Hey everyone! So this weekend is Phoenix Comicon and Therese and I are lucky enough to have gotten press passes and have a chance to cover some of the events that are going on there for all of you guys. There is a lot going on at this convention – and I mean a lot. It’s almost crazy how many panels are going on here. They’ve got forty-seven rooms dedicated to the event in at three or four different buildings downtown.
It’s hard to know what to do or where to start.
There are a few obvious, big events that you should attend, of course. The headliner is the the 20th Anniversary of Babylon 5 which gathers as many surviving members of the cast as they could – minus Bruce Boxleitner who dropped out at the last minute. Another big event is the downtown Zombie Walk on Friday night. This is the third year they’ve been doing it, I think, and it promises to be a scream.
But what else should you do? Considering how many options there are it’s almost impossible to know which panels to choose over others. This is my very first Phoenix Comicon so listening to my advice might just lead you astray.
Start with the eents going on in the North Ballroom, Room 121 ABC and Room 122 ABC. These are the “big events.” These are the highlights. These are the things you’re most likely going to want to see. If you’re an anime fan, there is basically a mini-anime convention going on during Phoenix Comicon – and it’s not too mini at that. Table top gamers will find plenty of events. And for those of you who have kids, check out all of the fantastic kid-centric events going on. They even have a youth zombie survival bootcamp panel for children under fifteen! It’s a real family event. There are even panels about law for law students like me!
Focusing pretty broadly on the event as a whole, here’s a few panels per day – most of them not inlcuded in the ‘big event’ rooms – that I think seem interesting and that I’m considering checking out myself. There are plenty of panels that you might over look and I think these ones are worth some extra attention.
FRIDAY
- Walking Dead Prison: Zombie Obstacle Course (Hyatt Regency Ballroom) @ 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Nerd Noms: A Sci-Fi Cooking Experience with Jen Hinds (Rm. 126AB) @ 10:30 AM
- Tackling Difficult Subjects in Youngn Adult Fiction (Rm. 105A) @ 10:30 AM
- In Defense of Bruce Banner (Rm. 126AB) @ 12:00 PM
- AMA with Jerry Jewell, Caitlin Glass, and Alexis Tipton (Rm. 221ABC) @ 12:00 PM [ft. my friend Caitlin!]
- J. Michael Straczynski: A Special Babylon 5 Panel (Rm. 121 ABC) @ 1:30 PM
- Microsoft Xbox Panel (Rm. 122) @ 1:30 PM
- Publishing Law Q & A (Rm. 104A) @ 1:30 PM
- Asteroid Apocalypse: Can It Really Happen? (Rm. 127C) @ 3:00 PM
- Longshots: Warriors of the Zompocalypse Survivor Orienation – Part 1 (Rm. 129B) @ 3:00 PM
- Fandom Ettiquette (Rm. 227AB) @ 3:00 PM
- DOZD Zombie Survival Bootcamp – 16 & Over (Rm. 131AB) @ 4:30 PM
- 3 Drunk Geeks (Rm. 228A) @ 5:30 PM
- Star Trek Continues (Rm. 120) @ 6:00 PM [A Star Trek TOS Fan Film ft. Vic Mignonga of Fullmetal Alchemist]
- I Ship It (Rm. 222C) @ 6:00 PM
- Nerd Poetry Slam (Rm. 132) @ 7:30 PM
- Phoenix Comicon Zombie Walk (Outside!) @ 7:45 PM
- Phoenix Comicon Puppet Slam (Rm. 122ABC) @ 9:00 PM
- Zombie Beauty Pageant (Hyatt Regency Ballroom) @ 9:00 PM
- Talk Nerdy to Me Burlesque Show (Renaissance Salon) @ 9:00 PM
SATURDAY
- Looking Glass Wars: Challenges of Storytelling Across Multiple Platforms (West 105A) @ 12:00 PM
- Writing for Today’s Young Readers (West 105A) @1:30 PM
- Tor Books Preview (West 104AB) @ 1:30 PM
- Comics in the Classroom (West 105C) @ 1:30 PM
- Writing Stong Female Protaganists (West 105A) @ 3:00 PM
- The Legality of Fan Fiction & Fan Art (Rm. 230) @ 3:00 PM
- In Defense of Booster Gold (Rm. 132ABC) @ 4:30 PM
- Arizona Avengers Target Training Course (West 101) @ 1:30 PM
- Longshots: Warriors of the Zombpocalypse Survivor ORientation Part II (Rm. 131C) @ 4:30 PM
- Babylon 5 Reunion (Rm. 120 – Simulcast in Rm. 121ABC & Rm. 123ABC) @ 5:00 PM
- The Devestator’s Geek Comedy Jamboree (Renaissance Salon) @ 8:30 PM
- Dramatic Fan Fic Readings (Rm. 222AB) @ 9:00 PM
- A Night of Stand Up Comedy (Rm. 228A) @ 9:00 PM
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Renaissance Salon) @ 11:00 PM
SUNDAY
- Comic Creator Rights (Rm. 125B) @ 10:30 AM
- Military Fiction in Science Fiction & Fantasy (Rm. 132ABC) @ 10:30 AM
- The Epic Fantasy Panel (Rm. 132ABC) @ 12:00 PM
- Keeping Urban Fantasy Alive (Rm. 105B) @ 12:00 PM
- In Defense of Hawkeye (Rm. 132ABC) @ 1:30 PM
- Writing Science Fiction for the Younger Audience (Rm. 105B) @ 1:30 PM
- Zombies in the Classroom (Rm. 105C) @ 1:30 PM
- Dystopian v. Utopian Societies (Rm. 105C) @ 3:00 PM
- All Your Voice Actors Are Belong to Us (Rm. 102A) @ 3:00 PM
- Worldbuilding in Science Fiction & Fantasy (Rm. 132ABC) @ 3:00 PM
- Differently Abled, Not Less (Rm. 230) @ 3:00 PM
- Longshots: Warriors of the Zompocalypse Survivor Orientation Part 4 (Rm. 131C) @ 4:30 PM
- Zombie Jeopardy with United Zombies of America (Rm. 129B) @ 4:30 PM
Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list. And it’s obvious that my own biases are present in this list.
Still, if you’re looking for an honest opinion on what seems interesting – this is it. These are the sort of things that I think are really cool and will be worth attending. I’m also going to see if I can’t sit in on one of the Sci-Fi Speed Dating events so I can report back on that.
English
Hey! Just came across your blog after (ashamedly) googling my panel name. Did you get a chance to check out Nerd Noms? If not (I totally understand, it was so early in the morning!) – but if you did I would love to hear how it was from an outside observer, and if you had any suggestions for us to make it better! 🙂 Thanks so much!
Jen
Unfortunately I didn’t! I heard a lot of good things about it though when I was talking with people. Sadly Friday was a late start day for us – I was super sick most of Thursday night and Friday morning.