Hal-Con 2011 Costume Contest

One of my personal favourite costumes at the contest: Gaia AKA Mother Nature

One of the big events at Hal-Con, if not the biggest, is the costume contest. The freedom to spend the weekend dressed up in a costume you worked on tirelessly with other people in wild outfits carrying cool props is quite mind blowing and liberating.

Getting to go on stage and strut your stuff with people cheering you on? Probably one of the most fun and liberating experiences you can have.



I did my best to include just about everyone in this slideshow. I apologize to anyone I might have missed. There were over 100 costumes so this was quite the challenge. To see the photographs more in detail, check out my Hal-Con 2011 Costume Contest Gallery.

I sat in the audience dressed up as Kenzi from Lost Girl. I wanted to go as someone I totally admire and that goth Toronto gal with a wicked sense of humour is right up my alley. Here is a video of me nervously waiting for the show to begin.

As great as it was to cheer for everyone, I was so excited to see my husband Reg strut his robotic self on stage as Bender from Futurama. That costume has quite the saga behind it which I will be writing about soon. The article will be called Becoming Bender.




Instead of taking photographs, I wanted to capture the entire time Reg was on stage. I wanted to be able to go back to that moment and listen to the cheers, hear the compilation he put together and watch him show off his hard work. It paid off but as a result, I have had that damned B-E-N-D-E-R mantra spiralling through my brain ever since. Still, it was worth it. He rocked!

OTHER AWESOME MOMENTS




There were other highlights for me like these two from X-Men dressed up as Sabertooth and Wolverine, duking it out. Love it!




Steampunk was everywhere! These are the Sky Pirates.




One of the funniest moments of the night was having the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man attack our favourite Ghost Buster during the contest. Oh my god, how I laughed! It was awesome!




Another spontaneous and this time beautiful moment was the on-stage marriage proposal.




Which had a happy ending. So adorable!




Since it was the convention's first proposal, they were awarded two Warp Drive passes for next year's convention!




These are two of the big winners of the con and I can see why! I love how varied, detailed, thought provoking and impressive all the costumes were. From the simple to the most complicated, people loved putting together their costume and sharing their fandom with others.

I may not have known who all of the characters were on stage and walking around the convention but it did not matter. We got to be our favourite people for the day, real or unreal. That made us all winners.

Author Kelley Armstrong Q&A at Hal-Con 2011

What a special opportunity for fans of Kelley Armstrong to ask this famous writer anything their hearts desire about her books, characters and writing process at the Q&A at Hal-Con 2011. I knew of Kelley's immense popularity  and thought many of our podcast listeners would want me to report on the Q&A session, so I made sure to attend it for you!


Shannon is a big fan and our mom is a HUGE fan, she has literally read every single thing Kelley has written

Kelley was at her booth before the Q&A and I was so tempted to speak with her but felt like a bit of a goof for not having read her books. I struggled with what to do but in the end decided it was important to tell her how much Shannon and mom loved her books. She was lovely! When I asked her if she had any new books for sale that would make my mom happy she just gave me a copy of Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions!

Not only that, she autographed it and a whole bunch of bookmarks too. I walked away absolutely stunned by her generosity. My mom was going to FREAK!



I found out that normally she bribes people who come to her table with her complimentary books to make sure that she has people asking her questions! So I of course had to go up there and ask her if she believed in the supernatural on behalf of our podcast Hexed. It was only fair!

One fan asked Kelley which author had influenced her as a paranormal writer and she mentioned Stephen King. She said that he had the ability to make supernatural natural. She learned from him to focus on character and to really care about each and every one of them.

She also spoke about how traditionally the supernatural creature is always seen as bad and is almost always the villain. She had the idea to turn it around and turn them into protagonists. It was at this moment I started to think that I might just have to read her books because I absolutely love that idea. Hope my fibro brain can do it!



In this video Kelley talks about her Other World Series and shares information about the other projects she is currently working on. Earlier she spoke of how much she loves her job and that she still can't believe she gets to stay home and write about the paranormal. It is true, how fantastic is that?



The most shocking moment of the night for me was discovering that HarperCollins wanted to enforce a morality clause on their young adult authors! I am still having a hard time wrapping my brain around that. I suppose they did not want the authors to set a bad example for their young readers but that is ridiculous! I am happy to report that the writers fought it and are now "morality free!"

