Photo courtesy of Ariel Kassulke

The stereotypical trajectory of a musician is to begin in high school as a mediocre cover band, maybe write a song or two that should not see the light of day, graduate and find another project that turns into something concrete. For vocalist Colton Schroetter and bassist AJ Folino, Alley Eyes is their first band. Learning who they are as musicians is happening in real time, and that leaves constant room for improvement.

In the year since Alley Eyes released their debut EP, bondage in the afternoon, their main takeaway has been that the question “What do we sound like?” has not been fully answered.

Experimentation has been crucial to the three singles they’ve released this year. They agreed that “bloodstain.” from the EP was a sound they wanted to lean into, and after a writing session at Folino’s home, “MY LOVE” was an easy next single to release. It ended up not being the right direction soundwise, and when they began the creative process of “Punisher”, American rock band Quarters heavily influenced Alley Eyes guitarist Griffin Larson.

During a writing session with him and Folino, they came up with the syncopated part before the last big chorus. Once again, the finished project was not the exact direction they felt best represented them. For drummer Jason McCullum, the songs that interest him the most are the ones he feels are relevant from a friend standpoint. When he hears lyrics and can immediately grasp what Schroetter is ruminating on, he believes those are the songs worth pursuing. “Good Times” is one of those songs.

These songs do not leave the listener with a sense of hope but instead speak to the reality of not wanting to feel hopeless. The lyrics are broad enough to manipulate the meaning in a multitude of ways, but with an overall desire that it speaks to someone personally; that the feeling of loneliness is shared.

“A lot of the songs that we’ve been writing moving forward, some that we’ve put out and some that we’re working on for future releases, [have] an emotional throughline of just being very tired by everything around you and very weighed down by life,” Schroetter said.

As they continue to write and record new music, it is clear that these three singles will not be part of a bigger project. They are the perfect representation of their sonic exploration, but they agree that it is not something they want to explore further.

“I’m glad that these stand on their own as their own living, breathing thing,” McCullum said. “We’ve very much started to find where we want to exist in a musical space. I think it will be cool for years down the road, there’s people who have this relationship with us and our music to be able to trace us searching our way towards that.”

While they have given more thought to what they do not want to sound like, they feel as though they are finally on the right track. The three singles have helped them gain a sense of intentionality that wasn’t necessarily as important for the songs on bondage in the afternoon. They believe they found enough of their DNA that their goal is now a full-length album. They are most excited for what one another is bringing to the table for this next batch of songs. For Larson, his contributions are both anticipatory and in demand as he moves away from the direction of “Punisher” and into something uncharted.

“I feel like now I’ve realized, having worked on some of the newer songs that we’re currently in the process of making, that level of instrumentation for us might not be what we want to lean into going forward,” he said.

For Schroetter, as the main lyricist, he writes from a place of instinct and doesn’t necessarily have an inherent feeling or meaning attached to the lyrics as they are being written. When he and his bandmates are locked in on something, that inspiration means something in that moment that may translate differently the farther removed they become from it. Right now, they are on a journey of creating a body of work that emotionally, sonically and thematically feels like they all belong together.

“I think this band functions the best when we have a North Star,” Folino said.

Alley Eyes is closer than ever to answering the question, “What do we sound like?” They have embraced the moments of exploration, tested their abilities and can honestly say they know where they want to go next.

Fandom culture of today functions as so much more than just physical media. Fandoms have become communities; safe spaces that provide friendship, common interests and a collective voice. For many, fandom is about nostalgia. That movie, television show, album, comic book or sports team that meant everything during adolescence means even more now. One of those safe spaces are comic and pop culture conventions, and someone who understands how fandom is best represented there is Jason Marsden.

Marsden has always been immersed in fandom culture, with his introduction into the convention circuit being a Quantum Leap-focused event. Leap Con began in the early 1990s in Southern California, and one year Marsden and a friend spent the day there meeting screenwriters, editors, costume designers and actors from the show.

His first guest appearance at a convention came after his episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Trekkies have been gathering since the 1970s, making a significant impact on show-specific conventions. He heard they were a fun experience and really wanted to be a part of it.

