SIDESHOWCON 2025
We’ve been working with SIDESHOW for a long time, dating back to our time as a marketplace Discord bot. As we transition into Spots, it felt natural to partner with them on a virtual event.
Years ago, I was deeply involved with San Diego Comic-Con, where SIDESHOW had a huge presence on the floor — larger than Marvel and DC, designed like a museum exhibit planted right in the center of the convention.
Eventually, they stepped away from physical conventions and shifted toward digital video showcase called SIDESHOWCON. As a longtime fan who also helped build their Discord server, I saw an opportunity: what if we could bring that same sense of spectacle back, but in an interactive virtual format?
What we created was the virtual SIDESHOWCON.
At its core was a massive “super booth” — a fully immersive space that translated their digital showcase into something you could walk through. Each section represented a different category from their event (ARTIST ORIGINALS, HORROR, STAR WARS, ART PRINTS, SUPERHEROES), effectively giving physical form to their content, but in a virtual world.
We structured the experience to unfold over time. Each day, a new wing of the booth opened, giving people a reason to return and explore. It created anticipation and rhythm, much like a real convention.
We also introduced a community-driven component: the SIDESHOW Ultimate Collector’s Room Challenge. Fans were invited to build their dream collector spaces using SIDESHOW’s catalog, and we showcased the best submissions inside the booth itself. It turned customers into creators and made the fans who took the time to build a space feel like part of the company.
But the biggest moment came afterward.
Sideshow’s VP sat down with me and asked a simple question: “If you can build one incredible booth, why not build an entire event around it?”
That was the shift. It was a confirmation from the leader of America’s largest premium collectible company that there might be appetite for a larger event — we were creating something that could stand alongside them. A space that’s compelling, scalable, and rooted in what made conventions special in the first place.
In many ways, it brought us back to where this all started: the convention hall — just reimagined.
If you’re interested in building your own virtual event, we’d love to connect at alkmy.app.
