by Kimmie Chameleon:
After fighting my way through Good Friday/Spring Break/Disneyland/Anaheim Convention Center traffic, I entered the wonderful world of geekdom: WonderCon. With its second year at this Orange County location, it is becoming more and more popular. What struck me the most was all of the cosplay on display. At every glance, I saw Doctor Who, Marvel heroes, DC Comics heroes, Nintendo characters, steampunks, and anything and everything in between. I felt completely out of place being in regular street attire. For those attendees not in a costume, it was a sea of cleverly referenced T-shirts and hats, showcasing their love for whatever particular TV show, game, book, band, or movie they adore.
Artist Tom Hodges
I decided to take a stroll down Artist’s Alley. Rows and rows of the most amazing art awaited my eager eyes. I stopped at table AA-35 to visit artist, Tom Hodges. While he was greeting the droves of fans and sketching Wonder Girl, I asked him about his upcoming graphic novel “Mind of Mirrors”. He has teamed up the band Dan and Leland to create an inspired story based on their album with the same title. I, myself, am completely intrigued by the idea of combining music and the visual artistry of a graphic novel together. You can find “Mind of Mirrors “on their brand new Facebook fan page here, and the art of Tom Hodges here.
Further down the alley I stopped at table AA-111 where artist Casey Hirai is set up. Currently employed by Spin Master designing action figures, Casey offers adorable renderings of many characters, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the like. From key chains to commissioned sketches, Casey’s table caused a traffic jam of delighted onlookers. You can find Casey’s work at: http://www.ckeiji.com/
Right next to Casey, at table AA-110, resides the talented Paul Wilson. This freelance artist has a long list of creations, including his work as lead designer for the Spin Master series of Disney’s TRON Legacy toys. He has also designed for Hasbro, Warner Bros., and a multitude of other companies. His table caught the attention of convention goers, as they could not peel their eyes away from his renderings. You can find Paul’s work at: http://www.iamwheatking.com/
Artist Paul Wilson
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the BBC’s Doctor Who was premiering “The Bells of Saint John” upstairs on the third level of the convention center. As I waited in a two hour line to catch the new episode a full day before the general public, I was overwhelmed by the immense fandom of “Whovians”. These dedicated fans represented their love for “the Doctor” with bow ties and full-bodied Daleks. The series premiere of Doctor Who starts March 30th, 2013. Be prepared laughs and high jinks, because as always, the Doctor never disappoints. Find your showtimes and channel information for this series at: http://www.bbcamerica.com/doctor-who/
Here is a sneak peek at tonight’s new Doctor Who episode of “The Bells of Saint John”:
DarkMedia contributing writer Kimmie Chameleon was born and raised with a healthy appreciation for horror and science fiction. She currently covers Supernatural, Ghost Adventures, BBC’s Being Human, Syfy’s Being Human, and Sherlock. When she’s not out ghost hunting with her kids, you can find her stealing a moment to add to her own pieces of fiction. Follow her on Twitter @dvsduo and “friend” her on Facebook.
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