Santa Fe Comic Con Wrap Up

Santa Fe Comic Con has come and gone and now in our candy fueled stupor, we reminisce about how much fun we had that weekend. There were a ton of awesome guests at SFCC and while we couldn’t possibly write an article on each of them, you could feel the excitement in the air over their presence there. The events such as the Open Wounds Film Festival and Costume Contest were well put together and fun to attend.

The City

Santa Fe is a relatively small town but packed full of art and culture. If you come to SFCC next year and don’t live here, take the time to visit some of Santa Fe’s amazing art museums and vendors on the Downtown Plaza. It’s thirty minutes away from the convention, but definitely worth it to stay an extra day for the culture. It’s no wonder the convention attracted so many comic book artists. The city is brimming with art to begin with!

How SFCC Worked

When you checked in you were given both a wrist band and a badge. The wristband gave you access to the con and the badge told people what type of attendee you were “Guest” “Press” “Artist” “General Admission” “VIP” or “Volunteer”. While having both was a little annoying, it did help differentiate who was who.

While there were only two panel rooms, one room for the Open Wound Film Festival, one room for Dealers and one for Artist Alley, there was still a lot to do at the convention and everything was very easy to get to. I would have liked to have seen more panel rooms, but given the size of the event, it worked well.

Our Reactions

Charlotte: SFCC was a smaller convention than most I’ve gone to and that added to how much I enjoyed it. I had more time to hang out and talk with the guests I was excited about seeing. I talked with Linda Blair about the mistreatment of Pitbulls in Colorado for several minutes. Had I been at a bigger convention, I wouldn’t have had two seconds with her.

I also really enjoyed how much the convention organizers cared about the cosplayer attendees. Having a lounge to lie down in and an on hand cosplay assistant really took a lot of the stress of cosplay off my shoulders. My friends and I were able to sit down and wait for panels when we were tired and had any of our costumes malfunctioned (which thank god did not happen) we wouldn’t have to worry. There were also tons of water dispensers throughout the con with ice cold water and cups readily available for thirsty nerds. Considering I forgot my water bottle each day, it was nice that I didn’t have to worry about hydration.

The cosplay was top notch and I was excited to see so many Harley Quinns throughout the con, especially on the day I was dressed as Catwoman. There were also a lot of Green Arrow cosplay and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Raya: As someone who’d only ever been to one convention before SFCC, it was very exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place with so many people in cosplay and so many people with similar interests as me. After a very long day on Saturda,y I was still out of bed much too early on Sunday, all ready with my Winter Soldier makeup on long before the doors even opened. My only frustration was that no one else cosplayed Hawkeye! I was the lone Hawkeye in a sea of Green Arrows.

Maria: SFCC was the first American comic convention I had ever been to. When we got there I was surprised by the fact that this was a much bigger con that I had expected, with stands that varied from comic book artists to celebrities that had participated on several different shows. I enjoyed the fact that it was an event for all ages and the amount of families that participated on cosplays was heartwarming.

Regarding the panels, they were enjoyable, especially due to the fact that the convention wasn’t as crowded as I had originally anticipated. People in the crowd had a much better opportunity to talk with the panelists and have a more intimate moment. It was a nice experience and something that I look forward to in the future.

If you missed Santa Fe Comic Con this year, don’t fret! Albuquerque Comic Con is put on by the same wonderful people. Tickets for that convention are on sale now for $40 for the whole weekend. It will take place January 9th through 11th, 2015. If it’s anything like Santa Fe Comic Con, you’ll have as great of a time as we did.

Santa Fe Comic Con: Naomi Grossman “Play With Me! Inside American Horror Story”

Panel Name: Play With Me! Inside American Horror Story

Topic: A Q&A about Naomi Grossman and her role on American Horror Story. Basically her being adorable.

