It’s official: GeekGirlCon ’13 is on like Donkey Kong! Feeling lucky? Traverse down to the lower level of the Seattle Conference Center. There you’ll find a den of gaming wonder all weekend.
Are you exploring GeekGirlCon with a child or two? Family favorites like Connect Four and Jenga can be found here. Bring the little ones on by for endless entertainment.
Do tabletops littered with cards make your competitive streak come out? From Munchkin to Revolution! to Magic: The Gathering, you can shuffle, play, and deal all day.
Of course, no gaming section is complete without Pathfinder and Dungeons and Dragons. Classic role-playing games will bring longtime fans and new learners together for optimal fun.
Geeks needing a video game fix can kick back for a bit with controllers in hand, too. Who wouldn’t like a minute of Peggle to top off this nerdtastic event?
Whether you had to miss Saturday’s sessions or you’ll be returning on Sunday for more, be sure to hit up GeekGirlCon’s awesome game-related panels tomorrow! Starting at 10:00 a.m., “Writing for Role-Playing Games” will get you in touch with your inner author.
Next up at 11:00 a.m. is “How to Build Inclusive and Welcoming Game Communities,” where you can learn tips on expanding your gaming circle.
The “Gaming and Comics Panel” at noon is sure to be bursting with color and comedy as panelists discuss connecting role-playing techniques with cartoon story building.
Multi-generational gamer families will appreciate the 2:00 p.m. panel, “The Family Who Games Together.” Parents and their offspring of all ages can share their passion for playing games, and discuss the triumphs and tribulations of growing together through these unique bonding experiences.
Round out your weekend at 4:00 p.m. by catching “QUEER GEEK!: Women in Gaymer Communities.” This important discussion will touch on establishing, growing, and keeping gamer communities safe for queer girls, women, and more. Anyone interested in fostering a respectful, safe, and fantastic community for gay gamers should be sure to attend!
We hope your first day at GeekGirlCon ’13 has been filled with laughter, learning, and lots of playtime! If you haven’t been able to join us yet, we hope to see you tomorrow, at GeekGirlCon ‘14, or at any of our geeky events throughout the next year. Game on!
There are many famous pairs in pop culture: Betty and Veronica, Wayne and Garth, and Leela and Fry, just to name a few. Notice a pattern here? One half of each of these duos is known for being nerdy, while the other is portrayed as more “hip”. This dynamic keeps duos both playing off of and balancing out the other as they learn from their differences.
Over the past three years, another twosome has formed that brings together geek and chic: The EMP Museum and GeekGirlCon! They are the “cool” to our “nerd-quirk”—and working together, we’re bringing panels, performances, and one of film history’s most iconic props to GeekGirlCon ‘13 for everyone to enjoy.
Grab your broom, horse, or carriage and make your way to the “Witches, Princesses, and Warrior Maidens” panel on Saturday for a discussion of the EMP exhibit, “Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic.” Learn about the world building, mapmaking, and displaying of iconic costumes from Xena: Warrior Princess, Labyrinth, and The Princess Bride. The panel members will also discuss the various roles and archetypes that women have played in fantasy literature, film, and pop culture over the last century.
To top it all off, the original Wicked Witch of the West’s hat from The Wizard of Oz will be on display at GeekGirlCon ’13! Worn by actress Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 sensation, it’s become a worldwide symbol of campy evil and villainous delight. The American Film Institute listed the Wicked Witch of the West at number four on their list of the 50 Best Movie Villains of All Time, making her the highest-ranking female villain. She’s permanently embedded in the public psyche, thanks to memorable lines like “I’ll get you, my pretty—and your little dog too,” and “I’m melting! I’m melting!” Grab a photo op on the second floor starting when doors open from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM. Fly over on Saturday, October 19 and feast your eyes on this delightfully devilish memorabilia.
Saturday night will conjure up more magic with the GeekGirlCONcert Spectacular! Opening with first-class comedian Bri Pruett, the show also features phenomenal cellist Unwoman. Singer-songwriter and GeekGirlCon veteran Marian Call returns as the headliner. Buy your tickets today, or hurry to nab one of 50 free general admission tickets at GeekGirlCon Info Booth on Saturday.
Hop on Seattle’s iconic Monorail for an efficient and fun trip—walk just a couple of blocks from GeekGirlCon to Westlake Center, where the monorail drops you off at the Seattle Center. There, you’ll quickly spot the Frank O. Gehry-designed museum complimenting its neighbor, the wondrous Space Needle. With its sight-filled zip and low price, the Monorail is easily the smoothest way to reach all the myth, mirth, and music that awaits you at the museum.
The splendor continues on Sunday with the panel “Geek Girl Jobs: The Women of EMP.” Discover behind-the-scenes details on exhibits of music, sci-fi, film, and literature that has shaped the world. Panelists include members from EMP’s curatorial, marketing, museum collections, design, and interactive teams who will discuss sensational showings such as Icons of Science Fiction, Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic, Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film, AVATAR: The Exhibition, and Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition.
