What’s in a name? The organizers of Denver Pop Culture Con (DPCC) hope that the new moniker sounds as sweet as the old one to long-time fans and newcomers alike. 2019 marks the first year that the convention operates as DPCC, rather than under the old name of Denver Comic Con. The shift marks the end of a tumultuous legal war between two other conventions, the beginning of a brand alignment for the Denver con, and the opening of a window of opportunity.
 
First, the history. In a winding legal saga, the veteran San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) went to battle with an up-and-coming Salt Lake Comic Con (now known as FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention). SDCC has a long history of using the “Comic-Con” name, debuting as Golden State Comic-Con in 1970, switching over to San Diego Comic-Con by 1973, and being organized by the Comic-Con International non-profit. Hoping to maintain sole ownership of its name, SDCC brought a $12 million lawsuit against Salt Lake for infringing on their trademark by using the “Comic-Con” title. Despite Salt Lake’s claim that “Comic Con” was a common and widely used term, a federal jury ruled in favor of SDCC in late 2017, stating that Salt Lake did use the trademark without permission. However, the ruling found that the violation was not a “willful infringement” and awarded SDCC only $20,000.
 
The dagger truly came in a follow-up case in August 2018. SDCC appealed the $20,000 it was awarded in the initial case, seeking coverage of attorney fees and other costs. A federal District Court, again, ruled in SDCC’s favor, requiring the Salt Lake organizers to pay nearly $4 million to SDCC. This second ruling sent shockwaves through the convention community. It left con organizers with a couple of options: stop using the “Comic-Con” identity or risk the potential costs of a lawsuit from SDCC. Quite a few notable cons still use “Comic-Con”, including Alamo City Comic Con, Baltimore Comic-Con, Motor City Comic Con, and New York Comic Con. Some, such as Rose City Comic Con in Portland, have licensed the ability to use the name through SDCC. For others, it was easier just to transition away. That brings us to DPCC.
 
Comic Book Classroom, the non-profit organization behind DPCC, was founded in 2010. The convention itself debuted in 2012 as Denver Comic Con. By 2014, Comic Book Classroom changed its name Pop Culture Classroom to better capture the wide array of work that the organization does. So, in 2019, the perfect storm pushed Denver Comic Con to change its name to Denver Pop Culture Con. The SDCC lawsuit was one factor, sure, but it wasn’t the sole reason why DCC became DPCC. That change had been looming.
 
While some may initially feel like DPCC’s hand was forced, the new title actually opens up a window of opportunity for the convention’s branding. In a recent Westword interview with DPCC convention director Christina Angel and programming director Bruce MacIntosh, Angel stated that organizers “have long felt that ‘comic con’ doesn’t entirely describe what (they) do, and it never really did”. If you’ve attended a DPCC before, you know that to be true. While DPCC always has and always will feature a plethora of comics and comic creators, it’s also long been a trove of cosplay, celebrity guests, TV and movie fandoms, authors, and countless other facets of nerd and pop culture. The Denver Pop Culture Con name gives attendees a better idea of what’s in store for them when they buy a ticket.
 
It’s also important for the DPCC brand name to be aligned with Pop Culture Classroom, just as it was when Denver Comic Con was aligned with Comic Book Classroom. Since 2010, Pop Culture Classroom has expanded its reach far beyond comic books. Pop Culture Classroom still maintains its traditional resources, including graphic novel teaching guides and comic related school curricula. But it also fulfills its mission of promoting literacy and educational engagement through pop-culture themed community outreach and student drop-in times, professional development for educators, and workshops. Some recent workshop topics truly give you a feel for the non-profit’s shift towards pop culture wholistically: “Digital Ink: Drawing in the Digital Age”, a film discussion titled “Gotta Watch ‘em All: 20 Years of Pokemon Movies”, and “Cheap, not Cheap!: Creating Quality Cosplay on a Budget” were all on the docket this last semester.
 
