2014 Convention Season is Here!

Whoa buddy, it's going to be an exciting year for Kentucky Geek Girl. I'm excited to announce that I've already committed to six conventions this year in the greater Kentucky area. I'll be participating in panels and discussions at several of these shows and am super excited about it! If you're interested in having me as a guest at your convention, feel free to let me know!

First up:

More after the break!

Epic LCTC Giveaway ... and the winner is!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest for passes to Lexington Comic and Toy Convention. We had a few winners who made video responses to my original post about the contest. The videos were great and I had such a hard time choosing. In the end, I let Random.org decide because all of the videos were just so good.

As I said, there were 4 tickets (2 pairs) up for grabs, one for a Facebook entry and one for a Twitter entry. I would have given everyone a prize if I could, but someone had to win. Here they are:

EPIC GIVEAWAY: FREE TICKETS TO LEXINGTON COMIC & TOY CON!

It's here! This is your chance to win one of two (2) sets of tickets to Lexington Comic & Toy Con 2013, which will be held March 16 and 17 at the Lexington Convention Center.

Here's how you win:
1.) Make a response video and upload it to YouTube. In it, tell me what you're excited to see at the convention, what you plan to cosplay as, who you're bringing with you. Keep it to around a minute.
2.) Post the link on the Kentucky Geek Girl Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/kygeekgirl
or the Kentucky Geek Girl Twitter page. http://www.twitter.com/GeekGirlinKY
with this Tweet: Win 2 Tix to @lex_con from @geekgirlinky -Youtube link- #KGGatLCTC
3.) Profit

I'll pick one winner who submitted on Twitter and one from Facebook. You must follow me on Twitter so I can DM you. If you're the Facebook winner, I'll send you a message, so be sure to check your Other folder.

Do this by Wednesday March 6. I'll contact the winner as soon as I've watched all of the videos. Winner will be announced March 8. If you don't respond to my message, I will pick someone else.

Remember, upload your video by Wednesday March 6!

Help Bring a TARDIS to LCTC in March!

At Lexington Comic and Toy Convention 2012, con-goers were privileged to a visit by the DeLorean, with proceeds from photo ops going to Parkinson’s Research. As discussion of LCTC 2013 progressed during the year, many, myself included, thought that inclusion of the TARDIS would help round out the convention experience. David Endicott of Ashland wants to make that happen. He has started a Kickstarter project to help pay for some of the TARDIS related expenses and to help expedite the process.

Endicott, who has an interest in prop making, says that he has been research TARDIS plans since Christmas and has enlisted the help of a local carpenter to help with the construction. The money from the Kickstarter project will go toward labor, building expenses, and transportation only. Endicott has said that because he already has tools, he can use the money strictly for construction necessities rather than a large piece of equipment. 

The TARDIS will be full scale, 10ft x 5ft, which is based on the version seen from 2005-2010 on BBC’s Doctor Who. Endicott expressed that TARDIS plans were extremely difficult to find, but I’m confident that he will be able to put together something fantastic, brilliant, and cool. Those who contribute to the Kickstarter project will be privy to in-progress updates and personal thank yous. I think that it would be awesome if we could get a local photographer to do professional photo ops in the TARDIS for a nominal fee (HEY PHOTOGRAPHERS – CAN WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN?!). 

At the very least, I hope that con-goers can take their own pictures with the TARDIS. I also hope that a big group of Doctor Who cosplayers can gather together for photo ops. (I’m looking at you, Jason Knopp, you David Tennant looking fella) I wish David the best of luck with the build and I look forward to hearing more about the updates. With space already allocated on the convention floor, now all we have to do is wait for the vworp vworp and the TARDIS to materialize inside of Heritage Hall on March 16.

Be sure to make your pledge now, the Kickstarter ends in 9 days! It's now at $335 of its $200 goal. Congratulations!