Since then, he has become a regular guest at various conventions throughout the country. He admits that he loves being the center of attention, and weekends spent among fans is the ideal place for it.

“In a convention situation, for the most part, you are receiving love and praise from people,” he said. “As an actor, that’s something that we don’t get a lot of. In the theatrical world, in the auditioning world, it's a lot of ‘hurry up and wait’. It's a lot of rejection. To get validation from people is also very fulfilling.”

Marsden’s extensive resume attracts generations of fans, many who use the phrase, “You were my childhood.” Whether it was his recurring characters on Full House, Boy Meets World and Step By Step or his voice in A Goofy Movie, Hocus Pocus and Spirited Away, his roles have made an impact on its audiences.

In particular, he participates in many heartfelt conversations surrounding the storyline of A Goofy Movie. The collective emotion of having watched that movie with a parent and finding a shared love for it, no matter the parent-child relationship, become meaningful moments that stick with him long after the conversation ends.

“I have had many people come up to me and, with tears, say, ‘I lost my parent’ or ‘I lost my grandparent, but we love this movie so much.’ That's when you go from an actor making an appearance to maybe a little bit of therapist. I don't mind it; I can handle it. I'm ready to be present for people when they are in those emotions. It's humbling. The silly thing that I do, doing cartoons, and how it hits people that hard in the feels… It creates an extra layer of responsibility when I make these appearances.”

Although he spends much of his time on the receiving end of admiration, he understands the fan perspective. He, too, is a fan of many things, and has been lucky enough to share that fandom with those he admires.

He has the luxury of sharing spaces with fellow guests at conventions, and says that he is starstruck constantly. A few years ago, he was a guest at a convention alongside Marisa Tomei, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. Recently, he got to meet Sam Raimi and Mr. T.

“I interact with actors who make me feel the same way,” he said. “It was my childhood, you know? These are icons. We’re all in the green room together, but still, am I allowed to talk to them? I've made a fool of myself many a time in front of an actor that I admire.”

When he isn’t signing autographs or taking photos, you might find him teaching a voice over workshop or two over a convention weekend. He refers to it as a “lips-on” workshop, taking a boot camp approach to showcase how challenging voice acting can be.

“I'm giving everyone a taste of what it's like,” he said. “I'm trying to recreate the moments that I've experienced.”

The concept of fandom has multiple meanings for Jason Marsden. He has an impressive Batman collection. He has said things out loud to his childhood heroes that hopefully weren’t as embarrassing as he thought it sounded. He has signed a significant amount of glossy photos of a talking black cat. He has given hugs to many tearful people as they share how significant his work has been. He is one of the many reasons why fandom culture has become a community.

Jeff Brennan’s career as a comic book, storyboard and 3D artist has landed him in situations that he had only dreamed of. He got his start working as a background inker for DC Comics before moving into animation, notably working on Courage the Cowardly Dog and Dragon Tales. Though his resume is impressive, his ability to find himself in unique situations with legendary creatives is just as noteworthy.

The first time he was able to meet an important figure in his life was at a comic convention. Spanish-Mexican-American cartoonist and writer Sergio Aragonés has provided new material for Mad magazine since 1967 and created Groo the Wanderer in 1970, among many accomplishments. Brennan admired his work, and immediately recognized him thanks to his appearances on television. He was so starstruck that he had no idea what to say to Aragonés, and went with a simple, drawn out “heyyyyy!” Aragonés repeated it back in the same cadence, and they both went on with their day.

After his success with Dragon Tales, he found himself as a featured extra on a television pilot that never made it to air. He was sitting at a table near craft services when he heard someone ask if they could join him. He looked up to see one of the lead actors, Betty White. He was more than happy to share the space with her, talking about her experiences as an actor and what he wanted to do next in his own career. At the end of the day, he had to provide personal information that he thought surely meant he was being removed from the set. When he got the courage to ask what was happening, he was informed that one of the actors requested he become a series regular if the show was picked up by a network. He was never able to prove it was White who requested it, but he was pretty sure that was her.

