Comic Con is the convention dedicated to the celebration of comics, sci-fi movies, and fantasy, but there's sometimes an un-funny side to Comic Con. As INSIDE EDITION reports, some of the costumed attendees, especially women, find they've been on the r
They dress up as their favorite comic superheroes and characters. Posing and preening for the fans who line up to take their pictures.
But some say there's a dark side to Comic Con. Many of the women there say the fun and games can turn sometimes become offensive.
Eva Andersen says she won't put up with the bad behavior that some say has been going on at Comic Con for years. “That does not mean you're going to be able to grab me, touch me, say lewd comments to me. No!” she told INSIDE EDITION.
Just three months ago at Comic Con in San Diego, America's Next Top Model winner Adrianne Curry says she chased down a guy who allegedly groped her and one of her friends.
She said, “He came up behind me and yelled 'Comic Con' and put his hands on my boobs and grabbed my ass.”
Another woman, Diane Pho said, “In my case he asked if he could buy me. Because I was an Asian woman and I was extremely offended by that.”
Comic Con organizers in New York City were so concerned that they posted signs around the convention center warning men to "Keep their hands to themselves. Especially during Cos-play, short for costume play. But would it work? We wanted to find out.
Ashley Blankenship is a model who worked at last year's Comic Con. She says some guys touched her and said rude things. This year, we asked her to dress up as Wonder Woman and we followed her with hidden cameras to see what would happen.
The INSIDE EDITION I-Squad followed her for two days and for the most part, the fans were well-behaved and respectful. Until one guy came along….
At first, he seemed perfectly friendly. Asking Ashley to pose for him. But then things turned kind of strange. He started asking other fans to pose with Blankenship’s whip around their necks. He even told a guy to get on his knees and he complied.
He said to Blankenship, “I'll be happy to buy you, I don't know, lunch or get you a glass of water. Something that will make you feel good all day.”
Then as the conversation became more personal, Ashley said, so did the touching.
She said, “He grabs my hand, and it’s like caressing my hand for a good five seconds while he looks me up and down and tells me to come find him.”
Thousands of fans come to Comic Con. So there's bound to be some odd behavior in the crowd. Even so, that shouldn't spoil the fun for everyone.
“I'm going all in,” said spectator, Eva Anderson. “And just because I'm going all in doesn't mean I'm going to be disrespected. Because I won't!”
