Comic Con 2017 - Part 3 - Cosplay

When one dresses up as a character at Comic Con, you are

not wearing a costume - you are cosplaying! Cosplaying at conventions around the world is a major big deal. There have even been TV programs such as, HEROES OF COSPLAY, COSPLAY MELEE, and CALL TO COSPLAY that celebrate the art of becoming your favorite pop culture character. 

I talked to one cosplayer whose costume was so elaborate it had to be brought in several suitcases and constructed in their hotel room before making an appearance at Comic Con. The dedication and artistry of the cosplayers knocks my socks off. Since sharing is caring, here are some examples from this years Con.

The "wall" from Stranger Things

Robin and Wonder Woman - 
who'd a thunk it!


Moana

Cyberman

And look how this family transformed a wheel chair for their sweet little kiddo - 



Cosplay? Are you in or out? Who would you be?

Comic Con 2017 - Part 2 - The Convention Floor

Before you venture onto the convention floor of Comic Con, here are a few things you need to know:

1. You will overspend your budget.
2. Strollers cut a path through the crowd - walk behind them.
3. Walking in front of a stroller will get your heels clipped by the stroller.
4. Bravery is a must.
5. Photo ops abound.
6. There will be a line.
7. You will be closer to more people than you ever imagined - and I mean "smell their hair" close.

Come with me now, to the floor of wonders...

Or as some may say...

You can find your fan faves represented like Thor and Mjolnir.

Mind blowing LEGO creations!

Enemies!

My personal favorite pavilion -

And every pop culture t-shirt you can imagine!

Before I sign off - a few "Con" inside jokes.

Con on!

Comic Con 2017 - Part 1 - Outlander Fangirling

I am one of those lucky duckies who have scored Comic Con tickets for the past handful of years. It is an exercise in serendipity and probability to grab those golden tickets!

While popular culture is the sweet spot of "The Con," it is also overflowing with treasures for a writer. After many years of being pressured by friends to read the OUTLANDER books and resisting (such a fool 'twas I), I consumed the entire series, both in print and on screen. 

Imagine my delight when OUTLANDER had an awesome presence at Comic Con, including an appearance by the author of this "yes, I'm addicted" series, Diana Gabaldon. 

I have learned so much as a writer by reading the OUTLANDER series. The way Diana Gabaldon weaves romance, adventure, history, and the human condition into a compelling narrative is the stuff of magic. Bravo for the casting of the series which frees the characters from the confines of the page so beautifully. What a thrill to attend the OUTLANDER panel and be treated to a sneak preview of the first episode of season 3!

Jamie and Claire Fraser

Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe

Diana Gabaldon, Graham McTavish (Dougal MacKenzie), Sam Heughan

Frank/Black Jack Randall

Tobias Menzies 

It was super cool to visit Jamie's print shop on the convention floor and score some OUTLANDER swag!

Any other OUTLANDER fans out there? 

Comic Con Afterglow

Another fabulous Comic Con in the rear view mirror. 

Security was tight.

Merchandise tempting. 

(Yeah, I bought it.)

Cosplay did not disappoint.

New t-shirt: 

Biggest geek out moment:

Sighting of Clark Gregg, Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD.

Fantastic Panels. 

My favorite was the 50th anniversary of LOST IN SPACE. 

Yes, that's Judy Robinson, Pilot Don, Penny Robinson, and Will Robinson.

My daughter hit the jackpot. She waited for a zillion hours in line to see the STAR WARS, FORCE AWAKENS panel. Not only did Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford show up, but director J.J. Abrams treated the audience to donuts AND walked them to a second venue where everyone got a lightsaber and free concert of Star Wars music played by the San Diego Symphony. 

Yes, I'm jealous.

Fun fact: There are super cool venues and activities around Comic Con beside the convention itself. 

Like:

Nerd HQ, the brain child of Zachary Levi. A venue with gaming, food, community, merchandise and panels featuring

the likes of William Shatner, Nathan Fillion, and Joss Whedon. You do purchase tickets to the panels, but the proceeds go to the charity OPERATION SMILE.

W00tstock, an annual variety show created by and featuring Wil Wheaton, Adam Savage (Mythbusters), and Paul and

Storm (Comedy Music Team). It was four hours of music, riffs on TED talks, comedy and all around hilarity held in an amazing classic theatre, The Balboa. 

Paul and Storm sang a gut busting parody of Game of Thrones to the tune of American Pie. 

