SWCO 2017: Star Wars Celebration Orlando REVIEW

Star Wars Celebration Orlando

April 13-16, 2017

Orange County Convention Center - Orlando, Florida

April 22, 2017
by Marvee J. Ona, Jean Vallesteros

Star Wars Celebration was held in the Orange County Convention Center in the heart of Orlando, Florida. It was a huge event for the Disney franchise, that brought together fans from all over the world to take part in events all centered around Star Wars. Plenty of news and announcements were made during the convention leaving much excitement for the future of the franchise to linger long after the convention floor is cleaned up and emptied.

SWCO offered some very big panels that had many of the attendees and fans all over talking since it was being streamed live worldwide courtesy of their sponsorship with Verizon. To kick off the festivities was the 40th Anniversary Star Wars panel which had plenty of surprise guests. 

Amongst those were George Lucas, Warwick Davis, and even some first-time appearances from Harrison Ford and Hayden Christiansen. All with other cast members from the films, they relived some of their experiences and thanked the fans for their love and support of the past four decades. The panel ended with a tribute to Carrie Fisher and special orchestra lead by John Williams at the helm. The hype of the Star Wars franchise continues as ‘The Last Jedi’ reunited some of the cast for the eighth chapter of the storyline. Fans were treated to a new teaser trailer and new teaser poster for the movie set to be released in December.

To round off the weekend festivities, "Star Wars: Rebels" announced the next season will be its final season and the trailer teases that it has to come to end. Along with that, ‘Battlefront 2’ was officially announced with some fantastic game footage and the news that a campaign mode will be made available, which many fans have been longing for. These were some of the biggest things to come out of the Convention, but there was still product announcements of upcoming toys and collectibles including exclusives for San Diego Comic Con.

The Exhibit hall was filled with everything a Star Wars fan could want. The center piece of the showroom floor was the Starwars.com stage which was live broadcasting on the internet all four days of the convention. Hosted by Lucasfilm hosts from their web series, they had interviews from many of the celebrities that appeared for panels and plenty of giveaways to keep the attendees entertained all weekend long. A wide variety of exhibitors were on hand like Funko, Hasbro, Gentle Giant, Nissan, and even Disney was present with their own exclusives available. Along with that, fans got their chances for autographs and pictures with some of the biggest Star Wars Celebrities from all eras of the films.

Overall, the four day Celebration was fantastic. There were a couple hiccups when it came to crowd control, but Reed Pop acknowledged their mistake and apologized to the fans. More Entrances were mad available enabling more attendees to freely flow in and line up where they wanted to be. No official announcement was made as to where and when the next celebration will be, but that hasn’t stopped the fans wanting and yearning for more.

Visit www.starwarscelebration.com for the latest news and announcements regarding Star Wars Celebration.


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Long Beach Comic Expo 2017 Review

Long Beach Comic Expo 2017

February 18th - 19th

Long Beach Convention Center

February 27, 2017
by Alex Vargas, Jean Vallesteros
Photos by jamesvallesteros.com

Long Beach Comic Expo is the little sister convention to the larger Long Beach Comic Con, but every year it seems to get bigger and bigger. It took place February 18th and 19th at the Long Beach Convention Center. This is a convention that we’ve been to the past few years and every year we’ve enjoyed it. It’s not the largest convention in the area, but there is always something to do and the floor is packed full of nerdy goodies. When we arrived Saturday morning, we were surprised to see how many other conventions were going on in the same location. The parking attendants directed us and a number of attendees to the wrong side of the convention center. 

Customers: Dapper Fett and Mrs Dapper Fett

About 10 minutes later, there was an attendant swap out and we were shown to the correct convention center entrance. The threat of rain loomed over us for the majority of Saturday, but this did not keep away the collection of movie cars out front. Southern California is known as the movie-making capital of the world, and it is nice to see props like these (even fan made props) from popular movies out for all to enjoy. Usually this is something you only see at theme parks like Universal Studios. Upon entering the convention center, you are greeted with music and employees directing you to the various ticket windows. One of my favorite things was the location of the weapons check table- it was the first table guests passed by. It can be a pain looking for the weapons check at larger conventions. Here, it was easy to find and they were quick. The convention floor was organized by artist alley, cosplayers and vendors. Aisles were wide and easy to walk through in costume, which as a cosplayer, I am thankful for. Food offerings were plentiful and easy to find. LBCE brought back the laser tag, something guests can interact with rather than just look at.

