conventions for using derivations of the phrase “comic-con.” Six months later, Square Egg updated the event’s branding again, this time to Phoenix Fan Fusion, because of the public backlash to the Comic Fest name. Hinds and others say Phoenix Fan Fusion has taken some to get used to. (For its part, Square Egg has embraced the unusual nature of the event’s moniker, referring to it as “your local, home- grown convention ... with the silly, quirky name” on social media.) Matt Hinds: I liked the name Phoenix Comicon, and Comic Fest was pretty decent, too. It’s called Fan Fusion now, but I still refer to it as Comicon. Jen Hinds: I think Fan Fest wouldn’t have fit, because there’s a lot of other states that have Fan Fests. I do feel like it was necessary to change it. Benjamin Leatherman morning because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Sure enough, the line to get in was wrapped around the building. Jen Hinds: We were trying to help make this go smoothly, because nobody wanted this to happen. Matt Hinds: To be completely honest, it was an overstep by the Phoenix Convention Center. It was too much. But what do you do? They made that call. Square Egg was not the bad guy. They were just trying to keep the con going. Jen Hinds: A lot of people took it in stride and even tried having some fun with it. I saw some Stormtroopers with Actor Jason Momoa during his panel at Phoenix Comicon 2015. baguettes and a few cosplayers with bananas as guns. Square Egg partially lifted some of the prop restrictions by the end of 2017’s event, but kept the rest in place every event since (such as banning all metal swords and anything resembling a gun or explosive device). It wasn’t the only change, as the event was renamed Phoenix Comic Fest in 2018. It was likely due to the San Diego Comic-Con copy- righting its name and suing other There and Back Again Like most other local events, Phoenix Fan Fusion went dark in 2020 after COVID-19 put life on lockdown. Square Egg rescheduled the event a number of times, only to be stymied as the pandemic continued to drag on. Matt Hinds: It was [early March 2020] and we initially didn’t think it was going to be a problem. Just like everybody else. And maybe a month later, Solberg’s like, “I gotta call it off and we’re going to try for September.” I told him, “Dude, that’s six months away. We’re good. COVID will be gone by then. When July came around and we were like, “Fuck.” Then he pushed it till January 2021 and I thought it’d happen then. I thought wrong. In September 2021, Square Egg announced Fan Fusion 2022 would finally happen the following May, exactly three years since the previous edition. Local geeks say they’re excited about its return. Warners: Right after Fan Fusion 2019, I was actually ready to take a break from conven- tions, and then I was obviously forced to take a break for the past few years. So now I’m itching to start going back. Kazmierczak: It kinda offered this reset and gave us all an appreciation for the event. Jen Hinds: For like two years, life became the same old, same old every day. Where it’s just my four walls. And I didn’t really remember what it was like to be with the community. To be with our people. The pandemic’s not over, but with [Fan Fusion] coming back, and us being able to be together again, it’s reigniting the passion for it again. Editor’s note: Some quotes were edited or condensed for clarity. Phoenix Fan Fusion 2022 runs from Friday, May 27, to Sunday, May 29, at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 North Third Street. Daily general admission is $40-$55, a full- event pass is $90, and kids 3-12 are $15 with a paid adult. Visit phoenixfanfusion.com. 23 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES MAY 26TH– JUNE 1ST, 2022
