A-Kon® 23! Dallas, Texas June 1-3, 2012 - A-Kon® Full Feed

Mini A-Kon V February 18, 2012

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 04:02:09 UT

Come join us for another Mini A-Kon event as we partner with the Denton Public Library North Branch for an exciting day of anime, manga, and cosplay! Saturday, February 18, 2012 · 10:00am - 4:00pm

Art Contest, Costume Contest, Gaming, Panels, Videos, Prizes and Giveaways.

Join us Friday Night for the World Of Steampunk!

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:43:27 UT

On Friday evening, come and enter the World Of Steampunk on the 38th floor of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in Chaparral’s. Working with DJ Infam0us, A-Kon is delighted to bring you an evening in which to immerse yourself in the wonder that is Steampunk!! This year, there will be three live acts providing entertainment for both the Social and the Dance. Come and see:

Master Bones Jangle and the VooDoo Island Cannibals
Marquis of Vaudeville
The Ghosts Project

Things will get started at 7:00 pm and run into the wee hours of the morning!!!! So, come dressed in your finest Steampunk apparel and enter our world, if you dare.

D.J. Infam0us

Infam0us is a DJ by night, IT Tech by day, and a massive nerd perpetually with a great love of all things music and dance.

A long time Sci-Fi, Anime, and Steampunk Convention DJ hailing from Northwest Arkansas, Infam0us brings the Flavor of variety and flexibility. Infam0us is the founder of GlitchCon, and is a regular performer at Tokyo in Tulsa, A-Kon, and Louisianime. Infam0us specializes in all things Steampunk Fandom.

Marquis of Vaudeville

With the ambitious wish to propel the entire world into a melodic vortex, Marquis of Vaudeville emits an extraordinary sound that spirals listeners on an utterly imaginative, musical merry-go-round. One never knows what moodswung journey they’ll embark upon once these musical highwaymen hijack their consciousness.

With imagination at its core, the theatrical flare and intriguing nature of their songwriting has grasped the attention of music lovers from the most critical of music elitists to the average radio listener. Numerous music showcasing websites have seen Marquis of Vaudeville ranked within
the top 10 of a variety of genres, most recently with the group taking the number 1 seat in Rock with "An Ordinary Day" on Ourstage.com. Internet and terrestrial radio such as Dallas' leading rock/alternative station 102.1 The Edge have also embraced their music and featured such songs as the dreamy and hope laden "Divine." The group has also been showcased on several music compilations, the most recent being Exploding in Sound’s “Bands You Need to Know” with a review stating:

This Dallas five piece knows a thing or two about hypnotic and beautiful melodies. Marquis of Vaudeville craft alternative rock gems that remain accessible while they wander through space and time. Singer/guitarist Toby Lawhon’s voice dazzles and dances with incredible talent that would make Ours’ Jimmy Gnecco proud. With strong memorable songs, this is the music modern rock radio should be getting familiar with.

Hate them, love them, they demand the world take notice, and merely desire to incite something genuine, to inspire sincere emotion despite the world’s mind numbing mediocrity and generic mass production. Marquis of Vaudeville is a tantalizing flavor for even the most finicky musical
appetite.

You can find them on Facebook

Master Bones Jangle and the Voodoo Island Cannibals

Found stranded, stark naked and painted like a skeleton on a lonely beach at the bottom of a cliff off the coast of Africa by the crew of The Pride of Bedlam. "Bones" is a Shantyman by trade, however the position of Surgeon was the only one available so he accepted and took on his new duties with incredible enthusiasm and although the ship occasionally runs low on crew members there never seems to be a shortage of meat. From his travels in Africa, of which he speaks elusively, "Bones" claims to have been trained in the arts of Voodoo, Shamanism and Witchdoctoring and has developed several recipes for meat that will leave one drooling and begging for more. Although a crew member of the Pride O' Bedlam, Master "Bones" has many private ventures and spends but a portion of his time with that crew, and after many run-ins with the authorities while on his own in several countries "Bones" sought respite on a solitary and unapproachable island, the submerged rocks and reef making it near impossible to reach. "Bones" purchased the island from one who had claimed it as his own and dubbed it Voodoo Island. When he arrived at Voodoo Island he was greeted by natives and escorted to their "Princess" and her mute and foreboding retainer, the both of whom were communicating through drum-beat rhythms. Having found other musicians with which to spend his time "Bones" began to teach them his music and learn from theirs, even going so far as to restore, by Voodoo, the voice of the mute Draven O'Hughes to add to the vocal dynamic of the group. Isolated from the world Master "Bones" Jangle and The Voodoo Island Cannibals began to develop their own sound, and now they travel about living the lives of pirates and singing about it!

The Ghosts Project

Formed in 2006, The Ghosts Project is comprised of Paul Mercer on violin and Davis Petterson on percussion. The band, which is located in Atlanta, features an ever changing lineup of special guest musicians from all over the country.

Paul Mercer began studying violin at age 8, and has performed professionally for over twenty years, His current and past projects include The Changelings, Jill Tracy's Malcontent Orchestra, Faith and the Muse, DP3, Brass Knuckle Surfer and The Sweet Meat Love and Holy Cult.