Costumer: Dapper Fett

Cosplayer: German

For the second year, the convention worked with the Girl Scouts of America. My wife, having been a part of the girl scouts when she was a child, wished that events like this had existed during her time. The children and parents were excited to see all the costumes and had a great time with the workshops. We sat in on the Kids Can Cosplay panel and it was nice to see the girls asking questions at the end. They were genuinely interested in costumes and how they were made. After the panel, the girl scouts were invited to craft their own super hero costumes using supplies provided to them. There were no weird looks between parents, children and cosplayers. Everyone was welcoming and made sure that their time at LBCE was fun. To top it all off, the Girl Scouts was given a booth and sold Girl Scout cookies! Their booth was always busy and my friends and I definitely helped with their sales. We walked away with a good 9 boxes of cookies. Sometimes you just want something to nibble on at a convention, and these cookies hit the spot!

 

Kids Can Cosplay Panel

From Left to Right

Lil Cup Cake Pony, Jay of KCC also Moderator, MiniBobaFett and Axel.

Overall, we had a good time at LBCE. There was some confusion in the morning but that was mainly due to the number of events in one place. Parking was cheap and the convention was busy. We’re looking forward to LBCC in September.

Cosplayer: Americo 

Cosplayer: LostWeasleyChil

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Stan Lee's Comikaze Review

Book Nerd Events

October 31 - November 02, 2014

by Talya 

Oh look, Batman! Queen Elsa. Superman! Queen Elsa. Captain Zapp Branagan and Leela! Queen Elsa. Big Daddy! Queen Elsa. EHMAHGURD, Star Lord! Queen Elsa. It was pretty clear who was the fan favorite of Stan Lee’s Comikaze 2014. Frozen made a heavy appearance, followed by the usual Deadpool Corps army, Wonder Womans, and even a few Transformers. But are costumes the sole reason why people go to these comic conventions?!

Well, judging by the crowd that gathered in the middle of the hall during the cosplay contest, the largest draw for the convention were the costumes that were made. Comikaze was the placed for costume and prop makers to make an appearance and promote their businesses/art. And with any Saturday or three day pass purchase, con-goers were offered the chance to attend an after-party at Club Nokia sponsored by Club Cosplay. All that being said, costuming was well-represented at Comikaze.

Besides that, 1990’s nostalgia also made a huge appearance at the con. From the Gargoyles costume group, to the reuniting of the cast from MAD TV, nostalgia made every 90’s fanboy and fangirl think back to their childhoods. Vintage Star Wars and Star Trek ships were well represented, along with many golden and silver age comics.

The con was well-run with caped volunteers holding up signs ready to answer any questions, to greeters at doors ensuring that only those that paid were allowed to the vendor hall. This years’ celebrity presence seemed smaller than last year, and it was a bit sad not to walk side-by-side with MMA superstar Rampage Jackson like I did last year. Well, here’s to hoping that future Comikazes offers more free opportunities to meet up with favorite celebrities!

The major drawback I found was in the food selection. The Los Angeles Convention Center is located in an area with very few restaurant choices. Luckily, the convention had about 6 food trucks outside. However, if it weren’t for the hour wait for our quesadillas, I would have said the food selection was a smashing success! Well, not really. The on-site cafeterias served overpriced mediocre food at best, and the food trucks were clearly not prepared to deal with the large nerd crowd. I can only hope that Comikaze improves the situation, so that fans aren’t spending most of their time in the line ride, and more listening to panels or walking the vendor floor.

Overall, the convention was like every other. Lots of caped crusaders. Lots of vendors offering both new and vintage wares. A great selection of artists that you can get up close and interact with. But be warned, most of them can be very shy. Approach with caution and maybe you may get a smile or two out of them! I will definitely consider going back in 2015, but I will make sure to bring an energy bar or two. That hour long wait for a burger had better be worth it!!!