Kelley was very entertaining and you could tell by the questions from the girls and women that came to the mic that she is a huge inspiration to them, in many ways. I think there were a lot of women in that audience who wanted to be just like Kelley and write about the paranormal. Who wouldn't?

Ep 82: Paranormal TV November 9 - 15, 2011

This week on Hexed we have an exciting update from Suzie about all things Hal-Con as well as checking in on our regular shows of Lost Girl, Supernatural and Fringe along with the mid-season finales of Secret Circle & Vampire Diaries. As Shannon jumps a new hurdle in tech-limbo land and Suzie recovering from the awesome of HalCon we are tabling news & quick views until next week, when we'll be quiet(er) as some of our regs take holidays.



Check out Suzie's Hal-Con Coverage! We touch specifically about:

• Robert Maillet Q&A
• Joss Whedon roundtable
• Why Zombies? Panel
• Nicholas Brendon Q&A
• Steam Punk 101
• Erin Gray Q&A
• Costume Contest including Suzie's Husband as Bender at Hal-Con
• upcoming: Kelley Armstrong and Ghost Cases

Time Coding:
0:00 - 0:30 Intro
0:30 - 49:58 Hal-Con
49:58 - 1:05:30 Lost Girl S2 Ep 8 Death Didn't Become Her
1:05:30 - 1:20:10 Secret Circle S1 Ep 9 Balcoin
1:20:10 - 1:40:30 Vampire Diaries S3 Ep 9 Homecoming
1:40:30 - 1:51:35 Supernatural S7 Ep 7 The Mentalist
1:51:35 - 2:03:15 Fringe S4 Ep6 And Those We've Left Behind
2:03:15 - 2:05:40 Outro



Just had to add Nicholas/Xander's Snoopy Dance Video! You can find the article with lots of other videos and photographs here. Links to posts mentioned in the podcast: Robert Maillet Q&A, Joss Whedon Discussion Group, Zombie Workshop, Steampunk Workshop and Erin Gray from Buck Rogers. More posts to come!

Sorry no time coding this week - Shannon is sans internet so had to get this up superquick. We chat about Hal-Con for about 50 minutes and rest of the shows for about 10-15min each.

Erin Gray Q&A at Hal-Con 2011

What a treat to spend some time with Erin Gray at Hal-Con 2011. She was such an inspiration for me as a young girl. Smart, serious and not instantly swooned by Buck Rogers, she was one of my earlier heroes.

On stage she just beamed. You could tell she had the best time sharing stories and disclosed some of the challenges of being a mom and an actress on such a wild science fiction show. Vampires, explosions, survivor of domestic violence and how a psychic helped her re-invent her life, this was one fascinating Q&A.




Erin shared a lot of stories about being on the set of Buck Rogers but this one about the vampire scene was great although her son might not agree with me.




I was thrilled to hear that Erin is going to be guest starring on an episode in season 5 of The Guild! A tribute to Colonel Wilma. Reg and I are huge fans of the show and in this clip Erin talks about how amazing Felicia Day is.




Once again Erin scares the heck out of one of her children when she takes her son to work and the Draconian Flag Ship blows up right in front of his eyes!




Erin also shared with us that she is a survivor of domestic violence and when she needed help, she asked the Universe for a sign and said, I don't care if it comes from a psychic! Well didn't a psychic from Chicago contact her!

The psychic asked, "Are you doing anything like, you're an agent? Go more in that direction."

Erin had a hard time figuring out what that meant. She went online looking for conventions and shows and spoke with Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers himself) and he said he wanted to go too. He would give her a 10% commission. She was shocked! From there, other "heroes" wanted her help so she created Heroes for Hire. She said several times during the Q&A, "I'm all about heroes." 

How wonderful it was to listen to Erin's stories and see just how much fun she had on the show. You could tell that it is an experience that is with her every moment. To see a woman who has been through and lost so much, to come back and be this vibrant force of nature sharing her stories on the stage was so inspiring.

Erin's message? "It's all about doing it your way."

Damn straight Colonel Wilma. Damn straight.

Steampunk 101 with the Jules Verne Phantastical Society at Hal-Con 2011

Workshop leaders and members of Jules Verne Phantastical Society

Steampunk is an intriguing movement with a rapidly growing number of enthusiasts, which was quite apparent by all the stunning costumes and props at Hal-Con.

The first time I had heard about it in depth was on Fanboy Confessional that Shannon and I discussed at length on an episode of Hexed. As a result, I was very excited to attend the Steampunk 101 Workshop at Hal-Con hosted by the Jules Verne Phantastical Society.

