It’s easy to lament that comics conventions aren’t “really about comics anymore,” but why have that pessimistic outlook? The Emerald City has always opened its arms to new artforms, stories, and mediums, and I like to think it’s been for the better. Today, no matter which fandoms you love, you can find a place here and at events like Emerald City Comic Con!
You can save the honmoon with K-pop cosplayers on Saturday, then slay the dance floor with geeky drag queens on Sunday. You can get a tattoo that’ll last forever, or enjoy a brief, “could go for another” pint with friends at the Kraken’s Keep tavern.
If this is your first convention, don’t fret about trying to do it all, and definitely don’t let your FOMO burn you out by Friday. There’s no right way to experience Comic Con. There’s only the way that brings you, personally, the most joy.
Artists and the SGN
However, through all the year-over-year changes, there’s always been the Artists’ Alley. Since the first convention in 2003, you’ve been able to travel from booth to booth, meeting talented local artists along the way and going home with a keepsake you’ll love for decades to come.
It’s easier than ever to buy handmade goods, but you can’t buy human connection. You can’t be certain, especially in today’s AI age, that your hard-earned money is going directly to an equally hard-working artist. Having spaces like the Alley, where you can directly, financially support small-scale artistry, will always be important. Unfortunately, they’re also few and far between.
That’s why, in collaboration with the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, the SGN is going to be promoting and properly paying LGBTQIA+ comics creators across the city! You’ve already seen our amazing cover designed by Ezra Mezcal, a Seattle cartoonist with a pulpy, old-school style that we can’t get enough of. Expect to see more zany characters of his on our pages, including “Platrick,” a Queer-coded platypus who wants to go to therapy and get their mojo back!
At coffee shops around downtown, you’ll also find our posters for an original comic series called “Iced Matcha Latte”! Drawn by the talented (and brazenly butch) Kelsey Suit, the series stars two Queer friends catching up over lattes — only for one of them to come clean about a bizarre secret…
If you want to see what Kelsey’s hiding, check out our official Instagram @seattlegaynews_ for all that juicy, supernatural gossip. In the months to come, between conventions, we hope to continually work with Kelsey, Ezra, artists, athletes, and activists alike, keeping you in touch with our city’s ever-active, ever-partying Queer community!
If you can’t afford a knitted Totoro plushie or Hatsune Miku light stick from your favorite creator this year, consider supporting them by reading what our talented artists have to offer you. Alright, enough gabbing. Go have a blast out there already!
Support the Seattle Gay News: Celebrate 52 Years with Us!
As the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the United States, the Seattle Gay News (SGN) has been a vital independent source of news and entertainment for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest since 1974.
As we soon enter into our 52nd year, we need your support to continue our mission.
A monthly contribution will ensure that SGN remains a beacon of truth and a virtual gathering place for community dialogue.
Help us keep printing and providing a platform for LGBTQIA+ voices.
How you can donate!
Using this link: givebutter.com/6lZnDB
Text “SGN” to 53-555
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