Nerd Review by Talya!

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SacAnime Summer 2014 Review - A First Timer's Account

September 29, 2014
By Carol Chao

After finally attending my first Anime themed convention, all I could find myself thinking throughout is "Wow, this is great!". Following years of frequenting comic book, horror, sci-fi and other pop culture based conventions, the one thing missing from my list of experiences was a full blown Anime event. From countless amounts of creative high-quality costuming efforts to vendors offering unique one of a kind products that one wouldn't be able to find elsewhere, I often times found myself contemplating a shift in nerd perspective. While sifting through the Artist Alley I was witness to an array of wonderfully talented creators from varying Asian-influenced art backgrounds. I didn't expect to see so many other different styles (considering it is a predominantly Anime occasion), there were some more recognizable Western style work that generally would occupy American Comic conventions. The talent was top notch regardless of the focus and I must say these Anime/Manga artists were really growing on me and I became an instant fan. 

Usually (I admit), not being the largest fan of the genre, my interest was peaked after various conversations with some awesome costumed convention-goers. Much time was spent loitering the outer halls watching people bring their originally fictional characters to life. I saw epic duels, cute posing, skillful wizardry and downright great acting from people faithful to their characters. As an admirer from afar, I used to think that I was somewhat in-tune to the rich, diverse culture, but nearly every time I had inquired as to what character a certain individual was, I was met by titles of series that I have never before heard of. It was at that point that I decided to make a list and now plan on sitting down and learning about what I have missed out on. It is for this very reason I can honestly say that I would recommend to anyone who may be die hard fans or even just casual nerds who want to meet interesting and interested individuals and to check out something new, venture out to Sacramento California's SacAnime events, but come prepared with a cameras fully charged because you just never know what kind of awesome memories you will want to share with anyone who isn't cool enough to know about these types of events!

convention, long beach, comic con, comic expo, cosplay, comics

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SacAnime Summer 2014 Review - Fun with MiniBobaFett

September 29, 2014
by James Vallesteros

SacAnime has been a staple of all things anime and manga in California's capitol since its inauguration in 2004. With its humble beginnings in the much smaller Sunrise Mall then to the Scottish Rite Center, what began as an extension of the quarterly Sac-Con, SacAnime has grown to over 10,000 attendees showing up each year to the Sacramento Convention Center. The semi-annual three day anime convention continues to grow with popularity and as the numbers of attendees and guests are increasing each year.

The Summer 2014 SacAnime featured guests from video games, television, movies, and comics. Voice actors Dave Fennoy and Liam O'Brien headlined the World of Warcraft panel as the voice of Lara Croft, Camilla Luddington and Assassin's Creed's Altair, Cas Anvar, also drawing in fans for a one-of-kind experience. The stand out star for this year was Mark Sheppard who portrays Crowley in the hit television series, Supernatural.

The one thing that anime convention never lacks is the amount of collectible items. There were plenty of vendors offering up goodies that are not so easy to come by. Exclusives that are straight from Japan were showcased on the convention floor. The artist alley provided a wide variety of unique art. Many artists also provided commissioned art that fulfilled any fan's wish.

Many like to point out that Anime Conventions are usually "Line Cons" meaning a hefty amount of your day is spent waiting in line. However, SacAnime did not feel like this at any way. The flow of traffic on the showfloor was constantly moving and getting in and out of panels were excellently directed by the friendly floor staff to ensure that all attendees were taken care of.

The Cosplay scene at any Anime Convention is a sight to behold. SacAnime did not fall short on this category as many fans brought their creativity and talent to show their passion and love for the character they are cosplaying. A lot of these cosplayers spend many hours constructing their costumes to bring their fandom to life. It is always a pleasure to have a constant conversation with a stranger just because they are cosplaying one of your favorite characters. The cosplay community were very respectful and very fun at the same time.

SacAnime is a premiere event that is held twice a year. The fun and excitement will happen again on January 2-4, 2015. If you enjoy Anime, Manga, or Pop-culture in general, SacAnime is the event that will provide lasting memories for the whole family.

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