“Dragon Con is always either a year or a day
away.”
-Clay Gilbert
Dragon Con has sort of crept up on me this
year.
I think it’s mostly due to the fact that The Dirty Dirty Con Con Game Game Show Show is no more. Preparation for that was absolutely exhausting and usually got started around February, so in one way or another I was thinking about Dragon Con for at least the six months leading up to it.
If you’d like the details on why that epic
game show had to go away, check out Episode
201 of the Needless Things Podcast.
If you’d like to know what in the world you’re
supposed to do on Saturday night at Dragon Con now that our record-breaking,
over-capacity-every-time game show is done, stay tuned to the rest of this
article for news about THE BIG DAMN GAME
SHOW.
While I do feel that Dragon Con is suddenly
upon me, don’t take that to mean I’ve got any less going on this year than
usual or that I haven’t been preparing. More on that later.
This year’s Progress Report is now available
on DragonCon.org. You might also be
able to pick up a physical copy at your Local
Comic Book Shop.
Or you might have already gotten it in the mail.
Every year I like to run down the newest
Progress Report and provide summaries of the Tracks, Performers, Guests, and
maybe a few events that are confirmed.
This post is a way for me as both a performer
and as an attendee to start getting my ducks in a row and planning for Con. Obviously
I’ve been planning for months now, but once August hits it’s the Death’s Head
Panoply blitz of planning. Shit gets real.
I’ll be looking mostly at the things that
interest me personally, but there will be plenty of general information, as
well. Dragon Con is simply too massive for me to cover every Guest or detail.
As of right now I only have a general sense
of my schedule, as it hasn’t been finalized, but I will point out some of the
more concrete events that I’ll be hosting or participating in. As ever, nothing
at Dragon Con is guaranteed to happen until it already has, and even then there
might be doubts.
For now, pull out your Dragon Con Progress
Report and follow along!
In case you’re not already familiar with it,
Dragon Con takes place across five hotels
– Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta Marriot Marquis, Hilton Atlanta,
Sheraton Atlanta, and the Westin Peachtree Plaza - within walking distance of
one another in Downtown Atlanta. Because of this, you need to plan your
schedule beforehand and allow at least thirty minutes of travel time between
events. Also, buy a large water bottle and keep it with you at all times. Most
hotels have water coolers scattered about, so you can stay filled up all day
and night.
Phantom Tip: If you’re not
peeing once an hour you’re getting dehydrated! By the time you realize your
lack of hydration is effecting your fun, it takes a long time to recover. It
will suck away at your energy and your ability to focus.
In order to plan your schedule, download the
Dragon Con app from iTunes or the Play Store.
IMPORTANT: As of 2018
Dragon Con is no longer releasing a Pocket Program. Instead, a Quick Start
Guide will be available that will feature the schedule grid in a new format. It
sounds like it will be a more convenient tool, especially considering how much
the app has evolved over the past three years. A full Pocket Program is
somewhat obsolete at this point, though I expect there will be plenty of
grumbling from old-schoolers.
If you’re staying in a host hotel, be sure to
find out what channel is carrying Dragon Con TV. This is the network run by a
bunch of crazy Dragon Con volunteers. It provides original content, music
videos, comedy sketches, short films, and also broadcasts many of the guest
panels. It’s the best television channel I’ve ever seen and I look forward to
seeing it every year. I just leave my TV tuned to it and on all weekend.
Tracks
“Track” is the term used in reference to all
of the events involved in a particular genre or field of interest. For example,
the Trek Track encompasses all things Star Trek. There are panels featuring
celebrity guests, genre experts, and fans. There are also parties and events
such as the Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant, which involves costuming as
various species from the Star Trek universe. So to make things easy, you simply
find the Track that represents your area (or areas) of interest and look for
that schedule. Typically most or all of the events for one Track will take
place in the same hotel and even the same general group of rooms. It all
depends on the size of the Track.
Here are all of the Tracks, with brief notes about
the nature of each:
Alternate History – Exploring themes
of time travel, old world culture, Steampunk, and historical “what-ifs?”
American Sci-Fi
Classics
– Celebrating science fiction movies and TV of the past. One of the most fun
and immersive Tracks at Con! I am thrilled to be a part of this family.
American Sci-Fi Media – Modern and current
genre programs and movies.
Animation – Your home base for
the creators and voices of your favorite cartoons.
Anime-Manga – All about the art
of Japanese sequential storytelling.
Apocalypse Rising – Media dealing with
the many different ways that civilization could end, as well as what happens
afterward.
BritTrack – This one focuses on
the many genre and entertainment contributions of Great Britain.
Costuming – Where the art of
character building through costumes, props, and apparel gets its due.