When he was living in Los Angeles, his frequent trips to a local comic book store paid off in a big way when Mark Hamill was browsing the same day as him and a friend. For a few moments, they geeked out from afar before Brennan’s friend decided to approach him. Brennan tried to play it cool, eventually joining them and getting to spend their lunch break discussing their careers and how Hamill’s son was interested in animation. As they drove home, they realized that was their opportunity to assist in Hamill’s son’s career and completely blew it.

As much as he loves telling stories of his most memorable moments, he equally loves hearing stories from admirers of his work. When he spends weekends at comic conventions, he finds it unbelievable that people will still approach him and share versions of how impactful his work has become.

He also loves the moments where fans give off the same energy that he did when meeting Aragonés. He has a specific memory of one New York Comic Con where a woman needed to stop by the ATM before purchasing his artwork, and decided to leave her daughter at Brennan’s table, “so you know I’m coming back.” She walked away before he had the opportunity to protest, returning minutes later. That moment still makes him laugh, and he hopes that mother and daughter also find the humor in it.

From his impressive resume to his impressive storytelling, Jeff Brennan is a table worth finding at a comic convention’s Artist Alley. Watch him sketch a new piece of art, take home a completed version, and be sure to ask him about a memorable moment in his career; there will definitely be a story to tell.

Graphic created by Guy Gilchrist

Throughout the weekend at FAN EXPO Chicago, a table tucked into the heart of Artist Alley saw generations of people come together for a shared love of The Muppets. Guy Gilchrist is no stranger to the convention circuit, and his table is a cheerful display of beloved childhood characters.

A father and his two children approached the table Sunday afternoon. His bashful, younger daughter was half hidden behind her father’s legs, half intrigued by the green puppet casually sitting in a chair. Gilchrist asked, “Would you like to meet him?” Kermit the Frog came to life right before her eyes, which sparkled as bright as her smile.

For over 50 years, Gilchrist has been a part of keeping Jim Henson’s creativity alive. It was initially an intimidating role; knowing that millions of people would be seeing his artwork was unfathomable. A few of many pinch-me moments happened in the early 1980s when then-President Ronald Reagan shared with Henson that the Muppets comic strip was his favorite. Reagan initially invited Henson to the White House, and Henson told him that Gilchrist was the one who deserved the recognition. In 1984, he was the guest of honor at their Easter celebration. Not even two weeks later, Reagan’s wife Nancy informed him that his artwork was going to be permanently enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution.

“I called Mom for that one,” he said.

When Gilchrist had the opportunity to create the art for a Muppet Babies lunchbox, it felt like a childhood dream come true. He still has a vivid memory of the yellow Mickey Mouse metal lunchbox shaped like a school bus, the one that all the elementary-aged children seemed to have except for him. He wanted his to be just as memorable, and ended up asking Thermos if he could have an extension in order to make the entire design himself. The bright blue metal lunchbox featured the Muppets Babies playing as Star Wars, fairy tale, Superman, King Kong and Raiders of the Lost Ark characters. His first plastic lunchbox design featured the characters from his My Tiny Dinos book series, bright purple with yellow detailing.

“Those were special,” he said. “That was cool for me.”

There are moments where he is reminded of how much his work still means to people. During his weekend at FAN EXPO Chicago, a woman brought her beloved copy of Just Imagine: A Book of Fairyland Rhymes. The 1990 Little Golden Book has been out of print for more than 20 years, and seeing it decades later was a heartwarming moment. He also recently received a letter from a fan inquiring about another of his children’s books, Strummer, the One-of-a-Kind Duck. They were looking for another copy that was around $4 in the 1980s and currently going for over $1,000 on eBay.

“I know you love me, but nobody loves me that much,” he joked. “That’s mind blowing to me that my stuff is around that long and that people still care about it and it means something to them.”

In the midst of these pinch-me moments, Gilchrist’s children were born. They also grew up with Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock, seeing their father’s designs on lunchboxes, board games and toy guitars. They became part of a multi-generational love for the creations of Jim Henson.

“I would work for them, and then it would be for the whole world.”

