Wizard World recognizes New Orleans Comic Con fan groups

January 17, 2012:  Wizard World released an official statement on fan groups featured during the 2012 Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con to be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Saturday, January 28, and Sunday, January 29, 2012.  Each group is listed in alpha order with a description, and the list is included at the end of this article.

Fan groups are comprised of fans particularly enthused in a selected genre, movie, historical period, costuming craze, character, TV series, etc.  Wizard World invites recognized local fan groups scheduled to attend all franchised conventions nationwide.  

Are you planning to attend Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, or another Wizard World Comic Con?

Don't miss out on fan tables, because they offer the mother load of free swag, information, fun, games, friends and membership opportunities.

Featured fan groups based in New Orleans include Steampunk Americans, NOLA Krewe of Pirate Wenches, 501st Bast Alpha Garrison, Rebel Legion Degobah Base, Cast Aways Open Theatre Troupe, the SCA Barony of Axemoor and Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat Fan Club.

Steampunk Americans has been growing in popularity along with other Steampunk groups across the United States and worldwide.  This will be the second year Steampunk Americans will present a fan table, but it will be a very bittersweet presentation for the group.  Founder Del Zervopoulos passed away on the morning of January 7, 2012.  Del, known to be 'larger than life' by family and friends in fandom, will truly be missed.

Cher Groves, President of NOLA Krewe of Pirate Wenches, has set up a special Del R. Zervopoulos Memorial Page in his honor.

This article is written by founder and owner of the Cast Aways Open Theatre Troupe.  The Cast Aways will showcase a special memorial shield at their fan table, ready to be signed by fans, friends, and those wanting to contribute to the legend of Del.  The shield will be presented to Del's family on March 3, 2012, at a special memorial presented by Cher and the Krewe to be held in his honor.

The 501st Legion Bast Alpha Garrison and Rebel Legion, Degobah Base were a hit in 2011, and they will return in Force for the 2012 venue.  If you ever wanted a photo with a stormtrooper, now's your chance!

Louisiana Ghostbusters and Red Stick Rebellions Star Wars Collectors Club, both based in Baton Rouge, are also featured, as are many more!

Science Fiction conventions across the region have also been welcomed to set up fan tables.  Look for New Orleans own CONtraflow, CoastCon out of Biloxi, Mobile-based Mobicon and BayouCon of Lake Charles.

New Orleans is home to two Anime conventions, and both MechaCon and UltimaCon will showcase fan tables.

Intergallactic Krewe of Chewbacchus will make their second appearance at this second annual New Orleans convention.

Fan groups below are listed in alphabetical order as per Wizard World:

