Queers Confidently Flourish Amid ECCC’s Commercialism
Cormac’s Cartoons booth at ECCC
The Evergreen Echo
Yes, Emerald City Comic Con was huge this year. And yes, there was a huge corporate presence in every nook and cranny. Yet, something felt different and strangely nostalgic as soon as I walked into the Summit Building of the Seattle Convention Center. It wasn’t until I sat down at the top of the escalator and enjoyed the best con activity of all—people watching—that I finally figured it out. The weirdos were back! And they were glorious.
By “weirdos,” what I really mean are fans and enthusiasts who aren’t self-conscious. There were some truly impressive costumes this year, but I saw an equal number of homespun delights that, while clearly not as “artisanal” as the professional costumes, were clearly made with love and fun. More importantly, I didn’t recognize most of the characters. There seemed like less of a desire to be recognized this year and more of a desire to enjoy oneself—a rare treasure in the age of eternal commodification.
Of course, ECCC was so very Queer this year. Not in a rainbow capitalism kind of way (at least not exclusively). There was an authenticity to this queerness that wasn’t planned or staged or made exclusively for profit. There were simply lots of gay-ass people around, stopping and gabbing and hyping each other up, even talking about their various artistic pursuits. This year, ECCC felt more like a public forum than it has in a long time. And that truly feels worth celebrating.
Drag, Drag, Drag!
ECCC After Dark has always been the de facto gay scene at the Con, so it is no surprise that many of the Queer events happened after the show floors closed. Be it dancing in full armor at the Fables party or quietly enjoying Drag Queen Bingo, there was a little something juicy for everyone. If you’re like me, though, you immediately gravitated to the Rocky Horror Picture Show screening. Performed by a local shadow cast from Tacoma’s Blue Mouse Theatre, the show had all the trappings you would expect from a seasoned Rocky Horror cast: titillating banter, terrible baddies, and tortured lovers.
Swords As Gender
Fun fantasy is still alive and well at ECCC—it’s just gotten Queerer. Performers like Jacques ze Whipper and Stahr Power of Tiny Girl, Big Show showcased their weapon skills (whips and archery, respectively), and the Seattle Knights could be found all over, glittering and clanking in the fluorescent lights. The sword-wielding outlaw Morning Knyght made their PNW debut, fighting fears and breaking gender norms (and slicing tomatoes). Watch this space for the full interview and review of the show!
Creatively Queer
For many attendees, the biggest draw of a convention is the guest list. ECCC 2026 had an impressive array of A-list celebrities. I was most excited to attend Chuck Tingle’s panel. To everyone’s surprise, Tingle was joined by another horror-writing giant—Stephen Graham Jones! They made a visually odd pairing: Chuck in his signature hot pink “love is real” face-sack with a leopard-print jacket and light-up sneakers, and Stephen in a matching black “love is real” t-shirt paired with a leather cowboy hat. Glam metal meets outlaw metal. SGJ not only directed his own questions at Tingle, but answered a few in return. What started as a single-author event quickly became an insight into two horrifically creative minds.
Tingle originally made a name for himself writing self-published erotica, including such classics as The Butt Files, Butt Trek, and The Great Gatsbutt. In recent years, though, he has become equally well-known for his horror novels. Stephen Graham Jones, although famous in horror circles, is a genre outlaw. The Only Good Indians won the Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction in 2020.
The duo were clearly having fun in their own dialogue, often seemingly unaware of the room full of people hanging on their every word. Chuck even revealed an idea for a romantasy involving fast food chains: Queen Wendy fighting and loving throughout the various burger kingdoms! And of course, the two seasoned writers also talked shop: writing, the intersections of horror and comedy, and naturally, favorite horror movies.
Stephen Graham Jones (SGJ): What's the best film ever and why is it Scream?
Chuck Tingle (CT): I will actually say that it is in my Top 3 films...for horror, it's my Number 1... For each generation, there's a movie that changes the landscape. Scream was that movie for me.
SGJ: What's the longest series you've ever engaged with?
CT: The X-Files!
SGJ: Besides The Thing, what's the best horror movie remake?
CT: My controversial opinion: [Tom Savini’s] Night of the Living Dead. People remember the original one more, but I really liked the remake. My not controversial opinion: Funny Games.
SGJ: What's the best piece of writing advice you ever got?
CT: I have had a nether-career in the arts out from under the mask… I didn’t have a traditional background, so I came to writing as an outsider, and I think that was kind of a good thing. If I had come at it from more traditional means, I would've lost that rough edge that makes me me.
Three covers of Chuck Tingle’s books: Bury Your Gays, Fabulous Bodies, and Lucky Day
The Evergreen Echo
One of the final questions from Jones was direct enough: “Have you received any terrible advice as a writer?” Tingle didn’t have any examples to offer up; he instead ruminated on the nature of writers and writing, of art and creating. He said he’d received lots of advice throughout his life, but instead of sharing any of that, he would share with us this sentiment instead: "There is no objective truth in art."
As our world continues to spiral into a capitalistic content-mill hellscape, this is a thought I would advise anyone to carry forward: making art isn’t about satisfying anyone but yourself. I certainly will.
