You Can Read Part 1 Here - https://northtexasnerd.weebly.com/home/shop-spotlight-tobi-padwick-part-1
By David Doub There is a lot of nerd shops and activities going on in DFW and North Texas as a whole. How do you see all that going in the next few years? What trends are you noticing? "Nerd shop?" Excuse me? I'm going to pretend that the question was about comic book shops and gaming shops all of which seem to have very cool people coming in to buy things. t's an interesting question. I have a lot of friends who are shop owners and we talk about it all the time. As a community, comic shop owners tend to be a fatalistic bunch constantly sensing an impending collapse. And we've seen plenty of economic slowdowns that have destroyed comic shops right and left. And yet there are still comic shops. There are still gaming shops. I think as I've gotten older, I've sort of taking the view that the shrewder comic shop owners will hang on for quite a while and might make a little bit of money at some point, but eventually they get sick of dealing with all of the nonsense that comes with owning a comic shop. The less skilled comic shop owners like I was in my first iteration and we'll see if I am in this one, simply fail. But there's always someone else who wants to take a shot at our shared childhood dream. I would say it's not as easy as it looks. You heard the saying "the grass is greener"? I think a lot of comic shop owners look at gaming shops and think the grass is definitely more dead over there and gaming shop owners look at Comic Shop owners and think the opposite. I am hoping if my shop succeeds it will prove that there are several different ways to make a functioning business involving these product lines, so you don't have to sell your soul to one distributor or another in a blind hope for success. So other upcoming shop owners of any sort in these product lines will realize you don't have to sell your soul to one distributor or another in a blind hope for success. You can look at a community and evaluate what it has and what it needs and see if there are product lines that fit what do you enjoy. You should enjoy what you're doing in life, because you'll drop dead soon enough. As far as future Trends and stuff. I'm not Nostradamus. If you listen to the predictions, you'll never open your own business. They tell you that people won't buy back issues. They tell you the Marvel and DC are going to electronically distribute their comics and you won't have new issues. They tell you that magic the Gathering will no longer be profitable because Amazon is coming to steal that market. Where else are you going to make money??? LOL! At some point you just have to say, "f*** it. I'm doing this and if I have to adjust my plan, I'll adjust my plan." I've been open since January 31st and my plan has evolved from selling Magic and Pokémon cards to not selling them. By this point next year maybe I'll be selling ice cream cones. Who knows? You may try and fail miserably but you'll never become successful if you don't try to be. And that's probably going to be in changing your plan a month or two in. Hell, if my shop Fails this time, I will have more knowledge about a comic book shops pale than just about anyone! I'll write a book and make millions! What are some local events, talent, or shops that you think deserve wider recognition from people of North Texas? I love this question! I actually have a semimonthly "artist of the month (+)" in my shop. I keep a certain amount of the wall space open and when I find an artist, I really dig who I think has something really special going I invite them to come in and set up in my shop for a little over a month. Right now, they ran for about a month and a half or until I get tired of looking at their stuff. 😉 Our first artists of the month was Madison Henline who is phenomenal. She set the bar so insanely High that I really struggle to find artists who can match that level. Madison handline is an artist who does a lot of what I would refer to as folklore art. She creates these fantastic creatures with pull a little bit from Japanese mythology and a little bit from European folklore. They are wonderfully imaginative. That alone made me likely to like her. But she is actually extremely precise in her brush strokes and she has the rare quality among artists where she knows when to quit working on something. Check out her stuff online she is amazing! Are second artist of the month was Phil Martinez a skateboarding no-goodnik from the Mean Streets of Fort Worth. Phil is one of those guys who goes around stickering stop with his art. If you ever saw Miles Morales in Spider-Man into the spider-verse, that is Phil Martinez. He pulls all the Cosmetics off society and takes a look at the raw people who make up our world. The best compliment I can give him is that I never seen an artist like him before or since. I'm talking to a lot of folks about being artist of the month in the coming year and I'm a little overdue with a couple of guys who I thought I would have this artist of the month towards the end of last year but some things came up that prevented that. One guy who I think is absolutely astounding is Brad W. Foster. If you Google him you'll find that he's not a young unknown artist , he has been a dominant Force for years now. I hope that I can schedule him in this year. His art speaks to my sensibilities ....very highly detailed, a magnificent sense of design and a mature understanding of how much black space to use in pieces for optimal effect. He is truly a master. Bryan Kelly is another artist I have talked to about having them display in the shop. He's a Denton artist and a truly brilliant creator. I would classify him as a "Cartoonist" with no intent of slandering him. To me you have to have an understanding of Comedy and storytelling and a variety of other mediums to be a true cartoonist. The man is exceptionally brilliant. Brad sent me his way to see his negative space monster and oh my gosh is that insanely cool. I would not mind having that as a permanent poster to sell in my shop. It is exactly why you should pay attention to Bryan Kelly's art. He comes up with an amusing and thought-provoking concept and then executes it to perfection. If you stop and think about cartoonist who can actually pull that off on a consistent basis it's not a long list. That list includes people like Dr. Seuss. Good company. The artist of the month has been a great program for me because it gives me a chance to feel like I'm giving back. If I can help raise the awareness of residents in the Metroplex of the elite artists who live in this area it will only serve to see them create more art. I feel like that's a big win for the Metroplex. As far as events, I would strongly encourage people to consider attending the two shows that I mentioned earlier each time they come on. The value for your money is quite good at both of those shows. At the last Dallas Comic Show, the little girl who played Tony Stark's daughter was there walking around and meeting people. She was an absolute delight. In addition, Mark had some pretty crazy good comic creators including Al Ewing the writer of the immortal Hulk as well as Cullen Bunn, quite an exceptionally strong comic book writer in his own right. Chris is no slacker either with the amount of quality creators he brings in. Last year I was reduced to a blubbering fanboy by the presence of the great Peter David. This year Chris has another pallet full of insanely good comic creators including Neal Adams, Bob Layton and, Greg Land. DFW has a lot of quality smaller shows as well including the North Texas Toy Show --- a great place to pick up Transformer figures, the Dusty Attic Toy Show on the south end of DFW ---- a great place to pick up Hot Wheels and Star Wars stuff, because I'm Texas comic and toy show in Arlington is a great place to pick up Pops and all kinds of toys, and the Toy Show at Louisville's Music City Mall is always a good time. David your own thematic conventions, the Texas Latino Comic Con and the Women of Wonder Con are especially worthwhile conventions that everyone should attend. The area also has handful of really cool Library shows like Cozby Con. In terms of shops there are a lot of great shops. The first comic shop I worked in in Dallas was the Atomic Age, a Keith's comic shop located in Carrollton Texas. Keith and his wife Cindy run some of the Metroplex's best community shops. Jeremy's Titan comics is a fantastic place to pick up back issues. Duncanville books has become a legendary shop over the last 20 years. The collected guys do a really good job with their shops. Doc's in Frisco is a pretty cool shop. Some of the best shops are relatively new though. Comic Warriors in Keller is a fantastic new shop that's exactly what was missing in that Keller Southlake area. They are one of the best in the Metroplex dealing with alternate covers. Tommy also comes across a variety of cool Silver age Comics that he prices to sell. That place is a hidden gold mine. My buddy Shawn owns a shop called Sanctuary located on MacArthur about two miles north of 635 that has an amazing back stock of comics. He has roughly 150 long boxes of comics on his sales floor... usually one copy of each issue. It's very impressive. He also is extremely dedicated to building up a gaming following, with his shop being open well into the night most nights for gamers. https://www.facebook.com/WMWBDenton/ By David Doub