Featured Guests: Naomi Grossman

Naomi Grossman, known for her role of Pepper on American Horror Story, visited Santa Fe Comic Con last weekend and we were lucky enough to attend  her panel “Play With Me! Inside American Horror Story.” Grossman has roots in New Mexico and was very excited to return to the state not only to spend time with us, but also visit with her mother in Taos. She sat in the audience during the panel. She said that she loves the city and knows it very well. When asked “Red or Green (chili)?” Grossman answered, “You know, believe it or not I’m not a hot pepper person.” 

Grossman grew up in Denver, CO and started acting young in children’s theatre. Every Saturday morning she would perform at Comedy Works and got her Screen Actors Guild card at age 15. She majored in theatre at Northwestern University then headed out to Los Angeles.

Before Pepper, Grossman wrote and acted in one woman shows all over the world in places closer to home like Taos, NM to far away cities like London and Edinburgh. Most were one hour long sketches and frequently autobiographical. She did a lot of comedy in these shows and is still selling them today as well as showing them on her YouTube channel. She started doing this because she was frustrated with how much time she was spending sending headshots to people, auditioning, waiting, praying, wasting gas getting to casting calls, ect. She decided to write her own roles and have fun with them, instead of spending more time at the post office than actually acting. I later looked up her sketches and they are genuinely hilarious.

Up until American Horror Story, Grossman thought “Gosh, I’ll never have a better role than one I could write for myself…And then here, Ryan Murphy created this character that’s pretty awesome.” Funnily enough, one of Grossman’s one woman shows was set on a carnival freak show. Perhaps she was destined for Pepper’s role.

When talking about the audition process for American Horror Story, she described the experience as “very secretive”. She said, “They didn’t actually release the actual script from the show and in fact they didn’t even let on that I’d be playing Pepper. They just said petite, childlike, possibly malformed.” When it came her turn to audition they asked her to do a monologue from Jessica Lange’s character and a little improv, including playing with a plastic ball. “They asked me to try to get them to play with me.” What they wanted to see was her range; whether she could go from childlike Pepper to “evolved Pepper” as she put it. Later, Grossman said that playing evolved Pepper in AHS: Asylum was the most difficult parts ; she had five days to prepare for the role.

Now that she has the part, Grossman shared with us that it is not uncommon for the cast to work 14 to 16 hour days. “We’re not crazy” she assured when talking about the Asylum season. Grossman says that the writers use Pepper sparingly. “I am kind of light and comedic and the show is so dark and dramatic so they’ve got to pepper me in.”  Again, the audience laughed. When shooting a show like American Horror Story, bigger is better in terms of energy. Even in a serious scene, characters pop off the screen when the actor portrays them as big as they can. Directors will often yell “Bigger! Give me bigger!” while shooting. “Everyone can go bigger except for Pepper!” Grossman remembers being shouted during shooting. She’s a very lively character as is.

The cast works very hard and though the show is scary for the audience, Grossman said that watching the show as an actor is very different. “The show’s not scary to me at all,” she said, “Because I know when I watch it that there’s a man holding a boom mic just an inch off the screen. Where with Murder House, which I wasn’t affiliated with at all… was scary because I hadn’t seen behind those films and mirrors.”

A fan asked about the intense makeup she wears while playing Pepper. “I’m pretty much non-functional once they make me up,” she joked. Pepper has large, hairy hands that Grossman wears glove like prothetic for. While the rest of the cast can check social media and play Candy Crush on their iPhones while waiting to shoot, Pepper’s hands are not touch screen friendly. She said that once she’s on set she goes underground. She can’t take any phone calls, she can’t Skype, she is practically cut off from the outside world until they wrap for the day.

We didn’t have too long with Grossman and while she couldn’t reveal anything about what was ahead for Pepper or whether she’d be back next season, she shared with us how much the creators of the show listen to their fans. Pepper likely would not have returned this season and become the only crossover character of the show had it not been obviously how badly we wanted her. She said that the creators check how many likes characters get on Facebook and take that into account when creating the show. While Grossman doesn’t think Pepper will return for another season after Freakshow, she urged us to let ourselves be heard. Perhaps if we speak loud enough our favorite little pinhead won’t be leaving anytime soon.

