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“Highlights from the 2024 Virtuous Con: Celebrating Black Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Comics Artists”
In the shimmering digital halls of Virtuous Con, where Black artists and creatives of color are celebrated with fervor each Black History Month, a grand gathering of visionaries and storytellers unfolded. The theme of “The Future Is Ours” echoed through the cyber chambers, setting the stage for a weekend of speculative fiction and comic wonders.
As the virtual curtains rose on the fourth annual Virtuous Con, the air crackled with anticipation. Founder Cerece Rennie Murphy, a bestselling novelist with a heart as big as the cosmos, stood at the helm, steering the ship of imagination towards uncharted galaxies. With a twinkle in her eye and a smile that could light up the darkest nebula, she welcomed attendees to a smorgasbord of panels, workshops, and revelry.
The con kicked off in style, with a rollicking Twitch party that would make the cosmic gods themselves jealous. Sarah Jefferson Carter, the enigmatic writer-director of Queendom Come, set the stage on fire with her tales of fierce heroines and interstellar adventures. The dynamic comics duo TezraTandem brought a double dose of creativity to the mix, while Euwarnii Hughes, the mastermind behind Great Gale Comics, wowed the crowds with his groundbreaking work.
But it wasn’t all fun and games at Virtuous Con. Panels, those hallowed halls of knowledge and enlightenment, beckoned attendees to dive deep into the realms of speculative fiction. From discussions on Black horror history to tutorials on drawing Black hair in comics, the con was a treasure trove of wisdom and insight. Names like Tananarive Due, N.K. Jemisin, and Daniel José Older graced the pantheon of panelists, their words weaving a tapestry of dreams and realities.
And then, as the sun rose on the second day of the con, a shadow fell over the festivities. The specter of book bans and censorship loomed large, casting a pall over the joyous gathering. But the voices of Frederick Joseph, Mikki Kendall, and Ibi Zoboi rang out in defiance, their words a clarion call for truth and justice in the face of darkness.
As the panels unfolded, the attendees found solace in the camaraderie of like-minded souls, their hearts and minds alight with the flame of creativity. The vendor floor buzzed with activity, as creators and publishers shared their wares and wisdom with eager fans. Jessica Mack, with her Afrofuturist young adult novels, stood as a shining example of the power of storytelling to transcend boundaries and build bridges.
In the end, as the last virtual booth closed its doors and the final panel drew to a close, a sense of bittersweet satisfaction hung in the air. Virtuous Con had come to an end, but the memories and friendships forged in its digital halls would live on, a testament to the enduring power of stories and the boundless creativity of those who dare to dream. And as the stars winked out one by one in the digital night sky, the echoes of laughter and applause lingered, a vibrant reminder that the future truly is ours to shape.