How did you get involved with All-Con and how has your work with All-Con evolved over the years? In 2004 my wife Catherine and I opened A Piece of the Action Collectibles, a tiny weekend-only comic and collectibles shop in Arlington, TX. It was there that a friend of ours arrived to ask if we might be interested in being vendors at a brand-new convention in early 2005. All-Con. At the time a weekend at a convention would keep the shop afloat for months, so we were always happy to find a new venue. It was through this that we became a part of the show from the outset as their once sold-out dealer room began to lose vendors at such an alarming rate that two days before the show, we were one of only two who had not backed out. The morning of the first day we discovered that APOTAC was the sole vendor! So, we pretty much imported the shop to the potentially vacant dealer room and became the All-Con Mini Store. As a thank you we were invited to purchase the same room in 2006 as a separate entity from the larger dealer room that year and we naturally accepted. It was while preparing for the new year that Catherine suggested "Geek Match Game", a game show sponsored by A Piece of the Action Collectibles that would be performed daily all three days of the show. We were able to tap some of the convention's celebrity guest pool for some shows and fleshed out the panel with friends and convention staffers. Thus began the presence of game shows at All-Con that evolved into a feature then a full-scale track. 2007 was the only year we were not in full attendance but did help out in advance and I co-hosted the first "Star Wars Fear Factor", maintaining my presence with All-Con in an abridged but uninterrupted run. That hiccup led to a determination to switch gears from vendor to content provider, expanding the volume of game shows annually from those produced by my own "Half-Ass Productions" to those produced by others. For the ensuing few years I pushed on a constant for these features to become their own track, be produced under a common group umbrella to ensure consistent quality, and ultimately to become a full-fledged department. After many years of development and expansion of my role with All-Con the game show track would become consolidated as "Games and Theory" with myself as the self-titled Group Captain. Catherine's role also expanded as she became the Executive Producer and the game show team has increased to include nearly a dozen producers and more than twenty-five distinct show titles per year over the four days of the convention. We are both now fully vested staff members of All-Con. Over the years (from the first) I have been tapped as a judge for the Costume Contest and Ms. Star Wars, hosted the opening ceremonies, and been a panel moderator for many of the celebrity guests of the show. What are some of your favorite memories from All-Con? A tough call that one. With fifteen years in a row to draw from, pinpointing just a handful of memories is tricky at best. Though I must say that having show guest Burton Gilliam ("Blazing Saddles") as my guest on the first talk show I ever produced ("Fandom at Random Live") does shine out in my All-Con memories. He was quite impressed that I had done my homework on his pre-acting careers in the Coast Guard, as a professional boxer, and ultimately as a fireman. That he brilliantly filled in the rest of his history from an unexpected role in "Paper Moon" to making Mel Brooks laugh out loud tor initially turning down the role of Lyle in the comedy western for lack of vacation time with the Dallas Fire Department, the experience was one I will carry with me for a lifetime. Others certainly include the myriad times I have been a judge for the Costume Contest (as well as the first two years of Miss Star Wars), hosting Super-Hero Sunday as my own original character The Mighty Placeholder, Neil Caplan and Camden Toy paneling on Geek Match Game, and three years of successfully defending "JediCole's Prize Pile" More recently I was asked last year to host an interactive panel with classic Battlestar Galactica actors Terry Carter, Herbert Jefferson, Jr., and Jack Stauffer - complete with original scripted scenes I had written myself. How do you prep for all the work for All-Con? While I tend to do my best work at the last minute, I do strive annually to get a little ahead of the game with All-Con. In many respects, work on each year begins on the heels of the conclusion of the current year's show. Many new programming ideas come from producing each year's slate of games shows, talk shows, and other events as well as from the inspiration of the ever-growing team of game show producers. With All-Con in March each year, the last couple of months of the year prove ideal for obtaining prizes and getting the creative juices flowing. Currently, as January draws to a close, I am already writing trivia for my own shows, my wife Catherine is diligently making sense of the complex four-day schedule of events, and meetings with the Games and Theory team have happened or are in the works for February. All of that said, in the end it becomes a mad scramble in late February and early march to print up all of the questions for the various shows and affix them to game show cards, prep game boards and equipment, and box up prizes by show for ease of production when the big weekend arrives. What do you think are the biggest strengths of All-Con? True to the spirit of its name, All-Con strives to be an all-inclusive, community driven event. The programming is drawn from Content Provider applications on the show's website, allowing for incredible diversity of interests from the steampunk, anime, cosplay, sci-fi/fantasy, comic book, and gaming communities to name a few. The result is what I refer to often as a "convention with a dealer room attached" in light of the sheer volume of content available. While many conventions catering to the communities represented by All-Con offer hourly programming, or in some cases two to three concurrent tracks of panels and workshops, throughout the course of the four-day weekend, the volume of content offerings have steadily grown over the years from around 100 to over 400 distinct events. Convention goers must effectively pick and choose from a vast array of choices in any given hour, well into the night. This was what conventions were like in my youth and I remain ever impressed that a long-lost aspect has returned and remained a part of the DFW convention scene since 2005. With more and more conventions becoming more multi-media like All-Con, how do you see All-Con standing out in the future? The inclusive nature of All-Con will remain ever its strength. By way of example, within the Games and Theory easily more than half of our current corral of producers are former audience members, in one case present at every single game show annually for years. The entire convention encourages participation beyond simply volunteerism and everyone attending benefits from the resulting diversity. In my own personal experience, I have had offers to provide content to some multi-media shows flatly ignored despite a rather lengthy resume in the Texas convention community. This illustrates the significant difference between All-Con and most other shows that tend to dismiss the potential for new programming opportunities. What are some other favorite conventions in the area? Time constraints have kept me out of the attendee aspect of conventions in DFW in recent years, though I still try to get out to a few when I can. The North Texas Comic Book Show is a favorite for bringing back a comic show that lives up to its name. The guest-driven nature of so many conventions have created a dynamic of comic book shows in name only, favoring movie and television celebrities over those of their namesake. As a toy collector for most of my life I do love that there are several tabletop shows in the area now