Convention Review: ComiConn 2018

A mixture of sadness and nostalgia animates most modern comic book conventions. Not the big cons ”“ like San Diego or New York. Those cons tend be rife with youthful energy and the undeniable excitement about the lucrative interface between comic book intellectual property and the adaptive destinations of film or television. It“s the regional cons that are weighted more with the nostalgia that makes comic book collecting so authentic to so many of us. We remember what comics represented to us in our youth: power, empowerment, and unlimited potential. Collecting those tokens now, in our contemporary moment, sometimes represents for us the loss of those moments, the nostalgia that makes us see our past in a particularly favorable or positive light.

The regional cons are dominated by this kind of energy and ”“ I think ”“ this is what makes them appealing ”“ both to fans and vendors, as well as to actors and artists, many of whom are slightly beyond their prime. Cons are where we go to capture ”“ or recapture something of our past. Sometimes that past is situated in a comic ”“ the first appearance of Black Panther. Or sometimes that past is caught up in a show or a character ”“ like Holly Marie Combs who played Piper on the original version of Charmed. And sometimes it“s just the atmosphere itself that invokes the feelings of nostalgia; the feelings that have become the key currency in most of our comic book realities.

This past weekend“s ComiConn ”“ at the Foxwoods Casino Resorts in Connecticut provided a healthy does of nostalgia for regional/super-regional artists and creators as well as for fans of any number of popular television shows ”“ including The Walking Dead and Charmed. Some of the con“s key features ”“ a pop-up Tattoo shop and some great deals on comics provided by a range of comic sellers — distinguished the Comic-Conn from some of its regional competitors. Of course, the fact that Comic Crusaders had a booth and our very own Al Mega was on site working the space and his magic, helped to make this con a success (for us) and a lot of fun (for all). Aside from the usual vendors ”“ comics, toys, etc. there was a solid assembly of actors, cos-players, artists, and writers in attendance.

Seth Gilliam was probably the most gifted dramatic actor on site ”“ no disrespect to Tara Reid or Robert Englund. Gilliam“s Sgt. Ellis Carver on HBO“s The Wire (especially season four) was a revelation. In a series that sometimes enticed us to root for the bad guys, season four of The Wire invited us to see our failing public education system sometimes through the eyes of Carver who did everything he could to help one kid who was doomed by his social circumstances. Gilliam“s Carver embodied and projected our collective frustration and the futility of individual effort in the midst of systemic social catastrophe. His portrayal of Father Gabriel (Stokes) on The Walking Dead will likely etch him into our imaginations forever ”“ as our fears about the gap between what we imagine what we would do during a tragic apocalypse versus what we would actually do during a tragic apocalypse continue to expand with each successive season of The Walking Dead. Hard to understand why actors/actresses have to grind for $40 photo-opps at regional conventions, but like any other industry/profession actors have ebbs and flows to their Hollywood careers.

There were ample comic artists and writers on hand for commissions and for signing books. This wasn“t a crowded con ”“ maybe to the chagrin of the organizers but to the delight of attendees who had access to some talented creatives. We spoke to as many of these folks as possible. Artist, Alex Cormack was on hand and all smiles. He is the visual talent behind Sink ”“ one of the most intriguing and visually stunning books on the market right now. He shared with CC some finished pencils/inks and breakdowns of Sink #6 ”“ which unfortunately we cannot share here, but he also spoke candidly about how he got his start in comics. He remembers vividly working these same kinds of regional conventions with his portfolio under arm, trying to make connections. Hearing his story is inspiring, but also a welcome reminder that even the most talented artists in this business need a break ”“ a not-so-random connection to someone in the industry. It“s a good thing that Cormack got his.

Ben Goldsmith, writer for SÃ©ance was also on site and representing Source Point Press (based in Detroit). Goldsmith also took some of his convention time to talk with Comic Crusaders about his title on Source Point and his overall convention experience. Like so many of the artists and writers that we speak to, Ben“s success in the industry required a lot of networking and eventually a break ”“ an opportunity given to him by someone else who believed in him and was willing to take a chance on his work. Alex and Ben“s stories are the type of feel-good narratives that inspire generations of would-be creators. These are the reasons that people come to cons in the first place ”“ to capture some sense of proximity to the industry that we love.

While aspiring creators are often under cover on the con scene, cos-players make their love for popular culture explicit. There were plenty of good cos-play presentations at this year“s ComiConn. One of the most original players was a young woman ”“ who wanted to remain anonymous ”“ who decided to play as 2B, the main character of NieR: Automata, an amalgamated RPG with fluid multi-faceted gameplay and great visuals. This cos-player“s 2B was picture perfect. She purchased the dress and trademark black blindfold ”“ which she was somehow able to see through. But she built the sword ”“ Beast Lord ”“ at home by herself. Beast Lord was over six feet in length and perfectly captured the outsized proportions of 2B and her must trusted weapon in the world of NieR: Automata. There were plenty of more elaborate cos-plays at this year“s Comic Conn, but 2B captured the spirit of this con in ways that some of the players couldn“t. She came as the protagonist of a game that isn“t super-popular, produced by a smaller game developer that is hit or miss with its titles/offerings. The game ”“ NieR ”“ relies heavily on gamer nostalgia for games of old ”“ like early iterations of The Legend of Zelda or the first installments of the Final Fantasy series. Since NieR requires a deep sense of nostalgia for it visually spectacular game play it makes sense that this particular con attracted a gamer who realized their vision on site.

Cons are a permanent feature of the comics based pop cultural world. The interface between the books, the games, the television shows and the film industry can still be organic even if the forces of the market seem to over-determine every inch of space of every vendor“s booth.

Al Mega’s Note: Hey everyone, ComicConn was a blast and a success. It was so much fun to hang out with fellow Crusaders, James and Bud, but most importantly connect with fans. We did a few giveaways via donations from Bobby Torres from Insane Comics and his title Oblivious, the Valiant Comics PR team sent over 3 Valiant High Con Variants, a pile of Shadowman (Spring Preview) and bookmarks, a shout out to Toyverse host BobOMac for his donation of Vinimates from Diamond Collectibles. Hilty for his piece of artwork and lastly Dodgy whom had gotten us a FEW CC variant covers of Hellbent #0. Those items put smiles on many folks across varied ages.

I want to give a very special shout out to the WHOLE AR Comics team. Their support is very appreciated! Also the ComiConn staff was amazing helpful, friendly! I think this was the best staff I’ve EVER encountered in a convention! GREAT JOB!

Look forward to doing this again!