Tsubasacon 2018

Tsubasacon 2018 is Friday October 5th to Sunday October 7th at the Big Sandy Superstore Area and Conference Center in Huntington.  This year’s theme is Fantasy/RPG.

Guests for this year are David Vincent (Jo Jo’s Bizarre Adventure, Hunter x Hunter), Paul St. Peter (Kingdom Hearts, Digimon), Megan Shipman (New Game, Show by Rock), Jeannie Tirado (Black Clover, Tokyo Ghoul); musical guests Mickey Mason, game show host Greggo, guests panelists Vitamin H and Mako Gems Productions.

Events at the con include.  anime viewing rooms, guests Q&A and autographs, game shows, concerts, masquerade ball on Friday night and Saturday night dance, fan panels and guest panels, workshops, AMV League Contest, yoga, cosplay contest on Saturday, the Carolina Manga Library, artist alley, vendors, foam combat from Blackfire Valley Amtgard and The Imperial Legion, panels from fans and guests, photoshoots, and more.

For video games area Rare Drops will have consoles for play, Japanese arcade machines from Tokyo Attack, pachinko machines from Pachinko Fever, Room-Scale VR from Key Virtual Events, and a Mobile Gaming area.  Table-top games for this year include D&D Adventure League from Time Warp Games, Warhammer and other wargames demos from Dragon Den, tabletop demos from Envoy, Pathfinder Society, Call of Cthulhu, board game library from Huntington Unplugged Gaming Society, Reaper Paint and Take on Saturday, card gaming demos and tournaments of Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Transformers, and Dragon Ball Super from The Goblin Traders, anime board games and RPG by Otaku@DEEP (which is me), and more.

Weekend passes at the door are $50.  Day passes are $30 for Friday, $40 for Saturday, and $20 for Sunday.  You can also get a Gaming only badge, which allows you into the arena with the table-top and video game areas, for $40.  Day passes for this is $20 for Friday, $30 for Saturday, and $10 for Sunday.  Children ten and under get in free.  Kids from 12 to 18 can get in for $20.

Fans of anime and cosplay will finds lots to love at this con.

WV Pop Con 2018

West Virginia Popular Culture & Comic Book Convention (WV Pop Con) is back this Saturday August 25th and Sunday August 26th at Mylan Park in Morgantown.

The featured guests for the con are Patrick Olliffe (Scooby-Doo Apocalypse, Spider-Man, Batman), Shawn Gabborin (Puppet Master, Dollman Kills, Action Lab), Chad Cicconi (sketch card artist, NFL Rush Zone), and Mike Okamoto (Lost in Space, Kabuki, Lady Death).

There will be Jerry Frech, Andrew Carter, writer Daniel Foster, Mytron Studios, Ernie Stiner (Nick Fury, G.I. Joe), David Newbold (Fantastic Four, Runaways), Bomtron Art (Topps Sketch Card Artist), Jason Pell, Larry Morgan and Electro-Magnetic Press, and other artists and creators selling comics, books, prints, and other creations.

Other interesting people at the con include all-girl VEX Robotics team from Westwood Middle School Steambotics, #ixlab, indie horror movie and comic creators Head on Stick Productions, indie video game studio FYRE Games, Mandalorian Mercs The Black Mountain Guard, Rebel Legion, KITT from Knight Rider, Thirteen Palm Tress Podcast Productions, Morgantown Roller Vixens, 501st Legion Garrison Corellia, Outer Rim Praxeum Lightsaber School, card game creators Milton Roe Creative, Youtubers Let’s Play All the Games, cosplayers Nubzcosplay, Bunny Bombshell, Santana, Kesra, Sheena Bot, and The Illustrious Captain Fish.

There will be several fandom crafters there as well selling things like coasters, keychains, jewelry, bags, candles, soaps, pallets, stickers, pillows, bath bombs, clothes, cosplay items, plushies, dream catchers, leather goods, quilted items, and lots more.

Vendors at the con will have your supply of posters, Legos and sets, chainmail jewelry and armor, comics, graphic novels, games, collectables, vintage and new toys, video games and systems, Funko Pops, plushies, cards, and more.

Activities during the weekend include photo back drop, table top gaming library, paint and take, panels on table top games, indie comics, cosplay, and more; kids costume contest on Saturday and adults on Sunday.  Food trucks will be out in the parking lot both days to choose from.

One day admission is $10, two-day admission is $20, a Pop Con tee will be $15, two-day admission with tee is $35.  Children under 10 get in free.  Cheaper if you pre-reg.

Parkersburg Pop Con

The 2nd Annual Parkersburg Pop Con is this Saturday September 30th at West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg from 11am to 5pm.  An event about all of pop culture.

Guests for the con are actor Jeremy Ambler, comic creator Tim Shinn, and illustrator Rusty Shackles.

