My excellent Nick Roche commission. First up, a quick piece of housekeeping for people that don’t follow me on social media: Because writing Revisitation is so time consuming and difficult (and whilst my break for TFN was planned, you’ll have noticed it doesn’t take much to knock me off-course and create an unplanned gap), I’ve decided that, once I’ve reached the end of 2012 in six weeks, I’m going to take a proper season break for the rest of the year.
The plan is then to come back in January 2025 with 2013 and a whole new fresh energy, and hopefully making things a bit punchier and shorter (because I still feel I’m badly over-writing them) without losing my free-form nonsense.
Now onto the real purpose of this piece though, something that probably would have been a Twitter thread a year ago, but now all the people I’m going to mention are so spread over different platforms, it’s easier to have one central post to link to.
I’ve just returned from the 40th anniversary of Transformers, TFNation convention. I’ve been going to the Birmingham TF Convention for 21 years, 19 cons, two convention names and my seventh specific TFN.
So, at this point, I’m probably the worst person for someone thinking of going for the first time to ask about what it’s like. Because the convention is an incredibly well-oiled machine, with Billy, David, and the entire team have such experience now, even a con that was basically at the limit of how many attendees it could have without becoming uncomfortable, flowed well. The panels were great, the dealer room was amazing (though I suppose if I did have one big piece of advice, now there are so many dealers, shop around. My two big Transformers purchase were both considerably cheaper on the second stall I saw them on, holding back saved me a lot of money), the convention part of the convention is as good as it’s possible to be.
The plan is then to come back in January 2025 with 2013 and a whole new fresh energy, and hopefully making things a bit punchier and shorter (because I still feel I’m badly over-writing them) without losing my free-form nonsense.
Now onto the real purpose of this piece though, something that probably would have been a Twitter thread a year ago, but now all the people I’m going to mention are so spread over different platforms, it’s easier to have one central post to link to.
I’ve just returned from the 40th anniversary of Transformers, TFNation convention. I’ve been going to the Birmingham TF Convention for 21 years, 19 cons, two convention names and my seventh specific TFN.
So, at this point, I’m probably the worst person for someone thinking of going for the first time to ask about what it’s like. Because the convention is an incredibly well-oiled machine, with Billy, David, and the entire team have such experience now, even a con that was basically at the limit of how many attendees it could have without becoming uncomfortable, flowed well. The panels were great, the dealer room was amazing (though I suppose if I did have one big piece of advice, now there are so many dealers, shop around. My two big Transformers purchase were both considerably cheaper on the second stall I saw them on, holding back saved me a lot of money), the convention part of the convention is as good as it’s possible to be.
One of the good people who put up with me all weekend, James. Probably telling me how great I am. For me though, because I’ve seen so many people on these panels talk before, and because I’m not up to date on the current cartoons and comics, it has become first and foremost an excuse to hang out with friends, with nearly all of my time in the bar or restaurants.
Which for this year, actually had me very nervous. Because so many of the friends I’d normally hang around with (including Marian and Ryan) weren’t going to make it this time. But a lot of the people I’ve annoyed, irritated, or pissed off (or who has annoyed, irritated, or pissed off me) seemed to have all turned out.
Now, that last one is a psychological fear, these aren’t evil people, and TFN is a big enough event that everyone can politely ignore each other with ease, at most you might have to shimmy past someone in the bar. So please don’t be put off by the idea you might run into your worst enemy, but that sense of dread was building up in the lead up to the con.
But this is where having friends comes in handy. First, Claude (who is a legend in the Forge and arranged the excellent stamp collection contest for it) gave some words of reassurance in the run up that helped a lot.
Secondly, people there stepped up. Andy and Becka included me in the Thursday Squad activities (along with two Jasons and various others), that started the con off to a nice relaxed talking nonsense in a Premiere Inn bar start.
Which then carried onto the rest of the weekend, in particular I was effectively adopted by James (who is one of my favourite people when a little tipsy because they’ll give me big hugs and tell me how great I am. Though that might be a cunning plot to keep providing them with wine), Lilly and Liam and trapped in the inescapable orbit of Erica, along with the equally charming Ella, Caleb, Sarah, and the entire puck table corner.
