Created in response to the fallout from Universal FanCon’s abrupt indefinite postponement, WICOMICON – a show put together in less than a week – proved the power of fandom and of the community at large. The show took place at the 1100 Wicomico Street building in downtown Baltimore, Maryland and highlighted the diversity and positivity of what fandom can do and be.

The show was intended to provide a venue for the artists, vendors and fans that were put out by FanCon’s last-minute postponement, but managed to be much more than just that. Besides housing a number of talented artists and vendors, the show also featured celebrity guests, panels, musical guests, and much more. Guests included Hannah Levien, Jade Tailor, Rizwan Manji, and Sergio Osuna from The Magicians, as well as Tamsen McDonough and Sean Baek from Killjoys, plus comic guest Greg Pak (Mech Cadet Yu, Totally Awesome Hulk). Musical guests included Professor ShyGuy, Roquois, and Wreck The System.

Thanks to the collaboration of the various groups involved in pulling things together – Black Heroes Matter, The Nerds of Color, The Blerd Girl, New Release Wednesday, Carbon Fibre Media, and many others – WICOMICON was a huge success. It drew out hundreds of attendees – not just from the immediate Baltimore area, but from out of state as well – many of whom just wanted to support the artists that ended up put out by what happened with FanCon, but ended up being treated to a much bigger event than just that.

I had the thrill and privilege of being tapped to help co-host the cosplay contest, and the level of competition was stiff. Lots of people brought their A-Game to the competition, providing a thrill for the eyes of the judges and the audience. And speaking of that audience, there was a huge cheer when the suggestion was made to make WICOMICON an annual event rather than a one-time pop-up show.

Clearly the demand for a show like this is there. WICOMICON took the underlying theme of the convention it set to fill the void of to a new level; it aimed to lift up marginalized communities that are often forgotten about at other, larger, mainstream pop culture shows. It celebrated creators of color, the LGBT+ community, and so much more. I’ve been attending conventions since 2002 and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a show quite like this. The nerd community is as diverse as any other and it’s long overdue for a show to shine the spotlight on and celebrate that diversity.

Huge kudos need to be given to the folks who made WICOMICON happen – again, I need to stress, in less than a week. If a show can be this good with that little prep time, imagine what they could do with a year’s worth of foresight. Hopefully this is something that happens again, because everyone left this show with a smile on their face.

-Carrie Wood

To see more photos from WICOMICON, check out our photo gallery.