Upcoming Events: October 2010 & Beyond

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BrickCon: September 30th - October 3rd, 2010 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.brickcon.org/

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ConQuest Oregon: October 1st-3rd, 2010 - Hillsburo, Oregon
Website: http://www.conquestoregon.com/

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H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival: October 1st-3rd, 2010 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://hplfilmfestival.com

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Twilight Convention: October 1st-3rd, 2010 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/twilight_or.htm

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VCON: October 1st-3rd, 2010 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.vcon.ca

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Lynden Train Show: October 2nd-3rd, 2010 - Lynden, Washington
Website: http://www.lyndentrainshow.com/

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Wordstock Festival: October 7th-10th, 2010 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.wordstockfestival.com/

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Tactical Solutions: October 8th-10th, 2010 - Spokane Valley, Washington
Website: http://tactical-solutions-gaming.tripod.com/index.html

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IPMS Vancouver Fall Model Show: October 9th, 2010 - Burnaby, BC Canada
Website: http://www.ipmsvancouver.ca/page2/page2.html

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TEDxRainier: October 10th, 2010 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://tedxrainier.com

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Northwest Events Show: October 12th, 2010 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.nweventshow.com/

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Con-Version: October 15th-17th, 2010 - Calgary, AB Canada
Website: http://www.con-version.org/

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FallCon: October 15th-17th, 2010 - Calgary, AB Canada
Website: http://www.fallcon.com/

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Tri-City Independent Fan Film Festival: October 16th, 2010 - Richland, Washington
Website: http://www.tcif3.com/

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Red & White Calgary Comic & Toy Expo: October 17th, 2010 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.comicandtoy.ca/

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Robothon: October 22nd-24th, 2010 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.robothon.org

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ZOMBCON: October 29th-31st, 2010 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.zombcon.com

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Hot Rod Monsters Film Festival: October 30th-31st, 2010 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.hotrodmonstersfilmfest.com/

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Victoria Toy Show: October 31st, 2010 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://members.shaw.ca/dshelton99/

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Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival: October 3rd-7th, 2010 - Calgary, AB Canada
Website: http://www.giraffest.ca/

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AmberCon Northwest: November 4th-6th, 2010 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.amberconnw.org/

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Aki Con: November 5th-7th, 2010 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.akicon.org/

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BellinghamComiCon: November 6th, 2010 - Ferndale, Washington
Website: http://www.bellinghamcomicon.com

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BottosCon: November 12th-14th, 2010 - Surrey, BC Canada
Website: http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/BottosCon/

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Orycon: November 12th-14th, 2010 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.orycon.org/

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Greater Vancouver DieCast Toy Show: November 14th, 2010 - Pitt Meadows, BC Canada
Website: http://www.ricktippe.com/diecast/

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Portland Comic Book Show: November 14th, 2010 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.portlandcomicbookshow.com/

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SteamCon: November 19th-21th, 2010 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.steamcon.org

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Tomodaichi Fest: November 26th-28th, 2010 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.tomodachifest.com/

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PLAY! a Video Game Symphony: December 6th, 2010 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.play-symphony.com

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Pacific Science Center Model Train Show: January 15th-17th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.4dpnr.org/PSCshow.htm

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RustyCon: January 15th-17th, 2011 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.rustycon.com/

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ConQuest NW: January 21st-23rd, 2011 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.conquestnw.com/

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Salute To Twilight Convention: January 21st-23rd, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/twilight_wa.htm

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2D Or Not 2D Animation Festival: January 22nd, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.2dornot2d.org/

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Game Design Expo: January 22nd-23rd, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.gamedesignexpo.com/

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Video Games Live!: January 22nd, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.videogameslive.com

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Spark FX: January 26th - January 30th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://siggraph.ca/

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Conflikt: January 28th-30th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://conflikt.org/

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Gotta Con: February 4th-6th, 2011 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.gottacon.com/

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Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival: February 5th, 2011 - Seattle, WA
Website: http://www.empsfm.org/filmfestival/

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Northwest Model Hobby Expo: February 11th-13th, 2011 - Monroe, Washington
Website: http://www.nwmodelhobbyexpo.com/

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BeyondCon: February 18-20th, 2011 - Gig Harbor, Washington
Website: http://www.beyondcon.org

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RadCon: February 18-20th, 2011 - Pasco, Washington
Website: http://www.radcon.org/

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Chibi Chibi Con: February 19th, 2011 - Olympia, Washington
Website: http://chibichibicon.net

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TsukinoCon: February 25th-27th, 2011 - Olympia, Washington
Website: http://www.tsukinocon.com/

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Emerald City ComiCon: March 4th-6th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/

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Ani Id Con: March 11th-13th, 2011 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://aniidacon.webs.com/

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Northwest Festivals & Events Conference: March 13th-15th, 2011 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.nwfestivalconference.com/

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Dak-Kon XV: March 18th-20th, 2011 - Courtenay, BC Canada
Website: http://members.axion.net/~murdock/tourney.html

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Edmonton Toy Show: March 20th, 2011 - Edmonton, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.edtoyshow.com/

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Gamestorm: March 24th-27th, 2011 - Vancouver, Washington
Website: http://www.gamestorm.org

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Calgary Game Show: April 1st-3rd, 2011 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.cal-con.ca/

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Washington State Science & Engineering Fair: April 1st-2nd, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.wssef.org/

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Just A Game Con: April 9th-10th, 2011 - Corvallis, Oregon
Website: http://home.centurytel.net/GOMC/JAGC.htm

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Stargate SG-1 Atlantis Convention: April 14th-17th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/sgvan.htm

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Stumptown Comics Fest: April 16th-17th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.stumptowncomics.com/

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Supertrain: April 16th-17th, 2011 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.supertrain.ca/

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Norwescon: April 21st-24th, 2011 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.norwescon.org/

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Sakura-Con: April 22nd-24th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.sakuracon.org

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Spokane Comicon: May 21st, 2011, Spokane, Washington
Website: http://www.spokanecomicon.com/

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Victoria Toy Show: May 22nd, 2011 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://members.shaw.ca/dshelton99/

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Anime Oasis EVO: May 26th-29th, 2011 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.animeoasis.org/

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Miscon: May 27th-30th, 2011 - Missoula, Montana
Website: http://www.miscon.org/

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Bloody Words: June 3rd-5th, 2011 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.bloodywords2011.com/

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Star Trek Convention: June 20th-12th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/stvan.htm

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Fandemonium: August 5th-7th, 2011 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.fandemonium.org/

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Siggraph: August 8th-12th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.siggraph.org/calendar/

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Dragonflight: August 12th-14th, 2011 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.dragonflight.org/

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PAX Prime: August 26th-28th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.paxsite.com/

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Salute to Supernatural: August 26th-28th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/supernatural_van.htm

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Kumoricon: September 3rd-5th, 2011 - Vancouver, Washington
Website: http://www.kumoricon.org/

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Rose City ComiCon: September 10th-11th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.rosecitycomicon.com

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Westercon 65 ConClusion: July 5th-8th, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://seattle2012.org/

Blood, Gore, & Zombies... Evil Dead: The Musical To West Seattle

BLOOD, GORE, AND ZOMBIES... THIS AIN’T OKLAHOMA!
ARTSWEST BRINGS THE OUTRAGEOUS EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL TO SEATTLE!

SEATTLE PREMIERE: OCTOBER 20TH – NOVEMBER 13TH, 2010 PRESS NIGHT: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH, 2010 - 7:30PM

Seattle, WA (September 14, 2010) –From October 20th through November 13th ArtsWest Playhouse & Gallery presents the Seattle Premiere of Evil Dead: the Musical. Based on the 1980s cult-classic films Evil Dead 1, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, Evil Dead: the Musical is a live stage rock musical “rendering” of these great slasher epics. Five college students are on their way to a secluded cabin in the woods when they accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them one-by-one into flesh-eating demons! It's all up to Ash (a housewares employee-turned-demon-killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day! Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. Demons tell jokes... all is set to a side-splitting musical score including numbers like “Look Who’s Evil Now,” “Ode to an Accidental Stabbing,” “All the Men In My Life Keep Getting Killed By Candarian Demons,” and “Blew That Bitch Away.”

