Katsucon and conventions in general.
Garth and I had a spectacular time at KATSUCON this past weekend. We always have a great time, and this year was no different. The people who came to our table, whether they knew who we were or were curious about our work, were polite and friendly. The staff was above-and-beyond incredible, from treating us like rock stars to navigating obstacles like champs. Katsucon is always a unique experience, and this past weekend lived up to my lofty expectations of this amazing show.
I felt like this year was more inspirational than others. What I mean by that is more people seemed inspired after speaking with us at our table or seeing us at our panels. I wouldn’t normally say something like this, as it sounds like I’m patting myself on the back, but it’s true! Phrases like “your talk really inspired me,” “this is what I needed to hear to get started on my own work,” and “I never thought about this idea from that perspective” were said to us repeatedly over the course of the weekend. Making sales and moving merchandise feels good, but giving someone’s imagination a jump-start and helping them move an idea forward is priceless.
I think that’s why Garth and I continue to attend conventions. Many, many webcomickers have moved on from doing conventions as a part of their business model, as there are many alternatives that require less planning and time commitment. While we ourselves have been blessed with success via our Kickstarter campaigns and ongoing Patreon page, we continue to plan for conventions because we enjoy them. We enjoy the social aspect of meeting readers face-to-face and interacting with people in real time. We enjoy inspiring people and being inspired by them. We like watching someone flip through our book and (hopefully) see their face light up in interest. There are aspects of conventions that are inconvenient and troublesome, but the in-person benefits far outweigh them.
Our next stop is Anime Boston next month. We hope to see you there.