Tags: dance, friday night, music, steampunk

List of Participating Dealers

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:59:17 UT

168 dragon trading
Anime Depot
Anime Palace
Anime Pavillion
Anime Remix
Anime V
AnimeSnacks
AnimeStuffStore.com
Asylum Anime
Atsui Anime Online
AVD and Model Show
BeKyoot!
Best Anime Shop USA - we sell your anime needs, from old classics to brand new releases, we have it all!
Big World
Black Dog Enterprises
Bowendragon 1
Cardz Xtcetera
Cartoon Passion
Celtic Chrystal
Collectors Universe and Anime
Comic Book Craze
Discotek Media
Foreign Expressions
GreenTea Designs
Half Full Studios
Happy Jackal Graphics
Hen Da Ne - we sell the finest in Yaoi, Yuri and Hentai Doujinshi. We bring joy that is Touhou Project to the USA with our selection on Doujinshi, games, music and other fun Youhou Odds and Ends.
HKT Toys
Holy Cow Anime
Image Anime
Imagine That Galleries
J and J Enterprises
JPN Toyz
Kampaii Kimono
Kawaii Gifts
Keith's Comics
Knighthawk Armoury - the premier retailer of foam/latex-foam weapons for use in Live Action Role Playing (LARP, theater, video production, martial arts training and just plain having fun!!
Kyoto Kytchen
LaDeDa Clothing
Lady Heather's Fashions
Lazy Dragon - “Pocketknives to Broadswords” visit our website www.lazydragon.com. We offer a wide variety of all types of weapons and swords from replicas to martial arts weaponry. New merchandise is made available every month, so always remember, if you don’t see what you’re looking for Please Ask!!
Mad Gear, LLC
Madness Games
Magic of Collecting
Man in a Dress
Media Blasters
Mr Weekend's Posters
Myth Adventures
Nene Thomas
Owl Moon Studios
Pan Gaia Designs
Pegasus Publishing - has been providing fans with unique apparel since 1979, from Firefly and Big Bang Theory to Mad Science and Geekdom – we have a shirt for you.
QuietYell
Radio Comix
Ravenwing Wearable Art
Realms Anime
Rik & Ric's Otaku Café
Rising Sun Imports
Scarlett's Corsets
SighCo Graphics
Splash Page Comics
SROrignals
Swords and Comics - 5.00 DVDs and manga books, huge selection of swords, knives, martial arts weapons. We have incredible grab boxes.
That Pagan Chick
The Anime Jutsu
The Comic Cellar
The Contact Lens Store
The Treasure Nest
The Wizard's Wagon
Toy Matrix
VideoGamesNewYork
Wayne's Comic Closet
White Lighting Publishing
White Tiger
WizzyWig, Inc
Wolfhome Adventuring Outfitters
Yayahan.com
Yes, Anime

Tags: dealers

A special video greeting from OZ

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:22:26 UT

Tags: band, bands, greetings, music, oz, video

OZ comes to A-Kon 23

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:20:16 UT

OZ is a five piece Japanese Visual Rock band formed at the end of 2004. Their band lineup is comprised of Natsuki on vocals, Aki and Tama on guitar, Nao on bass, and Zukki on drums. With a visually dark focus, their music sounds much like metal core, heavy metal, and alternative rock combined.

In 2005, a year after their formation, their debut single “Decay” was released. Despite not being signed to any label at the time, they were able to distribute them during their live performances through a special mail order. It was a year later when they were signed onto a label called LOOP ASH RECORDS. With more production support, they released two singles “Eve’s Apple” and “Adam’s Apple” under this label. Several more releases followed soon after, and they were able to hit number 7 on the Indies Oricon charts with the single “BULK”. Up to date, they have released four albums, twenty singles, and two DVD’s. Their most popular single, “DETOX”, was released early in 2009, a very popular music video to this single was also released.

With their unique dark look and metal sound, they have been able to grab much attention for their fans outside of Japan. With their popularity in the Visual Rock scene increasing worldwide, they completed a European tour in January of 2011. They appeared at 12 live concerts within one month. Fans beyond Japan and Europe are hoping that this band will perform in their area as well. Let’s welcome this band’s first appearance in the United States at this year’s A-Kon®.

Tags: bands, guests, music

Registration

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:09:57 UT

PRE-REG Memberships is now open.

PRE-REG Memberships are now available. You can purchase your Pre-Reg memberships for the current low price of $45.00.

There are two ways to purchase your membership:

On-Site Registration Hours of Operations

Thursday: 3 pm - 9 pm
Friday: 8 am to 9 pm
Saturday: 8 am to 8 pm
Sunday: 9 am to 4 pm

If you have any questions, please contact our registration staff at projecta-konreg@royalmaiden.com.

A-Kon 23 membership covers, all panels, events, demonstrations, concerts, performances, contests, snacks and munchies in our Consuite (as available) and a host of other activities.

The Following are NOT covered in your membership fee:

Most Tournament Gaming sessions
Materials costs for a few workshops
Certain autographs (at the sole discretion of the autographer)

On Site Membership Prices are:

3 Day Registration TBD
3 Day pass/t-shirt bundle TBD (best value)
Friday Only TBD
Saturday Only TBD
Sunday Only TBD
Children (Age 6 – 12) $15.00
Children (5 and under) free
Meet 'N Greet Tickets TBD

Adult Memberships - attendees ages 13 and over as of June 1, 2012
Child Memberships - attendees ages 6 through 12 as of June 1, 2012
Children up through age 5 as of June 1, 2012 can attend at no charge

For security and confirmation purposes, we will be asking attendees 16 and over for a photo ID (ie. drivers license or school ID) when you come to the registration desk to purchase your badge or claim your pre-registration. Attendees should have an ID available, as well as removing any masks for identification purposes. Your cooperation will speed the registration process. Thank you in advance.

Tags: registration

Jana Oliver comes to A-Kon 23

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:04:40 UT

Jana Oliver loves to tell stories for both adults and teens. Her young adult Demon Trappers Series (St. Martin’s Griffin) is set in a dystopian 2018 Atlanta populated by Hellspawn, Deaders and scheming necromancers. The series is international with editions in the five countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.

Jana’s foray into time travel and alternate history resulted in the multi-award winning Time Rovers Series. The series won twelve awards, including the Daphne du Maurier for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, the Prism Award for Time Travel and ForeWord Magazine’s Editor’s Choice for Fiction.