GeekGirlCon and the EMP are surely a match made in rock and roll heaven, and this weekend will no doubt go down in history. Whether you’re a rocker, geek, or combination of them both, be part of the glory by picking up your passes before they sell out!
Bookworms beware! GeekGirlCon ‘13 will spotlight so many absorbing books to pick up, you may not emerge from your favorite reading spot until next year’s convention. From feminist anthologies to young adult novels, we’ve got geeks of all kinds covered.
Want to collect some awesome autographs? Be sure to bring copies of your favorite authors’ works—or support them by purchasing a few at the big event!
Fantasy fans, take note: several authors will be discussing strong female characters—both in general and ones they’ve created—at the panel “The New Female Fantasy Hero.” Sit in to soak up examples from Cat Rambo’s Eyes Like Sky and Coal and Moonlight, Dia Calhoun’s After the River, the Sun, and Danika Dinsmore’s Brigitta of the White Forest. Sci-fi enthusiasts will also be treated at “Toward A Universe of Equals: The Past, Present and Future of Gender Equality in Science Fiction.” Danielle Myers, author of The Last Burning of New London, and Michael Shean, writer of The Wonderland Cycle series, will speak on these imperative issues in sci-fi worlds and our own.
We can’t forget children when analyzing and crafting well-rounded personalities! “Strong Female Characters in Young Adult Lit” is a not-to-be-missed panel for kids, parents, and YA novel fans of all ages. Writer of Prophecy Girl, Faith McKay will examine how to build and exemplify positive role models for young (and not-so-young) readers.
For mature-only audiences comes “Romance Is A Feminist Genre,” where writer Corrina Lawson will explore the concept that romance novels contain more substantial women than just damsels in distress. Lawson certainly knows her stuff, having been recognized multiple times by the association Romance Writers of America.
For book fans of the comic variety, we’ve even got panels on books about comic books. How meta! The panel “All The Real Girls—Creating Real Girls in Comics” will also explore this topic with multiple authors who have crafted fully-formed personalities in their books’ female characters. Sit in to soak up examples from Hope Larson’s Who Is AC?, Mariah Huehner’s Womanthology: Space, Kel McDonald’s As We Were/Strange Someone, and Rachel Edidin’s Adventure Time scripts.
For an informative, fun, and frank look at how geekery is changing the world, be sure to take in GeekGirlCon co-founder Jennifer K. Stuller’s panel, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Fan Phenomena”. Author of Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology, and editor of Fan Phenomena and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she will participate in talks tackling such scholarly work being done on fan communities, and how these studies’ findings affect both geek and mainstream culture.
Oodles of books and authors will be bouncing around at GeekGirlCon ‘13! Pick up your passes in advance so you can nab the best seat at each panel, and be first in line for each author signing session. See you this weekend!
Now that the GeekGirlCon ‘13 Strategy Guide has been released, we can all officially freak out about this year’s phenomenal panels! For months, we GeekGirlCon staff members have literally been counting down the days until the big event, oohing and aahing over the nerd-tastic times ahead.
Amy Ratcliffe
When asked to name one panel she plans to attend, Programming Project Manager and Member of the Board Meg Humphrey said, “I’m really excited to see ‘Geek Girl Style: Demanding Recognition in the Fashion World!’ I remember making some of my own clothes when I was 13 using old bed sheets—it was the only material available that had Disney, cartoon, or Star Wars characters on it. It’s been amazing seeing our options grow: women’s sized clothing, plus-sized clothing, entire fabric lines dedicated to fandoms, and things available at local malls! Clothing and accessories have always been an important tool for self-expression and it’s great that Amy Ratcliffe will be hosting a panel talking about our options and where to go from here!”
Like many of us, Manager of Editorial Services Adrienne Roehrich is trying to squeeze as much in over her GeekGirlCon ‘13 weekend as possible! When tasked with talking about one panel she’s looking forward to, she responded, “Do you even know how hard of a question this is to answer? I’ve been writing on so much of the fantastic programming: from announcing the presence of Kelly Sue DeConnick and Chaka Cumberbatch to Karen Prell and Red Fraggle; the return of Mike Madrid; looking at comics through academic eyes and previewing the panel on the Gender Through Comic Books SuperMOOC; highlighting all the engaging science workshops and panels; and focusing on some of the intersectional discussions that will be occurring on topics like humor in feminism and race in geekdom. Not to mention all the awesome programming everybody else on the Copy Team has been posting about!
I’m extra excited to attend panels to write up and let those who can’t attend GeekGirlCon ’13 get a taste of our fantastic programming. I don’t know which ones those will be yet. Readers may not know that I’m also involved in the science communication community; friends from that community will be present on panels and in the DIY Science Zone, and I’m looking forward to getting to see them.
There are a number of panels that we haven’t even been able to touch on, and all our programming is so unique and fantastic, that I’ve read the programming over and over to find one to choose. Maybe because I’ve spent over a month trying to write my contribution to our Strong Female Character Series, but I think I’m most intrigued in the panel on ‘Deconstructing the Mary Sue.’ I am friends with many authors, some of whom write strong female characters and some of whom write Mary Sues, on purpose. I imagine this conversation will be riveting. Of course, you’ll find me at so many panels, in the Exhibitors Hall and Artist Alley, and in the game area (where my family spends most of their time).”
