Dallas Fan Days October 20-22

Calling all Super Nerds! Dallas Fan Days is coming October 20-22 to the Irving Convention Center. Guests from Riverdale, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and Dr. Who are all planned to be in attendance.

The October event of Dallas Fan Days is one of my favorite conventions. Not only is the Irving Convention Center an optimal place for a convention, but this show always has something for everyone. If this is your first convention, or you have never been to the Irving Convention Center, please see my Beginner’s Guide for FAQ!

Staying true to the “comic” aspect of Comic Cons, Dallas Fan Days has an exceptional range of comic creators, artists, and comic book professionals who are always excited to meet their fans and share the excitement for comic book culture.

Costumes are in no shortage for this show. However, it is totally not necessary to be in cosplay. Most people at the shows are simply rocking their favorite nerdy shirt and jeans – and this is perfect!

If you’re planning on wearing a costume, but don’t know where to start, think about your favorite fandoms and choose a character that is true to you! Never feel pressured to wear a specific costume just because everyone else is. If you’re wearing a costume, chances are people will want to talk to you about the character you are dressed as, and nothing is worse than trying to converse with people about a character you know nothing about! Chances are someone will recognize the character you are dressed as, and getting to talk to someone who is as excited about a fandom as you are is the goal!

Dallas Fan Days always has a solid Artist Alley. This is the best place to find unique pieces of art to make your walls pop! Pro Tip: I tend to pick up a couple new pieces of art at every show. There is no way that I would ever have enough wall space (or money for frames) for everyone! Instead, I picked up a Portfolio book from Hobby Lobby that is filled with over 100 clear pages that I can slip the art into. This makes a fantastic book to keep on my coffee table. Guests love flipping through it, and I love telling them all about the amazing artists!

Whatever you plan to do, make sure you have fun! Sometimes, the best part of the convention is getting great photos together, and wandering the vendors room basking in everything nerdy. Cheers and enjoy the con!

A-Kon 26 Revs up for a Weekend Full of Anime, Gaming, and Cosplay

A-Kon is the longest running anime convention in the U.S. With 25 years now under its belt, A-Kon consistently delivers an exciting weekend full of anime, guests, panels, and fun.

Join A-Kon and over 20,000 anticipated guests at the Hilton Anatole in Downtown Dallas. Parking can be a bit tricky as main parking at the Anatole fills up rather quickly. It is strongly encouraged to refer to this map and signing that allows overflow A-Kon parking. There are many spots close to the Anatole that may look tempting to park in, but beware towing is HEAVILY enforced during the weekend and you don’t want to come back to a booted/non-existent car after a

If you’re looking to get a professional photo of your cosplay, visit SuperheroPhotos at A-Kon! This was my Mega Charizard from A-Kon last year!

weekend of fun.

Whether you have pre-registered for a badge or are buying on-site, it’s advised to get in line as early as you can. Lines have been hours long in the past and you don’t want to miss any of your convention time. If you’re cosplaying it’s advised to pick up your badge before you get in costume since you may be standing for an extended period of time.

A-Kon draws such a large crowd because the convention consistently delivers optimal entertainment to its guests. From J-Pop celebrities to a massive artist alley/dealers room collaboration, there is always something new to see.

This years celebrity guests include voice actress Amber Nash most currently known for her role as Pam from Archer. Other guests include Trina Nishimura, voice of Mikasa from Attack on Titan, and Caitlin Glass known for her role as Winry from Fullmetal Alchemist.

Although A-Kon is namely an anime convention, gaming is a large feature too. A Console Gaming Room full of nostalgic game titles is sure to feed any gamers appetite. Additionally, ScrewAttack will be there with game demos so be sure to stop by and test out some of their newest titles.

One of the highlights of A-Kon is a large dance party they host Saturday night. If you like rave-like atmospheres, this dance party is right up your alley. In the past they’ve had talented DJ’s who incorporate nerdy touches into their music like Pokemon themes, Zelda’s main theme and more.

While finding restaurants in walking distance of the Anatole isn’t that easy, A-Kon has accommodated to have multiple food trucks available around the clock to satisfy hungry guests. There are 20 food trucks on the list to be rotating throughout four areas of the convention. From pizza, BBQ, tacos, and boba, there’s something for everyone.

