I had an absolute blast last weekend at ETSU-Con in Johnson City, TN! It was amazing getting to meet so many awesome cosplayers and the guests that the con had were amazing. Nolan North (https://twitter.com/nolan_north) and Courtenay Taylor (https://twitter.com/courtenaytaylor) were just as charming in person as you would expect them to be. They both had incredible stories and advice for up-and-coming voice artists. They also signed autographs and were very reasonable on prices for them (some celebrities charge $40+ for autographs). ETSU-Con covered the first autograph for free in the fees they paid the VAs and additional ones were only $10 which was incredibly awesome of Nolan and Courtenay to do.
Jirard Khalil (https://twitter.com/JKCompletesIt) and Alex Faciane (https://twitter.com/FacianeA) were the other two major guests at the con and they did not disappoint either! They both hail from “That One Video Gamer” (http://www.thatonevideogamer.com/) and have “The Completionist” (https://www.youtube.com/user/ThatOneVideoGamer/) and “The National Dex” (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNationalDex) respectively and collaborate on “Super Beard Bros” (https://www.youtube.com/user/ThatOneLaserClown/). I was super, super excited to see them and even got a little emotional during their Q&A. Their videos helped me get through a really lousy time about a year ago when I was diagnosed with my autoimmune disorder. I presented them with tribute (a copy of Starflight, Star Control, and Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday all on Genesis and a VHS tape of “Donkey Kong Country: The full length movie!”). I also got photos with them and they signed my “+5 Shirt of Awesome.” Puck (https://twitter.com/PuckBrandedArt), who was also with me, got Alex and Jirard to do a video for me to help cheer me up on my bad days. Lets just say that “truck nuts” are forever imprinted on my mind. I also got them to sign the interview I did with Chris Avellone (https://twitter.com/ChrisAvellone) that they posted on the TOVG site a few years ago. That is what Jirard is holding in the picture below.
I also got to present my “Collecting Retro Video Games” panel at ETSU-Con and I had really good attendance! You can watch my panel here on YouTube. I got some really good questions throughout the panel as well which made it even more fun and interesting. I will have JPEGs of the PowerPoint available on this post as well.
The Dealer’s Room was really nice as well and both Puck and I grabbed some awesome stuff from there. He got me a copy of “Final Fantasy II” (which was IV in Japan) and I got him a shirt and a Gatomon plushie. We also ate at a German restaurant in downtown Johnson City called “Freiberg’s” and IT WAS INCREDIBLE! Honestly, that was some of the best mashed potatoes and homemade sauerkraut I’ve ever had!
Overall Puck and I had an absolute blast and I hope that they do have an ETSU-Con next year (it is in question due to renovations being done at the Culp Center on ETSU’s campus). Currently I am writing this from my hotel room at Mysticon in Roanoke, VA where I have been restricted to due to coming down with viral gastritis earlier in the week. Puck and Thesally are having fun at the con and helping with A/V while I work on some other projects.
Thank you all for reading this and I hope to see some of you all in the near future!
LongwoodGeek (aka Gerry)