President of the Board and Twitter Administrator Kristine Hassell was amped when asked about her GeekGirlCon plans: “In addition to two very full days of phenomenal programming, our gaming area looks amazing! (Here’s where I’m totally using all the exclamation points to indicate excitement). Andy Munich (The 8 Hour Gamer) will be returning to GeekGirlCon this year with an ambitious plan to entertain.
Andy with some gamers at GeekGirlCon ’12; photo by Donna Winter
Some might intimate that I’m biased… to confess, he’s not only an amazing GM/DM, but he’s also my husband. Unless you’ve played in one of his sessions, it’s hard to grasp the fun that he consistently brings. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of playing in his games for nearly 14 years now and I’ve never been disappointed. He is patient with new players and can also put veterans through their paces, all while crafting engaging story lines.
He just posted his schedule for the entire convention with over twelve hours of RPG goodness including systems like Dread, Star Wars: Edge of the Empire, and Ghosts of Albion, based on the universe co-created by Amber Benson (making her first GeekGirlCon appearance).
Explore all that GeekGirlCon has to offer but definitely stop downstairs and look for the man in the bowler hat! He’s friendly and has stories to tell. Sit at his table and find yourself in one of them…”
Amber Benson
Like everyone who’s read our Program Book so far, GeekGirlCon Copy Writer and geekdom aficionado SG-1 found it difficult to select just one panel to gush about: “Picking the panel I’m most excited about is pretty hard. First of all, Denise Crosby. Hello! I’ve been a Star Trek fan since seventh grade, and Denise Crosby is a big part of that. They may have killed her off in the show, but her character lived on, interwoven through the story throughout the series.
Second, ‘Building the Mystery: A Character Creation Workshop’ sounds pretty amazing to me. I’m a writer, and I’m always looking for good ways to construct characters that are believable, and that seem to jump off the page at the reader. Any help I can get in that area would be great.
Third, ‘Deconstructing the Mary Sue Myth’ is one I’m really looking forward to. One of the panelists is actress and author Amber Benson, and I’m a big fan of hers. I would love a chance to pick her brain about her writing process!”
Manager of Programming Alison Kozar expressed her enthusiasm for the increase of women working in the gaming industry: “Nearly a year ago, #1reasonwhy began trending on Twitter. Why? Someone asked: ‘Why are there so few lady game creators?’ The hashtag exploded with responses from women in every part of the game industry as they related their experiences working on games. The responses ranged from expected to horrifying, but soon spun off mentorship opportunities and a larger discussion on how to make the industry more inclusive and, in so doing, become more productive.
I got to watch these discussions grow, and I am super-excited about seeing ‘#1ReasonWhy: Play to Win’ at GeekGirlCon ’13. We’ve got some really exciting folks speaking on the panel: Anna Megill, Cameron Harris, Filamena Young, Jennifer Brandes Hepler, Jessica Price, and Regina Buenaobra. The panelists will talk about some of their experiences in the game industry and discuss strategies for survival and improvement in this changing field.”
The latest book of poems by Jeannine Hall Gailey
As a GeekGirlCon Copy Writer and lifelong bookworm, there are countless writing-related presentations I personally plan to attend. “The Geeks for Poetry, Poetry for Geeks” panel is particularly calling my name. Redmond, Washington’s Poet Laureate, Jeannine Hall Gailey, and others will be speaking about concocting poems on comic books, computers, and many more geeky themes. I’m extra eager to learn some insider tips on the best places to submit such nerd-centric works for publication!
After purchasing your passes, start routing your way through the best weekend ever. But don’t just glance at the GeekGirlCon ‘13 Strategy Guide—bookmark it, print it, highlight it, red-circle it, build a treasure map out of it! We are all pumped to see you there!
If there’s one thing most geeks can agree upon, it’s that reading can be a great mental escape from daily stresses. While novels, newspapers, and the interwebz are solid sources of brain candy, of course, there’s one literary art form in a class all its own: comic books!
Offering plot lines, punchlines, and instant visual enticement, comics and graphic novels are enjoying a resurgence in today’s pop culture. It’s possible to find series suitable for everyone from elementary schoolers to those enjoying their retirement years. GeekGirlCon ‘13 will host a wide range of exhibitors to satisfy any comic book lover’s cravings. Here’s just a tiny peek into the possibilities you’ll find on the 3rd floor Exhibitors Hall.
San Diego-based Rebecca Hicks has struck a vein of comedic gold (or is it blood?) with Little Vampires. Created at Lunasea Studios with her husband, James Hicks, Little Vampires is a family-friendly webcomic featuring adorable miniature monsters and tongue-in-cheek humor. Stop by their table to pick up a poster or a plush stuffed villain. Or both!
