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Gem City Comic Con 2021

7/24/2021

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Gem City Comic Con 2021
Dayton Ohio July 24th-25th

    This is my first convention of the year and my first since C2E2 last year, it was right after that that the world shut down.  So it is nice to see some sort of normalcy returning though I have to say that I do believe it did cause this to be a slightly less frequented show this time around.  The crowds to me weren’t as large as they’ve been in the past but overall it did have a pretty descend turnout.
    Tickets for this show are on the inexpensive side and it’s just a comic book show, so no celebrities outside the comics world.  There was some great talent at this years show and while it did have some competition in terms of shows there wasn’t anything close by to compete with it which is great.  While there were some household names, like Dan Parent, this is the kind of show that highlights talented folks from around the local region.  There were a number of tables and a few small press and self published folks at the show and for me these are the ones who you really need to be there to see.  With Source Point Press, Broken Icon and Hero Tomorrow Publishing leading the charge there was plenty of diverse books being offered all around.  
    Now the show could’ve been run a little better, the guys at the two entrances weren’t really checking for wristbands or badges, two were too engrossed sitting in chairs on their phones while solitary guy at the other entrance looked more like he was bored.  This surprised me because in the past they were much more vigilant about checking and forget about asking them if they knew where someone was located.  Though you didn’t really need to ask because it’s a small show and everyone was easy to find and the pathways had plenty of space so there was an ease of moving through the floorplan.  
    One of the things I did notice was there were quite a few of young adults attending the show and majority of them were dressed in cosplay and that to me was fantastic that they felt comfortable to dress that way and you could just tell that they were in their element among the comic book professionals.  
    I may be somewhat biased, I knew most of them, but the professionals were great, friendly and were more than happy to take the time to talk to everyone, answer questions and talk about the books and projects that they had and were working on.  I would stand back and watch the interactions and I have to say it was a fun thing to watch and see how excited and animated things could get.  Even though the show is over there are a few books I’d really like y’all to check out if ya can and Bloom & Punchline and Vaude Villains by Ted Sikora from Hero Tomorrow Publishing are exceptional reads as well as The Fuhrer and the Tramp by Sean McArdle, who had a table at the show, put out by Source Point Press are all worthy of reading and adding to your reading lists and collections.
    So if you live in the Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky areas and you are looking for a small show to attend to either dip your feet into attending a con or just want to head out for a day trip this is a great show to start with.  I’d love to say it’s necessary to go both days but in all honesty this is such a small show that it’s a great one day and done kind of show, unless of course you want an original sketch done by someone who has a huge wait list, then i’d say get there early and find the artist whose work excites you.  For me this year Mark Kidwell and Adam Fields were two of the artists whom I got original work from and the prices were great and they have such great talent I couldn’t pass them up.
    Gem City Comic Con is a perennial favourite to kick the year off for me and it has yet to disappoint me with the quality of the guests they get at the show.  
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Awesome Con 2021 Announces Lineup Packed with Programming

7/22/2021

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Three Days of Events Include Back to the Future’s 35th Anniversary On Main Stage, First-Ever Destination Cosplay Track, Return of the Science Fair, and More August 20-22

Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2021) – Awesome Con, Washington, D.C.’s Comic Con, announces three days of programming complete with panels, workshops, meetups and celebrity appearances from Friday, August 20 through Sunday, August 22. This year’s Awesome Con programming will kick off at Walter E. Washington Convention Center with activations across a sprawling footprint that includes LGBTQ-focused Pride Alley, a Science Fair for all ages, Awesome Con Jr.’s beloved kid’s programs, Cosplay, Gaming, and more. Attendees can start planning their Awesome Con experience and view the full schedule of programs online at www.awesome-con.com/programming.

Celebrity Guests
Headlining this year’s Awesome Con are the stars of Back to the Future celebrating the legendary film’s 35th anniversary. The dynamic Doc and Marty: Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd will take on the Main Stage Q&A on Sunday to chat about the iconic American science fiction film. Throughout the three-day show, dedicated programming fills the show floor with exclusive Back to the Future cosplay meetups, a “What if Back to the Future IV? Happened” panel, and an in-person showcase of the DeLorean time machine. 

Awesome Con is also excited to welcome William Shatner and George Takei of Star Trek. Lord of the Rings fans, get ready to head into the Shire with star hobbits Sean Astin and Billy Boyd. The full main stage lineup includes:

August 20
  • Adam Savage 
  • The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
  • Charles Martinet
  • William Shatner 

August 21
  • Christina Ricci 
  • George Takei
  • The Lord of the Rings 
  • Awesome Con’s Destination Cosplay Competition 

August 22
  • Jonathan Heder 
  • “Voiceapalooza” with Wes Johnson
  • Back to the Future (3PM - Separate ticket required - Available online) 

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Destination Cosplay, Awesome Con Jr. and Pride Alley
For the first-time ever, Awesome Con unveils its newest programming track, Destination Cosplay, a forum designed to unite the cosplayer fan community. Beyond the show floor, fans can find cosplay changing areas, register for the revamped Cosplay Competition hosted by fan-favorite Mikal Mosley, and join a variety of cosplay meetups from Pokémon to Power Rangers, Marvel to Harry Potter, and so much more. First-time nerds and con-goers can also visit The Lounge presented by Plus Ultra Entertainment, an inclusive meetup highlighting the BIPOC cosplayer experience.

