NakaKon 2017 - First show of the year.

(Upper Image) The early set up Thursday afternoon. (Lower Image) Waiting in line to get in... before I realized that there was another way in.

NakaKon is now over, it's Wednesday, and I am still feeling a bit of fatigue from not only the insane idea of daylight savings time, but also just having this be my first show of the year.

I immensely enjoy NakaKon as I've said before, because the show is run so very well, and the attendees and staff are really a joy to interact with. This year was a bit different in that I had a bunch of assorted cameras that I started using to film a small documentary on doing shows. It's been a bit of a challenge, because I wanted it to be more cohesive, and I had to keep remembering to film things, not just photograph them as I would for these blog updates. The good thing was that I got about 5 to 7 hours of footage that I have to start editing through over the next few months. I started filming from the moment I left on Thursday to go get in line (see lower half of photo above), and through the entirely of the show.

I got there incredibly early each day, and left really late all days except Sunday, because my feet were threatening to go all Kicky McAsserson on me.

The plan is to keep doing this at each of the shows I will do this year, and after November, start compiling and editing it all together. In my vlog, I'd touched on the aspect of doing updates when I had something to say, and I covered some of what my idea was behind this. I want to be able to give a glimpse behind the vendor/artist alley table. To see what it's like to do these shows, to get my own reactions, thoughts, and moments down for not only posterity, but so that I can begin helping educate and create a resource for anyone to see as a primer for getting into comic/anime/art shows.

All set up.

So after getting in, and before I got my booth all set up as you see above, I of course didn't know where my table was, so I went to go get my badge, and my friend Beth, who runs the show (excellently I might add), greeted me, gave me my info and tax packet, and a special welcome vip vendor bag, WHICH HAD HOME MADE COOKIES, and a variety of items. I had elected to participate in the VIP program, which was a really good marketing move on my part, and I encourage anyone that is able to be accepted into the show, to look into participating in this program. I know I will again next year.

Become a VIP and get a great VIP supporter bag, which had some kick ass cookies and other goodies in it!

What is NakaKon if not for a lot of amazing and wonderful cosplay roaming the show room floor and hallways of the convention center and hotel?

Some of the first cosplays I ran across.

There are so many times when I tell myself I want to go to these shows dressed up, but let's be honest, I forget my business cards all the time. No way am I going to remember everything that comprises a well put together cosplay.

I am pretty certain that the middle cosplay was a Day of the Dead tinged Cruella de Ville.

I do love that even though Naka is primarily an anime/manga show, you will see a proliferation of character themes across the board show up.

(Left) A little Gryffindor stopped by my booth. The sorting hat evidently was still deciding. (Right) Cool people that picked up cool art.

Now I want to talk about a few things I did not expect. When I got there, I noticed the booth next to me was still unattended, and then just shortly after the show started, the gentleman below appeared and started to lay out artwork on the table. I noticed much of the artwork looked like it had been done in different styles, but because I was still organizing my own stuff, I didn't think much about it until I ran for a restroom break, and in coming back, saw this scene unfolding.

I realized what people were talking to him about, and heard some of the conversations, and there was that slow burn realization come over me. Like the kind a wildebeest that took too long to finish his drink at the edge of a pond and realizes everyone else is miles from the oncoming cheetahs. I use that metaphor to say, I can be a bit slow on the uptake.

Ladies and gentleman, this man below, signing many an autograph, is the very skilled and prolific stand up comedian/actor/voice actor, David Vincent.

Signing autographs like a boss.

Just go to his wiki page and you'll see the insane amount of characters he voices. Here's a mind trip for you, one of my favorite iOS games is Fire Emblem Heroes, and he voiced a character named Robin in that game that had stomped my adventure party into the ground early that morning while I was killing a bit of time. I was listening to the voice of the guy in the booth next to me in an app, never knowing that was him.

To say that I was excited is like saying pandas probably like to eat bamboo leaves. Yes. Yes I was. But only after I finally walked around to look at the 8 foot banner with his NAME on it, and all the characters he played. That's about the time the realization, the fanboy sweaty palms and all that happened.