For fans of other fantastical creatures such as dragons, demons, and Grecian sphinxes, there’s also the wild world of webcomic Skin Deep. Artist Kory Bing has created such elaborate universes online, there’s even a Skin Deep Wiki dedicated to her work! The Portland, Oregon resident first began publishing her creations in 2006, and her prolificness continues today. Fly over to Kory’s exhibit to get a taste of the action—there’s no doubt you’ll find your new favorite cartoon character.
Those of us who live in GeekGirlCon’s locale, Seattle, are fortunate to share a city with Kaarina Makowski. Author of the ongoing webcomic Soulless, she’s brewed up complex characters (and interestingly lists their zodiac signs in describing them) in a mystery fraught with tension and based in the near future. You know anyone who describes their work as “a labor of love, and an ongoing challenge” has put their heart into something great. Speculative fiction fans are sure to gravitate towards her intriguing storytelling.
Want to meet one of the coolest couples of all time during your nerdtastic weekend? Seek out Lady Evelyn and Lazy Jay, the hearts and minds behind Larsen Geekery! They’re makers of bright, snappy comics available both in book form and on clothes and bags—think Wonder Woman greeting cards, TARDIS purses, and original comics about dinosaurs in space. Not only will you want all of their artwork to adorn your everything, but you’ll want to throw a tea party with these artists as your guests of honor.
This mini-list is but a glimpse into the countless genres that will be present at GeekGirlCon ‘13 to lure in comic book rookies and longtime readers alike. Be sure to check out the many panels (pun intended) pertaining to comic books as well. Buy your passes today and pore over all the geeky goodness with us!
With a job title like dominatrix, you just know Gail from the Sin City graphic novel series has got to be strong. In multiple ways! While many of author and artist Frank Miller’s female characters wouldn’t exactly be hailed by feminists, Gail is a breath of fresh air within his mostly black-and-white pages.
Anyone who has read the series or even just seen the movie knows Gail is quite the antiheroine. Adjacent to Basin City (aka “Sin City”) is a district called Old Town run exclusively by women, almost all of whom are prostitutes. Rather than submitting to this living out of fear or desperation, the women here are efficacious, well-off, and proud of their community. They are their own government and rule the area with iron fists (and literal weapons as well!). Gail’s ability to enjoy her profession and use it as a source of power and financial stability makes her quite sex-positive, another of her qualities I admire.
Two of Gail’s comrades, Goldie and Wendy, are twin sisters at the top of the neighborhood’s chain of command. When Goldie is mysteriously murdered outside of Old Town, Gail shows her fierce loyalty to these authority figures and friends by risking life and limb to get to the bottom of things. She also uses the situation as her chance to step up and help start leading Old Town alongside Wendy. Using her signature handcuffs, chains, and trick rope knots, she wrangles and mangles anyone who may be able to cough up information. And this is all just within the first graphic novel out of seven collections.
In another storyline down the road, the women of Old Town’s sovereignty is threatened when a police officer is unknowingly killed on their streets. This officer’s death violates the terms of conditions between the women and all other authority sources within Sin City. As several girls begin to panic, Gail stands strong and vows, “We’ll fight the cops, the mob, and anybody else who tries to move in on us. We’ll go to war.” She is a voice of reason and madness at the same time—both of which are surely necessary to run a world like Old Town. She is someone who the rest of the young women can look up to, and rather than let it go to her head, she keeps calm and devises a plan instantly.
For someone so physically and mentally strong, a trait of Gail’s that could be considered a weakness is her unwavering devotion to Dwight, a man who does not romantically love her back. While Dwight is protective and caring towards Gail, and they were lovers at one point in the past, he does not share her passionate, faithful feelings. This Sin City ex-con is fond of frequently telling her, “I’ll always love ya, babe,” to which she always somberly replies, “Always. And never.”
While her emotional dedication to a former lover is a classic character flaw, this response actually shows that she accepts their situation, and while it hurts, it doesn’t slow her down. Her loyalty to her sisterhood is not hindered, and she actually teams up with Dwight a couple times to defend Old Town together. She is equally fierce in love and cognizant of its danger, and this enables her to keep herself in check.
Self-aware, fiery, and fast-thinking, Gail is one den mother and dominatrix we can all learn something from. To see and meet more strong female characters in action, join us at GeekGirlCon ‘13! Pick up your passes today!
Interview by AJ Dent, GeekGirlCon Staff Copy Writer
Being a professional cosplayer can’t be easy—it surely takes nerves of steel, cunning craftswomanship, and all the character of a superheroine. Chaka Cumberbatch not only pulls off this career with grace and humor, but continuously keeps conversations open about race and gender in cosplay communities. I was thrilled to have the chance to chat with her about these topics and am pumped for her appearance at GeekGirlCon ‘13!
Storm: Photo courtesy of Patrick Sun
In what ways do you see cosplay as empowering for women?
Honestly, the most empowering part of it for me has always been the different skills that I learn. It just makes you so handy! I like it because it keeps me thinking all the time; it’s constantly presenting new problems for me to solve, new skills for me to learn, and new trades to acquire. I’m always learning something new, and it keeps me going. If you want to make bigger, more intricate costumes, you have to learn more skills. It always keeps you on your toes, always keeps you leveling up.
