Dragon Con 2015

We were so lucky to have a correspondent document Dragon Con for us! Enjoy the lovely Anna on her con journey! ~Roni 😀

I received a text from my boss Saturday morning: “Is Dragon Con this weekend? There’s a lot of freakiness going on in Midtown.” In response, I texted her this picture of me.

11947575_10100282642129731_6267540283894774737_n

This year marks my fourth Dragon Con, the largest science fiction/fantasy/anime etc. convention in the world! With the first Dragon Con having been held in 1987, Dragon Con is just a few years younger than I am, but attracts guests from all age groups. It is held in Atlanta, GA every year on Labor Day weekend in 4 downtown hotels, and seems to get bigger each year. For some of us who live in this city, it is a huge nerdgasm that we have been waiting for all year. For others, it is that time of year when all the wookies come out to play and block traffic. Either way, I think everyone still finds it entertaining.

11952054_10100282641710571_3725191401600109150_n

11954661_10100282641770451_7699873043412709085_n
Got my program, got my badge, ready to go!

There are 3 main reasons I go to Dragon Con.
• The Cosplay
• The Walk of Fame
• The Art Show
• And I guess really there’s a 4th…the Vendors, because I admittedly love to buy things.

There is so much to do at Dragon Con, it’s hard to see it all! Spanning 4 hotels, there are panels, workshops, table-top gaming rooms (that’s right, an entire hotel basement full of people playing card games like Magic or full table top versions of Dungeons and Dragons that goes on for the duration of the Con!). It is a non-stop nerd and geek show with tons to do, but since I can’t describe it all, I’m going to focus on my top 3.


The Cosplay – where everyone can be a star!
I’d like to add, that if anyone recognizes the participating cosplayers please let us know, so we can tag them. 🙂 ~R

Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 7.24.20 PMThis kiddo, dressed as Kratos from God of War, jumped up and down and yelled “Deadpool, Deadpool, Deadpool!” almost dropping his swords as he ran over to take a photo with his favorite antihero!

11986386_10100282635537941_8308198479295687711_nHis sister was apparently more interested in my costume, and begged her mom to take a picture of her with me. Look at her pose, rocking that Thor costume!

11760151_10100282641261471_3622823542284828367_nHarley doesn’t seem particularly interested in what Deadpool had to say.

Here are a few others. See if you can recognize them.

Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 7.33.28 PMJoy & Sadness from the Disney “Inside Out” movie.

11986540_10100282641550891_3138253529251426800_nThe Green Arrow

11988585_10100282641336321_2987303625247136983_nOptimus Prime, who was flashing lights and blaring ‘80s music while wearing a “Prime” license plate on his behind.

Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 7.37.08 PMWolverine. This guy did such an awesome job…my husband said some people are probably going to go home and say “Look! I got a picture with Hugh Jackman!” That’s our Lonster!!! ~R

11953101_10100282636466081_5979561992627425726_nThe lovely Queen Amidala!

11988663_10100282636510991_3270925141019147193_nMaleficent at the Walk of Fame.

Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 7.41.58 PMSonic the Hedgehog.

11702776_10100282635642731_7457245066853036948_nPink Power Ranger

11659335_10100282635847321_1037090742111669347_n…and is that a handsome male version of Sailor Moon?

11995960_10100282641810371_331974361608942679_nDisney was also represented with Ursula and Ariel.

I also loved that employees at several shops decided to dress up as Minions!
1391753_10100282637139731_1717588557465842059_nHere are CVS employees, working the Con.

11998912_10100282642059871_8991108352584273736_nThis Concierge at the Sheraton made me wait for him to put on his goggles and gloves before taking the photo.

11949405_10100282636301411_3249731398313320577_nThis lady dressed as the Hannibal demon was pretty amazing (and steaming up in that costume, apparently! She took her mask off several times in order to breathe…art is suffering?)

10568864_10100282636376261_5348783392918619687_nSeveral individuals were dressed as fauns. She did an excellent job.

10868298_10100282641670651_6630831308341196922_nSome tied politics into their cosplay. Stormtrooper campaigning.

10462629_10100282642419151_2571187809527148113_nRonald McDonald, the true Captain America. Banksy, anyone?
Ok, and if you’re an anime fan (and yes, I am!) then you might recognize a couple of these!

11220859_10100282636850311_3778964482861437222_nStudio Ghibli represented by characters from Miyazaki’s Spirited Away.

