I’ll be honest, I’m not surprised you don’t hear more stories about violence at comic book conventions, especially when they’re conventions the size of the San Diego Comic-Con. You’ve got people in weird costumes carrying weapons, Star Wars and Star Trek fans mingling together under the same roof, crowded conditions, long lines, lots of hustle and bustle, and lots of social misfits. It’s really a recipe for disaster, as was discovered when one man stabbed another man in the eye with a pen in a debate over seat space.
The argument between the two men started in a line to see Seth Rogen discuss his new sci-fi comedy Paul at a hall in the San Diego-based comic book and sci-fi gathering. It turned violent when the two men, forced together by crowded conditions, got into a scrap over elbow room. The stabber, the above-pictured man in the blue Harry Potter tee shirt, stabbed the other man in the eye with a pen, causing a minor cut and leading to a 30-minute delay in the panel while police dealt with the situation.
The real cause, some argue, is the San Diego Convention Center itself. “Well, there is a crowd issue. It’s gotten really crowded. And if anything, an incident like this points to the need for more space,” said conventioneer Zennie Abraham. “Should Comic-Con be in San Diego? I think so, but San Diego’s got to make more space for it. It’s become too big and I didn’t think anything like this could happen because it’s a chill event but it did happen.”
Tags: Comic-Con, San Diego Comic-Con, man stabbed in the eye, man stabbed at Comic-Con, stabbing at Comic-con, unusual assaults, Zennie Abraham, Seth Rogen, Paul, conventions, sci-fi conventions