Totally unrelated to this post: I'm in today's Dork Tower. It's part of the hilarious Tao of Igor series, and it made me giggle.
As promised, here's my schedule for the Phoenix Comicon. If this is your first time at a con, and you don't know what to expect, you should read what John Scalzi said about meeting authors (and me.) at cons. If you've never heard me talk about conventions, you may enjoy this article I wrote for the Geek in Review a few years ago, called Concerning Conventions. The article is SFW, but it's at Suicide Girls, which is NSFW. Click with caution.
When I'm not on panels, I'll be parked at a table (hopefully next to Steamcrow, again) in the exhibitor's hall, with copies of my books and some pictures for sale. I always try to bring enough for everyone, but I almost always sell out of stuff before the con is over. If there's something you really want to get from me, I suggest picking it up sooner than later. Or, you know, don't. I'm not the boss of you.
Thursday (Preview Night)
The exhibitor's hall is open from 6pm to 9pm.
No panels, but I plan to be at my table with my books and stuff for the duration.
Friday
The exhibitor's hall is open from noon to 8pm.
12:30-1:30pm – Geek Out With Wil Wheaton, Yuri Lowenthal, and Aaron Douglas
Yuri and I worked on Legion of Superheroes together, and instantly became friends when I dropped an obscure geek reference that he not only got, but topped with an equally-obscure reply (that I also got.) Yuri knows Aaron, and I spent most of a con in Sacramento last year sitting next to Aaron Douglas. It turns out that we're all big geeks, so we thought it would be fun to spend an hour getting our geek on together. Topics of conversation will include voice acting and being a geek who gets to work on these geeky things that we love.
3pm – Photo session with Wil
A few years ago, someone thought it would be a great idea to set up these semi-formal photo sessions where fans could get professional-quality portraits taken with actors. In theory, it also gives fans a few uninterrupted moments with those actors, which can be a real thrill for them. The unintended consequence, in some cases, was actors refusing to let fans take pictures of them at the rest of the con. Um, I'm not going to do that, because it's lame, but if you really want a professional-quality portrait with me, you'll have a couple chances over the weekend, including this one. I guess they print the photo out for you right there, so I can defile the lovely picture with my filthy signature, if you want. Please note that some actors will charge you to sign the picture that you've already coughed up money to take. I am not one of them, because that is also lame.
10pm – MOTHER FUCKING ROCK BAND BITCHES YEAH! \m/
This should be a lot of fun: I'll play with three people at a time, taking whatever instrument they don't want to play. We're supposed to be there for an hour, but once we start rocking, we'll be there until they pry our fake instruments from our cold, dead hands. There's a very good chance Yuri and Aaron will join us for a song or two. Also, if all of this isn't filmed and put online, I don't know why we even bothered to fight the Spanish American war, people.
Saturday
The exhibitor's hall is open from 10am to 7pm.
12pm – Photo Session with Wil
See above.
2-3pm The Obligatory TNG Panel with Wil, Marina Sirtis and Brent Spiner
I don't really need to spell this one out, do I? This is the first time I've been on stage with them both, ever, and it should be a whole lot of fun.
6:30-7pm – The One Where Wil Hates the Description
I don't think they mean to come up with something I hate when they wrote this panel's title, but when I tell you what it is, I think you'll understand why I'm not crazy about it: Wil Wheaton – Life Beyond Wesley [::facepalm::] D'oh! That's … really not how I'd frame this if it was up to me. Anyway, this is where I'll perform material from my books for you, my best friends in the world. I'll cram as much entertainment in to the 30 minutes as I can, but don't be surprised if we go over. If there's time when we're done, I'll take some questions, too. IMPORTANT UPDATE ON THIS: The panel is actually scheduled for 55 minutes, not 30, and the title, it turns out, was a placeholder that got past editing on the way to the printer. So it's all good.
Sunday
The exhibitor's hall is open from 10am-5pm.
