The first Creation con of 2025 took place in April in Boston. There was a long break between Supernatural Creation cons (the last one was in early December) so everyone was beyond excited to be back together again. There were many hugs and emotional reunions – I had missed my fellow fans and vendors as much as I’d missed the best cast in the world.
I love Boston. I’ve been there quite a few times and it’s a great city, with fabulous food and a lot of history. So I was excited that there was going to be a Supernatural con there for the first time in like a decade. The con was in April so I was hopeful for some lovely spring weather too.
My short flight (we went up and down so fast they didn’t have time to serve us a soda) let me out in what felt like a shocking return to winter, alas, and it didn’t get much better all weekend. What did I see of Boston this time? The lovely con hotel.
Oh well. It was pretty lovely.
Matt Cohen and Gil McKinney are on the tour this year and they’re two of my favorite people, so that was a treat. When I joined their panel, Matt was planning to put some guyliner on Gil that night. Why didn’t we get photos???
They both talked about how special it was to work on Supernatural, because everyone makes you feel so comfortable.
Matt on meeting Jared and Jensen for the first time: There was so much man!
I know that feeling.
Gil: Supernatural was a blessing. My favorite thing I’ve ever done.
They both believe the show, in some form, will eventually be back.
Matt: There’s too much support for Supernatural for it to dissipate.
He also pitched a Hallmark movie called “All The Johns” (which definitely does not sound G rated) starring him, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Drake Rodger and Gil – that’s a lot of John Winchester!
Matt’s actual new project is the animated series ‘Public Domain’, starring tons of SPN Family. If you’re not following and supporting, check it out!
I often write a birthday post for Jensen’s birthday looking back in gratitude for all the ways he brightened my year (and of course for bringing Dean Winchester to life so brilliantly). This year is no exception in terms of gratitude – I am as in love with Supernatural as ever, five years after the show ended, and I am still endlessly grateful for the show and for Dean. In spite of being not the most prolific social media user, Jensen’s occasional posts have invariably been bright spots in the year too. His con appearances never fail to warm my heart, whether I’m there or watching from afar, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been in the audience for another Radio Company show and some Saturday Night Special performances. I had a few special moments with him in the past year that I’ll forever be thankful for, including a little time with him and his Baby and some serendipitous Disney World chats.
That’s alot of joy – and I’m very very grateful.
But I also really REALLY need some things to look forward to right now, in the midst of these difficult times. So I thought I’d look ahead instead of behind for this birthday post, because I’m also very grateful that we have SO much to look forward to from Jensen coming up! He’s been working hard filming multiple projects, and I can’t wait to see all the fruits of his labor – because we know they’ll be awesome.
I enjoyed Jensen’s guest turn as Russell on Tracker and was happy to hear that they want him back (when he can fit it into that busy schedule). They left Russell’s history mysterious enough that I want to know more about him, and I loved every moment of Russell onscreen. Jensen and good buddy Justin Hartley make believable brothers, and they clearly enjoyed being able to act together after so many years of friendship. So, one of the things we have to look forward to – more Russell!
Hopefully we’ll find out more about the family mystery with all three siblings in the new season.
Russell had that cockiness to his personality, and that sense of humor, that we all know Jensen can pull off so organically – part of what makes us fall a little bit in love with all his characters.
Even when we don’t want to! (We’ll get to Soldier Boy in a minute…)
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We also have the brand new show ‘Countdown’ to look forward to – a starring role for Jensen, and a new partnership of Chaos Productions with Prime Video. We don’t know alot about Mark Meachum yet, but the little hints we’ve gotten are intriguing.
Most exciting for me, every time I’ve asked Jensen about how it’s going, HE has been excited – and generally when he thinks something is gonna be good, it’s something I end up loving! Meachum will be complex for sure, and there will apparently be plenty of tension and action and interpersonal complications, all of which should make for a compelling new character.
What bodes even better is how much fun they’re having behind the scenes on the set, including Jensen serenading the cast (with some harmonizing) – and even sharing it with us!
Cannot wait to meet you, Mark Meachum!