Diversity – An all-new Track
looking at representation in all of genre entertainment.
Electronic Frontiers
Forums
– Internet, law, technology and their impact on society.
Fantasy Literature – Focusing on the
written form of the genre.
Filk – Folk music about
genre topics.
High Fantasy – I somehow missed
the addition of this Track last year. It seems to encompass any form of fantasy
media that Fantasy Literature doesn’t.
Horror – Focusing on the gruesome and macabre aspects of genre
storytelling! I’m excited to be returning to the Horror Track for a third year!
Independent Film – Packed with screenings and panels devoted to filmmakers
who operate outside of the studio system.
Kaleidoscope – Entertainment for
kids and young teens.
Military SciFi Media – Franchises such as
Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, and Firefly
tell very specific kinds of stories that utilize military settings to sell
genre stories. This Track covers them all!
Paranormal – Start your day
with a Tarot reading and then stick around for examinations of the unexplained!
Podcasting and New Media – And exploration
and showcase of new media.
Puppetry – Every year the
Puppetry Track manages to grow and encompass more facets of the entertainment
world. Puppetry is everywhere, and these folks are going to share that magic
with Dragon Con. For the second year I will be involved with something special
for this exceptional Track.
Robotics & Maker – For those that
create.
Science – For fans who enjoy
a little reality alongside their fantasy and speculation.
Sci-Fi Literature – Where we all (or
at least most of us) got started – exploring the words that brought us to where
the genre is today.
Silk Road - Asian cinema and culture.
Skeptic – A Track for
critical thinkers and lovers of science
Space – Still looking to
infinity and beyond.
Star Wars – Business has never been better for these folks, huh?
Trek Track – Focusing on the
books, comics, movies, and, of course television inspired by the mind of Gene
Rodenberry and those that followed in his footsteps.
Urban Fantasy – I’m not sure how to
describe this one, but some of the television shows it covers include Lost Girl, Being Human, Supernatural,
and my wife’s favorite – The Vampire
Diaries. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
and Angel join this Track’s list of
topics for the first time this year!
Writers – Where writers help
writers write.
X Track – It seems like this
track focuses on cryptozoology and the paranormal as they relate to conspiracy
theory. Sort of. I believe it takes its name from The X-Files, so that should clue you in.
Young Adult
Literature
– It’s funny how this category has exploded over the last twenty years – Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and the like have created a whole new fandom that
didn’t exist when I was a Young Adult.
That’s thirty-one Tracks covering every major
aspect of genre entertainment and some straightforward real-world subjects as
well – Electronic Frontiers, Science, Space, and more. Every year Dragon Con
looks at its Tracks and figures out where there is a need or not so much of a
need anymore. The people in charge are very good at adjusting Dragon Con to its
attendees’ interests year after year.
Announcements
Just a few things worth noting. Some are new,
some are not.
You can read all of Dragon Con’s policies here. I felt that these
paragraphs were particularly important:
“If you
feel you have been harassed please find the nearest Dragon Con volunteer. This year, all 2000 Dragon Con volunteers
will be easily recognized by their bright tie dye lanyards. They will direct you to the security
operation in the Marriott. If, at any
time, you feel that your personal safety or the safety of others is in
jeopardy, please contact the Atlanta Police Department in an emergency via 911.
The Atlanta Police Department non-emergency phone number for Zone 5 is
404-658-7830.
You may
also go directly to the security operation – room L405-L406 in the Marriott, on
the Marquis level – to report an incident.
We have set up a private screening area, staffed by an Atlanta Police Department
officer to counsel individuals who feel they have been harassed. We will work closely with the APD to
determine the best course of action.”
*Once again in 2018 Dragon Con will be
offering Thursday-only badges (on site only). This means that you can come down
for Dragon Con Wrestling, the Classics Track sing-along, the Bunny Hutch party,
and many other events that have now become Nerd Year’s Eve traditions! Count
down to midnight with your ol’ pal Phantom Troublemaker in the Marriot!
*
*If you already purchased your passes to
Dragon Con, bring that postcard with the barcode on it that they sent you in
the mail. It will make your badge pickup much
faster. And if you didn’t receive it or lost it, let them know now. They can
send you another one. I know this because a few years ago I thought I hadn’t
received one and I asked for another and they sent it and then after Con I
found the first one.
*You will need your badge to get into the
host hotels. Not just into panels and stuff – into the hotels. This policy started in earnest in 2013 and I
approve one hundred percent. I invest a lot of time and money in Dragon Con and
I don’t need any freeloaders bringing down the tone.
*Once again, some Tracks have moved from
their traditional stomping grounds. Be sure to check the Dragon Con app and the
Pocket Program – don’t make assumptions about where things are happening and
miss out on fun stuff!