I have no panels scheduled, so I will split my time between wandering the con making saves vs. Shiny! and sitting at my table in the exhibitor's hall.
This will be my first comicon and really the only reason I am going is because of you! Yeah, that shouldn’t scare you too much. I am an aspiring writer and current geek so I am so very excited for just meeting you and getting your autograph while my husband geeks out at Peter Mayhew (dirty Starwars fan). I even have your blog entry “five simple ways to Just Keep Writing” bookmarked if I ever get lethargic/down about writing. You can bet my first published book will be thanking you (and I guess my husband too, whatever). Hope you get a chance to geek out as well!
Kristie, [email protected]
Life Beyond Wesley? Who’s Wesley?
< 10pm - MOTHER FUCKING ROCK BAND BITCHES YEAH! \m/ This should be a lot of fun: I'll play with three people at a time, taking whatever instrument they don't want to play. We're supposed to be there for an hour, but once we start rocking, we'll be there until they pry our fake instruments from our cold, dead hands. There's a very good chance Yuri and Aaron will join us for a song or two. Also, if all of this isn't filmed and put online, I don't know why we even bothered to fight the Spanish American war, people. >
Dear God, somebody film this please…..
I really wish I could go. 😛
Kelly
The Convention Fans Blog
http://conventionfans.today.com
::sigh:: I look forward to the day when you can do an East Coast con. Have fun and geek out a little extra for us in the East.
–Jaque Chadall
The panel should be interesting, as Brent has been tweeting about how he’s looking forward to “not talking to Wil.” I wish I could be there to see it. 🙂
“Also, if all of this isn’t filmed and put online, I don’t know why we even bothered to fight the Spanish American war, people.”
You fought it to take away my homeland’s newfound freedom. :p
-o-
For the longest time I haven’t commented because I thought I had to register here. I just discovered I can use OpenID. W00t!
Looks like so much fun!!
Wish I could be there…
I’ll play with three people at a time, taking whatever instrument they don’t want to play.
Dude, you’re probably going to be singing all night!
I totally wish I could be there…stupid being poor and on the east coast…bleh.
I wish I could be there so I could watch you and Spiner ignore each other. (kidding)
This sounds great ; alas i am stuck on the east coast also 🙁
Rock Band is an awesome game;even my mom sang once (for all of 20 seconds but hey).
“I can defile the lovely picture with my filthy signature, if you want. Please note that some actors will charge you to sign the picture that you’ve already coughed up money to take. I am not one of them, because that is also lame.”
That is way cool of you sir.
“Wil Wheaton – Life Beyond Wesley [::facepalm::] ”
Sorry man…the facepalm made me laugh 😛 The title is a sick little ploy on their part, but the facepalm made me laugh…you sick little facepalm.
Rock Band?!? Rock Band?!? Why arent you playing WoW with the rest of us losers…see..they need to set up workstations with WoW and allow you to party with people on several quests so they can screenshot the text, print it for a fee, then have you sign it… ok if someone from the con is reading this and they get the idea to do that. PaTeNT PeNDiNG byatch!
PS: I love rock band 😛 Wife and I play it all the time, so Z, dont call me Lando for asking Rock Band twice.
Does one have to sign up for Rock Band before that night or is it a first come first served kind of thing?
Well they could have gone for a Full Nimoy and called it “Wil Wheaton – I Am Not Wesley”.
. . . with another session the next day called “Wil Wheaton – I Am Wesley.”
Well I hear on Twitter that Brent is going to be ignoring you at the con…so I wonder how that panel will go:) That and he’s selling the 2nd L in Wil. Have fun this weekend wish I could go, but I live on the east coast.
~~TARA~~
A Big RockBand event is awesome and I encourage everyone in the Phoenix area to attend and jam with Uncle Willie!