Wynne Bennett remembers hearing the early rumblings of Electroclash, a late 1990s/early 2000s music and art movement that fused new wave and synth pop with techno and electronic dance music. She was immediately drawn to the mixture of raw synths, lo-fi drums sounds, and at times, extremely fast tempos and punk elements. Decades later, her love for the subgenre became the inspiration for her latest body of work, the soundtrack for the Apple Original series, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.

She bonded over this love with creator/producer David Rosen, who met with her to discuss composing the show. They wanted to create an exciting score that felt distinct from the typical sounds associated with thrillers and comedies. Their early conversations on their mutual love of electroclash really resonated with her, and they made sure to incorporate it into the final score.

“I loved the dance culture and excitement of a new subgenre of music unfolding,” Bennett said. “Sometimes theatrical, provocative, absurd or simply just an undeniably fun track, those formative years in NYC listening and dancing to this wave of music was crucial to my musical and artistic development.”

That mutual love became the starting point for a sound that she said naturally evolved into the original soundtrack. Bennett and Rosen excitedly mused on a score that juxtaposed that tightly wound energy with the expansive sound of the original score to the 1996 Cohen brothers film, Fargo. Their initial approach would mutate over time as Bennett collaborated directly with Rosen and the series editors from early on in the production process.

“Collaborating with the editing team pushed me to keep crafting from the emotional perspectives of the characters in a supported, playful space, all while building off of each other's work,” Bennett said. “We were passionate and aligned in making the music shine for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, so I often challenged my previous work and always explored new ideas.”

The comedy thriller crime television series follows newly divorced mother Paula Saunders as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder and youth soccer. Amidst her legal troubles, she pays for the online services of a webcam model, Trevor, and vents to him about her personal life. One night, Trevor is beaten and kidnapped on-camera and soon after, Paula starts receiving calls for ransom money. The police are convinced it is just an internet scam, but then Trevor is found dead. Paula becomes entwined with the mystery of Trevor's death as secrets from her past come to light.

The first episode was the one Bennett was most looking forward to people seeing and hearing for the first time. When Paula is painfully sitting in traffic on her way to Trevor’s house, audiences hear a synth called the Mochika. Bennett wanted to create a sequence that played on the patiently waiting and mounting anxiety feeling of being in a traffic jam. The pressure and sound builds before breaking right as Paula peels out of traffic.

“I had so much fun composing the music for her maniacally driving scene,” she said. “Remnants of hyper pop and over-the-top sounds accompany her trip on the highway.”

In the last scene, as Paula snoops around Trevor’s house, moments of silence are interrupted with eerie sounds, ultimately leading to a dramatic climax. It was another moment that Bennett hoped the audience would enjoy seeing and hearing as much as she enjoyed creating.

Leading with instinct is always Wynne Bennett’s method of creating music, and this project was no exception. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed had its bar set high with the expertly crafted story, and she got to challenge herself in the best way possible. She got to explore fresh takes on extremely intense moments and depict vulnerability with unique sounds. Turns out her instinct was right: electroclash works perfectly with comedy thrillers.

Mr. T made his first-ever convention appearance at FAN EXPO Dallas in 2025, but was quite familiar with the pressures and expectations that come with meeting fans. During his years as a professional wrestler, he said he added several skills to his repertoire: signing autographs, kissing babies, hugging grandmas and taking pictures. It became incredibly important to him that every single person who was a fan of his knew they were welcome in his circle.

When he first spoke to the people coordinating his appearance at FAN EXPO, he made it abundantly clear that he was not the type of guest who would keep his head down and sign as many autographs as possible. Having genuine, heartfelt interactions with 20 people in one hour was worth more to him than signing thousands of autographs in a weekend and collecting a paycheck.

“I want everybody that comes to see me to be satisfied,” he said. “I don’t want to treat them like just money. I want them to feel complete. I want them to feel love. For me, to just do autographs and not look at them, that’s insensitive. That’s insulting to me; that’s not my character.”

He understands how long people have waited to meet him. He recognizes the strength it takes to tell him how impactful he was to their own upbringing. He also understands humility. He isn’t afraid of feeding someone else’s ego to give them an interaction they won’t forget.