What was your very first cosplay outfit, and what was your most recent? How did that first experience and your latest one differ? In what ways were they similar?
My very first cosplay was Misa Amane, from the anime and manga series Death Note. My most recent cosplay was Red Sonja, The She-Devil with a Sword. In a lot of ways, Misa kind of paralleled how I felt about myself as a cosplayer at the time—not 100% sure I could stand on my own, somewhat naïve, but completely enthralled by and willing to jump headfirst into a world I didn’t fully understand. Sonja, on the other hand, is strong, independent and resilient. She’s unapologetically sexy and she takes no prisoners. Her scale mail bikini, while it may appear tiny to some, was the result of weeks spent weaving over 700 pieces of scale mail and jump rings—whereas I put my Misa costume together in about a day, and didn’t even wear a wig! I really feel the two characters really kind of mirror who I was as a cosplayer then, and who I am now.
Huntress: Photo courtesy of BentPics5
What are some ways that you tap into your inner superheroine in order to pep yourself up or steel yourself against the criticism of others?
I’m not going to lie—sometimes, it’s hard. When you’re at the convention, 99.9% of the time, everything is sunshine and rainbows, everyone loves your costume and everyone wants your pictures. The negativity, in my experience, usually doesn’t creep in until after the convention, when pictures start to make the rounds online. You have to remind yourself that when people online are criticizing your body or your costume that they don’t know you, and they don’t know what went into that costume. They don’t see all the hours you spent fighting with the bobbin on your sewing machine, they don’t see all the YouTube videos you watched and tutorials you read to learn how to weave scale mail or sew different seams, they don’t see the painting, the sanding, the sculpting, the false starts, the do-overs—all they see is the final product. And it takes a lot less time to say something snarky about someone’s costume than it actually takes to create a costume from scratch.
So to that end, you can’t let negative comments derail your entire experience. You have to remember how much of a thrill it was to put the costume on for the first time, look in the mirror and see your favorite character in the reflection. You have to remember how exciting it was to have someone recognize your character, compliment your work, and ask you for a picture. Honestly, it sounds cliché, but you have to focus on the positive. With cosplay being such a visual hobby, people are going to say things both good and bad about what they see. You have to be prepared for that, and you have to try not to let it derail you.
Do you view cosplay as a form of healthy escapism, an expression of self, or both?
I kind of feel like it’s a little of both, at least for me. I have no problem waking up every morning and facing the world as Chaka Cumberbatch. I’ve worked hard to build the life that I want, and I love living it. But as a girl with a runaway imagination and a fascination with bright colors, I love being able to put on a wig, snap on some armor, and suddenly take on a completely different identity. So in a way, it’s both escapism and a form of expression for me. It’s escapism in that I get to pretend to save the world for a few days on the weekend, and it’s a form of expression because bringing a character to life is the best way I know how to show my love for that character or that series.
If you could attend or sit on any panel at the intersection of race and geekdom, what would the specific focus of the panel be?
I would love to sit in on a panel that discussed ways we can encourage creators to include more people of color in our comics, video games, books, movies, and cartoons. The audience is there, but we aren’t being spoken to or represented in the mediums we love!
Amazon: Photo courtesy of Lemon Ikon Photography
As encouragement to others considering cosplaying characters of different races than their own, when was a time when you felt especially validated in choosing to do so?
Ever since I wrote my article earlier this year, I’ve gotten messages, emails, and letters from around the world from people who previously hadn’t had the courage to attempt cosplaying a character of a different race—or even cosplaying at all—but were going to give it a shot after reading about my experience. There is nothing more validating than that. The idea that I could have even played a small part in introducing someone to this hobby, or helping them get over their fear of trying feels bigger than I am, if that makes any sense. It’s so humbling, I don’t feel worthy of it. But it’s so gratifying to know that I had the chance to turn something that was a negative experience for me into a positive experience for someone else. If raising my voice helped someone else find their own, then seriously, that makes it all worth it.
What lessons about geek communities and life at large have you learned by cosplaying characters of different races?
Full disclosure—I’m an Air Force brat. I spent my childhood on a series of different Air Force bases, surrounded by friends and classmates who were a mix of different races. So while I don’t agree that it’s possible to “not see” color, I definitely think it’s possible to not see color as someone’s #1 defining characteristic, because when I was growing up, I didn’t. None of us did—there wasn’t much of a point. We were all kids, and we didn’t care. I remember being annoyed by how every time I’d make a new friend at school, my biological mother would want to know if that friend was black, and if they weren’t, she’d lose interest. I never understood why my friend, whom I was so excited about, was somehow less important if he or she wasn’t black. As I’ve grown older, I’m much more aware of the different races that are around me, but still, when I look at a person, the first descriptor that comes to my mind isn’t related to their skin color.
