As the third year of Denver Comic Con has arrived at last, it is amazing to see where it was just two years ago.  Being asked if it was something that I would be interested in attending with some friends that would be covering the emerging event, I said sure and went ahead with my life not knowing what I was really in for.  Although I was not willing to release my inner geek just yet, this event helped me out of my shell, in a big way.

Arriving at the convention center two hours before the event started was a grand plan.  Always being no more than tenth in line to get in and hit the floor was amazing. I entered the main exhibit hall and was lifted back to my youth.  With a ton of artists I have never heard of with fantastic artwork on display of many a hero from my youth.  My inner child erupted out and I had found a home away from home. 

Then 2013 rolled around and I was asked once again if I would want to attend.  Sure, I said, thinking that it would be something just like the previous year and boy was I mistaken.  Showing up two hours before the show was a great idea, but on Friday, I was a thousand people deep in line, rather than in the front ten.  Something had happened and the people of Colorado and the Midwest had spoken, they wanted more of Denver Comic Con.

Everyone has the person they are looking forward to seeing the most, the panel they are wanting to hear and the piece of artwork they cannot live without and nobody can hold that against them.  With a lineup rivals most of the other cons, DCC should be nothing but amazing this year. 

Just a few tips for everyone that is going this year. Prioritize what is really important to you.  If you are wanting to get a special piece of artwork signed by your favorite artist, or just looking to get a print, do it early.  I cannot explain how crazy things get on Saturday's at the con and many of the artists are left with nothing left to sell on Sundays.  If you are trying to get that special autograph from your favorite movie or TV star, be ready to stand in line for a while, as others are doing the same.  Keep an eye on their schedules and maybe, just maybe you'll find yourself at the front of the line when they should be returning. 

Also, always remember the basics, wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated.  This is a big weekend and you will be walking everywhere to see as much as you can in such a short time.  If you are feeling overwhelmed by the crowds, or just by meeting your favorite star, there is no shame in sitting down and taking a breather.  I cannot count the number of times that I have seen people faint after meeting there heroes.  Outside of that, just make sure you have fun.  If you do not take it in and enjoy what is around you, what is the point?

Hope to see you all on the floor since my camera is charged and I am ready for the time of our lives at Denver Comic Con ’14.  See you there!

As Denver Comic Con continues to grow, so does their theme.  Last year it was Superman where there was a giant statue of the Man of Steel to welcome you in and the Daily Planet in the middle of the con floor.  This year, they are celebrating Batman, but with one difference, Batman will be in the house. 

Adam West is going to be in town along with his long time counterpart Burt Ward who played Robin for many years and one of their greatest foes, Julie Newmar who played Catwoman.  Batman was one of my favorite series growing up, that I was allowed to watch.  With plenty of action, puns and villains, this show encompassed something that many other shows did not and that was moral values.  Always delivering a message at the end, be it by Batman himself or one of the villains, you always turned the television off feeling better about yourself. 

A comic book that turned into a live action TV show is something that was not unheard of in the day, but being able to make it family friendly was when many of the books were a little more graphic than what could be shown.  Adding the POW, BAM, SLAP not only allowed the series to live on but added something else to the mold and that was the birth of Adam West’s legendary character.  West could never be duplicated and to this day is the best known actor to have every pulled on the tights. 

But if the original Batman series does not float your boat or you have never seen it before but watched the Saturday morning cartoon version, there is a gift for you as well.  Kevin Conroy will be at DCC this year as well, the voice of the animated Batman. Batman has always needed a distinctive voice and Conroy brought it to the small screen in 1991. 

With the original Batman cast being brought into Denver Comic Con this year, there is no question where my allegiance truly lies.  I have been Batman fan since I was just a little kid and this is just something that I never thought would come to Denver in my life time.

DCC has made more dreams come true this year with their guest line up and with proceeds going towards Comic Book Classroom’s programing, there are going to be more and more children learning how to read and write and maybe one of them will be coming up with a new hero for the world to look up to.

Hope you are looking forward to DCC this year as I am.  Hope to see you there and your crime fighting glasses on, you never know when you are going to need them.

Now everyone has a little niche of what they like and what they love and sometimes, just sometimes it will make them change their minds about what they will see when going to the con.  One of the first announcements I saw come across the board was for Walter Koenig.  For most people that is a name, but Walter is the man that brought life to the Chekov character on the original Star Trek series and movies.  Thinking little about what was about to happen after seeing Shatner and Takei last year, I was not expecting to be bombarded by the cast of The Next Generation coming to town.

