Space Time with the Gang!

This week on The Hesitation Station, we’re diving headfirst into the wild, creative universe of S.P.A.C.E Expo! 🎭✨ 

We’re joined by the incredibly talented Retters Cosplay, along with Zach, Head of Gaming, and Makayla, Head of Outreach, as we break down everything from jaw-dropping costumes to behind-the-scenes moments you didn’t see coming. From con-floor energy to cosplay craftsmanship, this episode is packed with laughs, stories, and a few unexpected twists. 

Whether you’re a hardcore convention-goer or just curious about the cosplay scene, this episode gives you a front-row seat to the madness, creativity, and community that make S.P.A.C.E Expo unforgettable. 

🎙️ Tune in, hang out, and don’t hesitate—this is one episode you don’t want to miss. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:17

Hello, everybody. It is Jay, and along with his co-host Tank, actually, Steve. I'm Steve. Yeah, I forgot. I'm sorry. From the country. We are no longer Jay and Tank. We're Steve's. Okay. And only like two people would get that. So you're welcome.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

Welcome to the Steve Apocalypse.

SPEAKER_05 0:35

Steve Apocalypse. Welcome back to the Hesitation Station podcast. We are Jay and Tank. Uh, how's it going, buddy? How's your week been?

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Man, is it Friday yet?

SPEAKER_05 0:46

No, it's only Monday. Well, uh, yeah, we need a midday nap on top of that. We have been doing a lot. We've been doing a lot. We have uh been doing multiple Comic Cons, which is great. Like I said, I'm not complaining. Um, we're loving it. I am.

SPEAKER_03 1:06

You've been working me like a pack mule. Don't you know medieval times are over?

SPEAKER_05 1:13

Maybe. Um, but we by the time this comes out, we have already been to Siphicon, and uh we are currently gearing up for another con, which by the way, we have some special guests for, which are gonna appear right about now.

SPEAKER_03 1:31

Ha ha uh magic touch.

SPEAKER_05 1:34

Hello, everybody. Hey, would y'all guys like to introduce yourselves today? Start with Zach.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

I'm Zach. I'm a part of SpaceX. Thank you. I'm a part of Space Expo. Uh, which first off, the space is actually an acronym. It stands off for Starkville, Pop Culture, Art, Cosplay, uh Exposition, I believe.

SPEAKER_02 1:54

So we're we're an entertainment expo.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Yeah, woo. Entertainment, yeah. But um, I'm gonna be I am the head of gaming. I'm in charge of pretty much setting up all of our, I guess you could say, traveling gaming vendors that we have, which we have one this year. Mostly it's gonna be Conquest. I'll get more to that later if y'all need, but I'm in charge of helping set up tournaments and also for helping just to make sure that all of our gaming needs have been met pretty much for the convention. And I'm also on cosplay team. Woo!

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Yeah, um, hi, I'm Michaela, I'm the head of Outreach. Um, my deal is just kind of getting out press releases, getting out the word. Um, I'm also on a bunch of the other teams, and I'm also the secretary, so I kind of am just everywhere in everything, but um, I'm happy to be here.

SPEAKER_05 2:43

It's the it's the Spongebob meme where he like forgets his name and there's like multiple dominating.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Oh, yeah. It's like that in my brain constantly. It's running around, things are on fire, but where's the fire extinguishers? The hamster may or may not be on the wheel.

SPEAKER_03 3:00

You guys have a hamster on your wheel?

SPEAKER_02 3:03

Sometimes, dude. I don't know. I can't keep track of them.

SPEAKER_05 3:07

And many of you guys may know our friend Reta, the cosplayer.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Say hi. Hello. I'm Retta. I am advising for Space Expo. Uh, let's see, just a little introduction for Space Expo for those who don't know. Space Expo started last year in 2025 as a art history class project. Um, the students, after all the logistical red tape figuring out venue and whatnot, the students had two months to pull together Space Expo year one. So we kind of jokingly and endearingly referred it to early access. Uh so this year is kind of like the hard launch. After the success of last year, um it turned into a student organization. And so there is me and two faculty members as advisors, and then we have a bunch of really awesome, really talented students who have put in a ton of work this year to bring this event to everyone.

SPEAKER_05 4:04

Nice. So, as uh most of y'all guys know, we've uh had on Reddit before and we talked a lot about cosplan at the time, and then like I think a month or so after, that's when Space Expo happened.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Yeah. So it was a turnaround from that.

