Dragon Con is Coming: The Game is Afoot! Gaming in Con Culture!

Over 140,000 Square Feet of Gaming Space Dominates AmericasMart, Featuring ‘Round the Clock Gaming Plus Panels with Top Game Designers, Voice Actors, and Industry Experts 

eSports Tournaments in 15 Different Games, Live Streamed on Twitch

Overwatch Payload Tour Stops at Dragon Con to Celebrate Cosplayers in the Overwatch Universe

ATLANTA – July 26, 2018 – Dragon Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the nation, will roll out a basement full of games, from the latest and most popular video games, rarely seen board games, and the first role-playing computer game played by the man who wrote it almost 40 years ago.

“Dragon Con’s gaming program is for players, whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just have a casual interest,” said convention co-chair David Cody. “Players can join friends playing the most popular games available or take some time to tryout games you can’t find anywhere except Dragon Con. Our games library features hundreds of games that can be checked out by any Dragon Con member.”

Some 85,000 people are expected to attend Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, and sci-fi convention, in 2018, filling downtown over the five-day Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings One and Two and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta.

Taking up more than 140,000 square feet in AmericasMart Building One and the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, gaming at Dragon Con will feature the full array of gaming including PC and console games, board games, miniatures gaming, role-playing games, collectable card games, and even LARP games. A large selection of modern arcade games from Japan and Asia not usually seen in the United States alongside classic American cabinet-style arcade games will be available for ‘round the clock free play.

The gaming hall opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 30, and stays open through 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 3.

Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch Payload Tour stops at Dragon Con this year to celebrate the fantastic Overwatch-oriented cosplay with a photo experience that puts cosplayers into the game.

They will be joined by several members of Blizzard’s in-house creative team including historian Sean Copeland, senior writer Andrew Robinson, and senior writer Christie Golden. We will also have a trio of voice actors from the Overwatch franchise, including Anjali Bhiman, who voices Symmetra; Charlet Chung, who voices D.Va.; and Lucie Pohl, who voices Mercy.

Video game pioneer and American astronaut Richard “Lord British” Garriott, who created the Ultima and Tabla Rasa games, will play his first published game – 1980’s Akalabeth: World of Doom – on an original, fully restored Apple II computer. Akalabeth is widely considered to be the first role-playing game written for computer.

eSports, sometimes called professional gaming, has seen a surge in popularity over the past decade with the growth of spectatorship fostered by the introduction of live streaming platforms. Amazon-owned Twitch, Dragon Con’s broadcast partner for its tournaments, has approximately 1 million viewers at any given time for its eSports and related programming.

Tournaments will include Marvel Vs Capcom: Infinite, Injustice 2, Brawlhalla singles and doubles, Streetfighter V: AE, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, Gundam Versus, Tekken 7, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Rivals of Aether singles and doubles, Smash 4, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and League of Legends.

Dragon Con attendees can watch professional players and teams compete against each other live, while their gameplay is broadcast to overhead screens. Gaming fans at home will be able to watch the gameplay via Twitch.

In addition to the Overwatch guests, key gaming guests for 2018 include voice actors Kellen Goff, Heather Masters, and Julie Shields from the Five Nights at Freddy’s game franchise, voice actor Mark Meer, best known for his role as Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy, and former Epic Games president Mike Capps, whose company developed Fortnite, Gears of War, and Unreal Engine.

The Kids Gaming Adventure, a series of 45-minute sessions designed to introduce 6 to 12 year olds to board games, collectible card games, roleplaying, miniatures, and LAN-based video games returns for 2018. An accompanying parent is required at all times.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information on the Overwatch Payload Tour, please visit https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/news/21659397

DRAGON CON ATTENDEES ARE INVITED TO COMPETE IN JIM HENSON’S CREATURE SHOP CHALLENGE LIVE!

Brian Henson, Kirk Thatcher, and Gigi Edgley Return for Unique Fan Contest Exclusively at Dragon Con 2018


ATLANTA, GA (July 16, 2018) – Dragon Con and The Jim Henson Company are proud to announce the first ever Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge Live! This unique panel event, exclusive to Dragon Con 2018, will reunite the series’ original judges Brian Henson (Labyrinth, Farscape) and Kirk Thatcher (Dinosaurs, Muppets Tonight). Gigi Edgley (Farscape) will return as host of the contest and Halle Stanford (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), President of Television for The Jim Henson Company, will also join the judging panel.

