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With the rise of generative AI, seemingly everywhere nowadays, it was nice to visit a booth that has a very anti-AI stance. That booth was EpicDesk. I had the pleasure of visiting them at New York Comic Con this year and chatting with Derek, the head of partnerships. We talked about the mats they brought, the artists they work with, and their anti-AI art stance.
EpicDesk creates desk mats that you can use for any type of gaming, whether that's PC or tabletop. They feature a variety of different licenses such as Attack on Titan, Naruto, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and bands like Sleep Token.
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They also use real, human artists for all of their maps and designs, and they are absolutely gorgeous! Not only that, but a few things about them aren't considered “standard” in the industry. This includes something as simple as being machine washable. They also don’t stain, and water will just sit on it if you spill.
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New York Comic Con is a huge event, with many different fandoms in attendance, so I was curious as to how they decide on which pieces to bring to shows. There were a few elements to this. They have exclusive pieces, like FogLand, the new webcomic from Webtoon, and Attack on Titan, which all have new season updates, and they are exclusive to the con. Derek informed me that their Sleep Token mats are one of their biggest sellers, which was surprising to hear. I learned that Sleep Token has a huge crossover into gaming, and when they went to PAX, those mats sold out within 2/3rds of a day. Sleep Token isn't the only musical artist they’ve worked with either. They’ve done stuff for Rush, Dream Theater, and Ozzy Osbourne. They will also soon be working with pop-punk band Neck Deep and making some tour-exclusive stuff for them for their European tour. They also have artist originals, because they want to showcase and promote their artists. Variety, popularity, exclusives, and showcasing artists and intellectual property are all important when deciding what mats to bring to cons.
Speaking of artists, I wanted to know how they find the artists they work with. There are a few different ways they do this, like going on various marketplaces, Instagram profiles, and even getting referrals from other artists. They will also go scope out artist alley at conventions and talk to the artists there, with the goal of finding a new connection and some cool art, and even seeing if someone wants to do an original or a commission. Derek says meeting new artists is his favorite part of the job, which, as someone whose favorite part of any convention is artist alley, I get it.
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Finally, I asked about why they make sure to use human artists, and the answer was simple: “Because art isn't AI; art is human. I don't know how else to say it. That is not art. Art is emotional connection, and people buy emotional connection, and people need emotional connection, and AI isn't emotional connection. So I don’t believe AI can produce art. People connect with it, and they buy it. If it's not done like that, what are you connecting with?”
Their anti-AI art stance is what initially drew me into their booth, but after visiting, I learned they’re so much more than that. Everyone in the booth was so passionate about using human artists and the products they make. The mats they make are all gorgeous, and they have a wide range of fandoms and art, so you’ll always find something you like. They are also extremely well-made. Make sure to check out EpicDesk next time you need a desk mat!
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