SPEAKER_05 4:21

Yeah, very busy, very uh stressful. But uh I will say, and I and I told I told Aaron or Steve uh that that was uh definitely one of the few cons that I went to that I thoroughly enjoyed, even though it was early access, it was very well put together for something that put together for two months. Um everybody had that love, that compassion that a con should have. It was uh definitely something that somebody should go to if you've never been to a con before. So we got these guys on here to uh answer a few questions for us, and then we're just apparently just gonna kind of be quiet.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

Not entirely. I can yak a lot.

SPEAKER_05 5:05

Okay, okay, good. All right, so um we'll start off with uh with the simple basic question. Um, what kind of atmosphere are y'all are y'all bringing for Space Expo?

SPEAKER_01 5:16

I would definitely say uh more community-based. Something that I loved about the Space Expo last year is that it was very like beginner-friendly almost. It felt super open. We had a lot of cosplayers come in last year. It was it was pretty, we had an insane turnout for how quick that it was put together, but definitely it was like this sense of community, like really tight-knit, kind of like everybody was there to just have fun and enjoy the vibes. There was no like high like pressure intensity, like you didn't know everybody was where they were supposed to be. It was super easy to kind of get to where you needed to be, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_05 5:59

100%. Yeah, 100%. That's kind of what I was saying a minute ago. It was it wasn't just like everybody was like, you know, oh, I hate your cosplay or anything like that. No, it was it was people were being people, they were being nerds, they were nerding out with each other, and like the cosplay, it you know, there's a lot of stuff in the cosplay community that you know could be good, could be bad. There was nobody there at all, you know, bad mouthing any cosplay. That's what I really like to see. So yeah, I I totally agree with last year. What about you, Zach?

SPEAKER_00 6:34

I liked a lot that um how I also was able to attend and I enjoyed the I'd say the fact that it was a sort of midway between its own little thing and also the fact that it was a school/slash student-led uh organization event that was happening. I found that rip very like refreshing because most of the times you're dealing with like these kind of third parties who more of our like renting a space are not necessarily involved with the area that they're going to a lot, but these people are either have even grown up in the area or they've just been going to school there for like at least a couple of years already. And so that helps make it seem, I guess, more friendly. You can see people be like, Oh, hey, I have art class with them, or oh wow, okay, they they were doing cosplay. I didn't know they could do that, it looks really good. It's just also getting to know people who were already on campus at a more personal level, too. So I like that a lot.

SPEAKER_05 7:26

Thank you. You got any questions? You're you're thinking, you got your thinking phase.

SPEAKER_03 7:30

You know, we got invited and actually got to work last year. Um, and I mean, you know, between the podcast and you know, just me and you being dumb nerds, we've been to a ton of cons over the years, and I'd easily have to put it in my top five. Just the flow of it all. Like you you had good traffic flow, you had a lot of good vendors there, the cosplayers were off the chain. I mean, it it was pretty much just a tight-knit community coming together and having fun. And it was the first time that I've seen anything like that at any school, whether it be a high school or college or anything. You know, nine times out of ten when a school puts something on, it's like a a play or something with theater or maybe a musical, you know, or the band doing um you know, playing in a game or something, you don't really see conventions or anything like that at any any event at any college or high school. So it was it was a nice change of place.

SPEAKER_05 8:33

Oh yeah. 100%. Now, for some reason, I saw a vessel there from Fleet Token. I don't I don't know what that was about. I don't just kind of the vessel wasn't there.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

The mask was on my table. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 8:47

I remember I tried to try to take the mask and it was like pinned on your table, and I'm like, I don't want a mask on there.

SPEAKER_02 8:53

Yeah. Yeah, ultimately we want Space Expo to become that local hometown con that you look forward to every year. Because for those that don't know, Starkful is the home of Mississippi State University. And besides that, there's not just a ton for nerds and like fandom here. Uh, there are clubs, of course, on campus which we have, you know, made our club for. Um, you know, we have a card shop, we have a game stop, but other than that, like there's just not really much for our kind of niche in Starkful. And so seeing it last year, just the outpour of love and support was absolutely phenomenal. And yeah, we just want this to become that local small town show that just brings joy to people, gives everyone a little break from reality, you know, get to cosplay and become someone new, and you know, come out, play gaming tournaments, come out, do this, do that. And um let's see, that's the beauty of local cons, especially when you go to it year after year, you start recognizing people and you start becoming friends. And so it's like you're excited for it because of hey, this is something nerdy that's coming to my town, but then you also get excited for, hey, I wonder what new people I'm gonna meet, but I also wonder, you know, what familiar faces I'm gonna see and get to catch up with.

SPEAKER_05 10:14

Absolutely. I guess another question for you guys what what are some of the uh biggest highlights and attractions that people are gonna see this year? What should they be excited for?

