Welcoming folks far and wide in the Southeast, the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton Head hosted hundreds of attendees at the 2023 AugustaCon on Saturday, Nov. 4.
WIth entry tickets selling for $20, the event allowed anime, video game, comic and art enthusiasts to gather together and celebrate their shared interests while showing off elaborate cosplay creations.
Hosting many vendors, attendees were able to purchase an array of items, including: art, magazines, books, manga, graphic novels, sports cards, jewelry, apparel, movies, toys and video games.
Aiming to create a local ComicCon for Augusta natives, event promoter David Hess said the conference invited “nerds” from all over Greater Augusta so each could discuss their plethora of interests.
“This is important because this area, from what we’ve seen in the past, is underserved for Cons,” he said. “Augusta has been great with these kinds of events, and it meets a need for everybody – both men and women, even kids.”
Featuring an enormous collection of items and several industry celebrities, Hess said AugustaCon truly had something for everyone.
“It also helps the community grow,” said Hess. “People have a predetermined idea of the kind of people who come to these events, but there’s really such a diversity of people.”
Hess also said Cons around the nation were significant because of their ability to bring many people together under one roof for a common purpose – to have fun and purchase collector items.
“I’m not in this everyday, I work in the lumber industry and many of us have our own company, but yet we come together on the weekends because we have the same interests,” he said.
For Matthew Atchley, vendor, actor and artist, events such as AugustaCon allowed him to meet fans from many walks of life while selling his art. To Atchley, Cons give creative minds a space to feel truly accepted.
“Honestly, everybody is a fan here,” he said. “No matter if you’re a fan of G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, Cars, Hot Wheels, whatever – as long as you like something, you belong … that’s why I like to do it. It makes people happy, and it’s nice to see them really love my stuff.”
As an experienced vendor and ComicCon guest, Atchley said he has witnessed many children shine in the events and sink into newfound confidence – what he deems the ComicCon “magic.”
“I’ve seen so many kids that can’t even talk to somebody face-to-face that come to these things, and they just blossom and become the person they’re supposed to be,” he said. “They get to come here and use the personality God gave them. You see a lot of magic in those kinds of things.”
With the conference exciting and thrilling many in attendance, strangers could be seen taking photos together and complementing one another’s cosplay triumphs.
Local content creator and Augusta native, Ariel McCutcheon said she attended AugustaCon for her first taste of the ComicCon world, and she was far from disappointed.
“It’s so cool. Everybody is so talented here,” she said. “Augusta has such talent and that’s what I think makes it so unique. This town is just full of amazing people.”
To McCutcheon, Augusta’s reputation is widely characterized by the Masters, which often overshadows the more creative outlets trying to branch out.
“Because Augusta is so well known for the Masters, I don’t really think [people] pay much attention to the theater and the art that’s here,” she said. “We’ve got great theater and great local talent that gets skipped over … but the Masters is only one week out of the year and we do so much more than that.”
Nyssa McCoy and Abi Jordan, fellow participants who attended dressed in complex cosplay, said they both came for the Con’s friendly environment and supportive atmosphere.
“I just really love ComicCon because I get to see people’s cool ideas, and it’s really inclusive here,” said McCoy, an avid AugustaCon fan. “I see other people’s ideas and I get to share mine, so it’s like my year-round Halloween … this is something everyone should go to at least once.”
Still a beginner to participating in ComicCons, Jordan said she enjoyed preparing her costume for the event as well as the environment. This year’s AugustaCon introduced her into a new hobby of wig making and styling.
“ComicCon is inclusive for everyone,” said Jordan. “The wig itself for my costume was 8-10 hours, but now I really like wig styling and I want to do more.”
Whether one enjoys fully integrating themselves through creating cosplay or becoming a vendor, or simply wants to attend in search of a rare comic book, AugustaCon entertained hundreds of guests and left them smiling as the day ended.
“It’s just a great networking area for everybody here to help grow what we love to do,” said Hess.
Upcoming sister shows of the AugustaCon the CharlestonCon, hosted on Nov. 19 at 5055 International Boulevard in South Carolina, and the Augusta Anime-Fest, held once again at the DoubleTree Hotel at 2651 Perimeter Parkway on Jan. 20, 2024.
For more information about the Augusta Anime-Fest, please visit: https://augustaanimefest.com/
