Editorial: ‘Con’-gratulations to Foxprowl for well-run event

Foxprowl-Con made a colorful, fun and successful debut in Batavia Nov. 20-22. Bill Hume, owner of Foxprowl Collectables, deserves credit for pulling together an event that could be enjoyed by “Con” veterans and newcomers alike — with celebrity guests, fans in costume and vendors where fans could indulge their passions.

There may have been a few minor hiccups, as can be expected with any debut event, but overall, Foxprowl-Con came off well. That is saying something, too, because Mr. Hume didn’t have any government or tourism agency behind him. He may only be the owner of a small business, but he had a big idea and all the talent, connections and perseverance to bring that idea to fruition. Mr. Hume went out and found his own sponsors, he contacted vendors and celebrities and he put the word out in the “Con” world. The result was an event like no other Batavia has seen.

Celebrity guests included Adam Minarovich, who appeared as the character Ed Peletier in four episodes of AMC’s hit show, “The Walking Dead,” and Ken Sagoes, whose character, Kincaid, became one of only a few characters to survive an encounter with Freddy Krueger. Sagoes’ character made it through “The Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors,” alas, only to die at the hand of Krueger in the fourth film, “The Dream Master.” Other celebrity guests included Rashaad Santiago and Tyler Green, prosthetic makeup artists from SyFy’s “Face Off” competition.

Many fans made themselves part of the event, dressing as their favorite move, comic and anime characters. The “Hall of Justice” featured comics, art and activities of all sorts. For example, a “green screen” allowed people to have their photos taken in poses with life-size prop replicas of characters from “Ghostbusters,” “The Walking Dead” and other films. Fans could enjoy any of more than 80 panels and participate in cosplay contests. “Cosplay,” the combination of the worlds “costume” and “play,” is a type of performance art where people wear costumes and accessories representing a specific character.

“The vibe, the feel, the camaraderie has been great,” Mr. Hume said Saturday, the second day of the event at the Clarion Hotel. “People are helping one another and making new friends. It’s because they have the same cause — to celebrate their passions.”

Mr. Hume obviously knows how to celebrate his passion, and share it with others. He had a message to get across: “It’s okay to be a nerd, it’s okay to be a geek.” He communicated that message well. He proved that something like a “Con” can be done in Batavia. It may not be as large as other cons, but it can draw from a large fan base in this and other communities.

Con-gratulations are in order. And it will be interesting to see what Mr. Hume does with Foxprowl-Con next year.

 

posted by The Daily News