(My kids running the Crooked Finger Press table. Rich Tommaso on the right .)
So... I was recently (in the year 2021) trying to find some old photos and realized that I never posted this con report from 2014. So here it is, I don't think it's even finished but after seven years I may as well let it fly. Enjoy.
In the long ago days of June 20th through June 22nd 2014, thousands of comics enthusiasts gathered together in Charlotte NC for America's most beloved comic book convention, HeroesCon.
I've been an exhibitor at HeroesCon many times in the past but this year would be different as I would be taking my family with me. I had told my 12 year old daughter Kassidy that if she finished a full length minicomic that I would print it up and take it and her with me to Heroes Con. She met the challenge so we decided to make a sort-of family vacation out of the trip to Charlotte.
We left for Charlotte on the Wednesday before the show. Usually, I would just make the four hour drive down from southwest VA the morning of the first day of the show and spend the weekend in a sleep deprived fog. I gotta say that driving down well in advance is great and a major stress reliever.
I've been an exhibitor at HeroesCon many times in the past but this year would be different as I would be taking my family with me. I had told my 12 year old daughter Kassidy that if she finished a full length minicomic that I would print it up and take it and her with me to Heroes Con. She met the challenge so we decided to make a sort-of family vacation out of the trip to Charlotte.
We left for Charlotte on the Wednesday before the show. Usually, I would just make the four hour drive down from southwest VA the morning of the first day of the show and spend the weekend in a sleep deprived fog. I gotta say that driving down well in advance is great and a major stress reliever.
(The hotel hallway was very long. I walked to the end to make sure that it was real. When I got there I found an old man in a bed. He looked like my grandfather. It was full of stars.)
As this was a family trip we decided to stay south of downtown in a more family friendly hotel. And by family friendly, I mean a hotel with a swimming pool. I like the hotels in downtown Charlotte fine. The beds in the Westin are super nice. But none of those hotels have swimming pools. Last I checked the Westin did not even have free wifi. Hell, the Westin does not even have free parking included with the price of your room. Kids, they need swimming pools and wifi.
We stayed at a Residence Inn and it was super nice. The room was huge with a full kitchen, couch, bar, desk etc. The hotel had swimming pool, weight room, hot tub and a gas fire pit. Loved it. I would miss getting drunk with pals in the Westin lobby but I wouldn't miss it enough to give up the hot tub and the fire pit.
As this was a family trip we decided to stay south of downtown in a more family friendly hotel. And by family friendly, I mean a hotel with a swimming pool. I like the hotels in downtown Charlotte fine. The beds in the Westin are super nice. But none of those hotels have swimming pools. Last I checked the Westin did not even have free wifi. Hell, the Westin does not even have free parking included with the price of your room. Kids, they need swimming pools and wifi.
We stayed at a Residence Inn and it was super nice. The room was huge with a full kitchen, couch, bar, desk etc. The hotel had swimming pool, weight room, hot tub and a gas fire pit. Loved it. I would miss getting drunk with pals in the Westin lobby but I wouldn't miss it enough to give up the hot tub and the fire pit.
(Planet Snoopy at Carrowinds is totally related to comics and therefore should of course this photo should be in a HeroesCon report.)
I've been to Charlotte many times but the only thing I've ever done there is go to the convention center and some surrounding eateries. We didn't want this trip to be just about sitting at a comics show so we let the kids pick out something to do the day before. We ended up choosing Carowinds. I was super happy with that choice because I love roller coasters so very much. My youngest daughter, Alana, is 7 so this was her first amusement park visit where she was tall enough to ride all the fun rides. She had a fantastic time. The first thing she said at the end of almost every ride was "can we ride it again?" My wife and older daughter also had a nice time but I think they would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had not been 96 degrees that day. It was hot. Not gonna lie. It was super hot.
I've been to Charlotte many times but the only thing I've ever done there is go to the convention center and some surrounding eateries. We didn't want this trip to be just about sitting at a comics show so we let the kids pick out something to do the day before. We ended up choosing Carowinds. I was super happy with that choice because I love roller coasters so very much. My youngest daughter, Alana, is 7 so this was her first amusement park visit where she was tall enough to ride all the fun rides. She had a fantastic time. The first thing she said at the end of almost every ride was "can we ride it again?" My wife and older daughter also had a nice time but I think they would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had not been 96 degrees that day. It was hot. Not gonna lie. It was super hot.
(I grew a tail. You know who else has a tail? Rocket Raccoon and Rocket Raccoon is in comics therefore of course this photo belongs in a HeroesCon report.)
(My understanding is that this is a photo of a giant stuffed dinosaur dressed up as Spider-Man. Relevant!)
(Obligatory we-are-in-the-Carolinas-so-here-is-a-picture-of-Dale-Earnhardt's-car picture.)
(The Crooked Finger Press booth. Also known as Shannon Smith's table on Indie Island as ran by Alana Smith and Kassidy Smith.)
(Kassidy Smith shows off her first full length comic Hula-Hoop Girl.)
(Best bros forever.)
(Patrick Dean, Shannon Smith (a.k.a. me) and Brad McGinty.)
(These are happy people waiting in lines.)
(Brad McGinty talking to a dude in a luchador mask because comics.)
(Kids could bounce under Spider-Man's crotch.)
(Patrick Dean and Henry "our most beloved" Eudy.)
(Alana decided to get in on the act and sell some pony paintings.)
(My daughter is now a T.A.R.D.I.S. Thanks a lot HeroesCon.)
(We out Scoob.)
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