#fgnmag

[fangirlnationmag]

Newbury & Hobbes Enters the Comic Book Scene

In September the comic giant Titan Comics will release a new Steampunk themed comic series with a flare of the supernatural and a twinge of Sherlock Holmes. Newbury & Hobbes focuses on special agents Sir Maurice Newbury and Miss Victoria Hobbes as they explore Victorian England attempting to solve preternatural occurrences and bizarre crimes. Written by George Mann, this new series is sure to please the Sci-Fi crowd.

Newbury & Hobbes

Newbury & Hobbes

Newbury & Hobbes

“I’m delighted to be bringing Newbury & Hobbes to comics, and even more excited to be working with the excellent Dan Boultwood and the team at Titan Comics, who have worked wonders in bringing their world and its people to life…” – George Mann

With art by Dan Boultwood, his series will be out just in time for the 10th anniversary of the Newbury & Hobbes novels. Here is a trailer about the new comics series due to hit the shelves in early September…

I, for one, am quite excited to see a Steampunk series hit the shelves. After finishing the Netflix series “A Penny Dreadful” I have found my craving for Steampunk-eque content unfulfilled. Perhaps Newbury & Hobbes will be the series the fills this void. For more information and updates on this series please visit: https://georgemann.wordpress.com/newbury-hobbes/

Titan Comics: Newbury and Hobbes Newbury & Hobbes Enters the Comic Book Scene In September the comic giant Titan Comics will release a new Steampunk themed comic series with a flare of the supernatural and a twinge of Sherlock Holmes.

[fangirlnationmag]

Convention Tips: Avoiding Con Burn Out

Convention Tips: Avoiding Con Burn Out

Hello Fan Girls! It’s your cosplay savant here. I have, in the past 4 years, attended nearly 50 conventions, expos and comic/pop-culture themed events. In that time I have had the opportunity to connect with celebrities, artists, authors, costumers, cosplayers and all manner of geek/nerd. Despite these incredible connections and experiences I found myself feeling run down, lethargic and…

View On WordPress

[fangirlnationmag]

Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic-con was held in Los Angeles, CA this past weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I attended all three days of this event and was so smitten with it that this may become a regular on my yearly convention circuit. Here is the break down of my experience and a bit of why YOU should attend next year.

Friday

After opening ceremonies the convention was available to the public at 1 PM. I arrived with my counter part (the other half of ThermoCosplay, who assisted me that weekend with video/photography) around 1:30 following a half mile walk from our parking spot. NOTE: Parking in L.A. is either very expensive (close proximity to the convention) or a very long walk (farther from the convention). We opted to reserve our parking last month using a ParkWhiz app which saved us about $15 every day. If you have never visited L.A. then parking close may be your best bet. Thankfully, I had two very good guides helping me around the city.

Once inside the convention center on Friday I was surprised by the lack of attendees. It seems that Friday for this event is more like a preview night that a full event day. Despite low attendance, the people I interacted with were AMAZING! Here is a shot of Lina and I chatting with some fellow con goers as we entered the convention proper…

Friday was Twi’lek day. Being a Twi’lek at a convention does two things: draws a crowd and generates great discussion/conversation. We were able to become more familiar with the regulars at this event because of our Star Wars outfits and it better prepared us for the mass increase in people on Saturday.

Darth Samurai and Twi’lek

Twi’leks with Amidala

Twi’lek’s on Camera

Saturday

When I say MASS increase in attendance on Saturday I mean HUGE increase. We arrived at 10:30 AM (the convention opened at 10 AM) and the halls were already filled with curious onlookers, excited fans, fantastic cosplayers and incredible guests. It was so overwhelming that we had to take a set of stairs up to the second floor to get our bearings. That is one thing I need to compliment this event on. They have spaces where people can “step away” and get some quiet. There were little alcoves inside and outside that were meant for a break. There is also an abundance of food, seating and snack vendors available throughout the day. Bonus points for proper organization and anticipation of attendees L.A. Comic-con.

Venue aside, I spent the day watching a panels presented by Over 30 Cosplay, the remaining main cast member of Quantum Leap and a very obscure view of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s head from the Main Stage as he spoke about Jumanji (and made a joke about his possible presidency). The Main Stage was a popular spot throughout the convention. They even hosted the costume contest there on Saturday (which was SO MUCH FUN to watch). Overall…Saturday was magnificent.

Chain Saw Masacre Cosplayer

Rule 63 Sailor Moon

MLP Cosplayer

Sunday

As the last day of con I decided to stay dressed down so I could capture images of Stan Lee’s panel in the morning and more video for all of you to enjoy. Unfortunately, I only spent a couple hours wandering the vendor hall on Sunday but I managed to snag a great hoodie from Akumu Ink Clothing before taking the long drive home to AZ.

Here are some things I would like to note about this event…

The Cosplay is GLORIOUS. Cosplayers tend to hang out in the atrium near the entrance.

The panel schedule is a bit tricky to figure out BUT panels are posted at each panel room.

The guest are AWESOME and the Main Stage helps you see them better by projecting them full screen.

