#I did the drawings in the journal throughout the day at comic con and it was really fun!!

[arthursfuckinghat]

I just realised I completely forgot to show my finished Arthur cosplay so here!!

You can find the process of me making the hat here! Everything including the hat and the materials was purchased second hand and using things I already had (the rope, jeans, journal, neckerchief, etc) so it's a very budget cosplay but I think it turned out well! The total came to about £45, there's receipts here if you're interested <3

[re-readingcomics]

NYCC 2014 Day Two

While this is third entry in this reminiscence, it’s worth noting that this is the first time I got to the Javitz Center anywhere close to opening time. This was also the day that I started having problems with being in time for stuff.

I struggled a little to remember what this was about, but then it came to me. As I said in my previous entry, I tend to spend a lot of time in Artist Alley. I had the idea that I’d go directly there first thing in the morning I’d go to Artist Alley, get everything I brought signed, then spend most of the rest of the day at panels. I soon learned that very few artists are in Artist Alley first thing in the morning. Also, some people I wanted to get to sign things weren’t in Artist Alley but would have signings at the Image Comics booth. These were ticketed events and, despite my best attempts throughout the convention, every time I arrived, every ticketed signing at Image’s booth was out of tickets. Towards the end, I was told that they were generally all given away before the General Guests came because people working the floor got all of the tickets. I’m not sure how true this is.

You may be able to tell from the person standing behind me here or just from your own memory is that this was the year that Stuart’s redesign of Batgirl's as a more colorfully assembled uniform came out as the Batgirl of Burnside story was launched. The person behind me is dressed in a pretty good cosplay of that design. I’m pretty sure that both the creative teams for Batgirl and Gotham Academy had been announced, but neither of the first issues had actually been released. People were still pretty enthusiastic about them because ultimately the most important aspect of making a comic book, especially a superhero comic book, is character design.

The books I was bringing for Stuart to sign were trade paperbacks from his time drawing Catwoman during Ed Brubaker’s run. (I have never seen Brubaker listed as guest at NYCC, and if he did attend in A year that I decided not to go, I would throw my hands up and curse vehemently.) I think Stuart’s work here is great, though arguably he is emulating his predecessor on the title, Darwyn Cooke a little too much. So yes, I can appreciate feeling embarrassed by that. I did talk a bit with Stuart about how embarrassing it is to look at something you have made years ago. (Like re-reading your journal.)

The famous (infamous) Azzarello and Chaing Wonder Woman run was wrapping up at this time.  I find Azzarello really intimidating to talk with lately because I don’t know what to make of him. I really liked his Wonder Woman run, and Superman: For Tomorrow is one of my favorite Superman stories. I think they wrestle with what it means to have power and do good in interesting ways that react with some of the absolutism that is too prominent in superheat titles. On the other had, what I’ve read of his creator-owned titles, can often feel nasty for the sake of nastiness. I had read all of his and Eduardo Riso’s 100 Bullets that year before meeting him for the first time and I had to say I have no interest in re-reading it, let alone trying it’s sequel/ spinoff Brother Lono. I do read Azzarello and Risso’s current title, Moonshine, and, other than loving the title as a pun (it involves bootleggers and werewolves!) I’m not quite sure what to make of it, let alone if I like it. Someone in front of me on that line brought a print Risso made of all the major 100 Bullets characters in a bar for Azzarello to sign. It was the kind of drawing that made me wish that I actually liked 100 Bullets.

I had gotten Goran Sudzuka, who filled in for Chiang on some Wonder Woman issues to sign those and impressed both Chiang and Azzarello. It was also how Azzarello learned that Sudzuka was at the convention.

(Sudzuka had told me that he agreed to be the fill in artist for Wonder Woman and earlier Y: The Last Man on the condition that he would be the only fill in artist for either only because he was such a fan.)

I really like The Fuse, no reservations about it. I’m hoping it gets turned into a TV show. But read the comic first.

It’s kind of nice that I don’t remember if I was too late for any panels. It probably led to my decision to skip 2015.

I have never met Francesco Francavilla, one of my biggest disappointments as far as going to these Cons, and it’s not even my fault.

The Tijuana Bible also appears in the back material of the Satellite Sam tpb. No need to buy one from Howard Chaykin as I did to know why the characters in Satellite Sam are so disgusted by it.

[jay-michaels-public-relations]

Article contributed to Five Star Arts Journal by Jay Michaels

Comic Books – like their characters – have a secret identity. The mild-mannered paper and ink funnies are also the next level of Greek tragedy or Shakespearean epic.

