Let's Get Geek'd - A Look at Geek'd Con 2024

 

Things have been a little quiet on the Trust The Dice front for just a little bit, but I can assure you that we haven't thrown in the towel. Selina and I remain dedicated to bringing our readers the perspective of our fan-girling and love for cinema, games, and general geekdom.

 

Speaking of geeks, part of the reason we had some crickets chirping over here was that my family and I were basking in the glow of the melting pot of geekery that is our annual stint at Geek'd Con here in Shreveport. We do our best to never miss a year – whether helping behind the scenes or giving the convention as much support as we can.

 

This year, I had more of an attendee's experience, rather than my old post at the official convention merch booth. I walked around, perused the vendors, said hi to old friends, and made some new ones.

 

2024's Geek'd Con was a little different than the years that have come before. This time around we had a combined experience of a sports card & collectibles expo with professional athletes along side our standard fare of Hollywood celebrities, anime and comic talent, and cosplay. I'm not even talking about our professional wrestler guests. We had football and baseball Hall of Famers as well as a Heisman Trophy winner, among others. The weekend of August 16^th to the 18^th was packed with a plethora of opportunities for geeking out for just about everyone.

 

 

That said, the turn-out wasn't as big as I would have hoped. There are several factors that likely impacted this. Last year was GIANT with the majority of the View-Askew crew here. It's generally hard to top that for a convention of our size. Our guest list for 2024 was nothing to sneeze at, but I can see how the comparison would have felt like a step backward and lost some potential interest. I can certainly walk a mile in those shoes.

 

The thing is, though, that even if the convention scales back a little in waves, it NEEDS the continued support of community and attendees in order to thrive and continue moving forward. Even if I'm not able to work behind the scenes in the years ahead, Geek'd Con is a special experience for me every year. It's our home-town grass-roots-grown convention, and I'm passionate as hell about it. (Bonus that we don't have to take a road trip or pay for a hotel to participate, and it's always held around my daughter's birthday so it's traditionally worked into her celebrations as well.) I am hoping that we can turn this around and pack in the numbers better in the future.

 

It was not entirely lack of interest or wherewithal to participate that impacted this year's convention, however. We had an unfortunate coincidence of timing. You see, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has come to Shreveport to make this a primary hub for his G-Unit Studios. He threw a humongous festival together to celebrate everything he's hoping to build here – as a charity event. It just so happened that Humor and Harmony happened the weekend immediately before Geek'd Con. Aside from celebrity perfomers, he also had guests with high star-power set up at his car exhibition which was part of the event.

 

Image (c) visitshreveportbossier.org Humor & Harmony Article

 

The two shows were vastly different in scope; but all the same, it's possible that those that might have come to spend money attending Geek'd had already drained their available funds at Fifty's amazing weekend-long party. Don't get me wrong – I am NOT, and I repeat NOT, hating on the Humor and Harmony. There's a place for all of us in the entertainment landscape. That festival weekend was unreal. There were THOUSANDS of people downtown filling the event venues and the streets. Some areas were standing-room-only even outside at 3AM. There weren't any incidents of major crime or any of the stupid things that tend to happen with large crowds, either. It was smooth-sailing, well organized, and everyone that I know that attended (as well as some of the celebrity guest attendees) have had nothing but good things to say. I hope it does become an annual thing. I just hope they shift the dates a bit so (A) it's not happening at the hottest time of the year for outside venues, and (B) that it doesn't happen immediately before or after Geek'd Con. That way there's a little bit of a time buffer so people can get paid again and can budget for both. I digress...

 

Back to the convention, itself!

 

Image courtesy Man Made Soap

 

In a year where Deadpool and Wolverine (2024) is dominating the box office, I feel it's appropriate to note that comic artist John Lucas (who has worked on the actual Deadpool comics) was a returning guest in attendance and responsible for one of the poster-prints available this year, as well as the badge art for the convention.

 

Another convention poster was the cover-art of Brian Steward's new comic, The Clod. He specializes in horror comic art and gets extra bonus points from me because he and his wife are bunny parents, too. They're both great people and you can usually find them together at his booth. I highly suggest checking out his work!

 

Next door to Brian's booth was my good buddy and regular convention guest, Roland Paris. I love catching up with him in person and sometimes watching in awe as he works on commissions at his booth. He's been a comic artist guest at Geek'd Con since pretty much the beginning and we look forward to seeing him every year. He worked on a commission comic cover one year for my daughter, and it was amazing. He's been in the biz for over 20 years and has worked on more titles than you might realize – and a good chunk of them have been Marvel, too. (I found a great interview with him here.)

 

 

I could ramble on forever about our comic guests, but I'll spare you. I do encourage you to look up our lineup and check out who we've worked with both in current and previous years.

 

Having social anxiety and also a burning desire to talk to these talented guests whose work I adore creates a strange and sometimes awkward battle of emotions within me at these events. I want to throw myself out there and just go say hi. I try to remember that these celebrities are just people, too. Sometimes it works, and others, I just get so tongue tied and awkward and nearly panic when I don't know what to say. I generally like to have my silver-tongued husband along with me to break the ice, since everyone generally sees him running around while working the convention in years past. This year wasn't that much different. I got a bit star-struck and at a loss for words around Billy Zane (Tombstone, Titanic, MacGruber), Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Critters, 3 From Hell), and Henry Thomas (E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher). Every year there ends up being a few guests I am excited to see in-person at the convention but I get so in my head about not knowing what to say to them other than “HI,” I end up not stopping by their booth. For the aforementioned guests, I did eventually stammer out awkwardly my appreciation and they were very gracious.