that cater to that aspect of my con-going. Monthly shows like the Texas Comic & Toy show, DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show, and the long-running North Dallas Toy Show are favorite haunts. You coined the #Keepit100 based on the fact that Texas has more than 100 nerd conventions a year. How do you feel about this current trend? Having watched the Texas convention scene blossom and flourish over the last decade, the 100 plus conventions that now grace the Lone Star State have the dichotomy of being a blessing and a curse. The volume of shows run the gamut from intimate events produced by public libraries or schools to massive media extravaganzas that promise the opportunity to "Meet <fill-in-the-blank-celebrity>!", resulting in Texas never lacking in a convention in any given month of the year. A boon for convention goers, vendors, artists, and cosplayers, but at once a detriment due to the cost-prohibitive nature of so many choices. So often I have heard that it is becoming increasingly difficult for fans to attend every show of interest as they stack one upon the other, often with several popular shows in a single month. Add to the mix corporate mammoths like Leakey Con (2018 and 2019) which sold out in mere hours and swallowed a considerable percentage of the con-going populace locally and everyone from attendees to convention producers are being forced to be quite shrewd about the entire year's convention schedule just to work out the particulars of financial feasibility. Yet at once I personally celebrate this phenomenon. I began tracking conventions in Texas in the newsletter I produced for A Piece of the Action Collectibles as a service to our customers. That led to the first Convention Awareness Day which was repeated only once, shelved, and later inspired the website Convention Awareness Project - Texas. In those years I have seen easily as many conventions come and go as will be realized this year. Yet I have seen so many come out of nothing and expand year after year as new shows follow in their footsteps. The second biggest state in the Union, while boasting well over 100 conventions a year, still ranks roughly fifth in the nation for volume of shows! Given that we reside in the second largest state, that is a fairly telling figure when assessing the impact of so many conventions. If you could make a convention from the ground up, how would you build it? I have the unique distinction of having been a part of the convention scene in Texas in every conceivable capacity - an attendee, a content producer, a volunteer, a guest, a panel moderator, a vendor, an emcee, and even a promoter. While "JediCole's Comic, Toy, and Collectibles Swap Meets" were by no means ambitious events, they did teach as much about convention production as any other facet of my long career in conventions. To the point of the question, I would spend six months to a year in advance of producing a new show in the active study of a variety of other conventions. All-Con is an ideal model in some respects, but then I have a bias. To truly prepare for such a daunting task it is important to do some field research. Attending, or better still, volunteering at conventions outside of my personal wheelhouse in the pursuit of what does and does not work in the practical application of the show. So many first time producers seem to look jealously at the successes of shows that have been around for decades and aspire to be what they became without benefit of knowing how they achieved those ends. The surest pathway to failure is to attempt to be something like Fan Days in year one. That show started out as a small tabletop comic and toy show with a single guest, not the celebrity packed event it became. During that prepatory period I would also study the convention scene both locally and around the Texas and its immediate neighbors. Nothing will kill attendance quicker than scheduling your freshman outing on the same weekend as two or three decades-old shows, even if they are 100 miles away. And once I had settled on some target weekends for consideration, I would reach out beyond the community to whom my show appeals to be certain I have not selected dates in the midst of a major sporting event, by way of example. My second Swap Meet was held, it turned out, on Texas/OU Weekend! Once the foundation work is done I would begin to promote the show well in advance of the actual event dates. Beginning with establishing a relationship with other promoters, something sorely lacking in the convention industry, but that is another story. Flyer exchanges are an ideal way for conventions to scratch each other’s back and build a community among shows. Then comes the active promotion by any means necessary. When I produced Convention Awareness Day I created a quide for promoters that outlined free and inexpensive promotional opportuniites that exist almost universally but are rarely if ever utillized. Nothing is more irksome to me than a show promoter who sets up a website or a Facebook page and considers that the end of their promotional responsibility. I favor inexpensive flyers distributed in the immediate market area including an offer of a small discount on the price of admission (thus creating an emphasis to maintain the promotional item) and sent by mail to comic shops and other businesses a reasonable distance from the event itself. This would be supplimented by the use of venues like Craigslist, Facebook, and local newspapers' weekend guides. A website is an effective tool, but no toolbox worthwhile contains only a hammer! http://conventionawarenesstx.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/therantcorpit/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/167670339950489/ https://www.facebook.com/JCUSwapMeet/ By David Doub Please introduce yourself and describe your chosen Creative Medium. My name is Candace Ford, but you can call me Vexy! I’m an artist from Houston, TX. I love to make comics as well as promote the comics of others that are part of my webcomic collective. What got you into your Creative Medium? What schooling and experiences help lead you there? What do you do to continue to learn and improve? I’ve always love to tell stories, but I also love drawing. At first, I was convinced that I was just going to be a novelist, but during my college career at SCAD, I learned to combine my love of writing and drawing into comics. I am still working on my comics to this day and publishing my craft while surrounding myself with my community. What are some of your favorite works? What do enjoy about creating? What are some pet peeves? Some of my favorite comics are “Saga”, “Trying Human”, and “Earthsong”. I feel like I can reread any of the volumes from those and feel like I’m opening it for the first time. My favorite thing about creating is sharing my work. I’ve always been an entertainer in life, loving to tell stories and make people laugh, so being a comic artist just fits that so well. Some of my biggest pet peeves as an artist is stagnation. I hate when things don’t grow or change over time. It just feels like a huge trap. Who are some local creators who you enjoy their work or are just generally awesome people? Please explain why. Some of my favorite creators are Tyson Hesse, who you might know as the man who redesigned the movie version of Sonic the Hedgehog and Emy Bitner, the artist behind Trying Human. I’ve been following Tyson’s work ever since his first webcomic and it’s bee amazing to watch him grow to be a part of something much bigger. Emy Bitner just has such a fun style and I love it so much. She has amazing sense of color and drama to her art. What are some of your favorite local conventions? Can you share any particular fun memories? I do a lot of conventions, and by a lot, I mean between 15-20 a year. I do have to say some of my favorites are Delta H Con in Houston and San Japan in San Antonio. It’s really hard for me to come up with any favorite memories because I always have such a fun time at cons, but I really love seeing repeat customers make their way to me because they love me and my work enough to come see me every con. What do you look forward to for Women of Wonder Con? What do you hope people can take away from Women of Wonder Convention? I look forward to reaching out to an audience that is interested in learning more about and supporting female artists. I hope to leave the con with more connections and friends and con buddies! Instagram: @vexingly.yours Twitter: @VexinglyYours The Dallas Public Library hosts the 3rd annual Women of Wonder Con on Saturday, March 7th at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library from 10am to 5pm!