Comic Artists – like their characters – also have a secret identity thrust upon them. Hard-working children of immigrants throughout the sixties grabbing a job in a time when such things were scarce drew fun and fantastical stories about improbable human beings … and outer planet dwellers. These progression-of-image books have – thanks to Godlike advances in cinema and the paranoia of psychiatrists throughout the fifties and sixties have become the new da Vincis and Picassos.

Sadly, like their characters, these artists were always lauded for their work. their stories are the fodder of -well- comic books.

Ditko tells the story of Steve Ditko, a comic book illustrator virtually forgotten by the masses, but celebrated by comic book fans everywhere. Chronicling his rise in the comic book industry, Ditko was instrumental in Marvel’s success by co-creating two of comics most iconic characters, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange and several of DC’s silver age icons, Hawk and Dove, Shade the Changing Man, and the Creeper. Ditko also worked for virtually every other publisher of note including Warren, Charlton, Pacific, and Eclipse, co-creating other iconic characters like Mr. A, the Question and Blue Beetle. he also created some of the 1950s most startling imagery in sci-fi and fantasy comics. ironically, Spiderman was meant to be one of those fantasy one-shot characters for a comic book called Amazing Fantasy. Stan Lee, planning to cancel the poor-selling monster book, let Ditko draw one of those far-out characters for the last issue. The rest, as they say …

The Daydream Theatre and TheatreLab NYC present DITKO, a play written & directed by Lenny Schwartz on October 1 & 2 at 7:30pm Tickets: $15 in advance at Ovationtix.com and $20 at the door the location of TheatreLab is 357 WEST 36th STREET 3RD FLOOR – NEW YORK

Some actors have the honor of playing Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, and Lear … others have a more lofty experience. Derek Laurendeau plays Steve Ditko; Dave Almeida dons a cigar for his role as Jack Kirby; Anne Bowman plays a mystic master – no, not Doctor Strange … Ayn Rand. And Geoff White takes the elevator to the floor ABOVE Mount Olympus as Stan Lee. The avengers assembled also include Samantha Acampora, Christopher Ferreira as Jerry Robinson/Dick Giordano (talk about Marvel AND DC), Mindy Britto, Emily Lamarre, and Timothy DeLisle.

At the New York Comic Con in 2010, Stan Lee entered the stage and someone from the back of the house screamed “YOU’RE A GOD, STAN”  We asked the cast … well is he? Well, are you? And what’s it like playing Gods.

Derek Laurendeau: 

To me comic books aren’t becoming a religion, they are one. As with most religions you have practices, prayers, meditations, and most of all stories that give the moral standards and practices of them. Comic books in their own way share many of these. Many people routinely make pilgrimages to the conventions or their comic book shops to share in the collective story telling of hundreds of artists and writers. The whole community (artists, editors, writers, fans, etc.) shapes these stories. The stories give us the hope and ability to cope with the world around us. The comics are also a mythology on their own. Superheroes are god like and while the stories can be bombastic, heroic adventures at the end of it all the heroes themselves are just as human as we are and through that relatability you can gain strength to overcome any difficulties. Also like most religions there are divisions that you see when stories adapt and change. Most recently the Miles Morales Spiderman comes to mind as an example of the rift that can divide comic fans.

“I feel like we’re not playing gods. Ditko, Lee, Kirby, and Robinson were humans just like us.”

They had their flaws and faults just like anyone would have. The fans may see them as these deities, but at the end of the day they were just men and women creating from their imaginations. They created these characters not knowing what would happen. The act of creation is what they knew best and by putting the work in and giving their art every bit of energy they had they made magic happen on the pages. I feel like my responsibility to the role is to show the humanness of these great people. Yes they created heroes that will not be forgotten any time soon. But Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Jerry Robinson all started at the same place behind a table with nothing but an idea, paper, and something to write and draw with. The truth is anyone can do what they did as long as you have passion and are committed one hundred percent to making your destiny happen. However I do feel an extra responsibility to Ditko since very little is known of him and for a lot of people seeing the show it was the first time they had ever heard of him. So i feel a duty to do my best to represent Steve as the sure minded, smart, and talented artist he was.

Geoff White, like the characters he plays (Stan Lee) was a bit more irreverent. 

Growing up in the 60’s, I was the usual comic book kid… I occasionally grabbed a Superman or Spiderman. I’ve always had a healthy respect for the art form, but as I began college and studying theatre, my focus changed and comics faded in my life Except for my many friends who  are avid collectors. But, as an Actor, I do feel the responsibility of being true to any character I portray, but obviously playing Stan in the city, next to the Comicon is a little daunting.  Fortunately, Lenny is a true Fan and an insightful Director and I truly feel the audiences will enjoy the ride as much as we do.