Vendors and artists will be selling figures, comics, toys, memorabilia, collectibles, handmade crafts, clothing, food, anime and manga, shoes, art and prints, pezes, books, movies, jewelry, video games, knitted items, leather items, buttons, and plenty of other geeky items.  Also there will be Bunny Bombshell, Crooked Letter Creative, WV Ghostbusters, Hades Ladies of Hell’s Orchard Roller Derby, games, James Patrick, Jason Lewis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Hines, Wilson’s House of Cosplay, podcasters What’s Going On plus charities and publishing companies.

Events include table top gaming library, cosplay contests for adults and youths, cosplay panels, Super Smash Bros and Injustice 2 video game tournaments, live podcast recording, audience movie riffing, and more.

Crooked Letter Creative and the Astral Theatre Collective will be performing their new work “Carmilla” based on the horror classic by J. Sheridan LeFanu at the WVU Parkersburg theater at 8pm the same day.  The show is $15.

Admission for the con is only $5 and children ten and under get in free with an adult.

Nice little some event with several different genres covered and people to see and meet.

WV Pop Con 2017

This year’s WV Pop Con is Saturday August 26th and Sunday August 27th at Mylan Park in Morgantown.

This year’s featured guests are from Action Lab Entertainment, who are celebrating five years, Chad Cicconi (NFL Rush Zone), Bill McKay (Zombie Tramp, Vampblade), Shawn Gabborin (Fracture), Bryan Seaton (Dollface), and Dan Mendoza (Zombie Tramp).  They are offering an exclusive Danger Doll Squad variant cover at the con.

Other guests are Andrew Carter (Habitat Against Humanity),  J.R. Mounts (Scairy Tales Noir), David Newbold (Runaways), Jason Lenox (King Conan), Electro-Magnetic Press, and YouTube channel Let’s Play All The Games.

There will also be plenty of other artist and exhibitors; selling their own comics, prints, portraits, cosplay items, books, tattoo artists, geeky crafts, candles, soaps, card games, jewelry, steampunk sculptures, perler art, clothing, and more creative items.

Cosplay guests and groups for the show are 501st Legion Garrison Corellia, Rebel Legion, Amtgard, Mandalorian Mercs Black Mountain Guard, Bunny Bombshell, Morgantown Roller Vixens, Vintage Theatre Company, and the WV Ghostbusters.

Vendors will have a variety of items a the con including Funkos, figures, comics, graphic novels, table-top gaming, video games and consoles, t-shirts, collectables, plush items, leather goods, toys, cards, posters, weapons, and more.

Events for the con include Cartoon Theme Song Sing-A-Long Bingo, an anime theater, kids costume contest on Saturday and an adult one on Sunday, food vendors, Outer Rim Praxeum Lightsaber School demos, Paint Me Pokémon, and panels.  Let’s Play All The Games are running retro video game tournaments on Saturday.  Tournaments are Tecmo Super bowl, Tekken 3, and WWE Day of Reckoning 2, all are $5 to enter.  Cartridges Galore are running tournaments of Smash Brothers Melee and Goldeneye on Sunday with a $10 entry fee.  Pop-up tournaments are possible throughout the weekend plus open gaming areas for all.  For tabletop gaming there will be Pathfinder Society of WV, games of Munchkin, and Magic: The Gathering tournaments.

Tickets are $10 per day or $18 for two days if you order online.

Another fun con with lots of different people to see, even if I am not sure what they are all there for.

CharCon 2017

CharCon returns this year earlier than in the past.  Leaving its date in October it this Friday July 21st to Sunday July 23rd.  It has also moved from the Civic Center to the Clay Center in Charleston.  Still the same old CharCon though.

This year’s games will include miniatures games of Aerodrome, Kings of War tournament, Tech Commander, Battletech, Warmachine/Hordes, Sailpower; a series of social deduction games like Werewolf and Resistant; board games Agricola, Pandemic Survival, Mystic Vale tournament, live action Red Dragon Inn, a Catan National Qualifier, a bunch of Play to Win games, and more; a series of Family Games on Sunday; RPGs from Pathfinder Society, SPARKS, Star Trek Adventures, Dungeon Dragons Adventures, Call of Cthulhu, Ponyfinder, and Metal, Magic, and Lore.

Non gaming events scheduled are a Quick Draw with JR Earls, a Sci-Fi Sing Along, the Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator, a murder mystery game, a game show, Junior Ghostbuster Training, panels, attendee swap meet on Sunday, a Paint and Take, and the CharCon Raffle.  The con is trying to do a lot with cosplay this year as well.  Besides their Cosplay Contests for adults on Saturday and kids on Sunday, they will be filming a cosplay video, holding photo shoots, a cosplay panel by Bunny Bombshell, a mermaid swim, the Mandolorian Mercs and Ghostbusters will be set up, and their only announced guest is cosplayer John Clark from Galaxy Productions.

Charcon After Dark will be going are at near by bars both Friday and Saturday night.

There will be reps from Portal Games, Mr. B Games.  Vendors and exhibitors at the con will be selling all kinds of board, card, collectible, miniature games and gaming accessories, plus comics, art, dice, t-shirts, and more.

