To all our guests and presenters from all over the country, and to all of our sponsors and volunteers, thank you for two days of learning, cosplay and fun in Williamsport PA, home of Little League, and now home of the first ever Wildcat Comic Con! Check out the photos in our gallery or on Facebook for the event in action!
We look forward to hearing your feedback on the survey!
The keynote address, "Comics and Context," will be presented by Karen Green, Columbia University's graphic novel selector and librarian for ancient and medieval history. (The original keynoter - Michael Bitz, executive director of the Center for Educational Pathways and founder of the national Comic Book Project - is unable to attend.)
A 2011 Eisner Award judge and advocate for comics in education, Green writes the "Comic Adventures in Academia" column for the blog, ComiXology, which examines issues in comics librarianship. She recently organized a two-day event for Columbia called "Comic New York: A Symposium," which brought together creators and academics to discuss the intertwined histories of American comics and their New York City birthplace.
She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art and holds graduate degrees in medieval history and library science.
We have a full schedule of author and artist signings taking place for Wildcat Comic Con! Walter Koenig will be signing photographs and a limited edition of his comic Things to Come Vol. 1 on Saturday.
We have even more great authors like David Small, Barry Lyga, Frank Beddor, Jay Hosler, Jim Ottaviani, Mark McKenna and many more will be signing books and art on both days of the Wildcat Comic Con. Book signings will take place in the Madigan Library. Check the schedule for times
Purchase your tickets today Online, at the Madigan Library, or at registration during both days of Wildcat Comic Con.
One day pass: $20. Two day pass $30. Kids 12 and Under are FREE with a paid adult! Save time and print off your on-site registration form today!
Tania Del Rio, Tracy White and yuumei represent the next generation of women comics creators at Wildcat Comic Con.
Del Rio's works include a five-year run as the writer and artist on Sabrina the Teenage Witch for Archie Comics. Tracy White's debut effort How I made it to 18 won critical acclaim from fans and trade publications alike and yummei has established a following of millions for her digital comics on deviantART.com
Walter Koenig, known to Star Trek fans around the world as Commander Pavel Chekov from the ground-breaking television series and block-buster Star Trek movie franchise will be making two appearances at Wildcat Comic Con.
Koenig will be promoting his new graphic novel Things to Come with a special panel on Saturday April 14th and he will also be the Special Guest Speaker for the official closing ceremonies later that afternoon in the Klump Auditorium (check our schedule for times and locations).
Preparations continue for the debut of Wildcat Comic Con at Pennsylvania College of Technology, and the list of special guest speakers has grown to include actors, a film producer and an award-winning special effects designer.
Actor Walter Koenig, who portrayed Lt. Pavel Chekov in the groundbreaking sci-fi TV series "Star Trek," and who reprised his role in the blockbuster movie franchise, is coming to Wildcat Comic Con to talk about his days on board the USS Enterprise and about his graphic novel, "Things to Come," to be published in June.
He will be joined by Williamsport's own Oscar-winning character designer Tom Woodruff Jr., whose works have been featured in such major films as "Aliens," "Tremors," "Starship Troopers" and "Spider-Man." A graduate of Loyalsock Township High School, Woodruff won an Academy Award for his work on "Death Becomes Her," starring Meryl Streep.
Actor, film producer and author Frank Beddor also will attend Wildcat Comic Con to talk about the world of the comics medium. He found his first major success in Hollywood as a producer for the hit movie "There's Something About Mary," starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. Beddor is also an author and co-creator of the Lewis Carroll-inspired "Looking Glass Wars" and Hatter M book series that began publishing in 2006.
Wildcat Comic Con will feature more than 50 speakers from a wide range of professions in the film, comics publishing and video gaming industries, as well as educational professionals who are gathering to talk about the incredible connection those careers have to American culture.
The speakers will be joined by fans and enthusiasts for two days of celebration on Penn College's main campus in Williamsport. Children's programming has recently been added to the schedule, and organizers are offering March Madness discounts on ticket prices and vendor rates.
To learn more about the convention and to purchase tickets, visit online.
For more about Penn College, visit on the Web, email or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
This April, Pennsylvania College of Technology may look more like a film production set filled with characters out of a science fiction, fantasy or superhero movie, as comics fans invade dressed as their favorite characters for the Wildcat Comic Con.
The unprecedented event, set for April 13-14 on the college's main campus in Williamsport, will combine professional-development sessions on comics and graphic novels and a range of "fan-friendly" activities that run the gamut from anime to zombies.
The term "cosplay" - or costume play - is one most likely to be associated with comic cons, or comic conventions, across North America and Asia. Though it may sound like something you would find at Halloween, cosplay is a hobby and a passion for adults - as well as young men and women - and it can mean investing hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars and hours into the design and creation of a costume.
