In 2024, when being a geek can be cosplay cool, can you imagine a major comic convention without light sabers or absurdly awesome weaponry? The biggest day of a rain-soaked WonderCon almost veered into the dark side, unlit by light saber-wielding Jedi heroes (and villains) as attendees and performers verbally clashed with prop check management over whether light sabers and other weapons with metal parts should pass into the halls.
Mind you, on the exhibition floor, steel weapons, some with lethally sharp blades and another more centrally located booth proudly displayed assorted light sabers for sale. 
The real metal weapons could be seen, but not carried (free shipping only). Light sabers could be freely purchased but those carrying their previously purchased Jedi weapons were, for a while, turned back at the door. How this played out Friday, the first day of the con, I can’t be sure.
Friday morning, the first day of WonderCon 2024, I packed my light blue (with orange highlights) Star Trek gun (Rubies Costume Co. Inc. Star Trek Classic Phaser) in my Star Trek Tricorder purse. I asked my husband if I needed to go to Costume Props Check, booths at every comic convention which inspects and okays your cosplay weaponry. He responded that it wasn’t really a weapon. Neither is a light saber and I had taken my light saber to this Anaheim Convention Center before–once for the Star Wars Celebration and more than once for D23 Expo.
Saturday, our view of cosplay weaponry would be challenged.
Our main challenge of the day was our canine in chemotherapy, Misty. During the first week after a chemo injection, she needed to urinate as frequently as a young pup–every three hours. I was dressed as an on-duty intelligence agent with an action canine so we could be part of the late morning Star Trek group photo. Friday was the only day that we expected sunshine.
Struggling with my Southern California brain, I tried to think of a rainstorm sturdy costume for a Saturday that promised continual heavy showers. Misty went in a store-bought Star Wars costume as Ahsoka. To keep things easy, I went without my light saber, favoring matching with my husband over my dog. That decision saved me from being involved with an early morning fiasco.
My husband was volunteering as a member of the Star Trek the Fleet so we had to be there before 8 a.m. He was assigned to one of the main Costume Prop check stations, sheltered under a canvas tent and already checking in people before the exhibition floor even opened. The word he was given: No metal.
You got a custom-made plastic gun with a metal trigger and grip? That one was turned away. There were no metal guns allowed. Plastic prop guns would pass and normally be zip tied to their holsters, but zip ties are easily cut post check. The explanation my husband was given: People posing and play fighting were whacking bystanders, causing a commotion and risking possible injury.
If you thought, people should have read the rules, the metal factor wasn’t mentioned at all in the WonderCon Costume Props Policy:
Costume Props Policy
No functional weapons are allowed at WonderCon. Simulated or costume weapons are allowed as a part of your costume, subject to prior approval by security and compliance with the following:
The WonderCon Show Desk is located in Lobby B/C. During show hours you can always find a WonderCon staff member or security guard in the show office. Please stop by there if you have any questions or concerns.
- All costume weapons must be inspected at one of the Costume Props Check Desks. There are 4 locations this year: on the Grand Plaza outside; inside in Hall D, near registration; in Lobby B/C; and in the lobby of the new North Building (locations are subject to change).
- All costume weapons must conform to state and federal law.
- Projectile costume weapons must be rendered inoperable.
- Functional (real) arrows must have their tips removed and be bundled and zip-tied to a quiver.
- 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 to WonderCon.
Under Prohibited Items:
Absolutely no functioning props or weapons are allowed. Only active on-duty police officers may carry firearms within the Convention Center. All other persons are strictly prohibited regardless of license or status.
There is another caveat:
Comic-Con reserves the right to change or modify any policy or rule at any time and without notice.
And so the fans came with ready to show off their costumes. People where turned back and they might be forced to carry their props back to their car or hotel which may or may not be close by. One person had been dropped off and raced after this driver after being turned away because of his light saber. There were frantic cellphone calls.
And then there was the guild. In this case, the Saber Guild, which has the blessing of George Lucas and a strict dress code. They were scheduled to perform at the Masquerade Ball Saturday evening. The WonderCon website even specifically lists them:
In addition to many amazing contestant costumes in the competition, there will be live entertainment during judging intermission by return performances from members of the Saber Guild, a Lucasfilm-recognized Star Wars costume group that specializes in choreographed lightsaber shows at charity and community events, as well as comic book and sci-fi conventions.
Despite this status as recognized and featured performers at the Masquerade, things were tense, but the people at the Costume Prop station were not the decision makers. They were only the policy enforcers.
Calls were made. Discussion were quick and there was the Masquerade connection to contend with. In the end, the Force was with the Guild and Star Wars cosplayers who came later in the morning. Light sabers were allowed in.
Later that afternoon, we spoke with a guild member who explained that while the prop check people said, this could have been made easier if the guild members entered all at once, together, that wasn’t reasonable. Some people were in hotels having driven in from Las Vegas or San Diego. Others were more local, driving in from Los Angeles County or other nearby areas and the Masquerade didn’t start until 8:30 p.m. While some members didn’t have to be there until the evening, others were assigned time at their organization’s booth in the exhibition hall. Volunteers were in the halls as early as eight with most of the exhibitors coming in at 9 or 9:30 a.m. (Exhibition Hall hours were Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Some guild members who might want to walk the exhibition hall or attend the panels, didn’t have to be up and around until the convention officially opened at 10 a.m.
Sunday, easily the laziest most easy-going day of any con, I spoke with a different guild member. He recalled seeing someone with a real metal weapon that had a plastic tip. He was fine with turning something like that away. Like my husband, he confirmed that someone had to make a frantic cellphone call so that his prop could be taken somewhere safe and he could then enter the con. He felt the prop checking people were enforcing the letter and not respecting the intent of the no metal rule. Yes, light sabers have metal handles, but they are not real weapons any more than the umbrellas that were peculiarly prominent on this unusually rain-soaked weekend in Southern California.
You’d think that by Sunday, the actual metal policy would have been better articulated, but that wasn’t true. We asked the woman at the Lobby B/C station about the policy. She didn’t really know. She could call to confirm when an issue arose.
We went back to the main check point nearest the parking, outside of Hall D. We spoke to the people now at the check station. Light sabers were okay for now, but not the Disney Store sold TVA Time Stick which isn’t cheap ($99.99). The stick’s only function is to light up and is no more deadly than light saber umbrellas (which were allowed in).
Both guild members we spoke with noted they had been told the banning of all props was being considered for conventions. That confirms what my husband heard on Saturday morning.
This is troubling because WonderCon is produced by the same organization that handles San Diego Comic-Con. Things might play out differently in San Diego, but it would be worth looking into as I intend to try. There are also there geek gatherings of note at the Anaheim Convention Center, including one where many light sabers and Time Sticks would be expected: D23 Expo 2024 (August 9-11).
Ian K. Ono contributed to this story.
Age of the Geek 