 

Image courtesy Man Made Soap

 

I had a blast, however, visiting with Efren Ramirez (Crank: High Voltage, Trafficked, Lightyear) and briefly discussing Satanic Hispanics (2022), which we reviewed here at Trust The Dice. He was a joy to talk to and watch interact with people – especially the kids whose parents mainly knew him from Napoleon Dynamite (2004). Not far away from him was the voice of Goofy, Bill Farmer (Mickey Saves Christmas, Minnie's Bow-Toons, Mickey Mouse Funhouse). My daughter had a memorable experience talking with him, and he even did the voice from his character Hop-Pop from Amphibia (2019-2022) for her. Scott Innes (Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, Scooby-Doo, Shakespeare's Mummy), radio personality and none other than the voice of Scooby Doo dating back to the 1990s was also fun to visit with. He's got some exciting things in the works for the future – stay tuned to his social media for more info before the end of the year!

 

The anime talent had a strong presence at Geek'd Con and it was fun to visit with the artists and watch my daughter interact with them, too. She impressed them with her range of knowledge of titles, etc. We had actors representing many well-known productions, and even a director.

 

Guest images (c) Townsquare Media

 

At the top of my list this year, though, were Annabeth Gish (SLC Punk!, Sons of Anarchy, Mayfair Witches), Kevin Durand (The Strain, Abigail, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), and David Morrissey (Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, Britannia) (not necessarily in that order). I actually managed to not trip over my own tongue so much while chatting with them. They were wonderful to talk to and absolutely lit up my convention experience this year with joy. Kevin Durand's smile is also quite infectious. You just want to give him a hug – from tiptoes – he's very tall. He tends to play intimidating characters but in person, is anything but. I can't wait for the new Naked Gun movie he's worked on to hit screens and he mentioned something about a horror movie coming up involving clowns and corn. Better yet, he's directing a movie in the new year! Annabeth Gish was just so warm and approachable, and I was able to talk Whovian with David Morrissey.

 

Those were the highlights I was anticipating. What really got me and was, honestly, the unexpected highlight of the whole show for me – was getting to visit quite a bit with Barry Hanley (Red Notice, Emancipation, Mafair Witches). He doesn't have a household name – but that tends to be the case for those in the stunt profession. He was involved in some fight scenes inside a costume (or under prosthetics) in The Mandalorian (2019-) and was this year's Star Wars franchise connection. Given I had recently reviewed TheFall Guy (2024) here and my family and I were still in awe of the stunt-work in that movie, I wanted to express to him my gratitude for his profession and willingness to throw his body around and put himself in crazy situations for his job.

 

 

It turns out that Hanley is from none other than Ireland. He had been toning down his accent, but I could still hear it around the edges. When I mentioned it (and proved my husband's guess wrong, as well as mine right) he dropped into a more comfortable speaking pattern and I got to bask in the glow of an Irish brogue. The silver lining to the fact that traffic inside the convention hall wasn't as packed as it could be was that we had plenty of time to just visit and talk about so many things from Ireland, some Irish musicians, to buddies he knew working on the filming of The Fall Guy in Australia. While I got an autograph from most of my must-see guests this year, Barry was the only pic I took with a guest. (I didn't have the funds to pay for the selfie prices, unfortunately, and I didn't want to put the celebs in an awkward position asking for more than their signature when I wasn't officially on staff – so if they didn't offer, I didn't ask it of them... save the one.)

 

Needless to say, Geek'd Con has remained an amazing experience every year. The vendors are always interesting, and we've developed friendships with several. The guests have (more often than not) exceeded expectations. Cosplayers are always fun to see showing out with their latest build, or returning with their tried-and-true favored persona. The sense of community has been strong with the force of geekdom during the week leading up to the convention and the weekend-of – from cosplay karaoke and costume competitions, special movie screenings at The Robinson Film Center, to Dungeons & Dragons tavern crawls.

 

We just need to take it one step further and keep showing up for Geek'd Con so it can keep showing up for us.

 

P.S. - My buddy Chris Graham with Man Made Soap gave me permission to use some of the pictures he took during Geek'd Con this year. I was so busy I rarely had my phone out to take my own! Man Made Soap is a regular vendor touring regional conventions and our local farmer's market. Also this soap company is family owned soap business located in Bossier City, La. Providing quality soap: https://manmadesoap.net/

 

 

(C) Townsquare Media

Convention Do's and Don'ts During WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strike

 

 

It’s that time of year again when geek-culture conventions are on my mind… and, really, at the forefront of the thoughts of many. San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) is happening as we speak, continuing through July 23rd. Here in Louisiana, we have Geek’d Con happening August 18th - 23rd. Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA runs from August 31st through September 4th (Labor Day weekend). New York Comic-Con isn’t too far behind running October 12th to 15th.

These gatherings celebrate fandoms and give the average fan a chance to meet some of their favorite actors, artists, and costumers while also getting the opportunity to shop for souvenirs in the process. I have long been a fan of these conventions where we can all let our geek flags fly proudly amongst our fellow geeky peers. I adore pulling in friends that may not realize how much fun they can have at these events and watching them have a blast geeking out too. I enjoy volunteering at the conventions I attend to help them run smoothly and give everyone a great experience. I used to work as volunteer staff at Dragon Con for several years, however, travel expenses have curtailed that long ago and I now stay closer to home working with Geek’d Con.

