AX 2026 was CRAZY.
It was my second time tabling after being blessed by lotto gods and wooow. I mean I DEFINITELY had a great time and I'm hoping next year I could come again as a vendor, but it was definitely WAY more busier than the previous year. Last year they had around 1000 artists and this year they cut it back down to 300-400 artists and pushed them ALLL the way in the back of Kentia Hall while the front mainly had vendors so it was SUPER congested compared to last year. I was a bit anxious for this one bc the last con I did was Kawaiikon in Hawaii and that was back in April, and I haven't really had any events and instead spent majority of the time prepping and spending mad monies to make new merch without knowing how well it would DO LOL
Because of the construction, they had to close down roads and parts of the convention center so the traffic getting into the center was SOOO BAD. So bad that the first day I was 40 MINUTES LATE TO MY TABLE BC MY UBER DRIVER KEPT REROUTING INSTEAD OF STICKING TO ONE ROUTE (bc I've also learned that they opened up the artist alley 10 mins earlier). I had to ask him to drop me off alll the way in the West Hall dock and walk ALL the way across the center with my big ass bag of merch I had to bring in through the crowd down to Kentia Hall. As soon as I took my cover off my table and placed my bag down at my booth, I was SWARMED W A CROWD THAT WAS WAITING LOOL I didn't get to set up yet since I didn't have that luxury and it was SOO hot, but I am so thankful that everyone was so sweet and kind (and they either paid in cash, venmo, or paypal when my square was acting up)... along w being SUPER understanding. I was only able to take two sips of coffee (that hun's friend brought for me) bc majority of the time my hands were full attending to customers.
I think majority of the congestion might... be because of stamp rallies (I was part of four... IDK HOW THAT HAPPENED I ONLY WANTED TO DO TWO BUT MY ART MUTUALS INVITED ME0--). They all ended up being v successful and I am SO THANKFUL we were able to give out all the prizes bc I needed the extra space underneath my table. I heard that they might ban stamp rallies next year and I'm like NOOOO but also I get it... It IS a good way for people to map out booths they want to see esp if the prize entices them, I feel like artists might have to resort to collaborative merch that you can purchase at certain booths or something huh... but who knows!!! I am having stamp rally fatigue tho, I ONLY ever really like doing them if it's w my art friends bc at least it's something we're ALL passionate about and having fun w. When people join rallies and they only have 2 or NO merch of said fandom it's like...??? Maybe that's a hot take, but I was part of a rally where there were some people like that, and it gave people less of an incentive to want to finish it bc... most people join rallies to find merch of the same fandom you know? Or at least that's what I think.
I can't believe I solo'd the first day bc it was the BUSIEST! What I made that day was equivalent to the amount I've made last year during the 4 days of AX, so yea it was CRAZY. I brought the last few stock of my Toji angel plushies and Toji noodles so so I allotted only a certain amount for each day for those who only have one day badges, and they kept selling out before noon LOL. I'm planning on restocking the noodle ones, but the angel is done! My baby, my passion project, so glad people like it. I introduced my new money pouches here w Toji, Bakugo, and Deku and those did well too! I didn't expect to sell out of several things, so I am so grateful, even the display items of the Toji angel (which my art friend bought LOL) and my own personal Toji noodle that has been to travels w me HAHA. It's okay since, again, I'm gonna remake it, but in a slightly diff style LOL... tho' I might make like... some of the old versions for myself bc I like having at least one copy for myself, along w other characters!
I'm just glad that throughout the other days, I was able to have hun w me to help out and I could explore and pick up things for other people (before they sold out) and visit the Toho booth (bc i wanted those free totes!!! smh gacha... and that Deku shirt!) I also appreciate that group of people who saw me standing in line for the JJK photobooth, and one of them recognized me bc they bought stuff from me earlier and she was like "Are you Killamon??" LOL and that WHOLE group was SO NICE. Just yapping away w everyone, you would've thought I was an extrovert HAHA. Which I don't consider myself an extrovert, but I'd say that doing conventions and interacting w all sorts of people and meeting other artists had made me WAAAAAY less anxious talking to others. Which... I am v happy about that, also realized it's easier to voice my opinions too. Idk, I just like the type of person that tabling at conventions has turned me into and making more connections w all sorts of people.
