KATSUCON 13

After the landslide that was last year's Farpoint, it took very little convincing to get me to go back to Katsucon ... and I'm very, very glad I did. I'm impressed that Katsu is being held in a hotel without space issues or general havoc ... and a nice hotel, at that. But more on that anon.

Programming: Nice variety, and (personally) I was glad to see so much attention given to the webcomic guests. I didn't actually poke into a video room but once, but I understand they were good, as well. I question which panels and events they stuck in which rooms, as small panels were sometimes stuck in large rooms and vice-versa.

Cosplay: There were some hitches at the tech table concerning CDs, which threw the pacing off a bit ... however, not being a techie, I'm hesitant to say whose fault it was. I didn't stay to see award presentation or the second half of the halftime show, and unfortunately I didn't hear anything about how that all came together. It was a good setup this year, though, but for one complaint. Dear techies: if you don't stop whacking off with the strobes every five seconds, I will come up there with a cricket bat and fscking end you. I'm not the only one upset about this. [Con security -- this is not true. I am not threatening violence. Feh.]

Karaoke: Needs a bigger room. It was the right size for the attendance (sort of), but the 'performance' aspect of it demands more space, in my mind. I would have switched 'Meet the Webcomics' with karaoke room-wise. Run well, although whatever recording was going on in the back of the room confused me some.

Webcomic Alley: This was a brilliant idea, and whoever came up with it deserves money. Artist Alley is a difficult place to get into sometimes, and you'll often get passed over if you're a webcomicker. At first I was annoyed that we were separated from the 'real thing,' but it turned out to be The Place To Be for the weekend. The common interest of all seated there made the alley a lot more welcoming, it was easier for attendees to find what they were looking for, and it cut down on the crowding that might have happened had they shoved everyone into the same area.

Iron Artist: This was my first year seeing it, and I think it's a great idea. It's just enough of a 'show piece' to keep it interesting, and it's a great way to showcase some of the talent that would be stuck behind tables for the majority of the con otherwise. The planning was excellent; I hope this continues to be a regular part of the con.

Dance: Weak.

Overall: I swore a couple years ago I'd never go to Katsucon again after seeing how huge it was, but I'm so glad I changed my mind. They've handled their growth fabulously, to the point that it didn't feel like a giant con. Everyone's best interests (at least, in my experiences) were accounted for when it came to dealers and artists, and the entertainment was properly entertaining. Thank you, Katsu. You made up for last year's Farpoint.

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