How the Pop Culture Event MondoCon Has Changed, and So Have I

When MondoCon 5 unofficially began at midnight this retiring Saturday morning , I thought I knew what to have a bun in the oven . When it end Sunday evening though , it felt like I ’d have not just two day ofgeeking out over postersand art , but a coming - out party for a young genesis of poster collector .

MondoCon is a two - day celebration of artwork , card , collectibles , and more that take place in Austin , Texas . It befall annually from 2014 - 2017 before taking a year off in 2018 . I’vebeen to three of the fourand , for the most part , they were the same . Same people , same artist , same quiver vibe and fun activities . A extremely recommended direction to pass a weekend . However , MondoCon 5 was just a little different . The same people were there . Some of the same artists . But the range of collectors had change . Maybe it was the year off . Maybe it was the ever - change hobby . But , after collect posters for over a decade , MondoCon 5 marked the first time I feel like I ’d become the old guard of the hobby .

https://gizmodo.com/the-worlds-coolest-poster-convention-gets-a-goofy-warri-1730066144

MondoCon 5 took place this weekend in Austin, Texas.

MondoCon 5 took place this weekend in Austin, Texas.Photo: All Images - Jessica Mims (Mondo)

The change was in the aura from the very minute the event began . For the first prison term in MondoCon history , incoming to the result was n’t prescribe by a group of people who ’d line up day in advance . That was n’t an option this clip around , probably due to a deal with the venue . Instead , the line was decided by a random drawing . number were drawn to give everyone a place in line . As someone who has on a regular basis slept on sidewalk and streets to bribe art , this was a whole unexampled earth for me . One that I would love if I got a crushed number or hatred if I got a eminent routine . I drew number 179 . The person behind me drew number 3 . Rats .

Now , 179 was bad but I looked at the bright side . I smelled okay . I ’d had dinner . I was well - rested . And I ’d only have to wait a few hours as opposed to days to get into the convention . Maybe this lottery thing was n’t such a dread idea .

On the other bridge player , at 179 it was pretty obvious I was n’t getting one of five search after commission spotsfrom artist Jason Edmistonor an original drawingfrom artist Rory Kurtz , my two main ISOs ( a poster term standing for “ In Search Of . ” ) . Instead , I ’d have to do some digging to find oneself stuff a little beyond the basics to make the time lag worthwhile . And , the next dawning , I did , in the form of a gorgeous original sketch byartist Sara Deck , among other thing .

The much more relaxed day 2 line for MondoCon 5.

What I line up most surprising and interesting about the drawing though was that , because we ’d all been placed at random , I was next to masses in rail line who could n’t even penetrate going for the thing I require . “ Why would someone spend $ 1,500 on a tiny painting ? Do you have it away how many posting you could get for that ? ” one fellow attendee asked . Shocked , I explained that already possess hundred of print made a quality over quantity mindset more attractive . Then I realized , this person was me 10 years ago . At that prison term I never would have even considered or been able to drop so much money on a single piece of art , peculiarly when I could distribute that money out over a long time on many piece of art .

These people were at MondoCon for the reasons I went to the first MondoCon . Toload up on cool poster . By MondoCon 5 , I ’d moved onto a dissimilar focus , original artistic creation , but I understood their mindset , even if I no longer shared it .

It ’s not as if a change like this happens all of a sudden though . fan who pay care to the community can see it online every twenty-four hours . They see new collector stake in Facebook group , ask questions many think are very obvious , or being unsure of who an artist is or where to get their oeuvre . The covetous gifs new multitude post whenever an older collector Post a moving picture of a sliver of their collection . New collector are suffer every day . But MondoCon 5 felt like the first clip so many of us gather together in one place , all by ourselves . These collectors are atSan Diego and New York Comic - Consbut they ’re obliterate among a hundred thousand other multitude . MondoCon is just bill sticker citizenry , new and older , and the number is significantly smaller .

Poster tubes of all shapes and sizes.

Later in the weekend , a friend told a story of a radical of fans attend the conventionality that ask him what they should endeavor to buy . He was confused by the dubiousness because you ’d wear they would just buy what they desire . But these the great unwashed wanted to make money and acquiring whatever the “ hot ” items were would allow them to do that . My friend give these people some name of artists and they did n’t even recognize who those multitude were .

Again , this was n’t exactly a surprising floor . piddle money drive much of most pick up , not just posters , and has for a tenacious metre . It ’s simple supply and demand . When there are only a few of something that many people want , the ability to bribe those things for sleazy and sell them for more to others is a very attractive proposition . rooter call it “ flipping . ” Others might just call it the fashion thing are . But commonly , the citizenry “ flipping ” fuck what they ’re buying , it ’s not a unreasoning transaction . It ’s possible understand posters released early on in my time collect — selling now for yard of dollar — is another reason why so many newfangled gatherer bewilder concerned in the hobbyhorse . They want to find that next super valuable card . What they may not make though is the rationality those poster are so valuable is that no one predicted they would be .

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Artist Matt Taylor and lots of cool art.

That ’s the good part of MondoCon , and it ’s the same today as it has been the since the first one . MondoCon is a conventionalism full of the coolest diddly-squat ever . you could expend $ 5 or you could spend $ 5,000 . There ’s something for everyone . And whatever that something is is almost certainly going to be so astonishing , others will covet it . Plus , most of that purchasing pass off in the first hour or two while things are still available . Once everyone is done buying , there are many , many more hr to revel , which you may do by walking around , looking at graphics , imbibition beer , or watch interesting dialog box on toymaking , vinyl records , or three artist designing a bill poster for a movie on the spot . ( In this guinea pig , Paddington . in earnest . )

It ’s during these time too that the changing of the sentry duty also claim place . People strike up conversations , turn on about what they buy and eager to find out what you bought . When you hear story ranging from thousands of dollar changing hands for an original painting or a immature male child smiling pinna to ear buying a $ 20 piece of music of Avengers art . And it ’s then that feeling like the old guard is n’t all that regretful . New pedigree is needed to keep a rocking horse afloat and pop culture graphics collecting is a hobby I contrive to be a part of for a long , foresighted time . The fact MondoCon 5 was bigger and sound than the MondoCons before it , and that it brought such a huge superfluity of various collectors together , sure enough made it seem like the avocation is awake and well . Even if it means coming to term with being the curmudgeonly old fossil of poster collect .

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