Photography by Raya Jade Lieberman. Videos courtesy of Naomi Grossman on YouTube.

Santa Fe Comic Con: Manu Bennett “From Deathstroke to Crixus”

Panel Name: Manu Bennett “From Deathstroke to Crixus”

Topic: Manu Bennett Q&A

Featured Guests: Manu Bennett

There is always this feeling inside us when we’re waiting in a room for someone we admire. There is a build up. We start imagining how it’s going to be, what their presence is going to entice, and what we’re going to feel when we see them face to face, in the same room, talking like regular people. I crossed my legs in the first row with my reporter notebook and pen in hand and my phone set up for recording. I was ready. Manu Bennett walked into the room. It was evident in the way that he held himself that not only had he done this before but that there was a certain enjoyment in his part in doing so. He walked up to the stage, held the microphone in front of him and started talking. He owned the room.

What struck me the most about this character was his pride in talking about his ethnicity and where he came from. He established his audience in a time and place, and surrounded us with his heritage. “The Māori people,” he kept repeating. “The Māori lived in New Zealand for 700 years before the Europeans showed up.” It was clear that his heritage had had a great impact in his life, later commenting on the fact that his most wanted role would be to take part in a film like Brave Heart with an epic New Zealand theme. It was the perfect opening to guide us into focusing on his career.

Manu Bennett as Crixus in Spartacus

He started talking about Spartacus and how the resonance from that show had touched every culture in some way or another. He focused on talking about Dubai. The show had been banned in the country for its highly sexual content. Every person that had come to see him had basically done so illegally and the way he talked about his experience showed that he held a high level of respect for other cultures, not dimismissing any outside beliefs as foolish. An outstanding person really. “I am still trying to search in so many ways what that resonance means,” he said. “And how I can hold on to that as an artist, as an actor.”

The next thing that Bennett said that struck me was the way he expressed how cons are built upon symbols of society that are present in comic books that essentially help set up a trend or a specific trademark of the time period in which we are living in. Comic books are a way to appeal to a younger audience to find ways to better ourselves through these iconic characters that started out as normal individuals and found ways to become more heroic, better people.

His art, he approached the topic next, was his way of dealing with the loss he had to live with throughout his life. First with music and dancing, and later on through acting, he felt art was the way to express the pain and sorrow after his mother and brother died in a car accident. There was something about being able to move people that was meaningful to him. However, acting, he felt, was different from music and dance. With acting there was always this feeling of not knowing where you’re at.

Manu Bennett as Deathstroke in Arrow

Bennett had previously spent time with these guys who were part of the Special Forces. For his audition for Arrow he had a terrible jetlag and so he had this five hour energy drink provided by his buddies in the Special Forces. He walked into the casting studio and asked the guy behind to camera to approach him. To reinact this, Manu Bennett stood up and pointed to a guy in the audience who proceeded to approach him in the same manner. Bennett then placed his arm around the guy’s shoulders and continued to tell the story.He got closer to the audience member and whispered into his ear the lines he delivered for his audition. “You got ten seconds to tell me something I believe kid,” he said. “Or I’m gonna cut out your throat.” And at the moment when Bennett delivered his lines, he told us, the kid from his audition fell unconscious to the floor. Manu Bennett had choked a kid in his audition and as he looked up the casting director exclaimed, “It was perfect.” By then, the guy in the audience was able to return to his seat.

His interaction with the audience was amazing. The way that he spoke and his use of imagery was perfect for the audience to feel like we had experienced all these different situations with him. He was incredibly human.

To wrap up, there was a ten-minute session of Q&A and perhaps the most important question asked was whether we would see Bennett’s character of Deathstroke again in Arrow. “I just got a phone call,” Bennett said. And with that note, stay tuned to see if Deathstroke appears in Arrow’s third season!