Yup, this is definitely an adults-only show with naughty language and lots and lots of blood. And remember to keep your nice clothes at home if you plan on sitting in the SPLATTER ZONE. Complimentary ponchos will be provided, but there’s no guarantee that front row audience members won’t get soaked with fake blood (don’t worry, it washes out).
For nearly three months the ArtsWest’s creative team has been preparing like mad for this musical gore-fest. Technical director Jill Beasley said, “I knew this show would be a challenge. I had to figure out an affordable way to launch gallons of blood across the stage every night for a whole bunch of performances, so I went and bought about thirty water guns,” Beasley joked. “Needless to say, the West Seattle dollar store is officially sold out of water guns.”
The young cast of actors is also getting pumped up for the musical debut. When asked about Evil Dead, Seattle actor and cast member Kate Jaeger chuckled and replied, “At the first reading I couldn’t stop laughing –the script is hilarious. Plus, I’m a psycho-crazy fan of the Evil Dead trilogy—so playing the role of Annie was pretty much a dream come true.” She added, “I feel so lucky to be working with Chris [Zinovitch] and Kim [Dare] – Evil Dead: the Musical is really everything you could ever possibly want in a horror–movie musical remake!”

“Crypt Keeper” Christopher Zinovitch leads the way as director along with musical director Kim “Trespass If You” Dare. Costumes designed by “Murderess” Margo Walker, set and props designed by “Deadly” Dan Schuy, lighting by Josh “the Ripper” Randall, and sound and effects by Rob “Rigor Mortis” Witmer.

Book and Lyrics for Evil Dead: the Musical are written by George Reinblatt, with music by George Reinblatt, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris, Rob Daleman and Christopher Bond.
Tickets for Evil Dead: the Musical may be purchased online at www.artswest.org, by phone at (206) 938-0339, or in person at the ArtsWest Box Office located at 4711 California Avenue S.W, Seattle. $10 tickets available for ages 25 and under. This show is recommended for ages 16 and older.

Performance Schedule: Wednesday-Saturday: 7:30pm; Sunday: 3:00pm Special Late-Night Performances on Saturday, October 30th,11pm & Saturday, November 13th, 11pm.

Press Performance: Wednesday, October 20th, 2010, 7:30 pm. For press tickets contact Lindsay Palmer at lindsayp@artswest.org or by phone at (206) 938-0963 x107.

About ArtsWest: ArtsWest produces artistic events so fiercely compelling that they require conversation, improve the imagination, and promote cultural vibrancy as a core value for the communities of Seattle. ArtsWest is a registered 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.
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Jet City Comic Show: a one-day comics event for the Pacific Northwest

Seattle proves once again that it is a hotbed for comics writers and artists with the launch of a new convention, the Jet City Comic Show. Jet City will take place September 25, 2010 at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall in Seattle, WA.

Seattle, WA - Seattle proves once again that it is a hotbed for comics writers and artists with the launch of a new convention, the Jet City Comic Show. Jet City (www.jetcitycomicshow.com) will take place September 25, 2010 at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall in Seattle, WA.

“We do many shows around the country, but there’s nothing like doing one in your own backyard,” says Eric Reynolds, director of marketing for Fantagraphics Books (www.fantagraphics.com). “We look forward to helping Jet City grow into the kind of show that reflects the wonderful comics scene in the Great Northwest.”

Co-founder James Taylor, publisher of Rorschach Entertainment and an accomplished artist and inker, says he and co-founder Brian Meredith (exhibits director, Emerald City Comicon) saw a distinct need in the region for a program of this kind.

“We felt the Pacific Northwest, Seattle specifically, had the need for a quality one-day show in the fall to help fill the void in the region for both exhibitors and fans,” says Taylor. “Jet City Comics Show will be a laid-back event by comparison to other conventions, a chance for fans to have fun, be entertained, browse through comics and visit with some fantastic artists and writers.”

