Episode 79 – MidSouth Mega Con

Lin WorkmanMay 29, 2025

Show notes: For this episode I attended the first ever MidSouth Mega Con at the Memphis Sports & Event Center located in the Memphis Fairgrounds.

Although I found out after I edited this episode that there was a slight name change for the event going forward..!

I was at this inaugural con to man the Mid-South Cartoonists Association and record a few interviews over the holiday weekend.

I got to talk toons with local artists including Ryan Ladner, Shane Luttrell, That Katie Jones, Peter Melonas, Dr. Kevin Thorn, MSCA president Kevin L. Williams, and MCFC co-organizer/”Geek Tank Radio” co-host Brandon Olmstead.

Kev brought along some of his Muppet friends- Kermit, Fozzie, and Grover. We handed out a lot of MSCA stickers and postcards, and even sold a few zines!

There was lots of great cosplay, including our table neighbors The 731 Ghostbusters and Star Trek fan group Station Shelby. (You can see more pics on our MSCA Facebook page.)

We loved getting t meet the amazing animals from the Soft Landings of Tennessee waterfowl rescue, and the awesomely chill pup from the GameOver Arcade in Southaven, MS.

We also got to meet actors Reb Brown/Captain America, Sean Patrick Flanery/Young Indiana Jones, and legendary voice actor Billy West/Ren & Stimpy.

The space was huge, clean, and had great lighting and A/C. There’s plenty of room for this con to expand for next year. The Memphis weather was definitely frightful outside, but it was dry and comfortable inside.

This fall Memphis Comic Expo will be at this same event center in September. I’ll have a table at DonnieCon for the first time in a few years. Between the pandemic, travel, and other show commitments I haven’t been able to table there since probably 2018 at the AgCenter. Looking forward to MCX being at this new location.

This Saturday, May 31st is the third annual Memphis Libraries Comic Con at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library (AKA “Main Public Library”) – 3030 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111.

I’ll be set up at this free event along with several of my MSCA cohorts from 10am-3pm. Lots of other vendors will be there, as well as Guest Of Honor Chris Parnell, who’s a Groundlings and SNL cast member and originally from Memphis!.

Oh, and our next monthly dinner gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza is this Tuesday, June 3rd from 6-8pm, and will be our deadline to turn in art for next month’s art show at Playhouse on the Square. This dinner meet-up is a free event, too. Hope to see you there.