Santa Fe Comic Con: Preview The Official Schedule and Our Highlights!

Santa Fe Comic Con is finally upon us! There are tons of things to do this weekend from celebrity signings, to panels, to the cosplay contest, attendees are bound to have a great weekend. For those of you attending the convention, we’ve put together a little must-see list so you can spend less time running around the convention center deciding on things to do and more time doing them.

The events are split into five major sections: Panels (split into Room A and Room B), Concerts and Night Life, Daily Events, The Open Wound Film Festival, and Photo Ops. We’ve included the entire schedule below for your convenience, but here’s a few things we’re especially excited about.

Saturday

Comic Con Cosplay Safety Meeting – Panel Room A – 10-10:45am

As a cosplayer myself, I was very happy to see this on the schedule. As detailed in a earlier cosplay article, Cosplay safety is extremely important at conventions. These artists are not props to be ogled at, and they deserve respect. Every attendee should go to this panel. As an incentive, SFCC is offering an additional free cosplay token (for use at the Cosplay contest) to everyone who attends the panel.

Power Rangers Nakia Burisse and Blake Foster – “Spin Kicks and Back Flips. Behind the Scenes with the Power Rangers.” – Panel Room A – 11-11:45am

Want a backstage pass to the action behind the Power Rangers? Attend this panel. Kakia Burisse and Blake Foster will be giving attendees some Behind the Scenes insight on how the infamous Power Rangers was shot.

Naomi Grossman “Play with me. Inside American Horror Story.”- Panel Room A- 2-2:45

If you love American Horror Story, you HAVE to attend this panel. No specific details yet on what she’ll be covering about the show, but everything about this panel demands attention. Just going off the title, this sounds like a lot of fun and perfect for the Halloween season.

Cosplay Contest!

Hosted by Cosplay Legend Rosanna Rocha, this contest promises to have some really amazing talent. Attendees will be able to cast their vote via tokens given to their favorite Cosplayers. There will be four categories in which to place in: 1) Best in Show will be the Costume that has the most coins with a prize of $100 cash and Free 3 Day pass to Albuquerque Comic Con. Any tie will be decided by the final vote by ROSANNA ROCHA. 2) Best Coin Bag will win a prize of a Free 3 day pass to Albuquerque Comic Con. 3) Most Fun will be decided by Girls of Geek and the prize will be an autographed Girls of Geek Calendar as well as a Free 3 Day Pass to Albuquerque Comic Con. And 4) Most Impressive will be decided on by Rosanna Rocha and will be awarded a personalized autographed print and a Free 3 Day pass to Albuquerque Comic Con.

Making Comics your Living Gene Ha and Andy Kuhn – Panel Room B – 3-3:45pm

If you’re an inspiring artists or writer, this panel is a must-attend. Comic Book professionals Gene Ha and Andy Kuhn will give their tips and tricks for how to make your own comics more lively.

Spider-Man with Sam De La Rosa – Panel Room B – 4-4:45pm

Spider-Man! Spider-Man! If you’ve been on as much of a Spider-Man kick as I’ve been on lately, you’ll want to visit this panel. Spider-Man artist, Sam De La Rosa will be speaking on what makes Spider-Man so great. Details about the panel to be announced.

Sunday

Kids Cosplay- Judged by Rosanna Rocha and special guests – Panel Room A- 12-12:45pm

You should go to this contest if only for the cute factor. Supporting young Cosplayers is always worthy of your time. Not only is it adorable, it furthers their passion for art and comics, and that’s never a bad thing.

Linda Blair “Still turning heads after all these years” – Panel Room A- 2-2:45pm

This title makes me laugh. If you’re a fan of The Exorcist and have always wondered what that demented little girl has been up to all these years, check out Linda Blair’s panel!

Jeremy Shada and Jessica Dicicco “What time is it?” – Panel Room A- 3-3:45

ADVENTURE TIME! This panel promises to be just as fun as the show. If you’re a big fan of the Cartoon Network kids show, check out this panel with the voice actors behind some of TV’s most lovable characters.

