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There is almost a palpable hush over the comic book stores and manga sections today, a sense of a ghost towns complete with tumble weeds and empty registers. No, today was not a good day to be in the manga industry in Dallas.

Unless you were at A-Kon, that it.

From the early hours of the morning, a sea of strangely dressed people came to the Sheraton in droves, bearing oddly colored hair, costumes of all varieties, oversized and under usable weapons. They struck poses in the lobby, they played with their strangely creepy dolls, they milled about snapping pics of others, and most of all, they talked shop. And what shop. The lobby of the Sheraton was flooded with artists and their works, vendors selling frivolous bits of costumes, and at ten on the dot, the Mecca of all who come to A-Kon opened its wide gates and let the masses through, the seekers of rare and shiny, those who journey far and wide for the magic that is the dealer room.

Naturally, the dealer room was stop one on my list, and what baubles, squishy toys and pageantry! So much to buy, so very little money. My dough, incidentally, went to one of the people highest up on my list of artists to meet -the tiny, delightful, and utterly, ridiculously talented Camilla d’Erico. Her Helmet Girls are instantly recognizable, her newest endeavor, Tanpopo, for sale on the table, and the lady herself more than happy to chat and smile with her fans. Saturday will see Ms. d’Erico on a few panels, and anyone seeking to learn from a preternaturally talented artist should immediately seek her out.

Not a coin’s toss away from Camilla was one M. Alice LeGrow, creator of Bizenghast and one of my personal favorite con personalities. All donned in steampunk gear, M. Alice is not only disgustingly beautiful but witty in a snarky, edgy way - a quality that sneaks it’s way into her manga while muttering “chump” under it’s breath. The cover of volume six of Bizenghast is for sale at her table, as well as a multitude of the bits of jewelry she sells on Etsy.com. I spent a good half hour with Marty (as she goes by), talking steampunk, Etsy, her next project and, most importantly, what’s in store for the new volume of what Teen People has earmarked as a must read (and if that turns you off, then hear this: I’ve read Anna Karenina twice. Bizenghast is a must read). Look for more on my interview with Marty early next week, and I’ll pass on the goodies she entrusted with me.

But A-Kon isn’t just about buying stuff (though that’s certainly a plus) or strutting your cosplay stuff (also a major plus). There are panels galore, from cosplay to learning Japanese, writing to artistry. No matter what kind of side project you dabble in (or dreams your harbor), A-Kon had a panel (or twelve) to fit your needs. Is it any shock I went to the writing panels? Lee Martindale, one of the grand dames of ConDFW, was in attendance, doling out her knowledge and experience to all who came seeking. She hosted a ten person only writer’s workshop that was very impressive and more than a little intimidating for the ten brave who stepped up. Should Ms. Martindale bring her workshop to other cons, I highly recommend it. Also on the schedule was “Rejectomancy”, a panel on decrypting those infuriating rejection letters and finding out how they are not only not the end of the world, but helpful.

Yaya Han and M. Alice LeGrow hosted a cosplay makeup session, while The Babbage Patch Kids led a generalized chat on steampunk (followed, in the evening, with a steampunk dance). As the day (and panels) went on, the crowd got a little crazier, and a lot more wired for fun. The people getting ready for The Rocky Horror Picture Show came out in full ruffled panty and corseted force, the steampunk kids danced and played, and upstairs I got to sit in on an event so funny I cried off all my make-up.

It was called “Guest Comedy Improv”, and it starred Anthony Brownrigg (the writer, director, producer and star of the hilariously wonderful Red Victoria, which screened at last year’s con. Red Victoria, the story of a scriptwriter in writer’s block hell who is visited by a zombie babe, is a fantastic watch, and highly recommended), Kyle Herbert (the voice of Aizen in Bleach, as well as a wealth of other animes), M. Alice LeGrow, the insane and wonderful Chris Patton (Sato, Welcome to the NHK), and Mike McFarland (Dragonball

Fullmetal Alchemist hosting. They made crap up on the fly. They worked brilliantly together. And though the thing was supposed to be okay for a pg crowd, there was lots of low down, dirty filthy sex jokes and the kind of wrong humor that makes mascara cry off faster than a wedding. Brownrigg was deviantly funny, Marty a bit of a rock star, Patton always went where he wasn’t supposed to go and it all came together brilliantly.

It was a perfect evening’s capper, and though there was a rousing round of spin the yaoi happening on the way out, I took off ready to sleep until day two, when I can once again be a pocky and ramune fueled creature, ready to party. Look forward to the masquerade, more panels than can be believed, and what usually ends up being the best day of cosplay all weekend long. Larping, charity auction, the mysteriously titled “From Impressionism to Anime: Japan as Fantasy and Fan Cult in the Mind of the West”, an origami workshop, and so, so much else. Follow me on twitter (BrokenAmanda) for all the latest!

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