Dave Almeida plays another king. Jack “King” Kirby. The man attributed to some of the greatest comic book characters of all time – who never got the respect he deserved … until after his passing. 

We the public may consider these creative writers and artists “gods”, but I would guess that they just considered themselves just “working Joes”, and getting paid for their services, just like screenwriters, journalists and commercial artists did at the time. These wonderful people gave us role models without even realizing it; role models who change the minds and hearts of a post war generation and their children.

Christopher Ferreira playing two comic book legends shared his thoughts as well.

When I was in grade school at that time, comics were the safe place where social outcast bookworms could find comfort in fantastic stories about heroes and a fantasy world.  It was ours.  Now comics are everyone’s.  Now I’m the expert who pretty girls turn to to learn about this world of mythical legend.  Now I feel like the prophets of old, leading new followers to the wonderful teachings of pulp fiction legends. I absolutely feel a strong responsibility to accurately portray such legends as Jerry Robinson and Dick Giordano.  I met Jerry twice in the later years of his life at the San Diego Comic Con and I was so blown away by his intelligence, exuberant personality and humbleness.  He did so much important work to get creators the credit and recognition they deserved.  I can only imagine how he encouraged and helped Steve Ditko in his early days of coming into the comic book industry.  Jerry was such a force in the comic book industry.  So my goal in bringing him to life again onstage in this version is to show how human of a man he was.  Comic book creators are people who care about the human race, I feel.  They write stories that show the best humanity can be.  Creating heroes that they wish we all could be.    

Anne Bowman practiced philosophizing by saying this.

What comes to mind is how comic book characters are like religious icons, known all over the world. Before I did this show I didn’t realize how often I see Spider-Man in my daily life, in many places other than TV.  For example, I went to the beach with family a few weekends ago, and my friend’s five-year-old was wearing a Spider-Man t-shirt. I told him I was in a play about the man who drew Spider-Man, and his eyes got wide. I knew Spider-Man when I was his age, too. That’s pretty incredible. 

    Emily Lamarre and Mindy Britto looked up in the sky and had this to say:

Emily Lamarre: I’ve been thinking about this all day and haven’t really found an answer for this question. I’ve been an outsider to the comic book world and through Ditko I learned that Ditko was the real creator of Spider-Man. I think with why comic books are becoming a religion as people look up to these characters because they are strong, and brave. They even may pass down the stories of these characters to their children in hopes to take the lessons and ideals that they had and use them in real life. With the creators like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Robinson, and Bill Finger, they created these characters and the world they live in for people to read and look up to.

Mindy Britto: To be honest, comic books are a bit of a new phenomenon for me. I feel that comic books offer an escape into another reality. Comics are always indicative of pop culture, reflecting both��modern society and a new market of readers. Writers come up with religious back stories to keep the character current and provide relatability and depth. It makes sense that comic books are becoming a religion due to the complexity of the world that we live in and the desire to explore and uncover.

  =================

JAY MICHAELS, an indie film and live event producer and promotional executive, is considered an authority on comic books and horror movies. He is the host of “Terror Talk” on the burgeoning streaming station, Terror TV. Michaels, a notable presence in the world of independent theater and film as a producer and an actor, has been charting horror and science-fiction on film and television and appraising comic books and other ephemera since 1973. He is also a judge for the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival.

  Adventure takes four colors, two staples, and one dream Article contributed to Five Star Arts Journal by Jay Michaels Comic Books - like their characters - have a secret identity.

[otakunoculture]

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Fan Expo Vancouver made the shift from November to March and the change was certainly noticeable. Most industry observers believe they want to challenge Emerald City Comic Con, which takes place two weeks later, and others were hard pressed in which show to support. Next year’s event will be held February 15-17 giving room for all events to share the busy late Winter schedule. One thing that I learned is with some of the exclusives, especially the comic books, are simply reprinted material from previous year’s offerings. A lot of people were asking every time I passed by the merchandise table, and not every member of the staff knew. Though they have slightly different covers, the content is the same.

Unconfirmed reports suggest lower than usual attendance on Saturday. I found navigating through the crowds easy and welcomed the smaller crowds. The event had a steady flow of people throughout the day. I liked the new layout. There were a larger food court area and the main stage was visible upon entry. Those who wanted to be at the big celebrity Q&As did not have to walk far. Two smaller stages were positioned at opposite ends, making noise levels reasonable, but one did have to compete against the main. The types of panels offered ranged from mostly meetups to sketch-duels. Very little industry material existed and I was very thankful for the information from Conor McCreery (Kill Shakespeare) offered for those interested in working in the comic book industry.