11986306_10100282637029951_2922990292542691526_nFairy Tail series: Laxus Dreyar and Erza Scarlet.

11990682_10100282641530931_5589453644508919054_nAttack on Titan Series. Eren Yeager, complete with home-made sword dispenser.

11988706_10100282641391211_5461854303032719544_nTrigun Series: Vash the Stampede with Sailor Pluto!

11921706_10100282641725541_85794683610153315_nTrigun Series: Nicholas D. Wolfwood. ::sigh:: my favorite character. SPOILER ALERT!
I stopped watching the series when I found out he dies.

11938061_10100282635677661_5302255661495496610_nAvatar: The Last Airbender

11951323_10100282641945101_424841869642136962_nThese ladies were from “Love, Live!” but admitted to never watching the anime. “We just wanted to dress up!”

10437426_10100282642099791_54781097803341219_nMixing themes always creates something unique! This young lady is sporting a “Harley Quinn, Princess Leia mix.”

11899745_10100282637144721_8181462792073866567_nAnd even cosplayers need to eat and rest…
10686898_10100282636101811_3016937766356869159_n

Now, onto The Walk of Fame – Celebrities made for a nerd!

The cast of BattleStar Galactica and several of the Lord of the Rings dwarves were present, as well as voice actors for various animated films and series. In the past, there has been representation from Futurama and Archer, and this year there was Space Ghost, Coast-to-Coast.
Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 8.18.00 PM

My husband, Miao, accompanied me this year because he ruined my autographed George Takei photo from a previous Dragon Con and promised to make it up to me by getting an autograph from our favorite Game of Thrones character….Hodor.
Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 8.19.58 PMDid you know that Hodor (a.k.a. Kristian Nairn) is also a DJ in Northern Ireland? So awesome.
Next up, The Art Show – where science fiction and fantasy artists come to auction and display their work. This year, the auction benefitted the Lymphoma Society.

Here are a few of my purchases. Again, I like to buy things. XD
Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 8.27.06 PMThis super-cute sloth from Janelle’s Plushies. I asked if she only made sloths, since that’s all I saw at her stand, but she told me that she actually specializes in character plushies and makes special orders. However, at the art show, artists were not allowed to show fan art – only original work, “so I just made a ton of sloths.” She did also have a “monster skin” that was amazing….it was basically a hand-made ~ 3×5 foot rug made to look like a monster skin with the head attached (mimicking a bear skin rug) that you could throw on the floor. Pretty amazing.

Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 8.31.00 PMI also purchased these pendants by Paulina Cassidy.  She gave me a copy of her children’s book as well “Lullabye & Latimer.” Beautiful and whimsical illustrations.

There were so many wonderful artists. I do have to mention that I would have purchased from thelegendofawesome.com as well if I could have afforded it. Jamie Sichel, the artist, made fake hunting trophies out of comical monster heads. HA!

Here are a few other vendors represented.

11988734_10100282636446121_1263005565137508266_nhttp://www.frenchyandthepunk.com/ Folk Cabaret!

11951268_10100282636136741_4823882110740908479_nZombie Squad. Zombiehunters.org

Screen Shot 2015-09-06 at 8.39.38 PMAnime Weekend Atlanta http://awa-con.com/ …another con I need to get to some day.

11990619_10100282636171671_4908756848181914071_nThe Society for Creative Anachronism http://www.sca.org/ , bringing history to life.
And yes, there’s a con for that, too!
11949421_10100282635987041_2428108679675424397_n


11988530_10100282636650711_5982775614915948440_nNetherworld is also represented here – quite possibly the scariest and most fascinating haunted house I’ve ever been to – it’s reputation as one of the Top 10 haunted houses in America is well-earned!11987170_10100282639969061_8480200256650644506_n
Atlanta is pretty wonderful with all these things going on, you gotta admit!

Fantastic job Anna! We here at NC hope to make it to Dragon Con soon enough!!! #NerdDreams

Enjoy Nerds!
~R

Bookmark the permalink.

0 Comments

  1. Anna, those are my babies, Kratos and Thor, that you have pictured above! They had so much fun this weekend. Thank you again for taking a picture with my little Thor. She loved your costume and practically drug me across the floor to snap the picture.

  2. That’s great!!! I’m so glad you found this post!

    • My husband actually found it and forwarded it to me. The kids saw the post this morning and their smiles almost swallowed their faces. 🙂

  3. Hi! i’m the Joy from Inside Out cosplay! Really excited to find a photo online. Thanks for posting!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *