Denver Pop Culture Con 2019: Tim’s Nerdy Checklist

Written by Tim Girard

For the past few years I’ve been covering panels at Denver Pop Culture Con (formerly Denver Comic Con) for Nerds That Geek. Afterwards, I would write an article geared towards people who were interested in one of the panels I had gone to but didn’t get a chance to go themselves. Rather than giving a ‘review’ of the panel; my opinion about whether or not the content was valid and useful (because let’s be honest, who wants that?), I tried to give a detailed summary of all of the information presented, including any links that readers could follow if they wanted to explore the topic further. With all of the rebranding happening this year, however, I thought it might be a good opportunity to rethink my process a little bit. I will still be covering panels and writing articles, as well as making my ‘Top Ten Booths’ list, but something occurred to me this year: if someone is interested in something I’ve written about, it’s too late for them to experience it firsthand. So, in honor of this being the first year of the Denver Pop Culture Con, I will write a preemptive article, telling everyone all of the things I am looking forward to ahead of time, in case they want to actually check them out during DPCC!
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Let’s start with celebrities! If you are a Back to the Future fan, Christopher Lloyd and Tom Wilson are going to be at DPCC (along with a DeLorean), and if you are a fan of Firefly, then you can see Jewel Staite and Summer Glau. It would be great if I could get Patrick Warburton, to say something like, ‘Oh right, the poison. The poison for Kuzco. The poison chosen especially to kill Kuzco. Kuzco’s poison. That poison?’ or ‘You owe me a new acorn.’ I would love to get a picture with Cary Elwes, who was one of my favorite actors when I was a kid (I even went as Westley for Halloween one year), and also a picture with Dan Fogler, where I’m holding a sign that says, ‘you have to go back to your mom’s garage,’ and he’s holding a sign that says, ‘It’s a carriage house.’ My dream for DPCC was to have my picture taken with Tom Welling, who is my favorite Clark Kent/Superman and Michael Rosenbaum, who is my favorite Lex Luthor, but last I checked, Tom Welling has cancelled :’(

As far as Artist Valley goes, False Fox Art, who was at the top of my favorites list last year, will be at T17 [Fionnula Willman is a freelance illustrator, comic artist, and painter. She is ‘committed to telling and bringing to life stories that resonate with the world we live in.’ Her website (falsefoxart.com) includes a gallery with her portfolio, comics, tattoo designs, and fan art, as well as her bio, contact info, and blog. Follow her on Patreon, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email her (falsefoxart@gmail.com) for inquiries]. If I’m looking for a little gift for my wife, I’ll probably check out Whimsical Whiskers at DD13 [Brenna Deutchman makes stuffed dragons, and cats… and clothes and accessories for the stuffed dragons and cats… or for real dragons and cats if they are small enough and you can get them to sit still long enough. Her website (whimsiwhiskers.com) has separate pages for the dragons, cats, and accessories, as well as a bio, blog, portfolio, store, and contact. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email her (brenna@whimsiwhiskers.com) to check stock or for a custom order]. While looking through this list, I did find two new people that I am excited to check out: Anadia at 100 (anadia-chan.com), and Drawn This Way at Q14 (robbycook.com).

In Author Alley I’m looking forward to checking in with ayA Studios LLC to see the progress of their comic Pilla at E5 [‘We tell the stories, ones that have been overlooked, that need to be told.’ They do comic publishing, motion comics, and educational workshops. Their website (ayastudiosllc.com), has a pages for their stories, news, a calendar of event dates, and their store (where you can pick up issue #1 of their comic Pilla. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email them (create@ayastudiosllc.com)].

In the Merchant Mesa I’m going to revisit Angelarium at 698 [Peter Mohrbacher ‘is the creator of Angelarium and the driving force behind the project since he created it in 2005,’ when he ‘discovered that there were thousands of named angels throughout multiple mythologies.’ On the website (angelarium.net), he has divided the angels into categories: The Emanations of the Tree of Life, The Watchers, The Seraphim, and The Zodiac, as well as a page about the angelic script. There are also links to a news blog, info about his team, and his store. Follow him on Patreon, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email him (trueangelarium@gmail.com)], Artovision at 634 [Artovision makes ‘collectible artwork for your home entertainment system ... inspired by popular culture, video games, food and Americana.’ Their website (artovision3d.com), displays and sells their 3D Shadowbox Art, Desktop Art, Art Prints, Originals, and Merch. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter], and Brick Bunch at 199 [They sell ‘brick’ minifigures. Their website (BrickBunch.com) groups the minifigures into categories, including DC, Marvel, Star Wars, movies, Disney, animated, miscellaneous, Ninjago, television, and video games. Whatever figure you’re looking for, they probably have it, and it’s probably $5. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and contact them here]. I’m also excited to check out Blizzard Entertainment at 1237 (https://www.blizzard.com/en-us/), and UltraSabers at 119 (https://ultrasabers.com).