Lexington Comic and Toy Convention

Lexington Convention Center, Heritage Hall

430 West Vine Street, Lexington, KY 40507

Saturday, March 16, 2012 10am-6pm 

Sunday, March 17, 2012   10am-4pm

Admission: 

22.50 in advance

$30.00 at the door! 

VIP admission - $45.00 in advance

Kids under 10 are always FREE!

Mr. Homn is coming to LCTC in 2013!

And then a voice said, "Natasha, not everyone is going to know who that is." Okay... Lurch is coming to Lexington Comic and Toy Convention in 2013! That's right, Carel Struyken, who played Lurch in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, is the latest Media Guest added to the line-up for the sophomore LCTC. Struyken also appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Mr. Homn, the manservant of Betazoid Ambassador Lwaxana Troi, the mother of Counselor Deanna Troi.

Struyken portrayed Homn on five episodes of TNG and gave a commanding performance, though the character was more or less mute, save for one line in the episode "Haven" in which he said, "Thanks for the drinks." Homn seemed to have a high tolerance for alcohol. Lwaxana also accused him of having "outrageously lustful thoughts." Of course, Lwaxana also made accusations that would make most blush, so who knows if she was truly able to read Homn's thoughts. Regardless, Struyken was one of my favorite TNG and it's so great that he's going to be a guest at LCTC!

It's kind of funny, Struyken played Lurch in the film adapatations of the classic series The Addams Family, and he joins Felix Silla who was Cousin Itt in the original series! Silla also played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi, of which Struyken also has a connection; he played Terak, the antagonist of Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. (One of my favorites, btw!) 

This is super exciting! Carel Struyken has been a part of some fantastic aspects of popular culture and it's great to have him joining Peter Mayhew, Billy Dee Williams, Margot Kidder, and the other fantastic guests that will be appearing at Lexington Comic and Toy Convention on Saturday, March 16, 2013 and Sunday, March 17, 2013. 

Lexington Comic and Toy Convention

Lexington Convention Center, Heritage Hall

430 West Vine Street, Lexington, KY 40507

Saturday, March 16, 2012 10am-6pm 

Sunday, March 17, 2012   10am-4pm

Admission: 

22.50 in advance

$30.00 at the door! 

VIP admission - $45.00 in advance

Kids under 10 are always FREE!

Big Names Already Announced for Lexington Comic and Toy Convention 2013

Lexington Comic & Toy Convention turned out to be one of the most successful one day conventions that many of those involved had ever seen. With over 4,000 in attendance and 200 exhibitors and guests, LCTC wildly exceeded expectations. Preparations have begun for the 2013 convention, which has been expanded to two days and will coincide with Lexington's city St. Patrick's Day celebration. LCTC will be back at the Lexington Convention Center in Heritage Hall and will take place on March 16-17, 2013. There will also be space for 400 guests, exhibitors, and vendors, so the convention is both doubling in time and in size.

Yesterday, Jarrod, the convention's promoter, began announcing guests for Lexington Comic & Toy Convention 2013. An attempt is being made to get as many of the inaugural guests back as possible, but there have been some great announcements for new guests as well.

New guests:

Billy Dee Williams - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Marina Sirtis - Star Trek: The Next Generation

Margo Kidder - Superman

Power Rangers Cerina Vincent and Walter Jones

Cindy Morgan - Tron

Doug Jones - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Hellboy

and more!

Returning guests:

Mike Grell

Mark Ryan

Mark Kidwell

Drew Curtis

and more!

A complete list of all guests can be found at the Lexington Comic & Toy Convention website. Also, be sure to like the convention's page on Facebook. Jarrod will reveal more guests at 1500, 1850, 2000, and 2500 likes. So, like the page and share it with your friends, pets, and even the pages that people make for their babies.

Also returning are many of the artists, writers, podcasters, and all around awesome people who were exhibiting and vending at the 2012 con. The "Who's Coming" page of the LCTC website is continually updated with the names of those folks.