Participants will be required to meet the guidelines of a creative brief that will be announced on August 6. Be sure to follow Dragon Con and The Jim Henson Company social media channels for details. Follow #CSCLIVE for all announcements! Contestants will have their creations pre-judged on Friday, August 31 at 2:30pm at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. At 4:00pm, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge Live will begin in the Marriott’s Atrium Ballroom.

“We hear from fans again and again how inspired they were by our series Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge,” said Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company. “The incredible level of artistry and talent in the costumes and creatures at Dragon Con got us excited to do this contest. It will be amazing to see participants bring out their best work in the spirit of a real challenge of creativity and skill.”

One winner will be invited to tour The Jim Henson Company in New York City or Los Angeles and will receive a travel stipend, courtesy of Dragon Con and The Jim Henson Company. If you can't make it to the live judging, you can watch the contest in your hotel room on DCTV or after the show at home at https://dragoncon.tv/.


More About Dragon Con

 
Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta (Aug. 30 – Sept. 3, 2018). Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,000 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

More About The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 60 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world-famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include Julie’s Greenroom (Netflix), Dot. (Sprout/Hulu), Splash and Bubbles (PBS), Word Party (Netflix), Doozers (Hulu/Sprout), and the Emmy®-nominated Sid the Science Kid (PBS), Dinosaur Train (PBS), and Pajanimals (Sprout). Television productions include Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller and the sci-fi cult series Farscape. Features include Disney’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, as well as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, MirrorMask, and Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow. The Company is currently in production on the upcoming Netflix original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Projects in development include the highly anticipated film Fraggle Rock.

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand is currently touring Puppet-Up! – Uncensored, a live puppet improvisational show, and its feature The Happytime Murders, starring Melissa McCarthy, will be released in August 2018.


On The Web:
www.henson.com
www.facebook.com/hensoncompany
www.twitter.com/hensoncompany

MEGACON™, SOUTHEAST’S LARGEST FAN CONVENTION, WRAPS ANOTHER YEAR OF FUN AND FANDOM AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

Orlando, FL – June 4, 2018 – MEGACON™, the Southeast’s largest comics, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming event, wrapped up the Orlando convention throughout Memorial Day Weekend at the Orange County Convention Center. The four-day multi-genre convention welcomed more than 100,000 fans and included programming for all ages, a star-studded celebrity lineup and more.

Among other guests that brought crowds the most immersive pop culture entertainment experience were the cosplay superstars of the Florida Con Artists, led by Charles Watson and Teea Reich, with Dennis Cutter, as well as internet talk show phenoms from the Hangin With Web Show, Bri Bri Cosplay and the Florida based Bombshells Cosplayers, HarledinArts Cosplay and Crafts Amelia Poole, and social media musical duo Billy Floyd and Jay Stephens' The Kitchen Killaz.

This year’s featured celebrity guests included Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings); Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park); Jason Momoa (DC Justice League); John Cena, Alexa Bliss, Braun Strowman (WWE Superstars); Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman); Billy Dee Williams and Joonas Suotamo (Star Wars); Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor (Xena: Warrior Princess); Jodi Benson and Christopher Daniel Barnes (The Little Mermaid); Rob Liefeld (Deadpool and X-Force) among others. 

The event was a huge success for artists, authors, comic creators, pop culture stars and fans alike, as well as a terrific and impactful addition to the local Orlando economy!  

Interviews with artistic creators From 2018 and other MegaCon Shows on the Hangin With Web Show can be seen below:  

MEGACON 2018: The Age of the Geek Comes to Central Florida

     ORLANDO, FL -- Tis the season to be geeky!  That's right, this memorial day weekend, the pop culture world is slated to land squarely on Orlando Florida.  From May 24 until May 27, 2018 at the Orange County Convention Center, it's the MegaCon Convention!

     Among the guests and attractions will be the breakaway hit Youtube show the Hangin With Web Show, as well as special appearances by social media music sensations Billy Floyd, Jay Stephens and the Kitchen Killaz.

