Phoenix Comicon 2015

This past weekend nerds converged in Phoenix to the premier pop culture event of the Southwest – Phoenix Comicon. This con was four days of pure, nerdy bliss. Mind-blowing cosplay, top-notch guests, a massive show room floor and impeccable organization made it one of the best cons I have ever attended!

I was happy to have a more interactive role this time with my media pass for the Who Wars podcast. I was fortunate enough to be there every single day and documented it all in the form of notes, audio, video and photographs.

Here’s my recap:

Day 1 (Thursday)

I picked up my media pass and headed to a panel about the darkest episodes of Doctor Who. I was surprised how full it was, probably about 90-95% capacity. It was a great panel that gave us a top 10 list of the darkest episodes complete with clips from classic Who and Nu-Who. Can you guess which episode was number one?

Next it was off to my interview with Chuck Wendig. He’s the author of the upcoming Star Wars novel, Aftermath, which takes place right after Return of the Jedi. This was my first scheduled interview that I’ve done like this so I was a bit nervous. But, Chuck was super nice and told me everything he possibly could about the book without being taken out by Lucasfilm.

After that, I got the last part of a panel about Star Wars conspiracies. Here they discussed such pressing topics as: Are Yoda and Palpatine besties? Did Palpatine kill Padme? And more!

Day 2 (Friday)

I started off day 2 with an interview with writer Paul Cornell. He’s written a lot of things for Doctor Who, so of course we wanted him on Who Wars! He is such a personable and friendly guy, really a pleasure chatting with him!

After that, I wandered to show room floor for a bit. It seemed even bigger this year and there was literally something for everyone! Some of my favorite purchases this year included a Tomorrowland pin, a Mockingjay pin, a TARDIS bow tie, a plush R2-D2 ball, and a cute R2-D2 knit hat!

Next up was my interview with Hi-Fi colorist Brian Miller. He’s done Star Wars and Doctor Who art as well as colored some of the Titan Doctor Who comics we review on Who Wars. His partner in crime, artist Joe Corroney, was sitting right there so I also did an impromptu interview with him.

Next I headed up the Hall of Heroes. This is the area where all the actors and costuming groups were. I checked out the TARDIS and the Star Wars area. Then I went over to where the actors were to see who I could find. I saw Tom Kane (the voice of Yoda on Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and in a moment of bravery, determination and pure hope I went up to him and asked him for an interview. He graciously agreed and invited me to sit at his table for about a half hour and answered my questions in between signing and doing voices for fans. And we also did a “Yoda-off”, so that was epic.

Mr. Kane is so incredibly nice and I am so happy to have the privilege of talking to him!

After that, I headed to the Jason Isaacs panel. It was a pretty good panel, but he didn’t talk much about the Inquisitor or Star Wars Rebels. I would have loved to get an interview with him, but it sadly didn’t happen.

Tom Kane had a spotlight panel after that where he might have hinted that Jabba could be making an appearance in Star Wars Rebels…

I did a bit more wandering and people watching and that was it for day two.

Day 3 (Saturday)

Suited in my Aphra costume, I started day three with a Star Wars Rebels panel that recapped season 1. That was good for me because I had already basically forgotten everything that happened in season one.

Next was the Chuck Wendig spotlight panel. Again, he couldn’t really talk much Star Wars, but it was cool to hear his stories and advice he had for people.

My next choice was the ultimate Who Wars decision. There was a panel about the Force and one about the Master. Ultimately I went with the one about the Master because 1) I had only been to one Doctor Who panel so far, and 2) I haven’t watched much classic Who and thought I might learn a thing or two. And I certainly did. It was very informative and even made me want to go check out some of the classic episodes with the Master.

Katee Sackhoff was the next panel. Although it was interesting to hear her talk about her time on Battlestar Galactica, I was hoping she would say something about Clone Wars. But she didn’t. I also would have LOVED to interview her, but it just wasn’t feasible.

 Day 4 (Sunday)

Day four was so much fun! I started with a panel about having an animation career that featured animation veterans Jason Spisak, Adam Beechen, Shannon Eric Denton and Heath Corson. There were so many people interested in an animation career and the guys gave such awesome advice!