See, as far as anime voice actors go, without a doubt, David is one of my two all time favorites (the other being Steve Blum), because his gravity and honesty comes out in his work. This is a guy that knows what it's like to climb to the levels he has, with a healthy amount of trial and steadiness.

So later, I attended his panel, which was a huge amount of fun. David knows how to work a room, and I was mentally taking notes on his stage presence, his instant connection that he navigated with the audience, and how he managed to get six young people to improve voice over efforts within a few runs. This is a guy that clearly coaches, but also knows the pitfalls and mistakes he himself may have made early on, and could help people overcome issues on the fly.

I didn't get a chance to tell him how much I appreciated his patience and how genuinely cool he came off as. We didn't get a chance to speak as much as I had wanted, but I'm hoping Naka brings him (and VO director Joel McDonald) back for another run soon.

But speaking of unexpected things, Saturday was met with this...

Ah Missouri, you nutty nutty weather wild state.

Although I do love snow, and man did it make for some cool shots of video, the green was pretty vacant for most of the show because it also was cold as hell. 

As time permitted, I did manage to get out on the vendor room floor and out in the halls to get some cool footage and photos of more cosplay and crowd shots.

Two of the new Ghostbusters, and a silly T-Rex.

The dad and son with the horns were pretty awesome.

THE most laid back photo I took at the show that weekend.

I got a few commissions and sold mainly art reproductions over the course of the show, and a few originals (yeah, I know, I have to update my storenvy site, a few of you have already emailed me about that).

A Night Elf and Chaos Warrior. My first commission was of the new version of the Red Power Ranger.

I also got to attend Joel McDonald's kick ass 2 hour panel where he literally did a phenomenal job, of cutting through the fog of expectations for voice work, and he had a great many of us try our voice efforts out. I was in between using my own voice pitched up a bit for a young character that was more serious, but erroneously chose to use a more gruff voice, and it didn't work. I knew it as soon as I did it. But Joel was right on point, he said I made it sound like the kid smoked 6 packs a day.

That was such a valuable moment, and a reset button for my own efforts. Since not having worked at Hallmark full time in some time, I've not had the direction and push to refine my voice over work as well as I'd like. Between that panel and being next to David Vincent, I realize I have a hell of a long way to keep going. I got very lucky having had some skills to do the work that I did get at Hallmark in voice acting, but if I want to ever rate on the radar anywhere near the attentions of these two pros, I need to work and practice and experiment much more.

A new friend dropped off this little beauty. Which was good, it was late Sunday, about closing and I was tired and hungry.

So that's a quick overview of NakaKon 2017. I got to meet some great people and visit with some old friends. I still have a lot of you that I owe responses to, I am getting onto those email replies very soon. Thank you all who bought stuff, listened to what Incognito Cinema Warriors XP was all about, and have sent me messages, and traded art and toys with me. That was super cool of you all.

To any of you thinking about coming to the show, it's worth it. Especially if Anime/Manga and cosplay is your thing.

For anyone wondering, I use Ka-Blam to get my comics and graphic novels printed. There's a link over on the side if you want more info.

I'm already looking forward to next year's NakaKon. But for now, StealthCon is bearing down on my schedule and will be here in a week and a half. Gotta reorganize and realign my stuff to show off down there. Also really excited to have a chance to meet Phil Lamarr (he is the voice of Samurai Jack and many others), who is going to be at the show.

Now for any of you that like strategy games, I want to show you something cool that Fire Emblem Heroes did. They listed the voice actor and illustrator names on the profiles of the characters. That is UNHEARD of in most games in a layout like this. And very much appreciated to see this sort of thing out there.

First listing is the English Voice Actor, the second listing is the artist.

Until next time, support your local artists, be kind to your fellow beings, and always take the path less traveled!

- Mario, the Artisan Rogue
Illustrator, Podcaster, Writer, Toy Collector, and Animal Rights Activist

www.theartisanrogue.com