SPEAKER_01 10:25

So we have a lot of cosplayers that are coming. We have some cosplayers, I think some are gonna do some panels. I think Reta would know more about that. We're also gonna have an artist alley, which that's also kind of my department. We're set to have, I think, over 40 vendors um this year at the exhibitor hall.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

Um, a lot of which is oh which is double from last year. Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 10:48

Yeah, that's what I was about to say. There was only like 15 or so last year.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

Yeah. Um, it's definitely I actually vended at the first convention, and that was really nice. So um working from the outside uh now, it's actually like pretty insane that we've got this turnout. And one of my favorite parts about that too is that um a lot of them are local like artists too. We have like a lot of people pouring in from like outside or whatever, but we also have like a lot of local Starkville vendors and some of the students from Mississippi State vending as well. So I think that's pretty cool that we've kind of got that in there because Starkville does have a really, really great like artist community. And I think like Space Expo like kind of allows them to shine a bit because a lot of people, when they think you know, Starkville, Stark Vegas, you know, they really just think that it's like a college town. But like we have so many good artists that I really am happy to like let shine this year.

SPEAKER_05 11:48

Okay, that was a really good answer. All right, prepared for that uh topic.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Yeah, well no pressure, no pressure. Yeah, we've been uh for the gaming side of things, it's actually boomed a lot more than what I expected it to be because last year we only had, I believe, one group from Starkville, and they were the group that was attending and selling stuff and everything. But now we have an actual traveling uh group called Conquest that's gonna be there, and they're gonna be having probably a couple of tournaments going on, and then also uh they're gonna be selling some stuff as well, I believe. And then also we are doing a collab with our tabletop gaming club on campus as well. Uh, and so what we'll be doing with them is they'll be doing some DD one-shots and also a character building workshop that's gonna be happening towards the beginning of the event. So from about, I believe, 12 till 3:30, they'll be doing that workshop to start off, and then uh two one-hour uh DD one-shot sessions. So that's gonna be really fun to do as well. So it's kind of a good little sweep if you've been wanting to get into DD. This will be a great thing for you to do. But other than that, there are a lot of uh mostly vendors that I've know personally that I'm very excited to see. And some of them, of course, are also going to be uh they're already on the team for Space Expo. So I'm hoping that that's gonna go very well and everything. And hopefully we'll actually get a good booming costume contest this year. Last year we had a great turnout, but funny enough, I think because of the lack of turnout that we thought we would have, we ended up not doing the contest, but we made a sort of a catwalk thing. But we actually had a lot of people last year for the uh costume contest segment as well. And so this year it's gonna be good to see and put them like you know in their own little spotlight for their couple of minutes or seconds that they have on stage, and hopefully it'll turn out well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:38

Okay. Okay, so he's was good. I guess uh I guess sorry, Zach. All right, you're good. Sorry, guys, don't know this is going to be a competition. The reason for those of you guys that don't know, the reason we did like thumbs up uh when you said conquest, because those are the those are friends of ours. Uh we've actually gone to multiple cons with them and helped them. We worked with them, all of that. They are awesome people. I can't wait to see them again. Matter of fact, we're going to go to Syphicon here soon with them. So that's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_03 14:13

I'll be uh running DD games for them Friday night. Real.

SPEAKER_02 14:17

Oh, that's awesome. Real.

SPEAKER_05 14:19

Let's see. All right, so sorry, I lost my place because I accidentally dropped my phone. Totally prepared. Um anyway, what what makes Space Expo stand out beyond I guess other cons? And I know we kind of uh touched up on this with it being in the actual campus, but what do y'all think beside that makes it stand out?

SPEAKER_00 14:43

I would like to go okay.

SPEAKER_04 14:47

I guess.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

Okay. But uh something that stands out, I think definitely is the fact that uh I know uh one word I definitely would use to describe it as built, and that's the thing that I'm very happy about, is because I've it's weird to be a part of a group that's been there since like what maybe a year ago, but now you're part of the first official groups that have been working with it that's when it's became its own club. And so I feel the real thing that makes it stick out is it's so early stage for a uh convention that you can very easily become a part of that early history for this group. And it's gonna be something that will be awesome just to keep seeing grow and grow and everything like that. Because I think that's my favorite uh part about being ahead on this group is that I've been able to actually steer and build up some of those connections that they'll use for years and years to come. And so that's why I that's why I think this one sticks out a lot because you're gonna keep seeing it grow and grow in its early stage still. So you're gonna be able to actually grow with it probably as well if you keep going.

