Fun Day: Gem City ComicCon

The Ginja Ninja, Little Man, and I did a con today. It's a small con very local to us, and I had no idea what to expect. I'd been wanting to check it out since I'd taken a drawing class in college and my professor was involved in getting it started, but life has interfered. So this year, we made up our minds that we were going, no matter what. Five inches of snow was predicted for Saturday morning. Ok, I said, we'll go Sunday. Then Saturday dawned cold and gray, but nothing falling from the sky. So around ten, we decided that there was nothing keeping us, except the lack of a cosplay outfit for the Ginja Ninja. Go comfortable, I told her. Scout it out for next year. 

The blog kids with their loot from the con

It is a small con. Located in downtown Dayton, the convention center was hosting the ComicCon and a dance competition (think little girls in leotards, very cute, but incongruous) with room to spare. The dealer room, however, was very large and full of great vendors. Tons of fanart, boxes of comics used and new, of course, but also some really lovely orginal work. I wound up buying a graphic collection of Trickster tales and an amazing sci-fi beetle print from my former drawing professor, Andy Dailey. 

There weren't a lot of panels, but the kids talked me into going to the 'Drawing Chibi' hands-on session with Todd Beistel. He's usually a horror comic artist, but as he explained, he's got young kids who wanted to be able to appreciate his art, so he taught himself to draw chibi superheroes.  I had a blast, as it was completely out of my art comfort-zone, but it was easy to grasp and his explanations really helped me work up a couple of fun sketches that I took a step further at lunch to create an original cricket character. No idea what I'm doing with him - the Ginja Ninja wanted me to do a Jiminy Cricket, so I did. The Little Man has requested an ant, in my usual style, so we'll see. I don't know that I'll do a lot of these, but it's definitely a fun style and I don't have to worry about details and symmetry. 

Todd Beistel drawing chibi while the panel audience draws along.

The Ginja Ninja says it was fun, small, but cool. She says it was cool being recognized - she met someone who had seen her cosplay at the Cincy ComicCon and knew her face. She says the twisted metal guy was cool (I didn't get a photo, but think twisted wire sculptures of superheroes). She bought gifts for friends, and posters for her dorm room. 

The Little Man says it was ok. He says his favorite part was the YouTubers that held a panel he attended. He said he was going to look them up when he got home, AGP gaming team. (he'd say more, I think, but he's skyping a friend and playing Minecraft with him. Kids... living science fiction and totally unimpressed!) 

Overall, we enjoyed ourselves, and will do this again next year. It was a very relaxed wander through the con, but the Ginja Ninja wants me to inquire about having a booth for next year to sell dragons, art, and books. We'll see! 

The beetle by Andrew Dailey, my zombie chibi done in the workshop, and program book.