Category: Conventions

Conventions, Gaming, Video Games

A Washed Up Gamer Goes to E3

There were more than 68,000 total attendees at E3 this week, and I’m almost certain all of them have been gaming more than I have in the past five years. I’m retired. Too many consecutive days of realizing I’d played through the night until dawn had me putting the sticks down. Not to mention, I just can’t keep up with these kids. I’m washed.

Yet here I got the fortunate opportunity to cover E3 for NOC in the conference’s first year open to the public. I had to do this, for the culture, for the kid inside who never finished Mario 2, and for the same kid that reached the end of Streets of Rage and chose to kill my brother to take over the gang.

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Conventions, Fandom

Early Bird Passes for Universal FanCon are On Sale Now

In exactly one year from now, fans from all over the country will be gathering by the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland to celebrate their diverse fandoms at the first ever Universal FanCon. And for a limited time, you can get early bird weekend passes for the convention, which go on sale today!

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Cosplay, Misc

Freedom Fighter

In the age of #BlackLivesMatter and the Trump administration, bigotry and institutional oppression have been front burner topics more than ever before on social media and in 3D-space.

Needless to say freedom fighters such as myself are speaking our truths and shining light on the darkness that is racism and other forms of bigotry.

Unfortunately when you tell the truth and shame the devil, the devil will move heaven and hell to try to silence you.

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Cosplay, Guest Post

Who is Captain America Going To Vote For?

by Vishavjit Singh | Originally posted at Medium.com

Who would the 75 year old quintessential American superhero vote for in the 2016 Presidential election today? For starters, Captain America does not exist. But although he might be fictional his mythology is palpable. Its ethereal connection to us Americans has a physical manifestation.

Trust me. I know. I get to don the uniform of this character armed with my turban and beard. I have traveled from Maine to California to Mississippi to Michigan to the RNC convention in Cleveland engaging fellow Americans from all walks of life.

This uniform has allowed for conversations to start in the midst of fear and ambivalence. It has allowed for common bonds to emerge despite our perceived and real differences

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Cosplay, School of Hard NOCs

An N.O.C. Halloween: Our Children’s Edition

Amongst my friends and family, it is no secret that the only holiday I care about is Halloween. No, it isn’t just because the candy is free and flowing — although this is a huge bonus. What I love the most about he holiday is that there is this unbridled demonstration of ingenuity, creativity, and imagination. People get to step a little outside of their mundane lives and step into the realm of the fantastic.

Another thing I love are the costumes. I don’t think I’m alone in this, especially amongst my fellow NOC. While many of us were too busy to dress up, we made sure that our children did.

I would like to present to you the NOC Parade of Costumes: Our Children’s Addition.

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Art, Conventions

Artist Talk: Shawn Taylor in Conversation with Ajuan Mance

If you’re in the Bay Area this week, you should attend this conversation. It is one of our events leading up to 2017’s Black Comix Arts Festival, a Co-Presentation of MoAD, Cartoon Art Museum, and Black Comix Art Festival.

Join the Cartoon Art Museum and Black Comix Art Festival at the Museum of the African Diaspora for, “Ajuan Mance in Conversation with Shawn Taylor,” an evening celebration of current Bay Area cartooning sensation Ajuan Mance as part of the SF Comics Fest. Writer Shawn Taylor from The Nerds of Color will chat with Ajuan about her latest projects in illustration, cartooning and writing, her creative process, her recent rise in popularity, and what she plans to achieve next.

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Conventions, Fashion

TeePublic Sponsors BGNOC at NYCC, Extra Discount for NOC Followers

We are in the midst of another New York Comic-Con, and as is becoming customary with these major Comic-Cons, we’ve teamed up with Black Girl Nerds to bring BGNOC to the east coast. And now we can announce online merch outlet TeePublic will be sponsoring the meet up! For a limited time, TeePublic is having a site-wide sale that ends during NYCC weekend. But fret not! Fans of the NOC will get a one-week extension on the sale. Click through to find out how.

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Conventions, Crowdfunding

Epic Props Kickstarts New York Comic-Con Week!

If you haven’t heard, this Thursday is the kickoff to another New York Comic-Con. In addition to hosting the very first East Coast BGNOC, I’ll be on a few panels and hanging out at the Epic Proportions booth (#2010) all weekend! Speaking of Epic Props, my boy Jerry Ma just Kickstarted his own martial arts comic, so see below for how to contribute and where to find me at NYCC.

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Comics & Graphic Novels, Conventions

BGNOC Part III: The Nerds Take NYCC

In exactly three short weeks, New York Comic-Con will be returning to the Javits Center on the West side of Manhattan, and we will be there stationed at Epic Proportions Booth 2010! And since it’s a Comic-Con, we will once again be co-hosting a meet up with our friends at Black Girl Nerds on Friday night! That’s right, we’re bringing BGNOC to NYCC!

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