What I Saw At Cape Comic Con
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This year I had the chance to return to Cape Comic Con in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It’s normally a small event, but their new owners, Comically Inclined, managed to bring some bigger guests to the event. I was thrilled to interview two voice actors from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Andre Sogliuzzo and Greg Baldwin.
While I was waiting for my interviews, I took a look around the con and occasionally helped my sister sell her leatherware at her LLSF Leather Goods booth. My sister’s booth was positioned directly across from Cakes Reanimated and the Villainous Grounds Coffee Shop. The booth had a clear view of the Super Smash Bros tournaments that went on through the con. My first purchase was a 6-pack of cupcakes to share with the family. I opted for a strawberry pistachio cupcake. Between the two shops was a Pokè Cafe, where guests could try Pokèmon-themed sweets and drinks.
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A vendor who sold handmade Dungeons & Dragons tables and starter packs last year expanded his business with his mother’s help to create woodwork. As a writer, I was drawn to a sign that said, “The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword.” I needed a little something for the bare walls in my home office.
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There was also a screen printing service that had White Lotus t-shirts. Since I was interviewing two White Lotus members, I felt compelled to buy one. The shirts came in white or black. I opted for black, so the lotus flower would be white. Other vendors sold Japanese candy, soda, and treats, beautiful pen illustrations, magnets, 3D-printed dragons, and stuffed animals.
On the first night of the con, I attended a panel with Greg Baldwin, whose journey into voice acting is unbelievable. Iroh’s words that destiny is a funny thing certainly ring true for the actor. At the panel, Baldwin showed off his voice acting skills by slipping into Iroh and Aku’s voices as well as putting on a little musical theater performance from Little Shop of Horrors.
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On Saturday morning, I talked to Andre Sogliuzzo, the voice of Bumi, and learned a lot more about his career. He had some great stories to tell. I took a slight break from the con to take my nephew to the Discovery Playhouse in downtown Cape. When we returned to the hotel, I was able to interview Greg Baldwin, who again used the chance to show off his impressive range of voices. We had a wonderful discussion about the difference between live theater and voice acting.
By Sunday, I had seen everything, and I couldn’t stay for the Andre Sogliuzzo panel as we had to be on the road before then. I opted to spend time with my 1-year-old nephew and carried him around the con. He got a fist bump from Greg Baldwin and his assistant, and he loved seeing the colorful items on display. I spent most of the morning at my sister’s booth, so she could enjoy the con with her son before packing up and leaving. A guest who had won the trivia chose to spend her winnings on a handmade leather hairpin from the booth.
Some of the vendors expressed concerns about the new owners as they were packed in more tightly than before and felt like they were chipped on promised space. The limited space and access points left the vendors confined to their booths and less able to explore and enjoy the con. There are bound to be a few hiccups with any new owners, and there’s no telling what the con will look like next year.
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Source(s): Cape Events
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