Now we come to my biggest focus of the weekend: panels. This can sometimes be complicated and even stressful if you don’t prepare and eliminate as much as possible before the weekend starts. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean you should narrow it down to just one or two. You definitely want to have some options in case one ends up being full, or you don’t find the room in time, or if you’re in the middle of something else really fun and you don’t want to drop everything to go to a panel. I suggest creating a hierarchy of priorities: Which ones do you definitely want to go to at all costs, which ones seem interesting if you have time, and which ones would you go to only if you missed one of the ones that you are really interested in. I’ve also learned to pace myself and not try to cram in too many in one day. I shoot for one to two on Friday and Sunday and two to three on Saturday. Here is a list of the panels that I am most excited about.

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Friday – 5/31/19

5:30p All the World’s a Stage in Pop Culture (Room 605) - Theatre is the original form of pop culture - but these writers are not your grandfather's Shakespeare! Playwright Crystal Skillman (King Kirby) and stage actor Andy Mientus (The Flash and Backstagers) talk about incorporating comic books and creators into their stories and stage careers.
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7:30p From Script to Screen: How to Make Movies (Room 504) - Have a dream in film, but not sure where to start? This panel is for you. Learn the process of filmmaking from pre-production to production to post-production. Learn every aspect of the filmmaking process and you'll be ready to make your own movie. Want to be a writer, actor/actress, director, cinematographer, or anything else film related? Please join us to learn how to take that step to get your movie made.

Saturday – 6/1/19

11:30a Stepping into the Film Industry (Room 504) - “Stepping into the Film Industry” is a multi-panelist discussion on the different ways a student can get into the film industry. With a variety of perspectives, audience members will learn about filmmaking in Colorado versus other states, the different schools available to film students, the things you don’t learn in film school, and the pros and cons of starting your own production company or working for an established studio. The last 10-15 minutes of the panel will be left open for Q/A.
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2:30p Colorado Ballet Presents Avengers: Dance Battle (aLAB - 8bit Stage) - Avengers: Dance Battle will explore speed, size, and energy in relation to movement and will end in a "battle" as opposite sides of the room display their top moves. Will you be as small as Ant-Man? As sharp as Black Widow? As fast as Black Panther? Come show us!

3:30p Ask A Game Developer - Kids & Teens talk with Blizzard (aLAB - 8bit Stage) - Wonder what it takes to become a game developer? Have questions about what goes into creating a video game? Come to this Q&A where you ask the questions.

5:00p Storybuilding with Blizzard Game Developers Mike Koizumi & Matt Burns (DPCCP 2 Metropolis, Main Events) - Join storyboard artist Mike Koizumi and writer Matt Burns from Blizzard Entertainment’s Story and Franchise Development team as they talk about their role in creating cinematics and the constant collaboration between storyboard artists and writers.

Sunday – 6/2/19

1:30p ED158 - Psychology of Jessica Jones (room 704/706) - This panel will expand people's knowledge of Jessica Jones by examining how Jessica responded to the trauma she endured by Kilgrave and other past experiences. Based off of the Jessica Jones TV show, I will explain how trauma affects the brain, the body, and emotional health of individuals who have Complex PTSD. I will also explain different treatments and coping skills that help individuals. On the other end of the coin, I will also discuss the psychology of Kilgrave and explain how an individual can develop Anti-Social Personality Disorder. I will also explain possible treatments for people with this type of personality disorder.

1:30p Video Games and Game Developers Panel 2019 (room 708/710) - Do you enjoy video games? Be sure to join us for the 2019 Denver Pop Culture Con Video Games and Game Developers Panel. The panel is made up of current industry professionals who will discuss the past, present and future of games and game development. We will discuss topics like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), eSports, crowdfunding, and more. This year we will also have an extended Q&A segment.

3:00p The Music of ‘Star Wars’: The Deep Cuts (DPCCP 6 Coast City) - Much as has been said about the classic Star Wars soundtrack themes – the iconic Main Title, the Wagnerian Leia's theme, and the powerful Imperial March. But what about the lesser known musical gems like Jabba the Hutt’s ponderous theme and the impish March of the Ewoks? Join Tristan Rennie, bassoonist with the Colorado Symphony, and his merry band of musical nerds as they explore John Williams’ obscure side. With live musical demonstrations and fun Star Wars trivia, join us for a journey through The Deep Cuts!

4:30p Take an Idea from Concept to Creation - HBO's Asunda (DPCCP 1 Happy Harbor) - How to take an idea from concept to creation by HBO’s Asunda creator and Executive Producer, and Stranger Comics CEO Sebastian A. Jones creator of Niobe and The Untamed, and the Executive Producer and writer of HBO’s new World of Asunda series will share exclusive art and offer insight on how to take an idea from concept to creation (without selling your soul)! Using sneak peeks and sharing firsthand experience he will share tips and tools in this “How to” Panel. For young aspiring creators and fans the following questions seem to be the most frequent: How do I start? Where do I start? For how long? And how do I take a comic to television/film? Stranger Comics President Sebastian has lectured at universities worldwide. From personal experiences he will share tips on how an independent creator can make it happen while sharing first ever looks at his new comics, as part of the Asunda series picked up by HBO. If you want to know trade secrets, this is a panel not to be missed and EVERYONE will have a chance to win free books!
 
If you check out any of the same panels or people that I'm planning to, be sure and tell ‘em “Tim from Nerds That Geek sent ya’.” Maybe I’ll see you there!