SPEAKER_02 15:53

That's a really good answer.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

Very good answer. Uh yeah, no, one of my favorite things, uh, I think like that makes Space Expo stand out is just again, like the beginner friendliness of it all. Um, like uh when I said that I vended last year, that was actually my first vending table ever. And I had an amazing turnout. Uh, for that being my first event, um, people were like really interested, and it was really nice to see people like come out of the woodworks. Um, because again, you don't really think like pop culture when you think of Starkville. So it was pretty amazing to see mostly local people last year come out and be like, I like cosplay, I like anime, I like um Marvel, you know, I like all of these things. Um, and having so many people cosplay and just having like gaming events and all of that, just beginner level, entry-level, um, first con type beat. And it's like that excitement, like that little, like, I don't know, like just little baby con, but it's really not. It's like something that again can be built on like what Zach was saying. And I'm really excited about the tabletop gaming club that he was mentioning doing their DD. Um, because I know that there's a lot of people in the Starkville area that I've talked to that are excited about um that kind of opportunity because they haven't had the ability to like play DD before. I know I haven't, but that would be like something right up like my alley is like being intimidated, but having a group to play and show you and like show you the ropes to that, I think, is just a really, really nice opportunity for people coming to the convention.

SPEAKER_05 17:38

Don't play with Tank.

SPEAKER_03 17:40

He'll just throw you in a pack of wolves because I'm not the one putting ultra games thing shaggy in the game.

SPEAKER_05 17:50

He he usually DMs, but like I guess that's just me. He throws me into the wolves. I guess I don't know. But uh what my frustration out on you somehow, somehow or another, right? So I think I think at the time, I will say, Retta, we we talked to you and we were just getting to know each other because I I reached out to you on Instagram, and that's when you came on the podcast, etc. etc. And then you I think you were the one that invited us. I'm I either you or or Aaron, I'm not sure, but I remember y'all guys telling me about it, and I was excited because you can ask Tank. I was so excited because I am a space buff, I love space, and then y'all told me it's not about space, and I'm like, man, it's it was beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 18:43

We we do we do get that a bit. We've we've done a few fan tables at a couple of cons now, and so something we're like, oh my god, Space Expo, and it's like you know, there's a place for that for sure, Space Expo, but yeah, it is the the acronym like Zach had mentioned, um had mentioned earlier, but I I would love you guys to keep explaining that to just people and just be like, see how quick y'all get tired of explaining. May I add on to what makes Space Expo special?

unknown 19:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:17

So one of one of the big things that we're focusing on is edutainment because there are a lot of cons out there that are very like celebrity guest heavy, which is awesome. That you know, allows people to meet their their favorite actors and like their childhood stars and all that. But for us with Space Expo, we want to bring in, you know, educational panels, you know, eventually potentially workshops, um, you know, stuff that is educational but also entertaining for you know the general public for uh the art department. We are collaborating with the Mississippi State University Art Department. Without them, this would not be possible, along with the English art depart the English Department and uh the Mississippi Humanities Council. Um, without them, Space Expo would not be possible. But with such a heavy emphasis on art, uh we're bringing in, you know, people that work for MSU who are artists, people who are alumni that have gone on and done that transition from you know college into the working world, be it either they found a job in the field or they're doing um, you know, setting up at conventions and selling. And so we want to focus on, you know, not just the pop culture, but also like our roots where we're at, a big local focus and uplifting, you know, those alumni, those voices.

SPEAKER_05 20:38

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. A lot of people, I'm not gonna speak on uh any certain con or anything. This is not throwing shade at anybody uh whatsoever, but a lot of people get big in their years of succession and they forget about their roots. And that's that's great that you're focusing on that space Space Expo is focusing on this is where we're coming from and this is where we're gonna stay. And I hope it happens years down the road.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

Um and and you know, on that topic, like you know, we're not doing it for the fame or money. We're bait we're essentially a nonprofit, basically, being a student organization. Like, we're just passionate fans of all things fandom, pop culture, nerdy, etc. You know, I mean, y'all know me and Aaron have gone to many, many conventions. Uh, the students who are working with us have also gone to conventions themselves, and just we all love the culture and we have such a burning passion for it. So, not just is it, you know, Space Expo as a whole, but it's also what do we want to see at local cons, and we can be the conduit to bring that to the local region.

SPEAKER_05 21:50

Absolutely. Well, can can you guys talk about like speaking of because Redd was saying how y'all guys are more focused on um MSU alumni and uh and artists and et cetera. Can y'all guys talk about like the guests and vendors that that we're expecting there?

