Video: James Horan In Concert From Auto Assembly 2015
Video: James Horan In Concert From Auto Assembly 2015
One of the things we always tried to do at Auto Assembly every year was pack the convention with special events and activities. Our final event in 2015 was no exception. On the Saturday evening our attendees were treated to a special cabaret show from one of our guests of honour. James Horan, who provided the voice for Wheeljack in Transformers Prime, took to the stage for a 30 minute show. He…
Finally, after many weeks of me being lazy waiting, my best photos from Auto Assembly!
- Cosplay breakfast with fallyn-r2m, zychel, and violetstatic!
- engine-red and mighty-grifo (who I apparently can’t tag), as Miko and Bulkhead! I also got a super-amaaaaaaazing commission from Red, which I will post a picture of soon!
- The most awesome Nautica, who was nice enough to let me take her picture even though I’m pretty sure she was going somewhere at the time. I’m sorry I didn’t find out if you have tumblr! If she does, can someone else tag her please?
- Triple Rungs! Who I also forgot to ask for tumblr addresses for. Please help me out! I want to make sure everyone can see their photos, if they’re here.
Auto Assembly 2015 Fanzine Workshop Special Available Now!
Auto Assembly 2015 Fanzine Workshop Special Available Now!
At Auto Assembly 2015 we did something rather unique for the convention – we brought together attendees in a special workshop hosted by Andy Turnbull, editor of The Cybertronian Times, where he took them through the creative process of producing a Transformers fanzine from start to finish. Working with artist Ed Pirrie and a host of fans, over the course of the weekend we saw an incredible amount…
At Auto Assembly 2015 we were joined by Michjael Liddle, a representative from Hasbro who was conducting interviews with attendees at the convention as part of their 2015 Modern Fan Survey. Hasbro are now actively trying to gain a greater understanding of what we – the fan community – want from Transformers and while we still only represent about 15% – 20% of the customer base for the brand, they…
Sumalee Montano was a guest at autoassembly this year and being the fan that I am I couldn’t pass the opportunity of gifting her with artwork, so I drew this illustration in her honour.
I was just walking around the convention’s main hall with mighty-grifo, and out of nowhere goingloco, arctg and scarecrowcoffee come towards me, looking super excited and kinda suspicious (so much I asked them “what did I do?” lol) and proceed to tell me they went to Sumalee’s table with one of my prints and THEN AMAZING THINGS ENSUED:
Loco told me that Sumalee, upon looking at the print, told her something along the lines of “people keep coming here with this for me to sign, who did it?” and Loco, (bless your heart) told her something like "I know her, she is at the convention”. Sumalle then got super excited and actually went “SHE IS HERE??” and Loco told her I was wearing my Miko cosplay so I shouldn’t be hard to find (again, bless your heart... I’m sorry if I got some of the things wrong, feel free to correct me).
Me and mighty-grifo then go straight to her table but unfortunately the queue for the autographs was “closed” and the staff informed us Sumalee was going to her room to rest for a bit. I got a bit sad but then meatfart was there so she, Bruno and a couple of other friends kept me company while I stuck around trying to at least wave at Sumalee or something...
Except you guys should’ve seen my face when SHE was the one who waved at me. She immediately recognized my cosplay and just... CAME TO ME also looking super excited, I thought I was going to die!! Oh my gosh, I can’t even remember what she told me during the first 10 seconds of our conversation because I was SO starstruck, but I know she complimented my artwork and called it “amazing” and “incredible” and I finally got the chance to tell her “I made it for you, I actually brought a big print to offer you.” She gasped and looked so happy, oh my god!!
I felt a little bad for interrupting her break, so I actually apologised for it but she told me it was no problem so I got to offer her the Arcee print and get one for myself signed. She dedicated one of my most favourite Arcee quotes to me (written on the print above), and that is just so unbelievably awesome I’m STILL having a hard time believing it happened!! As an artist, having my artwork appreciated and acknowledged is the best thing I can experience, especially when the person I made it for likes it...
HUGS HAPPENED!! AAAH!! SO MANY HUGS!!
She even quoted me during her panel, she told the public something we talked about which was the fact that Arcee is a warrior, first and foremost, and that is such an important quality to keep in mind.
Then we took a million pictures and selfies and she even told us she’d send a picture to Tania and Kevin (of me as Miko and mighty-grifo as Bulkhead), so that was actually the cherry on top of the cake! I’M SO HAPPY!
Later in the evening, after the cosplay contest was over, she came running to us and told us we were amazing. I mean, we should’ve been the ones seeking her out, but this only shows how humble and amazingly nice Sumalee is. She’s SO cool and extremely approachable and don’t get me started on her positive energy, it’s just so contagious!! Truly a wonderful, inspirational human being...!! I’m SO happy I got to meet her!
Oh, and then we took more pictures together!!! I’m so happy for that because with all the excitement I forgot to bring out my own camera and snap a few shots myself... but I don’t regret it because I know other people did so all is cool.
This Auto Assembly was an unforgettable life experience and I know I’ll be inspired by it for years and years to come.
Sumalee, if you’re reading this, please know how inspirational you are and never, ever stop being yourself...! I hope that you had a blast during the convention and that if one day you’re feeling down, please remember how many lives you touched with your work and that the thought alone will inspire you to keep going.
feat..... bikini Lockdown (chaozrael), I guess. and Drift. being sad. Then, evilcleverdog as Nautica, @apolloniangasket as Whirl, judges laughing (is2g Nick was constantly laughing at something), more sad gays, and SUMALEE MONTANO rocking it with Miko and Bulkhead (engine-red and @mighty-grifo) :D
Featuring me wearing my Miko Nakadai cosplay and awesome people such as goingloco, scarecrowcoffee, codenameeternity, JAMES HORAN!!!!! (Wheeljack’s VA) and mighty-grifo, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, chrismcfeely, duckbats and kuraness as Rung!