“I just try to be me,” he said. “That’s who I am. I was raised that way. I want them to know what goes on in my heart.”

The first thing he does when he approaches his table for an autograph session is explain to the crowd how his lines work. His mode of operation isn’t speed, it’s to “make love to the fans verbally”. Greeting a fan is thanking them for coming to the show and waiting to see him. It’s holding their hands and honoring requests to pray for them.

If they thank him for being there, he makes sure to reiterate that he is thankful for their support and patience. He loves hearing stories about them watching him wrestle on TV as a child or remembering the anti-drug public service announcements that altered their way of thinking.

“In the eyes of a Christian, next to God, where would I be without my fans?” he said. “If I were just signing autographs, I’d miss that moment.”

“The emotions get me sometimes,” he continued. “I’ll say, ‘give me time before I start back up again.’ I want the fans to feel the sincerity. I want them to feel good, and I need it as much as they do. I need their love.”

He is mindful of his legacy and the stories he leaves behind. He is sure to tell his fans that he isn’t perfect, but he’ll do his very best to never let them down. What he means is that when they leave that day with a photo or an autograph of him, a story of how nice he was or how he listened to them, he doesn’t want them to read a story the next week about something he did wrong.

He keeps in mind something his mother told him: there is an anointing on him, and because he is anointed, he has to guard it. He uses his platform to remind people that a good name is worth more than silver and gold.

“When they say, ‘Mr. T is a tough guy but he’s a good guy’, that means the world to me,” he said. “Sure, it’s a hard walk, but as long as I stay with God, it’s not a hard walk.”

The key takeaway is that an interaction with Mr. T does not and should not disappoint. He finds so much joy in walking around that table and pulling someone into a hug, or being shown a photograph of a child glued to the television screen showing his face. He may be a tough guy, but his heart is in all the right places.

The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art was founded in the 1970s by the comic book artist best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman. Kubert and his wife, Muriel, made sure the art school taught the principles of sequential art and the craft of comic illustrations by way of professional writers, artists, colorists and letterers working in the industry. The school’s alumni work in a variety of jobs in the fields of animation, comic books, commercial art and illustration, including artist Amanda Conner.

She recalled that it was during her time as a student when she first attended a comic convention. Her memory of the day spent with friends and fellow students may have faded but she could still feel the excitement about being in a room full of future peers. When she was first invited to attend a convention as a guest, it made the moment all the more special.

“I felt like I made it,” she said.

Conner’s career began in the late 1980s working for both Archie and Marvel Comics, and her impressive bibliography includes the character development of Vampirella, Harley Quinn, Elvira, Barbie, She-Hulk and more. Her art has appeared on Nightline and in The New York Times, and her commercial art work has been seen with Playskool, Nickelodeon and Nike.

There are two projects in particular that stand out as more ‘I made it’ moments. Her custom artwork, alongside colorist Paul Mounts, was featured inside Stuart Bloom’s comic shop of The Big Bang Theory. She also created the artwork for The Frightened Little Astronaut, a fictional book in the show.

“I was so thankful that I got to do those,” she said. “I was really amazed that they had asked me.”

It is both humbling and surprising when fans of her art line up around her booth at conventions, but she understands the importance of these memorable moments. She has had a few of her own throughout her career, including one year at San Diego Comic Con where she met one of her biggest influences, Frank Miller. She has respected his pacing and ability to create tension in his art, and getting to be in the same room with him was a bucket list item she happily checked off.

“I couldn’t contain myself,” she said. “I geeked out a lot.”

A few years ago she was able to meet another one of her heroes, Jaime Hernández. She once again had a moment to geek out about how much she admires his ability to bring human expressions and attitudes to two dimensional art.

“He has one of those talents where he can just draw real people so beautifully,” she said. “He just does it so well.”

The legacy of Joe Kubert involves his Distinguished Storyteller Award, meant to recognize comic book creators who exemplify both artistic talent and the commitment to nurturing the comic book community. In a full circle moment, Amanda Conner was presented the award in 2019. During her speech, she shared an important lesson he taught her all those years ago: the most important art in a comic book tells the reader everything they need to know, even without words on the page. She never forgot how important art is to storytelling.