     There are expected to be tons of special activities for kids and adults.  There is Cosplay of all kinds and many featured cosplayers such as central Florida's Bri Bri Cosplay and the Cosplay Bombshells, as well as Central Florida cosplay superstars like Amelia Poole with HarlequinArts Cosplay and Crafts, the Charles Stark Foundry and the Florida Con Artists and renowned cosplayer Mark Robards of Mark Knight Rises Cosplay.  The floor is expected to be bustling and to host more than 250,000 visitors from every corner of fandom.  

    Among special celebrity guests are The Justice League's Jason Mamoa, television's Daredevil Charlie Cox, several celebrities from AMC's the Walking Dead and actress Jewel State best known for her role in one of pop cultures most beloved science fiction shows, Firefly, as well as Allstar celebrity cosplayers like Ya Ya Han, Jessica Nigiri, Cecil Grimes Cosplay, who is one of the world's premiere Walking Dead cosplayers, as well one of the cosplay community's youngest celebrities, Central Florida's own 7-year-old Cosplay Michael.

     There is something for almost everyone at this all star event.  

     "MegaCon is a show we look forward to all year long," said Hangin With Web Show host G.W. Pomichter.  "It's a kind of extended family reunion for many of us in the pop culture world, and for so many fans."

     Guests and celebrities will start arriving as early as Wednesday to set up and help organize the show which brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to central Florida each year.  

    "We have such a full schedule and we're planning so many great events for kids and adults alike," said Charles Watson of the cosplay community group The Florida Con Artists.  "MegaCon is a great show and one that knows how to bring something for every fan."

     The show will also include after hours activities for adults like Saturday night's Oasis After Dark after party.  The Pajama Party themed event organized by Moshi-Moshi Production, led by John Moshi will feature cosplayers, celebs and live music including the Orlando based Kitchen KIllaz, whose musical stylings have been revolutionizing the way social media is used to spread music and art and build communities.

     "This is the kind of terrific event where our whole community comes together to create an exciting and memorable experience for every fan and visitor," said Kitchen Killaz singer Billy Floyd.  "It's a great time and a really great look at the fun and sense of community that is on full display as a part of convention culture."

     In a press release, Fan Expo, the organizers of the event described it thusly:

     "Everyone is a fan of something, and MEGACON is a place to celebrate all things pop culture. Get an autograph or a photo with your favorite guest and get the inside scoop about your favorite movies & TV shows at our celebrity panels! Watch professional comic artists battle it out in our popular Sketch Duels, learn from our “How To” workshops, and take photos with your favorite costumed characters! It’s also a great place to buy a unique gift (or treat yourself!) with over 400,000 square feet of shopping madness."

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Coming to a Convention Near You! HWWS Joins the ACES Stable of Stars!