 

2023 is going to be significantly different from previous years, however. 

The WGA (Writers Guild of America) and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) are on strike in order to push the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) to contract with fair wages and updated rights that take into consideration this new digital age. This means members of the 2 striking organizations are limited in what they can and are willing to participate in without “crossing picket lines.”

SDCC’s Hall H is going to feel a bit empty this year without all of the A-list appearances, panels, sneak peeks, etc. However, that doesn’t mean that everything related to meet-and-greet and celebrity interactions are off the table. Union members simply aren’t able to participate in anything that promotes or is organized by the studios and production companies that are on the other side of the strike. 

A common question pops up: What does that mean for convention attendees? What can we do or should we not do when we see our favorite celebrities at events or “in the wild.” 

 

Here’s a helpful guide for navigating this convention season. 

• DO purchase tickets and attend events where celebrities are still appearing. Even if you want to show solidarity with the strike, these events still help support the writers and actors. If they are there, you can bet that they’ve worked with their agents and other representatives extensively to ensure they’re in compliance with the strike rules. Your attendance shows your support! Their primary job is on hold, so these appearances are important to them as if a part-time job while they are laid-off. 

• DO remember to bring with you any article you wish to have signed that might come from any current in-theater work or other projects that are affected by the strike. The convention guests will be able to sign something YOU provide them, but they won’t have merchandise or photos at their booths or panels reflecting any of the work that is affected by the strike. (Keep in mind that anything from struck-work is up to the discretion of the individual celebrity whether or not they’re willing to sign an item - but the SAG rules allow it as long as THEY don’t provide the item themselves.)

• DON’T get upset if the guest you are seeking an autograph from doesn’t have a photo or merchandise available from your favorite project, if it was covered under “struck-work” or if they don’t want to sign the item you have brought with you. Some members of the WGA or SAG-AFTRA might feel like it is an ethical stand to avoid ALL dealings with the productions that are involved with the strike. The strike rules leave it up to their discretion so they are able to decline if they choose. Save it for another future date after all of this is resolved. Maybe ask their agent or handler if there is an address you can send an item to at a later date after the strike is resolved - though, this is a long-shot and they may not be willing to accept the liability for your item.

• DO feel free to ask your burning questions about general topics “such as about [their] process, why [they] wanted to be an actor, what [they] like/dislike about working in the industry, and the like..” (Direct quote from SAG-AFTRA strike appearances FAQ)
   
  

• DON’T ask about topics that cover “struck-work” (or at least try to avoid doing so) - i.e. any production made/produced by any of the companies involved in the strike. I know this might be harder to remember in the moment, but it helps avoid an awkward moment where the guest has to either decline to answer your question or has to dance around the topic. (i.e. movies or TV shows currently In-Production, soon to be or currently in theaters, etc. like Deadpool 3 or Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse, and so on.)

• For Cosplayers - if you are wanting to show solidarity with the strike, DON’T dress up as a character from any of the struck-work. If you’ve been working all year on a theme or costume, it’s absolutely acceptable to continue with your plans to wear it - however, if you have an optional back-up costume that is from a non-struck concept, then consider that costume instead. Cosplay as a character from a struck-work (i.e. Deadpool, Spider-Man, Superman, any Marvel character, etc.) is technically considered promotion of that work. The SAG-AFTRA strike FAQ does allow for this contingency regarding photo-ops etc. so you’re not going to get anyone in trouble if you wear a struck-work related costume. 

• DO feel free to discuss the strike with an open mind and with information from trusted sources if celebrities/guests are willing. Keep in mind that the big companies that the strike affects own some of the big-name media outlets that provide news content regarding the strike. Make sure your sources are neutral or are directly from the WGA or SAG-AFTRA sites. Actors, writers, and artists may be willing to discuss the strike to broaden the reach of its message - just remember to keep things civil. 

• DON’T complain about the strike and the rich celebrities in the picket lines around celebrity guests. Remember that the strike isn’t about the A-List actors and ultra-famous writers, etc. The strike is about fairness for everyone else behind the scenes of the productions. It’s for the actors that get paid practically nothing for a single recording session and then have their likeness and voice used in EVERY episode of a long-running TV show without any further compensation - and situations like that.

All that being said, you might be wondering which studios and production companies are involved in the strike, and thus how to determine what is “struck work” and what isn’t. Tvtropes.org has put together a useful list that outlines the organizations within the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers). You can find that here.

I am looking forward to August and my annual Geek’d Con experience and I am wishing the best to all convention attendees this year. The best advice I can give for the unusual circumstances resulting from the strike is to simply go with the flow, and lets support the creative souls that bring us our favorite shows, comics, books, movies, and art!

 

Supercon (2018)

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime
Movie Name/Year: Supercon (2018)
Genre: Action, Comedy
Length: 1h 40min
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: Momentum Productions, Future Proof Films, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Sony
Director: Zak Knutson
Writers: Zak Knutson, Andy Sipes, Dana Snyder
Actors: Brooks Braselman, Cailey Fleming, Candi Brooks, CariDee English, Caroline Fourmy, Clancy Brown, Dana Snyder, Donald Watkins, George Murdoch, Hunter Burke, Jeff Pope, John Malkovich, Josh Perry, Maggie Grace, Mike Epps, Russell Peters, Ryan Kwanten, Zak Knutson
 
IMDb Blurb: A rag-tag group of former TV stars and comic book artists, who make their living working at conventions, decide to steal the loot from a crooked promoter and an overbearing former TV icon.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
Let me tell you, Supercon was quite unexpected. Not only was Supercon funny, but it hit home a bit more for me with convention-related nostalgia. I think viewers that don’t have much convention experience might also be able to get a kick out of this story. Just think of a mashup along the lines of Ocean’s Eleven (2001), or one of its sequels, and Fanboys (2009)….sort of.
 
