Keeping Up With The Cons- Stan Lee's Comikaze and Bak-Anime

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween. I know I did. Today's Poppin' Off has been replaced by a Con update.

As you may know, I have been looking forward to Stan Lee's Comikaze (November 1st-3rd) for months. I watched Fangasm and loved it, applied (and was denied) for a press pass, and obsessively read any information I saw about it. I thought for sure I would be going. Well, as it turns out, I'm not. I had hoped to go on Sunday, but my husband doesn't really want to, I don't have any friends and I don't want to go alone (plus, I have huge anxiety issues driving in LA)....and now to completely clinch it, my kids are sick. They need their mommy, so here I will stay. I am very disappointed, but hey, there's always next year :) Anyway, I thought I'd share what I think will be neat at Comikaze, and if you happen to catch any of them, please share your experiences with me! I love living vicariously through others.

  The cast of Fangasm is there! 

According to Molly McIsaac's Instagram,

 they will be at booth #1725 and signing
Friday 4-7pm, Saturday 9am-3pm and Sunday 9am-2pm. 

They will also be on the Hot Topic Main Stage Friday at 7pm
 for Fangasm: The Interns Reunite! Panel.

Photo from Geeky Glamorous.

I read all of these blogs and think these ladies are amazing. Its all about geeky girl fashion.

 I wish I could go to this panel. 

Megan from The Nerdy Girlie (photo from her site)

is going to be on the Super-Heroines of Pop Culture panel. Saturday at 12:30pm Room 301B.

I love her blog and think shes going to kill her first panel.

*The Geek Fashion Show on the Hot Topic Main Stage Friday at 6pm
*Blizzard Storytelling Saturday Room 306AB at 3pm (for the WoW lover in me)
*Her Universe "Year of the Fangirl" Photo Shoot on the Hot Topic Main Stage at 11am
*LeVar Burton on the Hot Topic Main Stage at 3pm on Sunday

Those are just some of the great things to see there. There are also Comikaze exclusives by Funko Pop!, Tokidoki and TOYNAMI (among many others). I hope all of you attending have a blast!

If you're in the central California area but aren't attending Comikaze this weekend, and are feeling like a smaller convention, then you might want to check out Bak-Anime in Bakersfield. Held November 2nd and 3rd at the Marriot Hotel, it promises plenty of cosplay, panels and vendors. The panels seem to focus mostly on developing cosplay outfits, but there are some autograph signings and a Sherlock panel as well. The guests scheduled are Jennifer Hale, Liam O'Brien, Sam Riegel, and Akai Sky. It costs $20 for Saturday only, $15 for Sunday only or $25 for both days. Children 8 years old and under are free.

Flyer from their Facebook page.

Personally....Rejection

A couple of months ago, I applied for a press badge to Stan Lee's Comikaze. It was pretty much on a whim, seeing as how my blog was only two months old at the time. I hoped and hoped that I would get a badge, I mean, how awesome would that be? I really want to go to Comikaze, and to get a press badge so soon in my blogging career would be a major boost. I started to get my hopes up even more when, about two weeks after I sent in my application, I received an official press release from Comikaze about the Mars Attacks exclusive Topps cards that will be available at the convention (I wrote about it here). I was sure I was going to get a press badge after that. But that was the only press release I received. And there was some major news announced after that (like Weird Al and the Powerpuff Girls reunion). It left me a little confused. And then it happened. I got my rejection email yesterday.

To say that I'm disappointed is a little bit of an understatement, but I'm also not surprised. Like I said, I am a new blog. My readership isn't as high as other geek culture blogs, and I imagine that has something to do with it. I won't let this discourage me though. There are other cons I can apply for. And maybe next year I'll be the type of blog that Comikaze wants to give a press badge to :)

Also, if you're interested in attending Comikaze, use code NICK for 10% off tickets. Its in honor of the Pete and Pete reunion they're having (90's kids rejoice). They've also added the cast of Comic Book Men and the cast of Fangasm (naturally) to the lineup, so its shaping up to be quite the nerdy party.

Keeping Up With The Cons- Stan Lee's Comikaze

My name is Amanda, and I'm an SDCC-aholic. Its true. While I've gone to WonderCon the past few years, I left feeling good about it, but haven't been obsessively thinking about it. This is not the case with San Diego Comic Con.  It was an  incredible experience, and I miss it. There, I said it. So to combat this, I've read that its good to go to smaller cons, or just any con that catches your eye. Well, Stan Lee's Comikaze has caught my eye, and let me tell you why.

I first found out about Comikaze through the Golden Ticket that was given away with June's Loot Crate. I went to the site and immediately liked its vibe. But what clinched it for me was seeing that LeVar Burton is going to be a guest. If you're saying "Who is LeVar Burton?", then shame on you. Reading Rainbow and Star Trek: The Next Generation were both big parts of my childhood. And even now, hes on Perception, and I love love love that show! And it gets better. Yesterday I found out that Weird Al is going to be the Guest of Honor. Weird Al!!! I also grew up listening to his songs, and I even traumatized my friend's cousins once because they heard me playing The Night Santa Went Crazy to my friend.....they were still old enough to believe in Santa. Ooops. Also, Weird Al songs were played all the time on Dr. Demento, and thats what my dad and I listened to while cleaning the house on weekends. Two icons of my childhood under one roof? I have to be there.

Whats also neato is that The Topps Company is going to be there with an exclusive Mars Attacks card featuring Stan Lee! The card is limited to 2500 and will be given as a freebie on a first come, first serve basis. How cool is that? They're also bringing some Garbage Pail Kids and Star Wars cards, so thats pretty cool.

Are you going to Comikaze? Think it sounds awesome or lame? Let me know in the comments below!