SPEAKER_01 22:09

So I know that we're going to have um in the vendor spot, we've got some all-around, pretty good, like just all types of the arts and also like I think just like cosplay like related vendors also. Um, so we have, I know we have some crochet vendors, and then we also have, let's see, we have some printmaking vendors also, which I'm excited for because I was talking a little bit behind the scenes, and um some of the artists that are working in the printmaking studio at Mississippi State right now were actually gonna have at their booth, you know, like some live, like kind of like printmaking, um, just at their table, like little uh patches and papers for people to print on, which I think is pretty cool. Yeah, we have a lot of painters, we have some digital artists, we have people from all realms of pop culture that are showing up. We also do have like some uh posters and collectibles. I believe we have I think it's yeah, Wizards posters and uh Dollar Bend Collectible, which I'm excited about. So yeah, definitely excited to have them there in our exhibit hall.

SPEAKER_05 23:23

Zach, you wanted to say something.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Oh, it was mostly just um this is from personal experience being one of the customers of one of our uh crochet artists. There, I believe their name is uh Sale Bye. I think that's how you say it, crochet. That's their uh specific, like sort of business name. Uh the name of the artist is Sage. Uh they're you they're really good with what they do. I actually I wish I had it on me, but they made a uh really high quality dice bag and it was a little potion bottle. And uh personal experience speaking from, usually they just do regular potion balls and everything. But uh I asked, could you put a skull on that for me? And they literally got it done like lickety split so fast, and they had never done that before. Great crochet artist, really good at what they do, and uh I recommend mostly, especially from them, because they were there's the first person that top popped off the top of my head. I recommend them as well. Uh Sage with Sable Eye Crochet. But yeah.

SPEAKER_05 24:17

He said, here's a plug for you. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

No, we love Sage. Sage is actually um the head of our exhibit and vendor haul, and they're actually going to be vending. So definitely plug for them because I've bought some of their stuff before. They like they crochet like crazy. Like I've seen dragons, uh, D D like the dice bottles, keychains. I've gotten like some spirals from them. I love crochet artists. We're gonna have a few.

SPEAKER_02 24:45

Okay. On the on the topic of special guests, before we before we move on, on the topic of special guests, uh, yeah, most of our guests are like either local alumni or currently working with Mississippi State, etc. And so one of our our biggest spotlight guests really is Rosie Ferguson Gavings. Uh, she graduated from MSU about four years ago from the art department. Uh, she is going to actually be a visiting artist for the week of Space Expo. Uh so she's gonna be hosting multiple talks, workshops, et cetera, kind of stuff in the art department that is open to the public, not just to art students or not just to MSU students for anyone interested. But she is going to be having a show in the Union Gallery. Uh ultimately, she's this incredibly talented pop culture painter right out of college. She was getting work in like galleries in Jackson, Mississippi, and New Orleans, et cetera. She is incredibly talented. Uh, so we're very excited to have her there. She's gonna be hosting a panel while at Space Expo as well and with a table. And then next we have Hal Teasler. He is currently working uh with the TV Center on campus, uh, and he won a regional Emmy for an animated short. So him and I think one of his assistants, when he works with, is also gonna be hosting a talk while at Space Bo Space Expo about that. We have Glenn Payne, who is an alumni, he's a movie director, he's an artist, uh, he does improv, like he's a really multi-talented guest, really, really nice guy. So we're excited to have him. And most of our guests are gonna be hosting panels, so I'm not gonna be redundant about that. But let's see, we also have Trey Braswell, who is an alumni. He is actually a former student athlete as well. He was a football player while at MSU. But after college, he went on and he is currently setting up at conventions, starting to get stuff sold. And uh one of his last video show shows, I believe, was DreamCon in Houston, Texas. So he's done some bigger shows, and which we were thinking that that experience would be really, really valuable for like current art students, anyone who's like an aspiring artist, anyone who wants to set up set up at cons to sell just an incredible wealth of knowledge there with him. Uh, let's see. We have Alex Balstick, who is a retired MSU professor from the art department. He is a book illustrator and he also is a stamp illustrator for the Postal Service, which is really, really cool, I think. We have Joe McGown, who works with the entomology department on campus that is the study of bugs, for those who don't know. So he's just a really eccentric guy. He's really fun to talk to. You never know what he's gonna say. He also does a lot of setup at art festivals and whatnot. He's kind of like a local celebrity here around Starfall. Um, so excited to have him.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

I was saying his art is amazing, he's got some really trippy stuff.