Visitors are always welcome at her website: www.JanaOliver.com

Tags: writers

Esther Friesner at A-Kon 23

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:11 UT

Nebula Award winner Esther Friesner is the author of thirty-seven novels and over one hundred eighty-five short stories, in addition to being the editor of ten popular anthologies. Her works have been published in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, Poland and Italy. She is also a published poet and a produced playwright. Her articles on fiction writing have appeared in Writer’s Market and Writer’s Digest Books.

Her latest novel, SPIRIT’S BRIDE, is about the 3rd century shaman-queen Himiko of Japan and will be followed by SPIRIT’S BRIDE. These books join NOBODY’S PRINCESS and NOBODY’S PRIZE (about young Helen of Troy), and SPHINX’S PRINCESS and SPHINX’S QUEEN (about young Nefertiti), in her popular Princesses of Myth series for Random House. Learn more at: www.princeesesofmyth.com

Educated at Vassar College, receiving a B.A. degree in both Spanish and Drama, she went on to receive her M.A. and Ph.D. in Spanish from Yale University, where she taught for a number of years. She is married, the mother of two, and lives in Connecticut. In addition, she is now a happy first-time grandmother, or, as Friesner herself reports this new development: “Whoo-hoo!”

Tags: writers

Lee Martindale at A-Kon 23

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:55:49 UT

For writer, editor & publisher Lee Martindale, 2012 marks a milestone: 20 years in the business. Since her first professional sale to Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Snows of Darkover anthology, Lee’s stories have appeared in numerous other anthologies and venues, including Turn The Other Chick, Witch Way To The Mall, and Fangs For The Mammaries (all edited by Esther Friesner), three volumes of MZB’s Sword and Sorceress series, Warrior Wisewoman 2 (edited by Roby James), Catopolis (edited by Janet Dever-Pack & Martin Greenberg), and Low Port, edited by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller. Lee has also edited two anthologies of her own, Such A Pretty Face and The Ladies of Trade Town, and is the owner of HarpHaven Publishing.

When not slinging fiction, Lee is a Named Bard, a Lifetime Active Member of SFWA (where she serves on the Board of Directors), a fencing member of the SFWA Musketeers, a member of the SCA, and a popular guest at science fiction conventions all over the country. She and her husband George live in Plano, TX, where she keeps friends and fans in the loop at http://www.HarpHaven.net.

Tags: writers

Elizabeth Moon returns to A-Kon 23

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:44:51 UT

Elizabeth Moon grew up in south Texas and started writing at an early age. She attended Rice University, earning a degree in history, then joined the Marines, serving on active duty from 1968-1971. After that, she went for a second degree, this time in biology, from the University of Texas at Austin. She did graduate work in biology at U.T. San Antonio.

Moon has written 24 novels, co-authoring two with Anne McCaffrey, including several popular series: Vatta's War (concluded in 2008 with Victory Conditions), the Serrano Legacy, Planet Pirates (with McCaffrey), and the trilogy The Deed of Paksenarrion and its prequels. She has been a finalist for both the Hugo (Remnant Population) and the Arthur C. Clarke Award (The Speed of Dark); The Speed of Dark won the Nebula Award. In 2007, she won the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her body of work. She has had over 30 shorter works in magazines and anthologies, most recently her collection Moon Flights (Nightshade Books 2007) Her most recent novel is Echoes of Betrayal (Del Rey, February 2012), third volume of Paladin's Legacy.

Besides writing, her other interests include classical music, prairie restoration, wildlife management, horses, Renaissance-style fencing, nature photography and biomedical science. Among her favorite things are dark chocolate, fresh herbs, the color red, steam trains, and summer rain. Moon now lives in a small central Texas town with her husband, two horses, a cat, and a John Deere tractor named Bombadil.

Tags: writer, writers

Volunteering is now open

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:17:38 UT

A-Kon is primarily staffed by volunteers.

*UPDATE: Volunteering is now open.

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

Project A-Kon 23 June 1-3, 2012

Volunteering Basics:

1. The minimum age to volunteer at Project A-Kon is 16. Staff Heads may set higher minimum ages for their staffs at their discretion. For volunteers between the ages of 16 and 18, A-Kon may require parental approval.

2. To earn a Volunteer badge, a volunteer must work a minimum of 16 hours. However, Staff Heads may require more hours of each volunteer, as necessary for scheduling shifts and covering hours of operation.

3. All volunteers must abide by Phoenix Entertainment rules and policies regarding attire, weapons, drugs, and alcohol. Kon policies are in place to protect staff, guests, and Kongoers from harm or liability. Additionally, Dallas city ordinances are strictly enforced by the police officers in and around the hotel.

4. While crash rooms are available for volunteers the weekend of the Kon, they are strictly gender-segregated, and their use is limited exclusively to the members of the staff to which they are assigned. Anyone found in violation of this policy will be removed from the room, and their volunteer status revoked for the weekend.

5. After you submit your application, it will be processed by the Volunteer Coordinator and the appropriate Staff Heads. You will receive either a confirmation of your status as a Volunteer, or a notification that we are unable to use your services. Please do not purchase a membership to the convention unless you receive this notification.

To begin the Volunteer Application process, click here: Volunteer Form.

Tags: volunteering

Hotel, Travel, Parking, and Dining

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:53:59 UT

If you're looking for information on this year's A-Kon hotel, look no farther! It's right here: Sheraton Dallas Hotel Location and Room Rate.

Below, find more info on the hotel, how to get there, where to park, and where to find food.

Tags: dining, food, hotel, parking, travel

Artist Alley *Now with updated info

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:19:46 UT

Visitors:

Keep an eye here for lists of participating artists, as well as web pages of same. After all, if you find the artist that does your favorite commissions, then you will want to know where to find him.

Artists and Artisians:

As time goes by, look for articles about how to possibly be a part of the Artist Alley, rules and regulations, procedures, and general information to make it easier for you.