We setup RockBand at three or four American Cancer Society Relay for Life fund raising events every year here in the Valley of the Sun. We have a huge 12 foot screen and 1200 watts of sound. This year we are going to have the normal full setup and a second smaller one in a smaller tent to bring the uninitiated up to speed. It is always a big hit and much fun is had by all!
On an unrelated note, I Stumbled this just now http://archive.gamespy.com/dailyvictim/index.asp?id=570 and it made me laugh.
i will totally be there… its too bad there isnt a way to show the episode of Batman the Brave and the Bold since it will air during Phoenix Comicon. I will also so my best to record what i can and such…
lol last year i kinda geeked out when i met wil for the first time, couldnt say much, should be better this time 😉
How interesting that you have a Life Beyond Wesley panel considering you aren’t quite beyond him yet…
Matter of fact he’s competing directly with you in the second bracket of Paul and Storm’s Geek Madness: The Battle For Secretary of Geek Afairs.
http://www.paulandstorm.com/tournament/images/jorel_lg.jpg
Yes, you read that right, you beat Bruce Campbell and Wesley beat Dilton Doiley..so who want to place bets on who’s going to make it to the Geek 16, Wesley or Wil?
Voting in the 2nd round of the Jor-El Region begins Sunday, January 25th at 7PM EST. Vote early and good luck Wil.
I work on Saturday! ARG!!! I should have realized. arg…
It will be somewhere to see afterwards, right? The three of you? Right? I’ll pay…
I Can’t wait for this con to start! I’m taking a 10 hour flight for this. Not really sure what to expect as it’s my first Comicon. Looking forward to meeting Wil and geeking out for 3 days. I’ve just checked in online…only 1 sleep till my flight!
Hey, can’t wait to meet you at PCC. It’s weird to feel like you know someone you’ve never met IRL, but I’ve been reading here and your books for, well… Long before it was WWIX. Look forward to seeing you!
Misangela
(sorry about that weird google thing – apparently my typepad account is not working any more)
Hey Wil, did you notice yet that you are mentioned in the new Dork Tower?
Hilarious!!!
http://www.dorktower.com/
Wish I could make the con, but way too far for me.
That Dork Tower is all wrong. Everyone knows that Wil is a beer drinker, not some “Girl Drink Drunk”.
You’re a hard person to contact personally, so I’m putting it randomly under you’re last post.
Maybe you already know (or don’t care), since it’s from a few years back, but you’ve been turned into found poetry: http://foundpoetry.wordpress.com/page/3/
It’s the third last on the third page, which is conveniently where the link will take you.
This makes you a poet, kinda.
I will be there all weekend volunteering. Can’t wait to meet you, I’ll be the short blonde girl with wide eyes (first Comicon EVER)… weather reports say it’s SUPPOSED to rain part of the weekend, so… bring a light jacket, lol. =D
~~Gooniegirl
For Rock Band, we’re planning to have a sign up sheet for people to sign up on when the event starts.
Also note that Wil’s talk on Saturday is a full hour (or 55 minutes), not a half hour.
Lee Whiteside
SciFi Director, Phoenix ComiCon
Thank you so much for posting your schedule. I am going with my 4 year old, so planning is Key!
Whee! I am so glad you posted the schedule. I’m hoping to make the TNG panel and your talk Saturday night too. I hope you have as much fun this year as you did last year!
Ok, so I still wish I could go and see you, but hey, duty calls, eh?. But after doing a little research, I realized that there is a place in Mesa you might enjoy going to dinner at, maybe on Sunday night, as you will want to stay for a while.
http://www.organstoppizza.com.
Seriously, when is the last time you have heard the theme song to some show about an interstellar wagon train on a pipe organ that looks like it was built for the thing? You can make other requests as well.
Have lots of fun at the convention.
Omg you have no idea how absolutely thrilled I would be to be able to go to this con. I’m so close too! I’m from Houston, but I got to school in Tucson! I just don’t think it’s gonna happen… 🙁 We’ll see…