Even the ‘geek-curious’ are welcome at J1-Convention on Sunday

Geeks of all stripes are readying for this Sunday’s J1-Convention.

More than 1,000 fans of anime, comic books, costumes and nerd-inspired music are expected to attend the event in West Philly.

Along with live musical performances by artists including Rachael Rota, Brentalfloss and Mega Ran, J1-Con will have vendors, expert panels, video game competitions, and a Cosplay contest.

Jason Richardson has been coordinating J1-Con for the past few years. He says geeks and even the geek-curious should feel welcome.

“You just kind of become a geek, but at the same time, everybody is a geek. You can be a geek about anything.”

Richardson adds the mainstreaming of nerd culture–from Hollywood blockbusters based on comic books to CBS’s The Big Bang Theory–has made some hardcore nerds a little uncomfortable.

“Now it is trendy to be a geek. And that’s made a lot of geeks bitter…but we can’t be that way,” he says.

“If we want it to be what it is and more–where it is everywhere and the whole world is just covered in geek culture…if we want it to be that way, we have to be open minded and open our arms up to those who may not understand it the way that we want them to. But the fact that they are willing to show that love by wearing that shirt or watching that movie or whatever, as long as they are showing love to it, more power to them!”