And then of course we have the return of Soldier Boy, my beloved. (I angst alot over how much anticipation I feel for his return, considering what an absolutely awful person/supe he is, but honestly I really cannot wait – I wrote a whole chapter about why in ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes’ and I’m standing by it…)
We missed him in Season 4, in all his glorious complexity. Part lost little boy, part violent rageful supe, part anguished father, part damaged son. Give him back to me!
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Of course you’re not!
I mean, look at him…
I was already very VERY excited about Jared Padalecki joining Jensen on The Boys for the upcoming and final season, which I first talked to Eric Kripke about literally years ago. I’ve been fairly sure it would happen barring some unforeseen circumstances for a while, and anticipating it all that time.
They took this photo for me a long long time ago – and it’s going to come true!
Jared and Jensen being back onscreen together for the first time since Supernatural ended is enough to keep me in anticipatory joy for the entire next year. Who will Jared play? An ally for Soldier Boy – or an antagonist? Jared has said he’d like to play a villain, and Jared and Jensen have both said they’d really enjoy their characters fighting it out (perhaps with an unexpected sense of alignment anyway) or maybe they’re enemies who have to work together… so many possibilities! Anticipation is good for us, and The Boys Season 5 is really bringing it. Last week The Boys officially announced that Jared would be guest starring in Season 5 – and so would Misha Collins!
Just the announcement nearly broke the internet, so you can imagine what the actual onscreen reunion (yes, they will be onscreen together per Eric Kripke) will do!
I love you, Eric Kripke. And I cannot WAIT to see what you come up with for some of your favorite actors for the final season of one of my favorite shows!
In addition to all of THAT to look forward to, we’ve got more a dozen conventions where Jensen will be appearing, so there will be plenty of moments to put a smile on my face from those too. And who knows what else might get added? I’d say, all in all, Jensen fans are pretty damn lucky.
Jensen thrives on being productive and busy and fulfilled, doing the work he loves and spending time with the family he loves – and spending time with the fans he appreciates too. That all bodes well for the coming year, for all of us. And I’m grateful.
So Happy Birthday, Jensen Ackles – keep kickin’ it in the ass!
The last con of 2024 was in Nashville, one of my favorite con cities. I used to love when the Nashville Supernatural con was at the ridiculously over the top Gaylord Opryland, and have lots of fond memories there with lots of friends. This year was at a hotel, but that did make it a lot easier to get back and forth to the vendor room and the con and the hotel room, gotta say!
I got there very late thanks to my flight from the west coast being repeatedly delayed in Dallas. We finally boarded, rolled onto the runway, and then sat there for a while – before turning around and heading back to the gate for some mechanical problem. That would have been bad enough, but the next three hours were spent with them changing our gate FIVE times. Each time they did, we all had to trudge through the now-deserted airport, from terminal to terminal, which if you’ve been to DFW is a damn long walk! It was after 1 am before we finally got on another plane and made it to Nashville. My friend Kristen went above and beyond and came to pick me up at 3 am with a heating pad on the seat because by that time my back was BROKEN.
Not a great way to start a con.
However, a con is a great way to get over a truly crappy day! I missed most of Friday trying to catch up in the vendor room, but did catch a little karaoke. Things were festive!
Samantha Smith, Matt Cohen, Tahmoh Penikett, Lisa Berry, Adam Rose and Julian Richings all joined host DJ Qualls for a great time.
I also managed to catch the new episode of Fire Country guest starring Jared Padalecki as Camden Casey. It’s up in the air right now because Jared has another exciting new show on the horizon, but I really hope we get to see more of Camden in that spin off too.
Saturday was of course Misha Collins.
Like me, Misha loves ‘The French Mistake.’
Misha: I love it because they did such a good job satirizing us. Then my manager at the time was like oh, it’s great to see you playing yourself…
The last two Supernatural conventions of 2024 came one right after the other, so I decided to embark on a whirlwind trip to do one con on the East coast, fly to the west coast to have some family time, and then fly to the next – on the East coast again. So, Orlando to San Fran to Nashville! Seemed like a good idea at the time…
Orlando is one of my favorite con hotels, and it was glorious to escape the wintery chill for a long weekend. I had lovely meals outside under the palm trees, in the evenings the fire pit was cozy, and I even brought a bathing suit to swim in the pool and enjoy the hot tub.
