Geek/Art CONfluence emphasizes inclusivity in geek culture through cosplay, vendors

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When he was six years old, Syracuse native Nick Morman received some of his uncle’s comic books, and immediately, he was hooked. He began to fall in love with art, especially art for the “nerd culture.”

As he developed as an artist, Morman loved creating art and prints for the community — at the convention, he sold 4’6” prints of some of his favorite characters. Although some of the drawings are simple, he said that there is something special about someone appreciating his work.

“Artists have their conventions, but I don’t charge a lot,” Morman said. “So it’s five bucks for a drawing of SpongeBob will make you happy for the day. I’ll take it.”

On Sunday, Morman was among many artists who shared their work at the fourth Geek/Art CONfluence Comic Con at the Shaffer Art Building on campus. Focused on creativity, inclusion and diversity in geek culture, the CONfluence featured many different activities including a Batman drawing competition, guest speaker panels, a cosplay show and numerous vendors displaying artists’ various works.

Jesse Humiston, co-owner of Funky Town Comics, said that one of the best parts of coming to comics conventions like these is the way that different fans can bring their different interpretations of the stories they all love and share those views.

Being able to immerse yourself in a comic book story is something very special and can change your life, Humiston said. Whether it be Superman, Spider-Man or Batman, he said reading comic books can be great to start believing in yourself.

These types of conventions are a good opportunity for people to connect based on their common interests, said Jason McCampbell, one of the vendors. Attendees can share both their passions for the subject and the different ways they are expressing themselves, he said..

McCampbell said that he loves being able to come to different conventions and meet people who devote their lives to their fandoms, even if he does not necessarily share those same interests.

“I have a lot of interests. I mean, I watched lots of movies, lots of TV shows, have a huge music collection, so it’s interesting to connect with people on those things,” McCampbell said. “It’s also interesting to hear information about things I liked that I’ve never heard before.”

At the convention, McCampbell sold 11’17” prints inspired by the different movies, TV shows, comics and music that he truly loves, such as Marvel Comics, Nirvana and Blade Runner. In his prints of characters like Darth Vader or Deadpool, the viewer can see the individual brushstrokes and creativity that went into the work.

McCampbell said that he loves being able to share his work with the community and give others the chance to appreciate art.

“My whole ethos about the artwork, in general, is art is for everybody,” McCampbell said. “It’s not just for people in galleries. It’s not just for moviegoers, or movie critics or what have you. Art is for everybody.”

The Geek/Art CONfluence featured many activities for visitors to express their comic book fandom. Throughout the afternoon, fans were participating in cosplay showcases, Batman drawing competitions and guest speaker panels.
Ian Kirkpatrick | Contributing Photographer

Tyler Boss, a graphic novelist, also brought his own unique work to the confluence. Boss is from Buffalo and has been writing professionally since 2014. He displayed two of his original works, “What’s the Furthest Place From Here #10” and “Dead Dog’s Bite,” both of which he said focus on themes of adolescence.

Boss said that he enjoys presenting his novels to people because the themes are universal and can be a very fun way to connect with people on an interpersonal level. He tries to put as much representation in his work as possible, and he hopes that those who read his work can find a sense of entertainment and catharsis in his novels.

Morman shared similar sentiments and said he hopes people will find “a little bit of joy” in his work. One of the special parts of being an artist, he said, is that you can spend 15 minutes working on something that can completely change someone’s mood.

Not every comics fan is the same, however, as they all have different passions and can bond over them, Morman said. That’s what makes coming to conventions so special — different people can share their different skills, experiences and opinions about art, he said.

“I see people that are 80 years old, and they remember seeing Batman and Spider-Man when they were kids,” Humiston said. “And when we see kids that are 17 and 18 now, they are just as excited as us about those stories.”