Denver Pop Culture Con fans have a lot to look forward to in 2019. While the new name will take some getting used to and while it doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily with the old name still lodged in your brain, it’s a much better fit for the product and experience. Attendees of DPCC 2019 will find a star-studded list of film and TV guests, an expanded authors roster, another year of the PCC Kids’ Lab, a batch of attractions, and over 600 hours of programming. In its eighth year, Denver Pop Culture Con is truly cementing its identity as a convention and as a brand. You can tell just by looking at its name.

If there’s one thing I think is safe to say about all of us nerds and geeks that attend conventions on a regular basis, it’s that, we are definitely creatures of habit. We basically have it mapped out in our minds, when we walk through those doors, exactly how our weekend is going to go. We know exactly what celebrities we are going to meet on Friday, what panels are on our agenda for Saturday and what vendor booths we will hit up on Sunday because the con in question has so much to see and do that winging it leaves one feeling as though they’re missing out.
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But, while that’s quite the efficient plan to work with, since it allows for you to see a great deal at the con, let’s be honest, you’re still going to miss stuff at the show. In part because it’s simply not possible to see it all and because sometimes, you’re simply trading one event for another in the hopes of maximizing your experience and that’s something I’m definitely guilty of. Because sometimes I simply have to pick and choose what I think will provide folks with a better story, and when I’m going over a schedule for a con, one of the events I tend to sacrifice first is whatever opening night ceremonies the con is planning. Because, in many ways, if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, since they offer up a greeting, and a few quick opening statements before a little music plays and just like that, you’re off into the night.

That doesn’t make them bad by any means since it is wonderful that a convention will take the time to welcome its fans to the event, but clearly Denver Pop Culture Con realizes that fans want more from every single facet from their favorite con and that’s why DPCC has taken the time to revamp their opening night ceremonies to offer up a different experience than the norm, and well, what they’re featuring at this event, sounds like a lot of fun. Because this year, in addition to the usual welcome and hello from the con, DPCC’s opening event, which is sponsored by Canada, is also going to focus on making you smile, by way of a grand Tournament of Laughs.

Which means that you’ll get to watch a live stand-up comedy competition which sounds like a blast because anytime you get a group of amateur comedians in a room, fun things happen, and the laughs won’t end there. Because shortly after the Tournament comes to a close, there’s going to be a Dueling Piano Comedy Show, which should be a blast since people will be able to shout out requests for their favorite songs, and while those two events sound pretty epic and sweeping in their own right, there’s still more to look forward to when it comes to this revamped event. Because there will be guests in the house as well, such as comic historian Hope Nicholson, and comedians D.J. Demers and Eric Reid and even a special appearance by Jewel Staite, and all of this will be guided along by your master of ceremonies, Ken Reid.

So, yeah, that’s actually the most jam-packed roster I’ve ever seen for an opening event and well, I’m quite curious to see how this is going to turn out and well, for the first time in a long time, I’m going to have to alter my own schedule and plans to fit this opening ceremony into the mix, simply because it seems like a fresh approach to such an event and I love the fact this revamped ceremony focuses on fun and laughter. Because, that’s precisely why we go to Denver Pop Culture Con in the first place and I will hopefully see plenty of your smiling faces at this newly redesigned opening ceremony come next weekend. 

In my many years now of writing for the web, I’ve been able to experience some incredibly nerdy moments by way of some pretty awesome events. But of the many places I’ve been and the wild things I’ve seen, few of them ever compare to the wonder of Denver Pop Culture Con. Because this is a home grown convention that I’ve been fortunate enough to attend and cover since its inception, and seeing this convention grow through the years has been a true treat since it’s gone from its humble beginnings as the largest con in Colorado to one of the biggest and most popular conventions in the United States.
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That kind of growth and outright popularity and sheer demand definitely holds weight, because it means that bigger names from every corner of the pop culture industry are willing to take the time to appear at the convention and greet the seemingly endless lines of nerds and geeks waiting to meet them, and over the past several years, we’ve seen that happen since some incredible guests have graced the Colorado Convention Center and their fans with their presence. But as fate or luck would have it, DPCC’s stellar attendance numbers and reputation as a solid destination for some of the industry’s biggest names has now helped to bring one of the most iconic gaming companies to the Mile High City since Blizzard Entertainment is going to be at DPCC 2019.

