I've made mention of the fact a few times now that Denver Comic Con is going after some big time names and some heavyweight talent when it comes to the actors that they are bringing in for this year's convention and I mean it. Just look at the lineup and think about all the powerful and incredible performances so many of these actors have put forth.

So it came as a pleasant surprise last night when I saw that DCC had decided to add another powerhouse actor to the lineup, and in a magical way create an impromptu Gotham cast panel by announcing that actor Sean Pertwee will be joining all of us for DCC 2016.

Now Sean is a unique actor on so many levels, mainly because he is classically trained. He spent time learning the craft at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and continued to hone his skills with the Royal Shakespeare Company and well...all that training has clearly paid off because there is little that Sean cannot do. 

In fact he's really done it all. He's done voice acting for video games. He's starred on television shows and been in feature films from pretty much every single genre, oh and to top it off...just for fun, he's also the son of a Time Lord. That's right, if his name sounds familiar and you're not a Gotham fan...that means you're a Whovian and know that his father is the late Jon Pertwee, who played the Third Doctor on Doctor Who. But all of those merits aside, Sean is known for giving new life to the character of Alfred Pennyworth on Gotham. Thanks to his fine acting skills Alfred is no longer a simple butler who provides advice to Master Bruce. He is an Alfred for the 21st Century, smart, calculating and quite frankly a badass on the show.

He will join Robin Lord Taylor on stage this Father's Day weekend at the Colorado Convention Center and if you would like to meet him, get your tickets from the Denver Comic Con website today, because Sean is ridiculously talented as an actor and I'm certain he will be just as big of a draw as several of the other guests coming to DCC because he's that good and we've all come to see him as the finest Alfred Pennyworth to ever grace the screen. 

It's always wonderful to see talented actors explode onto the scene from seemingly nowhere, because you know these are men and women who have spent endless hours perfecting their craft and hoping that their hard work would pay off with steady work day in and day out. 

One such actor that has managed to accomplish this, and in the process also discover that he has become a household name is the ultra talented Arthur Darvill. Arthur of course is best known for his time on Doctor Who, where he played fan favorite Rory Williams, and his work on the show, combined with the talent of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, helped bring the show to an all time high popularity wise and Arthur was also part of one of the series' biggest and most heartbreaking exits for a companion.

But his star only continued to rise after he left the TARDIS, with Arthur turning in one powerful performance after another as Reverend Paul Coates on the wonderful show Broadchurch, before returning to his time travel roots as Rip Hunter on the CW's Legends of Tomorrow, and it's easy to see why audiences continue to flock to anything that Arthur shows up in, he's one of the rare actors that can bring a true sense of honesty and relatable emotions to the characters he portrays.  

All of this matters because we are quickly learning that Denver Comic Con is bringing in the best of the best for this year's con and they have stunned all of us again by announcing that Arthur is headed to the Mile High City for Denver Comic Con 2016. Now if this announcement seems slightly familiar, you would be correct. Arthur was slated to attend DCC 2015 but had to cancel at the last minute due to other commitments. But knowing that decision left a little disappointment in the hearts of his legions of fans, Arthur has carved out some time to return to Denver this year and well...this is another actor I'm going to have to make time for so I don't miss his panel. 

After all, what a wonderful story when it comes to Arthur's career and I would love to hear his perspective on what it is like to become a household name almost overnight, and what it means to him to be in such demand during his panel because man...he's simply an incredible actor and I may get lambasted for this, but I love his work on Broadchurch over anything else. But, so I don't sit here and fanboy all day long, I need to remind all of you to get your tickets for DCC at Denver Comic Con's Website as soon as is humanly possible. Because another big announcement such as this will only help in selling out DCC 2016 and I look forward to meeting Arthur come June.

Star Wars and the franchise as a whole remains one of the biggest influences on my life and one of the reasons that I am a gigantic nerd and proud of it. I mean, Luke's lightsaber from Return of the Jedi sits atop a shelf near me, and to date I've seen The Force Awakens three times and I'm extremely tempted to see it for a fourth time as well. 

But it goes beyond the story and the magic of it all when it comes to this franchise and why I love it so...it's the characters that made the galaxy, far, far, away come to life. I grew up on the original trilogy and well...Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were nothing short of heroes for me at the time which made seeing them in the newest film absolutely magical. 

​So naturally, it becomes a dream to meet actors of their caliber, and shake their hand and thank them for well...everything, but it often remains just that...a dream. After all they're busy folks with plenty to do, and the odds of seeing them at a convention near you are close to slim to none. But apparently Denver Comic Con decided to channel Han Solo this morning by reminding all of us to never tell them the odds because their announcement on KWGN 2 still has me in awe...Carrie Fisher is coming to Denver Comic Con 2016.