Meanwhile, check out the Convention Artist Forums at http://starcrossd.net/akon/index.php, to meet other artists who work conventions.

Registration Date Target

Registration is currently closed. But will be opening soon.

How Sign-Up Works

- Everyone will get an e-mail with the link, once it is ready
- Click the link to see the countdown
- Link will count down to TBD (Server time so that the clock is synched)
- At precisely the right time, the count will reach zero and it will flip to the registration page
- Registration will proceed as it does
- The first 120 people to get in will be given a message along the lines of "You are in. Now pay up."
- Once the count is made, all others will get a message like "You are on the waiting list."
- The ones that make it will be given the opportunity to pay.

Basic Table Information

Tables for the AA will be $125.00 for a table. All tables will include one membership to A-Kon and a badge.

You may purchase extra badges at the time of registration, or afterwards for $35.00 per membership.

Tables in the AA will be 6'X2' with approximately 4' of space behind the table. This will give you a space to set up in of 6' X 6'. Plan to keep your display/wares within this space, as it will be marked, and violators will only get ONE warning to stay within their space. Just like in previous years, there will be a secure section (upstairs) and an unsecured section (downstairs). The secure section will be closed some time after the dealer's room closes, and will be blocked off during the times it is not open. Further information will give more details in future mailings.

Artists will be limited to ONE table per artist. Table sharing is permitted, within certain limitations (details in future mailings). There are a few exceptions that will get more than one table, as they are grandfathered in that way, but for the most part, each artist is limited to one table.

Basic Rules

All participants in the AA will be expected to adhere to all A-Kon Policies regarding bootlegs and weapons.

Failure to adhere to policy will result in the participant being removed from the AA.

All participants are expected to behave in a safe and courteous manner.

All participants in the AA will be expected to sell their own work - not the work of others. This will be better detailed out in a future mailing, but it means no T-Shirts, posters, postcards, plushies, pillows, clothing, collectibles, etc. UNLESS the work is the work of the artist.

Example 1: Artist X creates an original drawing and creates prints, postcards, book covers, keychains and t-shirts, all with the likeness on it. This is acceptable because Artist X is selling their own work, and the media is just like varying forms of prints.

Example 2: T-s & Stuffz sells t-shirts with original sayings on them, plush versions of characters, and poster sized prints from varying artists. This would not be allowed because they are not selling their own work, but rather are re-selling the work of others.

All artists must have a valid Texas State Sales Tax number to participate. If you do not have one, you will not be allowed to participate in the AA.

OK. That's it for this issue. Keep your eyes open and watch for future mailings. Each one will deal with one or two subjects. There is a lot of ground to cover, so look for frequent mailings in the very near future.

Tags: art, artisans, artist alley, artistalley, artists, comics, komik market, komikmarket

American Airlines discount offer to A-Kon attendees!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:12:36 UT

A-Kon® has again partnered with American Airlines to provide our attendees a 6% discount for travel to A-Kon® 23 in Dallas, Texas. The valid travel dates for this discount are May 28, 2012 through June 7, 2012. You can easily access American’s fares and apply this discount by going to www.aa.com to book your flight.

Place the Promotion Code, 7652BT, in the promotion code box and your discount will be calculated automatically. This special discount is valid off any applicable published fares listed for American Airlines, American Eagle, and American Connection. International originating guests will need to contact your local reservation number and refer to the Promotion Code.

You may also call 1-800-433-1790 to book your flights, please refer to the Authorization Number below when you call. Please note there is a reservation service charge for all tickets issued by phone. Please use our preferred partner, American Airlines when you can because of the benefits provided to you as a traveler and to our organization for extended partner value.

Tags: aa, airlines, american airlines, discount, travel

TRIBUTE TO STUDIO GHIBLI

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:05:36 UT

We all hope you had a great time there. I know a lot of us did. And a Great Big Thank You to all of you that come out. You make these events happen.

--------------------------

Hello A-Kon fans,

We are very excited to announce that our friends at the USA Film Festival in Dallas are presenting a very special TRIBUTE TO STUDIO GHIBLI this month on January 21st and 22nd at the Angelika Film Center.

The program will feature 11 Studio Ghibli titles (released from 1984-2012) in all NEW 35mm prints! This is a wonderful opportunity to see these beautiful works on the BIG SCREEN as they were meant to be seen -- and they never looked better.

A FLYER with program information is attached below.

As a special perk, our friends at the Festival are making tickets available exclusively to A-Kon fans BEFORE they go on sale to the general public on Monday, January 9.

A-Kon fans can order tickets VIA EMAIL only (no phone calls please) beginning TODAY through Sunday 1/8. Contact the Festival directly at usafilmfest@aol.com to order tickets (not via A-Kon). See ATTACHED FLYER for email contact info, ticket info, showtimes, etc.

You do not have to send credit card information via email. Simply send your contact information, mention A-Kon, and list the shows you wish to order, and USA Film Festival will call you back to confirm your order and collect your payment information then.

Don't wait -- each film is only screening only ONE time, so if your favorite title/s sell out, there won't be any second chances.

Enjoy the show!

Studio Ghibli Tribute program flyer (2.3 MB)

Studio Ghibli Tribute program flyer

Scheduled maintenance for A-Kon server.

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:02:22 UT

The A-Kon Servers will be down for maintenance Sunday June 22 starting at 8:00pm. Return of service is scheduled for 10:00pm. This will effect the website, A-Kon Forums, and shopping cart. Facebook and twitter will still be available during this down time. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Tags: social

J-Pop

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 23:45:44 UT

The J-Pop Room is here to fulfill your Asian Music needs! As one of the few rooms open almost 24 hours, (we will close only for opening ceremonies and the concert), all weekend we'll be showing music videos from all your old favorites, and ones you haven't discovered yet. We even have our very own events such as J-rock Cosplay which will be held on Sunday, and our own movie night beginning on Thursday, with an encore on Sunday.

