SPRING VALLEY STUDENT WINS PRIZE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY COMIC COMPETITION 10
Total Views: 37 Photo: Kayli Ortega, of Spring Valley, pictured with her winning entry alongside her father, Gabriel Ortega, at the Financial Literacy Superhero’s Awards Ceremony at the Comic-Con Museum April 13, 2024 April 19, 2024 (San Diego) — Kayli Ortega, a resident of Spring Valley, entered this year’s third annual Financial Literacy Superheroes Competition and was honored for her entry encouraging healthy financial literacy habits. She was honored with the other winners from across San Diego County at an Awards Ceremony held at the Comic-Con Museum on Saturday April 13th. Hosted by the San Diego Council on Literacy, this annual competition invites local kids ages 4-17 to submit graphic art entries that are comic-book themed and include a financial literacy or money management message. “Getting kids excited about financial literacy can be challenging, but it’s incredibly important to an individual’s long-term success, so we developed this competition with a fun focus on mediums that families love – comics and superheroes,” said, Jose Cruz, CEO of the San Diego Council on Literacy. “Through this artistic approach, we can spark family conversations on key critical money management skills, like the importance of saving or borrowing wisely.” Kayli received an Honorable Mention in the 4-6 Year Age Group for her entry she made with her Dad, Gabriel Ortgea. The 2024 competition was sponsored by North Island Credit Union, MyPoint Credit Union, Sycuan Casino, and Kaiser-Permanente, with the Comic-Con Museum a key partner. About The San Diego Council on Literacy The San Diego Council on Literacy’s mission is to unite the community to support literacy for all, through advocacy, partnerships and resources. For more information on the San Diego Council on Literacy, visit www.literacysandiego.org Look for information on next year’s contest at the beginning of March 2025 on the Council’s website. Printer-friendly version
10 viewsSPRING VALLEY STUDENT WINS PRIZE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY COMIC COMPETITION 5
Total Views: 14 Photo: Kayli Ortega, of Spring Valley, pictured with her winning entry alongside her father, Gabriel Ortega, at the Financial Literacy Superhero’s Awards Ceremony at the Comic-Con Museum April 13, 2024 April 19, 2024 (San Diego) — Kayli Ortega, a resident of Spring Valley, entered this year’s third annual Financial Literacy Superheroes Competition and was honored for her entry encouraging healthy financial literacy habits. She was honored with the other winners from across San Diego County at an Awards Ceremony held at the Comic-Con Museum on Saturday April 13th. Hosted by the San Diego Council on Literacy, this annual competition invites local kids ages 4-17 to submit graphic art entries that are comic-book themed and include a financial literacy or money management message. “Getting kids excited about financial literacy can be challenging, but it’s incredibly important to an individual’s long-term success, so we developed this competition with a fun focus on mediums that families love – comics and superheroes,” said, Jose Cruz, CEO of the San Diego Council on Literacy. “Through this artistic approach, we can spark family conversations on key critical money management skills, like the importance of saving or borrowing wisely.” Kayli received an Honorable Mention in the 4-6 Year Age Group for her entry she made with her Dad, Gabriel Ortgea. The 2024 competition was sponsored by North Island Credit Union, MyPoint Credit Union, Sycuan Casino, and Kaiser-Permanente, with the Comic-Con Museum a key partner. About The San Diego Council on Literacy The San Diego Council on Literacy’s mission is to unite the community to support literacy for all, through advocacy, partnerships and resources. For more information on the San Diego Council on Literacy, visit www.literacysandiego.org Look for information on next year’s contest at the beginning of March 2025 on the Council’s website. Printer-friendly version
5 viewsSPRING VALLEY STUDENT WINS PRIZE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY COMIC COMPETITION 4
Total Views: 21 Photo: Kayli Ortega, of Spring Valley, pictured with her winning entry alongside her father, Gabriel Ortega, at the Financial Literacy Superhero’s Awards Ceremony at the Comic-Con Museum April 13, 2024 April 19, 2024 (San Diego) — Kayli Ortega, a resident of Spring Valley, entered this year’s third annual Financial Literacy Superheroes Competition and was honored for her entry encouraging healthy financial literacy habits. She was honored with the other winners from across San Diego County at an Awards Ceremony held at the Comic-Con Museum on Saturday April 13th. Hosted by the San Diego Council on Literacy, this annual competition invites local kids ages 4-17 to submit graphic art entries that are comic-book themed and include a financial literacy or money management message. “Getting kids excited about financial literacy can be challenging, but it’s incredibly important to an individual’s long-term success, so we developed this competition with a fun focus on mediums that families love – comics and superheroes,” said, Jose Cruz, CEO of the San Diego Council on