The venue is LARGE and requires several hours of exploration. Since this event has short hours I recommend AT LEAST a two day pass.

The weather is gorgeous.

Uber/Lyft is EVERYWHERE so don’t be afraid to commute or use them to get to your parking spot.

Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic-con 2018 is scheduled to run October 26th-28th. If you follow them on FACEBOOK you will be able to track when tickets go on sale next year. I HIGHLY recommend this convention. Whether you are new to cons or a veteran, this caters to all levels and many geeky interests. OH! I almost forgot! Here is our summary video of the event (if you want to see the costume contest footage view our SATURDAY video):

For more photos of this event please check out THIS GALLERY.

For more videos from this event please visit our YOUTUBE CHANNEL. FanGirl on!

Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic-con 2017 – The Overview Stan Lee's Los Angeles Comic-con was held in Los Angeles, CA this past weekend at the…

[fangirlnationmag]

Phoenix Comicon 2017 (#PHXCC2017) was definitely different than other years. For starters, attendance on Thursday remained at its escalated level (last year attendance was easily double on Thursday than previous years) so I found there were more people to interact with as early as 11 AM than in years prior. This was both a good and bad thing. The good being that more people attended the noon panel I hosted with Amber Brite and the bad being that security did not seem prepared for the level of enthusiasm which may have led to them missing the armed assailant who was plotting to murder Jason David Frank (aka the Green Power Ranger).

Thankfully, a good Samaritan brought the plot to the authorities’ attention and violence was avoided. Unfortunately, the presence of such an individual spun into action a plan for banning all props and prop weapons from the convention for the remainder of the event. You can still read the details on Phoenix Comicon’s Updated Prop/Weapon Policies HERE. This change caused a ripple effect in programming with numerous costume and crafting panel cancellations. This, unfortunately, did impact attendance of remaining costuming panels as rumors of their cancellation led to assumptions that none were being hosted from Friday forward. Despite these changes, the remaining four costuming panels that I participated in were successful and the convention moved forward.

Here is a quick summary video of our time at Phoenix Comicon 2017…

The energy at this event was enriching and supportive. Fans and staff alike worked together to better the convention experience as lines to gain entry increased. In fact, on Friday, the convention director extended exhibitor hall hours so attendees who were stuck outside would have more time to visit their favorite artists and vendors. These extended hours increased attendance at night and made for some interesting interaction with attendees during my night time panels. Here is a shot of the “Become a Cosplay Master” panel that I hosted as ThermoCosplay (my cosplay handle) with the help of StevieSpade Cosplay and Lina (who is a part of ThermoCosplay).

Overall I would say this event was a success. Panelists were given a side entrance to ensure on time entry to the convention however; many attendees waited in 100 degree weather before they were admitted to the event. From the stories I heard and the lines I witnessed some attendees are hoping new contingency plans are established for next year’s event. In the interim, fans of Phoenix Comicon who missed out on showcasing their props can look forward to Phoenix Fan Fest in the fall. Hopefully new security measures will prevent further banning of costume props/weapons. As always, here are a few photos from the event to keep you in high spirits. Fan girl on!

Nisha of Borderlands TPS and Misty of Pokemon

Morgiana of Magi

Cosplay Family

Cassandra Alexandra of Soul Calibur

Mimiru of .hack//

PHXCC

Phoenix Comicon 2017 In Review Phoenix Comicon 2017 (#PHXCC2017) was definitely different than other years. For starters, attendance on Thursday remained at its escalated level (last year attendance was easily double on Thursday than previous years) so I found there were more people to interact with as early as 11 AM than in years prior.

[fangirlnationmag]

This past weekend Con Nichiwa celebrated it’s seventh year with style by hosting incredibly guests, incredibly musicians and amazing vendors in a modest portion of the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona. Here is a quick overview of our experience at this event…

Registration

SO SIMPLE! You enter the con, give your name, get a badge and move along. If you do not have a badge the process is still fairly easy and the staff are very helpful.

Programming

Con Nichiwa ran Friday, March 24th through Sunday, March 26th and each day had a variety of panels to keep attendees busy. Most programming started at 11 AM and would run well into the evening. There were categories covering: Anime, Music, Guests, Cosplay and J-Culture. Overall programming was definitely a plus for this event. The only downside? Many of the panels were quite a distance from the main convention hall and some were even hosted in the open which did cause trouble for presenters attempting to ensnare an audience that was distracted by new people entering the convention’s main doors.

Exhibitor Hall

Con Nichiwa 2017

Con Nichiwa 2017

Con Nichiwa 2017

Con Nichiwa 2017

This was a ballroom converted into a very neat and orderly vendor space. There were vendors selling art, cosplay, costumes, clothing, props, Japanese snacks, sewing supplies, plushies and all other manner of merchandise. I really enjoyed the variety that such a small space was able to boast. The convention also did a fantastic job with crowd control by ensuring the aisles were wide enough for people to stand by booths and still let others pass by. My only complaint about this room is that it simply was not large enough. I would have loved to see more but what I did see what terrific!