Whether you're just killing time between panels or you're a die hard Japanese music enthusiast, feel free to come on down and check us out!

Tags: J-Pop, j-rock, music, Visual K, VK

Team Four Star comes to A-Kon 23

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:48:48 UT

Team Four Star

Team Four Star are a group of Anime fans who abridge many Anime series. They are well known for their Dragonball Z Abridged Series.

Here's who's coming:

Scott "KaiserNeko" Frerichs

Scott "KaiserNeko" Frerichs is a California-based (now in Lake Charles, LA) amateur voice actor, graphics designer, and project manager of "Dragon Ball Z: Abridged". Director, co-writer, editor for the show, and the voice behind Zarbon, Burter, Trunks, King Kai, and Gregory, he helped found the group in May 2008.

Nick "Lanipator" Landis

Nick "Lanipator" Landis an amateur voice actor and parody artist from Minneapolis, MN. Creator of "Yu Yu Hakusho: Abridged" and co-writer and co-star of "Dragon Ball Z: Abridged", it’s clear Nick enjoys making people laugh. Nick is also working on a review series called “Outside the Otaku” for the website ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com.

Curtis "Takahata101" Arnott

Curtis "Takahata101" Arnott is a Vancouver based voice actor/entertainer, often dabbling in writing as well as cosplay. He is one of the co-creators, co-writers and voice actors of Team Four Star, as well as a voice for many other parody series. His most notable roles include Nappa, Bardock and Super Kami Guru, along with many other DragonBall Z Abridged characters, along with Dartz and Krump in YGOTAS. He has recently received his first professional gig as the Sake Sake monster in the dub of ZETTAI MUTEKI RAJIN-OH.

And remember: DragonBall is Owned by TOEI ANIMATION, Ltd. and Licensed by FUNimation Productions, Ltd.. All Rights Reserved. DragonBall, DragonBall Z, DragonBall GT and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of TOEI ANIMATION, Ltd. Please support the official release. This is nothing more than a Parody made for entertainment purposes only.

Tags: abridged comedy, comedy, guests, industry, video

Harry Turtledove

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:25:15 UT

I have a doctorate in Byzantine history. This taught me how to do research and a good deal about the arcane regulations of the California Employment Development Department, which is named on the same principle as Orwell’s Ministry of Love. I’ve been a full-time writer for almost twenty years now, having escaped both the mangrove swamps of academe and the Los Angeles County Office of Education, where things are indeed piled higher and deeper.

I’ve published about 80 books and 150 pieces of short fiction. They include science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and (sometimes under the name H. N. Turteltaub--which is what the family name was before my grandfather anglicized it) straight historical fiction. Recent titles include Supervolcano: Eruption and The Big Switch.

I won a Sidewise Award for How Few Remain (which was a Nebula finalist, too), and another for Ruled Britannia. “Down in the Bottomlands” won a Hugo for Best Novella in 1994. I’ve been a Hugo finalist three times and a Nebula finalist twice. Guns of the South, perhaps my best-known work, won the John Esthen Cooke Award for Southern fiction in 1993. Crosstime Traffic: Gunpowder Empire won the Hal Clement Award for best YA science-fiction novel in 2004. And The Gladiator won a Prometheus Award in 2008.

My wife, who writes as Laura Frankos, has published a mystery novel and about a dozen sf short stories; she had a Broadway quiz book coming from Applause Books last fall. We have three daughters, one married, one in grad school, and one just out of college and trying to figure out what happens next.

Tags: writer, writers

Drew Karpyshyn

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:22:39 UT

Drew Karpyshyn is a critically acclaimed and best-selling novelist and video game writer. He has over a decade of experience in the video game industry working as a writer on BioWare's Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights series, the lead writer for Knights of the Old Republic and the first two Mass Effect games and a senior writer on the Star Wars: The Old Republic massive multiplayer online game.

He has also published nine novels to date, including three Mass Effect titles, the Darth Bane trilogy and his latest New York times bestselling Star Wars novel, Revan.

Tags: writer, writers

Chris Layfield

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:19:44 UT

Chris Layfield, writer of the ZAP! Webcomic, lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He enjoys most things sci-fi and fantasy and it has influenced his works in a variety of ways. Kind of goofy, and never too serious, Chris comes up with million dollar story ideas everyday... he's just too lazy to actually follow through.

Tags: comics, webcomics, writer, writers

Pascalle Lepas

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:18:32 UT

Pascalle Lepas is a graphic designer and illustrator from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She draws ZAP!, a comic about space people and their adventures. She lives in a cottage with a small menagerie of cats and dogs.

Tags: artists, comics, webcomics

DollAKon 2012

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:00:13 UT

DollAkon 2011 Winner.

Dolls, dolls, dolls! The dolls are everywhere! But "What's with the dolls?" you ask. Well, come by DollAKon and we'll answer all your questions. Join us Saturday and Sunday for panels, demos and workshops in CityView 6 & 7 on the 4th Floor of the Hotel in the Central Tower. There will be something for everyone from admirerers to first time doll owners to experienced customizers.

DollAKon 2012 Guests:

Kiki-chan78 and Zirconmermaid join us for two days full of doll customizing tips and tricks. These lovely ladies will be hosting meets, sitting on panels and leading workshops. Just a few things to look forward to in 2012:
Face-Up Workshop lead by Kiki-chan78
Victorian Tea hosted by Zirconmermaid
Doll Photography and Photoshop lead by Kiki-chan78
Dress Form Dummies for Dolls lead by Zirconmermaid

Does your doll enjoy meeting new friends? Be sure to visit one of our several meets. We'll have a box of grab bag goodies out during each meet. Arrive early as supplies are limited. You wouldn't want your doll to miss out on the swag.