Literacy. “Through this artistic approach, we can spark family conversations on key critical money management skills, like the importance of saving or borrowing wisely.” Kayli received an Honorable Mention in the 4-6 Year Age Group for her entry she made with her Dad, Gabriel Ortgea. The 2024 competition was sponsored by North Island Credit Union, MyPoint Credit Union, Sycuan Casino, and Kaiser-Permanente, with the Comic-Con Museum a key partner. About The San Diego Council on Literacy The San Diego Council on Literacy’s mission is to unite the community to support literacy for all, through advocacy, partnerships and resources. For more information on the San Diego Council on Literacy, visit www.literacysandiego.org Look for information on next year’s contest at the beginning of March 2025 on the Council’s website. Printer-friendly version
4 viewsCOMIC-CON 2023: KUMEYAAY TRIBE INTROS COMIC BOOK PLANS, A FORMER SAN DIEGO CHARGER APPEARS, PLUS COMICS AND COSTUMES GALORE 19
Total Views: 68 By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson Photo, left: Comic Con attendees dressed up as ghosts ready to go to the Haunted Mansion. July 27, 2023 (San Diego) — San Diego Comic-Con returned to its roots – comics – after strikes by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federal of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) brought celebrity-stacked panels and appearances to a halt. Still costumes, Gaslamp Quarter happenings, the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park, and a multitude of other activities helped keep badge holders and non-badge holders happy. While it is considered a multi-genre entertainment event, celebrities in a different genre – cartoonists and illustrators—ruled, creating artwork for children and adults on the spot while highlighting that they, the artists, were the sources for the adventure films and cartoons that became films and tv shows. Up-and-coming artists and lesser-known cartoonists also drew in crowds. Tucked into all the events were a few celebrity sightings attached to books or comics, such as Jamie Lee Curtis and her book Mother Nature, or former San Diego Charger Sherman Augustus who co-authored with Tim Cogshell and other talent – the Daughters of Django comic book. They manned a booth for Genseven Comics. Augustus, who played for both the Chargers, and Minnesota Vikings, parlayed his sports career into a Hollywood career and now has expanded into comics. But this was not his first “rodeo” at the event. “This is my fourth Comic Con,” he said. He noted that he’s come down from Los Angeles before, but attached to other projects like Dark Horse Films. Photo: Former San Diego Charger Sherman Augustus (l) and one of several collaborators, Allen Ling (r), debuted their comic book at SDCC. Augustus co-authored the collaborative comic, Daughters of Django, which he created and plotted. It’s set in 1918, during the influenza pandemic. Allen Ling, the executive producer. described the teen-rated work as a “Wild West meets, Charlie’s Angels meets Steampunk comic” adapted from an original screenplay from a graphic novel by Chris Johnson, with Allen Ling as executive producer. Kumeyaay Tribal leaders announced during a Comic-Con panel a plan to launch a comic book project based on the history of the Kumeyaay tribe. The comic books are to serve as a resource for Kumeyaay children and adults to teach them, and others, about their culture. Photo, left: Kumeyaay tribal member,courtesy of Chris Stone, Times of San Diego “Our story is not being taught,” said Stanley Rodriguez, an instructor of Kumeyaay language and board member of the Kumeyaay Community College, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. “It’s important for our people to learn because if it’s not, it’s a romanticized lie.” The goal is to complete the comic book by 2024. Max Brooks, comedy filmmaker Mel Brooks and actress Anne Bancroft’s son, was on hand for a book signing such as his book the Harlem Hellfighters. (photo, left) The late Stan Lee, one of the original comic book creators, such as Spider Man, Iron Man, and more, was honored with a show at the Comic Con Museum in Balboa Park. San Diego Comic Con attendees from years gone by will remember meeting and speaking to Stan Lee in previous appearances at many of his multiple in person showings. Corey Feldman, who has a long resume in TV and film ,signed The Lost Boys posters and more products, posed for selfies with attendees all part of Funko Pops 7BAP Signature Series’ Pop. (photo, right) Costumes and cosplay added, as usual, much to the event. From attendees who just wanted to dress up like it was Halloween or wear home-made costumes, to elaborate cosplay themed groups – the floor and hallways of the San Diego Convention Center provided visual fun throughout the four-day event. Cosplay, with Barbie outfits to superheroes, was immensely popular this year with non-actors and some actors; SAG-AFTRA got the clearance for some actors to appear in costume, according to national executive director of the actor’s union Duncan Crabtree-Ireland as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Some wore ribbons attached to their badges noting support for SAG-AFTRA and WGA. Hall H had events such as showings of cross-over episodes between the animated, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to name one. Hall H also saw interviews and previews with the likes of celebrated cartoon creator Robert Kirkman. Comic-Con has been around for 53 years, but the attendance was not always close to 135,000. It began with comic book enthusiasts, such as El Cajon City Council member Gary Kendrick and others, pulling together at various stages and growing the event into what it is now–even surviving a pandemic. Kendrick’s comic book collection in his youth turned into a business of selling comics, which paid for his college education and several houses.This year, Kendrick attended Comic-Con with his son, Daniel, now a senior vice president Printer-friendly version