Come out to A-Kon 26 this weekend and have some fun with the nerdiest and most fun people around, it’s tradition!

Also, here is my A-Kon photo bingo chart! Save it on your phone and try to get a bingo! Send it to me after the weekend with the photos to dallasfangirl@gmail.com!

Dallas Comic Con Brings Heroes and Villains Together for One Epic Weekend

If anything can bring heroes and villains together it was definitely Dallas Comic Con. Running on it’s second year at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, DCC ran a smooth convention that provided fun and new experiences to fans.

Groot aka PropCustomz

The convention, held May 29-31, hosted thousands of eager fans waiting to experience nerd bliss. If it’s any indication of how many fans were pouring into the convention center, within the first hour of the show on Saturday the 1200 spot parking lot was already full. Luckily, DCC planned for just this type of crowd and expanded the convention to take up the entire center instead of just one area.

This time artists and vendors were more integrated into the exhibit floor rather than being separated into entirely different sections of the room. The increased space along with increase in seating, tables, and transition between exhibitors and celebrities seemed to prove beneficial. Aisles seemed much less crowded and it was easier to navigate the floor and return to booths.

Destiny Nickelson

Cosplay was highly represented the entire weekend. Everywhere I looked there were high-caliber cosplays of characters from every dimension of fandom. There was even an entire aisle in the celebrity area dedicated to famous cosplayers. Here I was able to meet cosplayers and prop makers who consistently create incredible work. My favorite to talk to was Destiny Nickelson who is a seasoned cosplayer and well known in the community. When I met her she was wearing a Mary Marvel costume that she had created in a mere six hours with left over fabric she had! It’s incredible the level of talent and creativity of this community.

The My Possibilites comic club attended the convention bringing along colorful paintings they created to be shown at the event. My Possibilities “enables adults with disabilities to realize their greatest possibilities and enjoy

My Possibilities students show off their artwork at Dallas Comic Con – Photo cred Krystle Starr

meaningful lives.” Their students, also known as HIPsters, created the works of art featuring super heroes and villains from both the Marvel and DC universe. Helping them discover their artistic potential, teacher Krystle Starr encourages her students to push the boundaries and to not be afraid to take a chance. She told me how one student accidently spilled some paint on a canvas and

was upset that they ruined it, instead Krystle encouraged the student to “go with it,” and the “mistake” actually wound up making a unique and beautiful piece of art. It was wonderful to see their works of art appreciated and to have so many new comic fans join the convention scene.

One of the most entertaining panels was that of Tom Kenny. The voice actor, most famous for his roles as Spongebob Squarepants and the Ice King, gave sound advice to aspiring voice actors and provided much entertainment by using his

Tom Kenny entertains fans with voice acting stories and favorite voices.

voice talents to fulfill fan requests. One piece of advice he gave to aspiring voice actors in regards to their demo reels was to “create one demo reel with cartoon and character voices and a separate reel with regular voices that could be used on television ads.” One guest requested Kenny voice a situation where Spongebob and the Ice King

would meet for the first time. He said this was something he had never done before, and the result was both hilarious and awesome.

While many heroes were represented at the convention, the true heroes were without a doubt the volunteers and staff that worked around the clock to make sure everything went on as scheduled. Without them, there is no way a convention of this caliber could happen. Thank you volunteers and staff for all that you do to provide the best experience for all of your guests, your tireless efforts and accommodations are extremely appreciated!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Dallas Comic Con *FREE* Event: Fan Appreciation Day

Saturday, August 9, Dallas Comic Con is hosting a free convention! Fan Appreciation Day will take place from 10 am – 7 pm at the Irving Convention Center (parking is $5).

The event will be hosted on the first floor of the convention center which will be full of guests, vendors, and artists! There will also be the cosplay red carpet for cosplayers to walk and get photos taken!

Guests will range from comic artists to cosplayers including The Iron Giant screenwriter Tim McCanlies,  Superman and Monsterverse artist Kerry Gammill, Twilight actress Ali Faulkner, Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew, and professional cosplayer Krystle Starr.

After the event, Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson will be hosting a screening of The Iron Giant in honor of their one-year anniversary here in Dallas.

See you all Saturday!