The number one thing that cosplaying outside of my race has taught me is that I may not see others as a “race first and a person second,” but many, many other people do. It’s something I still struggle to wrap my mind around and may never truly understand. Mostly because, I mean, the hobby is called cosplay. It’s short for costume play. The last time I checked, skin color wasn’t part of the elements that make up a costume. So explain to me why it matters if a black girl cosplays Sailor Venus? If the actual costume is accurate, why are we even considering her skin color?
How do you think geek communities can become more welcoming to and inclusive of all races and genders?
Oh goodness, there are a lot of ways. I think one thing we could do as a community is just listen more. When a cosplayer of color brings up an issue, maybe not telling them, “Oh, that isn’t racism because of: this. I don’t want this to be racism, I don’t want this to be a problem, because then we have to acknowledge that there’s a problem. Why can’t we just be quiet and act like everything is ok?” Essentially, down-voting them and making them feel like they don’t have a voice is an issue in itself. Maybe we can just listen to them; we don’t have to solve every problem of a cosplayer of color or a different gender, but just listening to them and acknowledging that some of their complaints may actually be valid may help us find out why they’re making you uncomfortable. If we just ignore them, then we don’t have to talk about it and the fact that there is probably sexism or racism going on. Instead of shutting that down, let’s have that discussion, and that way people will feel more welcome to come in, because people just don’t feel like they are.
I’ve gotten emails from people all over the world who just didn’t feel like they were welcome to do these things—they honestly felt like it was something they weren’t allowed to do. I was at Dragon Con last weekend and a little girl came up to me—I mean, she was maybe in her teens—and she told me she had no idea that black people quote-unquote “were allowed” to cosplay. To be completely honest, it almost feels like it’s an unwritten rule, because you don’t see it as often. I see it, because I know other cosplayers of color, but I know that from the outside looking in, when you look through all the galleries of cosplay at all the big shows, you don’t see people who look like me, so people don’t know that we’re there. So inviting people to participate in the first place, and making them feel welcome to talk about it, will open it up to more people.
Akasha: Photo courtesy of Hell or High Water Photography
Since you’re a superheroine to many people both in and outside cosplay communities, if someone was to cosplay as YOU one day, what would you envision them wearing?
Oh man! So I actually polled my friends for this one, and judging by their responses, any combination of pink, glitter, polka dots, cupcake jewelry, hair bows, velociraptor-related accessories, and red lipstick would make up a pretty accurate Chaka.
Thanks so much for the inspiration and encouragement, Chaka, both in and outside the cosplay world!
We at GeekGirlCon can’t wait to see everyone’s costumes in October! Pick up your passes, charge your camera, and get ready to come see Chaka in person at GeekGirlCon ‘13!
Interview by AJ Dent, GeekGirlCon Staff Copy Writer
Comic book writer extraordinaire Kelly Sue DeConnickrecently spoke with GeekGirlCon about her past experiences, current works, and upcoming appearance at GeekGirlCon ‘13! In the second half of our interview, we dove into even more of her exciting projects and views on identifying as a Geek.
You’ve worked with artist Emma Rios before on Osborn: Evil Incarcerated and are now collaborating again on the upcoming Pretty Deadly series. Watching two female artists create a multifaceted Western story together is incredibly inspiring. What has working with Emma on this particular project been like so far?
It’s been utterly terrifying because this book has thwarted us at every turn. It’s kind of not the book we thought we were doing? It’s a lot weirder book than we set out to write. It’s very strange and we’ve both recently just sort of accepted the fact that it is the F word: it is fantasy! Which is sort of not what we meant for it to be, but it kind of insisted, so there you go.
How else have we described it? It is a macabre western. Greg Rucka called it a dark fairy tale. Mythic western. Yeah, it is certainly supernatural. The story is told by a dead bunny and a butterfly. Death incarnate is in it, and Death’s daughter. It’s a trippy book, which is not what we thought we were doing. There was a point at which I sort of accepted that this book is going to be what it is, and no amount of wrestling on my part is going to make it not. And we had talked in the beginning about how much we both love Sergio Leone. We wanted to do a Leone western, so there was a point at which I was sort of bummed we’d gotten away from that. But then Charlie Huston got this quote for me that was a Sergio Leone where he talks about the myth is the thing—historical truth doesn’t matter; it’s all about the world and the myth. Reading that after he sent that to me, it was another one of those goosebump moments that I have had a million of with this book, where I felt like, oh, this whole time it was a Leone western, it just wasn’t what I originally saw happening.
Along the lines of being influenced by outside sources as you write, there’s been a lot of online activity surrounding the release of Pretty Deadly. Do you find that fan interaction affects your writing process or drive at all?
I don’t think that Captain Marvel would have made it more than six issues without the Carol Corps. I don’t think it would have survived without that really vocal, supportive fanbase. And I think that they were able to find each other through social media. So I think it’s been very important to my work life to have been lucky enough to be a part of that. I can’t write a story with the idea, ‘Let me give them what they want!’ I think reverse-engineering what you think the people want never results in good stories, but that said, I am also a part of that culture, so sometimes references make it in. I’m clearly influenced by the Carol Corps. I’m doing a Carol Corps issue.
Do you have a bucket list of women characters you’d like to write about someday, whether already existing or currently just a spark in the back of your mind?