Yes you read that right, and despite the fact that I heard the words come straight from Chris Parente's mouth I still can't believe it either, Princess Leia herself is coming to the Mile High City and well...this is another incredible announcement from DCC which is saying something considering that this year's announcements have been pretty epic as is. But I will venture to say that in the many years I've covered this con and attended it, this is without a doubt one of, if not the biggest film and television guests they have ever landed and truth be told there's a fair chance I'll find myself completely star struck when I find myself at the front of Carrie's autograph line. 

So, if you haven't picked up your tickets yet for DCC, it really is time you stop waiting and snag them as soon as you possibly can. The guests just keep getting bigger and bigger for this convention and this announcement is only going to propel this con toward a sellout that much faster. Head over to Denver Comic Con's Website today to get your passes and I'll see all of you in Carrie's autograph and panel line because holy cow...PRINCESS LEIA IS COMING TO DENVER COMIC CON! 

Doctor Who has always been a show filled to the brim with rich and fascinating characters that we quickly come to know and love. Ask any Whovian and they'll be happy to tell you not only who their favorite Doctor happens to be, but also which companion or recurring guest star that they love the most.

In recent years, it seems that the companions and friends that travel around time and space with the Doctor are becoming larger than life. I've heard countless debates about which companion is better than the other, and I myself have been involved in detailed discussions about said companions and their respective storylines...because they are truly that important now.

So it should come as no surprise that the two most important women in the Whoniverse, Alex Kingston (River Song) and Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) are popping up everywhere these days, and as it turns out, Whovians in the Mile High City are about to be graced with their presence because these two talented actors are coming to Denver Comic Con 2016.

That's right, River Song and the Impossible Girl will join us in Denver this summer and well, I couldn't be happier. Both of these actors played complex and powerful characters on the show that turned out to be vital to the Doctor Who mythos. Without these two women on the show, where would the Doctor be in his many lives?  Either way, this is another "can't miss" panel at DCC this year and I can only imagine what incredible stories from the set of the show these two will bring with them when they take the stage this June.

Now I've said it before, and I'll say it again, get your tickets for this event as soon as is humanly possible. Denver Comic Con keeps upping their game with the guests this year and tickets will go fast. So snag your tickets and I look forward to seeing all of you in Main Events when these two incredible ladies take the stage to reminisce with all of us.

I'm a big fan of Denver Comic Con for a laundry list of reasons, but there are two that really stand out at the top of my mind. The first one is the fact that DCC fully supports literacy by way of Pop Culture Classroom and the other reason is that this is the only convention that I have ever been to, that actually manages to recreate the magic of our favorite pop culture moments. 

That last reason is a big deal to me, because it's one thing to meet your favorite stars and shake their hand, but we do such a thing because they brought a special joy to our lives and to feel that moment come to life once again, regardless of how brief it may be is what makes the difference between a convention, and an experience.  

Denver Comic Con fully understands this fact, which is why they not only bring in top notch guests, but put together incredible panels and events that give our memories that wonderful jolt and today's announcement from them is another fine example of that since they will be hosting a reunion of the casts of The Karate Kid and The Outsiders. That's right, Ralph Macchio who played Danny in the first three Karate Kid movies and Johnny Cade in Outsiders, will be joined on stage by the villains of the first Karate Kid film, Johnny (William Zabka) and Kreese (Martin Kove) and his co star from The Outsiders, C. Thomas Howell (Ponyboy).

So, let me just go ahead and say that this is an absolutely fantastic announcement. This is a cast reunion from two incredibly iconic films from the 1980's and man, I'm already planning in the back of my mind my schedule for the weekend so I can make sure to attend the panel. I mean, who didn't love both of these movies if you grew up in the 80's? They were filled with vibrant characters and tons of fun and you rooted for Danny and Ponyboy and you wanted nothing more than to watch Kreese and his Cobra Kai lackeys lose at the tournament. 

Seeing these guys on stage will be exactly what I mentioned before, that trip down memory lane that unlocks the wonder of that first time experience when you saw these movies and to sweeten the pot, the entire cast will be present all weekend long to meet their fans and sign autographs and well, there's a good chance you'll find me in line to snag a few signed photographs for my collection. So I can't emphasize it enough, with DCC bringing in epic guests like this, tickets are going to go fast, so get yours from the DCC Website as soon as you can and I'll see all of you at Denver Comic Con 2016 and at the Karate Kid/Outsiders reunion.