It’s tough to beat the year Kevin Smith was here. Vancouver fans loved him. The 2016 show had more panels than I can remember and it did take up parts of the main and the second floor. Not only did it have more corporate exhibitors but also it was in the East Building.

Lightsabers ahoy!

Missing this year was Sony Entertainment, Warner Brothers Entertainment and LEGO. An unofficial rep (A London Drugs employee) said when there’s no new product to exhibit, it’s not likely any company will have a convention presence. I miss LEGO and understand why they are no longer a presence. They have Ninjago as their primary exclusive product to carry this brand forward. All others are tied to subcontracts with Disney or elsewhere.

At least Beat Saber had the spotlight on the PS4. Confirmed are three expansion music packs. No dates were given for this release.

The spotlight panels were the main draw and it was standing room only when Billy Dee Williams hit the stage. He could not say anything about his coming appearance in Star Wars: Episode 9. So he chatted about his other work instead and how nobody can replace that suave demeanour when he is Lando Calrissian. He talked a bit about his role as Two-Face in Tim Burton’s Batman, but in what I particularly enjoyed is in the fact no other voice over talent can recreate what he has done in the animated and video game front. From Freemaker Adventures to Detours (this dead project received renewed interest last year), he is Lando! When at home, he can be heard singing to many a Jazz classic, and sadly, no album is being considered.

Overjoyed is hardly the word here to describe George Takei.

On Saturday, George Takei took command and took the time to thank everyone who was there late morning. He talked about his upcoming role in AMC’s supernaturally charged show, The Terror. The next season is very close to him as it deals with World War 2 and the American treatment of Japanese-Americans. He was brought on as a consultant to the series and the producers saw more and offered him a role. The panel would later cover his other work and was Q&A for the latter half. He revealed next season will broadcast late Summer 2019.

Meeting Sean Pertwee!

From Fox TV’s series, Gotham, some information was offered in what’s coming. It was mostly fun banter between young Bruce and Alfred (David Mazouz and Sean Pertwee). To see the two interact when out of set shows how close this family has become. I got to chat with Sean afterwards about his other work. With most of his family performers, he never thought of being the son of Jon (Doctor Who) as anything bigger until he was in school. Plus, I knew I had to get a selfie for my journals.

One takeaway from the panel is when Pertwee mentioned a movie in the Gotham-verse is in development. Nerdy Curiosities confirmed this with a live tweet. No details can be offered as it would mean Batman hushing him for good.

The love for DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender made up for what I missed last year at Emerald City. The panel was a Q&A with Josh Keaton and Kimberly Brooks. They talked about what the series meant to them, and the excellent writing in making their characters special. Sadly, any recording was prohibited and I have to go by memory in what was said during their panel. A lot was said about how the writing is miles ahead of other shows made this animation special. The fact Shiro is gay puts this show light years ahead for its support of LGBTQ.

Allura’s sacrifice was certainly needed and a lot of time was spent discussing this. No plans exist for continuing side stories or anything, which was my question to them. I doubt these cats are willing to be put down. Brooks would love for it to happen and Keaton is pessimistic. Show creators have a start and end in mind than to stretch it out. For these two, their next stop is at the Calgary Expo. The good news is that the entire team will be at Fan Expo Canada in late August.

Kimberly Brooks (left) and Josh Keaton (right)

Meeting Brooks was particularly special for me since I am just as much of a Scooby-Doo fan as Voltron. She confirmed that she and fellow Hex Girls co-stars Jennifer Hale and Jane Wiedlin would love to have their own spinoff show. But that’s ultimately up to Warner Brothers Animation to decide. I developed a fondness for their bubblegum style music, and believe they can solve mysteries too! She teased at the band’s return in a new Scooby-Doo project and is pumped at the fact that DC Super Hero Girls is continuing as a television series. All the regulars from the web series are back, and Lauren Faust is showrunning.  The show just started broadcasting, and for fans who wanted to meet more strong female role models, this show offered to Disney enthusiasts a chance to meet actresses Linda Larkin (Alladin) and Paige O’Hara (Beauty and the Beast).

I sense Fan Expo Vancouver will continue bringing in positive role models for all to meet. To see families in attendance is telling Informa Exhibitions (the parent company) to keep it up! While this west coast show had a few downs throughout the years with certain companies dropping out, I feel they will find its niche by year ten. Back when this show started in 2012, by Hobby Star Marketing (1) instead of Informa, the excitement was lukewarm. This event was hit hard when Rue Morgue announced they will no longer be part of the show.