Press coverage about WOW Con 2019: http://kabooooom.com/2019/03/women-of-wonder-con-2019-report/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjXshtdnTEY https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/events/women-wonder-con-2019 More information about Women of Wonder Convention can be found at: http://www.womenofwondercon.com https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfWonderCon By David Doub
By David Doub Please introduce yourself and describe your chosen Creative Medium. My name is Jennifer Nesrsta / Kieshar and my work is comics (sequential art). My creative medium really can range, depending on the project. For example, I just finished my comic called Belma and all pages were traditional watercolor pages that in turn photographed to make available digitally. My current project is a reboot of something I tried to publish many moons ago and that at the time the pages were traditionally created with ink, quill and brush. To get the pages ready digitally required scanning, cleaning and cropping. Now, I need that total time cut in half, which means it will be done as a 5 color pallet digitally illustrated comic. All cover pages and a few pages here and there (for emphasis) will be done as traditional watercolors. What got you into your Creative Medium? What schooling and experiences help lead you there? What do you do to continue to learn and improve? Watercolors: My grandmother bought me a really nice watercolor pan set when I was very young and to this day I still have it. It got me initially into color use and painting. Schooling: Since Grade school, I have attended many art schools that really cemented my foundation for design. Graduated from college with a painting and drawing degree. Most of my color theory and technique came the professors there. I did take an illustration class from a man named Jeff Haney and he changed the flow of my art completely. I had always to do gesture drawings as exercises for various drawings classes off and on and hated it. He saw something in my art. Like it was on the cusp of something and he introduced gestures to me in a different way and overnight, it changed everything. My work went from ok/ nice to all beautiful movement. I'm ALL ABOUT movement. Even my thumbnails are gestures. With all that, I was being trained to be a fine artist and show in gallery or the like. However, my love always came back to comic books. I was an illustrator at heart and didn't know it. After graduation, I decided to stop fighting and teach myself how to be a sequential artist. Easy? Absolutely not! ^_^ To learn and Improve: New skills: Learning a new media. I just recently took a Japanese woodcut class. FANTASTIC. So many steps that depend on transparency, staining, consistency, paper quality, moisture, chiseling ability, sectioning of wood blocks and brush work. A great change of pace and excellent to help with artist block too. Limitations: Limit my color pallet to force me to understand color better. The natural urge is that if you have all colors at your fingertips that you will be inclined to use all colors. Many things happen, you don't understand relationships with color, moods and all work can look like the artist next to you. Nothing wrong with that but only if you choose to. I also found limiting my research and source images improved my conceptual ability and design. Since most of my stories are completely fictional/fantasy places, I restrict my resource genre. For instance for Belma, all my landscapes were taken from crystalline structures and aztec motifs and my creatures from mostly flowers and some fruit and veggies. It forced me to reorient my mind and remove blocks that kept me from designing something usual and hopefully enchanting. What are some of your favorite works? What do enjoy about creating? What are some pet peeves? Favorite works: OMG, I love anything illustrated black and white by Collen Doran, the Silver Diamond manga series Shiho Sugiura, the Finder series by Carla Speed McNeil and all works by Charles Weiss and Scott Morris. Enjoy about creating: I love the planning part. How pieces work together and which needs to come first before the next piece can follow. This can be form the conceptual part of it, color layering and what mood and effect it is creating to the finishing out of the pages and books. Second best is conceptual work. LOVE conceptual designing from world appearance to character look. Pet peeves: I really try not to have too many at least outside my own work. We all have our path and way of doing things that make us unique and want to see, read and/or following. I do wish that people stop hammering others with their prowess and mastery of a skill where there is none. Who are some local creators who you enjoy their work or are just generally awesome people? Please explain why. Terry Moore: All around sweet guy and excellent illustrator. I admire how he stuck to his guns and started out grass roots self-published and still is today. What are some of your favorite local conventions? Can you share any particular fun memories? AnimeFest: This is a long time favorite of mine. People are so damn sweet and I have made so many friends over the years that it has come to a family reunion and less vendor venue. Fun memory: I love cosplayers and sitting at a table allows me to see a lot of them as they walk by. One in particular is 2 cosplayers that did alternate versions of Sailor Moon characters for 3 days. I just gushed over them. Last day I found 2 bracelets they made for their costume under my table sheet and a gift of thanks and I lost it. It was so neat and incredibly sweet. Comic Indie: This was the second original comic specific convention I sold my book at. I was a little hesitant because the previous one, I was not received well at all. That was not the case at all for this one and it almost brought me to tears because I was so scared that this would be how the next project would be received and now I have confidence in myself and my work. ALSO, this con is straight out amazing. Fun memory, I cussed twice in a panel that was PG. I felt so embarrassed. >.< Furry Fiesta: Shocked. I have never met people as sweet as the people that ran, sold and attended this con. Fun memory: received a flower from a furry I took a picture of. She was beautiful. What do you look forward to for Women of Wonder Con? What do you hope people can take away from Women of Wonder Convention? I have no preconceived thoughts to be honest. First time and excited to experience this con. https://kieshar.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kieshareme/?hl=en The Dallas Public Library hosts the 3rd annual Women of Wonder Con on Saturday, March 7th at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library from 10am to 5pm!