Which for this year, actually had me very nervous. Because so many of the friends I’d normally hang around with (including Marian and Ryan) weren’t going to make it this time. But a lot of the people I’ve annoyed, irritated, or pissed off (or who has annoyed, irritated, or pissed off me) seemed to have all turned out.
Now, that last one is a psychological fear, these aren’t evil people, and TFN is a big enough event that everyone can politely ignore each other with ease, at most you might have to shimmy past someone in the bar. So please don’t be put off by the idea you might run into your worst enemy, but that sense of dread was building up in the lead up to the con.
But this is where having friends comes in handy. First, Claude (who is a legend in the Forge and arranged the excellent stamp collection contest for it) gave some words of reassurance in the run up that helped a lot.
Secondly, people there stepped up. Andy and Becka included me in the Thursday Squad activities (along with two Jasons and various others), that started the con off to a nice relaxed talking nonsense in a Premiere Inn bar start.
Which then carried onto the rest of the weekend, in particular I was effectively adopted by James (who is one of my favourite people when a little tipsy because they’ll give me big hugs and tell me how great I am. Though that might be a cunning plot to keep providing them with wine), Lilly and Liam and trapped in the inescapable orbit of Erica, along with the equally charming Ella, Caleb, Sarah, and the entire puck table corner.
Erica rolling Snake-Eyes. Including ruiner of my life and reputation, Umar. With the sneaky “Watch some Kamen Rider, it won’t turn you into a crack whore for Toku” agenda.
I joke of course, they’re enriched my life in every way, except financially.
What followed was two evenings on inexplicable obsession with the Snake-Eyes costume in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), in particular his big, kissable lips. Resulting in dozens of people drawing a big lips Snake-Eyes sketch in a notebook, including proper guests of the con Jack Lawrence, Nick Roche, and James Roberts. With Nick especially being annoying for drawing a perfect, luscious Snake-Eyes with barely a flick of the wrist (he also did an amazing Kamen Rider Skull and Nightbeat sketch for me).
Which was ridiculous, mildly terrifying (no one needs that much big-lips Snake-Eyes) and a hugely fun way of bringing disparate people together.
And that, as Chris McFeely said when a bunch of us harassed him to name a random non-Transformer toy and a passing man in the bar who overheard was able to give us its entire history, is the spirit of TFNation. The ridiculous clowns who make up the attendees, give it soul and helped me overcome my insecurities this year.
So, for all I enjoyed the really excellently written script reading, the cosplay contest and the huge amount of work put into creating the longer cut of More Than Meets the Eye, my takeaway will be big, pouting, rubber lips.
I joke of course, they’re enriched my life in every way, except financially.
What followed was two evenings on inexplicable obsession with the Snake-Eyes costume in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), in particular his big, kissable lips. Resulting in dozens of people drawing a big lips Snake-Eyes sketch in a notebook, including proper guests of the con Jack Lawrence, Nick Roche, and James Roberts. With Nick especially being annoying for drawing a perfect, luscious Snake-Eyes with barely a flick of the wrist (he also did an amazing Kamen Rider Skull and Nightbeat sketch for me).
Which was ridiculous, mildly terrifying (no one needs that much big-lips Snake-Eyes) and a hugely fun way of bringing disparate people together.
And that, as Chris McFeely said when a bunch of us harassed him to name a random non-Transformer toy and a passing man in the bar who overheard was able to give us its entire history, is the spirit of TFNation. The ridiculous clowns who make up the attendees, give it soul and helped me overcome my insecurities this year.
So, for all I enjoyed the really excellently written script reading, the cosplay contest and the huge amount of work put into creating the longer cut of More Than Meets the Eye, my takeaway will be big, pouting, rubber lips.
[Note that the actual picture Erica was using was far more terrifying, but it didn't come up immediately on Google and I'm not searching for it]
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