To see this event bring talents from productions locally filmed is helping make this show different from others. Vancouver, BC is a hotbed of many a production, ranging from The CW Network‘s nerd block to many a work from Bardel Entertainment. With The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Riverdale having a strong following, a lot of people were present. With Arrow recently announced as being the last season, perhaps some of the cast will migrate over to these other shows as momentum for the next crossover, Crisis of Infinite Earths, builds.

Only time will tell on what’s to will happen in the Arrowverse. Continuing the trend from previous years is a visit from a performer who appeared on Stargate SG-1, Atlantis or Universe. This series did a lot to define this city in the world of pop culture fandom. Last year had Joe Flanigan, Jason Momoa and Alaina Huffman. This year had Teryl Rothery. Could an SG-1 reunion be in store for Fan Expo Vancouver? This downtown-based convention is affordable (Sorry Gatecon, but you’re just too expensive) and I would love to see this happen.

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    2019 #FanExpoVan #FXV2019 Report, Takeaways & What's Next for this Show? I offer few teases from the #scoobydoo and #gotham front & show love to @joshkaton and @kimberlydbrooks! I share thoughts in where I think the show is headed. By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest) Fan Expo Vancouver made the shift from November to March and the change was certainly noticeable. 1,438 more words

[cbilluminati]

The last con I went to was nearly twenty years ago at the New Orleans Sci Fi and Fantasy Festival. This year I went to the Wizardworld Comic Convention in New Orleans and discovered many things have changed, but a few have stayed the same.

This year’s Wizardworld was held at the Earnest N. Morial Convention Center at the old site of the 1984 World’s Fair and spitting distance from the mighty Mississippi River. It was an unseasonably brisk 34 degrees Fahrenheit outside which made me feel sorry for some of the cosplayers I saw in very few clothes rushing to get into the building. (See some of the accompanying pictures and you will understand.) For those that hadn’t purchased tickets online the ticket booths were plentiful and quick. There were also plenty of convention workers available to point you where you needed to go. Entry was fast and pleasant with little or no hassle for those with backpacks or cosplay accessories. Of course, those that had too realistic weapons had to leave them at a designated area set up for that, but it was also well manned and effectively prepared to make sure that everyone’s property was secured and well identified so it went home with you and the end of the day. The convention floor was divided into 6 main sections: The front performance stage as you entered the convention hall, the celebrity booths and photo areas directly behind the front stage, the Artist Alley behind the celeb booths, the gaming zone behind them. On the left and right of the celeb booths were vendors and cosplay group booths and all the way to the left of the entrance past the vendors was the main stage that was used for the celebrity panels and costume contest. Also, Saturday night after the convention floor was closed on the main stage there was a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show hosted by Barry Bostwick (Brad from the movie.)

Cosplay: As you entered the convention floor the electronic dance music was bumping and several thousand people were milling about. I would estimate that at least 30 percent of the convention goers were in costume, which is a huge increase from my past experiences with cons. I expected more because cosplay has become a staple of Sci Fi / Fantasy and comic conventions in the last decade. Throughout my two days at Wizardworld NOLA I took many pictures of the cosplayers, of course asking for permission first, and all were happy to pose for a photo.

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The quality of costumes was very high and well thought out. There were even booths for the cosplay groups like the Spidey Team, the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club, the 501st Legion, and the Krewe Du Who. There were several genres represented including gaming and movies, but the most popular was from comic books. Harley Quinn was an obvious favorite for the ladies and Negan was everywhere you looked. Stand outs were the red and black Harlequin Batman and the duo of Enchantress and the Black and Gold Harley Quinn (a twist of the character and the local NFL team colors.)

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Celebrities: There were many top celebrities present and almost all were representatives of the main focus of the convention: Comics. Lou Ferrigno of the 80s Hulk TV series, Sam Jones of the Flash Gordon movie, Michael Rooker (Yondu of GotG/ Mearl of TWD ,) Tom Payne (Jesus of TWD,) Steven Yeun (Glen of TWD,) Michael Cudlitz (Abraham of TWD,) Theo Rossi (Juice of Sons of Anarchy and Shades of Luke Cage,) Jason David Frank (Bloodshot of Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe,) Sean Gunn (Kraglin and Rocket Raccoon of GotG,) Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen / Green Arrow of Arrow / Flash/ Legends of Tomorrow,) and Dave Bautista (Batista of WWE and Drax of GotG.) Other notable celebs were Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek TOS, Robert Englund of The Nightmare on Elm Street, Christopher Lloyd and Tom Wilson of the Back to the Future movies, David Duchovney of the X – Files, Jewel Staite of Firefly, Joonas Suotamo (the new actor in the Chewbacca costume,) and Peter Mayhew – Chewbacca of Star Wars. Meeting the celebs is a separate fee from what you pay to get in to the convention and some have different pricing from others. This includes different pricing for pictures with them and signatures on different items have their own separate prices too. Carrie Fisher was scheduled but unfortunately passed away two weeks before, but there was a large tribute picture of her as Princess Leia at the entrance for fans to sign. Oddly enough Chumlee of Pawn Stars had his own celeb signing booth with the rest. To my surprise I discovered my favorite old school wrestler, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, in the vendor booths. He is still larger than life and a genuinely nice guy to meet.

