Con Review and Storytime: Amazing AZ 2016
- Insert obligatory note about being slow to update here!
- It's always so hard to think of full interesting things to write. What do you think- tutorials? Con stories? Gotta give me some idea of what you want to see! I just need to make sure that people are checking in here- god knows social media like Facebook and IG are hard enough to mess with.
- Anyway, I'm currently sitting in the living room of Courtney Leigh and Alex Davis, an amazing cosplay/photo/video team that happens to be some of my best friends. I stay here while I'm in Phoenix quite a bit, they're the best. Go find their internets and love on them. Same with Anabel Martinez, Allen Amis Productions, and Firelight Cosplay/Amber Brite. Just look at deez faces.
Amazing AZ Comic Con was last weekend, and I visited my parents in between then and now. I love my AZ trips, but am I ready to be home to my Mallowmew and the beach! I'll post a massive photo dump soon, but for now, I reeeeally want to tell you guys about the con itself and the most... interesting... convention experience I think I've ever had.- Amazing cons (mostly AZ, but I've heard the same sort of feedback from a few of their other branches as well) are, in theory, creator based cons that are meant to return to the origins of cons- comic artists and writers and smaller publishers, less pop culture that you get with Wizard World and CCI. It's a great concept, but the marketing and planning for the con leave a lot to be desired and I've never heard of any vendor making good money at that show. As a fan, some of the programming is really worthwhile and the con does being out good guests (I got my original Rogue suit signed by Chris Claremont, which I am SO happy about!) the rest of the programming can be a little disorganized from a professional viewpoint. I do still love the con and visiting home, but it is never worth it for me to purchase a table of my own when I'm already spending hundreds on a flight. As a fan, especially with the Groupon deals, it's worth checking out at least once- and please spend money at vendors! It might be our only sale of the day!
- All that aside, time for STORYTIME!!!!
- I'm pasting in my part of the conversation I had with Juno Cosplay and Anjelo (you've seen them in my photos, they're family) with minimal editing, so bonus fun in my reactions or something. Warning for NSFW language and grammar from hell (I blame adrenaline and autocorrect).
- The guy next to us has one of those "only a quarter of his shit is legit" autograph booths
- Day one he tries to snipe Anabel and Allen's booth across the aisle since they were late cause Allen hurt himself (which is totally understandable on day 2 when you're sure someone isn't showing up but that was a little forward?)
- Guy seemed okay at first and was nice and helped me with my banner. Then he went 0-60 and got REALLY PISSED because people were in front of his ghetto end cap turn in... thing... that people do when they have framed things hanging. It's a common thing and is usually not a huge deal, but it does block off your neighbors (in this case, us).
- And he kept taking it out on me. Alex and Courtney and everyone were getting sassy ofc but I was trying to be chill and I really did my best and apologized a lot and all that to just try to get this guy off our nuts. Found out later he tried to "report us to the con" and "get us banned" like 3 times.
- It just escalated from there. I totally get the frustration of having your shit blocked but 1. They weren't 2. 90% were strangers 3. He was getting angry at anyone who even spoke to us first. My cousin stopped by and went into look at stuff and he got in is face saying MAKE ROOM FOR PAYING CUSTOMERS
- SO THEN after sass at least 5x a day for that reason (coming over, raising his voice at me, being very territorial even when we were just in our own booth entrance). At breakdown, I'm by myself holding down the fort waiting on loves to come back from a car run.
- So I look over and see him tediously grabbing all the alligator clips off his thing so I try to olive branch and ask if I can help him take them down. He snaps and tells I DIDN'T GET YOUR HELP WHEN I NEEDED IT then apologized to me and said I was being nice and he took it out on me and was sorry (okay progress) THEN HE SNAPPED AGAIN and I was like WHAT MORE DID YOU WANT FROM ME I TRIED SO HARD BIPOLAR DUDE
- and he just was cussing and so fucking rude and I start frustrated crying a little and he just keeps fucking going and then I turn away and cry a bit harder cause him just so done then out of my peripheral teary vision I see Allen and Anabel CHARGE OVER and Annabel grabs me and mama bear cuddles me and Allen RIPS THIS GUY A NEW ONE
So then the floor manager guy (who is lovely, I met him at Amazing HI, I call him Jersey in my head cause... well, duh) comes over after booth guy runs away to "get me banned" and helps me get my stuff to Cara's booth to get away from this guy and that was basically the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Seriously though, I heard the Rise of the Valkyries playing in my head when Anabel and Allen charged over. They're the sweetest, most good natured people, and I feel so loved since someone attacking me got that kind of a reaction from them. The fact that they had my back made such a huge difference to me, and I was so so touched even when I couldn't get through to this guy. I'm one of those people that really wants everyone to all get along, I'm a dirty hippie, but I've NEVER cried in frustration like that before.
- I'll have another post coming soon with more photos, the rest of the weekend, etc. I have to work harder on making my site a real thing... but you know, baby steps and in between more responsibilities <3
- PHOTO BREAK!
- Bonus lolz:
- Removing last names and links, but see below for more information, real reactions from industry professionals, and the name of the company. A HUGE HUGE thank you to Jimmy and the team for reacting so well and taking care of me when I really needed you. This is why you gotta be nice- if not for the Golden Rule, cause then people talk like THIS.
Sorry for any odd formatting!
Anabel Martinez
February 14 at 6:16pm
A vendor waited until someone's friends had left to hassle her about her booth being popular all weekend. Piece of trash. I can't stand con bullies. If your sales suck at con, up your game and don't throw shade at other vendors who are working their asses off.
Comments
Post a Comment