Our third jaunt at Wizardworld’s New Orleans Comic Con brought many amazing surprises to the crew this year…where to begin?
Firstly, after discovering an Ectomobile owner in the heart of Acadiana, we spent the weeks leading up to the convention assisting Ecto LA3 owner, Chris Gardemal, in sprucing up his already sassy 1992 hearse with extra decals, replacement upgrades, and prototypes for roof equipment. Managing to secure a car hauler trailer, we were able to transport the vehicle to the showroom floor of Comic Con just in time mere hours before the doors opened to the public. This was no easy task…the old girl likes to bounce and Highway 90 had her cutting her tie-downs a handful of times before we arrived in New Orleans only to get sideswiped by an 18-Wheeler while checking in with the New Orleans Harbor Police! Thankfully only the trailer towing vehicle got hit and the Ecto made it to the showroom floor with just enough time to get her settled and start putting our table together. It was a mad dash in those less-than-2 hours to get up lighting, gadgets, posters, banners, a TV monitor, and the Ecto Roof-rack aglow, but when the doors were open, we were ready! We should mention that we shared table space with our sister franchise, the Mississippi Ghostbusters! We were also joined by a pair of Houston Area Ghostbusters who were not only helpful, but a lot of fun at the convention and surrounding events! It was time for the convention to begin, and THAT is when the magic happened….
LAGB’s plan to generate donations this year was three-fold. Spurred on by the excitement generated by the new Ectomobile, we offered Buster shots with the usual high end quality of effects or a “by the ecto” option for a smaller donation. LAGB Artist, Savann Mok, brought a black backd drop and his professional setup of dual cameras, flash umbrella, and keen eye. This made for the best buster shots we’ve ever done. But we also generated funds by selling out of our supply of distressed LAGB logo T-shirts which were a really hot item this year. Finally, asking for a modest donation with a ghost trap for the American Cancer Society from folks wanting to take shots of the Ecto was also a huge money-makers. Folks gave anywhere from pocket change to $50 bills to aid our cause.
After day one it was clear we were on to something special, and it was time to celebrate. For the second year in a row, LAGB member Brandon Moreau hosted a party and Gumbo, this year with a Birthday/Christmas theme due to the date change of the convention (a Superbowl-forced necessity). Shenanigans and door-prizes were enjoyed along with AMAZING food.
Saturday we kicked it off hitting the ground running with more Buster Shots than we could handle. Our team members enjoyed taking shifts at the table and exploring each their own various non-Ghostbusters cosplay with new and old favorite costumes. After a group picture that afternoon LAGB hosted its first ever Feature Convention Panel discussing propping for Ghostbusters costuming and charitable franchising. The crowd was amazingly receptive. We received warm praises from our larger-than-expected audience and even got several rounds of applause during the presentation!
Our group had a short break, then we returned to the convention center to help escort all of the costumers and some of the audience at the Wizardworld NOLA Cosplay Contest. We stopped traffic for the Wizardworld staff while the crowd of over 200 walked to the Metropolitan Night Club and Bar for the cosplay after-party where the winner was announced. The staff of Wizardworld was so gracious towards us as a fan group both at the convention and at peripheral events like this one. We danced the night away and were up bright and early the next morning for our last day (after a late night shenanigan or two).
We don’t usually toot our own horns with numbers, but New Orleans Comic Con was nothing short of miraculous in terms of the good we will be able to do for the community and for our charity, Relay for Life – Lafayette. We want YOU guys to be proud of what you accomplished that weekend, and so, Louisiana Ghostbusters is proud to announce that between Buster Shots, Sold Out T-shirt Sales, and Cold Donations (all that cash you guys stuffed into our ghost traps) we have an earnings from just one weekend at Comic Con of $1,892.86!!!!
This is almost as much as we’ve earned in an entire season of Relay for Life events in previous years of donation-gathering events. We’ll be adding this total to the parade earnings coming up in Mardi Gras season and other events we’ve got planned between now and May, and we’re sure to have the largest total for any fund raiser LAGB has ever done as a total we take to the track fully geared in May to stand vigilant against the scourge of cancer. As we’ve done for years now, we will stay on that track, unyielding, throughout the dark night, until the sun comes up and the event is over.
We, who stand to “Save the World one Charity at a Time” salute you, thank you, and pledge to keep being the best every day heroes we can be!
BIEN MERCI!
