While I’ve been living in North Carolina for a little over three years now, I hadn’t had a chance to check out NC Comicon until this year. As much as I enjoy traveling for conventions, I’ve learned there’s something so special about local cons. It’s also, admittedly, incredibly nice to go to a con for a day and then get to go home to your own bed. I’ll take this opportunity to thank The Variant for getting me into the convention as part of the team! With that, let’s talk about my lovely experience at NC Comicon 2024!

I have mentioned in previous articles that my favorite thing about conventions is the community. This is especially true about these smaller cons. The way people work together, the care given to every aspect, the overarching sense of connection— those things really shine in more intimate settings. I loved the energy of NC Comicon. Everything seemed to be running like a well-oiled machine. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The panels and events started on time, and had great energy. I especially enjoyed the emcee for the cosplay showcase and the craftsmanship competition. Good energy is vital to those kinds of things, and I think they really nailed it.

I actually took part in the cosplay showcase on Saturday, and it was a super fun experience. I haven’t been in front of many crowds in cosplay, and I thought I’d be more nervous but my friends and the supportive attendees put me at ease. I love that they do the showcase because it gives everyone a moment to shine. It’s not always possible for people to craft their own cosplays from the ground up, so I love that showcases like that give everyone a space to show off and feel confident. I got to see so many different kinds of costumes, and I always love seeing the way people embody their characters. When it was time for me and my small group to go up, I wasn’t even thinking about the chance of winning a prize. I was just happy to be in that moment with my friends. Cosplay is an expansive kind of hobby, and I love that the place I find myself most comfortable in with it is anywhere I get to be silly with the people I love. Shoutout to my friends Dubs and Carolyn though for being among the winners in their incredible Vi and Caitlyn cosplays. 

Speaking of shoutouts to winners– I got the immense privilege of seeing one of my best friends, Max (aka nevertoomuchcosplay on Instagram,) place in the craftsmanship contest on Sunday! I can’t stress enough how proud I am of him, or how cool it was to see him get recognized for his hard work and dedication. Watching the contest in general was amazing of course. There was no shortage of incredible work and talent on display, and I was in awe of everybody involved. The little details people put into their work are always my favorite. The judges were so kind and encouraging the entire time, and I admired that greatly. I’ve seen contests with less grace, and while constructive criticism is not only welcome but arguably a big point of these contests– I’ve seen judges that just seem to tear people down. Everything about the NC Comicon craftsmanship contest felt welcoming. I again applaud the con and the emcee for creating that environment. 

A big draw to this year’s NC Comicon was its guest of honor— Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Alongside him was Todd W. Langen, the writer of the original 1990 film, and a handful of other industry guests. As a lifetime fan of TMNT, I was super excited about the guests. I very unfortunately never got a chance to meet Eastman or Langen, or see Eastman at all, but I did make it to the panel Langen hosted! It was super cool to hear him give commentary to some of the best scenes in the movie, to listen to his writing progress, and to be in the room when he revealed the long unknown Secret of the Ooze.
Spoiler alert: it was always supposed to be Krang. That’s the short version, but there it is. I may be in the minority that I enjoy the third Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, but I do mourn for what could have been.

I’ve seen a lot of awesome vendors and artists at the conventions I’ve been to, but something that felt unique to this one was both the smaller comic artists tabling for themselves and the number of 3D model artists. There was one artist selling a bunch of mini figures that included all sorts of Pokemon you don’t often see merch of. That’s always something that excites me in an artist alley. Yes, Pikachu is adorable. We all know that. But have we considered how cute Heracross is? 

I’ve often joked that conventions and similar events are funny because you spend money to go and spend more money. I definitely have spent pretty pennies on gorgeous art, fun enamel pins, unique snacks, and cute plushies, but I would never say that conventions are just for spending money in earnest. If anything, I often find myself thinking about how conventions are one of my favorite ways to spend money. The experiences I have at them are worth more than I can say, and buying things from small businesses and cool artists fills me with so much joy both for gaining something new and wonderful but also sharing that moment of mutual enthusiasm. I think that passion is one of the most beautiful and profound things we do, and that comes through at conventions in so many ways. 

NC Comicon might be a small con, but it felt like a big, warm hug. It was a refreshing weekend of friendship, community, and aforementioned passion. This first time there is a happy memory I will carry with me, and I am so excited to come back next year!

There are some pictures from my time there in this article, and you can find me over at sonnyaliencosplay on Instagram for more! 
My next con is Animate! Raleigh in January.
See y’all then!