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Artist Alley: My main focus of this con was Artist Alley because of my love of comics since the seventies. All of the artists and writers were easily approachable and eager to chat. I had brought along my sketch variant of Conan and Red Sonja #1 for Joan Chin to draw on and an advance copy of Ivar, Timewalker for Fred Van Lente to sign, which they happily did. I also had some Marvel Zombies for Arthur Suydam and a couple Crow: Dead Time for James O’ Barr to sign, but they weren’t able to appear. Notable artists and writers were: Neal Adams of Batman and Superman, Art Adams of X-Men, Hulk, and Generation X, Steven Geiger of The Punisher and Spiderman, Howard Chaykin of Star Wars, Punisher War Journal, Conan the Barbarian, and Blade, Joe Quinones of Batman, Howard the Duck, and Mad Magazine, Billy Martin of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and guitarist for Good Charlotte, Fred Van Lente of Marvel Zombies, Ivar, Time Walker, and Archer & Armstrong, Joyce Chin of Red Sonja, Vampirella / Witchblade, Spawn, and Wynona Earp, Jason Metcalf of Eternal Descent, The Darkness, and Grimm Fairy Tales and Bill McKay of Zombie Tramp and Hack / Slash. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Metcalf. Jason gave a few hints of some new projects in the works, the interview is below and please excuse my whiny voice. I was getting over a sinus cold.

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Vendors: As with any comic convention comes the vendors of everything you can think of that has to do with comics, cosplay, gaming, fantasy, movies, leather gear, pop art, sci fi, television shows, toys, and on and on. One stand out was Wild Bill’s Soda. They had two booths on opposite sides of the convention and were mainly selling three different stainless steel mugs: a 22 ounce, a 32 ounce, and a 32 ounce double walled insulated. With these you received unlimited refills for that day of any of their eight flavors of fountain sodas ranging from vanilla, cherry, birch beer, sasparilla, orange, grape or their most popular root beer and diet root beer. It seems the biggest seller this year are Funko Pop! vinyl bobble heads, because they were everywhere and everyone was buying them. Some of the things that caught me by surprise were the Lasik surgery booths, the rain gutters reps, sci fi speed dating, What is You Super Power? from a drop of your blood, and tattoos. One huge section was nothing but tattoo artists; about a dozen of them. Several were from the TV show Ink Masters and other shows. One notable artist was Rick Meggison of Marked 4 Life tattoos in PA that I watched create a classic Luke Cage cover inside of a Wu Tang clan logo.

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  Panels and Events: There were discussion panels, demonstrations, gaming tournaments, advanced screenings, learning opportunities, artist and writer spotlights, musical performances, and even exotic dancers. There was a lot going on on the side stages, main stages, and convention rooms. The ones that caught my interest were: Doctor Who psychology: A Madman with a Box, Star Wars Psychology: Jedi Mind Tricks, Welcome to this Nightmare: A Conversation with Robert Englund, From Juice to Shades: A Conversation with Theo Rossi, The Wizardworld Concert performed by World of Warcraft composer Jason Hayes, Guardians vs. the Audience with Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, and Sean Gunn, Ain’t That a Bat to the Head: A Conversation with Michael Cudlitz and Steven Yeun, Get Published: Professional Writers Reveal Plot and Publishing Secrets, Great Scott!: Revisiting Back to the Future with Tom Wilson and Christopher Lloyd, and of course the Rocky Horror Picture Show Extravaganza hosted by Barry Bostwick. The Rocky event was a screening of the original RHPS including the audience participation and some VERY over the top cosplayers.

