• Ithacon 43 was hosted on the Ithaca College campus March 24 and 25
• Ithacon is Ithaca’s very own comic convention
• The event drew vendors, professionals and attendees of all backgrounds

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You Would Have To Be Flash To Get To Everything

Emerson Suites is a large and typically bustling room on Ithaca College’s campus but rarely does it buzz with the type of excitement seen during this year’s Ithacon. Student volunteers shouted with urgency as they handed out wristbands. They did not even have the time to secure them on the wrists of attendees, instead asking the guests if they could do it themselves before sending them on their way into the convention hall.

The sheer volume of Ithacon events kept everyone busy. In addition to being home to the vendors display, Emerson Suites also hosted a cosplay runway. Cosplay refers to costume role play, in which fans of certain characters dress and act like them. A section was roped off to let the cosplayers strut their costumes proudly. Everyone was excited, especially the children in attendance who got to see some of their favorite characters come to life.

“It is always super cool to see so many passionate people participating in something so local,” said Ithaca College student David Friedfertig. “My dad is a collector of rare Superman comics but that’s pretty boring and old school. I am a Spiderman fan myself, he is way cooler character.”

Directly outside of Emerson there were video game consoles set up. Kids played Lego Harry Potter and Rayman Legends while adults showed off their first-person shooter skills in Borderlands.

Down the hallway were the Clark Lounge and Klingenstein Lounge where various panels were held throughout the day. Directly up the stairs from there was a game room. Some chose to pass their entire day there, playing board and card games until the event was over.

Williams Hall played host to workshops for kids and adults. Kids got to enjoy the magic of fighting off zombies, coloring some of their favorite heroes and making bonsai trees out of pipe cleaners. The adults on the other hand got serious, learning how to draw comics on the computer from veterans in the field.

Industry and Education

One girl approached keynote speaker Steve Ellis, a comic industry great who has won several awards for his art. Sheepishly the child began talking how about some of the stories she had drawn and written. Ellis could not have been more excited to from hear her.

“This young lady is the type of voice comics will need going into the future,” said Ellis. “The market is changing. Its not just old white guys making decisions anymore, all sorts of new voices waiting to tell their stories are coming in.”

The level of openness professionals showed their aspiring counterparts was unparalleled. Some of the more esteemed guests were more than happy to invite admirers and artists alike back to their booths to give advice on everything from their approaches to art to the business side of the industry.

Comic artist Mike Garland, an Ithaca College alumnus, was one of the conventions most well known guests. A color artist and illustrator out of Syracuse, he has worked on many prestigious projects including the current run of Rocket Raccoon.

“I was a college student studying writing of all things,” said Garland. “After wasting a ton of money I stumbled into something I loved, which was comics. The next thing you know, I go from the guy who can’t hold a conversation at parties to the guy working for Marvel Comics.”

Many attendees aspire to emulate some of the talent they are surrounded by but Ellis said that is not always the best approach.

“One of the most important things in this industry, whether it be writing or art is finding your own style,” said Ellis. “I know that may sound patronizing, and everyone gets there start by being inspired by someone else, but it really is amazing if you can present an audience with something they have never seen before.”