I love conventions of the sundry “geek culture” varieties. It’s always fun to see people’s creativity with their cosplay costumes and be able to mingle a bit with others who are passionate about the things they enjoy. (Especially when it intersects with the fandoms I love, as well.)
 
I’ve likely mentioned before, but it bears repeating for the sake of this review, that my husband and I used to volunteer as staff for DragonCon in Atlanta, GA on a regular basis up until our last year in 2005. While we can’t afford to travel like we used to, we do both currently work as staff for our local Geek’d Con. Over the years, DragonCon has grown into a juggernaut that rivals New York and San Diego’s ComicCons. Our hometown convention is much smaller (but growing!). I’d say it’s approaching the mid-tier range, similar in size to the one Supercon depicts.

 
Sufficed to say, I’ve seen and heard a good bit of what goes on both behind the scenes and on the convention floor of events similar to the fictional convention depicted in the movie. (I should probably mention here that there is an annual convention in Florida that shares the same name, but it’s not the specific event referenced in this film.)
 
Of course, no convention is perfect – even the best ones suffer backstage hiccups now and again. Usually, though, it’s just travel or accommodation snafus regarding guests, weather, health, and scheduling. Other times it can be issues with facilities, such as burst pipes, or even celebrity guest bad behavior.
 
Rather than wallow in the things that could, and do, go wrong with conventions, Supercon attempted to kick the entertainment factor up a notch with the ludicrous heist plot. Co-writer and director Zak Knutson (Spoilers with Kevin Smith, Milius, Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop!) pulled a Rumplestiltskin, spinning straw into gold by taking an actual urban myth about DragonCon and building a movie around it. I’d say Knutson’s first foray into both fiction and comedy hit really close to the marks he was aiming for. His background has been in documentaries, so I’m absolutely willing to give him a bit of leeway in his freshman foray out of nonfiction.

 
I liked how Supercon focused on a group of guests across the convention spectrum with a voice actor, a former child star, an artist, an 80s pulp action-detective star, and a writer. The shenanigans involved with this unlikely team-up facing off against the corrupt head of the convention and a horrible headline guest were, indeed, funny. There was even a well-played twist in the story that gave me an extra giggle.
 
The production team for Supercon did a great job with casting. Ryan Kwanten (Knights of Badassdom, Expired, Section 8), Maggie Grace (The Choice, The Hurricane Heist, Fear the Walking Dead), Russell Peters (Source Code, Fifty Shades of Black, Clifford the Big Red Dog), and Clancy Brown (The Mortuary Collection, Promising Young Woman, Spongebob SquarePants) were all perfect for their respective roles. It was surprising to see John Malkovich (Velvet Buzzsaw, Valley of the Gods, The Survivalist) on the cast list, but he fit so well with his role, the story wouldn’t be the same without him.
 
I think I giggled a little bit when I saw that Mike Epps (Acts of Violence, How High 2, On the Come Up) was playing the convention showrunner. In my head, I was thinking to myself that this was exactly the sort of scheme that his former character Day-Day might get involved in. Finally, I want to mention the performance from Brooks Braselman (Squidbillies, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Velvet's House Party). I haven’t heard about him before, but he was absolutely serving it in Supercon and had some really out-there moments. He can even sing! I’m crossing my fingers he branches out into other projects that I might see in the future.

 
I’ve highlighted the good stuff, thus far. Unfortunately, it’s not entirely smooth sailing for Supercon.
 
While generally funny and entertaining, the overall film is heavy with toilet humor, innuendo, and inappropriate remarks. The whole point of the majority of the latter was to underscore how horrible the villains were and how TV shows and the like from earlier decades weren’t exactly socially conscious. The usage of racially charged words was likely included to make the audience uncomfortable on purpose. Knowing all of that doesn’t always make it easier for some to listen to such things, however.
 
Supercon isn’t going to be a movie for everyone, but it was great fun as something I could turn my brain off and just watch after a long and stressful day. I think I was able to forgive most of its foibles. If you think it might be something you’d enjoy, who knows – give it a go and see if you giggle and chalk this one up to a guilty pleasure. Otherwise, you’d already be primed to simply pick something else instead. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 23%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 29%
Metascore – 9%
Metacritic User Score – 4.5/10
IMDB Score – 3.6/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Waiting for The Doctor

By Cat

WARNING!! SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOSE NOT ENTIRELY CAUGHT UP ON THE DOCTOR WHO SERIES.

This year’s San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone; and, with it, the usual emergence of sneak peeks, trailers, and tidbits from our favorite fandoms. Now that information has had time to circulate a bit for those of us not fortunate to grace Hall H with our physical presence, I’m totally geeking out about things to come.

What’s my current focus? I wanted to know when the new season of Doctor Who (2005-) would start up again. Alas, we’re still in the ‘waiting room’ for that – but at least we’ve been given a hint that it will be sometime in the fall. (Apparently they are being a bit cheeky with the pun here.)