Thomas Churchill “From Concept to Packaging, the do’s and don’ts of shooting your indie film” – Panel Room A- 4-4:45pm

CALLING ALL FILM MAJORS! This is a must-attend panel if you’re an aspiring film maker. Known for his zombie films, Thomas Churchill will teach you everything you need to know about how to shoot your own indie film. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to learn from an incredibly talented film maker.

Al Niuman: The History of Harley Quinn – Panel Room A- 5-5:45pm

“Call me Harley! Everybody does!” If you LOVE Harley Quinn as much as I do, you were just as excited to see this on the schedule. As much as I’m squeamish about what DC has done with Harley lately, I’m excited to see this panel on one of my favorite characters. Plus, there will be prizes throughout the panel! What’s not to like?

Open Wound Film Festival

Just in time for Halloween, the Open Wound Film Festival promises to be a brilliant event for all horror fans. Here’s what the Open Wound Films website had to say on the event. “The Open Wound Horror Film Festival is an independent film competition/film festival, developed by and for Horror Fans. Our festival is being held at Santa Fe Comic Con which will provide countless unique opportunities including Panels, Q & A sessions, signings and more!” The festival will include much of SFCC’s horror themed guests such as  Linda Blair of The Exorcist, Fred Williamson of Dusk Till Dawn, Naomi Grossman of American Horror Story: Asylum, Priscilla Barnes of The Devil’s Rejects, Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters and The Crow among many other guests! Don’t miss this awesome festival! Film schedule to be announced.

We can’t possibly cover everything the convention has to offer, so here’s the full schedule!

Hours of Operation

Friday 4pm -8pm (Celebrities do not come to this preview night)

Saturday  10am – 8pm

Sunday  10am – 6pm

Panel Schedule

Saturday: Panel Room A

10-10:45 Comic Con Cosplay Safety Meeting (extra voting token to all who attend)

11-11:45 Power Rangers Nakia Burisse and Blake Foster – “Spin Kicks and Back Flips. Behind the Scenes with the Power Rangers.”

12-12:45 Jim Steranko “Nick’s Fury, blast your way inside the mind of Jim Steranko.”

1-1:45 Fred The Hammer Williamson

2-2:45 Naomi Grossman “Play with me. Inside American Horror Story.”

3-3:45 TBA

4-4:45 Manu Bennett “How to stick a piece of metal in your forearm and use it as a hand with AZOG the defiler”

5-5:45 Ernie Hudson “Who you gonna call?”

6-6:45 Tim Murphy “Son’s of Anarchy- Antagonist This”

7-7:45 Cosplay Contest- Format – Token swapping- give your token to your favorite cosplayer.

Saturday: Panel Room B

10-10:45 Lisa Loring The Original Adams Family

11-11:45 Voice Acting with Jamie Marchi and Ian Sinclair

12-12:45 Mark Bode the Art of Being Artsy all the time

1-1:45 Star Wars with Bruce Logan, John Morton, and Dicky Beer

2-2:45 Friday the 13 Part One with Ari Lehman

3-3:45 Making Comics your Living Gene Ha and Andy Kuhn

4-4:45 Spider-Man with Sam De La Rosa

5-5:45 Cherry Comics the first best adult comic Larry Welz

6-6:45 Indi Press Jon Hughes Overground Comics

7-7:45 Closed for the Costume Contest in Panel Room A

Sunday: Panel Room A

10-10:45 Tim Murphy “Sons of Anarchy- Antagonist This: Day 2

11-11:45 Manu Bennett “From Deathstroke to Crixus”

12-12:45 Kids Cosplay- Judged by Rosanna Rocha and special guests

1-1:45 Star Wars with John Morton, Dicky Beer and Bruce Logan

2-2:45 Linda Blair “Still turning heads after all these years”

3-3:45 Jeremy Shada and Jessica Dicicco “What time is it?”