19 viewsCOMIC-CON FAR MORE THAN COSTUMES AND BIG HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS 3.2K
Total Views: 45 By Nadin Abbott Photos by Tom and Nadin Abbott July 23, 2013 (San Diego) – There is more to Comic-Con than Game of Thrones or cool costumes. Yes, there are plenty of incredible costumes. We promise to show you that aspect of the Convention later in the article with the Steam Punk reunion that happened on Saturday. That said, Comic-Con also has a strong educational aspect to it. You may sit with Maxwell Alexander Drake, author of the Genesis of Oblivion Saga, winner of the Moonbean Fantasy Award Winner for Excellence in Literature. This year he taught in depth how-to writing panels. Then there is Meryl Jaffe, PhD of the Center for Talented Youth at John Hopkins University, who uses graphic novels in education. First we will cover Meryl Jafffe’s comments on comics during a forum run by the Comic Legal Defense Fund. The forum started with the history of comics and kids. She admitted to the forum that, “I was one of those parents who said to my kids, ‘Don’t think you are taking those books out of the library.’” She added that when she was growing up, the popular comics were Archie and a few detectives, but those books were “not what I wanted my kids to read.” She added that her children ran an intervention on her and proved to her that these books had value to them, educational value. Her children sat down with her and said, “If you are interested in literacy, you must look at graphic novels,” she recalled. Jaffe told them to prove it. They did. These days Jaffe emphasizes that these graphic novels can be used to teach Core Curriculum starting as early as grade school. As ECM covered during the convention, March, which recounts the life of Congressman John Lewis, can effectively be used to teach the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Now on to Drake and his contribution to the show. Drake started the how-to panels. These are instructional panels intended to teach prospective writers how to write. How did he get into this at Comic-Con? As Drake told ECM, it was “the right time, right place, trying to meet the right people.” These programs are relatively new. “The first time I talked at Comic-Con was three years ago, and I wasn’t coming that year,” he recalled. Following a last minute cancellation, Maxwell had to plan a trip to Comic-Con three weeks before the convention. He stayed at a hotel at Tijuana. For the next year he was invited almost after the convention was over, almost a full year in advance. “The how-to sessions are more in-depth in specifics. For example the ‘anatomy of a fight scene’ today, I went into the tricks that I use, the tools that I use,” he noted. You can find more about his novels at http://www.GenesisOfOblivion.com. Visit his site at http://www.maxwellalexanderdrake.com. We also had a chance to talk the very creative experts who have created incredible costumes, among them Grady Keeton from East County. ECM asked Keeton, who is an engineer by trade, what is Steampunk? He described it as “Victorian Era science fiction, where things developed a little differently than they did” in our timeline. Some elements include the development of ray guns, or lasers in the 19th century. There is also time travel. Keeton was wearing a field jacket in the British style, made famous by movies, and carried a Pith helmet. As far as costume and character creation, he said that this allows for a lot of variation. “You might see a Victorian dress with something that looks far more modern.” He added, “You could see the work of Jules Verne as one of the earliest representations of the genre.” It is very elaborate, and in his hobby group, members hail from all over the county. We also had a chance to speak with Jimmy Diggs, who is best known for his work in Star Trek. Diggs is currently developing a series. Diggs told ECM that he was attracted to Steampunk because “I love good science fiction. Science fiction that fires up the imagination.” Diggs added that this genre “is very collaborative.” This is not studio based, but rather fan based. This is also the future, and it is as if George Lucas started Star Wars after fans created Wookies, Storm Troopers, and the rest of it, he suggested. He said about fans of the genre, “The people who are involved in Steampunk are highly imaginative, creative people.” Diggs also raised another important aspect to the genre. “Fifty percent of the fan base for Steampunk is female; it is the most female driven genre of science fiction out