Here's the chorus - try it out.

Over at Petco Park - Home of the San Diego Padres baseball team - was CONIVAL sponsored by Nerdist. Free panels - gaming - food - fun.

Everyone can catch Comic Con fever 

even without an official badge.

Next week I'll share tidbits from this year's lit. panels.

Let's get down to it - if you were going to cosplay, who would you be? There's only one choice for me.

Con Man is Coming

I'm off to Comic Con 2015. I'll have lots to share when I return, but there's something I'm busting to tell you about before I leave.

This is a web series starting in September brought to you by Firefly peeps, Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion.

It's loosely (or not so loosely) based on actors who starred in a science fiction show that was cancelled after a single season but has gone on to become a cult classic.

Hmm? Can you say Firefly?

The story is about the aftermath of cancellation and the  adventures in appearing at conventions like let's say, 

Comic Con.

It was successfully funded by an Indie Go Go campaign and I'm telling you, if you want to belly laugh and roll on the floor - go to the CON MAN Indie Go Go page and watch ALL the videos. 

If I don't come back from Comic Con with a Con Man t-shirt, then I have not done my job.

Is there a web series out there that you are dying to share?

A Summer of Conferences - Part 2 Comic Con

Any resemblance I may display to Sheldon Cooper on 

BIG BANG THEORY is purely coincidental. 

Comic Con, how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

Meeting Eddie McClintock from the show 

WAREHOUSE 13. 

Super funny and sweet person. Love the show. 

Best t-shirt EVER!

Hilarious live radio comedy show. Grab their podcasts immediately! Will Wheaton was the guest performer. Extra Bonus - Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs were in the audience. I had a chance to channel my fangirl self and meet them. Both charming and gracious. Isn't it cool when people you admire turn out to be wonderful!

New backpack.

Old friend. 

Daughter becoming Viking.

Panels - Panels - Panels

The wild wit of Shannon Hale moderating a Fairy Tale Remix panel that included Cornelia Funke and Marissa Meyer.

Simon and Schuster Panel that made me commit my entire year's income to buying books. 

(I just happened to win an entire gift bag of middle grade releases - HARDCOVERS - Whoo Hoo)

YA Panel that made me commit next year's income to more books. Yes, that is Margaret Stohl and Scott Westerfeld. Kami Garcia and Tahereh Mafi among other wonderful authors are down the line.

All right everyone - channel you inner BIG BANG THEORY - and beeline it to Comic Con next July. Even if you don't get "official" passes, there are tons of offsite venues, performances, and fun.

I'll be waiting...

And to quote Dr. Sheldon Cooper, 

"I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested."

W is for WIL WHEATON

Welcome to Yes, This Will Be On the Test.

Waving to visitors, new followers, and fellow A to Z participants. I’m sending virtual hugs to you all for taking a moment to stop by.

I’ll be sharing my “take-aways.” All those snigglets, golden nuggets, and lessons learned from other creative sources.

Wil Wheaton's response to a little girl on how to deal with being called a nerd.

On behalf of those of us who grew up hoping to one day be Astroboy's best friend or to travel in the Tardis with The Doctor - I thank you, Wil Wheaton.

TAKE AWAY:

What he said...

C is for COMIC CON

Welcome to Yes, This Will Be On the Test.

Waving to visitors, new followers, and fellow A to Z participants. I’m sending virtual hugs to you all for taking a moment to stop by.

I’ll be sharing my “take-aways.” All those snigglets, golden nuggets, and lessons learned from other creative sources.

Yep, I'm a pop culture fangirl.

Star Wars, The Avengers, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Agents of Shield, Once Upon a Time, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, Girls, Dr. Who, Firefly - Really anything involving Joss Whedon...

I could go on, but you might run screaming from your computer.

Mecca for we pop culture fans is Comic Con. Every July in San Diego, California we come together to revel in fandom bliss.

There are panels, presentations, costumes, and a exhibition cavern that makes you feel like you've died and gone to fandom heaven. I really love that YA lit. panels are a part of the celebration every year. It makes me dance a jig that kid lit. has a niche at Comic Con.

Yes, at my house we had multiple laptops up and running to score tickets for "The Con" - just like the episode of BIG BANG THEORY. 

TAKE AWAY:

Fans rock. Geeking out to favorite stories and characters across mediums is a way of showing the love we feel for the chance authors give us to escape into other worlds, times, places, people. 

Now fess up - what makes you go fanboy or fangirl?