DollAKon - where dolls are more than toys - they are the star of the show. You won't find mint-in-box collectors here. No sir, we play with our dolls and customize them. No two are exactly alike...and that is how we like them.

We'll see you in June, but until then:

Join our discussion group on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/DollAKonMembers/)

Or sign up for our Announcements Page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/DollAKon2012)

DollAKon 2012 Planning Team:

Kyrenea

Vampelley

Dhawktx

KellyInDallas

NayNayAnimeMom

Tags: Contest, contests, dolls, events, new, panels, programming, saturday, sunday

Catherin Hajek aka kiki-chan78

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:11:34 UT

Catherine E. Hajek-Harris (better known as Kiki to her friends and on her website) was born and raised in Puerto Rico. With less than a year left to go on her Fine Arts degree from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez, she transferred to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) to study Illustration and then Comic Art. In 2011 Kiki graduated with her degree. It was while studying in Minneapolis that she had her first brush with Asian Ball-Jointed Dolls, and was able to purchase one with the intent of using it as a reference for her art. Instead, that first BJD became Omi.. soon after followed Seiki, then Erik and after him several others; the first three eventually became the main inspiration behind her online comic, Acrylic Eyes. Kiki currently lives in Puerto Rico and works from her home studio as both a freelance artist and doll customizer.

Tags: artists, comics, webcomics, writer

Elizabeth Sloan aka ZirconMermaid

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:14:26 UT

Elizabeth is a Professional Costumer, Seamstress and Doll Prototyper. She has won awards for her costumes at local, national, and international Costume and Sci-Fi conventions. Her costume work has appeared on public and network television and in local and national papers. She enjoys recreating costumes from artwork and photographs. She also has judged many costume and cosplay contests, as well as running them. As a Doll Prototyper, some of her favorite jobs were creating the clothing of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1/6th scale and being priviledged to duplicate the clothing of Alexander McQueen on Blythe dolls for a Target ad campaign. Elizabeth grew up with unlimited Science Fiction books, and is extremely glad to have discovered and loved Anime long before it was a popular phenomenon. She has been a doll collector as long as she can remember, and over the years has progressed from Chatty Cathy and Barbie, to vintage and collectible dolls, and now to Asian Ball Joint Dolls. Hazel (a 60cm Obitsu) has been living with her for six years now. Although she still loves all her dolls, the ABJDs (especially Hazel) have totally taken over!

Tags: artists

A-Kon 23 Cosplay Information

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 06:59:28 UT

Judge's Award (Dan Green, past A-Kon Cosplay winner): Walk On #57 Scanty & Kneesocks from Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt, worn by Moco_Latte & Roxy, made by Moco_Latte

Scheduled Cosplay Events

Cosplay Q&A: TBD
Rehearsal TBD
Cosplay TBD

Rooms and times are subject to change.

A-Kon 23 Cosplay Competition Rules and Regulations

1.) ELIGIBILITY:

Anyone may enter in the Saturday Night Cosplay event.

Entrants 13 and under must have their parents' permission to enroll, and MUST be accompanied by a legal guardian or relative of age at the show.

Special Note for Children entering the Saturday Night Cosplay: Every Child Entrant for the A-Kon 23 Saturday Night Cosplay is given a special participation award at the end of the show.

(This award is usually a ribbon or small prize donated by the sponsors. If the child is unable to pick up the prize at the show itself, it can be collected on Sunday morning in the Cosplay Room.)

2.) HOW TO ENTER:

Signup for the A-Kon 23 Saturday Night Cosplay will begin on TBA. To sign up, the entrant (or group leader for group entrants) will be required to fill out the Cosplay Sign Up PDF form and email it in to akoncosplaystaff@gmail.com. (Please send the PDF as an attached file.)

You may also print out the PDF and mail it in to Elin Winkler c/o Radio Comix, 11765 West Ave. PMB 117, San Antonio TX 78216.

The deadline for entry forms to be received will be April 11, 2012.

The total number of entrants that will be allowed this year will be 70.

There will be 20 skit entry slots.

All skit entries MUST enter before the April 11th deadline, in order to have enough time for review of materials.

If you do not make the first cutoff for skit entries, you will be placed on a waiting list, in case of drop outs/disqualifications.

There will be 50 walk-on entry slots; 40 will use pre-con sign-ups, 10 will have on-site sign-ups at the Kon itself.

Second Place: Walk On #9 Persephone, Winter's Captive Queen and her Ice Maidens (16th century interpretation) from Greek mythology, worn by Tiger J., Phyllis R. and Amanda "Kuro" R., made by Tiger J. and Erika D.

The 10 on-site signups for walk-ons will be done in Pearl 5 at 10:00 am on Saturday morning.

FOR GROUP ENTRIES, PLEASE ONLY SEND IN ONE ENTRY FORM PER GROUP!

All entries are taken on a first come, first served basis, to be determined by email time stamp or postmark.

3.) COSTUME GUIDELINES (DA RULEZ):

a.) No costume is NO COSTUME.

While many anime characters wear what could be termed "street clothes", a single character in regular, everyday clothing isn't very engaging and thus, is disqualified.

However, if this character is a part of a group performance or elaborate props are involved, then the entry will not be disqualified.

b.) Body Coverage:

A-Kon 23 is a family friendly environment and has to adhere to the rules and regulations set forth by both the Sheraton Hotel and the City of Dallas.

All costumes need to be tasteful and the barest minimum of coverage that will be allowed at the event will be that of a bikini.

This means body paint, latex pasties, etc. are not considered adequate body coverage without additional clothing being worn over it.

Thongs are not allowed unless covered by shorts, skirts, capes, etc.

c.) Contest Guidelines:

COSPLAY IS AN ALL-AGES EVENT.

The Cosplay should be considered a PG-13 rated event at the most.

All music and pre-recorded materials will be screened and all violators of this rule will be disqualified.