there. And I love that!” The project itself is going to be on Kickstarter, and the motto is ”The Future Is in Your Hands.” They will literally let fans decide how episode ends, and how plot arcs will develop. The reason for this is that the universe created by Diggs subscribes to the multiverse theory of quantum mechanics. This means that every decision you make will affect the time line. In this universe, H.G Wells wrote novels to warn of the future. The first was War of the Worlds, later made famous by Orson Welles’ radio broadcast on October 30, 1938 that panicked audiences mistook for an actual news broadcast. In this universe he also co-invented all his technology with Nikola Tesla. Time travel and parallel universes are real, fans believe. The novels are a place where Wells hides the clues of many futures, and the Martians will come back. In the series, actual historical figures will be part of it. For example two episodes will feature Sigmund Freud. Another will feature Mark Twain. The series is called “The Crypto Historians.” Printer-friendly version
3.2K viewsMAYOR CALLS FOR CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION 2.6K
Total Views: 48 July 19, 2013 (San Diego) – Yesterday, during opening day at Comic-Con, Mayor Bob Filner announced support for expanding the San Diego Convention Center. “I am dedicated to keeping Comic-Con here in San Diego. That dedication includes my support for expanding the San Diego Convention Center. I am pleased to announce that I have been working closely with the Center’s Board of Directors and San Diego business leaders to develop a solid plan for the expansion effort,” he said. “I support what the Board has in mind and will be working with City staff at all levels to ensure we do everything necessary to get the project underway and completed in a timely fashion.” The Mayor added, that for the past 43 years, Comic-Con International and its predecessors have “shown the world how innovation and good ideas can become powerful economic engines. Our City has been host and incubator to the entrepreneurs and visionaries who elevated the popular graphic arts to the heights of common culture. San Diego has benefitted in countless ways from this extraordinary event and I am honored to welcome the organizers, attendees and local beneficiaries of Comic-Con to our great City.” Expanding the Convention Center is important for the entire City, the Mayor emphasized. “Whether you attend Comic-Con or merely revel in the spectacle it brings to downtown, there is no mistaking the benefits it brings to local businesses. An expanded Convention Center can help us extend those benefits by attracting more and larger conventions like Comic-Con to our City. It will certainly give us the space we need to continue serving Comic-Con and its visitors for years to come.” Printer-friendly version
2.6K viewsFEMALE ARTISTS FIND THEIR POWERS AT COMIC-CON 6.7K
Total Views: 29 By Nadin Abbott Photos by Tom Abbott July 15, 2012 (San Diego) — Women are involved in many aspects of the comics industry. At Comic-Con, ECM interviewed two women, Anina Bennet and Susie Cagle, who have left some power-packed marks in their own industry niches. Bennett is the author, with her husband Paul Guinan, of Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel, and Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention. http://bigredhair.com Cagle, a former journalist, has worked as a freelance cartoonist and reported on Occupy Oakland in the visual form. http://www.thisiswhatconcernsme.com/about-susie/ They could not be any more different in some ways if they tried. But both are involved in trying to educate while being entertaining. Bennet was fascinated by history from early on. Since Boilerplate involves actual historical events, such as the Pullman strike, it is a mix of actual history with fiction. Because of this, her book has been used in “literature and critical thinking classes,” and it helps the reader to be entertained, while learning new things. The other book she has worked on is Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention, set in the late 19th century. This is where we talked about censorship in comics, which has ebbed and flowed over the years. Frank Reade is actually based on the Frank Reade dime novels, and here she faced a little pushback from her editor, who was afraid that the use of a racially tinged term, which while used in the correct historical context, could lead to a bad reaction. Thankfully, her readers got it. The other area where she faced pushback from her editor was in Boilerplate over the Pullman strike. She made more than clear that Mr. Pullman was not precisely nice to his employees. The Pullman strike began on May 11, 1894 and is considered a critical event in the history of organized labor. It began in Chicago but affected the whole country. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1029.html In the end the book went to print with little to no negative reaction. Her editor was also concerned over the use of child labor photos. In the end, the editor agreed to run them, and the author never faced directly any censorship. Bennet is excited that while Comic-Con has fans chasing the collective plastic exclusive figure (Yes the lines for some of those were insane), people also are “buying these covers,” which definitely have a more intellectual bent to them. When ECM sat down to talk to Cagle, we asked about the differences between Occupy San Diego and Occupy Oakland. According to her, Occupy Oakland came from the “very political history” which they share with Berkeley. Occupy Oakland came from the deep history that includes the Black Panthers, with a lot of its members having ties to it. From the beginning, Occupy Oakland “gathered a very radical community,” she said. They made it clear from the beginning that they were “in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street” but not part of it. It was also, from the beginning anti-police and anti-capitalist. None of this should have come as a surprise, since Oakland is a “very left field progressive.” She also mentioned that the movement has suffered serious internal strife. Those who came in on day one, were gone by November. In fact, the majority who participated in the port shut down, were driven away by a minority that had their own interests and goals. There were 30,000 to 40,000 people during the port shut down, but now most of them are no longer participants, and there have been some counter protests. Cagle also mentioned another important aspect. “People are scared, but they perceive themselves as brave.” They do not want to admit to their fears, even if they are very reasonable, because to admit to fear would mean believing that police are winning. http://www.cartoonistsrights.org/upload/SusieCagleToonOccupyOakland.jpg What was her role during the Occupy Oakland? She was freelancing. Her job was to draw, and at times a pad is easier to approach than even a camera. She also started drawing after she was fired as a journalist in 2009, with the mass firings the media saw. Cartooning, it seems, runs in the blood. Her father is Daryl Cagle, and you can find his work at MSNBC. http://cartoonblog.msnbc.msn.com/ Printer-friendly version
6.7K viewsLABOR ASKS COMIC-CON ATTENDEES TO THANK WORKERS 4.1K
Total Views: 29 By Nadin Abbott Photos by Tom Abbott July 13, 2012 (San Diego)– Local labor leaders organized a thank a superhero worker event for Comic-Con International. Sandy Naranjo and Ben Cisneros of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council came to the front of the convention to ask attendees to celebrate labor, as well as pop culture. Workers were excited to receive appreciation for their labors–and for people to be reminded that it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to make an event like Comic-Con International run smoothly. These workers ranged from the janitorial staff at the convention to the waiters and waitresses at restaurants, as well as hotel workers. They included police officers that guard crossings, transit security that make sure things run smoothly, and train drivers. Also included were Pedi-cab drivers as well as taxi drivers, people you might not think about. It takes an army of workers to ensure that an army of attendees has fun. Attendees also thanked the workers warmly and received the message: that all workers, “union and non union count.” After all, as Naranjo put it, “work connects us all.” This campaign also came with a social media blitz, to thank workers. So if you are on Twitter, #thankaworker today. The Labor council is also aware that Comic-Con is one of the largest events in San Diego, and the country, this week. The event had political overtones in an era when workers have often been under attack with calls for shrinking wages and pensions. Those people who make sure the Con runs are super-heroes, “who deserve a living wage, not to be pushed to minimum wage,” labor leaders maintained. Printer-friendly version
4.1K viewsGAME3R-CON OFFERS MORE TO COMIC-CON ATTENDEES 2.1K
Total Views: 31 By Nadin Abbott Photos by Tom Abbott and Nadin Abbott July 13, 2012 (San Diego)–If you are going to attend Comic-Con this year, you should know there are many side events outside the Convention Center. One of them is Gam3r-Con, located on the 10th Ave Theater, which is on 930th, Ten Avenue. So what is different or interesting about this small Con running concurrently with Comic-Con? Live theater. When we attended for this review we were treated to Gamers: The Play, co-written by Brian Bielawski and Walter G. Meyer, an ECM book reviewer. So what is this one man show about? Imagine being a worker, at an IT support center, and at the same time organizing the largest raid of one realm on another in an internet Multi Player Game. Oh and you could not get the day off? The play, which is funny from the moment it starts, is full of pop culture and gaming references. Some of them are more obvious than others. Examples include Con badges and bottles of Mountain Dew. The former are decoration of the cubicle, the latter are… well integral to the plot. (And if you know gamers, you know Mountain Dew or other refreshing, caffeine laden, sometimes sugary, sodas.) It is a funny look at gamer culture, where the game takes over the life of players. If you are a gamer, the jokes will make you laugh. If you are not, it’s a good in-look at this sub-culture. What else is the Con about? Gaming–both electronic and table top. Coleman University is sponsoring the Computer gaming room, with many a station