Doctor Who returns in the Fall... (also known as Autumn)#DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/8PkI6SJUyI

— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) December 27, 2017

I’ve seen so much back and forth about the choice to cast a female lead for the series for The Doctor’s 13^th incarnation. Personally, I think the concept is ‘brilliant’ (which may very well be the 13^th Doctor’s new catchphrase). My sentiment when the big reveal happened, and Jodie Whittaker (The Kid, Black Sea, Broadchurch) appeared on the screen, was “it’s about bloody time.” I just don’t understand anyone arguing against the change – aside from understanding some people are reluctant to or even actively avoid change. Change is scary. I’m holding out hope that the only nightmares involved are along the lines (that’s right plotlines) of former showrunner, Steven Moffat’s (Coupling, The Adventures of Tintin, Sherlock), creations.

Brand new showrunner, Chris Chibnall (Camelot, Gracepoint, Broadchurch), told Entertainment Weekly “I just felt the time was right...I think if the show hadn’t done it, we would have been behind the world, and Doctor Who has got to be out front leading the world, and being a great example of all the amazing things that are in the world. So, it wasn’t even a question in my mind.”

I can’t agree more. I feel that this is also part and parcel of the same cycle we experience with nearly every reincarnation for The Doctor, though, isn’t it? The new casting is announced and many shake their fists at the sky…and then the season starts and everyone falls in love with the new version. Then that Doctor has to reincarnate and the cycle begins anew with fist shaking bluster and tears. I’m quite sure that it will play out the same this time, as well.

The whole brouhaha over The Doctor reincarnating as a new gender is, frankly, silly. It’s been done before – look at The Master/Missy. That story arc alone proved that this was a potential. It’s simply ironic that it didn’t happen until after The Doctor’s life-long frenemy had already allegedly fallen. That would have really been something – to see both simultaneously with the gender flip. Would it have helped or hurt their chances at reconciliation? Things that make you go hmmm.

It’s a beautiful and glorious positive message for young women out there. I can tell you that my daughter is excited, too. Doctor Who was a special show that I had shared with my mom when I was little – and now it’s something I share with my own daughter. When asked, about two years ago, what sort of hero she could be if she had her own comic book, she answered that she’d like to be The Doctor. (Her father was cooking up a present for her with a comic artist buddy.) Her sonic screwdriver was in the shape of a narwhal. That’s an entirely different story, though…I digress.

This go-round, not only do we have a new Doctor, we have new companions and a new production team. There’s even a new composer for the musical score. That’s not all that’s new. Diversity and celebration of the fresh start seems to be the theme all-around. There’s more diversity amongst the production behind-the-scenes as well as the structure of the new season’s story.  The showrunner explained at a SDCC press conference “We’re doing lots, but our plan across time is to do lots more. It should be the most inclusive show on television. The whole concept of Doctor Who is that anybody can go anywhere and do anything, and we want to reflect that on-screen and off.”

Chibnall explained during the Hall H panel that this season’s 10 episodes will be stand-alone stories and there will be all new villains, characters, guest characters, and monsters. At the time of SDCC, he said that they had 2 weeks left of shooting and had not written in or filmed any old foes as of that date. Anyone looking to see Cybermen or Daleks will just need to have patience to see if they get filtered in to the 13^th Doctor’s 2^nd season.

I’m excited about that, actually. In a time where we rail at Hollywood for recycling ideas, this pillar of science fiction that has become so ingrained in so many of us (and pretty much an entire nation) can’t just keep telling different versions of the same story and keep us tuned in, given this modern world of instant gratification and short attention spans. We love the nostalgia of the old set-pieces, but all crave something fresh and exciting.

Chibnall promised to deliver. “What we want is for people to feel like we’ve got the range and variety of Doctor Who this year. So if you’ve never seen it before, you’re gonna fall in love with it, and if you have seen it, you’re gonna get those things that you love about the show across the 10 episodes.” He encouraged the SDCC panel audience to grab someone who hadn’t seen the series before and introduce them with this season.

We’re reassured that the core of The Doctor remains the same – pacifist, mental over muscle, and helping those in need. My only burning questions are now centered around the tone of the new season, and whether or not it will go to the same sort of dark places that Moffat loved to dwell whilst stomping on all of our feels.

All in all, I have great hope for this upcoming season. I’m feeling rather impatient about it, but there’s not a lot to be done about that save for treasuring every nugget of information dispersed between now and then. However, don’t expect any big reveals about plot or anything even remotely spoilery – this season’s being kept under some pretty strict secrecy. The production team, as Chibnall explained at SDCC, is very committed to keeping everything a surprise so that everyone can enjoy exploring this new season for the first time together when it airs.  

From the 3 new companions to the new Doctor, herself. Everything I've seen so far for the upcoming new iteration of this series is, indeed, brilliant and worth the wait.

The Little Convention that Could - Cat's Adventures in Texas (Exclusive Helen Slater Interview)

By: Cat

Last week was quite the roller-coaster for me. We had an end-of-the-year trip to Dallas with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop, which was immediately followed by working as staff for the Geek’d Con Convention in Tyler, TX. In the middle of that, I had some upsetting family news. The convention was a wonderful outlet for me to throw myself into enjoyable work and get my mind off of things.

I’m not exactly new to the convention scene, having worked as volunteer staff for Dragon*Con, in Atlanta, GA, for several years in the early 2000’s. Though, I’d have to say that this convention experience was new and wonderful for me in many ways. 

This time around, I was a member of the Guest Services team as a “handler” of sorts. I was assigned to one of our guests and sat with them at their booth to oversee the money transactions and watch the merch while they took breaks, etc.

