"Everything is Awesome" Awesome Con Interview

Hello Everyone and Good Evening!

Tonight's post will focus on a interview with President and Co-founder of Awesome Conventions and their up and coming Awesome Con in Indianapolis during the first weekend of October.

I stumbled upon this convention after seeing friends on Facebook liking recent posts about the convention. I contacted Indiana Geeking's own Tony Troxell to give me the scoop and browsed the website. After hearing positive statements, which lowered my concerns of another ICC from out of state organizers, I decided to send a general contact email. I was expecting to be connected with someone from communications or social media, but instead had the great surprise to speak to Ben Penrod (President and Co-found). I am pleased to have talk to, only briefly, someone who seems so down to earth, even on email. His answers and information about the convention is filled with enthusiasm and excitement about coming to Indianapolis and putting on a great convention.

Enjoy the interview below!

1. Can you tell me more about Awesome Conventions LLC and how it all began?

Awesome Con started out when we were running the Annapolis Comic-Con and Southern Maryland Comic-Con, in 2011, and we decided to branch out into Washington, DC. Our first year in DC was a huge success, and we've grown it into one of the largest cons on the east coast. 

2. What is Awesome Con in a nut shell?

Awesome Con is a comic and pop culture convention. It's all about celebrating fandom and having a good time. 

3. What's the story behind the logo?

I had an idea for a cool logo that was a star, an A (for Awesome!), with a circle around it. I sketched it out on a napkin for the amazing Steve Conley, who did a great job of making sure that the final design didn't look too much like any of the other millions of A/star logos out there. 

4. Why Indianapolis? You currently have conventions in DC and Milwaukee, so why continue the Midwest/East theme and not go to southern states?

It wasn't really a geographic decision, it was more that Indianapolis doesn't already have something like Awesome Con, and we got a pretty good date from the Convention Center. 

5. What should an attendee be most excited about? What most excites you about the convention in Indy?

There's so much going on that different people are going to be excited about different things. I love Super Art Fight, so that's probably what I'm most psyched for. I also won't mind meeting Adam West and Burt Ward. At our Washington, DC con, I didn't have time to visit the tabletop gaming room or the video gaming room, so I'm making sure I spend some time there in Indy. 

6. What really make this convention stand out from the other first year conventions that have been in Indianapolis this year?

Awesome Con is a bit bigger than the other conventions, so the scope is just on a different level. We were originally going to bring about 20 media guests to Indy, but we were having a hard time booking the number of comic creators we wanted to (because New York Comic-Con is the next weekend), so we added a few more celebrity guests to make up for it. I think we'll have 26 or 27 total media guests when we've finalized our voice actor lineup. Ideally, we'd want a better mix of comic guests and media guests, but sometimes that stuff is out of our control. I think the larger number of media guests will probably entice a few more people who wouldn't have considered coming to an event like ours, though! 

7. Any artist or exhibitor you are really excited about that is attending?

I'm really excited to see some of the local shops and artists from Indiana. I know most of the east coast guys, but I haven't spent enough time in the midwest, so it will be a lot of fun. 

8. I've seen plenty of articles on the quality of Cos Playing at past events, are you hoping to see that same level in Indy? Anyway of promoting great Cos Playing that your team is doing?

Absolutely! We've got some cosplay programming set up, we've got two HUGE costume contests planned, and we'll even have some costume events specially for kids. 

9. Should we be seeing any kind of promotions around Indianapolis in the coming weeks?

You will not be able to miss it. Our billboards should be up now, the radio ads start on Monday, and the TV ads will start a week after that. I think a few radio stations are giving away some free tickets, so be on the lookout for those. 

10.How are you increasing your Bo Staff skills?

I've been training on the NES TMNT game for over 20 years. I also run three miles every day. 

11. Anything you would like to share with readers?

I hope you can make it out to Awesome Con!! It's going to be a really great time, you shouldn't have any problem keeping busy for three full days!!

You can learn more about the convention or purchase tickets on their main website . Visit often to check on newly added media/artists as well as a soon to be posted panel schedule. You can also follow updates on their Facebook and Twitter pages as well!

Other shout outs for today:

LMStudious: Make sure to go fund their kickstarter to help with their stretch goals! Also visitor Tyler on Saturday at Hero's Emporium!

Hero's Emporium: Basically a shout out to a awesome new business that has made me love table top gaming even more! And I have a great place to hang out with my Brother in Law!

Hope you enjoyed the interview and please spread the word on the convention so that we make another great weekend of gaming/pop culture/and comics for Indy!

Until next time Indy!

Kyle

@Shwoodylove