*The Comics and Pop Artist Alley will be on
the fourth floor of AmericasMart building 2. This gives that area much more
space and also allows the expansion of the vendors and exhibitors on the first
three floors. I’m good with this decision because the Alley is a destination
for me and it gets frustrating when it’s buried in the middle of all of the
vendors.
Guests
This is simply my own personal list of Guests
that I am super excited about; my highlights, if you will. Just because someone
isn’t mentioned here doesn’t mean I’m not stoked they’re at Con. I just can’t
write about everyone. This list is
nowhere near compete. The website is the most current resource for Guest
Announcements. Chances are even more will be announced between now and Con.
Note: LOTS of Guests have been added
since the publication of the Progress Report – Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff,
Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, and many more have been announced via Dragon
Con social media.
Featured Guests
John Barrowman – Barrowman is
without a doubt one of Dragon Con’s most legendary regular guests. His panels
are always outrageous and he brings incredible levels of personality and energy
every year he attends.
Tom Cavanagh – Harrison Wells is
possibly the best part of CW’s The Flash,
but Cavanagh has a long history with television prior to that and is an
exciting addition to the Dragon Con guest list.
Michael Cho – A unique comic
artist, his fantastic covers are a highlight of DC’s variant program every month.
Amy Chu – The writer of the
fan-favorite Poison Ivy miniseries
has also worked on KISS, Red Sonja, Dejah Thoris, and plenty more.
Mike Colter – Luke Cage himself
will be at Dragon Con this year!
Peter David – One of my all-time
favorite comic book writers. From Hulk to X-Factor and everything in between, I
always love his work.
Felicia Day – A true DIY geek
role model.
Emilio Delgado – Luis from Sesame Street!
“The Nature Boy” Ric
Flair
– The greatest professional wrestler of all time. I’ve been asked if Flair will
make an appearance at DCW on Thursday night. I cannot answer that question.
Victor Garber – An absolute
delight whether he’s on stage or screen. Most recently known as Professor Stein
on Legends of Tomorrow.
Gil Gerard – Buck Rogers!
Stacey Gordon – One of Needless
Things’ favorite puppeteers and performers. Be sure to stop by the Puppetry
Track table and buy some of her amazingly adorable puppets! Remember that
sandwich I got last year? That’s one of Stacey’s creations.
Doc Hammer – One of the
creators of The Venture Bros. and an
all-around nice guy. If there’s a Venture panel this year, be sure to go. They’re
the best.
Walter Koenig – I can’t imagine
how tiring it must be to constantly hear about “nuclear wessels”. One of these days
I’ll get around to watching Babylon 5 so
I’ll have another frame of reference for Mr. Koenig.
Evangeline Lilly – She’s come a long
way since I first saw her on Lost
however many years ago. Her portrayal of Hope van Dyne is one of the highlights
of the awesome Ant-Man movies.
Bob McGrath – Bob from Sesame Street!
Jaime Murray – She’s been in tons
of recent and current genre stuff and she’s always awesome. My favorite role of
hers was Stahma Tarr on Defiance, a
show that was gone too soon.
John Noble – A true hero of
sci-fi, from Walter on Fringe to the
voice of Scarecrow in Batman: Arkham
Knight, Noble is always a welcome presence.
Roscoe Orman – Gordon from Sesame Street!
Jonah Ray – Now the human on Mystery Science Theater 3000, this
Nerdist alumni has a sense of humor that sometimes skews a little too close to
my own, which I find unreasonably annoying.
Caroll Spinney – BIG BIRD!!!
Tad Stones – A former Disney
Imagineer and the creator of the seminal Disney Afternoon shows Chip N’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck.
Tara Strong – One of the best-known
and most talented voice actors working today. She’s worked on virtually all of
the biggest cartoons you watch.
Babs Tarr – A phenomenally talented
artist and storyteller with an immediately recognizable style. I highly recommend
you find her in Comic Artists Alley and buy some art.
Christopher Uminga – Another artist
with a unique style, Uminga’s designs for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman
were recently released as a series of PVC statues from DC Collectibles.
Performers
Crüxshadows – A staple of Dragon
Con, I think there’d be a riot if they didn’t show up. Their shows are truly a
spectacle to behold and are a cornerstone of the proper Con experience.
Jess-O-Lantern – I don’t know
anything about her, but between her name and the description of “blend of acoustic
horrorpunk crossed with a cabaret...in a graveyard!” sounds excellent.
Tom Kenny & The
Hi-Seas
– I bet this will be one of the most fun performances Dragon Con has ever seen.
