Many on the ReedPop team began as fans - cosplaying, collecting autographs, and forging friendships in crowded aisles. Today, they’re behind the scenes, creating those same unforgettable moments for others. Discover some of their amazing career journeys and reveal how fandom can not only become a profession but can even inspire romance!

Every year, in cities across the globe, something extraordinary happens. Convention centres erupt into a kaleidoscope of capes, masks, and furry animals. Grown adults become Jedi knights and time-traveling doctors, teenagers wield enchanted hammers, and entire families roam aisles dressed as superheroes, anime characters, or intergalactic smugglers. These are not just costumes  ̶  they are declarations of love, of identity, of belonging. Welcome to the world of fandom.

More than just admirers of comics, movies, games, or fantasy realms, many fans build their lives around the stories and characters that shape their dreams. For them, comic cons aren’t mere events; they are places where fiction becomes community, where shy kids find courage behind a Spider-Man mask, where friendships spark over shared fandoms, careers are launched – and romance blossoms!

Fallon Prinzivalli’s extraordinary fan journey began with a chance visit to New York Comic Con (NYCC) which transformed her career and introduced her to her fiancé.

Fallon had never heard of NYCC until one day in February 2009 while studying journalism, she was offered a press badge to cover the event for a college assignment. “I’ve always been passionate about pop culture, especially literature, film and TV, so seeing a place where all my favourite fandoms converged and were being celebrated hooked me immediately,” she revealed. “I wound up going back the following year, bringing my best friend and sister along, and it eventually became our annual tradition.” 

An interview Fallon did with Daniel Dae Kim at NYCC 2009 helped land her an internship and then full-time job at MTV where, as part of her role, she covered NYCC for MTV.com. Following a stint in B2B events she realised that her perfect job would combine her skills in writing and events with her passion for pop culture. So, she kept an eye on the website of NYCC’s organiser, ReedPop, and when an opening was posted in late 2013, she immediately applied. Twelve years on, her career has come full circle as the Marketing Director of ReedPop and managing a team she describes as “the best in the business.”

Fallon says she has had the pleasure of meeting many incredible people over the years—both co-workers, content creators, and partners who have become fast friends, or even like family. She’s currently engaged to Chris D’Lando, Event Manager for the ReedPop Comic Con Portfolio, and her bridal party include three current and former ReedPop employees. “You become really close with people when you spend as much time traveling and being onsite as we do, and I’ve been lucky that it’s with people I genuinely enjoy spending a lot of time with.” 
 

Fans from childhood

Many enthusiasts trace their passion for comics, anime, and related media back to formative experiences in their youth, with childhood experiences laying the foundation for lifelong engagement and community participation.

Alex Rae, who has been a comic book worm “for longer than I could read,” experienced his first Comic Con was he was 13. “My father drove me to a local show where comic book artist and writer George Perez was a guest. While waiting in line to get into the event George came out and signed books for people waiting to get in. He was so nice it made the whole day for me, and I never looked back!”

Alex went on to work for a convention company through which he got to know the ReedPop team. After lockdown, when they were looking for people to help run several events in the span of four months, he quickly stepped up. “I came aboard with open arms and have been here ever since!”

Today, as Comic Publishing Talent Manager, Alex runs the Artist Alley’s for all ReedPop conventions including invited guests of talent in the comic industry. Asked what he loves most about being part of the fan community, he said “the constant energy from fans. There is always something new in a long standing fandom or a new fandom that people are going nuts over, and I find the common thread of conventions an easy talking point to connect with people.”

Like Alex, Chris Arrant’s first experience with a comic convention was a small dealers show in his small town in Northwest Florida. “No celebrities, just comics – lots of boxes of comics,” he said. “I bought a copy of Secret Wars II #1, and when I got home and opened it up there was a signed business card of Stan Lee’s. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but it got me hooked.”

His eyes were fully opened to the magic of comic cons by a visit to C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo) in 2015. “I had been to conventions before, from San Diego Comic Con to MegaCon, but this C2E2 seemed to have the perfect mix of what I loved – comics creators, celebrities, and community. For me, this three-day experience crystalized what I love about comic conventions – it’s about people with shared interests being able to get together for one weekend, all in one building, and enjoying themselves.”

Now, as editor-in-chief of ReedPop’s Popverse platform, Chris gets to be excited about movies, TV, comics, games, and literature every day. “Unlike a convention, we’re live every day of the year chatting with fans, talking to pros, and continually working to find what excites people. During conventions, especially during ReedPop shows, we are super-charged, offering the same kind of convention coverage we do at non-ReedPop shows but with special access – kind of like NFL reporters during an NFL game.”