Press coverage about WOW Con 2019: http://kabooooom.com/2019/03/women-of-wonder-con-2019-report/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjXshtdnTEY https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/events/women-wonder-con-2019 More information about Women of Wonder Convention can be found at: http://www.womenofwondercon.com https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfWonderCon By David Doub
Most Readers know you from your Sabina Kane and Propero’s War series, but in recent years your focus has a changed a little like with High Lonesome Sound. Is this a conscious change of your writing or a more organic evolution? It was both. When I wrote High Lonesome Sound, I was doing an MFA program at Seton Hill and needed a novel to write as my thesis project. I wanted to use the program as a way to stretch my chops a bit, so I decided to try something new. At the same time, Urban Fantasy was sort of dying out in the market, as far as traditional publishing is concerned, so I knew I needed to start thinking about what I wanted to try next. All of that came together in HLS, which was an idea that had been whispering to me for a few years. The story of a small mountain town with a strange annual ritual, a mourning husband who’d do anything to get his wife back, and a teen girl with the powers she hasn’t yet realized. You offer a lot of writing advice one your site, Twitter, your Wells Writing Workshop newsletter, workshops and seminars through Writing Workshops Dallas and so on. Why do you do offer so much advice and lessons for other writers? Part of the reason I went back to get an MFA so far into my career was that I felt I finally knew just enough about writing after ten years to be able to teach it. Getting the degree was partially an attempt to ensure I knew how to teach well. Also, few writers manage any sort of longevity in this business without having side gigs. It happens that I love teaching, and it felt like a natural evolution for me to mentor newer writers. I just started Wells Writing Workshop because so many people who don’t live in North Texas have asked how they can learn from me since they can’t take my local classes through Writing Workshops Dallas. Right now, the subscription to the newsletter is free, but soon there will be a section of paid subscribers to access my writing lectures, early drafts of my craft books, discounts on my online classes, and initiations to write-ins and retreats. You can see what it’s all about for free until Feb. 1 here: https://jayewells.substack.com/ You worked with FenCon for many years. What is it like working with a convention and can you tell us a little bit more about FenCon and your experiences there? I didn’t actually work with FenCon. I attended several times, and I was a GOH as the Writing Workshop Faculty one year. Unfortunately, my schedule hasn’t allowed me to be able to attend in a few years. But what I really like about FenCon and fan cons of this type is that is begins to feel like a family. You see the same fans and pros year after year, and everyone is there because of shared love of geek culture. What are your thoughts of the recent boom of conventions, be them comic cons or nerd cons or the like? I think if the con is well-run by people who respect both the pros’ and the fans’ time and needs then it’s a good thing. I love going to events where I can connect with my fans and maybe have a chance to earn some new ones. I also enjoy being able to discover new writers, artists, and the like to become a fan of myself. What are some of the most common questions aspiring writers ask and what seems to help them the most? Most new writers are far more worried about selling their work than they are writing great stories. If you haven’t finished a single story, don’t add stress to yourself by trying to learn who the best agents are and what you’ll wear to the Nebulas when you win. Write first. Learn craft first. Once you start getting a handle on the tools of the trade and you’re finishing stuff, then you can worry about where to sell and what you’ll say in your award acceptance speech. It’s important to find joy in the process of creating. If you’re too dependent on things you can’t control—advance, awards, bestseller lists—then you’re setting yourself up for heartache. How much is your writing influenced by the south and North Texas in general? I’ve never actually written a story set in Texas. I’m not sure why except that my work has always had a supernatural or arcane bent and Dallas isn’t the most woo woo city. I’ve written several things set in New Orleans, and High Lonesome Sound was set in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, and early on I wrote a couple of stories set in North Carolina, where I used to live in my late-20s. So the South has definitely been an influence as far as settings go. But I honestly think the biggest influence North Texas has been on my writing has been that it’s an incredibly affordable place to live, which is really important when you’re a full-time writer. Are they any good resources in Texas you have found that have helped you and others in your writing? Texas has so many writing groups, retreats, and conferences that you almost never have to leave the state to get your career going. Dallas Area Romance Authors was a huge influence in my early writing career in terms of mentorship and resources, but I have sadly quit RWA recently due to the much-publicized race issues and toxic leadership in the organization. Luckily there are other great groups offering classes and mentorship, like Writing Workshops Dallas, where I teach and mentor. https://writingworkshopsdallas.com/ In addition, WORD is a great web site that offers a calendar of writing classes and events https://www.wordwriters.org/ Are there creators in Texas that you are enjoying their work? What other creators are you enjoying? If I listed the writers I admire in Texas then the list would be booklength. The amount of generosity and talent in our state when it comes to fiction is pretty staggering. But I’d be afraid of forgetting someone if I listed names and then risk making a friend mad. On my substack newsletter, I do a weekly Woo Wednesday post where I list all the things I’m loving that week, including books, shows, movies, etc. Those posts will always be free on the newsletter, so if you’re curious about what I’m digging at the moment, check it out here https://jayewells.substack.com/ What upcoming writings do you have coming up that you can share with us? I’m just coming off of a sabbatical from writing, so anything I’m working on now is in such early stages I don’t feel like I can share details yet. But you can find a list of all of my published work at my web site http://jayewells.com/ Otherwise, I just wrapped up a six-month mentorship through Writing Workshops Dallas with six talented writers. I hope to offer another one later this year in addition to the Wells Writing Workshop online. By David Doub
Can you tell us about The Dungeon on KNON? What is your role with the show? Hello Nerds! Yes, and thanks for asking: “The Dungeon” is an extreme metal radio show on KNON 89.3fm in Dallas Texas. You can tune in every Saturday night from Midnight to 4am to hear all manner of underground metal from across the world, including Death and Black Metal. “KNON” is public radio, broadcasting 24/7 and we are totally listener supported. Raven is the resident DJ and Dungeon mastermind who created this show in 2000, and our amazing supporters have kept us on the air for 20 years now! You can pledge too, at KNON.org. While you’re there, check out the live stream or navigate to our archived shows. It’s been great working with “KNON”. “The Dungeon” has always held a special place in my heart as I used to tune in when I was a teenager. Raven and the crew opened my eyes to so many bands back in the day and 7 years ago, I was invited to come on board and share my metal collection as well. I host the “Lexen Destro Black Metal Power Hour” bimonthly, which focuses on black metal – old and new. With the recent rise in the popularity of this genre, I get more requests than ever. What got you into Heavy Hardcore Metal? Its hard to say, I was always drawn to music that was heavy and fast. When I was a kid I became obsessed with surf music because it was so fast. Later that evolved into a love of punk, metal and hardcore. So, I guess I have Dick Dale to thank for all of this. What are some of your all-time favorite Metal bands and what are some new up and coming bands you think should get more notice? Well “Slayer” was one of my first loves so that definitely goes down as an all time favorite. I am known for playing a lot of “Pest” and “Carpathian Forest” on the show, and I really love “Nadiwrath” as well. “Watain” is always a favorite, I never miss them when they play a show. Some of the newer bands I’ve been listening to are Sarastus, Cloak, Wiegedood, Antzaat, Hovmod and Vale of Pnath. “Vale” isn’t really new, but they just put out some killer stuff. What are some great local dark Metal bands you’d like to give a shot out to? Luckily Dallas has no shortage of talented acts. Shout outs to Absu, Thy Antichrist, Wildspeaker, Steel Bearing Hand, Cleric, Sardonic Witchery, Blasphemous Goat Vomit, Empty Shell, Psyciatric Regurgitation, Demonhammer, Judas Goat, Nocturnal Wolf, Chemicaust, Infidel Rising, Skull Archer, Dei Aemeth and many more! What are some nerdy and geeky things you enjoy as well? What are some of the nerdy and geeky things you enjoy in North Texas? I’m a huge nerd, I think that deep down all metal kids are. Metal is an inherently nerdy thing, just look at all the bands inspired by nerd culture! Everyone knows that D&D and heavy metal go hand in hand ever since they both survived the satanic panic of the 80’s. Not to mention there are quite a few metal band names inspired by the works of Tolkien: Amon Amarth, Burzum, Balrog, Nazgul, Mordor, Carach Angren, Isengard, to name a few. That doesn’t even include all the song names that originated in “Middle Earth”! Viking, Pagan and Folk metal are all the history nerds, and there is actually more than one band inspired almost entirely by Warhammer 40k. Bolt Thrower is the best-known example, having had their cover art created by a Games Workshop artist. So, there’s that. In addition to nerd metal; I’m a bit of a bookworm and a gamer so a lot of my nerding takes place at home. Though, I can be easily spotted at Half Price Books, Keith’s Comics, or Madness Comics from time to time. I like to check out the Cons and Cosplayers when the mood strikes me, I never miss Texas Frightmare Weekend! I’m also a huge science and history nerd. If I’m not