AwesomeCon ’24 - A Con Beyond Imagination
Joseph Watkins - Da Watcha
I’ve been here numerous times.
Yet, every time I come here, I learn something new about myself and the pop culture fandom. This newness is what drives me to AwesomeCon (AC), located in Washington, D.C. For some, it’s just a convention, a gathering place to do something on a Saturday morning with the spouse, friends, or the kids. For the initiated, for those whose love of pop culture is their livelihood, this is heaven. For 2024, I had the opportunity to witness how AwesomeCon was able to cater to both groups with an excitement that continues to make AC one of the premiere comic-cons to attend.
One interesting aspect of comic cons is their ability to adapt to the times. With AwesomeCon, they haven’t needed to, and for good reason—they’ve already prepared for it. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is capable of accommodating anywhere between 1000 to 45K+ people, and as this convention continues to grow, the center remains more than capable of hosting such an event. With the space and capacity of holding a small village and with Covid restrictions finally abolished, the masses came out to celebrate their love of pop culture and all things geeky, nerdy and blerdy.
This massive combination of superheroes, supervillains, anime characters, storm troopers, orcs, Apex warriors, outcasts, and video game characters, was a glistening spark of what con season has to offer for 2024. And as I toured the show floor, convention halls, and panels, many attendees were excited to see their favorite characters in person. Many cosplayers took pictures with others who, in canon context, would be considered enemies, featuring character designs that would even give the most expert of the “sacred texts” pause (shoutout to Tony Weaver Jr. for coining the term). Gamora taking pictures with Thanos, Red Hood exchanging IGs with The Joker; iconic scenes in time, if only for a weekend, captured and celebrated by all.
But it doesn’t stop there....
At times, there were traffic jams with slight congestion in certain areas; however, amidst occasional mass build-ups, both I and many attendees felt alive and welcomed, with some staff members stating, “AwesomeCon has over 50,000 attendees this year.” This statement, in my opinion, is proof to the overwhelming sense of community Leifield Media has created and how they continue to follow the mantra, “If you build it, they will come.”
This weekend's gathering wouldn't be complete without acknowledging the creators, writers, cosplayers, and panelists who continue to infuse life into these events. This year, I decided to look for some hidden treasures that contributed to the greatness of this convention.
Creatives
I had the privilege of encountering some prolific creatives whose passion for art, sci-fi and fantasy knows no bounds; whose dedication to the craft continues to leave an incredible mark within the pop culture industry.
Cerece Renee Murphy – Oracle of Dreams
At the age of seven, Cerece Renee Murphy, fell in love with Sci-fi through the viewing of Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back. Today, she is a national bestselling and award-winning author, enchanting readers with her masterful storytelling across ten novels, children’s books, and captivating short stories within the themes of Fantasy, Sci-fi, and Romance.
Beneath her honors lies a profound philosophy that has guided her entire career, "There never is time to write, you have to make time."
This motto and her work ethic demonstrates her commitment to her craft. When asked about the inspiration for her characters, her response was just as magical, “She dreams them.” Murphy’s creative process, blurring the lines of dreams and reality, gives birth to characters that come from a higher consciousness. Her characters come from the soul; from a deep, possibly, spiritual place she has the master key to. A person who is in tuned with their passion and has that ability to channel their energy into text. Salute.
SideNote: Cerece Renee Murphy is also the creator and founder of Virtuous Con, an online sci-fi and comic culture convention that celebrates the excellence of BIPOC creators in speculative fiction across the media of comics, books, film, visual arts, and more.
OzzyOz Da Vyrus – Game Changer
From New York City, the creative force known as OzzyOz Da Vyrus channels his passion and dedication into his artwork, creating a unique style that blends elements of pop culture, graffiti, and hip hop. With a keen eye for infusing these influences into colorful works of art, Ozzy’s creations shows the raw emotions of these characters, with an urban vibe.
Ozzy's art is a unique portrayal of anime, cartoon, and video game characters. What sets his work apart is his pioneering use of a vinyl-style canvas for printmaking, a groundbreaking technique that’s revolutionized the comic con print scene. Known for its flexibility, and at times, near-indestructibility, Ozzy's innovative approach to prints became, in my opinion, synonymous with top-tier creativity. As a result, many have adopted this method as the gold foil standard for producing, what I call, "dope shyt" in the art print community.
Rod Van Blake – Intergalactic Visionary
Rod Van Blake
Whether it's the fearsome moment of first contact with extraterrestrial beings, the adrenaline-pumping intensity of military action set in the vast expanse of space, or the grandeur and mystique of epic fantasy, Rod Van Blake’s vision has no limits. Creator of the Ancient Illumination and the Nyumbani Chronicle Series, Blake’s approach to creating these characters stem from his love of sci-fi novels and Egyptian history.
SideNote: In the book, Ancient Illumination, Blake’s first literary novel, the first Pharoah, the antagonist of the series, is portrayed as a powerful God-like figure, with knowledge and abilities far beyond humans. He’s a God, but through the use of science and technology he’s
Moments In Time
I also decided to look for amazing experiences that captured the heart and soul of the convention; uncovering hidden gems that make AwesomeCon an amazing place. From the buzz of the crowds to the mind-blowing displays and interactives, I wanted to get to the core of why AC was the perfect mix of pop culture passion and creativity.
AwesomeCon '24
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AwesomeCon '24
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Cosplay
AC wouldn't be amazing without its cosplayers. Salute to these creatives, as many newcomers and veterans have contributed to this amazing pop culture scene.