I have a list of story ideas that I maintain—some of them are projects of their own, some of them will find their way into books I’m currently writing. When I did start Captain Marvel, I knew I wanted to write Monica and I knew I wanted to write Anya. I wasn’t able to bring Anya into Captain Marvel because the timing wasn’t right. In fact though, because I wasn’t able to have Anya is how I was able to have Wendy Kawasaki, and I love Wendy, so I have no regrets about how that worked out. I didn’t get to bring Anya in, so it has come around that she is available again, so I’m going to be using her in Avengers Assemble.
I grew up reading DC, not Marvel, so Wonder Woman and Lois Lane were important characters to me. I’ve gotten to write Lois Lane, so that’s checked off my list, and I’m not sure if I want to write Wonder Woman, because that’s just terrifying to me! I don’t know if I’d be a good fit for it; I’m afraid that what I would want it to do is basically Lynda Carter-esque TV show fan fiction! That is best left to my nostalgic memory or watching episodes with my daughter.
What are you most excited to do or speak about at GeekGirlCon ‘13? Do you identify as a geek, and if so, what makes you proud to be one?
I am looking forward to GeekGirlCon because I have heard really good things about it. I have been to one other women-centric convention, and it was WisCon. It’s a science fiction convention, so it’s a slightly different animal. It’s sci-fi, highly academic, super cool. My conception of GeekGirlCon is that it’s almost like a younger, hipper version of that. [Laughs] I’m not entirely sure what to expect there, but I think it’s going to be cool, we’ll have a lot of fun. I love Seattle, so I’m into it!
I guess I don’t, oddly enough, know what a “geek” is! I have read comic books on and off forever. I grew up on military bases—my father was in the service, and very often, we were in places where we did not get American TV stations. My mom encouraged it; my mom loved Wonder Woman so she would buy me the comics and then dole them out to me as rewards. We would go to swap meets on the weekends and buy comics by the handful, and the house that I would go to after school—the Edmondson family—I would go hang out over there, and their whole family collected comics, so I would read. Read, read, read, read, read! Now I’ve put them down and come back to them various times in my life, but I’ve never been away for very long. They have always been a part of my life.
I’m not a gamer—my husband gave me the controller and tried to have me play Grand Theft Auto once, and yeah. He had a friend over and they were sitting over and I had the thing. He looked over at me and I was just sitting there and he goes, “What’re you doing?” and I go, “Well, the light is red.” [Laughs] So clearly, I don’t get the spirit of the game. So I’m not a gamer, I have just started my first role-playing game, which is the Call of Cthulhu, at 43 years old! But hey, I’m doing it right: Greg Rucka is my dungeon master so, you know, I started late, but I got started awesome.
So yeah, I don’t know, I don’t have anything particularly negative attached to the term. I like comic books. If other people want to hang out with me and talk about comic books, I am down with that! If people want to tell me that because I am a girl I have no place in comic books, we will have words. And I will laugh and laugh at them!
Thanks so much for the laughs and words of wisdom, Kelly Sue!
Come hear this real-life superheroine speak at GeekGirlCon ‘13! She’ll be sharing more comics industry insight with us just three short days before the October 23 release of Pretty Deadly. Pick up your passes today!
In a world where women let their geek flags fly, thirteen burlesque performers will gather to celebrate female fandom through the art of striptease. And they’ll do it all without having conversations about their boyfriends!
Left: Shanghai Pearl, photo by Jules Doyle. Right: Rebecca Davis, photo by Inti St. Clair
Hosted by Rebecca M. Davis and featuring performances by burlesque luminaries Miss Indigo Blue (Miss Exotic World 2011), Lola LeSoleil (Southern Fried Burlesque Queen 2013), The Shanghai Pearl, and Iva Handfull (Kansas City Burlesque Festival Queen 2013), Bechdel Test Burlesque offers top-notch talent with a geeky flair. These superheroes of striptease will be joined by nerdlesque’s rising stars, including Bolt Action, Flirty Sanchez, Maxie Milieu, Sara Dipity, Sailor St. Claire, Scarlett O’Hairdye, Sophie Maltease, Trooper, and Trojan Original, making for an explosion of nakedness and nerdiness!
Left: Trooper. Right: Lola LeSoleil
Produced in association with GeekGirlCon, Bechdel Test Burlesque will be a fun, feminist romp sure to go down in history. GeekGirlCon ‘13 attendees, Seattle burlesque fans, and geeks of all stripes will have two chances to experience this epic event with two showtimes at the inimitable Re-Bar. With all the costumes flashing around onstage, audience members are highly encouraged to cosplay! Come in your best geeky gear and get ready to hoot and holler!
Tickets to view these ecdysiasts start at $15 for general admission. VIP tickets, which include a reserved seat closest to the stage, are $30. All tickets are available via BrownPaperTickets starting Friday, September 20. Full disclosure: the show is likely to sell out, so save that date and act fast to secure a seat!