where players can try commercial games, such as Tom Clancy’s “Ghost Recon,” or student projects, or both. They also have a room dedicated to old systems, such as the Sega 64 and the Atari. This is the “retrograde game room.” According to Meyer, not just a co-writer of the play, but one of the founders and organizers, this room is popular with fathers and sons. Here they can both play what dad used to play when growing up. “Young kids are now enjoying the games of their parents.” Then there is the tabletop room, where people can bring their own games, or use whatever the convention brought to have a good time. This year they are being sponsored by USAopoly, who is putting out specialized monopoly games, such as HALO, and other video game ties. This year they are also launching “Telestrations” a new version of broken telephone and charades using texting. The Con also includes an art gallery where all the art has ties to the pop culture. Paintings include themes familiar to gamers, and they have mats where you can go look. It will take hours to find all the pop culture references in them, they range from Donkey Kong to The Simpsons. The Con is growing and last year it first got sponsors. According to Meyer, in the first year, “nobody could believe they could do this.” Now it is in third year and growing. It is also “filling a gap that Comic-Con does not.” He also said that Comic-Con is glad that these side events exist, not because they are competition, but because they get people off the Convention center for a few hours. Tomorrow they are going to have a concert on the rooftop, where they hold events every evening, last night it was a comedy show. Tomorrow’s concert will benefit the “Get well Games Foundation.” This foundation helps to get kids who are in the hospital video game systems, so they can pass the time, especially kids who are in the hospital long term. So if you are into Filk Music, come by. The musicians tomorrow will be Evan Brooks, Allison Landsdale and Mark Kramer. If you did not get tickets for Comic-Con but still want to enjoy some of the atmosphere. Or you got tickets to Comic-Con, but need a breather from the thousands of people, check out Gam3r-Con. Printer-friendly version
2.1K viewsGAM3RCON RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO WITH FEATURES NEW AND OLD 4.9K
Total Views: 42 July 4, 2012 (San Diego) — Gam3rCon, the first local event dedicated to celebrating the world of video games and interactive entertainment, returns July 11-15 with even more to offer than it had in its first two years. In addition to the video gaming lounge, with tournament play of the most popular games; the Retrocade featuring old-school Atari, Sega, and other early systems; and the table-top gaming lounge; there will also be rooftop parties and live theater. The event runs concurrent with Comic-Con International offering an additional venue for geek fun for those who couldn’t get tickets to Comic-Con, or just want to focus on gaming. “We like to bring geeks to art and art to geeks,” proclaimed Gam3rCon co-founder, Brian Bielawski. “We are bringing back performances of the hilarious one-man show, GAM3RS, and this year we’re adding performances of Spiderbaby, the musical, starring Eliza Jane Schneider, who provides most of the female voices for the TV show South Park; and a performance of the one-woman show, I Wish My Life Were an RPG. And we are expanding into the fine arts with an exhibition of curated by the local collective 8-Bit Cubist.” “The rooftop is an awesome place for concerts and parties,” said Gam3rCon co-chair, Walter G. Meyer, lso a book reviewer for East County Magazine. “The Friday of Gam3rCon, we will be hosting screenings and a meet and greet with the creators and stars of the hit web series, Video Game High School. Last Year, one of the stars, Jimmy Wong, played a rooftop concert for us. This year he is coming back to promote VGHS along with his brother, popular YouTube star Freddie Wong who created the web series.” Joining them will be Freddie’s co-writers and producers, Matthew Arnold and Brandon Laatsch. Meyer added, “Last year’s filk (geek folk music) concert was so much fun and raised so much money for a great cause—Get Well Gamers—that we asked the same great line-up of musicians to return.” Eben Brooks, Allison Lonsdale, and former member of the Canton Mudders, Mark Kramer, with his new band the FIZGIGS, will be entertaining. Cash donations will be accepted at the door to provide gaming systems to hospitalized children. Gam3rCon features four floors of gaming entertainment, including the Coleman University Video Game Arena and the USAopoly Tabletop Gaming Lounge, as well as panels featuring gaming industry professionals sharing their knowledge. Horrible Imaginings will once again host a movie screening for the geek audience. Last year’s Gam3rCon drew over 2000 attendees. Open from noon to midnight, at the 10th Avenue Theatre, 930 10th Avenue, San Diego. Gam3rCon is an all-ages event celebrating the earliest traditions of dice and cards to the latest innovations in digital gaming experiences. One day passes are $10 and week-long passes are $30 (available online). For more information, please visit www.Gam3rCon.com. Printer-friendly version
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