Whenever New Orleans is mentioned, the city’s vibrant music, food and celebratory cultures typically come to mind. But at a recent gathering at the city’s convention center, I saw how sizeable of a “nerd” culture there is in the greater New Orleans area, and really the Gulf South. I say “nerd” with pure affection.
As someone who was once a skinny kid with thick glasses and a bowl cut, who also loved to read comics, I got love for people who love science fiction, comic books, gaming, animation, etc.
This past week, FAN EXPO New Orleans took place at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. It was the first event of the year for FAN EXPO HQ, which is the largest comic con producer in the world. Through its various conventions in the U.S. and Canada, FAN EXPO HQ says it hosts more than one million fans of pop culture. Nowadays, pop culture is steeped in franchises from Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Star Wars. The cosplay at FAN EXPO New Orleans was a spectacle. There were people dressed up as the Mandalorian, Deadpool and other characters from video games, anime, and movies.
During the three-day convention, it was perfectly normal for adults to run around with plastic versions of the lightsabers from Star Wars. They also could attend panels and visit exhibits to meet actors and celebrities who bring those roles to life on screen. It’s all part of a multibillion-dollar industry. Since the 2008 release of Marvel’s Iron Man movie, Marvel films have collectively grossed more than $25 billion. That’s dwarfed by the video game industry which generated an estimated $187 billion worldwide in 2023 alone. What may have been niche for nerds in the 1970’s and 1980’s is now a massive money maker, attracting crowds like the one at FAN EXPO New Orleans.
“I was actually surprised a few years ago when I saw there was a comic con here in New Orleans. I always thought comic con that’s California, Texas, and the places where it would have a lot of people who would be into that. So, when I saw there was a comic con here, I was like OK, if it’s here then they have to have a large amount of people that are into it,” said Arneisha Jackson.
Arnishia and her twin sister Andria Jackson are building a career around their passion for anime, drawing and content creation. After the Jackson twins graduated Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, they attended the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Three years ago, they launched Twinimation Studios, an online resource for people looking to learn about the process and techniques of animation, filmmaking, and drawing. They consider themselves a part of the nerd community in New Orleans. It may never rival the amount of Carnival Krewes in the city, but it is a community that is growing with money making potential. Listen to the podcast here.