Admission for the weekend is $40, $30 for Friday or Sunday, and $25 for Saturday only passes.  Children twelve and under can get in for $20 for the weekend or $10 for a single day.  Non-gaming passes are available for $10 per day.

The con has a nice line up of gaming for all.  I say any gamers out there can find something to do.  There is also plenty for cosplayers.

First Parkersburg Pop Con

The first Parkersburg Pop Con will be held at WVU Parkersburg in Parkersburg this Saturday October 8th from 11am to 8pm.  An event to both promote pop culture, STEM, and WVU Parkersburg.

The 501st, Bunny Bombshell, Burning Bulb Publishing, Derek Croston, Dirt Candy Productions, Dueling Ogres Podcast, WV Ghostbusters, Hades Ladies Roller Derby, James Patrick, Jason Lewis, Jason Pell, J.D. Williamson, Mid-Ohio Valley Superman, Nathan Arnold, Shawn Langley, Storyteller Publishing, WV Wonder Woman, and more promoting and selling their creations.  The Gaming Club, STEM Department, and Legal Studies Department will all be set up there.  The Legal Studies will have a crime scene on display for you to puzzle over and figure out what happened.

Vendors will comics, games, collectables, video games, toys, nerdy crafts like soaps and plushies, cosplay items, anime and manga, movies, clothes, jewelry, a photo booth, and more.  Several restaurants will be set-up with food as well.

Panel on video games, cosplay, three panels on women in horror, how to get into comics, and podcasting with Dueling Ogres.  Closing Ceremonies start at 7:30pm.  The Girl Scouts will have a table teaching kids how to debug a video game and how to create their own. There will also be a Pokémon Go hike through the campus and a kid friendly room with activities and face painting.

Video competitions hosted by Game Stop will be $20 and starts at 2pm, sign-ups at the con.  They will have Super Smash Bros, Pokken, Street Fighter V, and Mario Kart 8.  Some of the stores will have table top gaming going on.  A Cosplay Contest with categories for Best Hero Male and Female, Best Villain Male and Female, Best Hero and Villain Youth, and Most Creative.  They have also promised special Snapchat filters for the con.

Cost to get in is only $5.

Another fun and cheap little con with several interesting things to see and do.

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.

Over the Border: River City Comic Con 2016

River City Comic Con will be hold their sixth show this Sunday July 24th at the Marie Antoinette Ballroom at the Quality Inn in Marietta, Ohio from 10am to 5pm.

Guests for this are area filmmakers and You Tube personalities Blind Wave, Broken Icon Comics, cosplayer Bunny Bombshell, local horror film crew Dirty Candy Productions, the Hero Initiative, comic book colorist Jason Lewis, filmmakers and podcasters Mindfooled Entertainment, James Patrick and 21 Pulp.

Other creators who will be there include Nathan Arnold and Evan Bevins, Larry Blake, Logan Carroll, Michael Easton, Terry Ervin II, Gary Gibeaut, Stephen Hines, Travis Horseman, Shawn Langley, Paul Thompson, and other comic creators, artists, and crafters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There will be plenty of vendors selling comics, graphic novels, action figures, cards, anime and manga, games, video games and systems, self-defense items, collectables, clothing, accessories, and more.

River city will have an activity room for all ages.  There will be free make-and-take crafts, props for photo ops, and caricatures with J. D. Williamson.  Their costume contest will be at 2pm with four categories: Best Child, Best Adult, Best Craftsmanship, and Most Original.  There will be a screening of Mindfooled Entertainment’s documentary Marking Out and a live episode of their podcast The Figure Fourcast, a presentation of She Was So Pretty from Dirt Candy Productions, panel with Blind Wave Productions, and a roundtable on producing a podcast from Ka-Pow: The Pop Cultured Podcast, Dueling Ogres, Imperius Rex: Confessions of a Serial Surface Invader and Source Material, from the Radulich in Broadcasting Network.  

Admission is only $5, free for kids twelve and under.  A portion of every ticket will be donated to Washington County Special Olympics.  They will be set up to take donations and teach people about their work.

A nice little con to see local creators and some fun activities.

Old School Convention 2016

Old School Convention returns for its second year, this time at the Pleasants County Middle School in Belmont on Saturday April 2nd from 10am to around 4pm.  The money from the show goes to benefit the oldest school in the West Virginia.

They will have Trapper from Destination TV’s Mountain Monsters, Jeremy Ambler from the Walking Dead, local author Joseph Burdette, professional wrestler Chance Prophet, the Black Mountain Guard of Mandalorian Mercs, and musicians Harrah and Matthew Elder.

Vendors will have comics, toy, figures, Funkos, vintage football cards, Magic cards, anime, manga, games, Transformers, vintage video games and more.  As well as artists set up to sell and do commissions.

They will have face painting, caricatures, a costume contest at 1:15pm, pictures with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna from Frozen from 11am-1pm, music performances, starting at 2pm, and a raffle with many donated items with the drawing after 3pm.  Plus there will be two different Magic: The Gathering tournaments run by Arcane Games Store.

Again, another nice little convention to hang out and buy from, all for a good cause.