Asylum Convention and Entertainment Services - ACES Announcement

 Melbourne, FL, Oct. 5, 2017--    It's time! An announcement full of greatness! Today we welcome quite a few new members to our ACES family - Hangin With Web Show, GW Pomichter, and Cosplay Michael!
The Hangin With Web Show is an internet based web talk show series that highlights the work of aspiring, independent as well as well established artists, authors, filmmakers, entertainers and creators within the arts and entertainment industry. As the world wide web has shifted the arts and entertainment paradigm, show host and creator G.W. Pomichter, an independent author himself, founded the show to assist in sharing the growing community of creative arts professionals with a hungry and growing internet audience.  
     The show is hosted and directed by G.W. Pomichter (an author/creator and a professional journalist, who has penned more than 400 byline articles for The Hometown News and Florida Today) but it would not be possible without the talent and hard work of its staff.
     Sage Ia: Sage is a consummate professional who works both on set as the show’s artistic relations coordinator and scheduler, but behind the scenes as a co-producer and the show’s social media marketing director. Sage is a native of Pittsburg, PA, and has her Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Organizational Management from Eastern Florida State College.
     Deanna Marie: Deanna is the Hangin With Web Show’s co-producer and serves on set as a camera and sound technician, and as well as show host G.W. Pomichter’s P.A. In addition to these functions, Deanna also serves as the show’s primary merchandizing, advertising and marketing executive director.
     In addition, show host G.W. Pomichter is a seasoned journalist, a published author and web media “artrepeneur,” producer and director.
     G.W. Pomichter is a professional author and journalist and the producer and creator of the Hangin With Web Show. G.W. Pomichter is a graduate of Florida Air Academy and Eastern Florida State College.
     G.W. Pomichter, a trained news journalist, is now a full-time author and the director, producer and host of the Hangin With Web Show, a web talk show series which features new, established, indie and up-and-coming artists, authors, filmmakers, and entertainers from throughout the arts and entertainment industry. Pomichter’s IMDb presence has continued to grow in popularity where he routinely ranks among top show hosts and celebrities.
From his first published book, Mapping the Road Less Traveled — a handbook on political campaigning, G.W. Pomichter has gone on top write and publish The Lucky Marks Mystery Series, a detective crime noir featuring 2 novellas and a short story, and Yesterday’s Tomorrow, a dark near future dystopian alternative history which follows two families in the aftermath of a terrorist nuclear attack on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.
     As digital media pros and YouTubers® become frequent guests at conventions throughout the pop culture community, it is a valuable asset to have such guests that are working and providing coverage of the event and its other guests, while meeting fans and satisfying audiences. The benefits of combining coverage with presence are clear and can be seen at some of the nations most popular cons.
     In addition to Hangin With Web Show and G.W. Promithcer we are pleased to announce “Cosplay Michael,” who made his first appearance as a featured Cosplay guest at Tampa Florida’s Necronomicon 2016, and since has attended both large and small events including as a panelist at world famous Comic Con International in San Diego California. Cosplay Michael has a growing social media presence and is well known in cosplay for his energy and enthusiasm for the community. His attendance at many conventions is anticipated by cosplay guests, professionals and even some celebrity guests. Look for him at: www.facebook.com/cosplaymichael/

Make sure you check out our new family members at:

WEBSITE: https://www.hanginwithshow.com
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_C2z2k60d6lOj8DFMWDGEA
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HanginWithWebShow/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/HanginWithShow
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/hanginwithwebshow/
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6337920/

STAN LEE IS COMING TO MEGACON TAMPA BAY™ TO SUPPORT HURRICANE IRMA RELIEF EFFORTS - SEPTEMBER 29 TO OCTOBER 1

Tampa Bay, FL – September 14, 2017 – MegaCon™, the Southeast’s fan convention, has announced Comic Book Legend Stan Lee will appear at MegaCon Tampa Bay to meet his fans and support Hurricane Irma relief in Florida. For the next 2,000 MegaCon Tampa Bay tickets sold online, the convention will donate $5 per ticket to Feeding Florida, a statewide network of food banks working on the ground to provide families impacted by Hurricane Irma with food and emergency supplies.

“The generous support of the MegaCon Tampa Bay community will allow Feeding Florida to provide necessary supplies to our families directly impacted by Hurricane Irma,” said Robin Safley, Executive Director of the Feeding Florida. “Partnerships like this allow our statewide network of food banks to continue to support every community and provide many of the front-line services required during response and recovery efforts.”

“Florida is in need of some cheering up and what better person to do that than the one and only Stan Lee! We are excited to be bringing Stan to Tampa Bay for the first time and to work with him to support those communities impacted by Hurricane Irma.” says Andrew Moyes, Vice President of FanExpo HQ. 

In light of the recent natural disaster, Stan Lee will auction off experiences and items that money cannot buy, including a one-on-one meal with Stan The Man himself, and artwork from his personal collection. The auction will happen on Friday, September 29 during his panel at MegaCon Tampa Bay. You have to be in the room to bid!

Stan Lee’s personal auction contributions, combined with the funds raised from the ticket drive, ensure MegaCon Tampa Bay and their fans will donate an estimated $20,000 to Feeding Florida’s hurricane relief efforts.  

Three-day passes, as well as single day tickets starting at just $25, are available at www.megacontampabay.com/tickets. For news, guest announcements and more, please visit www.megacontampabay.com. 

Tweet: Just in, Stan Lee is heading to @MegaConTampa to support Hurricane Irma relief efforts with partial proceeds going to @FeedingFlorida #MegaConTampa17 #FeedFL

MEGACON™ RETURNS TO TAMPA BAY FOR THE SECOND YEAR WITH KEVIN SMITH, JASON MEWES: SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1

TICKETS NOW ON SALE! 