Now for those who aren’t 100% familiar with that name, that’s okay, I totally understand that not everyone out there dedicates their time to video games. But that name should sound familiar simply due to the fact that this company has brought some supremely iconic franchises to the market. So, if you’ve heard of World of Warcraft in any capacity, you’ve definitely heard of Blizzard and if you ever picked up Diablo or Starcraft back in the day, you’ve enjoyed their product and this company’s rich legacy of putting together quality and dynamic games continues in this day and age, thanks to the release of their most recent juggernaut, Overwatch.

Which means having them at DPCC is quite the big deal because not only will they have a booth at the con (Booth 1237 to be exact) that will undoubtedly be a feast for the eyes, they’re bringing some incredible Denver Pop Culture Con exclusives with them and the wonder of their appearance at the con doesn’t end there. Because there will be Blizzard themed panels happening as well during the con, allowing for fans of this company, and folks who want to learn more about them a chance to hear first-hand, how their creative teams craft their incredible stories and really, this is quite the awesome addition to DPCC’s already incredible roster when all is said and done.

Because Blizzard really is no joke, and as a casual gamer who sticks to like to a handful of franchises, I’m both excited and intrigued by their appearance at the con simply because their reputation and their legend outright precedes them and well, if you’re as curious as I am, or you’re a huge fan of everything they’ve ever brought to the gaming market, you’ll get your chance to meet them next weekend when DPCC kicks off and if by chance you haven’t picked up your tickets yet for the con, and you’re a huge fan of Blizzard’s work and want to meet folks from the company and get your hands on those exclusives, then get your tickets ASAP since the con really is just around the corner, and we will see you at Booth 1237 come next weekend at Denver Pop Culture Con 2019.  

​I find it quite fascinating how the convention world and what its fans expect of it, continues to evolve as the years roll on. For it wasn’t that long ago, that those who purchased tickets to their favorite con, were content with a collection of fun guests from every corner of their favorite genres. But panels featuring entire casts and trailer reveals changed all of that, and suddenly the need to see an entire cast lineup at a con became the nature of the game. That’s not a bad thing by any means, simply because, it is quite cool to see everyone from an epic movie or show standing on stage and sharing stories that excite us and entertain us, and really, this paradigm shift simply demonstrates how savvy both the con and its fans have become since both seem to understand now that it’s all about an immersive experience when you come to one of these shows.
 
That new dynamic for the con world, is one of the many reasons I’m grateful for Denver Pop Culture Con. For not only is this a con for a cause, since proceeds from the con go to fund Pop Culture Classroom, this is a convention that fully understands the wonder of bringing together a collection of stars. After all, we’ve seen guests from Stranger Things and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and others, take the main stage at this convention and share all kinds of incredible stories with their fans and this year’s event is looking to maintain that status quo. For earlier today, DPCC announced that they’re bringing in both Zachary Levi and Asher Angel from the movie Shazam! And while we don’t know for certain as to whether or not these actors will reunite on stage, we can definitely look forward to learning about their experiences while making this film.
 
Which quite frankly, is cool on so many levels. Because everyone who enjoyed this breakout hit, will now receive the opportunity to hear more than just unique stories from the set, they can quite literally learn more about how both of these actors approached their take on both Shazam and Billy Batson respectively, and other such nuggets of knowledge over the course of a panel or two. But what truly impresses me about this particular land for the convention, is how quickly the folks at DPCC managed to bring in a pair of actors from a current summer blockbuster, because I’m fairly certain that cannot be an easy task, and also the fact that they once again signed up some epic names that boast some impressive resumes.
 
Take for example Mister Angel, who maintains all kinds of shorts revolving around music on his YouTube channel, and he’s also seeing his acting career take off since outside of Shazam!, he’s also been featured on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and he’s also well known for his role as Jonah Beck on the Disney Channel series, Andi Mack. And of course, Zachary Levi is something of a nerdy legend in his own right since he sprung onto the acting scene in Chuck, wherein he played the quirky and relatable main character Chuck Bartowski and aside from being featured in that magnificent show, he’s also done stints in Alias Grace, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and of course, he’s also well known for playing Flynn Rider in in the Tangled franchise.
 
