WonderCon 2015 Orange County Register Interview - Workshops, Panels & Appearances
I had the pleasure to be interviewed by the Orange County Register about WonderCon 2015. Below is the full article and you can also find it online at
WonderCon opens Friday in Anaheim; be ready for hordes of comic book fans and cosplayers
BY JOSEPH PIMENTEL / STAFF WRITER
April 2, 2015
ANAHEIM – This weekend, don’t be surprised to see Darth Vader, Superman or even Harry Potter walking on Harbor Boulevard.
WonderCon opens Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center and thousands are expected to come dressed as their favorite pop culture character for the annual comic book and science fiction convention.
In its fourth year in Anaheim, the large – and growing – attendance at WonderCon is indicative of how comic conventions that once were considered nerd fests have become a hot ticket.
Along with cosplay, the more than 60,000 expected will attend panels, meet celebrities and buy comics, apparel and toys. The convention is hosted by the same organizers of the famed Comic-Con International: San Diego.
Tickets for Saturday are already sold out.
“Since moving from San Francisco, WonderCon in Anaheim has grown over the last few years and has really become a big show,” said Sean Glumace, professor of digital media at Golden West College. “People who can’t get a ticket to San Diego Comic-Con usually come here. The tickets are cheaper, there’s more space and I think the cosplaying is better.”
There was a time when comic conventions were just gatherings for serious comic book hobbyists.
But the transformation from geek hobby to mainstream popular entertainment has grown steadily over the past decade due to the rise of the comic book superhero genre in movies and television, said Eric Dean Seaton, a television director and author of “Legend of the Mantamaji,” a graphic novel.
“This is stuff we grew up on as kids and secretly liked,” said Seaton, who is an exhibitor. “And now, for adults it’s nostalgia and for kids, superheroes have become their Greek heroes and history stories.”
Unlike it’s bigger brother down south, where Hollywood movie studios flock to premier upcoming trailers of blockbusters, this year’s WonderCon will feature several television sneak peaks in its programming.
All weekend, Warner Bros. is rolling out previews and panels of “The Flash,” “Gotham” and “iZombie.” On Friday, “The Lego Movie” directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord are debuting an upcoming episode of “The Last Man on Earth.”
There’s also a chance attendees will see Margot Kidder, the original Lois Lane, and some others from the cast in the “Superman: The Richard Donner Years Celebrity Super Reunion.”
And for those who just want to nerd out, they can battle wits on whether Magneto could rip off Wolverine’s adamantium skeletal frame in Friday’s Tournament of Nerds comedy program, or check out cosplayers at Saturday’s Masquerade Ball.
There are also panels for people seeking to break into the industry.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3764 or jpimentel@ocregister.com
Navigating WonderCon
Sean Glumace, of Golden West College, offered some tips for the convention:
1. Get there early to park.
2. Schedule and map out the panels or booths you plan to visit.
3. Be out in front. Most of the cosplayers and costumers gather in the front entrance.
4. Try different things. Sometimes people have blinders on, there are lots of different programs for everyone.
5. To save a little money, go outside of the convention center to eat.