The Southeast’s largest fan convention is back with 200,000 square feet of shopping, photo opportunities, celebrity signings, panels and much more!

Tampa Bay, FL – June 22, 2017 – MegaCon™, the Southeast’s largest fan convention, is back in Tampa Bay for the second year in a row at the Tampa Convention Center Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 1. As of June 15, 2017, tickets are on sale at www.megacontampabay.com/tickets and start at $25. Fan favorites and hilarious duo Jay & Silent Bob, also known as Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, are lined up for a special appearance on Friday evening. Additionally, Katie Cassidy of Arrow and The Flash has been confirmed. Many more celebrities will be announced in the coming months!

“After welcoming over 30,000 fans to the Tampa Convention Center in 2016 during our inaugural MegaCon™ Tampa Bay, we cannot wait for an even bigger and better show in 2017,” says Andrew Moyes, Vice President of Fan Expo HQ. “We’re ready to welcome the community to another incredible weekend of fandom fun.”

MegaCon™ Orlando and Tampa Bay are the Southeast’s largest comic, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming conventions. Welcoming over 100,000 fans a year to Orlando and over 30,000 fans to Tampa Bay, MegaCon™ continues to give the ultimate fan experience.

Three-day weekend passes as well as individual day tickets are now available at www.megacontampabay.com/tickets, starting at $25. For news, guest announcements and more, please visit www.megacontampabay.com.

ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ

MegaCon™ Tampa Bay is owned by FAN EXPO HQ, one of the largest entertainment convention groups in North America. Collectively it hosts over 500,000 fans annually at FAN EXPO CANADA™, Boston Comicon, FAN EXPO VANCOUVER™, FAN EXPO REGINA™, FAN EXPO DALLAS™, Toronto ComiCon, Dallas Fan Days and MegaCon™ Tampa Bay.

Hangin With Web Show at Collective Con 2017

Collective Con 2017

Collective Con returns on March 24th-26th, 2017 at the Morocco Shrine Auditorium in Jacksonville, Florida.

Meet some of your favorite stars! Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven on Stranger Things), Noah Schnapp (Will Byerson Stranger Things, voice of Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie) , Graham McTavish (Dwalin in The Hobbit Trilogy), Jessica Lucas (Tabitha Galavan in Gotham), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane in Superman: The Movie) and the last minute addition of Chris Kirkpatrick (*NSYNC and Chip Skylark on The Fairly OddParents) will all be in attendance.

You can also meet famous voice actors such as Johnny Yong Bosch, Kari Wahlgren, and more. A few of the amazing and world renown artists present will be Mitsuhiro Arita, Clay and Seth Mann, plus popular cosplayers Jenifer Ann, Danielle DeNicola, Haiden Hazard, Tayrex Cosplay and MANY others!

Let's not forget about The Real Elite Four challenge going on the entire weekend and the Pokémon Sun & Moon tournament they will be hosting. Do you have what it takes? Start training your teams now!

Vendors, Artists, Prop Exhibits, Panels, Video Game Tournaments, Table Top Tournaments, Cosplay Contests, Music, Official After Party and more! You are not going to want to miss out on this weekend of fun.

We are very excited to announce that Friday, March 24th, will be our official Anime Day!

There will be Anime Panels with Guests, Fan Panels, Fan Events, Anime Film showings, and more! Aniplex USA is sponsoring this event with prizes. These will be announced Soon.
Hotels are now available and going fast! At only $104/night, it's a really great deal, so reserve your room today!
https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/CollectiveCon

To view the current guest list and purchase tickets for the March 24-26, Collective Con, please visit:

www.collectivecon.com

Plan on attending? RSVP on our event page.
https://www.facebook.com/events/306073256411832/

Stars of the Saga: Felicity Jones, Ian McDiarmid, and Jeremy Bulloch Join the Lineup

Felicity Jones leads a galaxy of talent scheduled to appear at the Star Wars Celebration Autograph Hall this April. The star of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will sign autographs at the premier Star Wars fan event, The Topps Company and Authenticators, Inc. announced today.

