New Track of Programming Debuts at WonderCon Anaheim 2015!

WonderCon Anaheim 2015 will feature a new track of programming in a brand new location! The new series of programs, devoted to fan culture, will take place in the Elite Ballroom, on the lobby level of WonderCon’s Headquarters Hotel, across from the Anaheim Convention Center. You’ll want to make the trek across the Grand Plaza to visit this great new room, which will feature topics ranging from cosplay and fashion to fitness and food, with even a trivia match thrown in for good measure. Remember to wear your WonderCon Anaheim badge to get into these programs at the Anaheim Marriott. This is a preliminary list of panels … check our complete program schedule for updated info, debuting here on our website in just a few short weeks!

Friday, April 3

12:00 Body Confidence and Positivity in Cosplay—Ivy Doomkitty (SyFy's Heroes of Cosplay, international cosplayer), Chrissy Lynn (cosplayer/makeup artist), Kimi Hughes (Golden Lasso Cosplay/Nerdstrong Gym coach), and Poison Scarlett Cosplay discuss body image and confidence in oneself, self worth and how to stay positive in the community when faced with negative people or negative comments on social media. This is a discussion on cosplay for all and body positivity. Short Q&A to follow.

1:00 Let's Get Fashionably Nerdy!—Incorporate your love of your fandom into everyday fashion. We explore the multitude of designers creating high-end "red carpet" fashion and casual looks for men and women with a digital fashion show and a panel discussion. New up-and-coming brand designers will talk about their lines and how to dress fashionably while expressing yourself and the things you love. Moderated by Stephanie Pressman (Fashionably Nerdy, Geek 360) with panelists Xander Jeanneret (Fashionably Nerdy, King of The Nerds), Anastasia Washington (Fashionably Nerdy, Jet Set Nerds), Bonnie Gordon (Fashionably Nerdy, The Quest), and Lauren Bregman (Castle Corsetry, Birds of Play).

2:00 Nerd Living—Anastasia Washington (Nerd Reactor, Jet Set Nerds), Angelique Toschi (Ms in the Biz writer, content strategist), and Stacy Renfroe (Knit hits the fan, production coordinator for Cartoon Network) of Nerds in LaLaLand teach you tips about incorporating geek into your everyday lives through crafts, cooking, and fashion. Moderated by Dina Kampmeyer (League of Extraordinary Ladies, Geek Fashion Week).

3:00 Nerdstrong: Getting Fit for Cosplay, Geekdom and Life—Andrew Deutsch (owner, Nerdstrong Gym), David Nett (writer, actor), Kimi Hughes (cosplayer, goldenlasso.net), Andrew Seely, Christy Black (morethanageekgirl.net), and Scruffy Rebel (cosplayer, geek fashion blogger) discuss and breakdown the benefits of including fitness into your geek life. Moderated by Tiffany Smith.

4:00 Fangirl Foods: Where Pop Culture and Cuisine Collide—In a world where superheroes, Star Wars, Adventure Time, and Doctor Who are taking over the culinary world, it’s no wonder that geeks and nerds are the current reigning champions. We find innovative ways to combine our hobbies with what we love, and in this case, it's food! Culinary chefs, movie sculptors, and comic book artists actually have more in common than we think. Ranging from food themed manga, Martian Manhunter’s obsession with Oreos, and Food Network shows, the topic of what we eat has been creeping into our geek lives for years. Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes, Food Network celebrity chef), along with Marvel and DC artists will partake in a discussion moderated by Jessica Tseang (comic book historian). The foodie in you can learn everything from the secrets of how to bake the perfect cake in TARDIS form, to what your favorite artists snack on to fuel their inspiration.

5:00 Hip-Hop & Comics: Cultures Combining—Hip-Hop and comics reflect each other in many ways; rappers and graffiti artists utilize super heroic imagery and adopt larger-than-life alter-egos, comic creators incorporate references to music, dance, and fashion, and draw on Hip-Hop's rich visual vocabulary. Here, Patrick A. Reed (Depth Of Field magazine) brings together graphic artists and musical innovators to discuss the ties between these two creative cultures.

Saturday, April 4

11:00–12:00 The Her Universe Fashion Show Update—Her Universe and Hot Topic launched the first ever “Geek Couture” fashion show at San Diego Comic-Con in 2014. Two winners were chosen and given the unique professional opportunity to design a Marvel fashion collection to be sold in Hot Topic stores beginning in May 2015. Join Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein, Cat Carson (SVP of Her Universe), Ed Labay (divisional merchandise manager of music and licensing), and Andrea Lewis (Hot Topic senior brand marketing manager), along with winners Amy Beth Christenson and Andrew MacLaine as they take you behind the scenes of the making of this new action-packed line. Learn how these designers went from runway to retail! Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek at this new Marvel collection and hear details about how to submit your design for the 2015 Her Universe Fashion Show at San Diego Comic-Con! Elite Ballroom, Lobby Level, Anaheim Marriott Hotel