Featured guests will include Francis Manapul (artist: The Flash, Adventure Comics), Dave Johnson (cover artist: 100 Bullets, Unknown Soldier and more) and Dan Panosian (artist: X-Men Forever). The show will feature a number of prominent local writers and artists, including:

• Peter Bagge (Hate) & Jim Woodring (Frank, Jim)
• Michael Oeming (artist/writer: Powers, Rapture)
• Greg Rucka (writer: Batwoman, Queen & Country)
• Matthew Southworth (artist: Stumptown)
• Shane White (artist/writer: Things Undone, North Country)
• Joshua Ortega (Writer of Gears of War 2, Video Game & Comics)

In addition to comics writers and artists, Jet City will also feature actor Scott L. Schwartz—the “ultimate tough guy.” Trained by wrestling legend Walter “Killer” Kowalski, and most often recognized for memorable movie moments such as beating up George Clooney in Ocean’s 11, Schwartz has also written and directed his own film, Changing Hands (www.changinghandsfilm.com).

The Seattle Center Exhibition Hall is a 36,000-square-foot conference center and is a focal point for the entertainment and cultural scene of Seattle, as well as the home of the Space Needle.

“This show will return us to our roots, focusing on the local comics scene as well as spotlighting creators from outside our region,” says Taylor.

The show will also be working with local charitable organizations, such as the Ronald McDonald House and Children’s Hospital of Seattle.

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Jet City Comics Show will take place on September 25, 2010 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 299 Mercer St., Seattle, WA. For more information, contact organizers at info@jetcitycomicshow.com, or visit www.jetcitycomicshow.com and click on “Contact Us.” Exhibitor booths are still available.

High Resolution Images can be found in our media kit at:
www.jetcitycomicshow.com/mediakit/

Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets (https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/118874) or at any of the following retailers:

Arcane Comics
5809 15th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

The Comic Stop (Lynnwood)
3333 18th St SW, Suite G
Lynnwood, WA 98037

The Comic Stop (Everett)
1402 SE Everett Mall Way #160
Everett, WA 98208

The Comic Stop (Redmond)
16444 NE 74th, Unit B-135
Redmond, WA 98052

Corner Comics
12049 124th Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98034
# # #

Jet City Comic Show is a Celebration of art, comics, gaming, pop culture, and so much more! Bringing together some of the top creators in the industry and their fans for a fun filled day.

HP Lovecraft Film Festival Announces It's Retiring

The following message was posted on the HP Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon website.

"Yes the rumors are true... I am retiring (or going on sabbatical for awhile). I have been running this festival for 15 years and am out of sanity points. So what does this mean? Well Aaron Vanek has started a satellite festival in LA which will become an annual event. The Portland event is in limbo until I can find someone to replace me. We may have another satellite festival in Seattle and perhaps Austin. Regardless, I will always remain the founder... and the festival will live on and grow. So let us all celebrate H.P. and have a blast this October. cheers"

The final film festival will take place October 1st - 3rd, 2010 at the Hollywood Theater in Portland Oregon. Tickets are now available to purchase on the website.

BrickCon 2010 Robot Competition

This year's robot competition at BrickCon will be a racing competition. Build and program a robot able to race around an irregularly shaped gradient track while avoiding obstacles on the track. The track is approximately two feet wide, with black in the center/inner edge, gradually changing to white at the outer edge. Racing will be in a clockwise direction. Obstacles, no wider than 8", will be placed anywhere on the track, and may be moving.

Here is an example of what the track might look like:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/David/SMART/Samples/Arenas/brickcon2010_racingmat.gif

There will be multiple runs, each time getting more complex. The race will start
without any obstacles. Subsequent runs will have longer tracks, and more
obstacles. Finally the obstacles will start moving slowly, initially in the same
direction you are going. Your score will be based both on how fast you complete
each lap, and how well you avoid the obstacles. Touching and, even more so,
moving obstacles will add to your time.

