Chewbacca the dog wagging his tail, dazzling alien warriors in all their cosmic glory, and a close-to-life-size, animated R2D2 beeping and flashing. Bursts of laughter, beaming smiles, and new friendships forming everywhere I looked.
The inaugural OTaosuCon held on Feb 21 and 22 was the first of its kind in Taos, and the first ComiCon for this newbie. As a first-timer, I expected that attending a “con” would be colorful, noisy, and high-energy. I wasn’t wrong.
A sellout crowd of 500, young and old, let us know that ComiCon fans from Taos and its environs were hungry for a participant-driven visual spectacle. It felt a little chaotic at first because there was so much to take in, but it proved to be welcoming, with a friendly and happy atmosphere packed with incredible, creative, and enthusiastic fans, DJs, and vendors. Any expectations I had of cliquishness quickly faded away and was replaced by the fans’ camaraderie toward everyone, whether in costume or not.
On Day 2, the dazzling parade of high-quality, inventive cosplay was a feast for the eyes for the standing-room-only crowd—think superheroes, anime icons, gaming characters, and movie legends all brushing elbows. And parked right outside? A gleaming, spot-on replica of the DeLorean DMC-12 Time Machine from Back to the Future, complete with a hidden gem: Christopher Lloyd’s (yep, Doc Brown himself!) autograph tucked in the driver’s side door frame.
In true “con” form, the Artist Alley centered on popular culture, spanning from affordable fan-made prints to high-end original illustrations. I discovered Indigenous perspectives through the stunning artwork of headliner Rod Velarde (Jicarilla/Apache) and Josiah Benally (Diné/Navajo), and browsed creations from local and regional artists and unique vendors—each blending tradition and pop culture in unexpected ways.
More highlights include the Cosplay 101 and 2.5 Animation in Live2D workshops, panel discussions, game room, and information about UNM-Taos and our partners, such as the Blue Bus. Vendors filled the Padre Martinez Hall lobby, which featured a plethora of merchandise based on comics, anime, gaming, and film. Unique anime stickers and stuffed Pokémon characters got a lot of buzz. I made a point of stepping into the game room, where my eyes quickly identified medieval board games, thus satisfying my fascination with all things ancient Europe.
This major, roughly a two-year initiative, was envisioned by former student and now FDMA instructor Hunter Tripp. OTaosuCon was planned, produced, and promoted by students from UNM-Taos Film and Digital Media Arts (FDMA) program. Under the guidance of FDMA Department Chair Peter Walker and FDMA Project & Events Coordinator Maggie Duval, the students gained valuable lessons throughout the process. OTaosuCon provided them with real-world experience in organizing a large-scale event and offered insight into how their work positively impacted the local economy.
Kudos to IT, Facilities, Custodial, and the Leadership Team, faculty, staff, students, Evelyn’s Treats, and volunteers for making the weekend come to life.