Then afterwards I interviewed voice actor, Jason Spisak, who did the voice of Lux in the Clone Wars. He was very funny, genuine and awesome.

Next up was Star Wars Family Feud. This was a super fun, high energy recreation of the game show but with Star Wars based questions. It was Rebels vs. The Empire and everyone had a lot of fun! Right after this I was able to witness the Running of the Willrow Hoods! It was a bit smaller than the one at Star Wars Celebration, but still amazing! Indeed, ice cream is ALWAYS canon!

After some final show room floor gazing I left Phoenix Comicon 2015 grinning from ear to ear after the amazing weekend I had. Thankfully I don’t have to wait a full year for the next event, Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest is in December!

In the meantime don’t forget to check out my photos on Flickr and my coverage of Phoenix Comicon on Who Wars!

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Star Wars Rebels: Quick Thoughts About Season 1

When Rebels was first announced I was ecstatic! It was exciting to see the new characters be introduced and to find out more about the unchartered era Rebels would be taking place in. I eagerly read A New Dawn and shortly after watched the premier, Spark of Rebellion. Granted, it wasn’t a perfect premier, but I felt like the show was off to a great start. I was even happier when the episode Droids In Distress came on. R2 and Chopper together was like a dream come true for me.

Then, as the season went on, I wasn’t feeling it as much. I felt like the episodes were trying too hard to pull us into the Star Wars universe, and as a result, it felt even less like Star Wars. Don’t get me wrong, I still thoroughly enjoyed the show, but I just had a hard time investing myself emotionally in it. But then I saw the finale. Adding Ahsoka was a brilliant move! When Fulcrum was first introduced, I had predicted “An Organa/Ahsoka Alliance” partly because that’s what I personally wanted, but also because it makes a lot of sense. Obviously the Organas play a huge part in The Rebel Alliance, but adding Ahsoka beautifully links together the PT, OT, TCW and of course Star Wars Rebels (and possibly even the ST?). She is also a beloved character who is pretty much universally loved and we all wanted to see her fate. It also gives us tons of new stuff to look forward to, especially a Vader/Ahsoka showdown!

This incredible finale has given me hope for the future of Rebels. The cast and crew are tremendously talented and I know the future is bright. It will be interesting to see how The Rebel Alliance expands and how their stories intertwine with the future Star Wars movies, comics, books and more!

Movie Review: Big Hero 6

***Please note: this is NOT a spoiler-free review!***

Last Tuesday saw the release of the Oscar Winner for Best Animated Feature – Big Hero 6. I was thrilled that it won, as I whole heartily agree that it was the best animated film of the year, and maybe even the decade. There are so many things I loved about this movie – its brilliant graphics, the beautiful themes of loss, love and friendship and of course the incredible Baymax!

If you haven’t seen the film, here’s a detailed and spoilery synopsis. 🙂

Throwback Thursday Movie Review: The Iron Giant (1999)

This classic animated tale of boy meets giant robot from outer space is one of my all-time favorites. Director Brad Bird masterfully weaves together humor, suspense, tragedy, and most importantly a sense of heartfelt love.

The film revolves around Hogarth, a smart but lonely boy, and his friendship with giant metal robot who has crashed to earth. The military catches on to the existence of this extraterrestrial and Hogarth and his Beatnik friend Dean, must try to protect The Iron Giant and save him from destruction. Its setting in Maine, during the height of the Cold War, adds to the drama of the story by showing the extreme paranoia of the people and the government at the time.

It came out in 1999, a time when most animated films were starting to go a more computer animated route. But I think the classic animation style makes it even more endearing. Regardless of the style, it’s a visually stunning work of art that survives the test of time.

The voice talent in the movie is also amazing. Harry Connick Jr. makes you wish you were a Beatnik, Jennifer Anniston does a lovely job as Hogarth’s mom, and Eli Marienthal perfectly conveys the sense of wonder as nine-year-old Hogarth. And let’s not forget Vin Diesel. He manages to bring life, love and tenderness to a 50 foot tall metal robot. Not an easy feat by any means!

This movie’s themes of love, sacrifice, making good choices will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. I think this is one of the most perfect movies ever made and I give it a rating of 9.5 out of 10. Don’t miss this modern classic!