Long time no see, people! My business partner, Master Kitty Yasashii, and I are calling it a week now that Florida Supercon has passed (this past weekend) and the school week has mercifully come to a close...but enough about our cosmically irrelevent three-day school week; God DAMN, Supercon was awesome! It definitely had its downsides, but it has been thus far the coolest con ever hit by the Syndicate.
The Good: I can honestly say I have never come across a more chill group of connies (con-goers), a more organized staff, a more eclectic group of special guests, or cheaper dealer's rooms in my days as an "otaku (think simple American definition, not literal Japanese definition--the Jo don't flow that way)."
Speaking of which, another great thing about Supercon was that it wasn't just us anime and manga aficionados there--oh no. We had plenty of company from the American Comic Book Geeks, the Trekkies, and the Star Wars Freaks (and I apply those labels in the most affectionate way possible). Hell, one person cosplayed as a banana. She certainly got no peace from us until she danced around while singing the Peanut Butter Jelly Song a la Family Guy.
My favorite part of attending would definitely have to be the showings, the beach parties, and the free pocky. Yes, my fellow Americans: not only were there dance/light saber battle/belly dance parties 30 feet away from the beautiful South Florida shoreline, but free pocky was being handed out to all.
****Games Included***
-The Anime Dating Game
-Whose Line Is It Anime
-Bleach Vs. Naruto
****Movies Included***
-Ultimate Hellsing
-The Protector (indie, comic-inspired)
-Batman Beyond (Fan Film!)
****Panels Included***
-Gothic Lolita Fashion
-How To Impress An Editor (hosted by industry professionals)
-The History of Comics (also hosted by industry professionals)
AND stuff actually happened on time, as scheduled. Shyeah--all at once, Miami became worth inhabiting.
Most importantly, though, the small group atmosphere gave entrepreneurs like us the oppurtunity to network with ease. In the span of three days, I became buds with Carlos Castellanos (Baldo) and his two adorable sons, got to chit-chat with Tommy Castillo (Batman and Se7en: Gluttony), and made arrangements to collaborate artistically with a young screenwriter in the making, Alan Dream. Talk about productivity!
And now...
The Bad: The "Hollywood Beach Resort" sign on the outside of the venue had letters missing; the building itself was screaming for a new paint-job; and the bathrooms were, for lack of a more concise word, icky to say the least. Luckily, the aesthetic appeal of the place was directly proportional to the price of the food inside.
I wasn't too happy with the organization of the artists', guests', and dealers' tables either. To illucidate, my table, unlike the other tables filled with anime- and manga-related paraphenelia and art, was placed in the downstairs section. On the one hand, I landed a good spot--our table was the first one people could possibly look at on the way inside; on the other hand, we were placed right smack dab between elaborate displays of Star Wars and Marvel/DC fandom. We were the only anime-related vendors on the floor--let's just say the first-floor dwellers weren't exactly our projected sales market.
What really put the icing on the half-baked end of the cake, however, would have to be the fact that I got in for free. Sure, I was guaranteed two weekend passes since I had purchased an artist's table; however, the good people at the registration table took me at my word with no form of proof whatsoever from me or anyone. They had even forgotten to put me on the guest list, and they still let me in! Heck, they even let in my little sister for free, taking me at my word, once again, that she was under twelve and accompanied by an adult (Kitty just turned 18 earlier last week). Did they ask Kitty for ID? Heaven's no!
In retrospect, this all benefitted me in the end; but it was the principle of the thing that bugged me most. People who paid $50 for a table are bound to feel cheated when they know some low-life could have just walked in from the street, said he had a table, and gotten in for free. On the plus side, staff members were actually forbidding people without registrar bracelets from entering the main con area upstairs. Vindicated (slightly) were we.
Of course there was also the...
Awesome Beyond Reason: Since we contributed as artists to making the first ever Supercon a success, we are guaranteed entrance and a table at the next con sponsored by the same host free of charge. "It's the con's way of saying thanks," Mike Broder, the con coordinator, tells us. Well, I say, "You're welcome."