brushing up on the Romanovs or the Lapland War, I’m looking at protozoans, making new slides for my microscope or buried beneath my neurology volumes. I also collect weapons, medical antiques, bone specimens including real human skulls, and I keep pet wasps. That’s nerdy too, right? What are some of the best concerts you’ve been to? Please share some of your favorite concert stories? Oh wow, there have been so many with so many great memories it’s hard choose favorites. “Gwar” is such a fun act. I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite metal band, but they are definitely my favorite stage performance. I always try to take someone who’s never been or someone who isn’t really into metal to see their reaction when all the blood starts flying. Although, there was one show in Oklahoma where I walked in on Nergal from Behemoth and Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse rocking out to Britney Spears on the bus. That was pretty epic. Where does the name for Lexen Destro come from? The “Destro” surname came from one of my other business ventures. I had a screen-printing company called “Team Destro” when I was in college. Raven had asked the team and I to come on the show and talk a little bit about some of our shirts. That was my first time in the Dungeon. He had advised we use stage names, so I picked Lexen since it was close to my actual name… Which shall remain a mystery! MUAHAHAHA! That was my first time in the Dungeon. It wouldn’t be long before I was calling it home. If you could be in any band who would it be? Oh geez, I don’t know. I admire bands from a far, but I don’t know if I could actually be in one. I don’t even know how these things happen, it must be so difficult! You get several people; all on the same page, all collaborating on the same piece of art, all adhering to the same schedule and if they survive long enough to experience any success, you throw them all in a van and send them on their way for months at a time and see whether or not they kill each other. It baffles me. Can you tell the best records to summon demons with? Asking for a friend. Well, you have a few good options here. “Dissection” is great for that sort of thing but be careful or you might be found dead in ritual circle like their front man, Jon Nödtveidt. You would likely gain some demonic favor with “Watain” as well, known for their on-stage rituals using real blood of undetermined origin. For a little ambiance the first “Batushka” would be nice, with its monastic chanting and sinister riffs or even a few “Beherit” songs since they sound like they were actually recorded in the underworld. Last but not least, “Arckanum” is great for summonings. Their founder, Shamaatae is a well published occult author with “Ixaxxar Press”. He could probably tell you if you’re doing it right. https://www.facebook.com/THE-DUNGEON-KNON-893-FM-Dallas-Texas-171563375475 http://www.knon.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LexDestro More About KNON's Rebuilding after getting hit by a Tornado - https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2020/01/16/first-came-the-tornado-then-the-scorpions-but-indie-radio-station-knon-finally-has-its-new-home/ By David Doub
Out of all the artistic mediums, why comics? And specifically, for you, why crazy humor comics? Drawing is simply the most fun way for me to pursue storytelling, and the most natural. Comics offer so many versatile ways to tell stories and you can do it all with just ink and paper. I lean towards crazy humor comics as those were what got my attention as a kid. I’m not a very serious guy and just naturally want to be silly and make fun of stuff, so humor comics fit me like a glove. What are some of your influences? Why informs your wacky art style? My biggest influences are MAD Magazine (especially artists Tom Bunk, Basil Wolverton, Al Jaffee and Sergio Aragones), The Ren and Stimpy Show and Gary Panter. I also derive a ton of inspiration from old Fleischer Bros. cartoons, Looney Tunes (especially Tex Avery and Chuck Jones), MTV’s Liquid Television, and tons of New Yorker and National Lampoon cartoonists (my absolute favorites being Charles Addams, Sam Gross, B. Kliban and Virgil Partch). What are some local creators that that influence you? Kit Lively, Miguel Aquilar, Hector Cantu, Richard Ross, Halo and Terry Parr, and Tyson Summers are all amazing artists and just plain awesome human beings. What are some of your favorite books you’ve worked on? I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten to work on a lot of very fun properties such as SpongeBob, The Simpsons, Adventure Time and Garfield, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. But SpongeBob Comics was such a unique comic book to work on as the artists and writers were given a pretty fair amount of creative license, which is pretty rare. If you could work with anyone living or dead, who would it be? I would have absolutely loved to have gotten to collaborate with Jim Henson, a true creative genius. Since that obviously can’t happen, I would kill to get to do something for another one of my heroes, “Weird Al” Yankovic. If you could work on any character or property what would it be and what would you do to it? My biggest pop culture obsession is monster movies, and Godzilla in particular. So if Toho would let me (they of course won’t), but I would write and draw an insane Godzilla story in my style that would just have crazy monster fights and super weird monster opponents. I’m doing an original story now that’s basically this but with my own original characters, but to get to have my way with Godzilla would be insane. Are there any local creators you’d like to work with? Man this is tough as there are so many amazing local creators that would be amazing to collaborate with, but my friend Miguel Aquilar and I have talked forever about working on a project together and I would love to make that happen someday. What are some up coming projects you’d like to talk about? I can’t reveal much about what I have coming up, but I have several book projects in the works that are just a blast and should be appreciated for fans of weird and gross humor (mwahaha!). I’ve also been working on an animated series for Augenblick Studios that has allowed me to totally indulge in my love for horror movies and comics, so that will definitely be something to look out for! For aspiring North Texas creators, what advice would you give them that you wish someone had given you? I like to confirm to aspiring artists not to ever get discouraged in your creative endeavors by people that will tell you that it’s not worth pursuing. It’s a tough business to break into (it took me about 10 years to get my first big break), but I would still be drawing for fun if I wasn’t able to make it my full time job. I got tons of rejections and people telling me that I wasn’t any good, but I’m glad I used that to fuel my drive to get better instead of just giving up. https://twitter.com/daviddegrand https://degrandland.com/ https://www.instagram.com/daviddegrand/ By David Doub Please Introduce yourself and your craft My name is Ellen Natalie, for the past decade I've been creating comics that explore ideas about religion, faith and life via furries, in the webcomic 'Furry Experience.' What got you into your Creative Medium? What schooling and experiences help lead you there? What do you do to continue to learn and improve? I've been obsessed with comics since childhood - there are notebooks you will never see filled with attempts to re-create Sailor Moon, Garfield, and the surprisingly difficult to draw Archie. However, I didn't learn about the furry fandom until college - and was amazed. Slice-of-life comics in the furry fandom seemed to flawlessly swing between extreme comedy (due to being cartoon animals) and extreme drama (being set in a grounded, realistic setting.) The concept got me excited to share my own stories, and I tied every college assignment I could into also learning about creating and publishing comics. What are some of your favorite works? What do enjoy about creating? What are some pet peeves? I'm a huge fan of Amy Mebberson, Marty LeGrow and Amy Reeder. All three of them take concepts we're familiar with (Disney characters, living toys, high school romance,) and find new perspectives to re-imagine those ideas! For myself, the most satisfying part of creating is finishing a project. Seeing the writing and art come together into a story that other people enjoy. Even if the project didn't turn out like I'd hoped, it was always worth finishing. As for pet peeves, the only ones I can think of at the moment are the same hazards that come from just being a woman on the internet - but there's no reason to let those forehead-smacking moments stop me from drawing ~ Who are some local creators who you enjoy their work or are just generally awesome people? Please explain why. I met Pamela Buchunam at last year's WoW Con - I love how her art is so dreamlike, yet still has a sharp edge. She was very kind at the show, and it's been fun following her twitter adventures the past year. I've also loved watching Eliamaria Crawford's career progress! She not only shares her work, but she also makes an effort to help artists connect with each other. Also, her vlog series reviewing local conventions is a valuable resource for any new artist! What are some of your favorite local conventions? Can you share any particular fun memories? The shows I always want to attend are Furry Fiesta and Furry Siesta! Last year, I got the opportunity to attend at both, it was inspiring to see the dedicated staff working to put on two great conventions. But my favorite memories are of the kids, excited finally got to show off the heads, paws and suits they'd been working on through the year. Few sights are as joy-inducing as watching everyone enjoy their characters come to life in parades, dances and party games. What do you look forward to for Women of Wonder Con? What do you hope people can take away from Women of Wonder Convention? I'm looking forward to meeting amazing local artists! It's easy to feel isolated when making your art, I hope all creators who attend this event will leave with the confidence they are not alone - they are part of an amazing, growing community that's looking forward to what they have to share. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EllenNatalie Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllenNatalie87 Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/komiku/ The Dallas Public Library hosts the 3rd annual Women of Wonder Con on Saturday, March 7th at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library from 10am to 5pm!