Cosplay '24
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AwesomeCon
Cosplay '24 〰️ AwesomeCon
Panels
Where individuals from different backgrounds gather to celebrate their shared passions for entertainment, comics, gaming, and more, panels are the essence in promoting creativity and understanding in the world of pop culture. Although there were many, there were a few that caught my attention:
SideNote: Panels cover a wide range of topics that allow attendees the opportunity to engage with content that reflects their interests and identities and bridges the generational gap between pop culture enthusiasts.
Wrath of the Blerds:
This panel highlighted how the creation of the “multiverse” and the exponential growth of the Blerd community have both contributed to the growth of cosplay and content creation. Spearheaded by a team of phenomenal creative cosplayers, this panel discussed how the creation of the multiverse has generated inclusivity within the pop culture community, opening the doors for more diverse cosplayers to feel embraced and accepted.
EmpowerHer: Celebrating Women in Cosplay.
EmpowerHer was a panel designed to spotlight and celebrate the diverse talents of women within the cosplay community. Questions were asked about the cosplay spectrum and cosplayers being pigeon-holed into particular roles and Shady Haze, a female cosplayer for over 5+years stated this:
Shady Haze
Shady Haze
“I usually cosplay male characters...I’ve gotten remarks on certain things I should be cosplaying as, like Jubilee, which I eventually did, but on my own time. People like to put you in a stereotype or a category, ‘you should cosplay this because of your race or your gender or your height or size’. I’m always telling people, you’re the one spending money on the cosplay. If it’s your skillset, cosplay whoever you want.”
Gatekeeping within the digital ecosystem has increased with the use of social media and the emergence of pop culture media, illustrated by shows like Invincible, Jujutsu Kaisen, and the widely popular X-MEN ’97. Shows such as these have given life to a new growth of cosplayers and creatives. It’s beautiful, really. With this new emergence, cosplayers are arriving in all varieties, bringing something unique to the comic-cons, inspiring both newcomers and seasoned veterans.
As each member shared their experiences, each contributed to the ongoing pursuit on creating a stigma free environment. These cosplayers also provided insight into what it takes to battle gatekeepers in the digital and physical space:
“If you see someone compromised within the cosplay space, provide help and above all, be kind and your comfortable, authentic self.”
(L to R) Doylecosplay, Frostfyrezero, ShadyHaze, Ladyjcosplay, Joecoltoncosplay
Salute to these phenomenal creatives for their guidance to both the new and older generation of cosplayers.
Respect the Dark Horse Gang
Hosted by the phenomenal Fantastic Frankey Smith, this panel focused on the unbelievable writers & artists who worked for the Dark Horse Comics brand, which consisted of Nnedi Okorafor, author of the graphic novel LaGuardia; Tana Ford, artist for the graphic novel, LaGuardia; Matt Kindt, writer for the series Apache Delivery Service, Spy Superb, and Hairball; and filmmaker-author, Roye Okupe, CEO of YouNeek Studios.
An all-star panel, each one of these creatives, internationally known, and nationally embraced, spoke about their storytelling experiences, sci-fi culture, and pop culture, with a focus on two key projects, Iyanu: Child of Wonder and LaGuardia.
LaGuardia, written by Nnedi Okorafor and drawn by Tana Ford, won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story/Comic and Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album.
SideNote: The plot follows Nwafor Chukwuebuka as she smuggles an extraterrestrial without a passport from Nigeria through the LaGuardia International and Interstellar Airport. What follows next is a series of “immigration issues, travel bans, and TSA issues” in which Chukwuebuka and said Alien are harassed and become advocates for equality on an international and national front.
Ford said it best, “We have a Nigerian-American pregnant woman as the lead character in a Dark Horse story about alien immigration during the Trump administration. Like we came hard.... very multilayered!!!”
Iyanu, written and drawn by Roye Okyupe, follows the story of Iyanu, an orphan in Yorubaland who has discovered she has been gifted with divine-supernatural abilities. Trying to find out how she achieved them, and with no memory of her past, she is now on a race to uncover her past while trying to eliminate the antagonist group, The Corrupt. His Inspiration for his graphic novel and soon to be Cartoon Network series, was based on the inspiration of his Country, Lagos Nigeria:
“I try to write what I want to see and want to read. To me, that’s one of the things that gets me out of bed. Growing up, all the stuff that I’m writing now, and stuff that I’m producing now for animation was what I wanted to see as a child growing up in Lagos Nigeria.”
Okupe is no stranger to the industry. As the founder and creator of YouNeek Studios, his dedication to his vision of creating unique characters that embody his country’s heritage has led to over 10 successful Kickstarters and an amazing 10-book deal with the Dark Horse Comics brand. Respect.
Final Thoughts
AwesomeCon '24 continues to celebrate togetherness within the pop culture community by providing opportunities to discuss gaming, cosplay, and pop culture issues. It also sheds light on new worlds and works that are coming out, offering fans, both new and old, the chance to celebrate their favorite characters and realize the importance of holding onto their childhood passions.
As the staff assisted fans with any issues that arose, there were also patrons who offered guidance to newcomers, making their con experience a little easier. I, too, was asked about the locations of panels and the show floor, and I didn’t hesitate to use the AwesomeCon App to assist. It really is a well constructed app.
Comic Cons offer a sense of safety and belonging that truly enhances the experience, and with AwesomeCon, this sentiment remains a significant reason for my continued attendance. They always provide an opportunity to learn something new about pop culture. From engaging panels to custom cosplay showcases, there's always something to discover and enjoy here. For me, it's a place where everyone can come together, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or ability, and feel accepted and valued. And they continue to ensure that rule is law.
Respect.
