It’s that time of year again, when I return to the first convention I ever had a table at. Anime Boston means a lot to me, not only because I got my first taste of having a table, but I met people who would become not only valued colleagues but lifelong friends.
The very first Anime Boston was held in a hotel. I managed to snag my table the week of the show for under thirty dollars. I grabbed what art supplies I had, quickly printed up some art at a local copy shop, and gave this whole “artist alley” thing a try.
No one was prepared for the crowd it attracted. We artists were overwhelmed. The staff was trying to keep things as organized as possible. The fire marshal had to step in to cap attendance because Boston’s fire codes are very, very strict. It was an unforgettable weekend that gave me a taste of what my life would become over the next twenty years, and I’ve been chasing that addiction ever since.
It was by sheer luck that I happened to be seated next to folks representing a new convention in Connecticut. We struck up a conversation and quickly hit it off. I told them I’d be happy to give their new show a try and help it get off the ground! That show was ConnectiCon, I’m still friends with the folks running it, I met my wife through that connection, and I’ve never missed a year of it.
This whole lifestyle is arguably because of that spur-of-the-moment decision to see if I could grab a table at this new show at a downtown Boston hotel. It’s been wild to see this convention grow into the powerhouse it currently is, and I’m happy to have been involved in it for as long as I have.
If you’re in the area this weekend, come say hi to me and add to the storied history of Anime Boston!