Topps and Authenticators, Inc., the official autograph providers for the event, will host thousands of Star Wars fans from around the world at the Star Wars Celebration Autograph Hall in Orlando, Fla., from April 13-16. Fans can purchase authentic movie photos and officially licensed Star Wars memorabilia to get signed at the autograph pavilion as part of the StarWarsAuthentics.com launch.

"Having Felicity Jones at Star Wars Celebration to meet all the amazing Star Wars fans is important to us," said David Leiner General Manager and Vice President of Topps North American Sports and Entertainment. "She's become an integral part of the Star Wars universe and was immediately loved by fans around the world. We are proud to have her in our first group of announced guests."

Ian McDiarmid, who portrayed the sinister Emperor Palpatine, and Jeremy Bulloch, everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett, join Felicity as the first in a long lineup up of talent from the iconic franchise scheduled to sign autographs for fans at the show. 

Topps, Lucasfilm and Authenticators Inc., the industry standard verification service originally built by the MLB Authentication Program, recently announced a new collaboration, StarWarsAuthentics.com, a one-stop online destination for Star Wars fans to easily and securely order all of their official photo and autograph needs. StarWarsAuthentics.com includes a vast library of images direct from Lucasfilm, high-quality photos and exclusive autographs of fans' favorite stars, printed using Topps' technology.

Star Wars fans get officially licensed movie and authentic autographed photos at StarWarsAuthentics.com, which include more than a dozen options of Jones to choose from. In addition to Jones, Rogue One's Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed and Donnie Yen autographs are available at the website, which also is the only place to find the first official dual-signed items of John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.

Stay tuned for Star Wars Celebration pre-order details and the announcements of additional signers that will be at the event.

# # #

Media Contacts:

Susan Lulgjuraj, ToppsPR@topps.com
Matt Gould, matthew.gould@mlb.com

SYFY BARTOW 2017 id Coming SOON! Hang With us at SyFy Bartow

Main Street Bartow is about to bodly go where no other town in Polk County has gone before...... SYFY BARTOW is becoming the new place to visit for a fun day with COSPLAY, MUSIC, SCIENCE FICTION VENDORS , GAMES/TRIVIA, LARGE MOVIE PROPS,COSTUME CONTEST, MOVIE ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING.... ((( THINK RENAISSANCE FAIR MEETS A SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION )))
It seems now-a-days convention/comic-cons are everywhere every weekend. SyFy Bartow tries to break outside of the traditional convention box by being something a little different.

A lot of people do not realize that SyFy Bartow is an event put on by Main Street Bartow Inc., a nonprofit organization where the priority is to bring awareness and visitors to our town here in Central Florida. We do not charge an admission to our event, it is free to attendees!! YES.......
F R E E !! All money collected from vendor fees, sponsorships, and donations go straight to improving our downtown area with renovations and encouraging businesses to open up in our quaint town. By attending SyFy Bartow, you are actively engaged in the redevelopment of our historic downtown business district!

Another way that SyFy Bartow sets itself apart from other traditional science fiction based events is that SyFy Bartow focuses on the behind-the-scenes people: cos players that spend hundreds of dollars on elaborate costumes, the independent filmmakers, actors, and up and coming artists and authors. Our guests for the day are eager to meet and interact with the event attendees and spend the day among us.

Lastly, SyFy Bartow is a welcomed part of our community’s culture. Bartow, Florida is known for its warm hospitality, artistic flair, community tradition, and its history. SyFy Bartow has become one of those traditions and the community fully embraces the ‘characters’ into our culture. We want to make sure SyFy Bartow is about the fans having fun, without the pressure or high cost of an entry fee or wasting the day standing in a long autograph line when sometimes it’s not even guaranteed you'll get an autograph. The annual event has sparked a downtown comic book store with weekly gaming nights, two movie nights with mini costume contests, and more. SyFy Bartow is not just a once a year event that rolls into town. This is truly a part of our community where everyone is welcomed all year long.

SyFy Bartow is all about a relaxed atmosphere, being with your friends, and helping a small town grow. We have welcomed over 7500, visitors to our past 2 events, with open arms and great hospitality... Come be part of us!

Check out mainstreetbartowfl.com for other great events and traditions to be a part of.