BECOME A "MAKER"


Andrew Aulenback

At the workshop we learned about the writers and minds involved in creating the idea of futuristic Victorians but it went far beyond a history lesson.

The main reason I was immediately drawn to Steampunk was the members' passion to be their own makers and opt out of buying stuff at big box stores. As someone who enjoys making jewellery, the idea of creating pieces with found components of current technology in a look that is reflective of the Victorian era kind of blows my mind.

Above you can see an example of the mixed time period. A contemporary computer hacked to appear very Victorian in style. It is a beautiful lie that is historically impossible. Absolutely fascinating.

STEAMPUNK STYLE


Wanda White

Art made its way into Steampunk and so did fashion. Accessories like goggles and old guns is an easy way to clearly indicate a Steampunk look. The aesthetics are Victorian with a sci-fi influence. Women often wear dresses with bustles and men can don cravats and hats. Yet, as you can see in the photo above, you can play with the period of your look to make it your own.

Steampunk is not just about wearing a costume. Members of the movement go beyond making an outfit by also envisioning a real life character for themselves, complete with specific details, personal story and historical context.

STEAM PUNK IN THE MEDIA


Sarah Brunette

Although Disney was one of the first to put a Steampunk aesthetic on the big screen with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, there have been more recent movies with this style: Van Helsing, Wild Wild West and Sherlock Holmes, to name a few.

Reg and I wondered if Hell Boy and Sanctuary would also count as movies with Steampunk style? During the discussion I had a sudden realization that the recent Three Musketeers movie may be Steampunk and if it is, makes so much more sense now.



Steampunk is supposed to be a Victorian period with a twist on reality. It makes you ask yourself, what if the past was different? Where would that lead me? Who could I be from a time period in the past with some of the modern tools of today? For me, it appears to be a fiction wrapped in impossibility, decorated with a little hat that gets blown away by an old fashioned gun.


Jules Verne Phantastical Society

I have always been drawn to the Victorian aesthetic and the idea of a punk movement with manners and members who drink tea together is intriguing. Living a speculative life as your own fictional character is beyond fascinating. It is Steampunk. I wonder where this movement will go?

Nicholas Brendon Q&A at Hal-Con 2011

Warning: Some of the following clips contain foul language

When I heard that Nicholas Brendon from Buffy was going to be at Hal-Con, I just knew I had to go and represent our supernatural TV podcast Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural.

My sister Shannon and I talk about Buffy all the time even though it has not been on TV for a few years now. You can not talk about this genre without bringing up Buffy and let's face it, I am a huge fan and just HAD to be there!



I took this video moments before Nicholas came on stage. I tried to get as close as possible but the crowd was unbelievable. The anticipation was electric!



What is Nicholas Brendon like? Just like Xander from Buffy but throw in some curse words. He is hysterical, loves getting attention and does not take much seriously. Sound familiar?.

Inner Space host Teddy Wilson asked Nicholas what he had been up to during his stay here on the east coast. His response actually made me laugh, as did his inability to remember the name Prince Edward Island.



This was a great Hexed question for Nicholas. What would he do if he ran into a vampire? I was tempted to stand in the giant lineup and ask if he believed in the paranormal and/or had a personal experience he could share with us. I started to have the feeling that his response to my question would have been very similar to the vampire one. I decided instead just to record as much video for our listeners as possible instead. I think I made the right decision, LOL.



I absolutely love hearing behind-the-scenes stories of shows. It sounds as though things on the Buffy set were quite serious but that did not save Nicholas from getting a practical joke pulled on him while on set. Nicholas said it was the funniest day of filming Buffy but it was clearly at his expense!



One of my favourite episodes of Buffy was Hush and it was fascinating to hear Nicholas talk about what it was like to film that episode and work with "The Gentlemen." His favourite episode is Once More With Feeling. Funny, those are my two favourite episodes!

It tugged on my heart when he said that he has not watched an episode of Buffy since the show went off the air. He equated it to reading an old journal and said, "I'm still mourning it."



This video clip is quite hysterical and adorable. What a lucky fan to get a hug from Nicholas and what a costume!

When another fan asked what his biggest fear was it seemed as though Nicholas had no idea how to answer the question. He responded with, "Public restrooms..." followed by, "drowning would suck... There is a lot to be afraid of."



Nicholas ended the Q&A performing the Snoopy Dance for us fans who just ate it up. He truly is quite the funny force of nature.