"Cosplay isn't just about admiration for an anime or game. It's also about expressing yourself, stepping outside your comfort zone through the putting on of a costume," said Tracey Amey, librarian for access initiatives at Penn College's Madigan Library and coordinator of the Wildcat Comic Con's cosplay contest. "It doesn't just challenge your costuming or makeup skills. It challenges you to open yourself up to new experiences."
Who is into cosplay? Fans come from all walks of life and all age ranges; it all depends on their specific interests. Costume players are inspired by their own unique interests, whether they have been comics fans for their whole lives or are watching the newest anime series.
Costume designs can range from Naruto, Pokémon and Power Rangers to "Star Wars" and "Star Trek," along with superheroes like Green Lantern, Wolverine, Batman or Wonder Woman.
Whether the fans are into "Star Wars," Halo or the X-Men, they can invest as much into the look and quality of their costumes as others would invest in Civil War uniforms for battlefield re-enactments. Fans strive for authenticity and accuracy for costumes inspired by video games, comics or anime. In the world of Steam Punk, however, fans endeavor to blend originality and ingenuity with antique-looking technology and Victorian fashion.
Wildcat Comic Con will host a costume contest to celebrate the efforts of these dedicated fans; the top three winning entries will win cash prizes. A special venue will be set up both days, with photographers snapping pictures of each costume for judging purposes. The top 25 participants will be invited back for announcement of the results on the afternoon of April 14.
More about the cosplay contest - including guidelines and an entry form, as well as overall registration for the two-day Wildcat Comic Con - is available online.
For additional information about Penn College, visit on the Web , email or call toll-free 800-367-9222
Storm Troopers, Rebel Fighters, Wookiees and many more from the "Star Wars" universe are set to invade the inaugural Wildcat Comic Con, to be held April 13-14 on Pennsylvania College of Technology's main campus in Williamsport.
Two international fan organizations will dress as iconic characters from the movie series and present costuming workshops and discussion groups dedicated to "Star Wars" during the event.
Representing The Rebellion (or the "good guys") are the members of the Echo Base chapter of The Rebel Legion, an all-volunteer organization by, of and for people interested in creating costumes from the "Star Wars" mythos.
From the "Dark Side" is Garrison Carida , of the 501st Legion "Vader's Fist," founded in May 1999. The Pennsylvania-, Delaware- and West Virginia-based group represents "Star Wars" fans who dress as such favorite characters as Darth Vader, Storm Troopers, Scout Troopers, Snow Troopers and Bounty Hunters.
Each group will have a booth in the exhibit hall/Artist Alley during Wildcat Comic Con, where they will discuss all things "Star Wars"-related. They are also looking for recruits to join their organizations and will provide workshops during the show that will allow participants to research, create, build and improve their costumes in a place where people with similar passions share skills, tips and ideas.
For more about the workshops, or to register for any of the other activities scheduled during Wildcat Comic Con, visit online .
For more information about Penn College, visit on the Web , email or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
Are you a Penn College student who's a serious fan of the comics, gaming, sci-fi, or animation worlds? Wildcat Comic Con is hosting an open call for Penn College student-created programs and presentations that will take place Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14, 2012. If you would like to present a one-hour workshop, program or discussion panel about a topic related to comics, manga, anime, steampunk, video games, or cosplay, we want to hear from you!
Penn College students should look for the complete announcement on the Penn College student portal.
The business, art and storytelling of comics and graphic novels - from anime to zombies - will be discussed during a range of ComiXnite programs at Pennsylvania College of Technology's Madigan Library in October and November.
Partially funded with a $3,500 Library Services and Technology Act grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, the programs will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays from Oct. 5 to Nov. 30 in the library's second-floor reading loft. (There will be no session during Thanksgiving week.)
In addition to the workshops, the funding will greatly expand the Madigan Library's graphic-novel collection and will help foster high school students' literacy - as well as their college preparedness - through exposure to reading, discussion groups and related activities.
"Academic librarians and their partners have sought to create programming to stimulate interest in and readiness for the college experience among high school students," library director Lisette Ormsbee wrote in the grant proposal. "We believe that the programming around the graphic novel and other sequential art formats can jump-start continued high school to college readiness programming around other collections and subjects."
Libraries at Hughesville, Loyalsock Township, Montgomery Area, Montoursville Area, Muncy Jr./Sr., South Williamsport Jr./Sr. and Williamsport Area high schools are among the partners in the series, which will whet the appetite for the inaugural Wildcat Comic Conscheduled at Penn College on April 13-14.
The topics and dates for ComiXnite activities:
The workshops variously will be led by John Shableski, program organizer and publisher liaison for the Wildcat Comic Con; John Weaver, from Williamsport Area High School's English department; Dave S. Sims, associate professor of English at Penn College; Jim Van Fleet, librarian for science and engineering at Bucknell University; and Rhonda A. Fisher, a Penn College librarian.
