Feeling the mid-winter blues? My fellow Seattlites are thrilled that the worst of our weather is (hopefully) behind us, but I’ve got something to warm up this chilly afternoon: did you know that the photo booth pictures from #GGC18 are up on our Flickr?
Taken by photographer and GGC veteran Sayed Alamy, there’s no better time than now to find inspiration for your next cosplay or get yourself a little hyped for this upcoming November.
I was feeling a little under the weather this week, but scrolling through these photos did wonders for my mood. Here are some of my favorites (with absolutely no bias towards my favorite characters, I swear!) Plus, I don’t think there’s anything cuter than a mini cosplayer. Prove me wrong.
Description: A short video explaining some of the art and science that goes into LAIKA films. Source: LAIKA Studios’ YouTube channel.
Veronica Hernandez, Senior Roto/Paint Artist at LAIKA and the host of the Enter LAIKA: Behind the Scenes panel, kicked off her introduction to LAIKA with the clip above. “We’re all super geeks,” she explained when it ended. “At LAIKA, being weird is a superpower. We get to come together and make these amazing films.”
Well, friends, GeekGirlCon’18 has officially drawn to a close. On behalf of the GGC staff, I want to say thank you so, so much to all of you who joined us this past weekend. Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, sponsored, supported, and otherwise contributed to making 2018 our best year yet. Thank you for believing in our mission, for finding value in the celebration of geeky girls and women, and for being passionate about the things you love and sharing that passion with us.
The first day of con has come and gone, and there are plenty of feels to go around.
Each year, my team covers various panels and events to write about for the GeekGirlCon blog—a truly daunting task, of course. This year we each wanted to write a short blurb about our experiences during the weekend of con to share with all of you: what panels we attended, our favorite exhibitors, and a little bit about what’s happening behind-the-scenes (you know, those important anecdotes about naps in the staff room and dad jokes that only we find funny).
#GGC18 may go down as one of our favorites yet, and we hope you’re having just as much fun as we are thus far!
From GeekGirlCon Manager of Editorial, Indigo Boock (me!)
Saturday morning started off with a pot of coffee delivered right to my hotel room door at 6:15 sharp. Oh, I could write ballads to that coffee, but no amount of caffeine would stand a chance to the hectic excitement that awaited me on the convention floor.
Appropriately, I started off my day at a panel that meant a lot to me and my relationship with gaming: 25 Years of Myst Fandom.
Back when I learned that Cyan would be joining us for GeekGirlCon 2018, I was floored. I immediately called my dad and geeked out over the news, and without a doubt I was primed and ready for the panel at 11:30 this morning. A conversation between Myst co-creator Rand Miller and super fans Melinda Rose and Eleri Hamilton, the panelists discussed the game and the truly unique community that has tirelessly slaved over its lore throughout the years. Though I have far less street cred than both Melinda and Eleri, Myst has a sneaky way of integrating itself into pivotal parts of my life, and that now includes my time working with GeekGirlCon.
During a little bit of down time, I finally had a chance to walk around the exhibitor hall—and I am genuinely shocked that my wallet is still in once piece (though it’s definitely not happy with me). I passed some familiar faces, added a few more t-shirts to my ever growing collection, and connected with an artist I hadn’t heard of before but whose work I instantly adored. Susana’s (@S2HEARTBunny) style meshed perfectly with my aesthetic: very pink and a little eerie. She even told me about a smaller, local event that she’s organizing in the coming months, illustrafest!
The exhibitors truly outdid themselves this year. I’m proud that I displayed at least a little self control and didn’t just buy everything for myself.
This year I was also joined by my mom, who periodically reported which panels she was excited about and the new friends that she was making. She really reminded me why I love this community, and also made me question my own genetics and introverted tendencies when she walked by with her newfound con-posse. My mom, who I’ve written about on the blog before, is still a little newer to the geeky side of life and definitely fresh to the convention scene. Initially a display of support for my work with the organization, her own interests have taken off and she’s really learned to open up and savor the experience. A geek in training yet, she’s proud so say that she has learned a lot and excited to keep going.
When your parental unit knows you so well that they buy you the same shirt you bought yourself. #GGC18pic.twitter.com/W9NH4yNIDX
The rest of my day was spent tucked away in various panels and stowed up writing in the staff room—definitely not gorging on donuts whilst whining about how sore my feet were thanks to my ill fated decision to wear high heeled boots. I fawned over the women of Dungeons & Dragons, who have been working on the franchise since I was in grade school, and the lovely team behind Magic: The Gathering Arena. I also stopped by the Women in Horror panel for a few good laughs (and some much needed profanity). All in all, it was an great day.
….and here’s to a second that’s just as amazing as the first!
As I write this—sitting in my hotel room just hours away from the official start of the convention—I am thrilled, excited, and relieved. Another year of hard work and we’re finally ready to share it with all of you. My outfit is spread out, my bag is packed, and I’m ready to commence a weekend of geeky fun as we celebrate the importance of diversity and inclusivity in this community.