SPEAKER_02 27:31

It's insane. It's insane. I you actually used to work with the entomology department, so I got to see some of his works in progress and just some of his art, and it's just it's insane. He's so talented. Let's see. We have Heath Clink, who is also an alumni, of course. Uh he's an illustrator, screen printer. He does really cool little like comic strips. We have Jackson Comics, who is out of Jackson, Mississippi. They're an indie comic book publisher, which is like a really cool collective of people to also bring in that kind of knowledge to the show. Uh, one of our vendors from last year, Bryce, he actually has published a comic under them, which is really cool. And so they will be hosting a panel, and I'm sure we'll be willing to talk about all things comics, how to get published, etc. And then finally, for our guests, we have our cosplay guests. Last but certainly not least, we have Yarnball Cosplay, Sarah Saved Me, and Featherhammer Cosplay. Um, they are all incredibly talented, award-winning cosplayers. They are all just like a beacon of light in the community, and I think it's kind of neat. Uh, one of them is coming from like North Mississippi, one of them's coming from South Mississippi, one of them's coming from over more towards like Birmingham. So you're kind of we're kind of like circling the region a little bit with them, but they are all just gems of human beings, and I'm so excited for Starkville to meet them and for them to meet Starkville. So, in terms of our special guests, that is our incredibly talented list.

SPEAKER_05 28:58

That is a lot of people, so definitely is gonna be a lot more than uh what we had last year, which is great, which is absolutely, absolutely. So is they're expecting a lot more this year, am I right? With spaces, yes, yeah. Like people are definitely expecting a lot more, Zach. You were saying that there's gonna be DD uh with Conquest and etc. etc. Uh Michaela, you said there's gonna be what over 40 vendors and and and Reddit, you said there's gonna be cosplayers plus special guests. So I'm assuming y'all guys have panels put up, y'all guys have uh vendor hall put up, artist alley, y'all guys have a full-on cosplay, or not cosplay, full-on Comic-Con. And yeah, I I'm excited about it. I we are very about y'all.

SPEAKER_02 29:50

We are so excited, we are so excited to share everything. Um, and yeah, just the venue alone. We uh at the start of planning and all this year, we went ahead and basically tripled the floor space of the venue. Um, like Zach had mentioned, uh, with in terms of the cosplay area. Uh last year we did have a cosplay showcase, just kind of since it was a first year and since we don't we don't want to do anything half baked, we don't, you know, we want to stand with our passions and with our, you know, knowledge and expertise and bring that to the area. So last year, um, I was more so heavily involved with the cosplay area instead of over the whole con. But we kind of decided, oh, we'll just do a showcase to really see, you know, how many cosplayers in the area, who's interested, you know, what what level of craft are we at so that we can make a cosplay contest that is fair and fun and you know really interactive for the community. And so we are excited to bring a cosplay contest this year. Our cosplay team has worked very, very hard on it. And um, yeah, our cosplay guests are going to be judging it, and some of the other cosplayers are going to be uh bringing in panels and all sorts of uh, you know, share their knowledge and whatnot. We do also have a fan table, Mississippi Cosplayers. They're a fairly new little cosplay group here in Mississippi. Uh they're trying to spread out over the regions just to help build a community of cosplayers in Mississippi. They are actually going to be sponsoring a repair station as well for costumes, which is awesome.

SPEAKER_04 31:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 31:23

Um, so yeah, we have so much more coming in for this year.

SPEAKER_05 31:29

So it's it's it's not gonna be in that one little room that it was in last year.

SPEAKER_02 31:34

No, no, pretty much the entire lobby of the second floor is cosplay and cosplay related. Um, you know, cosplay guests, the fan tables, cosplay sign up, um, etc.

SPEAKER_05 31:46

Okay. All right, I'm gonna be quiet for a minute, Tank. Do you want to say anything? Because I I I know we try to go back and forth here.

SPEAKER_03 31:54

You're good. I'm just excited to see how it's grown uh compared to last year. Because I mean, like we said last year it was the uh the first time is it the inaugural event, and for us, for me and Jay, I think it's massive because I mean like like I've said we've been to tons of cons, but this is the first one that we've gone to that we went to the initial uh event. So I'm excited to see how it's grown from last year with what two and a half months worth of time to put towards it versus what y'all are able to do with a full year uh to get everything together and get the guests and get the panels put together and actually have you know a good amount of time to put towards it.

SPEAKER_05 32:47

That makes sense.

SPEAKER_02 32:49

Now thank you. We're definitely, definitely looking forward to it because the students, like I said before, they've all worked so hard. I am so proud of all of them. And we've we have hosted a couple of other smaller events throughout the year. Uh back in November, we did a art market. Uh Zach actually spearheaded a Halloween costume contest. Um so Space Expo as a whole, Space Expo is the main event, but throughout the year we are also bringing in just like other little smaller get-together events, you know, some for fundraising, some for advertising, um, etc.

SPEAKER_05 33:25

Okay. Well, um, I'm going to ask you all the hardest question of this episode. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 33:35

The hardest question is Do you know the Muffin Man?

SPEAKER_05 33:40

The Muffin Man.

SPEAKER_03 33:41

The Muffin Man? Yes, I know the Muffin Man.