If anything, today’s announcement reminds us of the fact that we are going to be in for one heck of a treat come the end of May, because these two actors are more wonderful additions to the already impressive lineup of guests that Denver Pop Culture Con is featuring this year and If you’re eager to meet the latest members of a growing roster, you can snag your tickets to the con on the DPCC website and as an added bonus, their photo ops are available as well, so please click here for pricing and details, and of course, we here at NTG cannot stress this enough, please don’t wait to get your tickets. This is one of the premier cons in the nation, and tickets will sell out before the big weekend arrives, so get your tickets today if you haven’t already, and we will see you at the Colorado Convention Center on May 31st! 

​When you take a moment to think about it, it’s quite amazing how many conventions have managed to spring up across the nation over the past five years. There’s simply one after another, to the point where an entire season is now dedicated to the wonder of conventions. But, while one would think that we’ve reached a saturation point, that’s simply not the case. Because fans have made it clear, they do indeed want more conventions, but the attendees have a few…requirements. They definitely want cons that cater to their pop-culture needs by bringing in amazing guests, but they also want their conventions to offer something more than a mere meet and greet session with celebrities.
 
People want an outright experience, the kind of weekend where your legs are sore from walking around the con and seeing everything it has to offer, and where you leave the event with nothing but incredible memories that bring a smile to your face the instant they cross your mind. That’s something that the Pop Culture Classroom family of conventions has managed to achieve since Denver Pop Culture Con has all of those elements down to a science. But, you being a savvy reader, probably just picked upon the fact that I used the phrase ‘family of conventions’, and I used that phrase for one specific reason in that, there are now, multiple conventions being presented by Pop Culture Classroom.
 
Which means, it’s time to introduce Reno Pop Culture Con to all of you, the latest offering from PCC, and this new event will feature everything you love about Denver Pop Culture Con, such as the opportunity to meet comic artists and writers, book authors and of course, it will feature celebrity guests, and those elements will be bookended nicely plenty of panels and programming and a true staple of DPCC will be present in Reno as well, by way of the Pop Culture Classroom Kids’ Lab, and of course, you’ll find a vendor room filled to the brim with perfect collectibles to take home.
 
But while this is all exciting news in its own right, because let’s be honest, it’s supremely amazing to see a hometown convention grow to the point where they can support a second convention, you’re probably curious about the finite details when it comes to Reno Pop Culture Con 2019. Well, without further ado, let’s dig into that all of that, starting with when this three-day convention is going to take place, which is November 8-10, 2019 and it will be held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, located at: 4590 South Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89502. Convention hours will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Which brings us to the most important part of this grand announcement, ticket prices. Three-day passes for Reno Pop Culture Con will run $45 for attendees 13 and up and single day ticket prices are as follows: Friday - $15, Saturday - $25 and Sunday - $20. Children 12 and under getin for free and tickets will be available online at Reno Pop Culture Con’s website, in early 2019. So, please, give the website a look, and keep your eyes peeled to RPCC’s social media accounts to see what incredible announcements await us from Pop Culture Classroom’s brand-new convention! 

A brand name is paramount to any company's success, and a lot of thought and effort goes into choosing the right name so everyone knows what said brand stands for. But sometimes, as a company, or a convention for that matter, evolves and grows, they in turn out grow the brand name that they started with. Heck we will speak from personal experience on that one, because we started out as Girls of Geek, a name that made sense at the time, but one that we quickly out grew for a litany of reasons, prompting us to change to the more appropriate Nerds That Geek.

As it turns out, one of the largest conventions in the United States has also come to realize that the time has come to update their moniker and earlier today, Denver Comic Con announced that they were undergoing a name change to become...Denver Pop Culture Con, and the short answer to the question, why is DPCC is making this change now, is that it better fits the times and their mission since Pop Culture Classroom is what powers this con to begin with. But truly, the best way to answer all of your questions regarding this change is to let the staff of Pop Culture Classroom/Denver Pop Culture Con speak to the details of this re-branding. So, without further ado, here's DPCC and PCC's statement on the matter.