I must say, I am already excited about the lineup for 2013. As a lifelong fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation (yes, the show premiered the same year I did: 1987!) I cannot wait to meet Marina Sirtis. Counselor Deanna Troi is one of my favorite characters on the show (though her mom got on my ever-loving nerves!) I would be thrilled if more of the cast could come to LCTC 2013!

Who are you excited to see at the convention? If you could have anyone be a guest, who would it be?! Leave a message in the comments below!

Lexington Comic & Toy Con: This Was A Triumph

I attended a couple of conventions last year which were really well attended, but at Lexington Comic & Toy Convention I got to experience things from the other side: I had my very own booth. For those of you who were there, you know how absolutely busy things were all day long, but that craziness proved to be great success for all those involved. The attendees totaled over 4000! This is a phenomenal turnout considering that this was the first year of the convention and LCTC was only held for one day, from 10 - 5. With only 250 VIP tickets sold, that is an amazing figure. I was so impressed by the costumes that people were wearing. They ran the spectrum of Marvel and DC, Soviet Russian, and many, many Mandalorians!

The day was full of events for the con-goers like a Q & A panel with the Power Rangers as well as panels with Mike Grell and Mark Ryan, an MMA demonstration from Jason David Frank, and the costume contest. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend any of those, but I did get to talk to so many wonderful people at the KGG table. I want to personally thank everyone for stopping by and saying hello. I hope everyone enjoys the GEEKSOAP, shot glasses, t-shirts, and mugs. I really appreciate the interest so hopefully there will be something just as awesome!

LCTC Spotlight: Gears and Glass Guy

 

I'm not sure if I'd said it before, but I love Steampunk. As a history major, I'm drawn to all things inspired by particular time periods. If you're a fan of Steampunk, then definitely stop by to see David Underwood, the Gears and Glass Guy. After attending Dragon*Con several years ago, he was inspired to make his own Steampunk creations. His prices are affordable and all of his pieces are original and hand-assembled. Take a look at his Etsy shop and stop by to see him at Lexington Comic and Toy Convention tomorrow!

LCTC Spotlight: Apex Publications

 Apex Publications, based in Lexington, is a media publication company that produces an online magazine and print works of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. The company has been in operation for ten years and is owned by Jason Sizemore. Beginning with a digest of short fiction, Apex has grown over the years and now produces the online magazine of science fiction as well as print novels, anthologies, and short stories.

Jason says that some of his earliest memories include watching films such as The Exorcist, The Thing, and Alien with his mom during their weekly movie nights. He has drawn a significant amount of inspiration from these horror and science fiction classics and cites storytellers such as John Carpenter as heroes. Apex was formed after he became interested in publishing his own fiction. Though he says that he has always enjoyed writing, it wasn't until he was in his teens and twenties that he started to pursue it. Now, Apex has a stable of authors, editors, and designers who produce works including the newly released Machine, which was written by Jennifer Pelland. Apex Publications is currently seeking authors based in Kentucky.

In promoting Apex Publications, Jason says that he attends eight to twelve conventions per years. This weekend, he'll be at Lexington Comic & Toy Convention and will have books available for purchase. Among his favorite conventions are MidSouth Con in Memphis, which he says is the farthest he's traveled for a convention.

The Apex Book of World SF Volume 2, an anthology of science fiction, will be released in April, and pre-orders are available now. It features works by international authors Will Elliot, Hannu Rajaniemi, Shweta Narayan, Lauren Beukes, Ekaterina Sedia, Nnedi Okorafor, and Andrzej Sapkowski. The anthology was edited by World Fantasy Award nominated editor Lavie Tidhar. Works by Apex are availble in print, epub, mobi, and pdf and are highly convenient for readers of all preferences. 

Be sure to stop by and say hello to Jason at LCTC! Check out the website for Apex Publications for more information about upcoming releases and other news.