Our trip to Hub City 2024 was destined to be unforgettable, but little did we know how eventful it would truly become. Buckle up for a wild ride through our convention adventure—complete with IRS letters, missing hotel rooms, broken-down cars, and some incredible moments that made it all worthwhile!
The Journey Begins: A Letter from the IRS
The excitement started with a bang—literally, with a letter from the IRS. Because nothing says "Have a great trip!" like a friendly note from Uncle Sam. But, undeterred, we hit the road with smiles on our faces. Not like there was a lot i could do about it at 3am anyways!
Upon arriving in Lubbock, we were greeted with the news that our hotel had sold our room out from under us while charging us for a no-show! Imagine our delight at searching for a new place to sleep at 10 PM, during a convention, no less. After some frantic searching, we finally found a room, unloaded our car, and got to work on assembling grab bags until 1 AM. Exhausted but determined, we passed out for a few hours before waking up bright and early for the convention at 8 AM.
Cosmo and Wanda in Action!
We kicked off the first day of Hub City 2024 with a bang, dressed as Cosmo and Wanda from The Fairly OddParents (since the voice of Comso and Wanda were both at the show!). The energy was electric, with huge lines to see the cast from Hazbin Hotel—Alastor, Charlie, and Angel Dust were all there, and it was amazing to see so many fans excited to meet them!
Max’s cosplay was such a hit that an artist even gifted him some incredible prints! One of the prints I was able to get signed by Tara Strong (Wanda) herself. I’ll have to catch up with Daran Norris (Cosmo) next time—he had a flight to catch, and our booth was just too busy for me to sneak away again.
From Hot Tubs to Migraines
After a long but fantastic day, we headed back to the hotel, relaxed with a soak in the hot tub, and called it a night. But sometime in the night I got the worst migraine leaving my head throbbing and hugging the toilet for several hours.
Sunday Funday: Magical Moments, Break-Ins, and Breakdowns
Just when we thought things were looking up, the universe decided we hadn’t had enough surprises. We walked out of the hotel to find our car had been broken into overnight! The anti-theft system was triggered, and now the car was undrivable. With no other option, I Ubered to the convention to run the booth alone while Max dealt with the police and filed a report.
After hours of police reports and frustration, Max finally made it back to the con, just in time to take over the booth so I could sneak away for a photoshoot with a fellow cosplayer for a secret project that in the works. Of course, I chose the hottest day in West Texas to wear a black latex outfit. I think I sweat through about five pounds of water weight and got overheated quickly. But, in true con spirit, I pushed through.
Then Max, dressed as Mario, spotted two little boys in matching Mario and Luigi costumes. In true hero fashion, he pulled out some Mario coins and made their day! The boys were ecstatic, insisting on pictures with their new hero. They even wanted pictures with me… though, admittedly, they were a bit less enthusiastic. I guess you can’t compete with a guy handing out coins dressed as their favorite hero.
At the end of Sunday, our booth neighbors turned out to be our knights in shining armor—they offered to help us load our remaining items into their trailer at the end of the day and brought everything back to the hotel. A small silver lining in a day full of wild ups and downs!
The Great Car Debacle: Part Two
Monday arrived, and we had the car towed to a dealership—yay, insurance would cover it! Or so we thought. By Wednesday, the dream was shattered when we were told that our situation was an "act of man," not an "act of God," and they wouldn't cover the repair costs. So, we towed the car to another shop, refusing to pay outrageous dealership prices.
Rental Car Ruckus
Then came Thursday, and our quest for a rental car. The first company wouldn’t take our debit card, cash, or anything we had. so we Uber back to the hotel. Finally, we found another place that would accept our payment, but of course, they were out of cars. Just our luck! Yet our luck slightly changed—they had one car that needed to go to Houston, and we seized it! We began our 9-hour drive home, exhausted but relieved to be leaving Lubbock 5days later then originally planed.
Back Home…Sort Of
The next morning, we turned in the rental car, and just like that, Max was arranging a ride back to Lubbock to retrieve our car a week later—all with another show less than two weeks away.
Despite the chaos, we’re not letting Hub City 2024 keep us down. With the dust finally settling, we're gearing up and putting all our energy into the next adventure at College Station Comic Con. We're hitting the ground running, determined to bring our best, no matter what comes our way. - We hope to see you there!