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Overall: As my re-introduction to the comic con scene this was a very pleasant experience. I expected a lot after researching what is typical of today’s cons and got an all out audio and visual overload of sights, sounds, and pleasant conversations with a lot of complete strangers that had a lot of common interests. The Wizardworld staff kept the venue well organized and the events were well timed so there was never much of a lull and the Morial Convention Center staff made it comfortable and clean. I have read some remarks that Wizardworld events have gotten dull and don’t attract the talent that they used to. I say that it would be hard to outdo what I experienced and I didn’t even get half the experience as those that made the meet and greets and all of the panels. This is well worth the price of admission and I am definitely coming back.

Wizardworld New Orleans 2017 con coverage

The last con I went to was nearly twenty years ago at the New Orleans Sci Fi and Fantasy Festival.

Wizardworld New Orleans 2017 con coverage The last con I went to was nearly twenty years ago at the New Orleans Sci Fi and Fantasy Festival.

[outright-geekery]

The last con I went to was nearly twenty years ago at the New Orleans Sci Fi and Fantasy Festival. This year I went to the Wizardworld Comic Convention in New Orleans and discovered many things have changed, but a few have stayed the same.

This year’s Wizardworld was held at the Earnest N. Morial Convention Center at the old site of the 1984 World’s Fair and spitting distance from the mighty Mississippi River. It was an unseasonably brisk 34 degrees Fahrenheit outside which made me feel sorry for some of the cosplayers I saw in very few clothes rushing to get into the building. (See some of the accompanying pictures and you will understand.) For those that hadn’t purchased tickets online the ticket booths were plentiful and quick. There were also plenty of convention workers available to point you where you needed to go. Entry was fast and pleasant with little or no hassle for those with backpacks or cosplay accessories. Of course, those that had too realistic weapons had to leave them at a designated area set up for that, but it was also well manned and effectively prepared to make sure that everyone’s property was secured and well identified so it went home with you and the end of the day. The convention floor was divided into 6 main sections: The front performance stage as you entered the convention hall, the celebrity booths and photo areas directly behind the front stage, the Artist Alley behind the celeb booths, the gaming zone behind them. On the left and right of the celeb booths were vendors and cosplay group booths and all the way to the left of the entrance past the vendors was the main stage that was used for the celebrity panels and costume contest. Also, Saturday night after the convention floor was closed on the main stage there was a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show hosted by Barry Bostwick (Brad from the movie.)

Cosplay: As you entered the convention floor the electronic dance music was bumping and several thousand people were milling about. I would estimate that at least 30 percent of the convention goers were in costume, which is a huge increase from my past experiences with cons. I expected more because cosplay has become a staple of Sci Fi / Fantasy and comic conventions in the last decade. Throughout my two days at Wizardworld NOLA I took many pictures of the cosplayers, of course asking for permission first, and all were happy to pose for a photo.

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The quality of costumes was very high and well thought out. There were even booths for the cosplay groups like the Spidey Team, the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club, the 501st Legion, and the Krewe Du Who. There were several genres represented including gaming and movies, but the most popular was from comic books. Harley Quinn was an obvious favorite for the ladies and Negan was everywhere you looked. Stand outs were the red and black Harlequin Batman and the duo of Enchantress and the Black and Gold Harley Quinn (a twist of the character and the local NFL team colors.)

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Celebrities: There were many top celebrities present and almost all were representatives of the main focus of the convention: Comics. Lou Ferrigno of the 80s Hulk TV series, Sam Jones of the Flash Gordon movie, Michael Rooker (Yondu of GotG/ Mearl of TWD ,) Tom Payne (Jesus of TWD,) Steven Yeun (Glen of TWD,) Michael Cudlitz (Abraham of TWD,) Theo Rossi (Juice of Sons of Anarchy and Shades of Luke Cage,) Jason David Frank (Bloodshot of Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe,) Sean Gunn (Kraglin and Rocket Raccoon of GotG,) Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen / Green Arrow of Arrow / Flash/ Legends of Tomorrow,) and Dave Bautista (Batista of WWE and Drax of GotG.) Other notable celebs were Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek TOS, Robert Englund of The Nightmare on Elm Street, Christopher Lloyd and Tom Wilson of the Back to the Future movies, David Duchovney of the X – Files, Jewel Staite of Firefly, Joonas Suotamo (the new actor in the Chewbacca costume,) and Peter Mayhew – Chewbacca of Star Wars. Meeting the celebs is a separate fee from what you pay to get in to the convention and some have different pricing from others. This includes different pricing for pictures with them and signatures on different items have their own separate prices too. Carrie Fisher was scheduled but unfortunately passed away two weeks before, but there was a large tribute picture of her as Princess Leia at the entrance for fans to sign. Oddly enough Chumlee of Pawn Stars had his own celeb signing booth with the rest. To my surprise I discovered my favorite old school wrestler, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, in the vendor booths. He is still larger than life and a genuinely nice guy to meet.

