Category: 2014

Taking the East Coast by Storm: Jared, Jensen and Misha at NJCon

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NJ Con 2 105

After the 12 hour flight to VanCon a few weeks ago, we were ecstatic to be able to actually DRIVE to NJCon – and the East Coast was ecstatic to have a con to call their own. Jared always asks how many people are con virgins and we’re always blown away by the hands that go up and the screams of joy that accompany them. There haven’t been many Supernatural cons on the East coast, so a whole new group of fans were treated to the awesomeness that is the SPN cast at a con.

The success of a convention depends on every guest there, and on the ability of Emcee Richard Speight Jr. and house band Louden Swain to keep the energy level up, and they came through with flying colors at NJCon. But the con’s success also rides heavily on the shoulders of Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins (and some very fine shoulders they are…) All three were in fine form this con, and I do mean that in every way possible.

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Making History at Supernatural’s VanCon

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Best Cast Ever
Best Cast Ever

I’ve spent the week happily immersed in VanCon photos and reports and vids, like most of the Supernatural fandom, musing about why VanCon feels so special. Of course every occasion that fans have to get together is special, because we don’t often get to be with our SPN Family face to face. VanCon gives me lots of other fans to squee about Show with, to share my anticipation for S10, and to hash out what we did and didn’t like about S9 (and the eight seasons before that too). And then VanCon does other cons one better by giving me not only the actors but some of Supernatural’s writers and crew – which makes it pretty much the enactment of the reciprocal relationship we’ve written about in all our books. My week in Vancouver was all about those relationships – fans and fans, fans and actors, actors and actors, with some crew members and writers to round out the reciprocity. Relationships are what make we humans happiest, so I guess it’s not surprising that I’m still smiling.

VanCon coincided with the beginning of filming Supernatural’s 200th episode, which seemed entirely fitting. We contributed to some 200th episode gifts for the cast and crew, along with many other fans. Another group of fans arranged for a banner to be flown over the set congratulating the cast and crew on reaching such an important milestone.

The occasion made me think. When we first started researching Supernatural back in 2007, the Show was on the verge of cancellation at the end of every season, with fans rallying with postcard campaigns and network pleas and then crossing our fingers until the renewal was announced and we could finally breathe again. Nobody – not even the fandom – would have believed that we’d see 10 seasons and 200 episodes. But here we are, and going stronger than ever!

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Supernatural VanCon 2014!

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j2 smiles best

The first con of the new season is always special as fans make the pilgrimage to Vancouver, basically a Supernatural fan’s Mecca. Many of us haven’t seen each other in a long time – reunions happen about every ten seconds at VanCon, with squeals of happiness and enthusiastic hugs and, if you’re lucky, a chance to grab a drink and catch up with someone else who fans the Show just like you do. I cherished the opportunity to meet so many people who I chat with online in person – and relished every fangirl hug. I wish I’d had about a hundred more hours so I could have done even more catching up!

And it’s not just the fans. There’s an energy to VanCon that’s different from other cons – an almost manic energy, because it’s been so long since the fans and the cast have been face to face. At this point, eight years of conventions behind them, the actors seem almost as excited to see the fans again as we are (most definitely) excited to see them. We’ve been enduring what seems like an endless Hellatus, but now the Show is filming again, which leaves fandom bursting with curiosity and anticipation – and makes for some excellent questions. The series regulars are quite good at knowing just what they can and can’t answer, so it also makes for some excellent responses. No real spoilers, but plenty of tantalizing hints. If it’s possible (and I didn’t think it was), I’m even MORE excited about Season 10 now!

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So You Wanna Go To Comic Con…Supernatural and More at SDCC14!

So You Wanna Go To Comic Con…Supernatural and More at SDCC14!

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panel boys2

Two of the most pivotal chapters of Fangasm take place at the four days of contained (mostly) insanity that is Comic Con – and yes, I mean that in (mostly) a good way. We began our wild roadtrip through Supernatural fandom at Comic Con, wide-eyed and overwhelmed, newbies in every way imaginable. On our first visit, I spent most of the time either grinning like a fool at being immersed in a place where geeks were the majority and it seemed like everyone was okay with being who they were, or catastrophizing about failing once again to meet the elusive Jensen Ackles. Kathy spent most of the time shaking her head at both my smiling and nail-biting. We schemed and planned and stood in endless lines and met some wonderful Supernatural fans who are still our friends today. The nail biting finally ended in the glorious moment when I managed to say two words to Jensen, but suffice it to say, there was no way the smiling was going to end for a very long time after that. Much to Kathy’s amusement.

The next time we went back, a year later, it was a vastly different experience. We were writing a book on Supernatural, escorted past security and invited upstairs to the WB booth to meet with Eric Kripke and Sera Gamble. Instead of fighting our way through the throngs of people frantically trying to catch a glimpse of Jensen, we were looking down from the booth and hugging him and Danneel afterwards, and feeling like the luckiest fangirls in the history of ever. Of course, if you’ve read Fangasm, you know that our good luck didn’t exactly last, but that’s another story.

So returning to Comic Con, with all that history, was an emotional experience.

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Jensen Ackles at Supernatural DC Con

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jensen standing

We’re still having con letdown 24 hours after returning from the Creation Supernatural convention in Washington D.C. (actually Arlington, Virginia, but close enough) – it was a freaking fantastic con! One of the best ones we’ve been to. We’ll write up more coverage when we can catch our breath, but for now, a few con highlights.

One was having a chance for not one, not two, but THREE fangirl dinners (and some excellent fanboy chats too) – all of them filled with spirited discussion about SPN, where Season 9 is headed and whether we’ll all survive it. There’s nothing better than a table full of fans analyzing the smallest moments, debating their significance, sharing intricate theories, challenging and validating each other’s thinky thoughts. It’s exhilarating!

Also exhilarating (in more ways than one, only some of them cognitive…) was Jensen’s meet and greet. As always, no notes allowed, but here are a few tidbits, and my own questions and Jensen’s answers.

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