Science fiction, fantasy, and horror fans have a new destination—Atlanta, Georgia the weekend of Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20. Multiverse Con brings fans together with more than 70 guests from across the entertainment industry and aforementioned genres to the Hilton Atlanta Airport. The weekend is packed with panels, vendors, cosplay, art, gaming, parties, charity events, and more. Guests of Honor include New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Seanan McGuire, acclaimed and award winning artist John Picacio, and 2-term SFWA President Cat Rambo.
“The first seeds of Multiverse came back in 2017 after I went to a small literary convention in Austin, Texas, while I was there on business,” said Multiverse Chair Jesse Adams. “It was the first time I’d been to a small con, and I had a great time, but I also saw some things I wanted to see done better. What I wanted was a truly fun multi-fandom weekend that blended exciting stuff like parties, gaming, and shopping with intelligent, thought-provoking panels and opportunities to meet other fans and creators. Most importantly, I wanted all of those things in a chill, welcoming environment that included fans of all kinds and didn’t involve mega-con crowds, lines, and prices.”
When asked about the role a smaller, more niche or genre-specific conventions, Adams continued, “Many of the mega-cons try to cater to every single corner of pop culture to attract as many fans as possible, and a lot of them have taken on a pretty ‘corporate’ feel as a result. Some large cons are little more than rented dealer booths and autograph lines. Again, that’s great if it’s what you’re looking for, but there’s also a strong contingent of fans out there who want something they feel is more authentic, has more of a community vibe, and is much easier to navigate in terms of the costs, crowds, lines, and so on.”
“That’s where the smaller conventions like Multiverse come in. We’re a multi-fandom con with a focus on science fiction, fantasy, horror, tabletop & RPG gaming, and comics. At a con like ours, you get to meet over 100 of the top creators in these fields—bestselling authors like Seanan McGuire and L. L. McKinney, world-renowned artists like John Picacio, top-tier writers and editors like Cat Rambo and Chris Morgan (from Tor), plus filmmakers, game designers, cosplayers, and even the creators of the Homestar Runner cartoons (a personal favorite of mine). And you can meet them and learn from them up close and personal, ask them your questions, get your collectibles signed, without waiting in long lines or having to watch from the back of a standing-room-only auditorium. Plus we’ve got parties, gaming, shopping, a great art show, social events, and free food. That’s what cons like Multiverse offer—a fan-focused community experience where you get all the fun of a great con without the extra hassle.”
“At the heart of it, conventions are all about the people who participate in them. The friendships people make at cons often last a lifetime. Atlanta has one of the greatest fan communities of any city in the world, and the community that’s already grown up around Multiverse is amazing. That community of awesome fans getting together to celebrate the things we love, that’s what it’s all about in the end, and we hope everyone will join us this October 18-20 to experience it.”
Multiverse Con’s 2019 charity beneficiary is RAICES (the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services). Proceeds from Saturday, October 19’s Silent Auction go to the organization. Donations of unique, interesting, rare, and valuable items will be accepted through 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18. If you have an item to donate for the Silent Auction, contact giving@multiversecon.org. Those unable to attend the convention can give in the Multiverse online fundraiser for RAICES.
The full schedule is available online, so con attendees can plan out their weekend. Tickets may be purchased online in advance or at the door the days of the event.