4-4:45 Thomas Churchill “From Concept to Packaging, the do’s and don’ts of shooting your indie film”

5-5:45 Al Niuman The History of Harley Quinn. Prizes throughout the hour

Concerts and Night Life

Friday Night Oct 24th LAUNCH PARTY $5 Cover

8pm to 11pm- Shadeh Night Club. Ari Lehman and First Jason will be performing

11pm to 1am Local Bands from Buffalo Thunder and radio promotion.

1am to 4am Club open for dancing

Saturday Night Oct 25th AFTER PARTY $5 COVER

Noon to 5pm DJ Saunders Playing all ages music within the Shadeh Night Club.

6pm to 10pm UFC VIEWING PARTY WITH HERB DEAN

10pm to Midnight FIRST JASON will perform

Midnight to 4am DJ SAUNDERS

Shadeh Night Club official club party

Sunday Night Oct 26th FREE ADMISSION

12 – 6pm DJ Saunders performing all ages dance music in Shadeh Night Club.

Daily Events

Saturday and Sunday

*DJ Saunders Live ALL AGES in Shadeh 12 noon to 5pm *Sunday Noon to 6

*Bar will be open for 21+ as well as a dance floor for all ages with age appropriate refreshments.

*Blood Drive in the parking lot

*Walgreens Flu Shots in the parking lot

*Ghost Busters Car Photo ops in the parking lot $5 each $50 with Ernie Hudson (see his schedule)

*Anime and Film Screening will be going on in Vista Room B (By escalator)

Photo Ops

Photo ops by FROGGYS PHOTOS

Saturday:

12:15…..Manu Bennett

1:00…..Sarah French

1:15…..Three’s Company (Jayce Dewitt/Priscilla Barnes)

1:40…..Ernie Hudson

2:00…..Ari Lehman

2:15…..Linda Blair

2:45…..Fred Williamson

3:00…..Lisa Loring

3:15…..Tim Murphy

3:30…..Naomi Grossman

3:45…..Power Rangers Nakia Burrise/Blake Foster

4:15…..John Morton

4:30…..Fred Williamson

4:45…..Thomas Churchill

5:00…..Manu Bennett

Sunday:

11:15….. TBA

11:30…..John Morton

11:45…..Naoimi Grossman

12:00…..Fred Williamson

12:15…..Thomas Churchill

12:30…..Manu Bennett

1:00…..Ernie Hudson

1:15…..Three’s Company (Jayce Dewitt/Priscilla Barnes)

1:35…..TBA

1:45…..Linda Blair

2:00…..Ari Lehman

2:15…..Sarah French

2:30…..Nakia Burrise/Blake Foster

2:45…..Tim Murphy

3:00…..Lisa Lorina

Well, that seems to wrap things up. We can’t wait to see what this convention has to offer. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, it’s not too late! Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free! Get them here!

Santa Fe Comic Con: Comic Book and Cosplay Guests

For those of you living in New Mexico or willing to make the commute there for a great convention, Santa Fe Comic Con is quickly approaching (Oct. 24-26)  and they have a great line up ready. From guests like Manu Bennet to events like the Open Wound Film Festival, SFCC plans to be a great closeout event to the convention season. In the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting events and guest happenings so you spend less time figuring out where and when the best events are and more time actually attending them.

What Comic Con would be complete without comic book talent to get excited about? This week— the week of the convention!— we’re focusing on the comic book artists and Cosplayers who will be attending the event.

Jim Ferguson

Jim Ferguson is a major pop culture artist and former NASA engineer; a worthy geek indeed. He is shown regularly at the Hollywood Studio Gallery 1988. He is most known for his artwork in The Princess Bride, Adventure Time, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Ghostbusters. Jim Ferguson will be at SFCC Saturday and Sunday.

