Photo credit: his majesty Bill Robertson. A great old friend and now photographer.
Adepticon has passed and I have recovered somewhat. It certainly does deserve a recap. Let's just get into it! Get comfy and pull up your favorite throne.
Everyone wanted to buy the three foot Titan picture especially. Sorry, that has a spot on the wall.
Will quickly admit, and I wonder if more than anyone else, I was pretty nervous about the new venue. Had been going since 2008 and am too sentimental for my own good. Figured I'd miss the old place and feel out of water. Plus, it has been, sad to say, too many years since I have been. 2019 was my last trip, then covid and that October the house fire and all the work that came of it. Adepticon is so deeply a part of me it feels strange to even think about the gap in time. It will never go away, and is a part of my existence, even if other things in life separate us for what is comparatively to the importance of the thing, a very short time.
Not all hero's feet reach the floor.
The venue is great. It is better than the previous in just about every way possible. It is bigger, with room to grow. Talking to everyone as they came by the booth, the consensus was it took a day to get the feel for it, but after that everyone settled in quite quickly. We will all miss the lobby of the Schaumberg, and it forcing everyone to mingle and pass, but it is really a more than forgettable price to pay for all the plusses of the new. It is very similar to Gencon at this venue, but with all the close knit feeling and focused niches that I prefer, of the same old Adepticon.
Mom made a ridiculous amount of cookies. None survived.
The booth was thankfully a big hit, and everyone loved the light up backdrop. Was a bit worried it wouldn't work, and I had a ton of issues on the back end getting it. Spent so much time working on it, it became to me like a word you say over and over and it no longer has meaning. Could no longer tell if it was fun, or felt flat. It was great that so many people came up just to figure out if the pictures were real. Made me smile. It was worth it as well just for the pop the light added. Always felt really alive, even if yours truly was still nursing the morning coffee.
I don't know, I just like this picture.
Had a good few people come up and ask "So, what is going on? Do you photograph people's armies? Or sell prints?" I explained it was just my silly way of a doing a portfolio and it was fun to see them light up with the realization they were all models I have painted over the years. Just my style, and I do what is fun to me. Those conversations made me smile. No matter the varied reactions to the booth I felt good, and as usual it is thanks to just sticking to being myself. That never steers me wrong.
There were battles, victory, and the sour taste of defeat.
It was really beyond words to hang out and see the old crews again. Old fantasy crews, good buddies, 40k people, con friends. Too long and my face hurts from smiling. Really worth all of it just to go and talk some sass and reminisce. But as much there were tons of new faces. Part of that is likely time, but curious asking, it was often venue as well. Met some really great people for the first time both because I have been away, and because Milwaukee made it their first time, that I hope become those usual con faces.
SOIG - Stuff Only I Get
The wall now has some proper stories to tell. Still a work in progress, especially the half left of this phtoto, which I of course leave out. Good to have the Lejeune back up.
I had the great pleasure of meeting Jim Owczarksi. I never post about it but as a side gaming obsession I play (maybe better to say, plan) 10mm Napoleonics past few years. Have always been interested in the period, and now with a game space it seemed correct. It is mostly about being able to go wild on research, as if regular painting work and planning isn't enough. I realized over time I was actually treating Fantasy and Horus Heresy like historicals, and figured would make it proper on something that in model terms no one ever sees and is pure game. It is extreme depth of material, low stakes, so it works very well as a here and there side thing. But over the past couple years I have watched everything relevant Jim has played, often a couple times over, as I work. As explained to him, personally there really isn't anyone living today I would call myself a traditional "fanboy" of, but I certainly was a little when we met. Managed to get him to sign a picture from the wall. Still unclear if he understood why I was so excited. Which is understandable.
I got to see Jim's cantankerous thinking face. It's what I imagined.
Mistakes were made. Then luck.
After that he was kind enough to invite me to a game held by David Ensteness, owner of the Wargaming Company and writer of Et Sans Resultat. I bought that second edition from him in person in 2019 which started this side storm in a teacup. That copy died in the fire, but I had flipped through it plenty and knew it was a song that sung to me, so I bought another and the third edition release. Also brought along something for him to sign - a proper Wagram Napoleon, as I knew he'd also have a booth. He seemed a little more used to the request. Had a great time playing with both of them and the rest of the TTS crew (Achilles and Rob) It was one of those moments in life you flip in and out of lucidity of, where you are and the meaning of it. Was a real honor and a very special moment for me.
New place, new badge spot. I think this might get quite crowded.
A big thank you to those that run the thing. Adepticon may be bigger than I thought it would ever get after all these years, but the people behind the scenes who have been doing it all still do just because they like it and it's fun. It is really all of us that force decisions like a venue change. Which they take and make good decisions with for all of us. Great people and once a year is never enough.
The caption of this photo is simply "Family."
No rest for the wicked, and back to work! I know Adepticon always gives me the extra juice, but after this time I forgot just how much. See you next post, the ones after that, and next March.
Also photo and edit credit to his greatness, Mr. Robertson.
