Transformative Works and Cultures Interview with Ethrosdemon

Interviews by Fans
Title:	Interview with Wincon organizer Ethrosdemon
Interviewer:	Kristina Busse, Karen Hellekson, and Catherine Tosenberger
Interviewee:	Ethrosdemon
Date(s):	2010
Medium:	online
Fandom(s):
External Links:	interview is here
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In 2010, Ethrosdemon was interviewed for an issue of Transformative Works and Cultures.

Some topics discussed were Wincon and Supernatural

Some Excerpts

The initial reasons for putting on the con are lost to the dust of sound bites and bourbon, but if memory serves me (à la Iron Chef), we wanted to have a big party and talk about how hot Dean was. I think we started planning the con before the hiatus of season 1, actually. So, yes, very early on. The first con was pretty much just me and Estrella30. We winged that on enthusiasm and paint fumes. The second year, Estrella30 was experiencing life changes, so Coiledsoul stepped in to help run the con. Coiledsoul still co-runs Wincon. As far as the con itself changing, no. Until next year, when we go multifandom, the first four were all pretty much the same format in that we had a mix of comical panels and more serious ones, and we have a big party on Saturday night and karaoke on Friday. The show changed; the con did not.

The only big con I've ever been to is the biggest of the big, Comic Con. Compared to that? We're chained in a cave watching the shadows of Sam and Dean load their rifles. I don't actually even think the comparison is fair or necessary. We're not a pro con. We're not attempting to be one. That's not the purpose of Wincon (or other fan cons—I've attended several of those). We are for the fans, by the fans. It's all about us, not about the actors or the show's creators. People come to Wincon to hang out in a comfortable environment with other people who are interested in similar media sources. We sit around on couches talking about slash or Dreamwidth pros and cons. Wincon is the Internet in real life, with cake.

Supernatural fandom, like all, is self-policing in a way. By that I mean that I and other visible people involved in the con have a reputation. I don't think any of us have been involved in the major wanks involved in the fandom. We're neutral and not inclined to take sides in the big wars. Because of that, we don't have a problem with the wank on the ground at the con. I'm sure there have been huge fights among attendees (this is fandom, after all), but I've never heard about them. Supernatural has a reputation as a super wanky fandom, but I'm not sure this is as deserved as people (outside of the fandom) believe. We have a core group of attendees, and I think we've all stayed civil since season 1 in large part because we get together every year to party, so why be a hater? We might fall on opposite sides of the spectrum on the Jo issue, but we also shared a cab after karaoke, so I know you're good people.

As far as my real name goes, everyone knows it anyway. I feel that the pseudonymity of fandom has become more and more porous over the years, to the point where so many of us (in certain fannish circles) know each other anyway that we don't bother using LiveJournal handles as names. Supernatural has been like that as a fandom from Day One because so many of us knew each other in real life (the fandom builders, I mean).