Snowflake Challenge 2025 - Day 10

[dizzojay]

Challenge #10

In your own space, talk about one of your fandom firsts. This could be your first fandom, your first fandom friend, the first fanwork you created, the first fanwork you interacted with... The options are endless!

So, I’m going to talk about my first convention.

I discovered the supernatural fandom in early 2010. In late 2010, I met a friend via Fanfiction.net, and we discovered that we only lived about ten miles apart. So, we had a couple of real life meet ups and during those meet ups she occasionally mentioned to me these things called conventions that she’d attended.

I’d heard of conventions in a broad sense, but wasn’t really familiar with what happened at them or who went to them.

Eventually, she talked me into attending the next convention in the UK, Asylum 7, with her. The convention was October 2011 and I was excited to find out what it was all about. I was also invited that Julian was one of the guests and I was going to get the opportunity to ‘hug Death’. Who could turn down an opportunity like that?

So the convention came, and I loved every second of it. I did indeed hug Death, and he was an absolute sweetie. I told him that he was my very first ever convention photoshoot and he seemed more excited about that than I did!

Since that fateful day, I’ve been to probably about forty conventions (who’s counting), many of them still with that same friend, I’ve met Jared, Jensen and Misha multiple times, and my convention-going has crossed borders into Italy, France and Germany.

I went to that first convention all those years ago to please my friend and because I was curious, and I am so very, very glad that I did!

Here I am, proudly hugging Death!

Comments

[silveradept]

Oh, hooray! Glad you got to get into the convention scene with good people and to hug some good people, too!

[dizzojay]

I really did. It's been a blast! :)

[musyc]

That's fantastic! I'm delighted he was so excited for you.

[dizzojay]

He really was, and it was so genuine!
Such a fantastic first introduction to Spn cast members.

[tsuki_no_bara]

death really does look more excited than you do! it's a very cute picture. and i love that you went to the first spn con to make your friend happy and it was like you fell down the rabbit hole and it's been cons ever since.

[dizzojay]

Oh yes, it was a very deep rabbit hole - in fact I'm still down there now!

[rogueslayer452]

(Here via snowflake_challenge)

That is a wonderful first experience at a convention, especially being able to go to different places like Italy and Germany for conventions!

Interestingly, Supernatural was also when I went to my first convention as well. I had known of conventions, having followed news and such surrounding SDCC for some years at that time, but while tempting I never had any kind of opportunity of attending one. It wasn't until 2009 that I finally got the chance to at Chicago Con for Supernatural. I remember being incredibly nervous, I was meeting some online friends from LJ in real life for the first time, I met Misha Collins and got a photo op and autograph. It led me to attend two more Supernatural conventions after that first one, and although I stopped going because I stopped watching the show I still went to local conventions and even attended Dragon*Con one year.

I miss going to conventions. Since the pandemic I have been less inclined to go out in a public space like a convention, but I do miss the atmosphere.