Now this wasn’t a big convention – I believe it was even Tyler, Texas’ first one ever – so it was significantly smaller than behemoth conventions like Dragon*Con, or even the last couple conventions held in Shreveport, LA. Had the timing of this convention’s dates been different, I believe it would have done really well. Unfortunately, we were competing with a giant anime convention in Dallas, TX and high school graduations on the local level, so the attendance suffered.

The silver lining to that, though, was that we had some downtime on our hands here and there. The guests got to wander and peruse the vendors and otherwise just hang out. 

I also had a chance to visit more with my assigned guest, whom was gracious in allowing me an opportunity for an interview.

Our celebrity lineup for the Tyler con included (in no particular order): Theshay West (The Walking Dead), Sam Witwer (The Mist, Star Wars: Rebels, Once Upon a Time), Lindsey McKeon (What Doesn't Kill You, One Tree Hill, Supernatural), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Constantine, Deadwood, Beautiful Creatures), Jennifer Lynn Warren (Infamous, The School in the Woods, American Horror Story: Coven), James C. Leary (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Unemployed, Server Life), and - last but definitely not least - Helen Slater (The Lying Game, Echo Park, A Remarkable Life).

Imagine my joy when I arrived in Tyler and found out that I would be sitting with the original Supergirl (1984) for the entire weekend! While the caped heroine is the buzz of today due to the television series formerly of CBS, I remember Helen Slater best from her title role in The Legend of Billie Jean (1985). The mantra of “fair is fair” rings in my memory with a Pat Benatar soundtrack.

While I’m on that particular topic…I want to clear up a common misconception. Helen Slater may share the same name as Christian Slater (Ask Me Anything, Archer, Mr. Robot), however, he is not her younger brother. Rumors have abounded on and off the years after they played siblings in that movie, but it’s just not the case. 

Onward down the rabbit hole!

We first met Ms. Slater as she was arriving on Friday evening and checking in to the hotel. My family and I, as well as the Director of Guest Services, had just returned from dinner. In spite of what had to be a long flight, and the two hour car ride from Dallas to Tyler that had followed, she was all smiles and full of warmth. Our interaction was very brief that night outside of introductions and her attempts to coax my shy daughter out of her shell.

I have to say that this was one of the most pleasant and special celebrity interactions that I’ve ever had. She is a very special lady – down to earth, a kind word for everyone, a pleasure to converse with, and even calm and pleasant when she’s a bit vexed. (She had a few things to be understandably vexed about, but took it all in stride.) Helen Slater is just as lovely on the inside as she is on the outside, and a very classy lady.

Image by Tara Lupi (c) TB Butler Publishing (Other convention images can be found here.)

She enjoyed meeting the people at the convention and listening to their stories. Some of them were very moving, and we both nearly cried at least once as a gentleman thanked her because her work had helped him emotionally or mentally escape some horrible things in his youth. Fans got hugs with their pictures quite often. She even tweeted a selfie she took with my daughter!

Aside from carrying forward connections with the ‘Super’ franchise, I can see why she was cast as Superman’s biological mother, Lara-El, in Smallville (2001-2011); and as the new Kara’s foster mother, Eliza Danvers, in the new Supergirl (2015-) series. (There is actually a way to “six degrees of separation” connect the dots between all of the live action 'Super' properties, partially through her.) 

By the way, she also sings, writes music, and plays piano. I know, right?! She performed something from her children’s album based on The Ugly Duckling story as part of her panel Saturday. You can hear samples of her work on her website.

As the convention was drawing to a close on Sunday, we found some time to have a mini interview. It might’ve been a bit of a rookie move to admit to her that she was my very first interview of this nature – but I am a rookie at interviewing people! She was very encouraging and supportive and that really boosted my confidence. I might have stammered a little here and there, but it just got easier as we went along.

Without further ado, I give you my Helen Slater interview:

Q: How did it feel to be revisiting Supergirl after all these years?

A: You know, I was a little unsure about how it was going to feel; but everybody was so kindhearted, and so nice, and Greg Berlanti and CBS... Warner Brothers... the production where we were kind of producing it. They just made me feel so welcome. All I felt was very welcomed. It was a very positive experience. 

Q: When you put on the Supergirl suit for the first time, did you feel powerful? 

A: That’s a really good question. I think I did. When we finally found... cause they tried different combinations but yeah when we got the right combination... it made you feel... well I remember feeling “AH! This feels strong and powerful.”

Q: Will you still be guest-starring in Supergirl now that the show has moved to CW up in Vancouver? 

A: My understanding is yes. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ll be coming back. We don’t know for how many episodes, but hopefully more! 

Q: We noticed on IMDb that they have you listed for a movie called The Hard Way playing a character called Robin. Is that a real thing?

A: Oh, yes! Yes, that’s my friend’s this wonderful young filmmaker Lizze Gordon, and she’s been submitting it to festivals and we shot a couple of scenes just to get it going. It’s a great coming of age film. She’s in her 20’s; it’s really funny. [She’s] a really great writer. 

Q: I noticed it was a comedy, but IMDb didn’t have any description about it or anything so we were wondering...

A: They should probably get that listed, but yeah it’s a very... kind of in that sort of really funny women struggling with their identity. Just a really really good piece. I play the mom. 

Q: Is there anything else you can tell us about it, or is it still kind of hush until it gets picked up somewhere?

A:  It’s sort of hush, yeah, but a very funny movie. Super funny. Hopefully it’ll get wings. 

Q: Do you have a record deal for your CDs or do you self publish? 

A: I self produce my records.

Q: Are there any challenges that you find with that? 