With the crew of the Enterprise coming to Denver, even the person that has never truly been a hardcore Trekkie will have to sit back and enjoy the greatness that is standing before them.  I mean we get some incredible names here; LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Denise Crosby, Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes are coming aboard to DCC this year to hold their reunion, and to top it off, William "The Shat" Shatner is back as well to run their panel.  

It is hard to find a reason why not to stop by and visit one or all of these crewmembers when everyone has watched an episode of The Next Generation at least once. I will say that I am more than excited to see LeVar Burton this year with his success of kick starting Reading Rainbow and bringing it back to life. Although Jonathan Frakes has been Number One for all of these years, he is number two on my list to get an autograph from.  DCC has opened a new door this year with bringing in their guests and I can say is ‘Make it So.’

Hope to see you all at the con this year.  Make sure you keep your badges on so you can be transported back to a place where no one has gone before.

My favorite memories from Denver Comic Con are limited as last year was my very first year. Sadly, the first year DCC was in town, I was unable to make it. I have to say, it was the saddest thing to miss this amazing convention, so when I heard it was happening again last year, I got my ticket so fast it wasn't even funny.

Last year I didn't do a lot of cosplay. Okay, that's not entirely true. I did cross-play as Tony Stark (with a drawn on beard. Thank you eyeliner!) and I did fake propose to my friend Bri, dressed as Thor. It was probably the funnest thing ever. Other than that, I generally stayed in regular clothes. It was fun, but you guys know I do love my Cosplay. So, my first experience with DCC was pretty freaking awesome. This was one of the biggest conventions I've ever been too. The turn out for this con was utterly huge and I have never been so excited to be anywhere before. Last year, there were so many people, I was almost afraid we wouldn't all fit…but lo and behold we did. Just walking the line, the number of people who turned out into cosplay was so wonderful. Even before getting into the convention center, I'd easily taken several pictures. Of which are somewhere on my hard drive…which is somewhere in my room…somewhere, Point is, the con was utterly amazing even before getting in. Now, Friday was a bit hectic with getting things set up, learning the areas, and figuring out where some panels would be, and of course the lay out of the dealers room. Which we all know is my absolute favorite part of a con.

The second I figured it all out, you better believe that I knew where everything was. I'd never been to the convention center before, ever (I know! And I've lived back here since 2004!) but, it was so fun. the panels were engaging, entertaining, and I even got to hit up George Takei's panel. That, in and of itself, was the most amazing experience of my life. Shortly after, Mattie and I got to meet him and his husband Brad. I think that has to be my most favorite memory. As we stood in line to get George's autograph, he went and took a break, we were nearly next in line, so his 'manager' started talking to us. I knew it was Brad, but Mattie did not…so she actually talked to him! The way the conversation went, however, made it seem like Mattie and I were more than just friends, or so Brad assumed. Mattie quickly corrected that we were just good friends and even roommates. The very next day, we went to get a picture with George…while there, Brad remembered us, and we invited him to be in the picture with us. That picture sits on our fireplace mantel and is a reminder of just how awesome it was to meet one of our idols. George Takei could not have been nicer, and his husband will forever give a wonderful story of my first DCC. Sometime in there, we even met Wil Wheaton. And while this is odd, Mattie and I talked to him about Doctor Who and our favorite companions. Turns out, Wil and I agree that Martha is better than Donna, whom Mattie loves best. Watching Mattie argue with Wil, in a good way naturally, over which companion was better. 

Between meeting amazing celebrities, and buying some awesome stuff, the best parts of that weekend still hold in my memory. I even made it to a speed dating panel. While no connections were made, it was a wonderful experience. 

This year holds its own wonderful memories just waiting to happen. I'm so excited to be going. As this just happens to be the year of my high school reunion, one of my best friends has decided to come and spend the weekend at DCC. Melissa has been to a convention in Colorado before, but never DCC. We both decided to skip our 10 year reunion, and spend the weekend hanging out at Denver Comic Con. Making memories, having fun, and supporting Comic Book Classroom. I wouldn't like to spend any other reunion any other way; having a friend I've known for twelve years is just an added bonus. Not to mention the Cosplays' planned for this weekend.

