Last month, February 2021, I had the opportunity to visit Virtuous Con founded by nerdy girl, famed author extraordinaire, Cerece Rennie Murphy, author of the world-famous Order of the Seers trilogy and overall Writing Badass. As tradition with RGN 99, I, Joseph Watkins, the distant traveler, approached this con, this sacred space of Black Pop-Culture to see for myself if Virtuous Con was the family reunion of Black Comic-Con Spaces….100% Yes it was….And they sure as hell didn’t disappoint….
There’s no denying it: COVID-19 has all but eradicated fandom as we once knew it. What would have been an event, a celebration of pop culture and the people who make it happen has been decidedly muted this year thanks to the ongoing pandemic, but still not without its own bright spots. With NYCC going virtual, I still managed to see some decent panels.
I’ve been to New York Comic Con (NYCC), Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) and even Book Con. I’ve marveled at great panels; saw awesome fans and spent countless dollars on merchandise. But nothing, I repeat, noting prepared me for the 10-day event that PAX Online provided for me. Thinking, I’ve seen it all, PAX disproved that theory very quickly…..
Crunchyroll’s VR EXPO has once again opened my eyes to the world of anime and manga, but it also did something a little better, it allowed me to see people who understand the world I live in and become comfortable with the love I have for anime and manga without discrimination.
DC Fandome, the first virtual DC Comics event ever!!! Overall, I have to say it was an edifying experience, learning about everything to come from DC in the next year or so, but 8 hours straight?!…..here’s what I liked…..
At first, I was like WTF?!, but then something happened, I started to see my past gaming experiences highlighted in future form. The NERD DEMIGODs of Long Island created an experience unlike any other and found that seminal branch on the tree of pop culture: Retro Gaming…..
San Diego Comic Con @Home on Wednesday was all about Diversity!!!
With the coronavirus claiming the lives of 9 Washington residents and with a rising infection rate, Region 99 is debating if we should go or not?
I went to a Sailor Boom Party hoping to see the typical characteristics of a DJ: music, turntables, microphones, and of course loud music . What I found was an alternate anime’ universe ran by 2 Phenomenal Women and at one moment…… I lost sense of who I was……
As I approached this building for the second time, I felt a renewal of energy; a resurgence in my soul that told me, ‘despite all that you went through in 2019, 2020 is filled with new opportunities and goals; especially for the Black!’. Renewed and invigorated, I entered these doors and my spirit led me to the Black creatives who made this event action packed for the 8th (my second) time in a row….