AND ALSO WANTED TO VISIT THE LADS BOOTH!!! Even tho' infold is a whole ass MESS RN BC WTF... BRING BACK VALKO!!! Which, btw I made last minute merch of him (a print and button) and man... yea that was v popular HAHA. I'M STILL EMOTIONAL ABOUT HIMMM I WAS SO EXCITED. Me and my friend went to visit the Valko memorial... ugh... bring him back... ANYWAY, I wasn't able to sign up for the interactive portion bc they CLOSED the forms HOURS BEFORE THEY SAID THEY WOULD... so I'm sad I've missed out, but i was able to watch from a distance... u can see me w my cardboard standees... HAHA I was able to see a Bakugo and Toji cosplayer! LOL THEY WERE SO TALL LOOL I never really think about my height until I'm around like... SUPER tall ppl.
The bag trade for LADs this year went by A LOT smoother for me. They had time slots you could reserve so that you could pick up the bag instead of having a HUUUGEE crowd trying to get a bag all at once (tho it still got a bit crowded bc the cosplayers were also at the booth and ppl wanted to see em). I had to bring my ipad mini and connect it to my hot spot bc I just did NOT have any space in my phone for the game, and man... I got so lucky, I ended up with SYLUS AT FIRST. And ok Xavier is my main, but Caleb is the reason why I downloaded the game, so I had a system. If I got Raf or Zayne, I trade for Xavier, if I got Sylus, I trade for Caleb. When girls saw me w the Sylus bag... omfg... they were swarming LOOL I traded w this other woman who had a Caleb bag immediately bc I did not wanna linger too long. Seeing the LADs cosplayers were crazy tho, like... the XAVIER? My god... they chose a perfect one tbh, he got his mannerisms down SOO WELL and his physique is soo similar to him?? WOOOW
I can't believe Obey Me has another game and an artist I like did an official collaboration w them so hun got the cardigan and a Beel and Levi standee for meee. I want to play the new game that's supposed to be coming out bc I do genuinely like that game...
I also appreciated the gifts I got from other people, someone w a Naoya itabag saw that I drew him and she gave me a plushie of him and?? THAT'S SO SWEET LOOL Another person gave me a Toji button from the daiso blind bag and that was so sweet??? There were other gifts and other art mutuals came to visit my booth and we pretty much spent the same amount of monies buying stuff from each others booths LOL And it's also sooo sweet when people who bought stuff from me previously came back to buy more things and TT v TT I am so grateful, I esp love seeing the Toji lovers and how they call me the Toji artists HAHA I LOVE HIM!! I WANNA DRAW MORE OF HIM, AHHH I JUST NEEDA GET OTHER STUFF OUT OF THE WAY.
Every night I had to do some prep of some kind bc... I ran out of stock that I had brought... I was going off my experience in other cons and last years AX, and I am so glad I was able to clear away some stock that I've been wanting to move! I also think that this set up is my best one in terms of display and balance. I didn't feel too cluttered too which was nice. I ate yummy food, omfg there was this handroll place I ate at that had a set course meal of 6 rolls that were made to order omgg... I hope I can try that again it was so good... I was also able to eat dinner w one of my art friends in Canada and another one who lives in the east coast, which was nice! Esp since it's TOO busy and crowded to hang out too much during the con, so I'm glad we had enough energy to yap and eat dinner LOL
I wish I could go more in-depth but my mind is still reeling from everything and I'm prepping for a small local event here in vegas for Mystic Messenger 10th anni! But this AX was SOOO great and I am forever thankful that people support my art. I hope I can be lucky again and get into artist alley again... pleaseee pleasee AX. If not, I still feel like I'd want to go anyway. Hopefully I can go w Sushi next year!!!