The topic of the potential new Buffy movie (something Shannon and I have discussed in length on Hexed) came up. Nicholas did not seem to be very interested if Joss was not going to be involved.

On the last day of filming Buffy, Nicholas was not on set because he was away shooting a pilot. He never had a chance to say good-bye. But then, he added, "How do you?"

When asked about how he felt getting the role of Xander he said, "It is an actor's dream to get that role." He loved playing the regular guy. "If that's what I am known for, I'm blessed."

Attending the Q&A with Nicholas Brendon was an absolute highlight at Hal-Con for me. Not only did I get to hear all these funny stories about filming Buffy and be entertained by Nicholas, who was clearly born to be in front of the camera, it felt like I also got to hang out with Xander in the really real world. Lucky me.

Random Favourite Hal-Con 2011 Moments

Note spooky face watching from around the corner, love it!

Now I can not write about my favourite Hal-Con 2011 moments without beginning with their first-ever wedding proposal! I was sitting in the front row for media going, what the heck is that guy doing going up on the stage? As soon as I realized what was happening, I ran forward with the other photographers to get the shot.



It was absolutely adorablel. What a beautiful moment! They both walked off the stage together in a complete and utter daze. The man who proposed had tears in his eyes and I could see he was all choked up.



Of course, I have to share my husband's costume contest performance. He created a Bender costume and even made his own CD for his moment in the spotlight. He looked amazing as Bender, a beloved character from Futurama. Yes, I am biased but I know just how hard he worked on that costume and how long! I will be writing a post about soon.



I just thought this was so existential, I had to share it again. Not only is Bender holding a Bender action figure, it had been sitting besides one of my favourite games I had as a kid. I used to take my Merlin everywhere and played it forever. I have not seen one since my childhood. How weird is it that it was right beside the Bender figure? Spooky Hexed style!



Speaking of our supernatural TV podcast Hexed... I got a thrill checking out a case of True Blood at the con. Check out that robot attacking that doll! One of my favourite weird photos of the weekend.



The sci-fi geek in me was most thrilled to get a photograph with Boba Fett! I mean what could be cooler?!

More coverage to come and I am getting ready to share my Nicholas Brandon post with lots of videos for all you Xander fans. And yes, he is EXACTLY like Xander in real life!

I don't get it? Why Zombies? Q&A at Halcon 2011 with Alex Hall, Lauren Oostveen and Chantal Boudreau

It was clear by the standing-room-only status at the panel discussion "I don't get it? Why Zombies?" that the interest in zombies is not waning. Not even a little.



Here is the panel from left to right: Alex Hall, who also ran the Zombie Survival Workshop at Hal-con. Lauren Oostveen, bi-weekly movie writer of Smash Cut for the Chronicle Herald. Chantal Boudreau, writer/illustrator who likes to delve into the realms of fantasy, dark fantasy and horror.

A ton of movie references were flying around the room but it is interesting to note that most people agreed it was 28 Days Later that changed zombie movies forever. It altered them from being an uninteresting and mindless slow-moving mob to a whole new kind of terrifying creature in the genre of horror.



When Alex is asked about the way zombies move and travel he makes a funny realization about when the Zombie Apocalypse happens here, where they will end up in the HRM. He refers to himself as a zombie purist and does not believe in thinking zombies. In the video he also shares his thoughts about Day of the Dead and Diary of the Dead.



I am grateful during the discussion Alex mention the short film Zombie in a Penguin Suit. He was right, kind of breaks your heart but warning! It is gory and disturbing.



Lauren Oostveen gives us some great heads up on a couple of new zombie stories in the works. One is a a short romantic zombie film called Katrina's New Beau. Then there is also Warm Bodies which is about "a zombie who falls in love with Julie after he eats her boyfriend’s brains and absorbs his memories." It opens in August 2012. Can't wait and thanks for tweeting me the update Lauren!



Chantal Boudreau talks about what it means for a writer of zombie fiction to de-humanize zombies. I love that later on she would not divulge her secret Zombie Apocalypse hideout location. Smart! She did reveal, however, it would be on an island.



Cassie from Live 105 asked the panel excellent questions. Alex shared that he believes zombie stories are all about the survivors. Lauren revealed that when the Zombie Apocalypse happens she will camp out at where she works because it is extremely well fortified. Chantal said the key to success for future generations is to learn how to live off the land and take care of yourself at a young age.