Cosplay

I am a bit of an early riser so I arrived pretty early to convention each day. This allowed me to capture images of fresh faced and excited cosplayers attending Con Nichiwa of which there were many! The event hosted a masquerade on Saturday evening so a cosplay desk was at the ready for arriving costumers and there were plenty of panels for costume curious members to entertain themselves with. Here are just a few of the cosplayers we captured images of at the Con Nichiwa…

Thumbelina

Kill la Kill

Final Fantasy

Harley Quinn

Destiny

Devil is a Part Timer

Hellsing

Elegant Cosplayer

Owari No Seraph

Pokemon Gijinka

J-Fashion

Cat Girl

Homestuck

Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan

Massive Prop

Sailor Jupiter

Cosplayers

Angelic Costume

Summary

This event was small, modest but packs a punch! For someone looking to experience their first anime convention this is DEFINITELY a great place to start. You avoid the crowds while still getting to meet incredibly guests, witness lovely cosplayers and interact with some of the wittiest anime nerds in Arizona! Because we MUST share our experience with you further here is a video that we hope secures your interest in Con-Nichiwa!

Con Nichiwa 2017 Overview This past weekend Con Nichiwa celebrated it's seventh year with style by hosting incredibly guests, incredibly musicians and amazing vendors in a modest portion of the…

[fangirlnationmag]

Taiyou Con 2017 was one of the most pleasant experiences I have had in some time. The staff, albeit a bit untrained, was very polite. As I struggled to locate where I could check in for both Press and Panelist they were more than willing to guide me to the various registration areas. While I can appreciate separation of service (after all, waiting in generic registration for a Press badge is never fun…especially when such badges are usually NOT at normal registration areas) it was INCREDIBLY confusing at this event. Despite my frustration I found the staff dedicated to assisting me and, in the end, more than accommodating. I would definitely give the Taiyou Con volunteers an A for effort in customer service.

Once badged up I gained some familiarity with my surroundings. I located a map and memorized the three key locations for this event:

Panel Rooms

Exhibitor/Vendor Hall

Cosplay Gathering Areas

Panel Rooms

Albeit spacious, these rooms were VERY difficult to locate. The rooms in the main convention center were located in the halls and back of the center so after some wandering I was able to find the panels I had interest in however; there were ALSO rooms in an adjacent ballroom building (which was NOT labeled on the exterior). These ballrooms required a lot of searching and it ended up causing a decrease in attendance to these panels as most attendees (at least those I spoke to) thought that programming was only located IN the hotel and IN the main convention space. I know my panel suffered (only ONE person showed up which is not something I am used to (I fill ballrooms on average of 350-400 people) so it surprised me) and I heard complaints from others of the same problem.

So as far as panels go, while there was a GREAT deal of variety, unless the panel was in the main building most people were not aware that other demos/events/discussions were taking place. This puts panel location in a solid C range for me but Taiyou made up for this frustration with their AMAZING vendor/artist/exhibitor hall.

Exhibitor/Artist Alley/Vendor Hall

I met some lovely artist in the vendor hall. Some were cosplayers, some were illustrators and others fabricated lovely art work using just paper and shadow boxes. One such artist truly captured my attention by using 3-d paper Dioramas to demonstrate his talent…

Another artist was not only an illustrator but a fantastic costumer…

The activity in the vendor hall was fantastic and there was SO much to see! Here’s a photo of my fellow FGN enthusiasts snuggling excitedly with one adorable plush…

Cosplay

A convention is incomplete without cosplay these days and boy were there some TERRIFIC cosplays at Taiyou Con this year. Here is a gallery of just a FEW cosplayers I was able to stop and photograph while attending this event…

BioShock Infinite

Kei

Anime Cos

Avatar

Tea Ninja

Yuri

Star Guardians

Love Live and More

Saber

Kill La Kill

RWBY

Shiro

In Summary…

Between the guests, the panels, the cosplays, the gatherings and the vendor hall this convention, though small, packed a punch! Since I cannot seem to put into words just HOW much fun this event is here is a little video to help you better understand WHY you MUST attend this anime con in 2018. Happy cons and FAN GIRL ON!!!

Taiyou Con 2017: In Review Taiyou Con 2017 was one of the most pleasant experiences I have had in some time. The staff, albeit a bit untrained, was very polite.

[fangirlnationmag]

Taiyou Con - An Anime New Year!

Taiyou Con – An Anime New Year!

At long last we have left 2016 behind and are in a new year! This means new conventions, new cosplay and undoubtedly SOME form of new thermoplastic (honestly…I am amazed at how many are on the market now). To help you warm up for convention season we’d like to spice up your January with Taiyou Con! Taiyou is an anime focused convention hosted at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona. It runs…

View On WordPress

[fangirlnationmag]

Cosplay Shopping List For the Modern "FoamSmith"

Cosplay Shopping List For the Modern “FoamSmith”

The Holiday Season is upon us! Giving is EVERYWHERE and the modern cosplayers (be they new or veteran) is out seeking only the BEST deals for their supplies aka plunder. So just WHERE do those of us who revel in building foam armor, props and accessories shop? Allow me to enlighten you and offer a warning: there is no going back from this knowledge. You will forever want to shop for supplies from…

View On WordPress