I can't wait for this weekend, and I hope to see so many of you there!

The best part of a convention are the unexpected surprises.  It can be something as simple as say, finding a perfect collectible in the Dealer's Room, or perhaps seeing an old friend.  But once in a while, the convention itself manages to completely blow you away and that happened to me last year at Denver Comic Con and it is to date, the other half of my favorite DCC memory.  

The other day I took a moment to tell all of you how Comic Book Classroom left me in awe and that it just happened to tie into today and well...this moment is one that I always think of when it comes to Denver Comic Con.

See late last year at the con, near the end of it on Sunday, I was summoned to the Comic Book Classroom Corral with the simple instruction that something important was about to happen and I needed to find a spot with my camera. Well naturally, my mind went racing, what could DCC have planned and well...after a few agonizing moments of waiting, something incredible happened.  

The crowd of volunteers guarding the stage parted and there he was, William Shatner himself.  With a smile on his face he took the stage and spoke to the kids, and then the magic happened, he read "Where the Wild Things Are" to the audience of children.  It was...amazing.  

After all, here was William Shatner.  A legend of Science Fiction, a man that I idolized as a child growing up, and I still do to this day, was reading to kids in the CBC Corral.  It took every ounce of effort to not let my jaw drop, simply because I had never seen or heard of anything like this at a convention.  Two things that I hold near and dear, reading and Star Trek were coming to life before my very eyes and it left a smile on my face and tears in my eyes for the rest of the con.  I'm glad they did it near the end of the con, simply because, how does one top that?  That was the big one for me, the moment that will always speak to how important CBC is to DCC and because it really was something else.  

Yet I feel as though I am doing you a disservice.  Despite my gushing over this event, I'm not sure there are ever going to be the right words to convey just how special that moment was.  So instead, let's just share that moment again one more time before we all settle in for Denver Comic Con 2014. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I have fallen in love with the guests that DCC has brought in in the past, but now I will start to feel a little bit more like I am at home.  It is no secret that I love horror movies and a couple TV shows, but horror does not always come to a convention like this.  With the first announcement of Michael Rooker (Merle) from The Walking Dead, my eyes opened up a little bit wider than usual and I could not wait to see who they would be able to get next. 

Turns out they landed Chandler Riggs (Carl), who will be returning to Denver for a second time and if you have watched The Walking Dead you have loved and hated this kid, but you know what, that means that he is doing his job.  Without having to be asked questions this year about why his character always leaves the house, I think Chandler will have a great time and I will be bringing a tub of pudding for him to sign. 

So, thinking that the Zombies would be covered this year by only the mainstream Walking Dead cast members, to my surprise, an author was announced that tickled my funny bone.  Max Brooks, the author of The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z.  It took me forever to find a copy of the Survival Guide, but once I was finally able to get my hands on it, I read it cover to cover in an afternoon.  World War Z on the other hand was purchased the day it came out in the book store, I knew that there was something special there and I was right when reading about the accounts that everyone had to go through on Z Day. 

But horror is not just about zombies, it is also about those things that go bump in the night and that leaves me with the person that I would like to meet the most at DCC, Mr. Bruce Campbell.  Although he has been named a ‘B’ movie actor, he tends to deliver in whatever movie he is staring in.  My first exposure to Campbell’s work was in the first Evil Dead movie, followed by Evil Dead II, then a bunch of Syfy movies.  I will not lie, some of these might not be the best movies ever made, but they are elevated to a new level when it comes to Bruce being in them.  When I finally saw Army of Darkness, I was sold and have never looked back again.  As an actor, Bruce Campbell brings just enough of a character to life that you really have to like him.  He has one of the largest cult followings and is one of the biggest horror icons in the business, in my eyes at least.

Just a couple of people that will cover my quota of horror stars for at least a month.  There are many other talented artists and authors that will be on hand, but since there is something for everyone at DCC, this is what is waiting for me.  Hope to see you all on the floor and please remember, Stay Scared.

It's been three wonderful years when it comes to Denver Comic Con.  For me, the only thing I knew about a convention of this size is what I saw and read about on television. Yet here we are, DCC is the hottest and biggest convention in town and I feel blessed that I've been able to gain a unique perspective on this convention.

I've had the honor of covering it from day one and I keep coming back every year simply because each year provides me with incredible memories and because of what Denver Comic Con stands for.  So I thought I would take a little time over the next day or two and share some of the special moments that hang in my mind from DCC and bear with me...because while this is indeed a two part piece, and while today's memory didn't happen at the convention, these two memories tie together in a unique way.  