When I think of Denver Comic Con, a giant smile crosses my face because of all of the incredible moments and memories this con has brought into my life. I've seen top tier celebrities inspire and excite children about literature just by standing on the stage and reading a book and I was even able to attend a beautiful geeky wedding presided over by George Lucas.  

The list honestly goes on and on, but there is only one memory when it comes to DCC that I can label as bittersweet. It was at the end of DCC 2012, right before the doors closed when the PA system came alive with the voice of Stan Lee as he announced to the crowd that he would be joining all of us at Denver Comic Con 2013. To say I was excited would be an understatement.

I mean, there are legends and then there are LEGENDS when it comes to the comic book world and Stan is clearly the latter of the two because his work in the industry...essentially created it. We've all read his work, we've all shared in the incredible stories and characters he has created over the years and so many artists and writers have had their careers influenced by his contributions. With that in mind...the bittersweetness of the whole matter, was the fact that Stan had to cancel his appearance at DCC 2013 due to other obligations.

But good things come to those who wait and the bittersweetness is now wiped away and the wonder and joy of that moment in 2012 has come around full circle since Denver Comic Con announced today that Stan Lee will be in attendance for DCC 2016 and quite frankly I'm still in shock over this particular announcement. This is someone that I have always wanted to meet in person and to have the opportunity to do that now...well the anticipation alone is bringing out the kid in me. To sweeten the pot, Stan will be singing autographs all weekend long and he will even have a panel in Main Events on Saturday, June 18th, an event that I expect will be nothing short of spectacular.

I have no doubt that Stan will be one incredible draw to the convention, so by all means, if you haven't picked up your passes yet, do so now at DCC's website, because tickets are going to go a little faster now and I look forward to seeing Stan and all of you at Denver Comic Con in June.

I can only imagine how difficult it is for any actor out there when they are given the role of an iconic character from any franchise. After all, it's now their job to not only bring this person to life as only an actor can, but at the same time pay homage to the character and keep all of the core traits he or she may exhibit in the source material.

Over the years I've seen some actors give it their best and fail in this venture, but often times they get it right. But there are only a handful of actors that make the character better than the original, and there is one such actor out there whose talent and dedication to his craft has helped him accomplish just that...Steven Yeun from The Walking Dead.

Now I say that, because everyone who watches the show, loves his portrayal of Glenn Rhee and with good reason. Not only did Steven bring Glenn out of the pages and onto our television screens, but he made the character his own and in the process made him a series icon. This is a character so beloved and so well done that every single fan of the show was not only heartbroken at the possibility of his death, but tortured by the wait to find out his final fate. If that's not mission accomplished for an actor, I don't know what is. 

But Steven's talent extends beyond being a moral compass and epic zombie killer on the show. His résumé also includes some film work, since he played Kenny in the well received science fiction film I Origins and he's even done a little vocal work on the beloved series The Legend of Korra, since he voiced the character of Wan. He's truly an up and coming star in the industry and the reason I'm taking the time to highlight his career today is because fans of his work will get the chance to meet him this April at Walker Stalker Con in Denver.

Yes that's right. Steven has been added to an already epic lineup of Walking Dead stars coming to the Mile High City this April 2nd and 3rd and this is quite frankly one awesome announcement and I'm fairly certain Steven's line is going to be incredibly busy throughout the course of that weekend and I thank Walker Stalker Con for snagging him away from his busy schedule to meet his legions of fans for a couple of days. So if you're as excited as I am to meet Steven and shake his hand, get your tickets today from the Walker Stalker Con website and we'll see you there come April.

As a longtime horror fan, I guess I have a confession to make, I was never much of a fan of the slasher film craze of the 1980's, despite its powerhouse popularity. After all these films were everywhere back in that era and while I may have watched quite a few of these movies when they came out, for the most part my imagination simply wasn't heavily stimulated...save for one particular franchise. 
 
Yes, despite my ho hum response to a majority of the genre, I managed to stumble upon something special at my video store when I discovered a motion picture series that gave me a completely different take on the genre, taking us places no other film bothered to go and its centerpiece was a stunning villain, one without remorse or humanity and because I'd never seen anything like that before, I was instantly hooked on Freddy Krueger and the Nightmare on Elm Street series.  