Brought together by our love of fandom, popular culture, STEM, fashion, gaming, comics, and just about anything that we can possibly geek out about, GeekGirlCon gives us the ability to express what we love and share those passions with our friends and peers. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or this is your first year, we welcome you and we are honored that you’ll be apart of this journey alongside us.
This year’s content lineup includes a plethora of panels, events, workshops, and meetups for you to learn something new or explore an old favorite (with some added spooky happenings for Halloween!)
So without further ado, here are but a few things you can looking forward to during the first day of GeekGirlCon 2018.
Panels
Cosplay Quickfire
10am to 11am in Garnet
A roster of experienced cosplayers will instruct you on how to make any costume for under $100 in less than 7 days. No costume is unattainable. With a mix of suggested costumes from internet polls and ideas from the audience, the goal is for everyone to gain crafty, affordable methods of costuming.
Featuring Jay Justice and Emily Finke.
25 Years of MYST & MYST Fandom
11:30am to 12:30pm Samus
Since its release in 1993, MYST has had a dedicated following, built a complex world and lore, and Cyan has continued to push expectations of what is possible in video games. Join us as we reminisce on the joys, sorrows, and mayhem of the D’niverse, and ponder the future of Cyan and their fans.
Featuring Eleri Hamilton, Rand Miller, and Melinda Rose.
Feminist Frequency Radio Live!
1:30pm to 2:30pm in Storm
FemFreq Radio is a podcast tackling feminism & pop culture from the folks that ruined your favorite video games! Anita, Ebony, and Caro deliver funny, irreverent, take-no-prisoners opinions on the good, bad, and ugliest media that pop culture has to offer.
Featuring Ebony Aster, Anita Sarkeesian, and Carolyn Petit.
We at MoPOP look forward to GeekGirlCon every year. And this year is no exception. We’ve got our panel guide planned, our cosplay laid out, and MoPOP booth prepared for you to come visit.
When we were asked to write a piece for the GeekGirlCon blog, we got excited! But what to write about? There are countless topics we could have tackled, but when we got down to it, we thought it might be nice to pull back the curtain and introduce you to just a few of the many people who populate the world of MoPOP.
If you see them around the Con (or the museum or Seattle), feel free to say hi.
GeekGirlCon’18 is just over a week away, which means it’s right before Halloween!
Source: Giphy. Description: A dog in a ghost costume holding a glowing jack-o’-lantern on a cord while surrounded by more jack-o’-lanterns.
Scared you’ll have to choose between enjoying the con and getting your ghoul on? Don’t worry, we have plenty of unboolievably fun workshops, games, panels, and more lined up to help you celebrate in style. Plus, get ready to trick-or-treat all con long! Look for “Trick-or-Treat Here” signs scattered throughout the con. Got food sensitivities or allergies? We’ll have teal pumpkins to mark locations with candy alternatives.
Source: Giphy. Description: a corgi barking at and jumping around a small pumpkin.
Dying for a sneak peek of our fangtastically spooky programming? Here are some highlights:
Your passes are ready, the hotel is booked, and your costumes are coordinated. With the convention just under two weeks away, you might be wondering what else you can do to prepare for #GGC18.
Well, last night we launched our third annual fundraiser tee! Represent like a geek, and support your favorite convention!
Available in both straight cut and fitted sizing, all tees are 25$! Our goal is to sell 50, and the fundraiser will be running over the next 14 days (until October 28th). The tees will be sent directly to you after the fundraiser concludes.
Get ready to represent, and we’ll see you at GeekGirlCon 2018!
Update as of October 18: Due to a miscommunication with CustomInk, some extended sizing of the fundraiser shirts cost an additional $2.50 – $6.50. If you have purchased a shirt 2XL or larger, you will be automatically reimbursed for the additional cost.
From pop-culture titans to social justice superheroes, our featured contributors for GeekGirlCon’18 are movers and shakers in their communities, industries, and the world at large! Check them out:
Lysa Chen
Source: Lysa Chen. Description: headshot of Lysa rocking green hair.
Lysa Chen has designed Dungeons & Dragons adventures for Wizards of the Coast and the Adventurers League. She is distinguished as one of the Dungeon Masters Guild’s premier Guild Adepts.
We’ve been enamored reading all of your ideas for the Name Our Avatar contest and your creativity continues to amaze us with each entry.
If you haven’t had the chance to submit your idea yet, never fear! You still have a few more days to submit your name and a brief backstory online now. Submissions for the Name Our Avatar Contest close on Monday, October 1st at 11:59 PM PST. For more information on the rules, prizes, and the origin of the GeekGirlCon avatars, take a look at our prior blog post about the contest.
We look forward to announcing the winner in the coming weeks, and we’ll see you at GeekGirlCon 2018 in 28 days!