SPEAKER_05 33:47

You set that up perfectly. I don't want to hear that. Uh, whatever. Um, the hardest question is if you guys could describe Space Expo, but you can only use one word, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01 34:05

Yeah, in fact. If I could describe it in one word, I would just say inclusive. I feel like it kind of brings it all together. I just I feel like it's just something that includes everybody. I just like again, beginner-friendly, community-based roots up, you know, the feeling that love when you walk in the door and feeling that the passion of everybody being excited. Yeah, so I definitely say inclusive.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

For me, I'd say built. I must take what I said earlier, because this has been something that with more than a year history now, has been built up through blood, sweat, and tears, taking personal time outside of school for people who have very busy schedules outside of work, right after they get off work sometimes. So thank you, Rita. Uh, and also just a lot of there's a lot of effort put into it, which it's easy to have a con that can be done year after year, and it's kind of just the same thing except you change some guests and all of that. But to just constantly be evolving and adapting, it is easier to do in the earlier parts, but I feel like that's something that's a word that'll continue to apply in the future to this uh convention built. It's gonna keep getting built and getting better and becoming more accessible, more inclusive, and also just better in general.

SPEAKER_05 35:30

All right, Reta?

SPEAKER_02 35:32

Absolutely, those are really good answers. You expect me to follow up after that?

SPEAKER_05 35:37

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 35:39

Okay, kind of kind of along Michaela's lines, the word that I would use would definitely be community, like just wanting to put the community forward, what is best for the community in terms of not just Starkful, but even the the regional con attendees. Um, you know, for we are we are also a free event. Uh it's free to attend, not just for MSU students, but for everyone. And, you know, I mean, no one's gonna complain about free, hopefully, maybe. I don't know. But you know, free something being free for college students means a lot. Something being free for families, because we're a family-friendly event, means a lot because stuff is expensive. And so being able to have like such a fun, community-oriented event that is free to attend, that is accessible for everyone, um, you know, it it means a lot. And I hope we are really gonna build just a really successful, really close-knit community here, which is something that I believe Startful is needed for a long time in terms of like the fandom nerd, etc. space.

SPEAKER_05 36:44

I feel that. I I really do, because we don't we don't really have much like that over here. I mean, we got we got comic cons, but they've gotten so big and you know, we just it it doesn't like like Michaela was saying, you know, there's that love and that passion, you know, you you feel like you're wanted there. It's kind of like when you like when I was 15, I walk into a con. It wasn't just hey, give me your money. It was, hey, what kind of fandom do you like? Oh, I like Naruto. Oh, no, no way, I like Naruto, you know, something like that. Yeah, or I like Naruto. No, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_02 37:24

One of those Tumblr's phrase, we are cringe, but we are free. So uh yeah, it just it it means a lot to have a space to call your own, to be surrounded by like-minded people.

SPEAKER_05 37:37

So that's why it's called space. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

Space for everyone.

SPEAKER_05 37:44

Exactly. Now, do y'all have anything to add about it?

SPEAKER_01 37:49

Um, personally, I was just gonna say that I'm so excited to have more space this year. Like, we have vendors, cosplayers, like panels, galore. There's gonna be art and cosplay lining the walls, and I am so excited for that. Um, it's just really a step up um from last year. Um, and I'm just super excited. We had like we were struggling with the space that we were given to fit all of what we needed to fit in there. It's just amazing the amount of um amount of support um that we're receiving, also, and a lot of interest. Um, so I'm super excited to see the turnout this year.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Absolutely. Anything else? I'd say for one thing with me, real quick, is that uh this is more of a heads up for anybody. If you if you need plan on coming to Space Expo, make sure you bring water, make sure you hydrate, make sure you also understand this is this during this weekend, it's called Super Bulldog Weekend for Mississippi State University. It's going to be very busy in Starkville. Hopefully, we will be able to help negate all that, but just making sure that you prepare for give yourself some travel time, give yourself some time to rest, and also give yourself some water and deep breath, and then just have fun.

SPEAKER_03 39:08

Yeah, don't drink 10 monsters in a row. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 39:13

I I I did that last year. The drive back was horrible.

SPEAKER_03 39:16

That makes your friends I was worried about you guys. That makes your friends staring at you like you're a zombie while you sit there with part of a cheeseburger hanging out of your mouth.

SPEAKER_05 39:27

I kid you not. I drank like seven last year because I just there was just a case and I just kept chugging them down. And by the time I'm driving back, I'm like this driving. I'm like, eh.

SPEAKER_03 39:41

I think I died three times that day. It was crap.

SPEAKER_04 39:44

So don't do concern break water.

SPEAKER_03 39:48

Which okay?