A: Well, it would be nice to have the support of a record company, and maybe one day that would happen. But the other thing is that I get to sort of do it exactly how I want. I’m really proud of the records. I’ve made five. The last two were children’s records, and I’ve made three of them in Nashville, TN – recorded them all live with these amazing musicians. But, yeah those are kind of my love – my passion... hobby love.

Q: You mentioned during lunch that you were wanting to turn them into motion pictures. 

A: Yes! This year I’ve been moving towards having a book to go with the two children’s records. I’ve been talking to people about that; and, ideally, to make The Myths of Ancient Greece and The Ugly Duckling into some kind of animated piece. 

Q: I would definitely love to see that. That would be an awesome family animated movie. Not all the animated movies that are coming out these days are that way. And Musicals!

A: I would like to return to a more less-violent, less graphic, less over-using language that’s... I just feel like it doesn’t have to be that way to tell a story. Keep it above-board and there’s so much beautiful language in the English language! 

Q: Right, and musicals... there’s just something else with musicals. I think they stay with you a little better because there’s more emotion in them because of the music. Music just speaks to people in ways that words don’t always… you know.

A: I think so. I agree with that!

Q: That’s why I got so excited when you were talking about the Celtic Selkie myth and the Celtic music. I was like “oh my goodness! This is my wheelhouse!” 

A: Yes, and you gave me such a great list! I’m looking forward to listening. 

[We digressed into discussing Celtic musical instruments here and a list of Celtic or heavily Celtic influenced artists and music. She had mentioned looking for that sort of thing for research/inspiration to draw from in working on her current project. Of course, I was glad to write down a few of my favorites and introduce her to the gorgeous sound of the uilleann pipes.]

 Davy Spillane performing Caoineadh Cu Chulainn on Uilleann Pipes during Riverdance.

Q: What inspired you to explore the Selkie folklore for your next project?

A: I heard the Selkie myth like 20 years ago. There’s this wonderful writer, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and she wrote a book, Women Who Run With the Wolves. She’s an artist and a psychologist, and the Selkie myth – she calls it ‘sealskin souls’. She writes about it in that book, and it’s so beautiful and compelling. She uses the Selkie myth as a symbol of the call or the need to return to the self. Like, you could be in a marriage, and you could be raising a child, and you could be having a wonderful life – but there is still this need to kind of return to your own. In the story, it’s very dark – she leaves the husband, leaves the child. You know, John Sayles made a movie, The Secret of Roan Inish, and he sort of explores it too. [There's a little here that had to be redacted due to Trust the Dice's policy on movie spoilers.] But I would never advocate for that – I’m very happily married!

Q: Right! The downside of the selkies – you could be absolutely happy but you had to hide the pelt; otherwise if they find it…

A: They want to go.  So I think because I’m still very in the middle of it, I don’t know how I’m going to unfold that piece of the story or unpack it; but I think what she’s saying – Clarissa Pinkola Estés– and what the Selkie myth is saying is that whatever ending you put on it, we do have this need to be authentic and true. As women, and I’m not even like a big feminist person, but just you try and figure out ‘well what’s actually true for me?’ separate from the nurturing, caregiving, providing, and that’s what I think the myth is sort of touching on. She writes a lot about that.  I’m interested in that because I’m now in my fifties... and you know... it’s just sort of… it just interests me. But it was interesting to me when I was in my twenties, too. Cause how she writes about it is very compelling. 

[We had another small digression here talking about folk singer Judy Collins and her Golden Apples of the Sun album, on which she does have a song about Selkies that, while not in the traditional Irish style, focuses on the story of the myth. It had been one of my first introductions to that particular piece of Irish mythology when I was little.]

Q: I did notice that you have the five albums when I went on your website last night. I said ‘oh my goodness she has more than the children’s albums, this is neat!’ What type of music is your favorite to write? 

A: Well I love writing the fairy tales – myths and fairy tales. I like any kind of storytelling. It’s sort of… I don’t know how you would describe it. Sort of more in the 70s type style music – very melodic driven storytelling. I love Carole King, and Ricky Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. Those are probably like the biggest musical influences; and then musical theater. 

Q: I saw also that you’ve done Broadway...

A: I’ve never been on Broadway. I’ve been in, you know... I’ve been in an Off-Broadway show. There’s like distinctions in New York... Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway. My show was actually Off-Off-Broadway. 

Q: I think IMDb might need to make some corrections. I found that in your biography and I was like ‘Broadway, that’s cool!” So Responsible Parties and Almost Romance were Off-Off-Broadway?

A: Those were Off-Off-Broadway. 

Q: They also mentioned Grease and Shakespeare and Friends. Who did you play in Grease? 

A: That was Summerstock and I played Sandy. And the Shakespeare and Friends… I don’t know what that is. Boy, I need to go into that IMDb! 

Q: Who is your favorite Grease character other than the one you played?

A: That’s funny, I haven’t seen it in so long! I love the song that Rizzo sings. So that’s my favorite song. “There are Worse Things I Could Do” I just think the melody is so pretty. 

Q: Other than live audiences, what do you find different or interesting or challenging in stage production vs. film production?

A: Well theater… cause you know I perform every Sunday night. My husband runs this improvisation show every Sunday night, and Helen Hunt has been part of it and Jason Alexander... lots of different stars... Charles Shaughnessy... Daphne Zuniga, and then a bunch of groundlings – improvisers that know that world. What’s fun about that is that it’s just about making things up and being with the other person. But film and television is much more... it takes so many people to make it happen.  There’s hair and makeup, there’s the script, there’s getting there, there’s lights and cameras; so it’s just such a different muscle. One feels more free-flowing, and sort of... happy? And the other one – there’s still joy in it, but it’s a lot more… it’s like a marathon. It’s going to take a long time just to get through each day. 