Con/vacation combo, which is a rare thing for me as a vendor who usually has to rush back to teach. But I was on sabbatical this past semester, so I got to do things differently – and I’m very grateful!
Here’s my table, with thanks to the friends from TheSPNVerse who helped me get it set up (and the talented Cris Griffin for the new table banner)!
I caught some of the Matt Cohen and Adam Fergus panel – I’d just had such a nice zoom chat with Matt a few days before, all about his new project Public Domain. (Check out that interview here if you missed it). Matt wore his Public Domain apron and gave us an update on the series and some of the Supernatural casting announcements.
Matt and Adam share their enthusiasm about being dads. Adam told us that his twins were actually born on different days – at 11:59 pm and 12:01 am!
We got to hear a bunch of dad jokes, thanks to a fan who pulled up a whole book of them on her phone and was brave enough to give it to Matt. (Well, it wasn’t Jared, so…)
Adam and Matt never worked together on Supernatural, but they are connected via acting. Adam’s wife had a kissing scene with Matt on General Hospital, in fact. Afterwards she said to Matt, “now you know how Adam tastes!”
Somehow it’s been four years since the show that changed my life aired its final episode.
It both seems like a second ago and forever ago simultaneously, in that strange way that really pivotal life events seem to take on an altered sense of time. The fandom has, of course, changed in those four years since Supernatural ended – but the entire world has changed too, in so many ways. Most of them seem to be bringing us closer to something like the Winchesters had to face repeatedly, edging toward things that feel almost apocalyptic.
If ever a world needed the Winchesters, it’s right now.
I’m so grateful that, in some sense, we still have them – and always will. I can still escape with Sam and Dean and Cas, and I find myself rewatching the Show often instead of searching for something new. Nostalgia is powerful, and four years is long enough for it to feel genuinely nostalgic. It’s my feel good show, my happy place, my source of inspiration when it feels impossible to keep going. It’s a reminder to never stop fighting for the people I love and who I’m lucky enough to have in my life to love me back. It feels more necessary now than ever before.
I just re-read what I wrote on the two year anniversary of Supernatural ending. Oddly, I wrote that social media platform changes that were, at the time, just beginning, had me worried that those would change the fandom too. I wrote then:
Twitter itself, the platform on which I mostly make my fannish home and spend time with my fellow fans, is teetering on the abyss of ending too, driven into the ground by a new owner who seems determined to ruin what made it so useful, and occasionally wonderful. Who knows if the Supernatural fandom as it has existed for the past 17 years will ever exist that way again, with so many using Twitter as a platform for both fandom and for interacting with the actors who brought Supernatural to life. It feels like we may be at the end of an era – and doesn’t it just make sense that we’re standing on this precipice on the exact anniversary of Supernatural ending. How fitting is that? Supernatural has always been unprecedented, oddly tied to other major shifts in the broader culture. Why would that change now?
It’s now two years later, and the last week has seen a mass exodus from the platform formerly called Twitter. Some are migrating to Blue Sky, others to Threads or Facebook or Instagram or are just limiting their interaction to Tumblr or Reddit. Some are just leaving all together. It is the end of an era, and while it might reduce some of the social media toxicity and rampant misinformation that have made life even more challenging, it also reduces the sheer volume of fans in one place all interacting together (for better or worse). It feels a little sad, but maybe it’s also hopeful. Yes, you can find me on Blue Sky. I’m trying to be cautiously optimistic that we’ll all find each other again. I don’t like change, but I know that change can be a good thing too – or at least I keep trying to convince myself of that!