The ever-popular, family-friendly pavilion Awesome Con Jr. returns with even more events planned to educate and entertain kids of all ages. Back this year is Pride Alley presented in partnership with Flame Con, Geeks OUT and Metro Weekly, shining a spotlight on LGBTQ creators and fans in an even more robust section of Artist Alley presenting special programs addressing diversity in pop culture. Pride Alley will unite all queer creators and fans with LGBTQ activities around Awesome Con through a dedicated section of Artist Alley and three days of panels and special events. Highlights from Awesome Con Jr. and Pride Alley include:
  • Dan Parent Talks Kevin Keller (Pride Alley - 11AM - August 21 - Room 102AB) Join Dan Parent, the creator of Kevin Keller, for a conversation with Randy Shulman, the editor of Metro Weekly, about how this character’s impact has been felt far and wide within the LGBT+ community.
  • Queerly Femtastic: Celebrating Queer Female Representation in Comic (Pride Alley - 2:45PM - August 21 - Room 102AB) To explore influences, what draws us to strong female characters, and why intersectionality is paramount to the future of comics. Featured panelists include comic guests Sam Maggs, Amy Chu and Amy Reeder.
  • Kids Cosplay Parade (Awesome Con Jr. - 12PM - August 21 | 12PM - August 22 - Awesome Con Jr. Stage) Registration is limited to the first 30 kids (and their parents).
  • Comic Cover Contest (Awesome Con Jr. 2:45PM - August 22 - Awesome Con Jr. Workshops) Draw your own comic book illustration that shows an original or established character in a dynamic pose and interesting environment. Monetary prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Book Fair, Science Fair, and More
Powered by D.C.-based Solid State Books, the inaugural Book Fair will offer book signings, access to writers and publishers; see full programming online. The annual Awesome Con Short Film Festival also returns with a new award. The “Best One-Shot” will celebrate favorite cinematic devices, the “Long Take” or the “Oner” by presenting selections in a new festival category. 

From science and tech geeks to bookworms, Awesome Con has a little bit of everything at the Science Fair filling a special area of the show floor with featured activations in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation including:
  • Women at NASA (Science Fair - 12:45PM - August 21 - Room 144AB) Come meet just a few of the talented women who work at NASA. Hear about what led them to the space agency, the sometimes-crazy paths they took to get where they are today and the challenges they’ve faced.
  • Star Trek Tech (Science Fair - 2PM - August 20 - Room 144AB) Star Trek contains advances in technology and science that push the limits of the human imagination. The National Science Foundation brings together a panel of scientists to discuss the tech behind Star Trek. 
  • Uncovering Mars Through New and Future Missions (Science Fair - 7PM - August 21 - Room 144AB) In this session, NASA scientists will discuss what we hope to learn from ExoMars, a joint program of the European Space Agency and the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, will launch to the Red Planet in 2022.
  • The Art of NASA: Visualizing the Future of Space (10:30AM - August 22 - Room 144AB) Join professional artists, designers, and modelers from Goddard Space Flight Center for a moderated discussion of art careers at NASA, the impact of art on NASA’s vision, and the role concept art plays in mission proposals.

Additional Programming Includes:
  • The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim!  (4:45 PM - August 21 - Room 146AB) Join voice actors Wes Johnson also the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals arena announcer, Craig Sechler and surprise SKYRIM related guests as they give out fun prizes and discuss the plans for Bethesda Game Studio’s Big 10 Year SKYRIM Anniversary Celebration!
  • Geek Comedy Tour: Jedi, Elves, and Plumbers Oh My! (8:15PM - August 21 - Room 143AB) Appearing for the first time at AwesomeCon, the Geek Comedy Tour will be combining its lust for nerdy stand up with its outright obsessions with just about every form of pop culture under the sun and making fun of it (and themselves) for 90 minutes.
  • Unpopular Opinions & Unbelievable Facts: Live! (8:45PM - August 21 - Room 146AB) From astrophysics to Zork, comic book crossovers to commodification of 80s nostalgia...from Marvel movie memes to comment section culture…TV tropes and little-known-factoids—all of geekdom is fair game!
  • That Gundam Thing (1:45PM - August 22 - Room 150AB) Gundam has been around since 1979 and has spawned a vast number of series over the years. This primer brings you into the multiverse that is Gundam. Taking a look at numerous shows and timelines, we will find out what series is right for you!
  • Two Guys Into Fridays - Live Podcast Recording (5:45 PM - August 20 - Room 103) Join Travis and Stephen in a discussion of all of your favorite TGIF shows like Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World and Step By Step as they continue their journey of watching each week as it aired exactly 30 years later.  ​
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WEBSITE: www.awesomecon.com is updated regularly with new guests, exciting exhibitors, and special programming.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
  • Facebook: facebook.com/AwesomeConDC
  • Twitter: @AwesomeCon 
  • Instagram: @awesomecons