12:00 Cosplay Makeup 101—This panel goes into what it takes to perfect your cosplay by having great makeup to go with it. It will cover beauty makeup, appliance application, special fx makeup, sculpting, molding, casting and wig styling. A talented panel of professional makeup artists, Dawnielle Banks (makeupbysiryn.com), Chrissy Lynn (nerdy-girlz.com), Ashley Troub (Ghost Hunters), Keaghlan Ashley (Face Off), and Alana Rose Schiro (Face Off), who have honed their craft in the makeup, film, television, and cosplay photography worlds will help answer your questions about makeup to match your costuming and cosplay. Having makeup that matches the effort put into your cosplay is important. Turn your great cosplay into an amazing one with awesome makeup! Moderated by Mac Beauvais (official model for Victoria and Otto). 

1:00 Adding Special FX to Cosplay Photos & Video—This panel features VFX wizards behind the new film Cosplay Dreams 3D, renowned cosplay photographers and Photoshop artists, and special guest cosplayers. Learn how, using Adobe Photoshop and After Effects, you can add realistic laser beams, fireballs, glowing magical elements and sci-fi backgrounds that will bring your cosplay photography and videos to the next level.

2:00 From Cosplayer to Hollywood Creative—A panel of costume designers, producers of the new film Cosplay Dreams 3D, professional cosplayers, and Hollywood creatives will reveal to cosplayers what skills are in-demand in today's film and TV industry. Learn how professional cosplayers are using their skills to forge a variety of career opportunities in the entertainment industry, and leveraging cosplay skills to meet industry contacts. Gain the knowledge that could elevate your hobby into a career!

3:00 Geeks Keepin’ It Hot!—Professional nerds square off in an epic trivia battle of the ages while discussing the hottest pop culture topics like racial stereotyping, objectification, gender-bending, casting news, and more! Spanning comics, TV, film, and web, this discussion will be hilarious, outrageous, and will challenge your perspective on culture. Moderated by Tony B Kim (Crazy4ComicCon.com), this super-powered team will include Amy Ratcliffe (writer), Chris Gore (comedian), Ivy Doom Kitty (cosplayer), Andre Meadows (comedian), Rachel Lara (actress), Sean Long (toy professional), Tracy Doering (writer), and Emily Ong (cosplayer, Fashionista).

4:00 Webcomics Advocates and the Webcomics Gathering—Join Webcomics Advocates co-founders Phil Vecchio and Brendan Creecy (Brax the Alien Rocker) as they celebrate and discuss the exciting world of webcomics! Joined by Patrick Scullen (Super Siblings) and moderator Josh Anderson (Extra Damage podcast), they will give any webcomic creators in the audience 30 seconds to promote their comic to the crowd. All creators and fans are welcome!

Sunday, April 5

12:00 #SPARK Your Creativity: A Call To Action—Ladies unite to create more female driven content. Join us for a panel discussion with accomplished female creators on how to cultivate your ideas and bring them to life. Leave with inspiration, confidence, a solid plan of action, and tons of new ideas. All genders and ages welcome! Moderated By Stephanie Pressman (Stalking LeVar, Fashionably Nerdy) with panelists America Young (Geek Therapy, Chimera Project), Heidi Cox (Stalking LeVar, Geek Speak TV), Kristen Nedopak (The Geekie Awards, The Skyrim Parodies), Helenna Santos (Ms In The Biz, The Infected), Brea Grant (The Real Housewives of Horror, Heroes), Miley Yamamato (Geek Cred, Attack of The Show), and Paula Rhodes (Elf Quest, The New Adventures of Peter & Wendy).

1:00 Cosplay & Kids—Kids love wearing costumes and meeting their costumed heroes, so it's no wonder that conventions are a big draw for families! Join this discussion of all things cosplay when kids are involved. The panel includes DIY tips for parents, how to plan a family cosplay, advice for cosplayers when meeting kids, and more! Join cosplayers Kimi Hughes, M.Ed. (Golden Lasso Cosplay), Dina Kampmeyer (founder, Geek Fashion Week) and parents Melody Mooney (Stan Lee's Who Wants to be a Superhero season 2), Shawn Thomas (story editor, Dog with a Blog, Disney Channel), Kendra Moras (Photography by Kendra Jean), Jennifer Estaris (video game designer), and Kelly Spears (former manager of Hi De Ho Comics), along with moderator Theresa Wollenstein (The League of Extraordinary Ladies). A representative of the 501st legion will be on hand to discuss costuming and charity!

2:00 Halo Costuming with 405th Pacific—Looking to build your own Halo armor or prop and have no idea where to start? The members of the 405th Pacific Regiment are here to help! They'll discuss all the most common methods used to create Halo costumes followed by a Q&A. Panelists include JP Pollio & Cary Gunnar Lee (pepakura and painting specialists), Jose Valdez (sculpting and molding specialist), Alec Richter (vacuform specialist), and Benedict Choy (foam specialist).