The judgement of what is acceptable is left to the sole discretion of the Cosplay Director and Cosplay Staff.

Offensive language of any kind is not allowed. (Racial or sexual epithets, cursing not allowed on network TV, etc.)

Sexual humor is not allowed. This covers yaoi, yuri, mpreg, auto-erotica, tentacles, lolicon, etc.

If your joke/skit could not be performed at your workplace or in front of your grandmother, then you probably can't perform it at A-Kon.

Be clever, not crass!

If you have a question about your content, please feel free to ask the Cosplay Staff if it is allowable.

d.) Stage Rules:

All entries must be able to get on and off the stage safely.

Cast limit: Six person maximum for group skit performances, four person maximum for walk-on entries.

More than 6 is allowed for skits, but only 6 on stage at any given time.

THERE IS A HARD LIMIT OF 4 PEOPLE PER WALK-ON ENTRY! (It has been proven that it is almost impossible to get more than this across the stage in 30 seconds.)

If your walk-on entry group has more than 4 people in it, you will have to enter each group of 4 separately.

Props: What goes on stage with you must come off stage with you.

For safety reasons, things like confetti, fireworks, glitter, flash paper, rose petals, water and other small messy objects are strictly forbidden to be brought into the stage area.

On stage, non-firing toy weapons will be allowed without peace bonding, but be aware that any "live" weapons will result in immediate eviction from the stage.

Also, no food, animals or remote control devices are allowed on stage.

And no throwing items into the crowd. You'll put someone's eye out!

Martial Arts/Stage Fighting: All stage fighting and general hijinks of a like nature needs to be limited to half speed and quarter strength.

One foot must remain on the floor at all times.

This means no jumps, leaps or rolls.

Climbing onto the stage or leaping off the edge of the stage are both prohibited and extremely dangerous.

(And will make our insurance premiums skyrocket!)

Time Limits: Each Walk-on entry will have 30 seconds to saunter across the stage, pose and depart.

Skits have approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

Sound: ALL SOUNDTRACKS MUST BE PRE-RECORDED. (This rule applies to skits only.)

This means all dialogue for your skit, all music, everything.

Soundtrack CDs MUST be received by the Cosplay Director no later than May 1, 2012 for review and pre-Kon preparation.

Any skit entry who does not submit a pre-recorded soundtrack in advance by the May 1st deadline will be disqualified.

Should this happen, a skit from the waiting list will move up and get their spot.

Should any skit soundtrack be deemed inappropriate (see section c.), the entrants will be allowed to re-record an approved version ONCE.

Should this re-recorded version still not conform to appropriateness guidelines, that entry will be disqualified. (And the waiting list will be called into play again.)

This rule has been created due to the many unpleasant skit surprises resulting in disqualification in past A-Kon Cosplay Events.

Walk-ons will be performed to runway-style music in keeping with the Kon themes, chosen by the Cosplay Director and Cosplay Staff.

Costume Credit: All costumes must be made by the entrant(s) or credited to the appropriate creator(s) on the entrant's entry form.

Purchased Costumes: Purchased costumes (either commissioned, store bought, or eBay costumes) may only make up 50% of the costumes in your group. All purchased costumes MUST be marked as such on your (or your group's) entry form. Entries using purchased costumes CANNOT win Best in Show, Second Place, Third Place or Most Faithful Recreation awards.

4.) AWARDS:

The award categories for A-Kon 23's Cosplay Event are as follows:

Best in Show
Second Place
Third Place
Best Skit Performance
Most Humorous
The People's Choice (basically, the hands down favorite of the audience, based on reaction)
Most Faithful Recreation (An award for the cosplayer/costume that looks the most like the original source material)
Up to six Judges Awards (to be chosen at the sole discretion of the judges; there will be at least five judges, but no more than six)

All entries can qualify for any award with the exception of Best Skit Performance, which can naturally only be awarded to a skit performance. (And of course, entries using purchased costumes cannot win the previously mentioned awards.

5.) HALL COSTUME CONTEST:

Have a costume? Want a chance to have your costume's craftsmanship judged in a contest without having to brave the beast that is the A-Kon Cosplay Event audience?

Cursed with shyness or terrible stage fright? Then the Hall Costume Contest is for you!

How to enter:

Simply show up at the Hall Costume Contest Panels held in Pearl 5.

There will be a panel of costumer judges who will take your entry form and on-site contact information, and then spend a little one-on-one time with you checking your seams and flipping your hems.

After that, you're done! Enjoy the Kon!

Winners of the Hall Costume Contest will be announced at the end of each judging session.

Friday Hall Costume Contest: TBA

Saturday Hall Costume Contest: TBA

Each costume can only enter once, so no doubling up and entering the same costume in both the Friday and Saturday Hall Costume Contests.

A single person may enter different costumes on different days, but should they win an award on Friday, they will not be allowed to win an award on Saturday as well in the interest of fair play.

Costumes entered in the Hall Costume Contest *can* enter the stage Cosplay Contest. However, the winners of the First and Second place prizes in the Hall Contest will not be allowed to win the Best in Show, Second Place or Third Place awards in the stage Cosplay Contest. (It is possible to win secondary awards.)

All costumes entered in the Hall Costume Contest must be made by the entrant(s) in order to qualify for the Craftsmanship awards. Purchased costumes (either commissioned, store bought or eBay costumes) are ineligible for the Hall Costume Contest.

Hall Costume Contest Awards:

First Place
Second Place
Best Craftsmanship

We will be making all best efforts to contact the winners of each day's contest before the Saturday Night Cosplay Event, so that they may come up onstage in their costume to accept their awards during the half-time show.

Should a winner not want to walk across the stage at all, they may pick up their award in Pearl 5 on Sunday morning.

Legal Disclaimer: A-Kon Cosplay Staff and A-Kon reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone to the Cosplay Event for any reason.

Please check out the A-Kon Forums.