About Awesome Con
Awesome Con is the biggest annual comic and pop culture convention in Washington, D.C., having welcomed over 72,000 attendees in 2019. Awesome Con celebrates all aspects of geekdom and pop culture, with a wide assortment of engaging events, comic books, collectibles, toys, games, original art, cosplay and more. Awesome Con is presented in partnership with LeftField Media, an event organization company developed by the founder of New York Comic Con. Learn more at www.awesomecon.com. 

About LeftField Media 
LeftField Media, LLC is an events company focused on developing face-to-face events in a range of communities rooted in contemporary culture and shared passion. LeftField was formed in 2014 by Greg Topalian and is now owned by Topalian and Clarion Events Ltd. With a keen sense of the evolving needs of businesses and their consumers, as well as new opportunities created by change, LeftField takes a clean slate approach to its work. LeftField’s portfolio includes Awesome Con (awesomecon.com), Washington D.C.’s Comic Con; Rose City Comic Con (rosecitycomiccon.com), in Portland, OR; Anime NYC (animenyc.com), a Japanese pop culture festival in New York City; and Anime Frontier (animefrontier.com), launching in Fort Worth, TX this year. LeftField Media is headquartered in historic Shelton, CT (leftfieldmedia.com).
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FAN EXPO DALLAS Returns to the Lone Star State With Super Star Power from September 17-19, 2021

7/13/2021

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Unique Experiences for the All Ages at this Year’s Iconic Event

DALLAS — FAN EXPO DALLAS 2021 is gathering steam as the string of guest announcements continues through the summer.  This year’s mega-hit weekend will be September 17-19, 2021 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.  True to its history of providing hundreds of unique experiences, contests, family-friendly activities and on-site activations, the largest comic, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming event in Texas is bringing the best and brightest stars and pop culture experiences for this can’t-miss three-day weekend.

FAN EXPO HQ Vice President, Andrew Moyes says, “Whether it’s getting an autograph or a photo with your favorite guest or getting the inside scoop about your favorite movies and TV shows at our celebrity panels, we are all things fandom. Our guests can watch professional comic artists battle it out in our popular Sketch Duels, learn from our ‘How To’ workshops, take photos with their favorite costumed characters or buy a unique gift at FAN EXPO DALLAS’s huge show floor for shopping madness.”
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Upcoming announcements will include a full programming schedule and other great experiences available at FAN EXPO DALLAS 2021. For hours and information visit, www.fanexpodallas.com
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Some of the 2021 Celebrity Guests Include:
Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan: the four hobbits from The Lord of The Rings
Zachary Quinto from Heroes and Star Trek
  • The Office’s Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, David Koechner and Oscar Nunez
  • Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Mario Lopez from the 90’s favorite Saved by the Bell
  • William Shatner, George Takei and Walter Koenig, stars of Star Trek
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s James Marsters
  • Brendan Fraser from the Mummy, George of the Jungle, Encino Man and Airheads
  • AND MORE at www.fanexpodallas.com​

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The Ultimate Event to meet Voice Actors
Fan Expo Dallas 2021 is hosting the best in voice talent today from legendary voices like Kevin Conroy (Batman), Billy West (Futurama) and Charles Martinet (Super Mario) to the largest gathering of My Hero Academia voice actor stars to date.Comic Creators Galore
Greg Capullo, Donny Cates, Jason Fabok and David Finch will headline an impressive list of artists, illustrators and writers at the show offering special experience packages, art commissions, signing sessions and workshops. Even the most hardcore fan is bound to find an abundance of creator and art-based activities to satisfy their pop-culture fixation.

FAN EXPO Puts Fans First
“We have the most dedicated and passionate fans in the convention world, and we will continue to bring the best of pop culture to them,” says Moyes. “The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is a wonderful partner and host venue and we’re collaborating to ensure a safe experience for all attendees,” Moyes explains.  “This means our exhibitors, guests, sponsors and fans can safely enjoy the full FAN EXPO Dallas experience with confidence.”
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ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ
FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic con producer in North America and one of the largest in the world. Collectively it hosts over 500,000 fans annually at FAN EXPO Canada™, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Dallas™, FAN EXPO Boston™, FAN EXPO Denver, Calgary Comics & Entertainment Expo, FAN EXPO Vancouver™, Toronto Comicon, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL and Edmonton Comics & Entertainment Expo. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.

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