A Con Newbie Goes to the Indiana Toy and Comic Expo

Posted 6 years ago by Toys

Indiana Toy and Comic Expo

“Spend your money at the show, not on admission.”

That’s the marketing hook that got me to bite on this year’s Indiana Toy and Comic Expo. I’ve long ignored the city’s preeminent geek event, Gen Con. I’m not a tabletop gamer so I never bothered to attend.

Indianapolis’s two latest comic conventions, Pop Con and Indiana Comic Con, didn’t appeal to me either. Their admission price and three-day schedule were too much. Conversely, I had been a few times to the Ash comic show held regularly on the city’s east side. The tiny show always left me underwhelmed.

In the words of Goldilocks, the ITCE seemed just right. In its second year, ITCE looked to be the right mix of inexpensive, condensed, and substantial. The one day event promised lots of vendors and a few extra frills. The event was held this past Sunday at the Wyndham Hotel on Indy’s west side.
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Huge Pixel Artwork by Jimmy Something

Posted 8 years ago by Art

I love love love pixel art. I also love massively detailed illustrations. Artist “Jimmy Something” combined both of these to perfection. When the image rose to the top of Reddit on Friday morning, I pored over every square inch.

The artist, going by jimmypewpew on Twitter, drew the floor of a his own “Pxl Con,” a thriving geek convention filled with an enormous variety of cosplayers and celebrities. The full illustration is 1200 x 848 pixels in size and took Jimmy over a year to create.

Take a detailed look at his intense work. You’ll see all your favorites and a few nods to various aspects of geek culture. On the large image I’ve added a map-like letter and number grid to help you find and share the location of interesting vignettes. For instance, check out the Mythbusters’ verdict on director Michael Bay’s (now dormant) re-imagining of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You’ll find it at coordinates A-1.

I also love the scene where Dorothy, the Lion, and the Tin Man watch was their friend the Scarecrow is welcomed by fellow Batman villains Two-Face, Poison Ivy, the Riddler, and the Penguin. That’s at J-6.

There are also many obscure references which make this piece true amazing: Bronies at G-7, Flight of the Conchords in their Robot costumes at I-6, and an evil purple tentacle from the 1993 video game “Day of the Tentacle” at F-8.

Share your favorite parts in the comments below. Check out the rest of Jimmy’s fabulous work at jimmysomething.com.