These FREE events will feature science fiction vendors /games / panels / costume contest / food and to top off the day the showing of a different science fiction movie projected on the side of a 2 story building in historic downtown Bartow Florida ! Our downtown shops and restaurants will be open for your shopping pleasure as well... FEBRUARY 21, 2015 will be a celebration of TIME TRAVEL>>>>>>>>>>> There will be a DOCTOR WHO LOOK A LIKE CONTEST / LIFE SIZE TARDIS / LOTS OF DOCTOR WHO COLLECTIBLES along with other SCIENCE FICTION ....
Please share the word that SYFY has finally made it to central Florida ! OH AND ITS FREE TO ATTEND !

501ST LEGION ANNOUNCES COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL MAKE-A-WISHTM ENDOWMENT FUND

Atlanta, Georgia, September 3, 2016 – The 501st Legion announces today their commitment to a first-of-its kind international endowment in a unique partnership with Make-A-WishTM. The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund will allow Make-A-Wish America and Make-A-Wish International to grant more Star Wars-related wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. This endowment fund will allow Make-A-Wish to grant wishes, alternating between the United States and international locations every other year – a first for an endowment of this kind.

The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund will rely on contributions from its membership, as well as the public. The Legion does not charge for its appearances, but has always accepted donations to charities that are supported by its members. Together, raising $150,000 by September 2021 will unlock the first step into granting wishes to children for many years to come. Once the minimum gift is achieved, the Endowment fund will grant wishes from the interest accrued; as the fund continues to grow, so will the number of wishes granted by the endowment.

For over ten years, the 501st Legion has raised thousands for varied Make-A-Wish chapters, all over the globe. The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund allows the organization, touting over 9500 members in over 60 countries, to band together for a greater global impact.

MORE ABOUT DRAGON CON

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans by fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,000 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

MORE ABOUT THE 501ST LEGION

The 501st Legion is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to bringing beloved Star Wars characters to life. Founded in 1997, the 501st Legion seeks to promote interest in Star Wars fandom, through the building and wearing of quality costumes. The group facilitates the use of these costumes for Star Wars-related events, as well as contributions to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work.

MORE ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 35 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,800 in 2015 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.

A press conference will be held at Dragon Con, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is known as the “birthplace of the 501st Legion.”

Local Hangin With Web Show to Cover Creators at Space Coast Comic Con

     

COCOA BEACH -- From September 9, 2016 thru September 11, 2016, at Space Coast Convention Center, 301 Tucker Ln, Cocoa, FL 32926, Florida's Space Coast welcomes freaks and geeks from around the state to celebrate fandom and fun at the 2nd annual Space Coast Comic Con!

Space Coast Comic Con is now in its second Year! We are so very excited to be doing this again. We met some incredible people last year and had an absolute blast!

This year we have some exciting news! ICCON will be joining us for their second year of celebrating Independent Comic Artists. It is truly an honor to have Terrance Baker and his group coming on board and we are surely going to have a great time and their will be some fantastic original art and comics.

Over the years our family has been to many Comic Cons, Anime Expos, and Sci-Fi conventions and as these cons all morph into something completely different over the years the one thing always stays the same. THE FANS. It is amazing so may people (us included) stay dedicated to a story or idea that has effected them passionately. Seeing everyone express there love whether coming out to see their favorite guest, cosplaying as their favorite character, or simply buying a piece of art from a local vendor is awe inspiring.

If you didn’t make it out to last year's inaugural event, then do try this year and come find me and Julie, Jake Estrada or Terrance Baker, you can’t miss us, we will be the ones having the most fun!

Florida Youth Takes Comic Con by Storm!

Cosplay Michael at San Diego Comic Con International

A Brief History of Cosplay:

In 1939 Forest J. Ackerman and Mertal R. Jones were the first people to dress in futuristic costumes at the world science fiction convention (World Con) in NYC. 45 years later in 1984 WorldCon Los Angeles, Japanese reporter Nobuyuki Takahashi coined the term Cosplay while covering the WorldCon costume masquerade. Since then, the art of cosplay has grown into a global phenomenon at conventions from Star Trek conventions to anime conventions to world famous comic con international where Cosplay Michael Pomichter debuted on his first comic con panel.