To this day, Krueger still gives me chills since he is through and through a terrifying monster. He is a creature driven by revenge and fury and all that matters to him is his bloodlust and that's something you just so rarely see in cinema anymore, a character who is nothing more than a raw force of nature. But the magic of Freddy Krueger and all that comes with him would mean nothing without an actor that could truly bring every evil element of him to life and we all owe thanks to Robert Englund for doing such a fine job with this modern day boogeyman.

It was Robert's detailed and powerful performance that made this monster the icon he is today and even though there's been a reboot of the work, it's Robert's iteration of Freddy we instantly think of and well, his work on these films essentially has made Mister Englund a true legend of the silver screen and for those of us who have always wanted to meet this man and shake his hand for a job well done, that opportunity has come at last because as it turns out...Robert is coming to Walker Stalker Con Denver. 

That's right, he will be appearing both Saturday and Sunday at this event and I couldn't be more excited. Growing up, I put my hands on as much Freddy merchandise as possible, he was character that I celebrated and reviled all at once and I can't wait to walk up and meet the man that brought Freddy to life after all these years and my thanks go out to Walker Stalker Con for giving the legions of Freddy fans this opportunity and if meeting Robert Englund is on your horror bucket list, head over to the Walker Stalker Con website as soon as possible and snag your tickets and I'll see you at the con come April.

Over the past few years, the state of Colorado has been absolutely blessed when it comes to conventions. I mean think about it, it doesn't matter what genre you love or fandom you belong to, there's a home for it here in this state, and what makes our world of conventions so absolutely magical is that every single con out here is run by people who are extremely passionate about the fandom they are uniting under one roof.

That passion makes the weekend that much more wonderful because in addition to all the amazing people you meet who love the same things as you, it actually feels like home. I've always enjoyed the level of comfort we enjoy out here, which is why I was super excited to hear about the fact that Walker Stalker Con is coming to the Mile High City on April 2nd and 3rd.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with this particular convention, Walker Stalker is a celebration of the world of zombies, horror and science fiction and was founded by James and Eric, who visited the iconic town of Senoia, GA where these two gentlemen were able to meet the cast of The Walking Dead and see the sets of the show as well. The joy that came out of that incredible experience simply needed to be shared by others and Walker Stalker Con was born. 

This is a convention that has traveled around the world, having hosted a con in London and they are truly the only con that I've seen that is able to sneak cast members away from the set of The Walking Dead to meet their legions of fans, and they've put together an impressive roster for us. For example you'll get your chance to meet Michael Rooker, Emily Kinney, or Michael Cudlitz and that's just scratching the surface since there are so many more guests that we will be highlighting in the coming weeks for all of you, and to prove a point about how much this con respects the horror genre and its fans...Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund will be in attendance as well. 

Either way, this con looks like it's going to be one incredible weekend for horror/zombie and sci fi  fans as a whole and I'm already counting down the days for this one to arrive. If you'd like to join us at this awesome event, head over to the Walker Stalker Con website to get your passes today and keep checking back with us as we highlight the impressive roster of horror and zombie legends that this convention has put together for all of us to meet come April.

Of the many, many things that I happen to love Denver Comic Con for, and believe me, that list is long, I've always enjoyed how they cater to generations of fans from every genre and era imaginable. If you need any proof, just think about the guests they bring to the table. 

Sometimes it's a screen legend, or an iconic artist that transcends years of work like Nichelle Nichols or Allen Bellman. Those are the kinds of names that parents or hardcore fans instantly recognize and are always a quality draw. But the pop culture world is constantly evolving and new stars are emerging in TV and film thanks to incredible performances and DCC always knows these are folks people want to see as well and their latest announcement is proof of that since Robin Lord Taylor is coming to Denver Comic Con 2016.

Mister Taylor has quickly become one of the busiest men in Hollywood. He's popped up on The Good Wife, Person of Interest, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and he even managed to show up a couple of times on The Walking Dead as Sam, a character who met one ugly fate at Terminus. But as of late, Robin has managed to stun us all with his unique take on an iconic DC Comics character by portraying the Penguin on Fox's Gotham. In fact, I think using the word stunning actually does the character an injustice all thanks in part to Robin's incredible work with the character. 

He has breathed new life into the Penguin, removing the physical deformities we have come to expect, instead focusing on the psyche of one of Batman's greatest foes and man...the end result has been bone chilling to say the least and the good news is, everyone gets the chance to meet him in the Mile High City come next summer and quite frankly, this is one of the biggest announcements DCC has brought forth so far since not only is Robin insanely talented, he's on one of the hottest shows on television. I simply cannot wait to hear what he has to share in his panel and I'd definitely like to shake his hand for his work in making the Penguin one of the creepiest characters out there.