We all could not help but notice the zombie mom and baby in the room. When asked about her baby's zombie genesis she kind of hissed that she was bitten while the baby was in utero.



Where else can you ask if a zombie bites a drunk, does he get drunk? Or discuss that perhaps the obsession with zombies is a result of our realization that the human race is screwed or maybe it is symbolic of the pressure for us to consume?

I think everyone in the room left knowing a little bit more about zombies, probably a little more than they needed to practically speaking but it has got me asking the question, where is my Zombie Apocalypse hiding place? And when I figure it out, no, I am not going to tell you.

Joss Whedon Roundtable Discussion at Hal-Con 2011

I really did not know what to expect exactly at Hal-Con 2011's Joss Whedon Roundtable Discussion. Would there be a panel? Special appearances? Videos???

It turned out to be a fantastic hanging out session with other huge fans of Joss' work. A total gab fest! As a result, instead of taking photographs and notes I captured the event in short video clips instead.

As a representative of our podcast Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural, where my sister Shannon and I talk about supernatural TV shows, I just had to find out what fans thought of Joss. He comes up regularly during our discussions, especially Buffy, so I checked it out and hung out with my TV peeps.



The discussion leader Joni admitted to the room that she was not a big Xander fan at first! Absolutely shocking since he was, at least for me, my main reason for wanting to go to the special appearances at the convention! Nicholas Brendon was there that day and going to be on stage later in the afternoon. I am sure everyone else at this discussion would be sitting with me laughing with Nicolas in just mere hours.



BIG SPOILER ALERT! Do not watch this clip if you have not seen the movie Serenity! Big cathardic reveal in this video that we all felt and processed as a group.

I also thought it was quite cute how everyone there seemed to hate spoilers as much as me and Shannon do.



My husband Reg asked if fans thought Joss had at any time "jumped the shark?" He thought Joss had come close a few times but always reeled the show back in to save it. And I have to admit it was fascinating to hear what fans really thought of Riley.

I wish I had caught the moment where the topic of the new impending movie came up because it was clear most people figured that if Joss was not involved, there was no point. Our listeners will know that I am personally keeping an open mind. More Buffy in the world is just fine with me as long as it is done well.

It was a very fascinating, welcoming and open discussion with people who clearly care about Joss' TV and film worlds as much as Shannon and I do. Although we did not all agree on everything, it was fun to hang out at what felt like a Joss Whedon fan club and talk about our favourite scenes and funniest show moments.

I discovered the episode Hush with the "Gentlemen" was not only my favourite episode but just about every fan's favourite episode. We also found out that there had been a pre-con performance of Once More With Feeling! I still listen to my CD of the soundtrack on a regular basis, thanks to Shannon!

It was a ton of fun to hang out with other fans and geek out about the worlds and characters Joss has created over the years.

My Favourite Costumes at 2011 Hal-Con Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Comic Convention

I will admit to being totally biased here and say that Bender was one of my favourite costumes at Hal-Con. First, because the guy inside is my husband. Second, because I know how hard he worked on that costume. Third, I duct taped his ass back together at the con.

Totally meta that he is it at one of the vendor's tables with a miniature of himself. Love it!



Another robot! You know you are at Hal-Con when you bump into a cylon!

To be honest, there were so many costumes from games I have never played, manga shows I have never watched, comics I have never read... It was a bit weird for me. They were very impressive, and I took photographs of all of them at the costume contest which I will post soon, but these are some of my personal favourite costumes.



After talking about the whole furry phenomenon in our Hexed podcast about the show Fanboy Confessional, I was so excited to see my first real-life furry.



I loved this gentleman's wolf hat so much, I asked him if would put it back on again so I could take a photograph and he was kind enough to do so. I just love that hat and he wears it well.



The con would not be complete without an alien race from Star Wars! Doesn't she look awesome?



A couple more furries! I just love these cute little guys. Oh the work that goes into those costumes and how warm they must have been inside them. That takes dedication.



An absolute crowd favourite, this Ghost Buster worked an entire year on his costume.



He totally deserved to win the props category for the contest. More photos of the contest to come.



Finally, a female superhero that made me feel like a kid again. Wonder Woman was such a powerful influence in my life growing up as a little girl and there were quite a few of them walking around.

I hope you enjoyed some of my favourite costumes! There were many more artistic, crafty, esoteric and over-the-top costumes which I will share on my costume contest post. These win my contest for the category of fan favourite.