Date: Friday, October 18, 2013
Times: 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
Price: $15 for General Admission Seating, $30 for VIP
Where: Re-bar, 1114 Howell Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Don’t forget that just before these tour de forces begin, GeekGirlCon is hosting another kick-off party over at the Tap House Grill! Imagine the excitement of picking up your Con passes at registration, grabbing some noms, and meeting new peeps at the Tap House Grill party, then joining even more fellow geeks over at Re-bar. Your weekend is sure to start off right with all this entertainment.
Kick off your weekend right with Bechdel Test Burlesque: because this time, the personal is political. Get your tickets now!
Cosplay is a crucial part of the fun at GeekGirlCon, and this year is amping up to be especially costume-filled. With October 19 and 20 less than two months away (can you believe it?!), we GeekGirlCon staff members are getting all our gear ready for the big event. And do we ever love discussing our ideas!
When it comes to her upcoming attire, Copy Writer SG-1 explains, “I’ve never cosplayed at a con before, despite having been to many Star Trek conventions and four years of Emerald City Comic Con. I’ve decided that my first GeekGirlCon is the perfect place for my first cosplay!
I’m going to be Jayne Austen. Yes, I spelled that like Jayne Cobb from Firefly! My costume will be a cross between Regent-era, Jane Austen style—such as Elizabeth Bennett wore in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice—and Jayne Cobb’s mercenary look from Firefly.
If you want a peek, you’ll have to come find me at GeekGirlCon ’13!”
This year’s geek gathering will mark the first cosplay event for other staff members as well. “True confession: I’ve never done cosplay before,” admits Copy Writer Erin Doherty. “And if it involves role-playing the character, I probably never will (I may be a Leo, but I don’t actually enjoy having all eyes on me). However! I do like a good costume now and then, and the upcoming GeekGirlCon will actually be my very first con ever—so it seems like a grand opportunity to have some fun!
I’ve been trying to think of characters that I love that are also low-cost and low-effort. So far, I’m thinking Kaylee from Firefly, in her mechanic coveralls: it’s cute, it’s simple, and most importantly, it’s comfy! Arthur Dent of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame is also simple and comfy, and since it’ll be my first con, it might be comforting to have something on hand that says “DON’T PANIC” written in large, friendly letters.”
Twitter Administrator and Board President Kristine Hassell had a similar disclosure: “Confession time. I’ve never cosplayed before. And I don’t count the star tiara with bracelets when I did my Diana Prince/Wonder Woman spin, I mean real and proper cosplay.
When fellow staffer and design manager extraordinaire Rachelle asked me if I wanted to participate in her group cosplay this year, it didn’t take much ruminating. I jumped at the chance! What better way to make my cosplay debut, right? The idea was right up my alley: a punk girl biker gang based on the amazing Senshi from Sailor Moon. I am an old-school punk from back in the day and Sailor Moon was one of my first anime series… so yeah! Sign me up to be a Senshi, please!
Think Ichiko from Shimotsuma Monogatari meets Malcolm McLaren and Harley Davidson with some Sailor Senshi flavour. Trust me, it’s going to be amazing to see all of us in our gear! Rachelle even designed matching patches for our group to wear on our jackets!
I will be rocking the Sailor Luna cosplay. If you’ve seen Sailor Moon, she was the cat who wasn’t really a cat. I’m not sure if I’ll wear ears so folks will know which Senshi I am, so you’ll have to find me at the convention to find out!”
Facebook Administrator Anna Daniell is also pumped to cosplay at GeekGirlCon. “I plan on dressing up as Mabel Pines from the cartoon show Gravity Falls. I really like that Mabel is cheerful, silly, and sees the good in everyone. Her collection of sweaters is amazing and she even has a pig named Waddles. (Who doesn’t want an almost-talking, adorable pig named Waddles?!) She is also voiced by Kristen Schaal which makes her six times cooler in my book. (I did consider crossing Mabel with Louise of Bob’s Burgers for a double Kristen Schaal cartoon cosplay, but cosplaying is difficult enough around a volunteer shirt.)
One of my favorite things about her character is how close she is with her brother. Though we are not twins, my brother and I have always been close. A couple years ago we went on a road trip together and every time we weren’t sure where to go or what to do we would exclaim, “Adventure!” and just go with it. I could see my brother and I discovering dinosaurs and fighting gnomes together in a little town in Oregon. First, I just need to find a grappling hook…”
Personally, I’m having a tough time deciding between characters to embody. As a copy writer for GeekGirlCon, I feel I should rep journalism by donning an April O’Neil jumpsuit. Since I’m looking forward to snapping candid photos of fellow geeks, though, I know I’d enjoy wearing a spy-tastic Carmen Sandiego hat and trenchcoat with camera in hand.
Finally, I’m tempted to go all out and devise a Demona costume to channel my inner gargoyle. Can you tell I dig early ‘90s cartoons and women with strong personalities? To help me decide, I’ve been taking votes on which femme fatale to cosplay. Which one sounds the most fun to you?
Personally, I’m having a tough time deciding between characters to embody. As a copy writer for GeekGirlCon, I feel I should rep journalism by donning an 