First-ever SopranosCon was messy and confusing at times, but a glorious and unexpected triumph

Mel Magazine

Attending the inaugural Sopranos fan convention in New Jersey, Miles Klee says "you could tell where an element of the massive hall was held together with spit and glue. Often this added to the charm, as if some crooked contractor had embezzled the money for materials." He adds: "There were the awkward concessions to fan conference culture overall, a phenomenon that skews more sci-fi and fantasy; I suppose no con is complete without booths of Baby Groot Funko Pops, Star Wars Blu-rays and Hot Topic-style art prints of Jack Skellington. By and large, however, you were struck by a surreal and overwhelming sense of recognition. For a devotee of the series, it wasn’t like being in a room of crappy merch tailored to your interests — it was that, too, I just mean that you also felt at home, the way I do after a long day, when all I can do is sink once more into the world of The Sopranos, a world that is the fictional yet intimately conscious version of the neighborhoods of my youth."