Today, cosplay can be a hobby, a profession, and even an obsession. (Info above courtesy of Cosplay Nation: (http://www.facebook.com/Cosplay.Nation) Documentary Film)

Michael is just 5-years-old and he began cosplaying like every child as soon as he could dress himself. He went to his first convention at 4-years-old, where he dressed as "Thor.” Michael knows how to put the play in cosplay.

In 2016, Michael was invited by fellow cosplayers and a panel moderator to participate in a celebrity panel at the World-Famous San Diego Comic Con event. The panel, "Cosplaying With Kids," was slated to discuss encouraging kids to express themselves creatively using cosplay as an example. The panel was set for Friday, July 22, 2016, at 2 p.m. and was recorded by Comic Con HQ (Lions Gate Entertainment & Comic Con International).

Michael was invited by fellow cosplayer Kim Henderson McAndrew to join her and daughter Scout as well as Shawn Richter and son Gavin, to participate in the panel. Both Kim and Shawn are veteran cosplayers and Michael and his family were truly humbled and honored to have been selected to join them on stage.

Since his first cosplay, Michael was instantly hooked on playing with other kids and adults in costume at these kinds of events. Because his mom and dad work as web-journalists, Michael has been able to attend many state events. He has his own Facebook page at @cosplaymichael and is on Instagram @cosplaymichael, and he really loves dressing and playing as his favorite characters.

Michael feels like a rockstar!

We do not typically travel so far, as our business is new and finances do not allow it. But this was a great opportunity that rarely presents itself. We said yes, and we worked to raise the funds for the trip.

To save funds, we arranged to stay with family 2 hours away in LA. We drove instead of flying because we are a family of four and it saves funds.

Michael is a very creative young man and all he wants is a chance to show his creativity and encourage others to express themselves.

We all thank you and are grateful to supporters for helping us keep this creative young man on the path to his dreams! We most especially would like to thank Michael’s two prime sponsors, Famous Faces and Funnies Comic Shop(http://www.facebook.com/FFFComics) in Melbourne, and the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society-Southeast. These sponsors donated $250 each to Cosplay Michael to help defer the expenses of the trip and we are happy to support them!

While we have provided a link to our SDCC folder in the google drive, if you have further questions or requests for photos please contact us at (321) 210-6983.



Michael on Social Media”

http://www.facebook.com/cosplaymichael

Instagram: @cosplaymichael

MEGACON™ BY FAN EXPO COMING TO TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER OCTOBER 28 – 30, 2016, HEADLINED BY DAVID TENNANT

     Tampa, FL – July 18, 2016 – MegaCon™ Tampa Bay, a multi-genre pop culture event, is set to take place at the Tampa Convention Center Friday, October 28 through Sunday, October 30, 2016. Celebrity guests David Tennant (Doctor Who, Jessica Jones), Billie Piper (Doctor Who), William Shatner (Star Trek), Karl Urban (Star Trek), among others will welcome fans to a weekend filled with panels, shopping, workshops, costume contests and more.

     “MegaCon has a history of bringing the ultimate fan experience to the Orlando area, and we’re excited to bring our multi-genre convention to Tampa Bay,” says Andrew Moyes, Show Director.      “MegaCon Tampa Bay will be a family-friendly, action-packed three-day event fit for fans of all pop culture categories.”

     MegaCon Tampa Bay is owned by FAN EXPO HQ, one of the largest entertainment convention groups in North America. Collectively it hosts over 500,000 fans annually at FAN EXPO CANADA™, FAN EXPO VANCOUVER™, FAN EXPO REGINA™, FAN EXPO DALLAS™, Toronto ComiCon, Dallas Fan Days and MegaCon Orlando.

     MegaCon Orlando, itself, is the Southeast’s largest comic, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming convention, welcomed over 100,000 people to the Orange County Convention Center on Memorial Day Weekend 2016. MegaCon Tampa Bay expects to welcome over 30,000 fans to the Tampa Convention Center as well as local vendors, cosplayers and celebrity guests throughout the Halloween weekend.

Three-day weekend passes. as well as individual day tickets are now available at http://megacontampabay.com/tickets/, starting at $25. For news, guest announcements and more, please visit http://megacontampabay.com.

ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ

For more information, visit:

www.MegaConTampaBay.com