Kristina Rogers, ReedPop’s vice president of worldwide comics portfolio, places it simply: “This neighborhood is so a lot fun.”
Established by Mike Broder, Florida Supercon debuted in 2006 at the Ramada Hollywood Beach front Vacation resort, then bounced between Broward and Miami-Dade counties right before settling at the Miami Seashore Conference Middle. In 2019, ReedPop acquired the conference and held its first function that same calendar year. But the pandemic stalled any momentum made by the possession modify.
Throughout the lockdown, ReedPop, which also creates New York Comedian Con, London’s MCM Comedian Con, PAX East, and PAX West, took the prospect to hold virtual gatherings to sustain the enjoyment amount. It assisted organizers and eager attendees develop a huge hoopla coach for Supercon’s eventual return very last September.
Rogers and her group are hunting forward to staying commonly embraced by South Florida’s geek group as soon as all over again.
“We ran a show in the Midwest, in New York, and an additional party in the Pacific Northwest and each and every group is absolutely distinctive,” she says. “[Miami] is just so variety, so energized, so supportive, too. It is been really great.”
An approximated 55,000 attendees await appearances by comedian e-book legends like Jim Lee and Brian Azzarello, voice actors like Colleen Clinkenbeard of One particular Piece (Luffy) and Dante Basco of Avatar: The Very last Airbender (Zuko), and anime YouTubers like Trash Flavor and AmaLee.
The inclusion of YouTubers, podcasters, and streamers represents a change in the gaze of geek culture in latest yrs. Supercon’s Gen Z viewers noticeably deviates from other age teams, owning grown up with the internet and social media at arm’s arrive at. As a result, they’ve built much more of a kinship with written content creators who align with their niche interests.
Anime has held important sway inside the group for a long time, but its impact has been amplified even much more so with present-day youth. A genre that was ridiculed by outsiders a technology back has evolved into a heavily commercialized medium that has introduced like-minded devotees collectively.
“We’re definitely getting what comic cons do customarily and blending it with this young viewers that is just not into the identical points folks ended up into 30 decades ago,” Rogers states. “It presents us this brand new sandbox to explore in.”
ReedPop, the organizer guiding Florida Supercon, has labored on making the celebration a extra inclusive encounter.
Image by Daniella Mía
Trash Taste, a Japan-primarily based podcast crafted on anime discourse, and AmaLee, an American musician who covers music from anime and video clip game titles, have established their personal areas for committed anime supporters to feel acknowledged. Rogers looks ahead to bringing these spaces to everyday living, along with other broadly preferred acts like the Dwelling Tombstone.
Supercon functions like Pop Asia lean into overseas lore even additional via K-pop dance functions, manga libraries, samurai sword coaching, and a number of other interactive ordeals relevant to anime and other types of Asian media. The convention maintains close call with cultural teams and invitations them to signify their countries in human being in get to deliver forth authenticity and reputable illustration.
Guaranteeing the protection and inclusion of minority teams and subcultures at Supercon is of paramount great importance. Representation exists in each corner: on-web page team, function organizers at the rear of the scenes — even anything as easy as bilingual signage for Latino attendees.
There is certainly a Satisfaction Lounge for LGBTQ attendees at Supercon, but Rogers emphasizes that inclusivity doesn’t cease at placing up an isolated island: “Genuine allyship isn’t really just getting a place for someone,” she claims. “It really is creating sure that community is represented through every little thing you do.”
In unison with a number of nonprofit teams like PRISM, Outshine, and Pridelines, training and help services will be specified to those in want of means, perception, and imaginative inspiration similar to LGBTQ representation. Drag screenings and performances will be sprinkled during the weekend.
There is a great deal to appear forward to for this year’s Supercon. As standard, Gaming Zone will fill up speedily, and 1000’s of eyes will fixate on yearly staples like Cosplay Central and Artist Alley. Some points never improve (much). But when new things do involve lodging, ReedPop vows to do all it can to adapt to the needs of their clientele.
“It is truly important to us to build a house, no subject who you are, [where] you can appear and see oneself,” Rogers states. “And that’s actually vital for something you like.”
Florida Supercon. 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, July 8, and Saturday, July 9, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 10, at Miami Seashore Convention Middle, 1901 Conference Center Dr., Miami Seashore 800-598-1055 floridasupercon.com. Tickets cost $10 to $300.