   Sam De La Rosa

  Sam De La Rosa has been a full-time comic book                   professional since 1982 and is best known for his art and     inking work on Venom, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Spider       Woman, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, and Iron Man.         Sam has crossed all over the Comic Book spectrum               working  for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics, and Disney       Comics just to name a few. He will be at SFCC Saturday       and Sunday.

CCP Comics

It wouldn’t be a Comic Con without at least one comic book publishing company. CCP Comics will be represented at SFCC by McLain McGuire, Atom, Dale Carroll, Jimmie K Rankin, Eric Lumas, Kristeen Parmeter, Patrick Canter, Robert Saiz, and Bill Andres. They are a group of self-publishing comic book artists and writers and are one of the most popular up and coming in independent comic book publishers in Texas. CCP Comics will be at SFCC all weekend.

   The D’Arda Sisters 

  Cosplay is an integral part of any convention. Well known     for being a dynamic duo in the cosplay community, sisters   Remi and Noelle d’Arda make up The D’Arda Sisters. The     two artists grew up around sewing. With a vast variety of     skills, these sisters have won several awards for their             cosplay including best in show as well as being recognized   for their workmanship and performance. Not only are           these sisters amazing seamstresses, they also have               background in dance and martial arts which makes for         incredible performances. Don’t miss this incredible duo         this weekend at SFCC.

Rosanna Rocha

With over 100K followers it is no wonder, Rosanna Rocha has been asked to be a Cosplay Special Guest of this weekend’s convention. She is an incredibly skilled video gamer to cosplayer artist and is known for a huge number of cosplays ranging from DC’s Harley Quinn to Disney’s Esmeralda to Morrigan Aensland from Darkstalkers. She is also well known for her pin-up prints which she will be signing during the convention. That is, when she isn’t busy running the Cosplay contest.

So that wraps up our coverage of the many guests that will be attending Santa Fe Comic Con 2014. We’re very excited to see what else this convention has to offer. Look out for our pre-convention panel suggestions later this week and don’t forget to buy your tickets here. Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free!

Santa Fe Comic Con: Anime Guests

For those of you living in New Mexico or willing to make the commute there for a great convention, Santa Fe Comic Con is quickly approaching (Oct. 24-26)  and they have a great line up ready. From guests like Manu Bennet to events like the Open Wound Film Festival, SFCC plans to be a great closeout event to the convention season. In the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting events and guest happenings so you spend less time figuring out where and when the best events are and more time actually attending them.

This week— only a week away from the convention— we’re going to highlight the Anime related guests that will be gracing the Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino. There are some really big stars from these this genre such as Adventure Time’s Jeremy Shada and Jessica DiCicco.

Jeremy Shada

What time is it?! Adventure Time! Jeremy Shada hardly needs introduction to fans of the popular Cartoon Network show Adventure Time . Jeremy is most known as the voice of the beloved character and main character of the show, Finn. He’s also known for his voice acting work in Team America: World Police and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Jeremy will be the guest of honor at SFCC Saturday and Sunday.

 Jessica DiCicco

  Another voice actor from Adventure Time, Jessica DiCicco     is best known for her role as Flame Princess and has             grown a cult following because of the character. Jessica is   a widely popular voice actress, starring in a variety of             popular children’s shows such as  Giffany and Tambry in   Gravity Falls, Selina in Winx Club, Malina in The Emperor’s       New School, Gwen in The Mighty B!, Shelby in                         Dreamwork’s Over the Hedge, and Young Viper in Kung Fu   Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five. She will be at SFCC           Saturday and Sunday signing autographs and taking             photos with fans.

Ian Sinclair

Known for his work as Whis in Dragon Ball Z, Nile Dawk in Attack on Titan, Nathaniel in Salem, Dandy in Space Dandy, Haydi in Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker, and many other roles, Ian Sinclair is an established voice actor in anime and video game field. He has been a professional voice actor since 1995 and continues to churn out great work. He will be at SFCC Saturday and Sunday.