One thing I do know. There’s a lot to be grateful for when it comes to the SPNFamily and Supernatural. I feel incredibly lucky that we have 15 years of content to keep watching whenever we need a fix of our favorite fictional characters. I’m really grateful that we still get to interact with the actors at conventions – there were dozens of cons all over the world last year, proving the continued popularity of the show and its talented cast. Moments like these never fail to make me smile.
We’re also fortunate that we still get to watch our favorite actors, this time in their new projects – I feel extra fortunate that I genuinely like the shows they’re on!
While The Winchesters, Walker and Gotham Knights have wrapped, there have been lots of new ones to enjoy. Jared made his debut as a guest star who recurs on ‘Fire Country’ last week, and Camden Casey was an instant fan favorite.
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Sharing a screen with real-life bud Max Thieriot was clearly alot of fun for them, and the cast all talked about how much fun it was having Jared join the family.
And lucky for me, ‘Fire Country’ is a show I love even without Jared on it (but I love Jared on it!)
Jensen has already returned to guest star on ‘Tracker’ this season, another show I love regardless of SPN alum guest stars (but I love Jensen on it!).
That gave Jensen a chance to share the screen with another real-life bud, Justin Hartley, once again playing a big brother. (Fire Country filming in Vancouver gave Jared a chance to hang out with Justin too – it warms my heart that they’re all such good friends).
Jensen is also busy (understatement) filming his new show ‘Countdown’ and then on to the final season of ‘The Boys’ and the new prequel he stars in, ‘Vought Rising’.
I love ‘The Boys’ so much I put together an entire book about it, including a lonnngggggg chapter all about Soldier Boy (and a chapter from Jensen too). So I feel extra lucky that Jensen is part of a show I’ve loved since day one.
That show even brought Jensen back to Hall H at Comic Con this past year.
Kripke and Padalecki have both confirmed that the plan is to have Jared join Jensen in Season 5, which is definitely something to look forward to.
Misha brought the cast of The Boys and Supernatural together for a fun night of support for the Harris/Walz campaign, the combination otherwise known as the “Kripkeverse”. Two of my all time favorite shows, coming together for a cause they all believed in – and sharing it with us!
Misha has been everywhere all over the globe campaigning for the values he’s passionate about – he inspires me with his determination to keep doing just that.
So yes, we’re lucky.
And maybe more important than any of the other reasons I count my blessings when it comes to Supernatural, I’m incredibly grateful for the friends I’ve made in this fandom. Somehow, four years later, there is still a ridiculous amount of infighting and arguing and ship wars and fans trying to police other fans over a fictional show that’s not even airing, but there is also a vibrant and supportive community that I count on every day to help get me through. There are so many people who care – not just about the Show but about the world, and the future, and each other. There are lots of fans who inspire me, and some special people who I can be real with every day, even when I’m really down, and know that they’ll both listen and care. What a gift that is, from a little show I fell in love with almost twenty years ago.
Happy anniversary, Supernatural. I’m still holding out hope for Season 16, if the universe sees fit to allow a little miracle, a little bright light in the dark.
And happy anniversary, SPNFamily. We may be all over the place, and we may not agree on everything, but I’m really glad I have so much company in still loving the Little Show That Could.
And did.
–Lynn
You can always remember how special Supernatural
was and is – in the actors and fans own words – with
the books Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll
The very first Supernatural Creation con was in Chicago – in 2007.
Seventeen years ago.
I was there, along with my bestie Kathy and my good friends Laura and Karen. We had taken shifts for weeks, stalking the Creation website waiting to punch the button to buy tickets the second they went on sale. It’s hard to describe the level of excitement back then for the first US convention for the show I’d fallen in love with – it was off the charts! And it didn’t disappoint. The hotel bar made Purple Nurples and served Supernatural themed food. Jared and Jensen were lovely, though not yet at all sure what to make of the fandom – they sat rather stiffly on stools while we crowded in for photo ops. (Of course Jared didn’t obey the rules even then, and pulled me in for a hug).
I was in fangirl Heaven. Obviously. Also? Babies!
Photos Chris Schmelke
I had an amazing time that very first con, but if someone had told me that seventeen years later, the show would have run for 15 seasons and been off the air for four, but there was STILL a Supernatural con in Chicago in 2024…. Well, I wouldn’t have believed them. And certainly would not have thought I’d be there!