• 501st Garrison/Bast Alpha Garrison, the Louisiana chapter of the 501st Legion, featuring the "bad guys" from the Star Wars Universe. The 501st Legion has over 4000 members from all 50 states and 22 countries around the world.
• Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat, the official fan club for Anne Rice's “Vampire Lestat,” the Vampire Chronicles and the annual New Orleans Vampire Ball.
• Barony of Axemoor, the local chapter of the SCA, an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-Century Europe.
• BayouCon, held in the heart of Southwest Louisiana, is Lake Charles’ original fan produced convention. This two event will offer new and exciting things in 2012 (June 30 – July 1), including a move to a better location, Exhibition Hall.
• Cast Aways Open Theatre Troupe, whose costumed volunteers perform at fairs, festivals, conventions, and charity events. They appear in parades and in films. New Orleans Comic Con attendees are welcomed to come and visit the Royal Court of Cast Aways and participate in the Quest for the King of the Realm.
• CoastCon, Mississippi's oldest and largest science fiction, fantasy and gaming convention. It is the main sponsored event of CoastCon, Inc., a non-profit literary organization run by a 10-member volunteer board who give their time during the year to develop events and gatherings to promote reading, education, fellowship, and of course science fiction, fantasy and gaming.
• Comics4Kids, a not for profit organization that collects, receives, purchases, and inherits comic books and then gives them away to children for free in hopes of improving literacy and encouraging imagination, as well as promoting the comic book collecting medium as a hobby.
• CONtraflow, a new three-day general science fiction convention which took place at the Clarion Inn Westbank in Gretna November 4-6, 2011, just minutes from the French Quarter. Highlights included a dealers' room, 24-hour table top gaming, a dance, a costume contest, an art show, hospitality suite and more. Guests for the first year included Author Guest of Honor David Brin, Musical Guest of Honor the great Luke Ski,Gaming Guest of Honor Michael Scott and Fan Guest of Honor Robert Neagle; as well as author and comics writer Victor Gischler and NASA science guest Les Johnson.
• D20 Girls Project, a semi-unique business that combines Social Networking, Talent Management, and Event Services. D20 also arranges with manufacturers, publishers and conventions to provide trade show models and spokes models at gaming and fandom related industry conventions across the U.S.
• Down the Road Show, a great, fun-loving, light-hearted, and professionally produced entertainment-oriented talk show that focuses on discussions about film, music, TV, food, comics, charity events, local happenings, etc., and bacon.
• Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, a parade organization for the most revelrous of Star Wars Freaks, Trekkies, Whovians, Mega-Geeks, Circuit Benders, Cryptozooligists, UFO Conspiracy Theorists, and all the rest of Super Nerdom.
• Louisiana Ghostbusters, a fan-based Ghostbusters franchise. As costumers and fans of Ghostbusters, LG represents an open costuming policy with movie-accurate props and wardrobe representing all aspects of the Ghostbusters series of movies, cartoons, games, and novels. As a service organization, the group directs money to charities, participates in fundraisers for charities, attends fund-raising events, and performs charitable acts and community service.
• MechaCon™ bridges the genres of Anime and Transformers with Japanese cultural exhibits, panels and presentations, MechaCon™ was the first convention of its kind.  It will be held Sept. 7-9 at Hilton New Orleans Riverside.
• Mind's Eye Society, founded in 1992, an international fan organization dedicated to White Wolf's World of Darkness in all its incarnations. One of the world's largest gaming fan communities, with thousands of members all over the globe, The Mind's Eye Society not only offers global World of Darkness roleplaying chronicles but also supports charity fundraising, community service activities and social events organized by its members.
• Mississippi Mandalorians, founded in April 2005, now grown to be the premier and largest Sci-Fi appreciation group in the state of Mississippi having also appeared at Celebration IV and V.
• Mobicon, Mobile, Alabama's annual three-day science fiction, fantasy, gaming, anime, paranormal, horror, and comic convention, set for May 18-20, 2012.  Mobicon is a not for profit convention and proceeds benefit a local charity.
• New Orleans Public Library, the premier cultural institution that celebrates and preserves the collective memory and living history of New Orleans, Louisiana and the world. NOPL fosters the future aspirations and democratic dreams of all.
• NOLA Krewe of Pirate Wenches, Piratical social club based in the 300 year old City of New Orleans. Founded in August 2007, its mission is to bring a taste of the revelrous high seas into the lives of modern-day pirates and wenches as they eat, drink, and terrorize the town for great causes.
• One World by Night, an organization dedicated to creating links between White Wolf's Mind's Eye Theatre LARP games around the world. By combining the various stories of member Chronicles, OWbN hopes to enhance the enjoyment of its members by expanding local plots to the world, truly creating a World of Darkness. OWbN currently stretches to over 100 chronicles in the US, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, and Israel.
• Rebel Legion, Dagobah Base, a chapter of the Rebel Legion serving the state of Louisiana, is a volunteer Star Wars costuming organization of fans who enjoy researching and recreating a wide range of costumes that represent the "good guys" of the Star Wars stories.
• Red Stick Rebellion Star Wars Collectors Club, a Star Wars collectors group based in Baton Rouge, La.  Every month it has a different focus topic presented by individuals who have a great deal of knowledge in the area - plus they always have our regular general discussion, trading and lots of fun.
• The Steam Engine Intrepid, a renegade steampunk group out of San Antonio Texas but with scouts in other cities, which prefers to travel by rail because the thought of an airship sickens its leader, the Dark Professor.
• Steampunk Americans, a group of Steampunk enthusiast in New Orleans. NOLA is truly Victorian city where the ships still run on steam and the Absinthe flows like water. As one of the last bastions of the civilized world, this city still let citizens smoke tobacco in the taverns and openly drink in the glow of the gas streetlights.
• The Garou Nation, a national organization of networked Live Action Werewolf: The Apocalypse Role-playing games that share a universe in White Wolf's original World of Darkness game setting. The Garou Nation's goal is to enhance and expand different chronicles across the country as a shared network that shares those experiences with friends and fellow players.
• UltimaCon, an Anime, Gaming and LARPing Convention that seeks to cater to a variety of interests such as Japanese culture and animation, video gaming, tabletop miniatures and collectible card gaming, Live-Action-Roleplaying, and other intertwining interests.  Set for Friday May 25, through Sunday, May 27, at the Sheraton New Orleans.
• USS Azrael, the only correspondence chapter of Starfleet International in Louisiana, part of Starfleet the International Star Trek fan club, with members all over the state and afar. The Chapter is unique that it is designed for the busy person still wanting to enjoy Fun, Family, and Friendship in a Sci-Fi environment.
• USS Corsair, provides fans a way to meet each other, make friends, have fun, give back to their community, and show that the dream of Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry can endure. In 2007, the club was awarded “Shakedown Mission of the Year” by its parent organization, Starfleet International and in 2010, it received the Regional Chapter of the Year Award.
• WGTR “World Grand Theft Radio,” the nationwide internet radio station No. 1 worldwide Halloween radio station in Sept & Oct. With over 30 original shows a week live, “our mission to make your on air dreams come true!”

Kelly, Kevin.  (via Milani, Jerry.) " Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Steampunk Fan Clubs, Charities, Podcasters Among Special Groups To Attend Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, Jan. 28-29 At Ernest N. Morial Convention Center" Wizard World.  January 17, 2012.