Denver Comic Con is Now Denver Pop Culture Con
Pop Culture Classroom, Colorado Education Nonprofit Behind Denver’s Largest Pop Culture Convention, Announces Name Change
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Sept. 24, 2018 – DENVER – Pop Culture Classroom, the Colorado-based education nonprofit behind Denver’s largest pop culture convention, has announced that the event known as Denver Comic Con is now Denver Pop Culture Con.

The Pop Culture Classroom leadership team has been considering a name change for several years to create brand alignment across the organization’s name and its signature events, including Denver Pop Culture Con and Reno Pop Culture Con, a new event debuting in 2019.

“After much discussion and careful deliberation, our leadership team arrived at the name Denver Pop Culture Con for several reasons,” said Dr. Christina Angel, Convention Director for Pop Culture Classroom. “We believe it more accurately reflects the breadth, depth, and inclusivity that has come to define Denver’s annual celebration of all things pop culture.”

The new name is meant to encompass everything that goes on at the con — comics, television and film, authors, cosplay, workshops, educational programming, and all other aspects of pop culture fandom Denver Comic Con has grown to encompass since its inception. With the addition of Reno Pop Culture Con, now is the ideal time for the name change. Pop Culture Classroom is focused on ensuring both the Denver and Reno shows are world-class, inclusive events.

“Fans can rest assured that Denver Pop Culture Con will continue to celebrate comic book culture and creators as we always have,” said Dr. Angel. “After all, it’s comic books that got us hooked on pop culture in the first place, and the foundation on which we are built.”

Denver Pop Culture Con will have “throwback” sales on previous years’ merchandise featuring the Denver Comic Con brand, and merchandise with the new branding will be available soon.

Tickets for Denver Pop Culture Con 2019 go on sale November 13, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
MST for 2018 Speed Pass holders and November 14 at 10:00 a.m. MST for the general public. Fans can keep up with all of the latest news and information about Denver Pop Culture Con and Reno Pop Culture Con on social media and at the links below.

Denver Pop Culture Con 2019
May 31 - June 2, 2019
Colorado Convention Center
www.denverpopculturecon.com
www.facebook.com/denverpopculturecon
www.twitter.com/denpopcon
www.instagram.com/denverpopculturecon

Reno Pop Culture Con 2019
November 8 – 10, 2019
Reno-Sparks Convention Center
Tickets available January 2019
www.renopopculturecon.com
www.facebook.com/renopopculturecon
www.twitter.com/renopopculture
www.instagram.com/renopopculturecon

​About Denver Pop Culture Con
Denver Pop Culture Con (fka Denver Comic Con) is a 3-day, family-friendly pop culture fan extravaganza, featuring the best in pop culture entertainment. DPCC is a program of the Colorado nonprofit Pop Culture Classroom, whose mission is to inspire a love of learning, increase literacy, celebrate diversity and build community through pop culture education. The proceeds from this annual event benefit Pop Culture Classroom’s overall educational endeavors. DPCC promotes education and community through pop culture, comics and the bringing together diverse people and interests regardless of age, race, gender or background. We strive to promote tolerance and empower the members of our community through educational programming, guests, and events that encourage diversity and inclusion.

Even though my main focus was covering panels at 2018 Denver Comic Con, these were the top ten booths that I visited and wanted to give some love to. I don’t give detailed descriptions, because I don’t want you to have any preconceived notions. Click on the links and you should see right away why they are included on this list.

False Fox Art - 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.

Puillustrated – ‘Pui Che is a fantasy illustrator,’ who ‘interweaves storytelling into each of his works, exploring philosophy and the spirituals.’ On his website (puillustrated.com), you can scroll down for his Coloring Book, Personal Work, Client Works, and Resume. There are also links to his store and contact info. Follow him on Etsy, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email him (pui.illustrated@gmail.com).

Angelarium - 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).  

AJ Moore - AJ Moore is an artist and the creator of The Super Newts, Dorse and Doose, and Chi-Chi Cosplay Panda and is also the Founder of GudFit Entertainment. On his website (gudfit.com) you can find out about GudFit, check out the blog, production info, webcomics, guddies, a page featuring his art, and a link to his Etsy GudStore. Follow him on Etsy, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email him (ajartist@gmail.com).

