I don’t know about you, but with just a little over a week to go until the Con, I’m currently in full strategic planning mode, obsessively highlighting my copy of the panel schedule and inevitably overscheduling myself in the hopes of catching all of the amazing panels we have lined up.
That moment when you realize you’ve scheduled yourself to see two (or three…or four…) panels at the same time
In the leadup to #GGC17, we’ve been highlighting the incredible panels you’ll have the opportunity to see, including ones centered around Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusivity, GGC After Dark, and Pop Culture! I couldn’t be more excited about each of those topics, but today I’m here to introduce you to a group of panels that are especially near and dear to my heart: the ones Focusing on Fandom. As geeks, we are basically Olympic medal-ers in fandom, so let me give you a sneak peek at some of the panels that will let you revel in the joy, excitement, and possibility of fandom.
Ever wondered which fandoms and tropes are most popular in fanfic? Are you curious how comments affect an author’s writing skills, or how fans navigate the sexual content in fanworks? Join a panel of fandom analysts, moderated by Ruby Davis, for By the Numbers: The World of Fandom Statistics. This group of amazing analysts will present their findings on these topics (and more!), showcase data visualizations, explain their methods, and answer questions.
A representation of my feelings after Sense8 was cancelled
I personally had a day of mourning when I heard that Netflix had cancelled Sense8, and am eagerly awaiting next year’s two-hour finale special, which will hopefully give us heartbroken fans some much-needed closure. Sense8 has become a global phenomenon, earning itself an extremely diverse and loyal fanbase in only two short seasons. The panel I Am Also a We – A Sense8 Panel, moderated by Meagan Malone, will discuss the show’s successes and shortcomings, with panelists sharing their hopes for the upcoming special.
Me, deep into a binge-watching session of “Sailor Moon”
This year is the 25th anniversary of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, so it’s only fitting that the panel Humans of the Moon Kingdom: 25 Years of Sailor Moon, moderated by Misu Russell, will celebrate the impact that Naoko Takeuchi’s epic manga has had on countless fans around the world. Come discuss the ways you’ve been affected by a cute young girl in a Sailor Suit!
I love games, and I think that one of my favorite places at GeekGirlCon is on the Gaming Floor. It’s a big, open space and lends itself to all sorts of game-related content, be it board games to check out, a walk-up RPG area, console games, and more! Here are some of the cool things that will be happening in games over GeekGirlCon weekend:
We recently released our full panel lineup for #GGC17, and the con is brimming with a wide range topics. Previous Panel Highlights have covered panels that focus on Diversity and Inclusion, Pop Culture, and Social Justice, but I’m here to talk about a different side of GeekGirlCon—a darker side.
GeekGirlCon After Dark is a collection of panels that cover more mature content. Aimed at older audiences, these panels will discuss everything from the representation of women in Horror, to sex—real and fictional. Please note that all of these panels are 18+, and we will be checking attendees’ IDs at the door.
Yuri and Victor from Yuri!!! On ice.
Yaoi is one of the most popular subgenres of anime and manga, both in Japan and Western media—most notably among female fans. History of Yaoi: A Fangirls Not-so-Secret Shame will discuss the history of the genre while juxtaposing it’s popularity against the LGBT+ community’s fight for equality in Japan.
Sex is weird. I know that, you know that, Planned Parenthood knows that—and they’re ready to answer any questions you may have about the act. Sex Ed Super Friends! Presented by Planned Parenthood is a panel comprised of “sex nerds” that are ready to take on whatever questions Google hasn’t solved for you. Whether you’d prefer to submit questions anonymously or are comfortable starting a discussion, all questions are welcome and all questions are important.
Chun Woo-hee in the horror film The Wailing.
Horror is my favorite genre as a writer, and every year it grows in popularity amongst female creators and fans. Women in Horror will discuss the history of how women have been presented in the genre and look at its growing appeal. How has this vocal demographic changed the industry from the inside, and where is the genre going?
GeekGirlCon After Dark brings more scandalous content to #GGC17. From continued Sex Education to horror and the popularity of Yaoi, After Dark panels ignite more mature discussions for older audiences.
