A Weekend of Fandom Fun at Florida Supercon!

By Erin Lee

Photo By Erin Lee

The planning always begins weeks before the actual event: what outfits am I going to wear? Which characters am I dressing as? Once that is settled-

I chose a Spider-Man dress and an outfit inspired by Celeste from Animal Crossing- I open the official Supercon app and begin tapping on panels and creating my own personal schedule. ReedPop does a fantastic job with this app: once you build a schedule, you receive push notifications 15 minutes before your next event begins. There is a brief description of what is being offered, who will be there, and where the panel is located. 

The app also advises you on food options, parking and directions, and more.

The Miami Beach Convention center is the ideal venue: split across two levels, the show floor is located on the 1st, and a quick escalator ride brings you to panel rooms and fun side quest areas like The Tavern on the second floor.

I began my Day 1 on Saturday stepping onto the show floor. Colorful booths filled with toys, trinkets, clothing, and snacks make up the front section. 

I browsed some beautiful crystals carved into everything from Pokémon to the Millennium Falcon.

I strolled by the glowing gatcha machines, took a close look at a skort with Super Mario print, and was entranced by a large selection of light sabers.

I was excited to see a tarot reader on the schedule this year, and made my way upstairs for a reading. 

Will did an excellent job of accurately reading my cards, and gave me some insight on my next steps. A great experience.

I rode down to the show floor and over to the food court for a taro boba tea and a smoked salmon onigiri I stashed in my purse for later.

Back upstairs, I grabbed a seat for the Beauty and the Beast voice actor panel with Paige O’Hara and Richard White, aka Belle and Gaston. As an elder millennial who grew up on this era of Disney as it was happening in real time, I was delighted to hear these talented people recount their stories and happy memories. They were warm and engaging. 

Next, I went to the Main Stage and found a seat for the Josie & the Pussycats 25 year reunion with Rosario Dawson and Rachael Leigh Cook! 

Photo By Erin Lee

I have followed and enjoyed these ladies for decades, and seeing them animatedly share their experiences from on set was so much fun! 

I left that panel proclaiming how Dawson exudes effortlessly cool energy. 

The kind of gal you’d want to be friends with in real life.

In the Grand Lobby con-goers were treated to a woodwind quintet performance by Miami Pixel Symphony.

I grabbed a barbacoa rice bowl and ate some dinner, eventually finding the quiet room. This designated space is a nice escape from the sensory overwhelm one feels on the show floor.

I pulled out my Nintendo Switch and played some Hello Kitty Island Adventure.

My next panel was “Who’s That Pokémon?” a talk and slideshow discussing some of the unique real world animals certain characters are based on. It was such a fun concept for a panel, and I loved learning some of the less obvious ones.

After that, I went to the tavern and found the Bones Coffee Co. coloring sheets, choosing a mermaid and skeleton and scooping up some crayons.

I ended my evening at Taking Back Supercon: a pop punk after party. Glow sticks and flashing lights illuminated the room as Buko Boys played live music on stage and the crowd sang and danced.

DAY 2

On Sunday, I arrived at the convention center fifteen minutes before the show floor opened. Eager attendees lined up as a vendor did demos with robots, while another group did a foam sword battle.

I walked over to where the artists and authors were set up, glancing at booths.

I was politely greeted by author David Joel Stevenson, who promptly asked me: “Do you like books?” and would I prefer “Sci-Fi or Superhero?” Easy answer! Superheroes all day. We chatted a bit and I left with a copy of “Victor Boone Will Save Us” which I immediately took upstairs to read in a comfy chair. 

I was posted up when the doors opened for Clinton T. Hobart’s live painting session. A fine artist for Disney, Clint answered questions while working on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Hobart was funny, authentic, and engaging. He asked if any of us in the room were artists. No one was: we were just enjoying learning from him. 

Outside of Disney, Hobart specializes in still life realism. I asked if he liked to listen to music when he paints. He said he enjoys Sinatra, Perry Como. The crooner era.

When he was finished, I went next door to The Little Mermaid panel with Jodi Benson and Christopher Daniel Barnes. 

These two incredibly talented voice actors were the sound of my childhood. 

Benson, the voice of Ariel, was just as sweet and lovely as you’d imagine her to be. She gently greeted, encouraged, and complimented each audience member who approached her with a question. It was my favorite moment of the entire weekend.

Back downstairs I met up with some friends and grabbed a Ropa Vieja plate with rice, beans, and plantains. We chatted about our mutual love for Krysten Ritter, and I pointed out the stage behind us would soon contain a panel with her, and fellow Defenders Mike Colter and Finn Jones. 

The actors took the stage and we listened to them share stories about their favorite action sequences and what they enjoy doing on set between scenes. Krysten shared that she likes to knit.

One last stop found me at The Super Friend Match Up: an interactive game between the host and the audience members matching their fandoms and preferences by voting thumbs up or down. The final round was three teams of two people (who voted most similarly) answering trivia questions until a winner was chosen. 

Being part of such a fun weekend was good for the soul. Seeing this wonderful community sharing moments together (my favorite was two guys dressed as Spider-Man coming across each other in the hallway and high-fiving) is a good reminder that getting older doesn’t mean we have to grow up.

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