Artovision - 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.

ayA Studios – ‘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).

Brick Bunch - They sell ‘brick’ minifigures ($5 off every $25 and 20%of orders over $25 BB2018 Expires 12/31/2018). 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.

Glider Comix – ‘The company started with an idea sparked by a father and daughter and their love for writing, comic books, art and the drive to help young people change their lives.’ Their flagship comic Sugar Glider deals with ‘challenges facing teens today...such as self-image, bullying, suicide, social media, etc.’ Their website (GliderComix.com) has info and a store (If you order any merch, they ask that you ‘Please post photos of receiving your package and use the hashtags #SugarGlider and #ComicWithACause’). Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and contact them here.

Passion of the Nerd - Ian Martin is a ‘geek video guy.’ His YouTube, channel is mostly video guides to episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...but there are other videos too. Follow him on Patreon, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Whimsical Whiskers - 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 (whimsicalwhiskers.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.

Tell ‘em Tim from Nerds That Geek sent ya!

Nestled in the Chapel Hills Mall and Event Center, the third annual Colorado Springs Comic Con returned stronger than ever in 2018. The Con was the biggest draw of the weekend down in the Springs, bringing in substantial crowds across all three days. Southern Colorado’s finest Batmaniacs, Whovians, Thronies, Potterheads, Trekkies, and fans all turned out for a smorgasbord of nerdy fare.
 
The new space, the aforementioned Chapel Hills Mall, proved to be a good venue for CSCC, albeit sometimes awkward. The event space was roomier than the Colorado Springs Event Center had been in past years, and the division of celebrities and panels downstairs and the showroom floor upstairs made for a neat and easy to navigate convention. Parking was exponentially easier here than at other conventions I’ve been to. Being in a functioning, operating mall did have its quirks. Cosplayers turned a few more heads than normal, strolling through the food court and walking amongst average Joe’s running errands. The panel room was down the hallway from the celebrity floor, past the Charlotte Russe and tucked in an abandoned storefront (if you’ve hit the T-Mobile shop, you’ve gone too far).
 
One excellent use of space was the outdoor eating area. If guests didn’t want to trek up to the food court or didn’t want the hassle of going in and out of the convention through security, they could simply step right outside of the showroom floor into the food area, where CSCC brought in several local food trucks to serve up a variety of good eats. Food trucks make any event better and they absolutely spiced up the convention experience.
 
Filing into the convention was occasionally quite difficult, especially on Saturday when long lines wrapped around the inside and outside of the mall while convention-goers inched through security. That’s hardly the fault of CSCC or the venue. It’s pretty much the norm for every convention’s Saturday. And even with the large Saturday crowds, I have to tip my cap to the CSCC volunteers and the Altered Reality Entertainment folks who worked through the kinks and made the event smoother as the weekend went on. Staff were friendly and did their best to allow fans to have the best time possible.
 
It wasn’t difficult to have a blast at CSCC either. In my primer for the event, I talked about my plans to focus on celebrity guests and cosplay, a change from how I had spent other conventions. Lucky for me, the celebs and cosplay at CSCC were pretty great. And so were the panels, artists, and the showroom floor itself.
 
If I had to use two words to describe CSCC, I might choose intimate and personal. This applies to a number of aspects of the convention, each of which made it so enjoyable. First, to the celebs, you could truly get up-close and personal with each of the celebrity guests. Unlike at bigger conventions, where celebrity tables are placed 20 feet back behind a barricade and a handler, fans could graze literally right next to celebrity tables. Some celebrities even encouraged fans to just stop by and chat, regardless of whether they had paid for a meet-and-greet. I paid for a picture to finally get the chance to meet Lou Ferrigno (and it was wonderful), but it was just as easy for me to get an autograph and a chat from Carl Weathers or to shoot the breeze with WWE legends Trish Stratus and Amy ‘Lita’ Dumas or to tell Kevin Conroy what he meant to my childhood. CSCC is a great place to go to interact with celebrity guests.
 
