Dear NYCC ’14, I’ll admit it. I was the girl looking through my fingers, cringing to my soul at the “I LOVE BIG CANS” banners of you previous incarnation. I wasn’t angry then, just… embarrassed for you. You were the guy in that teen movie, selling out your real friends to look cool for the…
Con Diary: Nan Desu Kan 2014. Anime! J-Dramas! Cosplay! Academics!
It had been two years since I’ve attended an anime convention. Unfortunately, my last con experience was awkward and disappointing. The con—which must-not-be-named—had transformed from a fan-centered experience one year to an industry-centered experience the next, and, sadly, it discouraged me from attending any new cons in the future. Despite my reservations about anime con…
Wrap up of Baltimore Comic Con
Time for my long overdue wrap up of Baltimore Comic Con! (Sorry it has taken so long; health stuff.) Baltimore Comic Con was held Sept 5-7 at the Baltimore Convention Center. This is another con that seems to have grown exponentially since last year, though the promoters do not release the attendance numbers, so it…
Con Diaries: Small Press Expo 2014
Small Press Expo, held on Sept. 13-14 in Bethesda, Maryland, is the convention for independent and self-published comics on the East Coast. This was only my second time at SPX (accompanied by buddy and WWAC guest contributor Rebecca Heneley) but it’s already one of my favorite events of the year. Here are some highlights from…
Fan Expo Con Diary: Days 2 and 3
Day 2 of my Fan Expo 2014 experience was the busiest, and also pretty amazing now that I’ve slept enough to look back fondly on my hours in the convention center. It started early, with a 6 am wake-up call and a nap on the subway, as I endeavoured to snag a good seat at…
Fan Expo Con Diary: Day 1
There’s nothing like seeing a Stormtrooper in your subway car to wake one up on a muggy Friday morning. Even as Toronto residents poured out of the city for Labour Day weekend, Fan Expo Canada pulled thousands into the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for four days of panels and celebrities from comics, science-fiction/fantasy, anime, and…
Queer Comics Panel At BCC
Whether you’re representing women or LGBTQ or any other minority in comics, there’s a lot of similarity in the issues. The Queer Comics panel at Boston Comic Con covered lots of ground including the progress being made in the mainstream, writing characters you don’t know, and encouraging more characters.
Dragon Con Dispatches: Saturday – Monday
If you’re just joining us, Labor Day Weekend was Dragon Con — the biggest sci-fi/fantasy/comics/multimedia comics convention in the south, celebrating its 27th year in 2014. It’s in many ways comparable to a SDCC of the South, but without the Hollywood interference messing with the signal to noise ratio. It boasts guests from every nerdy…
DragonCon Dispatches: Day Zero and One
Thursday Dragon Con has become so embiggened over the years that Thursday, the day that used to be for checking in and kicking back, has now become as busy and populated as Friday used to be. It’s not an official con day — yet — but there were a few things for fans arriving early to…
Nine Worlds: Days 2&3
Saturday/Sunday: Life is not non-stop suffering and the meanness of white people My second day at Nine Worlds began with a very well-attended debate between several writers – including Joanne Harris, author of The Gospel of Loki – over which was better: dragons, werewolves, vampires, or warlocks. Topics covered included each species’ body odor, fashion…
Ladies Only: the Problem with Gender & Diversity Focused Panels
It’s time to change the way we do panels at conventions. Right now women, LGBTQ, and people of color are invited to speak on panels such as: GMing as Women Gaming as Other Diversity in Gaming Race in the Gaming Industry Queer as a Three-Sided Die I love the titles of these panels. They’re fun, badass,…
Con Diary: Gen Con wrap up
I’ve been home from GenCon for a few days, and I’m still overwhelmed with excitement (when I’m not sneezing or coughing). It was a truly amazing four days, both personally and professionally. The convention was huge, with attendance up 10% from last year, and events sprawling from the convention center into nearby hotels. Here are…