gushed about the lore. It was also a highly inviting, welcoming atmosphere to get even non-Trekkies engaged.

Finally, I decided to check out one more big panel: the Q&A for Phil LaMarr, the voice actor best known for Hermes on Futurama and Jack on Samurai Jack. I had interviewed him for the Twin Cities Geek earlier in the week and was excited to hear more about him as an audience member. He knew how to work the crowd and was incredibly open in talking about everything from his love of working with famous actors to despising billionaires. The Q&A portion was engaging thanks to the questions posed by the fans. One hilarious tidbit brought up by an audience member involved a citation of LaMarr’s early work on a shoot for a Sega CD video game.

Phil LaMarr answers fan questions.

I didn’t spend the entire con going to panels, though much of my time was spent there. I browsed the massive dealer room, where I reconnected with a few people I knew online and through other conventions. I ambled about the center, taking photos of the many cosplays. I also dropped by LaMarr’s booth to say hello and thank him again for the interview. But the panels were the best part for the amount of insight and community on full display.

This is why I love paneling so much. While conventions are a great place to show off your love for geeky costuming, buy your favorite merch, and converse in a corner with someone who shares your passion, panels can give geeks a voice. They allow the speakers to take center stage and talk about what matters to them most, bringing those perspectives to an audience equally interested. The many diverse types of panels make geekdom so expansive—I can go from listening to a school board member talk about the importance of geek spaces to a room of Trekkies playfully bickering over who is the better starship captain.

If you’ve ever thought about hosting and being part of a panel at a geek convention, take my advice: do it! I’ve been paneling at Anime Detour and CONvergence for nearly two decades, and it’s still a thrill. You might stumble if it’s your first time, but getting up on a stage and taking that microphone is worth the effort, and is such a big part of making these larger geek conventions a complete experience.