The intimacy carried over to the showroom floor, a place usually crowded to the point of claustrophobia. While the aisles were a little less spaced out, you never felt like you couldn’t get through them, even when the crowds poured in. You also never truly felt turned around, thanks to the smaller space and how things were organized. I was able to spend more time looking at vendors and artists tables without feeling rushed. All in all, smaller conventions do pack some perks.
 
I’ll write about the cosplay experience in more detail in future articles, but I enjoyed what CSCC had to offer in that department too. Cosplayers had their own section of tables and booths on the celebrity floor. There was also a sizeable percentage of attendees who cosplayed. I went around hanging out with and taking pictures for my friend Steven, who was in costume as artist Dexter Soy’s rendition of Red Hood, Red Ronin. CSCC provided him with a comfortable environment to take pictures with whoever wanted one. He and I had a blast interacting with other people in costume. I did hear some rumblings about how different security interpreted rules on cosplay weapons, but overall Colorado Springs hit the mark on fostering a good space for cosplay.
 
Colorado Springs Comic Con is still in its infancy, but its third year was likely its best yet. There are some kinks that will be ironed out as it grows, but in the process, it is establishing itself as a wonderful annual event for the region and the state. CSCC 2018 had something to offer for everyone, while still maintaining a smaller size and offering more opportunity for personal interaction. This was my first year going to CSCC but there is no way it will be my last. I’m already looking forward to Colorado Springs Comic Con 2019 and I hope to see you there!

‘To Boldly Go’ - Making Meaning by Making Comics
​Sunday, 6/17/18 from 12:00PM - 12:50PM Room 304 - Education
 
Reading and creating comics encourages students to delve into concepts and perspectives beyond their immediate experience. A panel of elementary through high school teachers will present curricula and teaching using comics as a way for students to understand both straightforward content and abstract concepts.
 
Panelists: Rebecca Sheinbaum, Mark Parmet
 
Rebecca Sheinbaum and Mark Parmet, teachers at the Denver Jewish Day School, shared with us a lesson plan that incorporates comic book creation into their classroom. The first step in a project like this is to decide what concept you want to explore. The topic that they chose was, ‘What does bravery mean and look like in different contexts?’ They wanted their students to explore some of the ways that you can be brave when you aren’t a ‘hero,’ like standing up for someone for example. Each grade did a 6-week-long project based around bravery. In addition to allowing the students to explore their own stories of bravery and share with their class, it also provided a ‘How to be Brave’ manual for the younger grades. The students picked anyone throughout history to be their hero, and then told the story through their eyes, in comic book form. This type of engaging project helps avoid the all-too-common ‘grade and chuck’ problem (when students just throw away their homework immediately after getting it back), because they are creating something of value that they are proud of and want to share with others. In preparation for this project, the presenters went to Mile High Comics and looked for comics that were about bravery. They also brought guest speakers on bravery into the classroom, such as veterans and Holocaust survivors. They used the Storytelling Through Comics curriculum from Pop Culture Classroom, which provided them with resources for building the elements of a comic book like a character map, story arc, storyboard, etc. The students were able to choose if they wanted to create their comic by hand or using the online comic creating program Pixton. When they were finished, the students even created a trailer to advertise their books. Through this project, the students came to their own understanding of what bravery means to them.
 
To demonstrate how this type of project would begin, Rebecca and Mark separated the audience members into groups and tried a sample of the lesson plan. Everyone thought of their own ideas, then met with their groups to present them. The audience members were given handouts to fill out with important questions like: ‘What do you want students to think about? What ideas to you want students to explore? What do you want students to know? What do you want students to be able to do? How do you imagine a student sharing their understanding of the above VISUALLY? (For example, a comics nonfiction narrative, expository guide, fable, short story, etc.).’ There was also a project design overview (adapted from BIE.org) to fill out, including the ‘Project Summary’ (focusing on the student role, what the issue/problem/challenge is, what creation/action needs to be taken, and the purpose/beneficiary), what the ‘Entry Event’ is (going to a comic book store with the students for example), the ‘Products’ (what specific content and success skills to be assessed will be the responsibility of an individual as opposed to the entire team), ‘Making Products Public’ (how will they be made public and who will the students engage with during and at the end of the project), ‘Resources Needed’ (on-site people and facilities, materials, equipment, community resources), ‘Reflection Methods’ (when and how individual, team, and/or whole class will reflect during and at the end of the project: journal, learning log, focus group, whole-class discussion, fishbowl discussion, survey, etc.).