Stay tuned for even more Panel Highlights in the coming days before the convention, and we’ll see you September 30 and October 1!
Last year, we launched our first ever fundraiser tee, and I’m excited to share that we’ve just launched our second fundraiser tee to benefit all things GeekGirlCon 2017!
…and let me say, it’s the cutest darn thing I’ve ever seen.
This year’s tee was created by California artist Celia Sutton, and not only is it absolutely adorable, it also shows some serious GeekGirlCon pride. The shirt reads “Support Your Local Geek Girls”–and sports a seriously cute pink-haired protagonist. Whether or not she looks like a smart scientist, or a peppy little witch, anyone can see something magical in this shirt.
The tee is available in both straight cut and fitted sizes. As of my writing this post, we have sold 27 of our goal of 50, and have raised $250.
There are still 15 days left, so make sure to grab yours now! After the fundraiser is over, we won’t be getting them again.
Artist Celia Sutton is a monster kid based in Los Angeles. She works as an artist assistant and screen prints in her studio garage. Celia enjoys foam fabricating props and costumes. In her free time she reads horror comics and pets dogs.
GeekGirlCon attendees at a 2015 panel discussing diversity. (Photo by Sayed Alamy)
We’re living in a time with an incredible volume of movies, television, comics, books, and games. The options seem nearly endless, and while that’s exciting, it can also be disheartening when so much of that content still isn’t diverse and inclusive.
During several panels at GeekGirlCon, we will celebrate diversity in fandoms, constructively criticize the media that we love, and uplift creators making a difference in a discussion about greater representation.
Con Prep is a new series of blog pieces providing tips, suggestions and other ideas as to help you prepare for convention season.
The third installment of Con Prep was written by Guest Contributor Nathalie Marsh.
Comic Con is getting back to San Diego again this July and, as always, it’s going to be an exhibition full of creative displays. It’s only fair to say that almost everyone gathering there is going to participate, as in all previous years, in the mesmerizing art of cosplay. Be it fans, professionals or future makeup artists and fashion designers, this mix is going to take the stage with their amazing creations.
The work involved in re-creating your favorite character is quite something and usually comes down to the last detail. For this purpose, make-up is your go-to friend when trying to represent or even add a fine touch to your persona.
We’ve gathered a list with what we believe to be the most popular female character impersonations this year, based on the sister conventions (Eastern European Comic Con and WonderCon) and we’ll be sure to point out what makeup product is a must for each of them.
Wonder Woman: Up Your Makeup Game With Eyeshadow Primer
Setting numerous box-office records, the movie was a total hit, bringing to the stage the wondrous character of Diana, the immortal Amazonian princess.
All around the world, superhero fans are marveling Wonder Woman and her fierce appearance. And because we just can’t take our eyes off this beauty and strength icon, we believe that she’s going to be one of the most popular faces at this year’s Comic Con.
With a half au naturelle, half femme fatale look, fair skin and red lipstick are a total must, but the focal point in Wonder Woman’s appearance is the eyes.
There are several eyeshadow combinations you can choose from and you are free to get very creative within the classic color palette (red, gold, blue), but the key thing in trying to achieve each of these looks is choosing the best eyeshadow primer to help hold your makeup freshly in place for the whole day.
We are T minus three weeks to GeekGirlCon ‘17, and I’m already stressing over finding time for everything I want to do while I’m there. Panels make up a good 60 percent of my Con enjoyment, and I already have a list of must-see GGC panels with multiple alternates for some of the time slots, because there are too many that I’m excited about.
JC Lau already talked about the social justice panels we’ll have this year, so I get to tell you about our pop culture offerings. When life gets rough, I am all for escaping into the world of fiction, and with movies and shows like Hidden Figures, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Wonder Woman all being released in 2017, this has been a pretty good year for seeing women and women’s perspectives on screen. If you’re interested in discussing how far pop culture has come and how far it still has to go, you’ll be in good company at GGC ‘17.