SPEAKER_02 39:52

Which is something else that helps Space Expo stand out. Since we are in the Mississippi State University, the Covert Student Union, uh, there is a food court on the first floor, and there are tons of food options, and it's not just like overpriced convention concession food, it's actual like good food that isn't overpriced. Um that's something else. Just to throw another little positive out there.

SPEAKER_03 40:17

Yeah, like the Chik filet out there or actually sorry, Doug.

SPEAKER_05 40:22

Is there a Chick-fil-A out there?

SPEAKER_02 40:24

There is a Chick-fil-A. We have Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, uh Nukes. There's a there's a Moes right outside the Union um subway. Yeah, yeah, there's uh Pizza Hut.

SPEAKER_03 40:35

So we have an MSU for college.

SPEAKER_05 40:38

Right. We went to Antonellian. They're closed. All right. Well, guys, um I think that's everything, unless anybody has anything, because I ran out of questions.

SPEAKER_02 40:56

I mean, I could keep on yapping, but like speaking of which, hey, you guys are gonna be set up again this year. What are y'all bringing? What are y'all gonna be doing?

SPEAKER_05 41:04

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:05

So uh we are gonna uh his bright smile and my undenying resolve to exist out of spike. I don't really know.

SPEAKER_05 41:12

I love it. I love it. Uh I think were we uh raising money for the children's hospital last year?

SPEAKER_02 41:21

I believe so.

SPEAKER_05 41:22

Okay, yeah, at space.

SPEAKER_02 41:24

Either them or NEMA? Was it NEMA? NAMI NAMI. NAMI, sorry, thank you.

SPEAKER_05 41:28

What are the two? Uh well this year, just in case, this year we are raising money for NAMI, which is um National Alliance of Mental Illness or Mental Health Awareness, whichever you prefer. Um, all proceeds are going back to them, and we're bringing awesome prizes. We're bringing prizes that we upgraded. Yeah, we have upgraded. This is what this baby is. Y'all see it all the time. And I just cut on the fan. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_03 41:53

Anyway, that's back there. That is mine.

SPEAKER_05 41:57

So we are uh bringing prizes, we are making prizes, uh, we are buying prizes, and you know it we we have gone past the trivia because last year at Space Expo we did like I think twenty dollars or thirty dollars for a trivia, you would get a big prize or something like that. We've we've done away with that. We uh actually prize wheel now. Yeah, we have a prize wheel, and it's only five dollars to spend, and you walk away with something. That's also everyone's a winner. Exactly. It could be it could be stickers, it could land on a large prize, it can land on a small prize stickers, or it can land on a rifle. I don't know. We we we kind of just wing it to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 42:40

The fun thing about it is we don't even know.

SPEAKER_05 42:47

I think uh like this, for example, I just made I just made last night. Um these are the things that we are making. Uh it's from Naruto.

SPEAKER_02 42:58

Oh wow. Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

Uh that is engraved.

SPEAKER_05 43:01

That is engraved and it is hand colored by Moi. Uh but that's the kind of thing that we're bringing is like if we can't buy the stuff, then we just make it. And once we use the pack mill for it, he he just he just loads it in for me. I'm looking for it. Oh, that way. My bad, Zach. But yeah, that's what we'll be doing, and we're excited to return back to Space Expo. We are um very happy. We had a phenomenal time beside the monster. We had a phenomenal time.

SPEAKER_03 43:35

I had a great time. I saw sounds and tasted colors. It was amazing. It was amazing until it crashed, and then I died eating my burger.

SPEAKER_05 43:46

Yeah, the crash bad. Yeah, but yeah, that's that's about it for us. Um, as far as I know, unless y'all got anything else.

SPEAKER_02 43:54

Uh huh. I think I think we're I think that covers a lot of it. Thank y'all so much for having. having us and we're except definitely looking forward to seeing you guys there again because y'all were absolutely like life of a party last year.

SPEAKER_05 44:06

Oh well thank you hey hey we're live at the party somebody's awesome somebody's awesome I just love seeing friendly faces around it's okay I've been lied to before it's no no pressure no pressure this year well guys make sure you guys they call me tank for a reason yeah because it's just a wall and then you see a big round thing going through the wall anyway uh why are you talking about Zach like that yeah that's literally you're pointing you're pointing at me you're pointing at him I'm over here it's the stash so guys make sure you guys come by to Space Expo it will be April 25th this year uh it will be on the the Mississippi State campus right yeah Culvert Student Union on the Mississippi State campus can't miss it make sure you come there have a wonderful and amazing time there will be amazing people amazing cosplayers amazing vendors people that that we have known throughout the con scenes they are awesome people so make sure you get get over there because it's free to get in why would you not all right guys say bye everybody might experience how it's high oh my god boy signing off