Tonto costume at Comic-Con

Wrap Up: The Five Things I Learned At SDCC 2013

By Kendra James San Diego Comic Con was overwhelming and not for the faint hearted, but also one of the most unique experiences of geekdom I’ve ever had. After taking a week to recover I wanted share a few highs and lows, insights and lessons learned from a first time SDCC attendee. What do you think?

1. The children are the future.

After snapping a photo of a kid in a Tonto costume I fell into a discussion with the friends I was with over whether or not it was an appropriate costume for an eight or nine year old. They argued that you can’t blame a parent for allowing a child to dress as a character they admire. I pointed out that if it were my kid they wouldn’t have dressed as Tonto in the first place. I would have used the, “Can I dress as Tonto for Comic Con?” request as a teachable moment–-a teachable moment that would have started before we walked into the theatre. Perhaps it sounds harsh, but isn’t teaching your kids right and wrong the point of being a parent, even if you do have to simplify a bit for age? The outlook for the next generation of geeks won’t be particularly bright if parents of all races can’t begin having these conversations with their children.Comment:  As predicted, the mainstreaming of Johnny Depp's phony portrayal continues.

For more on Johnny Depp and Tonto, see Racist Car Ad Features Tonto Ripoff and Disney Store Sells Tonto Costumes.