Now, reading and writing have always been important to me.  I learned to read and to write at a young age and the importance that my mother and father made of such skills always stuck with me.  As the years have progressed, those skills continue to be incredibly important to me. The instant I found out that DCC and Comic Book Classroom went hand in hand, well, I jumped at the chance to learn more and spread awareness about it the best way I knew how, and that desire to talk it up brought me to a unique and wonderful experience.

You see, I had the opportunity to see Comic Book Classroom first hand last summer for Denver Comic Con TV (see it here) and I often think about it to this day.  Simply because I had no idea how well it worked.  Now that's not to insult the program by any means, I've always loved the idea but to see it in action...it just blew me away.  Every single child in that room was completely and utterly engaged in what they were being taught, something I've honestly never seen in a classroom before. These children truly wanted to tell a story, in fact they were chomping at the bit to do it when they read them before their classmates.  

I'm not sure I will ever experience something this amazing in my lifetime again.  But wow, these kids were excited to learn, excited to write and excited to be there. It's one of the greatest things I've ever experienced and it completely changed my perspective on a convention.  This is the first one I've ever seen that truly gives back and it makes this con all that more important to me...and I'll never forget that incredible day. 

With just under a week until this year's Denver Comic Con, there's so much going on. Preparation for costumes are underway as we all make a mad dash to finish them. Costumes aside, I'm trying my best to plan out what to do this weekend. I had the wonderful pleasure of making it to Denver Comic Con last year, and not going to lie, I had to be picky with my agenda, and I think it will be the same for me this year. With so many events taking place, it's hard to pick which to see, but there is a plethora of panels to attend for all those with varying interests and fandoms. Sadly, it's impossible to make it to every panel, so I'll be sure to be in line early for the ones I want to see the most.

From the amazing artists, authors, and my favorite place to shop, the dealers, DCC promises nothing but the best. The Dealer's room is bound to be a hot spot for certain. With so much wonderful merchandise, it's a wonder I don't go bankrupt! Artist Alley will be filled to the brim with comic legends, local artists and up and comers. There are authors from all genres, and plenty of books to fit the niche we readers all have. If you're looking for something at DCC to take home, and share the memories in, this is the place to find it. Last year was astonishingly overwhelming with everything that was in this very large room. I honestly can say, it was the single biggest Dealer's room I've ever set foot in. My only regret was not having a big enough apartment. But that's all right, because this year I've cleared some space and absolutely cannot wait to see what is in store for us.

Of course there are the Guests, and DCC has pulled out all the stops when it comes to getting some wonderfully amazing celebrities to join us this year. I'm rather excited about the line up myself, and can't wait to meet one of my absolute favorite Doctor's of all time. With all these guests, all these amazing things to purchase, and the panels that are around, we cannot forgot about Comic Book Classroom and the Corral.  Since hey, the con funds CBC which teaches kids how to read by having them make their own comics, and they have their own area dedicated to learning throughout the weekend. Check it out, it's pretty amazing. 

I for one, cannot wait for this convention. It's one of the biggest ones around and I've never been more excited than I am now!

When Denver Comic Con announces a new guest, there's always a sense of joy regardless of who it is.  They get some awesome names from my childhood so to know I will see these incredible people in person is extremely satisfying. 

But this most recent announcement has left me filled with not only joy, but awe as DCC has made it known that not only a great actor from my childhood, but also an acting legend is coming to town...Edward James Olmos.  

I say acting legend, because for one the man is an acting machine and the critics agree.  But for me, I grew up watching Mister Olmos in film after film.  I remember being blown away by his performance in Stand and Deliver, I remember seeing his small but powerful role as Gaff in Blade Runner. But his finest role to me was Admiral William Adama in the reboot of Battlestar Galactica.  

In fact it was Edward's casting on the show that was one of the deciding factors for me on a personal level to watch the reboot and his performance was nothing short of legendary.  He anchored every bit of that show with the tortured Adama, tasked with the weight of the fate of humanity on his shoulders.  

So it brings me epic joy and perhaps a slight moment of panic to get something for Edward to sign because ladies and gentlemen, one of my favorite actors is coming to Denver Comic Con and I could not be happier.  See everyone on Friday!