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Artist Alley: My main focus of this con was Artist Alley because of my love of comics since the seventies. All of the artists and writers were easily approachable and eager to chat. I had brought along my sketch variant of Conan and Red Sonja #1 for Joan Chin to draw on and an advance copy of Ivar, Timewalker for Fred Van Lente to sign, which they happily did. I also had some Marvel Zombies for Arthur Suydam and a couple Crow: Dead Time for James O’ Barr to sign, but they weren’t able to appear. Notable artists and writers were: Neal Adams of Batman and Superman, Art Adams of X-Men, Hulk, and Generation X, Steven Geiger of The Punisher and Spiderman, Howard Chaykin of Star Wars, Punisher War Journal, Conan the Barbarian, and Blade, Joe Quinones of Batman, Howard the Duck, and Mad Magazine, Billy Martin of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and guitarist for Good Charlotte, Fred Van Lente of Marvel Zombies, Ivar, Time Walker, and Archer & Armstrong, Joyce Chin of Red Sonja, Vampirella / Witchblade, Spawn, and Wynona Earp, Jason Metcalf of Eternal Descent, The Darkness, and Grimm Fairy Tales and Bill McKay of Zombie Tramp and Hack / Slash. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Metcalf. Jason gave a few hints of some new projects in the works, the interview is below and please excuse my whiny voice. I was getting over a sinus cold.

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http://www.outrightgeekery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Intervview-Final-Metcalf.mp4

Vendors: As with any comic convention comes the vendors of everything you can think of that has to do with comics, cosplay, gaming, fantasy, movies, leather gear, pop art, sci fi, television shows, toys, and on and on. One stand out was Wild Bill’s Soda. They had two booths on opposite sides of the convention and were mainly selling three different stainless steel mugs: a 22 ounce, a 32 ounce, and a 32 ounce double walled insulated. With these you received unlimited refills for that day of any of their eight flavors of fountain sodas ranging from vanilla, cherry, birch beer, sasparilla, orange, grape or their most popular root beer and diet root beer. It seems the biggest seller this year are Funko Pop! vinyl bobble heads, because they were everywhere and everyone was buying them. Some of the things that caught me by surprise were the Lasik surgery booths, the rain gutters reps, sci fi speed dating, What is You Super Power? from a drop of your blood, and tattoos. One huge section was nothing but tattoo artists; about a dozen of them. Several were from the TV show Ink Masters and other shows. One notable artist was Rick Meggison of Marked 4 Life tattoos in PA that I watched create a classic Luke Cage cover inside of a Wu Tang clan logo.

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  Panels and Events: There were discussion panels, demonstrations, gaming tournaments, advanced screenings, learning opportunities, artist and writer spotlights, musical performances, and even exotic dancers. There was a lot going on on the side stages, main stages, and convention rooms. The ones that caught my interest were: Doctor Who psychology: A Madman with a Box, Star Wars Psychology: Jedi Mind Tricks, Welcome to this Nightmare: A Conversation with Robert Englund, From Juice to Shades: A Conversation with Theo Rossi, The Wizardworld Concert performed by World of Warcraft composer Jason Hayes, Guardians vs. the Audience with Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, and Sean Gunn, Ain’t That a Bat to the Head: A Conversation with Michael Cudlitz and Steven Yeun, Get Published: Professional Writers Reveal Plot and Publishing Secrets, Great Scott!: Revisiting Back to the Future with Tom Wilson and Christopher Lloyd, and of course the Rocky Horror Picture Show Extravaganza hosted by Barry Bostwick. The Rocky event was a screening of the original RHPS including the audience participation and some VERY over the top cosplayers.

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Overall: As my re-introduction to the comic con scene this was a very pleasant experience. I expected a lot after researching what is typical of today’s cons and got an all out audio and visual overload of sights, sounds, and pleasant conversations with a lot of complete strangers that had a lot of common interests. The Wizardworld staff kept the venue well organized and the events were well timed so there was never much of a lull and the Morial Convention Center staff made it comfortable and clean. I have read some remarks that Wizardworld events have gotten dull and don’t attract the talent that they used to. I say that it would be hard to outdo what I experienced and I didn’t even get half the experience as those that made the meet and greets and all of the panels. This is well worth the price of admission and I am definitely coming back.

Wizardworld New Orleans 2017 con coverage The last con I went to was nearly twenty years ago at the New Orleans Sci Fi and Fantasy Festival.