Tags: cosplay

A-Kon 22 Cosplay Winners.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:17:27 UT

..and the winners are...

STAGE CONTEST:

Judge's Award (Dan Green, past A-Kon Cosplay winner): Walk On #57 Scanty & Kneesocks from Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt, worn by Moco_Latte & Roxy, made by Moco_Latte

Judge's Award (Caroline Clavell, A-Kon Cosplay Lt. & Theater Costuming Major): Walk On #37 Creeper & Steve from Minecraft, worn by Some Jerk & Sssss....Boom, made by same

Judge's Award (Elin Winkler, A-Kon Cosplay Staff Head, past A-Kon Cosplay winner): Walk On #11 Rapidash from Pokemon, worn by UchihaSora, made by UchihaSora

Judge's Award (Ana Aesthetic, cosplay guest of honor): Skit #9 "That Butler, Final Act" from Black Butler, performed & worn by The Dinosaur Symposium, made by Elaine H., Michelle F., Megan Y., & Grace B. (aka The Dinosaur Symposium)

The People's Choice: Walk On #50 Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon, worn by Monoyasha, made by Monoyasha

Most Humorous: Skit #6 "A Day in the Life of a Geek Boy..." from Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt, performed & worn by Justin, Rei, Bunny, Momo & Mary of Futon Cosplay, made by same

Most Faithful Recreation: Walk On #72 Ciel Phantomhive & Madame Red from Black Butler, worn by Maria V. & Aimee A., made by same

Best Skit: Skit #11 Black Butler Yes!, performed & worn by Cohesive Cosplay, made by Kagz, Lola, Momo, Skittles and Kino (aka Cohesive Cosplay)

Third Place: Walk On #75 Lillymon and Magneangemon from Digimon, worn by Blake & Rachel, made by Blake & Rachel

Best in Show: Skit #10 "In a World We Must Defend" from Axis Powers Hetalia, worn & performed by Saucy Noodle Cosplay, made by Rachel S., Beth L., Robyn S., and Stephanie G.

FRIDAY HALL CONTEST:

Best Craftsmanship: Panty & Stocking from Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt, made and worn by Izaya & Koholint

Second Place: Fallout Vault Dwellers from Fallout, made and worn by Anastasia & Gregg

First Place: Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, made and worn by Monoyasha

SATURDAY HALL CONTEST:

Best Craftsmanship: Esther & Abel from Trinity Blood, made by Tiffany G., worn by Tiffany G. and ???

Second Place: Esther Blanchette from Trinity Blood, made and worn by Lisa S.

First Place: Big Sister from Bioshock 2, made and worn by Amanda P.

Tags: cosplay

Model Contest

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:52:17 UT

Model Contest Rules:

1. Maximum of 3 entries per person.

2. No member of AVD, staff or family member may enter.

3. All entrants must fill out an entry form with their name, address, models entered and categories of entry, which must be turned in to the AVD table by the close of The Dealers Room on Saturday.

4. All entrants must sign a disclaimer on their forms that they painted and assembled the entries themselves. (Fibbing is grounds for disqualification!)

5. All entrants will be provided with a 3x5 index card for each model they enter. Entrants must write their name, the model number from their entry form and their entry number, provided at time of entry.

6. All models will be judged on their individual merits, and rulings are final.

7. Incomplete models cannot be entered - try them at a later show!

Contest Categories:

Anime, Manga, or Comic characters
Mecha, Robots, and Vehicles
BDS *(New category - Resin Dolls Only)*
Scrap-Built & Kit Bash

Tags: Contest, contests, models

AVD Model Entry Form (34 KB)

Jesse Sosa

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:03:49 UT

Jesse is a 3D character artist that has been in the game industry for over 10 years. His work can be seen in such games as Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Wizard 101, BloodRayne 2, the upcoming Star Wars: Kinect, the movie Grandma's Boy, and many more.

You can also hear him on the game industry podcast 'Crunch Cast'.

His love affair with anime began in the 80s when he first watched Robotech and Voltron. Over the years, his favorites have grown to include Ranma 1 1/2, Evangelion, Fushigi Yuugi, and more recently Haruhi, Astro Fighter Sunred, as well as many others.

Every year Jesse helps bring video game panels to A-Kon. His yearly 'How to get into the Game Industry' is aimed at helping answer questions anyone may have about entering the industry. He is also branching out into social panels such as the A-Kon Icebreaker. A panel that encourages people to interact, meet new friends, play games, and win prizes.

Find him walking around the convention and he may give you a prize!

Tags: artist, gaming, panels

Sheraton Dallas Hotel Location and Room Rate

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:10:19 UT

Located in downtown Dallas, close to the Pearl Street DART stations of the Red, Green and Blue lines. The physical address of the hotel is:

400 N Olive St,
Dallas, TX 75201

Please note, that the Sheraton Dallas is a completely non-smoking hotel.

The room rates for this year are as follows:

Single (King Bed) or Double (2 Queen Beds) Room (for 1 – 4 people) = $173.00 per night plus tax.
Executive Suite = $250.00 per night plus tax.
Dallas Suite = $450.00 per night plus tax.

There are two types of Executive Suites Please see the information below on the rooms.

You will also find information on the Dallas Suite as well.

If you are interested in renting a Hospitality Suite at the hotel, that rate is $900.00 per night and you must first contact A-Kon rather than renting directly through the hotel. Please email project_manager1@verizon.net if you would like to book a Hospitality Suite.

This year the hotel has provided a direct link that will allow our attendees to book their Double and King Rooms directly through the hotel website. There is no need to call the hotel to book this type of room.

Simply follow this link to the booking page:

https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/booking/reservation?id=1108314657&key=EBF63 (does not work with Chrome browser)

If you are planning to book either Executive or Dallas Suites, please call directly 214-922-8000 and ask for "In House Reservations.”

Tags: hotel