Third party and custom sensors ARE allowed. Otherwise only LEGO elements may be
used for building. All robots must have a minimal ground clearance of 1/4" due
to the edges between various sections of the track. Only rotating wheels may
touch the mat itself. All sensors and other parts must be at least 1/4" above
the mat.

In order to encourage more people to try this, here is a sample program that
will accomplish at least part of the competition.

http://www.robot-city.org/Samples/RaceStarter.rbt

Build a robot with two motors, one for the left wheel, one for the right, put a
light sensor in front, and with minor tweaks, this program should at least get
your robot moving around the track. While the program detects the obstacles, how
to handle them will be up to you.

There are a few different types of awards for this competition, so your chances
of winning something are great! I hope to see you and your robot at BrickCon
2010. Remember, you need to register to participate.
https://www.brickcon.org/catalog/3

Seattle Genre Film Festival Films & Schedule Announced

Seattle, September 14th, 2010 - The Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival (MIFFF), a three day international showcase of action, animation, fantasy, horror, and science fiction cinema, is pleased to announce its second year film lineup and schedule for September 17th-19th, 2010 at the SIFF Cinema at McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington USA.

MIFFF's second year will debut 4 feature films and over 40 short films to cinema fans across the Pacific Northwest. Descriptions and synopsis's of all the films can be accessed at the MIFFF website. MIFFF's feature films which are nearly all northwest premiere's include facing a reckoning in "Blood River", award winning festival favorite Mørke Sjeler (Dark Souls)", you are not prepared for the 18+ only Srpski Film (A Serbian Film) , & a darkly romantic ghost story "The Presence".
http://www.mifff.org

Tickets are available in advance online. Tickets will also be available at the theater each day of the festival. The venue is the SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer St., at McCaw Hall on the campus of Seattle Center in Seattle. Complete box office can be found here:
http://www.siff.net/cinema/seriesDetail.aspx?FID=209

The schedule for films for 2010 is now available here. Below the link is a list of films screening at this years event.
http://www.mifff.org/schedule2010.html

FEATURE FILMS LIST

Blood River
USA - Director Adam Mason - 104 min
A newlywed couple are pushed to the limit during a chance encounter with a mysterious drifter in a deserted ghost town.

Mørke Sjeler (Dark Souls)
Norway, France - Directors César Ducasse, Mathieu Peteul - 97 min
A revengeful father embarks on a dark thrill ride of lost memories, conspiracy and zombie-like symptoms. Finding the mysterious darkness within is the source of the bizarre world he has uncovered.

The Presence
USA - Director Tom Provost - 88 min
A woman travels to an isolated cabin where she finds herself stalked by an apparition who has come to inhabit her space as his own.

Srpski Film (A Serbian Film)
Serbia - Director Srđan Spasojević - 104 min
An aging adult movie star agrees to participate in an "art film" in order to make a clean break from the business, only to discover that he has been drafted into making a pedophilia and necrophilia themed snuff film.

SHORT FILMS LIST

A Complex Villainelle
USA Directors: Nathan Billington, Bart Ovaitt, Ryan Porter, Rebecca Forth - 8 min
The Penguin is looking for love and is introduced to a lovely nanny, Mary Poppins, who prefers travel by umbrella.

The Abaddon File
UK Director: Lorne Guy - 9 min
A cold war experiment into psychic spying turns out to be a dangerous game. The dead are not always the friends of the living.

Alice Jacobs is Dead
USA Director: Alex Horwitz - 22 min
A scientist races to find the cure to a horrific virus before it turns his wife into something monstrous.

Babylon 2084
Germany - Director: Christian Schleisiek - 30 min
In the year 2084 the world has sunken into the sea. The rest of mankind lives in two towers which underlie a self-destructing constraint to grow higher and higher.

Billy Baxter and The Mystery of Dr. Amazo
USA - Director Patrick Flaherty - 13 min
A young boy opens a new dimension of adventure when some comic book toys send him on an amazing trip of wonder.

Clemency
USA - Director Joseph Albanese - 19 min
A reporter confronts a sadistic killer who takes her on a terrifying thrill ride she will never forget.

