Over the Border: Highlands Here Con 2016

The second Highlanders Hero Con is this Saturday September 3rd at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center in Ashland, KY from 10am to 7pm.

Special guests at the event are Batman, Batgirl, and the Batmobile of Heroes 4 Higher; comic creators Beau Smith (Wynonna Earp, Guy Gardner) and Michael Mayne (Bonnie Lass, Heroes of Newerth); cosplayers Dave Endicott, Allicia Lewis, Sam Ash, and Bunny Bombshell as Queen Elsa; fantasy author Cammie Eicher, and animal handler Dr. Des Coveries along with his Wild Bunch.

There will a costume contest with Adult and Youth categories.  First place in each will win $100 cash and family membership to the Highlands Museum.  There will be a Wild Animal Show performance by Coveries.  There will also be panels on cosplay, writing fantasy novels, comics, and Heroes 4 Higher spreading their “be a hero” message.  The Goblin Traders will be running card tournaments starting at 11am and running throughout the day.  Volunteers from local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will be there doing arts and crafts activities with the kids.  The museum will be open to tour as well.

No info on vendors, but they do say the have some.  Though they are apparently still taking more if you want to sign-up.  There will be Mary’s Kitchen Catering out front of the museum selling food.  Fat Pattys in Ashland and Ruth’s Cupcakes & Luncheonette will offer patrons a 10% discount on food purchases on September 3 when they show their HeroCon wristbands.

You can get pre-sale tickets at the Center or at the door for $9 for adults, $5 for museum members, or $6 for children ten and under.  The museum will only be open for event admission.

Another little con with that looks a fun time with fellow fans, especially for kids.

WV Pop Con 2016

WV Pop Con is back this Saturday August 27 from 10am to 7pm and Sunday August 28th from 11am to 5pm at Mylan Park in Morgantown.

Featured creator guests at the show are Dominike “Domo” Stanton (Starbrand and Nightmask, character illustrator for Archer), Chad Cicconi (sketch card artist), Steve Geiger (former managing art director of Marvel), Justin Jordan (Shadowman, Call of Duty Zombies), Bill McKay (Zombie Tramp, Vampblade), Rafter Roberts (Archer and Armstrong, Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream), DJ Coffman (Hero by Night, The God Child), and Shawn Gabborin (found member and editor in chief of Action Lab Entertainment).

There will be plenty of other exhibitors there: illustrators, writers, comic creators, nerdy crafters, an all girl robotics team, game creators, painters, Electro-Magnetic Press and other small publishers, sculptors, photographers, cosplayers, podcasters, tattoo artists, Ghostbusters, filmmakers, Rebel Legion, College Football Hall of Famer Major Harris, Amtgard, pro wrestler Ricky Morton, 501st, Morgantown Roller Vixens, Black Mountain Guard, Pathfinder Society, and more.

Not to mention vendors selling comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, gaming supplies, t-shirts, collectables, toys, plush, books, video games, crafts, buttons, leather work, weapons, posters, and plenty more.

They will have a kid’s cosplay contest on Saturday and an adult one on Sunday, various panels, games of Pathfinder, Magic: The Gathering tournament, other gaming demos, gaming library, and retro video games.

Admission at the door will be $20 for both days.  They will also have exclusive covers for sell for Generation Zero and two different Prince-S STARthief done by guests for sell at the show.

A comic show with a lot of variety for fans of all kinds of genres.

Power Up 2016

Power Up the Tri-State’s Annual Retro Video Game Convention returns this Saturday August 27th at the conference area at the Big Sandy Arena in Huntington from 10am to 8pm.

The Standard Nerds will be hosting the tournaments again this year.  The tournaments have an entry fee. All entry fees will be given to the Extra Life Charity.

The tournaments will be Smash Bros 64, Smash Bros 4, Rocket League (XBox One), Pokken, and Mario Kart Double Dash.  Check the website for the times and rules for each game.

Hometown Hobbies will be hosting Magic: The Gathering tournaments throughout the day.  Plus free play board games for all to try.

There will also be a Pokémon League for the 3DS.  Sign-up for $5 and then battle the eight gym leaders around the convention floor.  The proceeds will go to Children’s Hospitals and you will also get entry into raffle drawings throughout the day.  Obtain all eight gym badges to challenge the Elite 4 at the Brawl-a-thon in November.

A few panels have been promised along with a cosplay contest.

Expect around twenty vendors and artists selling games, books, collectables, art work, crafts, and more.  There will be exhibits from the D20 Girls, cosplays Santana and Kiss A Frog Cosplay, local cons, video game creators Lasso Games, Mandalorian Mercs, Trenton Jedi, and artists Rusty Shackles and Michael Mayne.

Entry is $5, free for children twelve and under.  Door prizes will be given out through out the day for just attending.

Fans of video games are going to want to check this out for playing, collecting, and generally just hanging out with fellow fans.

 

Over the Border: Khan-Con

Khan-Con the sci-fi and superhero convention will be this Saturday August 13th and Sunday 14th at the Woodlawn Intermediate School in Woodlawn, Virginia from 10am to 4pm.  The event is family friendly fundraiser for Jack Sullivan, a little boy dealing with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Guest at the con are Michael Eury editor-in-chief of the Eisner Award nominated Back Issue Magazine who has also worked as a writer and editor for several comic companies, the R2-D2 Builders Club, the 501st, Mandalorian Mercs, Brian Funk creator of the crime noir/fantasy comic Enforcer, heavy metal band and comic creator Dionysis Metacult, g.paul.r creator of Sgt. Sasquatch: The Bigfoot of Liberty and other comics, writer and comic creator Dan Delby, small publisher Dreampunk Press, sci-fi author Arylias Nova, co-authors Casey Eanes and Seth Ervin, plus artists Keith Kapish, Kev Lyerly, Garrett Faith, Kela Hunt, and Matari Bain.

Vendors will have comics, gaming supplies, steampunk and vintage inspired jewelry, toys, collectibles, pixel art, buttons, nerdy crafts, clocks, dolls, and plenty more for fans to check out.

There will be a cosplay contest, R2-D2 builders demonstration, the and a Super Smash Bros tournament. Nothing else mentioned about panels or events, but I am sure you will be able to find some people to chat with about plenty of different topics.

Admission is only $5 for adults and free for children twelve and under.  They do promise there will be air conditioning in the building, which trust me s a big deal.

Another small community convention for a good cause to head out and check on.