The Lost Posts: PAX East, the New Nerd Mecca
From my time as assistant blog editor for Jerk Magazine at Syracuse there were some posts I wrote that never made it to the Net. I will publish these posts because I took the time to make them and thought they should be seen. Besides, their age may instill a pleasant sense of nostalgia…
Comic Con has gone to the media, E3 is for game industry and press, and everything else is either too small or something that no one has heard of. If there was ever a convention for gamers, and most certainly by gamers, it’s Penny Arcade Expo (PAX).
Our Intrepid Heroes at the Start of Their Journey
Spawned from the minds and hearts of two guys who found humble beginnings writing and drawing a web comic, 11 1/2 years later, Jerry “Tycho” Holkins (writing) and Mike “Gabe” Krahulik (art) have created an empire. Their little idea has evolved from Penny Arcade to include: a reality series, TWO conventions, video games, books, clothes, and a charity that gathers millions of dollars to give games to sick kids in hospitals.PAX Prime (as it is now called) has emerged as one of the most notable conventions in the world, renowned for the atmosphere created by its attendees, events, and the enforcers (the army of all volunteer rule enforcers/guides). Now regularly recording attendance in the range of 60,000 people, it was time to expand; and so PAX East was born with Boston as it’s home.
Acquiring badges months in advance to what would become a sold out event , my cohort Jim Redding (@jimredding) and I ventured forth. This was my first con and I didn’t know what to expect, or what to bring. Throughout the day I would come to learn: that a backpack is absolutely necessary because of all the swag (free stuff) you’ll acquire; bring water like you’re headed into the desert; and don’t forget your camera in the truck.
Some of the swag
The day unfolded into a series of awesomely entertaining events. There were panels held by the likes of Bill Amend the creator of Foxtrot and Jerry & Mike themselves.
There was the show floor, a massive, bustling sea of cosplayers, booth babes, enforcers, gamers of every type, and the wandering few who found themselves amongst the upper echelons of the gaming and nerd communities (i.e. Wil Wheaton). Companies like Microsoft, 2K, EA, Rockstar, etc. were present, all showing off upcoming games and promoting them with the enthusiasm only a true fan could and bestowing upon the adoring masses all manner of promotional garb and accessories. My newly acquired “swag bag” from the Nintendo booth was helpful. Who cares if it was emblazoned with Pokemon? There were so many people with pedometers there that I almost felt like the odd one out.
The day continued into a concert of epic proportions. A uniquely PAX experience, the concert fused gaming with hilarity and turned into one of the most entertaining experiences of my life. Featuring performances from the Video Game Orchestra, Paul & Storm, Johnathan Coulton, and one very special guest appearance, we eventually emerged from Hynes Convention Center at 2 am.
Jonathan Coulton (center) joined by Paul (left) & Storm (right)
Out of the entire day, the one thing that really got to me was at Jerry and Mike’s panel. That event solidified why I love PAX and everything they do (though praise should go to Robert Khoo who actually makes the event happen). They’re normal guys who sat down for a while and decided to have a chat with a few thousand people. The environment was almost familial, people shared incredibly personal stories of their lives and how the gaming culture has influenced them. There was singing, most certainly laughter, beer, and even some educational moments. Just watch this.
Now I understand Mr. Wheaton (who I met!) from his keynote speech when he told everyone,”Welcome home.”
For more in depth anecdotal tales of PAX East, go to Jim’s blog Nerdventures for Part 1: The Convention and Part 2: The Concert.
~Beckett
Geek Bucket 