I had an amazing time again, which is, frankly – amazing. I am so very very grateful.
And that is a real testament to the Supernatural actors and fandom. The #SPNFamily. No matter how much wank breaks out every single day online, the cons remain mostly positive and full of excitement and even joy. This year is extra meaningful; the con and the few days I spent after it at my friend Laurena’s house feel like a carefree time, just days before things changed a lot here in the US. I think I’ll always be nostalgic for this con, just like I am for Vegas 2020, the last mostly carefree con before the pandemic kicked in. (Yes, I mark time by Supernatural cons sometimes, what can I say?)
I had been on the west coast with my daughter – because, Halloween! – so I flew in on Friday evening, just in time to catch some karaoke. Several of my friends got onstage to sing, and they were all fabulous! Shout out to Julie, Chelle and Rock! (And emcee DJ Qualls, Lisa Berry, Samantha Smith, Matt Cohen, Tahmoh Penikett, and DJ Liz and Kristen, who were all awesome too)
I was in the vendor room so I didn’t get to see all the panels, and gave my friend Rock priority for the panels he wanted to see (the ladies panel included). But I did catch some. Saturday I walked into the ballroom to Richard Speight, Jr. asking Rob Benedict: Do you want the candy that was in my pants?
Matt Cohen: So, best question gets this bonus package of gummy bears…
Matt talked about a movie and used an unusual phrase.
Richard: Some advice. Don’t google “screwing people’s faces” because you won’t get the movie Matt is talking about…
Rich and Rob talked a bit about their Supernatural rewatch podcast, Supernatural Then And Now.
Charlotte is one of my favorite Supernatural conventions, mostly because some of my best friends are there – and that’s one of the best part of cons. It’s a short flight, and the weather was gorgeous that weekend, and that made it even better. Jared Padalecki unfortunately had to cancel, which we were all sad about, but I know how reluctant he is to have to do that so I’m sure it was an important conflict. We missed you though, Jared!
I flew down on Thursday just to hang out, and on Friday caught a little bit of the panels with some of my favorite people on the cast side of the SPN Family in between being at the book table in the vendor room. That includes, of course, Ruth Connell, who has embraced some of her inner Rowena.
Ruth: I found out that my grandmother, who was the most practical woman ever, also read tea leaves.
Also Ruth: I’ll try anything once. Except a Ouija board, that terrifies me!
I’m with her – still remember some of my childhood exploits with friends at sleepovers, all of us convinced “It moved!!”
Ruth is always inspiring, just like the chapter she wrote in Family Don’t End With Blood.
Ruth: Everyone has something creative inside them.
She feels her time on Supernatural was sort of meant to be. Her first episode was called Soul Survivor, which was a perfect reflection of her life at that time too.
She was supposed to be in the series finale too originally.
Ruth: I was supposed to be in Hell, finding out the news about Dean in the finale.
Like pretty much every single one of the cast, Ruth also had some encouraging words on a Season 16.
Ruth: I’m ready to wager that Supernatural will be back!
Me: (crosses all fingers and toes)
I also love that she was wearing a comfy plaid Supernatural shirt with SW-DW embroidered on it. In fact, I loved her entire outfit (as I often do – she has a wonderful sense of style).
DC con will always remind me of my friend Krista Martin. Last year, it was her last con, and the actors and the rest of us tried to make it as special as humanly possible. I hope we did; I think we did. But being back in that same hotel brought back a lot of memories for those of us who were her friends, so the con had an extra emotional edge to it. I’m often emotional at Supernatural conventions, but this one, more than usual. It’s also one of my “local” cons, so I got to drive instead of fly, yay! I picked up my friend Rita and we drove down together, stopping for lunch along the way and getting there just as rush hour hit – but we made it in one piece! (I am not a big fan of driving on crowded highways at rush hour, but oh the things we do for the show we love.)
