So let me start out saying that there were so many cool artists in this year’s alley! The amount of talent and skill, along with very nice and fun newcomers made the whole thing super fun! However, I have one small bone to pick with a few choice artists who cheapened the venue with their stolen goods.

First we have Dea Star (etsy here and facebook here.) I've complained about Dea Star on my blog before for selling mcdonalds toys and dollar store beads for $20 bux. But what I saw her doing at SakuraCon takes the cake! This vendor was selling buttons she'd churned out with screenshots of mlp, tokidoki, and official pokemon art on them.

Then we have Monkey Minion Press (blog here and store here.) They were selling buttons that were nothing but buttons with cut out manga pages and official DC/Marvel images on them!

Now, my friend and I reported these tables and a couple others to the artist alley head. We were told that this stuff would be taken care of. When we went back the next day, the offending images were still there. When we asked, the new AA head spewed some stuff out of her ass about how ~since it was a different medium~ it was okay!

The artist alley is to sell original image or original fanworks. SHITTING OUT BUTTONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S ART ON IT IS NOT ALLOWED. It never has and never will be because of the LIABILITY. Not only that, but it cheapens the venue, and takes sales away from artists who actually ARE making their own things! Allowing this sort of thing to go on is disgusting, and the fact that the AA head let this stuff fly is appalling. DO NOT SUPPORT THESE ARTISTS.

ok i'm done being mad now