​Under strict time limits, each person in the group would take turns going through the four-step process:
 
Presentation (1 minute): Present your idea and your goals, being as specific as possible so that the other group members can address any issues they may have.
Questions (30 seconds): Share question(s) and concerns you want feedback about (‘How do I create entry points for struggling learners?’ ‘What’s a good launch event?’ ‘How can I include student voice and choice?’ etc.).
Feedback (2 minutes): The group answers the presenter’s questions and offers suggestions. The group shares what they like about the project, then answers questions posed by the presenter (‘I wonder if it would help to try…’ ‘I wonder if they have thought of…’).
Follow-up questions (2 minutes): Presenter reflects on feedback (elaborate more, address questions and suggestions, and then ask more questions to elaborate) then asks follow-up questions to the group (‘What’s a good entry point for my age level of students?’ ‘How can my concepts/content translate into visual representations?’ ‘How can I ensure that all students can use their strengths and remediate their weaknesses?’ ‘How could I incorporate standards across subjects/disciplines?’ ‘How effective is my plan?’). Finally, taking into account all of the feedback, consider your next steps.

For access to a Google Drive folder with these materials and more, go to bit.ly/makingmeaningbymakingcomics.

I’ll never forget the first convention that I ever attended, because quite frankly, it felt like home. When I walked through those hotel doors it suddenly felt as though I was at some kind of massive family reunion and I met so many incredible people who shared the same interests that I had over the course of that weekend that it goes without saying that I was hooked. This was a whole new world of nerdy possibilities and replicating that sense of belonging is what compels me to attend convention after convention.
 
Granted, time is of course the great equalizer, and while I still get a thrill when I walk through those doors, it’s rarely as strong as I felt that first time around, in fact, only a handful of conventions have managed to replicate that experience. So, imagine my surprise when last year, Fort Collins Comic Con, pulled off that all important feat and gave me that same rush that I felt all those years ago, to the point where I immediately made plans to attend the convention this year and amazingly enough, the allure of this particular con had me counting down the days and the minutes to it.
 
But, as a writer is wont to do, I had to know why this con had caught my eye. Was it because attending it serves as a mini road trip with my friends, harkening back to the days when you used to just hop in the car and ride to some place cool? Is it because I was making major effort to attend a con that’s an hour and a half away from home? Or was it something more? Well as it turns out, the answer is yes to those first two questions because it is a fun experience to jump in the car with snacks and find a good station to rock out to on the radio with your buds while the open road awaits, but there really is more that this con has to offer.
 
Because Fort Collins Comic Con has truly figured out how to make a convention simply feel like you’re hanging out with old friends, and much of that comes courtesy of its laid-back style. Everything here moves at a relaxed pace, something rare for a Comic Con in any capacity and that chill feel allows for attendees to just hang out, and this weekend was no exception to that particular rule. Because everyone was just kicking back, with a smile plastered on their faces as they roamed about, checking out the booths and every other wonder that the con had to offer. And there is a wonderful vibe that comes about from seeing old friends and that’s what really sticks out in my mind when it comes to this weekend.
 
There were in fact, people that I hadn’t seen for some time at this con, and it was great to blast out a joyful hello in seeing them and share a handshake or a hug and catch up with them and I suppose that’s the ‘more’ in question that I was trying to put my finger upon, the fact that the best cons out there, find a way to bring people together, the kind of people that become our surrogate family and that’s precisely what Fort Collins Comic Con achieves, and it was just great to feel welcomed and feel like I belong and that’s the kind of magic you hold on to when it comes to a con and that’s precisely why I’ll be back to attend FCCC next year, to enjoy good times, with good friends in a place that I can call home.