Events
Obviously you can’t just base an event of
this magnitude on guests. They’re important and all, but there has to be stuff
going on. Dragon Con has more stuff going on than you would be able to do in a
month, let alone in five days. Here’s just a little sample of the scheduled
events (once again – the stuff I care about):
17th Annual
Dragon Con Parade
– If you’ve never seen the parade, you must
see the parade. There’s just nothing else like it. No Hollywood movie can
compare to the spectacle of hundreds of costumed
nerds/dorks/geeks/superheroes/knights/wizards/ zombies/paranormal
investigators/Hobbits/spacemen/etc. marching through downtown Atlanta. It’s
breathtaking.
2016’s parade blocked me from getting to the
Westin for a Horror Track panel, so be aware that if you’re not planning on
watching the parade, it can still impact your plans.
Unless you’re hungover in your room. Which is
how I used to do Saturdays.
The Armory – Not really an
event, but a museum-style display of weaponry, both historical and fictional.
This is something unique to Dragon Con and I highly recommend you make some
time to check it out.
Charity Events – To keep up with
updates of new events, fun ways to help with Dragon Con’s goal of giving back, as
well as new items being added into the Auctions, follow Charity Events on
social media: DragonConCharity on Facebook, and @DC_Charity on Twitter and
Instagram.
The Late Night Puppet
Slam
– This is the greatest and best thing at Dragon Con that isn’t wrestling or a
game show hosted by me. I cannot possibly express to you how strongly I feel
you should attend. They should build a Bob and Carl amphitheater behind the
Hyatt just so that everybody at Dragon Con can attend the Puppet Slam.
Jim Henson’s Creature
Shop Challenge Live! – Participants will have the chance to have their
creations judged by Brian Henson (Labyrinth, Farscape), Kirk Thatcher (Dinosaurs,
Muppets Tonight), and Halle Stanford (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance),
with host Gigi Edgley (Farscape). One winner will be invited to tour The Jim Henson
Company in LA or New York and receive a travel stipend courtesy of Dragon Con
and The Jim Henson Company. Get ready for the ultimate Creature Shop
competition! Details will be announced the week of August 6th on The Jim Henson
Company and Dragon Con social media platforms. #CSCLIVE
The Big Damn Game
Show
– Your pals Dave West, Sean Reid, and the Lovely Oz return with the pop culture
offspring of your favorite game shows! Audience members compete in a multimedia
cavalcade of fun for fabulous prizes! (this is our new game show – Saturday night
at 10 PM)
DC FRAKKIN’ W! – Once again, your
ol’ pal Phantom Troublemaker and the insane athletes of DCW kick off Dragon Con
with the greatest wrestling show of the year! Come see high-caliber competitors
from all over the world give their all to entertain the Dragon Con masses!
That’s it, folks. I strongly encourage you to
visit DragonCon.org, download the app,
and go listen to all of the Earth Station One Dragon Con Reports for the best
information available.
Stay tuned to Needless Things throughout this
month and beyond as we cover all things Dragon Con!
Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group to get in on the fun
and to find out when this year’s Needless Things Meet-Up will occur! If at all!
Because I am super busy!
Join us for an auspicious celebration of our new special exhibit Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic. The evening will include celebrity guests, a costume contest, heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine bar, and a New Year’s Eve-style countdown to the Great Conjunction! Guests are encouraged to wear Dark Crystal-inspired costumes or fantasy masquerade attire and masks. Tickets are limited. Ticket information is below.
General Admission:
General admission tickets are $175 and include access to the Ball, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum and the Dark Crystal special exhibit, which opens to the public on August 31, meaning you’ll be among the first to see it! Beer and wine will be for sale at the bar.
VIP Tickets:
There will be 20 VIP tickets available for $300 each. VIP tickets grant admission one hour earlier at 6 pm and includes a cocktail hour with the celebrity guests and open beer and wine bar. VIP ticketholders will also receive a gift bag with exclusive items. (Cash bar during the Ball.)
Ultra-VIP Tickets:
Finally, for the Ultimate Dark Crystal Ball VIP Fan Experience, there will be two pairs of seats at the Skesksis Banquet Table! These packages will be up for auction, with a starting bid of $1,000 PER PAIR of tickets. These packages include entry to the VIP cocktail hour; reserved seating; an open beer and wine bar all night; and an Ultimate Fan gift bag with exclusive items. You will have a dedicated podling server to bring you bottomless food and drinks. You will also have one DJ song request for a spotlight dance with your companion.
Bidding for these packages will open Friday, June 1 at 12 pm EDT and will close Friday, June 8, 11:59 pm EDT, and we will post a link when bidding is live.
Ages 18+
VIP Happy Hour: 6pm
General Admission: 7pm
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