Q: And then a lot of hurry up and wait, probably. 

A: Definitely that. 

Q: What was it like to work with Bette Midler in Ruthless People? Did you get to talk music with her? 

A: She was amazing! I didn’t talk music; but we use the same acting coach, Barry Primus, and um I just think she was very generous and gracious with me as an actress. I was very young – 22 maybe? I was 22 years old when I did that movie, so it was nice to have somebody feeling like they had your back and wanting you to be good.

By the time that we were finished with our interview, the day was mostly over, and the celebrities were beginning to pack up. In spite of the heavier thoughts that lingered in the back of my mind due to family events; and even in the face of small crowds (which usually makes an event like this seem to drag on FOREVER) – I couldn’t figure out where all the time had gone. I was having such a wonderful time visiting with Helen between fan interactions, that the whole thing just blazed by. She was just so easy to talk to, and we had such common ground – it was phenomenal. We even had a bit of a chat about Game of Thrones!

I actually can’t recall the last time I felt so at-ease around a celebrity as I did with this convention and the core group of guests that I interacted with. There were a few I met back in my Dragon*Con days that were nice – but I usually I get all shy and the million things I want to say either won’t get past my mouth or they just fall out of my brain all together.

Though, I feel like I want to apologize to Sam Witwer. Helen’s booth was right between Theshay West’s and Sam’s – so he was sitting RIGHT BESIDE me (a few feet away) for most of the convention – across from me at the table for Sunday lunch, even. I felt like I needed a fan to cool myself down from all the blushing I did – whether it was because he is handsome and I was doing my best to not be one of those giggly moony fans, or because I was slightly embarrassed I’d forgotten the seasons that I’d seen him in with Being Human (2011-2014)… (ok mortified is more like it). Sorry Sam!

I did get a chance to talk to Lindsey McKeon for a little bit about Indigenous (2014), which we reviewed not too long ago here at Trust The Dice. She said that it was a crazy shoot running through the jungle in Panama. The production team wanted as much genuine reaction to the creature as possible, so they saved its appearance. The actors didn't get to see the creature until near the very end! She also talked about how the contortionist-like actor playing that role would scare her at night in the jungle.

Lunch in the green room on Sunday was also quite interesting, as I got to sit and listen to a conversation among the guests as they talked shop about the industry, as well as some of their current projects.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Theshay West, known as one of the ‘walker pets’ led around by Michonne, likes to write music and is currently working on a musical called Dream: The Urban Musical, which is a bit autobiographical. He was quite the character to have around. He was always smiling, and at the center of quite a few laughs throughout the convention. At one point, he and Jennifer Lynn Warren got up on stage, after all the panels were finished, and started dancing with the background music that was playing through the PA system. They’ve got some moves!

Speaking of Jennifer, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she does a lot of work based out of Shreveport. She’ll be one of the few guests that were at Tyler that will also be returning in August for the next convention here. She’s got lots of spunk and was really fun to be around. I immensely enjoyed getting to hang out with her and James C. Leary for Sunday breakfast. She definitely is one to speak her mind without hesitation. She had to take her panel moderator to school because they goofed and researched the wrong person on IMDb and didn’t really know who she was. (Whoops!)

She and Pruitt Taylor Vince are also in a movie together, Creature (2011). Not too long ago, it was on Netflix and I’ve been looking forward to watching it. Alas, when I looked for it yesterday, it was gone! (Maybe I’ll pick up the DVD from them in August.) Admittedly, it’s a B-movie, according to the cast members I met. I’m still curious.

Pruitt was such a funny and wonderful teddy bear of a guy. I loved him in Heroes Reborn (2015-2016) as Casper Abraham. The concept for his character was just great. 

I use the phrase “penny for your thoughts” quite a lot. Though, his character’s power took that to a literal level. He had a briefcase full of pennies. He’d pick one out and work his mojo on it then ask that question while handing a penny out to his target. When they touched the penny, his power of memory alteration triggered. 

He signed a penny for me to go with my Heroes Reborn glossy. 

James C. Leary was another really cool, very nice, down to earth guy. He’s currently living in Austin and working in the video gaming industry that is booming in that area. 

My daughter had been splitting time between walking around with her father, who was Director of Volunteer Services, and sitting in the booth with us (at Helen’s invitation). Though, as things were packing up, she slipped ‘next door’ into Theshay’s booth, and the little stinker tried to run a hustle on him! 

He had set a jug of lemonade on the table and she offered to autograph it for him (role reversal due to she was in his chair and he was standing in front of the table like a fan). He laughed and played along. Though, what she wrote on the jug in sharpie was her name and that it was her lemonade. She told him she was going to charge him for it, because it had her name on it. 

I swear… my child is trying to take over the world with those big blue eyes of hers – one person at a time. Theshay was such a good sport. He even gave her a dime!

When everything was over, I was sad to say goodbye to everyone – though, I will be seeing James, Jennifer, and Pruitt again later this summer. I tried to get everyone together for a group picture – though Sam, Lindsey, and James had already left at that point. It was a good close to a wonderful experience that helped me in ways it’s hard for me to explain.

I can’t wait to see what fun and shenanigans Geek’d Con Shreveport will bring in mid August.