Katsucon? More like Katsu-Gone!

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AnimeFreak40K's avatar
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Convention Status


MAGFEST: 23-26 January, National Harbor, MD
Table stuff fell through, so I'm just going for the video games and music

Katsucon: 13-15 February, National Harbor, MD
May go, may not. If I do, it will likely only be for a day.

BronyCon: 7-9 August, Baltimore, Maryland
Submitted a request for a table. Won't know whether or not I got it until mid-March.

Any other conventions are pending time, money and interest.




I DO take requests in that I will entertain any request. Whether or not I will actually work on the request is another matter entirely. The fact of the matter is that a request is just that: a request; something that you would like to see me do. This said, I am under NO obligation to do it at all.

If you're still here and want to request something from me send me a note or email and then wait. I will either do it or I won't. If you ask me whether or not I got your message about the request, rest assured that I have and that I have at least skimmed it over and am considering it. Good ways to ensure that I will NOT do your request include, but are not limited to:
- Requests that are outside of my interests (take a look at my gallery and faves to get an idea of what those are).
- Requests that put my characters outside of what they normally do or suggest that they behave differently than how they normally would.
- Badgering, pestering or otherwise being a nuisance is a quick way to see your request sent to a quantum singularity never to be heard from again...you are on my time and I've got stuff to do.
- Should a request actually get completed, you accept it as-is. Period.
- Friends, family and business partners get special dispensation and are far more likely to be considered. Those people know who they are...and no, just because you are on my 'Friends' list here or are watching me does not make you my friend by default.

If you find that these terms are unreasonable, then put some money on the table and commission me. You will find that I am MUCH more reasonable and FAR more inclined to bend over backwards for you.



My first Katsucon was in 2007, the first of three years it was at the upscale Omni-Shoreham hotel in Washington, D.C. I had been attending the convention regularly, even planning a lot of events about attending it every year. I actually met a lot of new people, caught up with folks I had met only briefly before, gained a greater appreciation for art and have met some of my best friends there.

In fact, I remember a lot of good times at the convention, and even the bad times were matters of idiocy and silliness that led up to the con itself, and seemed to be made all better when the convention actually happened…for the most part.

This year I did not go to Katsucon, mostly because I simply cannot afford even a 1-day pass. I just cannot shoulder those unnecessary expenses. While I am no stranger to financial woes, and even having experienced them in the past, I still managed to make sure I could attend Katsucon. This year was different for me. In the past, I would move mountains to make an appearance… crappy finances? Fuck it! I’m going anyway!

I think the main reason why I had this shift in mentality was because I realized that while my primary reason for attending has not changed (I love hanging in the Alley and seeing various folks!), the subject of that reason did.

Let me elaborate…

Artist Alley is, in my opinion, no longer what it used to be. What Artist Alley used to be was a means for people who genuinely loved and enjoyed anime a means to show it off. A way for them to practice their craft, either as a hobbyist having fun or a way to gain skill and hope to catch the eye of people in the industry. Now it is simply an avenue to make money such that people use Artist Alley conventions as a means to make their living – this is not a hobby for them, it is their job (or, at least, their primary source of income).

Let me be clear on this, I find absolutely NOTHING WRONG with making money, for artists charging a fair price for their skill and products. There is nothing wrong in trying to break even or even making a profit! Where I start taking issue is the mentality of the process, the intents that are put in place and how they are executed. Many of those in the Alley any more have the general view of ‘money first, hobby second’.

Again, let me reiterate, I am not opposed to the act of making money. But I do take issue with the underlying mentality of many who partake in the Alley. I mean, it seems that anymore, Artist Alley is less like a place for hobbyists to gather and collectively show their love and enjoyment of an art form or fandom through their various crafts and more like a miniature Dealer’s Room. In fact, there are a number of people who, by all rights should be in the dealer’s room, but are not simply because it’s cheaper. Not economically viable (as in, they would be hard pressed dealing with the competition there), but simply cheaper.

Because of this mentality shift, I am finding it difficult to actually care about attending Katsucon…or any anime con for that matter.

Some folks have attributed this to a sort of ‘con-burnout’ or something like that. I can easily see the logic held there. It could also be that because of my depressed finances, I feel that I cannot have the fun that I’m used to having, even if it’s simply due to the fact that the matter is weighing on my mind to the point that it subconsciously interferes with my ability to just enjoy the moment. I could also argue that I’m old and remembering ‘the good old days’ and still have a very strong sense of idealism and favor things based on how they should be rather than accepting them as they are.

…or maybe it’s a combination of all of these things… or none of them…

Regardless, the end result is the same: I did not go to Katsucon this year and I really and truly do not feel any significant loss or regret. In fact, the only thing I seem to feel on the matter is that I don’t like the fact that I feel nothing on the matter…



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theshaggyfreak's avatar
The problem with a good chunk artists alley attendees is that they're not producing anything with an original style. Walk through that room and you'll find very few original pieces of work compared to all of the fan art. It's gotten to the point that con goes are used to it and will barely look at a table that doesn't have some sort of fan art on it. That's one of the reasons I decided last year that it was time to take a break from it all. I'm concentrating more on the music aspect of my business anyway.