I was on my own in the vendor room for a lot of the weekend, so I wasn’t able to catch too many panels, but I was able to see some of Alaina Huffman on Friday. I’ve really enjoyed my interview chats with her, and I think she did an amazing job with Abaddon, so I was glad I caught some. I love her sense of style!
Alaina: I don’t get recognized as much as some of my friends. At Comic Con my Supernatural friends all got recognized more. Then when they asked one fan who their favorite was, they said Abaddon!
What would she give Abaddon as a gift?
Alaina: A whip. For me too, we’re not that different…
Let’s hope that’s at least partly not true…
Alaina said she’s still pursuing directing, saying she’s forging her own path.
A fan asked if she would shave her head for a role.
Alaina: Depends on the paycheck!
Smart answer.
I also had to watch some of Adam Rose and Matt Cohen’s panel. The two of them together are both sweet and hilarious, and so very entertaining! It’s a great example of actors who didn’t even work together on the show, but are just a great duo in person. When I came in, they were talking about the time Adam did a TikTok with Jensen Ackles wearing the famous blue cardigan.
Matt: Jensen put on the blue cardigan and it literally had an orgasm.
Adam: I made a mistake letting someone so good looking put it on…
For those of us who were in Austin for a con and concert the week before, Indy the very next weekend was a con we came to already tired – but it was also a smaller, surprisingly emotional, thoroughly entertaining one.
I had friends to help me in the vendor room at Indy, which is SO glorious – and means I was able to catch more panels than usual. Friday I got to enjoy some of Osric Chau’s panel – I missed him! As I walked in, he was telling a hilarious story about how he had to try to block both Jared and Jensen’s long legs in a scene because they were both poking him.
He wasn’t really complaining though. Like everyone I’ve talked to who worked on Supernatural, they all appreciated the playful atmosphere that Jared and Jensen created.
Osric: The first AD told me, we run a well oiled ship. We finish on time, and that’s because we schedule in playing around time. And that’s so smart!
He said he’ll always compare every set he’s on to the Supernatural one.
Osric: Supernatural is that show you don’t expect that changes your life.
Isn’t that the truth!
He also joking complained about how confusing it was having two tall guys with J names as leads.
Osric: I got there and was so confused! Like why did they hire two tall white guys with J names? I kept calling them each other’s names!
It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for me, and for a lot of the SPN fandom – two back to back conventions plus a Radio Company concert, plus Jared and Jensen heading off to film on new shows and Misha jumping fully into the political sphere. It’s been fun, exciting, inspiring – and exhausting!
I was in Austin a few months ago to give a talk on fandom at a conference, and it was super hot then. Or so I thought. When I got off the plane this time, I realized I hadn’t actually known what super hot means. Most of the time we were there for the con, it was over 100. And that wasn’t the heat index; that was the temperature. Ooof.
Still, there’s always a thrill being in Texas, the state the boys call home (even when they’re not currently living there full time).
The con hotel had an amazing rooftop pool that you could wade right into and lounge halfway IN the pool. I spent time hanging out with friends at night in the poolside cabanas, and had a nice lunch with other friends at the rooftop outdoor restaurant. Night was definitely the only comfy time to be outside.
I also got to do a little bit of shopping on South Congress and have a delicious lunch at Magnolia Café with good friends, so I felt like I at least got to do a little bit of Austin while I was there.
I love the city, just not the 100 plus temperature!
So, the con! (I’ve included some of my tweets with short video clips in them if you want to click and watch those too).
I caught some of Adam Rose and Matt Cohen’s panel on Friday, just in time to hear Matt do a hilarious retelling of the time some of the cast went out for BBQ and Matt missed it because he slammed his finger in a door (or maybe Adam shut the door, but at any rate, OUCH).
Matt: Now I have a piece of the blue cardigan on my finger!
Apparently the folks at the restaurant weren’t all that impressed by Supernatural actors, but blue cardigan guy from TikTok? Oh hell yes!
Not everyone knows him though. Adam said he worked with the Jonas Brothers.
Adam: I don’t think Nick had any idea who this bearded guy putting on a wig was…
