9th Platoon Laser Tag and More at Delaware’s Blue Hen Comic Con
As I continue to laser tag my way across all 50 states for the third time, this weekend I had Delaware in my sights. However, instead of heading for an arena (I’ve already played all the arenas in this state), I found myself seeking out some laser tag at an unexpected venue. I ventured to the fourth annual Blue Hen Comic Con being held at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, DE in search of some tactical tag with Randy (aka Bhodi Li) and the players coming out to enjoy some games of Infection with 9th Platoon Laser Tag.
This is actually the perfect place for this particular laser tag to pop up. Of course the die-hard Photon fans will recognize that 9th Platoon is a reference to the novel Thieves of Light, so how fitting for its namesake mobile operation to be part of an atmosphere celebrating all things sci-fi, pop culture and fandom oriented…all that and laser tag too!
When I arrived on the grounds I was greeted by the volunteer team at the front gate and introduced to the organizer, Sean, who provided me with my press pass and helped facilitate some nice encounters with a few of the guests on site who have played laser tag and therefore join the ranks of the “Look Who’s Tagging” celeb laser taggers (more on that later).
However, my first stop was a beeline to see the 9th Platoon in action where it was great to catch up with my friend (and upcoming Armageddon-It-On teammate) Randy who brought his Battle Company BRX gear along with a full assortment of bunkers and accessories.
I more frequently play with the BR Pro, so he gave me a refresher on the BRX features and the modifications he has made to tailor the gear to suit his players, such as a simpler green-button reload.
The BRX taggers were all set up on a custom rack.
Randy walked me through the field to see some other unique elements, like his custom respawn boxes.
And for a game of Infection the Zombie needs a special respawn point…no mistaking this container during the game!
He explained the variety of customizable game options while showing me an accessory I’ve never had an opportunity to use…the BC “grenade”, which can be implemented in many ways including tagging multiple players when dropped onto their path or strategically placed on the field covertly with motion detection setting it off.
Hmm…the shape sort of resembles a Photon crystal, don’t you think? I wonder if that will come up later in the day. ;)
I also learned a lot more about the features of the CallSign app and how it can pair with the BRX as well, which I had not realized.
Well, we need to actually play a game to make this count, so we started with a 1v1 to kick things off.
This officially marks my third time tagging Delaware…check!
It wasn’t long before the laser tag activity on the field garnered some attention from the visitors and attendees passing by and we got a real game underway.
We were joined by a couple of Battle Company enthusiasts and some new friends from Branzinno Tattz. Check out the “phaser eye view” of our game, courtesy of a phone mount on my BRX.
That was a great time! Everyone had a blast and it was a chance to enjoy the special format game that 9th Platoon was showcasing for the event.
Well, now that we know who’s tagging on the field, I wanted to see what was going on inside the exhibit halls and see if we could find some other laser tag players here on site.
Walking through the Blue Hen Comic Con was an adventure! I was immediately greeted by the white rabbit, inviting me to check out the Wonderland themed goodies.
This was the tip of the iceberg as far as the cosplay was concerned. Lots of people were celebrating their favorite characters and fandoms with costumes and props. I admired what cosplayer Siren was showcasing at her table.
Look closely…that’s a shoe! Can I get a pair with a tag phaser attached? I know where to find a few extras! ;)
Side note: This may seriously be a future craft project for me as part of an upcoming series I’ve been cultivating. Working title, “Fierce Phasers”.
Ok, so who else is into “fierce phasers”? It’s not exactly laser tag, but the Diamond State Ghostbusters made an appearance, and as Jay says in the intro of Laser Unfocused Tag Talk “I feel like you could be, like, in Ghostbusters or something” and today that seemed very possible!
These guys were awesome! As were the special guests. My thanks to Sean who was kind enough to get the ball rolling for me in facilitating some short interviews with a few of these guests who told me about how they have enjoyed playing laser tag. Let’s hear from them!
There you go, three new celebrity taggers entering the “Look Who’s Tagging” hall of fame!
With these Power Rangers actors on site, it got me thinking. Something interesting if you want to find another laser tag connection (albeit an incredibly loose one), is that there were some people involved with the Photon television series that were later connected with the development of the Power Rangers, most notably Haim Saban and Shuki Levy who have music credits on Photon. The Photon television show was a DIC Enterprises production, but these original cassettes of the music from the show were from Saban Productions (cassettes courtesy of George Carter III).
Some have speculated that the Photon show, filmed predominantly in Japan, may have inadvertently served as a precursor of inspiration to the far more commercially successful Power Rangers television series. I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to see some similarities between the two, but again, that is just speculation.
I think these cosplay outfits reinforce my point.
Tamara Johnson (who played Barbara Jarvis, mother to Christopher “Bhodi Li” Jarvis on the Photon series) shared during Phocon 2014 that a past Pink Ranger actress had been a babysitter to her real life son, so the connections continue to pop up!
There is even a Power Rangers Mystic Force home market laser tag set in the Laser Tag Museum Collection, which seems like a fitting selection for this week’s Museum Collection Monday.
As with many comic con events, the Blue Hen Comic Con featured a cosplay contest. Now, I don’t typically compete in cosplay, but something moved me to put laser tag a bit more front and center this time, so I decided to enter the cosplay contest dressed as Tivia of Nivia.
There was some amazing cosplay on display in Delaware!
Here’s a sample of the cosplay contest.
It isn’t every day that “Tivia” (at least THIS version of Tivia) gets to play laser tag. So, I headed back over to 9th Platoon (where Bhodi Li was the only person who knew what this costume was all about) and I played some laser tag in full costume as the original laser tag princess. :)
Now, THIS was FUN!
These kids had a great time also, though I’m sure they didn’t plan to laser tag with a costumed character today!
Or maybe they did! With so many people getting into the cosplay spirit there was no better place to see a character seem to come to life!
And was I right about the similarities between these spherical accessories?
All this tag and cosplay made me work up an appetite, so it was nice that they had an assortment of food trucks on site. I enjoyed a chili Mac and cheese bowl and a fruity pebbles ice cream.
If you are noticing that HUGE lizard necklace around my neck…well, I did some souvenir shopping, lol. There were tons of vendors spread out across two buildings and I figured I needed a statement piece to take home.
Wow, this has been a day full of unexpected events! What began as a simple tag trip to check off Delaware and see 9th Platoon in action became a really amazing opportunity to experience all that the Blue Hen Comic Con had to offer. My thanks again to the show organizers for the VIP access to it all. It’s amazing how laser tag was more than just an attraction, but a running theme throughout this entire experience. You just never know who’s tagging or where those “fierce phasers” may turn up! :)
Comments or Questions?
Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com
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