  Jamie Marchi

  When it comes to American Voice Actors, Jaimie Marchi is     one of the most successful. From Masane Amaha in     Witchblade to Ellie from Borderlands II, to Anka                       Rheinberger in Attack on Titan, Jaimie has an impressive       career in both acting and writing. She has voiced in over      100 films, TV shows, and video games. SFCC is excited to     have her join them all day Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re an anime fan, you’re bound to have an amazing time at this event, especially with these top name anime stars. While none of the stars are slated to have panels as of yet (subject to change), don’t forget to stop by their autograph and photo booths for these once in a lifetime opportunities. Again, be sure to buy your tickets for Santa Fe Comic Con here. Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free.

Photos Courtesy of Santa Fe Comic Con

Santa Fe Comic Con; Film and Media Guests

For those of you living in New Mexico or willing to make the commute there for a great convention, Santa Fe Comic Con is quickly approaching (Oct. 24-26)  and they have a great line up ready. From guests like Manu Bennet to events like the Open Wound Film Festival, SFCC plans to be a great closeout event to the convention season. In the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting events and guest happenings so you spend less time figuring out where and when the best events are and more time actually attending them.

This week, we’re going to focus on the Film and Media guests who will be attending the con. SFCC has a great line up when it comes to this genre, including some really big stars from horror, science fiction, fantasy, action and even musical guests. Here’s a few who we’re really excited for:

 

 Manu Bennett

  Manu Bennett is a name that is quickly getting bigger and     bigger in the film industry. He is best known for his roles in   The Hobbit Trilogy, Spartacus and on the TV Show Arrow.     “Manu has been getting called to do so many acting jobs     that he is soon to be out of our reach…” says SFCC. They     urge you to come out and see him this October while you   still can. His panel will be at 4pm on Saturday.

Naomi Grossman

Naomi Grossman is best known for her role as Pepper on American Horror Story and fans are excited to see her return to the show for American Horror Story; Freak Show. A Santa Fe native, Naomi Grossman returns to the land of enchantment Saturday and Sunday for autographs, photo ops, and to speak with fans. Her panel will be at 2pm on Saturday.

  Ernie Hudson

  Who you gonna call?! ERNIE HUDSON! Ghostbuster fans       rejoice! Winston Zeddemore will be at SFCC! Best known   for his role in Ghostbusters, Ernie Hudson is a highly               sought after actor in Hollywood. He is also known for his       roles on Heroes, Torchwood, Oz, The Secret Life of an           American Teenager, and The Crow. His panel will be at 5pm   on Saturday. He will also be doing photo ops in front of the   Albuquerque Ghost Busters car! Don’t miss out!

Ari Lehman

They were warned. They are doomed. And during  Santa Fe Comic Con nothing will save them! That’s right! The original Jason Voorhees actor, Ari Lehman will be joining the line up as well. Best known for Friday the 13th, Lehman also plays in the “Monster Metal” band “First Jason” aptly named after his 1980’s role. His band will be playing at SFCC, date, location, and ticket prices TBA.

 

  Lisa Loring

  She’s creepy and she’s kooky, mysterious and spooky,         she’s all together ooky, Lisa Loring! Best known for her         childhood role as Wednesday Addams and later as Cricket   Montgomery on “As the World Turns”, Lisa Loring will be     attending the convention as well. Schedule TBA.

Linda Blair

The power of Comic Con compels you! Best known for   her role as Regan in “The Exorcist” and Jane Pascal in “Murder, She Wrote” Golden Globe winner, Linda Blair       is excited to join SFCC. She will be having a Q&A     Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 2pm. Bring holy water!

As you can see, SFCC has a line up of some amazing guests from the Film and Media industry. Other stars attending the convention include Jenna Lind, Rashaad Santiago, Sarah French, Thomas Churchill, Nakia Burrise, Blake Foster, John Morton, Priscilla Barnes and many more. Don’t miss any of these stars and be sure to buy your tickets for Santa Fe Comic Con here. Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free.

Photos courtesy of Santa Fe Comic Con