Press coverage about WOW Con 2019: http://kabooooom.com/2019/03/women-of-wonder-con-2019-report/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjXshtdnTEY https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/events/women-wonder-con-2019 More information about Women of Wonder Convention can be found at: http://www.womenofwondercon.com https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfWonderCon By David Doub Over the next couple of weeks we are going to be talking to various guests of the upcoming convention Women of Wonder Con. Today we are talking to one of the guests and organizers, Beth Howard. What is Women of Wonder Convention about? What’s it’s purpose? Women of Wonder Con exists to support women in creative industries of all types and to encourage new generations to follow in their footsteps. Women of Wonder con is a FREE event that offers opportunities for networking, education, and encourages women and girls as they navigate sometimes difficult creative fields. We want to make information and guests from many different fields accessible to everyone. How did you get involved with Women of Wonder Convention? What do you hope to see WOW Con to accomplish? I got involved thanks to Halo, who grabbed me by the hand and told me I needed to stop hiding behind the computer and get out there. She was absolutely right, and Women of Wonder Con (then the Creative Women’s Conference) was the perfect gateway for me. It’s helped me push my creative boundaries as an artist and also learn to present on panels to help do the same for others. I want to see the show continue to be available to everyone so that it can inspire people of all ages to pursue their creative dreams and hobbies. If budget and resources were no limit, what would you do to improve on WOW Con? If there were no limits, I would love to see the event scale up in terms of being a multi day convention that takes place in a hotel to make it easier for traveling guests and attendees. I would want more guests, more panels, more workshops – and still a free or low cost price tag for attendees so that we can keep spreading the message to everyone. The more people who can see the power of creative women the better! What creative endeavors do you do? How do you get started in that? I’ve always been a creator. I’ve been drawing since I could hold a crayon and writing since I learned how to spell a few words. When I was a kid I even used to have pretend sales for my family where I would sell them my random little crafts. I like to experiment creatively, but making jewelry, designing, art, and writing are my primary creative pursuits. What are some of your favorite local conventions and events? Aside from WOW Con, of course, I love conventions that really focus on the attendee experience and on panels and learning and discussion over celebrities. I’m always game to try small library and other conventions, but All-Con is definitely a family favorite. There’s a minimal amount of celebrities, but the ones who do come are usually just as excited as the guests to be part of the event and really take part in everything. There are panels and events, and everybody is there to have fun together. Who are some of your favorite local creators and/or nerdy personalities? Explain why. Seeing my artist friends at shows is one of my favorite things. People like Halo from Shonuff Studios, Elia from The Art of Eliamaria Madrid Crawford, Inyez from Lucky Octopus Art, Lisa from Songbird Beauty, and the list goes on all give me such a creative boost. Seeing the awesome things other people are creating inspires me to create. Lately I’ve also been really in love with Matthew Warlick’s art – so stunning! What are some of your favorite nerdy memories from your time in the North Texas Nerd Community? I’ve got nothing but good memories, honestly. In 2009, I did my first cosplay (Dr. Horrible) at A-Kon. My son made a splash a couple years in a row at All-Con as Queen Elsa jamming out at the Disney Sing Alongs. He even got Gigi Edgley down on the convention floor to play with him for awhile. Becoming involved with Women of Wonder Con has also been a transformative thing for me. From being a guest, I moved on to helping organize things. It is a constant challenge that pushes me to grow. Why should people come out and check out Women of Wonder Con? Women of Wonder Con offers a unique, intimate convention experience. We welcome people of all genders and ages, and our guests are an eclectic mix. I attend and vend at a lot of conventions, and I can genuinely say that no other convention is quite like it. Links for Beth Howard - https://www.facebook.com/wildegeeks/ https://wildehandmade.com/ https://twitter.com/wildegeeks https://www.instagram.com/wildegeeks/ Women of Wonder Convention Back at Dallas Public Library
The Dallas Public Library hosts the 3rd annual Women of Wonder Con on Saturday, March 7th at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library from 10am to 5pm! Women of Wonder Con exists to support women in creative industries of all types and to encourage new generations to follow in their footsteps. Women of Wonder con is a FREE event that offers opportunities for networking and education while encouraging women and girls as they navigate challenges in creative fields. In partnership with the Dallas Public Library, Women of Wonder Con boasts guests from many media formats such as comics, graphic design, fine arts, film making, acting, etc. to provide attendees with as much creative inspiration - and information - as possible. We have taken the concept of a “Comic Con” and taken it to the next level to make an event that helps connect female creators and artists to be able to thrive in their chosen fields. Women of Wonder Con presents guest speakers, workshops, panels, and vendors in our Creative Corner that empower women to create and make bold moves toward their futures. Join Women of Wonder con March 7, 2020 for a day of fun, learning, opportunities, and a group photoshoot showcasing magic users in literature and film! Press coverage about WOW Con 2019: http://kabooooom.com/2019/03/women-of-wonder-con-2019-report/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjXshtdnTEY https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/events/women-wonder-con-2019 More information about Women of Wonder Convention can be found at: http://www.womenofwondercon.com https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfWonderCon https://twitter.com/wowcontx https://www.instagram.com/womenofwondercon/ Contact: [email protected] Beast King
Crimson Gate Comics Written by Shane Morrison Art By Trevis Martinez Blur - Beast King is a comic book about Jake Stephens. He had his DNA modified in the womb and had his combined with animal DNA giving him the powers he needs to avenge his parents and discover the truth he seeks. Writer Shane Morrison is originally from Cleburne TX and his comic Beast King is set around Fort Worth TX. When I read this book, it feels familiar to me. Yes it feels like a fight Shonen manga but it has a more familiar taste than that. It reminds me of the manga and anime Guyver - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bio_Booster_Armor_Guyver Basically both have the same strengths and weaknesses. The setup is all in service of the fight. This comic is about brutal and bloody fights and that is what this comic does best. I also said weakness as well because there isn’t much outside of the fight against the evil organization. The only other note I would make is seeing the artist’s work on Crimson Gate’s other book Crosser’s Gate, I would totally love to see the artist’s work in Black and White. Their artwork, especially the monsters and the bizarre is pretty darn cool and I want to see more of the line work in the story. crimsongatecomics.com https://www.facebook.com/CrimsonGateComics/ Other Local Press for Beast King - https://www.fwweekly.com/2019/10/30/fort-worths-monster/ By David Doub