Madigan Library faculty Patricia A. Scott and Judy J. Zebrowski are coordinating the effort, with support from the library's Outreach Team.
Students who register for ComiXnite programs will be able to join Madigan Library with a one-year waiver of the annual membership fee. Using a Madigan Library card, high school students can check out books and movies, as well as use library computers to access online resources. Students ages 15 to 18 need a signed parental-consent form before a card can be issued.
Light refreshments will be served at each session. For more information or to register, email .
For more about Penn College, visit on the Web , email or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
With a lineup that includes an Emmy Award winner, a National Book Award finalist and a recognized leader in introducing comic books and graphic novels to school libraries, the inaugural Wildcat Comic Con promises to deliver a host of cartoonists, authors and industry trailblazers to Pennsylvania College of Technology.
More than 30 talented writers, artists and experts in the fields of comics, graphic novels, animation and video-game development, as well as pioneers from the educational and library markets, are expected to be among the eventual presenters and panelists at the groundbreaking April 13-14 event on Penn College's main campus in Williamsport.
"We will have programming developed for students, fans, teachers and librarians, and, as far as I am aware, Penn College is the first educational institution in the country to create such an all-encompassing approach to the comics convention format," said John Shableski, program organizer and publisher liaison.
"What's really exciting about the speakers we have for this event is they will be seen not just as presenters, but teachers as well," he said. "Many of these folks will be working with students who want a career in the comics industry, or educators looking for insights on the science behind the art of the comics medium."
Among the first to commit are Dean Haspiel, who has played an influential role in the comics and graphic novel world; David Small, an award-winning children's illustrator who splashed into the comics medium with his memoir, "Stitches;" and Barry Lyga, whose "Free Comic Book Day" led to a guest appearance on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."
In addition, Wildcat Comic Con will be host to The New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Josh Neufeld and librarian favorite Jimmy Gownley, creator of the "Amelia Rules!" graphic-novel series. Another highlight of the show will be a presentation from award-winning children's author Sarah Stewart.
Registration will begin Nov. 1 for the Wildcat Comic Con, which will feature presentations, workshops and professional-development opportunities by experts in the fields of literacy, cartooning, graphic design, academic study, comics publishing and librarianship.
Not without its fun side, there also will be fan-friendly offerings such as an Artists Alley, a cosplay (costumed play) contest and masquerade ball, gaming events and certain surprises.
Additional speakers and expanded biographical information, specifics about programming tracks and other Wildcat Comic Con events, registration and accommodations will be available online as details are finalized.
For more information about Penn College, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
The ever-expanding world of comics - from the Sunday funnies and comic books to graphic novels, manga and animation to video games - will be celebrated during Wildcat Comic Con, set for April 13-14 on Pennsylvania College of Technology's main campus in Williamsport.
Held at various campus facilities and centered around the college's Madigan Library, the first-ever Wildcat Comic Con will feature several tracks of programming and entertainment for high school and college students who want to enter the exciting worlds of comics and graphic-novel publishing, animation and gaming development.
"Penn College and the Madigan Library are committed to offering increased opportunities for student success centered on reading, communication and other language-arts skills," said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. "Balancing those opportunities with fun activities, we anticipate the Wildcat Comic Con will be a great success."
There also will be professional-development opportunities for educators and librarians to learn more about the use of graphic novels and comics in literacy initiatives, as well as fan-friendly activities such as super-hero panels, anime discussion groups, and "cosplay" (costumed role play) and gaming events.
"This will be the perfect blend of fun fan stuff, career development and professional programming," said John Shableski, a graphic novel expert, consultant and driving force behind the two-day festival. "It brings the comic-con world to Penn College at a moment when the medium is quickly approaching a market explosion."
Specific information about programming tracks and other Wildcat Comic Con happenings, registration, keynote speakers, and accommodations will be available online as details are finalized.
"Comics, graphic novels and other sequential art can build bridges to interdisciplinary learning in ways that many educators and librarians have just begun to explore," noted Lisette N. Ormsbee, Madigan Library director.
Indeed, the far-reaching medium is acknowledged to go well beyond artistic contribution and pop-culture cachet to help heighten literacy, offer curricular benefit and provide meaning to student' very existence.
The festival solidifies some of the college's groundwork in recognizing the flourishing comics culture: The institution has offered a course in "The Graphic Novel" for nearly two decades (taught by Dave Sims, associate professor of English), and Madigan Library has endeavored in recent years to bolster its collection and the educational benefit it represents to high school and college students alike.
"A medium that both proficient and struggling readers find engaging allows connections between high school and college," noted John Weaver, a member of the Wildcat Comic Con planning group who has invaluably woven graphic novels into his English classes at Williamsport Area High School. "It may demonstrate to students that what they do in the classroom can have a direct impact on what they do with their lives - all starting with the humble 'funny book.'"
For information about Penn College, visit on the Web, email or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