Grab a latte, slip on some comfy socks, light a pumpkin scented candle, and prepare to settle in for this spooky tale about a girl who sells her heart. Her literal heart. Demons in this world, are willing to grant you your greatest desires as long as you’re willing to part with an arm, a leg, and occasionally your heart. I wondered what would prompt a person to decide to trust a demon and lose a body part in the process. I went to church-I watch Supernatural. I know that you do not trust freakin’ demons no matter what. However, the book answers that question very quickly: very desperate people.
The Hearts We Sold was not what I was expecting from the description. The author slowly ushers us into this world that is much deeper, darker, and even creepier story than as first presented. Peeling back layer after layer and feeling a little more horrified each time was both skin-crawling and highly entertaining. There were more Grimm fairytale qualities than I initially expected. The small elements of fantastic creepiness really put it over the top in the best ways.
Our main character, Dee is surrounded by fully formed characters with express purposes outside of simply helping or pushing her narrative. Because of these characters, even though the world is a fantastical one, it feels eerily realistic. Everyone has a motive, a backstory, that makes their actions, even cruel, abusive ones, realistic. It does make every action excusable, but it does make those actions understandable. Human. The romance develops naturally and sweetly and does not overpower the story. If you’ve read Vassa in The Night, which I recommend if you like dark fairytales this book would be right up your alley.
Representation-wise, this book does a fairly good job of portraying people of color, and LGBT+ characters. Dee is half Hispanic. Her race is mentioned at most two times. It does not affect her story, so if you’re searching for a character with a heavy latinx identity, this is not the book you’re looking for. This world is not exactly a diverse utopia, as some of the characters do face discrimination. However, it’s something that is alluded to in passing and does not come from any of the characters we know and love. There is a gay supporting character, as well as a trans character. Their sexuality and identity does not affect who they are as people and is only mentioned briefly.
I appreciate the way in which abuse is portrayed in this story. Abuse storylines can often be a bit obvious. They run the way that most people think all abuse happens: physical. But in The Hearts We Sold, the abuse while not exactly subtle, forces you to think about how you would survive in this situation when your options of escape are slim to none. The results of which forces Dee to make extremely difficult decisions, that I’m not sure everyone will be agree with, but I personally think it was an important one that should be illustrated as an option to matter your age or situation.
There were some aspects of the “weird” and “spooky” that seemed too readily accepted by the main character. She describes herself as being afraid all the time, yet when faced with truly terrifying situations, she’s calmer than most people would be. Only later does she seem to react appropriately to them, so it made her a little inconsistent to me. I would have liked to see her struggle with her fear more. It does get off to a bit of a shaky start, but it finds its legs early. Before you know it, it’s five hours later, you’ve forgotten to feed your cats, and you’re getting dual death glares. Can’t relate.
The Hearts We Sold is perfect to get you in the mood for Halloween season, and a great filler until we all binge watch Stranger Things come October.
Marissa is a grad school student, writer, and feminist who’s surviving Arkansas in our current political climate. She gets through it with her two fluffy cats and her Hufflepuff tendencies.
This year has been a challenging one for most of us who follow politics. From the Women’s March to the March for Science to the numerous Black Lives Matter Marches, activism and getting involved in political action has been increasingly prevalent in our everyday lives.
How we understand politics is also pervasive throughout pop culture and the media we consume, and this is reflected in several of the panels that will be presented at GeekGirlCon ‘17. Even if you’ve never written political slogans on a square of cardboard, nor marched in the street, there’s a place for you to start learning about how your can take what you’re passionate about and transform it into effective activism.
We at GeekGirlCon know every cosplay is a labor of love, which is why we want to give you the opportunity to showcase your hard work and win fabulous prizes at this year’s GeekGirlCon Cosplay CONtest! Cosplayers of all ages and experience levels are welcome to register and reserve their spot for the CONtest on Saturday, September 30 at 4:00 p.m.
Whether you’re equipping yourself to fight Ganondorf:
This year the contest will have two age groups: Adult, for adult GGC passholders, and Child, for 12-and-under attendees with child GGC passes. The event will also have a new, masquerade-type format to give everyone more time on stage. Space is limited and entries are online-only, so submit your application early! Registration opens Tuesday, September 5 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time and closes when all of the spots are filled, or on Friday, September 22 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, whichever comes first.