By David Doub
By David Doub
What is Horrifically Nerdy? Horrifically Nerdy is my small business I started a couple of years ago. What started as a hobby for me turned into a business. I came up with the name from my love of Horror and everything nerdy. So is it like your collection come to life in a way? In a way yes, my collection got too big so I decided to sell some things. As I did I begin to make different things and buying things to resale as well. What got you into collecting? What things do you prefer to collect? I've been collecting for as long as I can remember. I started with sports cards and toys. I've worked myself into collecting vintage coins. I love to collect unique things others don't have or want. So how or when did you shift into the nerdy then? Probably after watching my first super hero Saturday morning cartoons. And we'll of course Star Wars. I was around 7 years old when Star Wars came out. Was never so happy to get the toys when they finally came out. Okay so now what is the the thought behind ViCon? Well I wanted to bring some fun to Garland. We have nothing like this here. And I thought what a better place than Vikon Plaza to help the vendors and Vikon to get back on the map. This year will be a small event but hope it gets bigger as the years go on. We hope to continue this for years to come. With the help of Daniel Calhoun I'm sure we can keep it going strong. https://www.facebook.com/HorrificallyNerdy/ By David Doub
What got you into ViCon? What is your current role ViCon? Well, I was asked to help plan this event because the new owners of Vikon Plaza want to revitalize it. Can you tell us a bit about the event and what is the core purpose of your event? The core purpose of this event is to help revitalize a part of Garland. When I first moved here 20 years ago I used to enjoy going to Vikon. Through the years it has kind of been run down and I’d love to see it built back up. Also, I want to help give Garland itself some geek/nerd style events. With all of the cons we have in DFW, Garland itself really doesn’t have any. What makes ViCon different from other events? What do you hope people take away from your ViCon? Well, this is a first time event so it really hasn’t found itself yet. I’d love to have this grow and happen more often. I’d love to bring Vikon back to life and also give the nerds/geeks of Garland something they can call their own. If you had an unlimited budget, what one special thing would you like to do for your event? Oh now that’s a good question. To be honest I’d just love to do something that makes people smile and want to be a part of the community. I’d love to bring something to Garland that makes people excited and want to go. What is your opinion on the aggressive growth of all the nerd conventions and events in North Texas? Where do you see your event fit into this landscape? Personally I love the growth. Where I grew up in Michigan there wasn’t a geek/nerd culture. D&D, Comics, and all that were hard to find. I love having all the options that we have here to be able to go out with friends in costume and just be a big kid and show off our fandoms. This event is just a small thing and I want it to grow but I’d just love to see it as another place where people like myself can go and feel accepted. What some of the other local events doing that you really like or with you thought of first? I always LOVE Free Comic Book Day at all of the local shops. North Texas Comic Book Show is also something that is a part of my soul. All Con as well is just wonderful for all of us to get together. Links for ViCon - Contact E-mail [email protected] Event Page - https://www.facebook.com/events/3507013572672037/ By David Doub What got you into cosplay? I’ve always loved fantasy/sci fi and comics. For ten years before I started cosplaying for cons I went to Scarborough Faire in costume. It is just nice to be able to put on a costume and be someone else for a while. What is some of your favorite Cosplays so far? Well now… I love my Viking Captain America (Captain AllFather) It is one I helped with and something that is unique. My Road Warriors/Legion of Doom with my son is also one because it is one I did completely alone and something I had always wanted to do before I knew what cosplay was. Finally… Hodor. He’s just fun to do and a favorite of so many people. What are the Pros and Cons of Cosplay as whole? For me, the pros are definitely meeting all the amazing and wonderful con family that I have. That, and it has been a way to deal with my depression. As for a con… it is NOT a cheap hobby! With the crossover of Cosplay and Modeling with the increased focus of Body Positivity, who do view how Cosplay has dealt with this subject? Well… I am a HUGE proponent of Cosplay is For Everyone. I’ve always been a bigger guy and I feel that it shouldn’t matter your size, shape, color, or gender. If you love a character, and have a passion for it show that off! What is your favorite con story? Meeting Kristian Nairn himself. That was just an amazing weekend! To be able to meet the actor that plays the character you cosplay is just a wonderful and powerful thing. What are some of your favorite events? North Texas Comic Book Show for one… I liked it so much they put me to work. Lubbock Con is also quite near and dear to my heart. Hunt County Comic Expo is also just a great show. Finally AllCon is just so much fun to go to with friends. I very much prefer the smaller shows. Who are some of your favorite local cosplayers? What are other local cosplayers doing that you really appreciate and/or admire? There are so many!!!!! We just happen to have a hugely talented and accepting community here in North Texas. I know if I was to name some I would think of so many others and want to shout out to them all. So many people in North Texas Cosplay have touched my life and made it better and I love them all. If you could cosplay anything or anyone regardless of money, time and effort, what would it be? That one is difficult to think of. I slowly have been working on so many and most of mine are simple. Still, one I’d love to do is from the show Star Wars Rebels. Since my son and I look alike we have plans of doing the clone troopers Rex and Gregor. That’s one I really would love to do. If there was one thing you could say about Cosplay for all to hear, what would that one thing be? I think of it like a family. These people are just so supportive and amazing. Cosplay can be the way for you to come out of your shell and show your passion for what you love. It is a way to get your creativity out and express you vision of what a character can be. Links - https://www.all-con.org/ https://www.huntcountycomicexpo.com/ https://www.lubbockcon.com/ https://www.comicbooksdallas.com/ With so many events, creators, groups and just general creative nerdy energy crackling around DFW and the greater North Texas, we thought it would be good to start a site to track all this stuff going on and what people are doing. So if you like to help let us know and feel free to spread the word.
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