Photo courtesy of Dictionary Photography

Ever since I was growing up, I’ve always loved music.

While I am a fourth-generation musician, the familial instinct never kicked in until I was about 12. I had taken voice lessons with my mom since about the age of 5, but it was always just something I did for fun. That was until my mom did a group trip with her music school to Nashville, where she brought down 50 people and had multiple performance opportunities for the students, including myself.

Those opportunities were great, but what lit a fire under me was being brought up to sing at Tootsie's by one of their afternoon bands. I sang “Independence Day” by Martina McBride, and after that I was set on being on stage for the rest of my life.

​Little did I know that this new dream I had would be both transformative and soul-crushing, yet also addictive because of how rewarding it is when it goes well.

I started playing my own gigs and going to industry events. Luckily, I had taken a year of guitar lessons when I was 8 - which I hated and stopped because it hurt my hands - but I still remembered what I had learned relatively well, and made the effort to improve, so I could keep playing live.

Today, I am 22 years old and 10 years into this dream.

I’ve worked with some incredible people, released eight singles, won an industry award, shared my music on the radio and grown into an unabashed entertainer because I love the energy of performing.

Along the way, I’ve been criticized, rejected and beaten down so many times that I’ve lost count.

And I’m okay with that.

Why? Because I’ve learned to be my own cowboy.

You see, every time this happens, I emerge even more determined to reach my goals.

First, I’m usually sad and angry for a couple of days, which are natural feelings when your art is being told that it's not good enough. Art is essentially an extension of the artist, so intense emotional waves are normal when we put our hearts, lives and money on the line.

Then, after my usual post-rejection necessary cry fest, something switches in my brain and I carry on.

I have gotten so used to taking detours in my career and trying different strategies that following a normal single rollout plan would feel uncomfortable for me, and that is the beauty of the music industry. Discomfort has helped me grow in my career and personal life.

The power of storytelling was such an important piece of Lindsey Stirling’s upbringing that it is the main reason why her latest tour, Duality Untamed, has classic storybook elements laced into the performance.

At a recent tour stop in Rosemont, Ill., Stirling addressed the audience mid-set to tell them about the best storyteller she ever knew - her late father. Some of her earliest memories are bedtime stories, sharing that his greatest asset as a storyteller was knowing when to pause. He added pauses so well into stories it made them all the more enticing. She called the pause the sacred space in life; the moment where it seems like nothing is happening but, in actuality, everything is happening.

“What makes those moments mean anything is the pause,” she said.

Throughout the night, the hero’s journey was told through music, spoken word and dance. “Run through the forest, don’t pause to hide, don’t look behind to the left nor the right” was part of a chant before Stirling emerged in a red rhinestoned cape alongside her dancers-turned-wolves. She climbed her own beanstalk and seemingly floated through the air on green aerial silks. She twirled across the stage brandishing her violin that doubled as a crossbow.

Visually, the screened backdrop displayed cathedral-style windows showcasing stained glass art, a stormy sky behind a castle, trees swaying in a nighttime breeze and a winter snow storm. It was both incredibly detailed and incredibly subtle; a way to add to the story without taking the spotlight away from the performers.

The most spectacular of them all was during the mashup of “Sleepwalking” and “Kintsugi”, where she began with another aerial silk performance while a story about a caterpillar who dreamed more than anything to become a butterfly was told. The white fabric aided her narration about the caterpillar who was trapped inside its own chrysalis, its struggle purposeful. Moments later, she rose into the air draped in white silks, violin in hand, and shed the fabric as butterfly wings spread out behind her.

Graceful is the only way to describe Stirling’s performance. The way she carried herself across the stage all night seemed effortless. There wasn’t a moment, even as she was upside down several feet in the air, where there wasn’t a smile on her face. It wasn’t that she made it look easy, she made it look fun.

At the end of the night, she explained to the audience that they weren’t just the heroes of their own stories; they were the authors. She hoped they left feeling powerful and strong. She reminded them that the reason they have dreams is because they are meant to have them. She thanked them for being there for all her stories, closing the night out with one last chance to spread her wings.