Cockpit: The Rule of Engagement
USA - Director Jesse Griffith - 12 min
In 2103, one rule in fighter combat keeps a mind controlling alien raceaway from Earth's doorstep.

ConLang
USA - Director Marta Masferrer - 15 min
Conlang is a unique comedy about secret crushes, extreme linguistics and the language of love.

The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger
USA - Director Bill Plympton - 6 min
A children's fable about the power of advertising, the meaning of life and ultimately the test of a mother's love.

DemiUrge Emesis
USA - Director Aurelio Voltaire - 3 min
A mummified cat is tormented by the skeletons of past meals. Directed and animated by MTV and Sy Fy Channel veteran Aurelio Voltaire and narrated by Danny Elfman.

Dracula's Daughter vs The Space Brains
USA - Directors Frank Ippolito, Ezekiel Zabrowski - 5 min
Marketa, a vampire, must find untainted human blood to save her sister from the menace of the space brains.

Ducked and Covered: A Survival Guide to the Post Apocalypse
Australia - Director Nathaniel Lindsay - 9 min
An animated government/science style public service film, circa 1981, for surviving life in Australia after Nuclear War.

Elder Sign
Canada - Director Joseph Nanni - 3 min
If you suffer from an overwhelming sense of dread brought on by the realization of your own insignificance in the universe, then you need Elder Sign.

The Familiar
Canada - Director Kody Zimmermann - 22 min
Sam Matheson has accepted a very odd job: be the personal caretaker of an immortal, amoral, bloodsucking vampire.

Father and Sister
USA - Director Soyeon Kim - 5 min
A chance occurrence leads to a workplace temptation.

Flat Love
Spain - Director Andres Sanz - 15 min
A man, convinced that the world is actually flat, falls in love with a two-dimensional woman at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Flowers for Norma
USA - Director Juan Pablo Reinoso - 11 min
A young man strolls the streets of New York City to meet the love of his life, only to find that love is not all he expected it to be.

The Hatter's Apprentice
USA - Director Derek Meyer - 17 min
The Hatter's Apprentice is a Victorian-era thriller about a young apprentice hat maker who, driven by his affection for a local flower peddler, creates an exquisite hat, despite his master's warnings.

Hollow Girl
Ireland - Director Dave McCabe - 12 min
When young Katie wanders into a strange field and takes something that doesn't belong to her, she discovers that the fairies in her storybooks were lies and that there's a good reason why farmers leave the fey folk well enough alone.

Journey Quest
USA - Director Matt Vancil - 45 min
Following a group of dysfunctional adventurers on a quest to discover and destroy the mythical Sword of Fighting.

Kidnap
USA - Director Sijia Luo - 4 min
A little chicken who is late to school, and her excuse is being kidnapped on the way to school.

The Lift
USA - Director Robert Kohr - 6 min
An elevator interaction goes wrong, prompting a young woman to learn about being insensitive and to never make the same mistake again.

Love Does Grow on Trees
UK - Director Bevan Walsh - 10 min
A coming of age comedy about a teenage boy whose life is thrown into chaos when he discovers porn magazines, girls and the embarrassment that goes with both.

The Macabre World of Lavender Williams
USA - Director Nicolas Delgado - 26 min
Eight year-old Lavender Williams, who recently lost her mother to cancer, sets off on an epic journey to find her Dad, whom she's never met.

Manual Practico del Amigo Imaginario
Spain - Director Ciro Altabas - 19 min
At 27, Fernando must choose between finding love and losing Captain Kiloton, his imaginary friend.

The Necronomicon
Canada - Director Joseph Nanni - 2 min
Do you want to be a nicer person and are looking for inspiration to do good things? Well keep looking. But if you're into opening up terrifying vistas of reality then the Esoteric Order of the Old Ones and Cthulhu Cultists want to help.

No Escape
Germany - Director Till Martinsen - 8 min
Three employees find themselves in the men's room during a bank robbery. None of them fully comprehends what is happening outside in the bank's teller area and each of them is overwhelmed by the situation.

Noirville
UK - Director Andrew Marsh - 13 min
Lucy, Noirville's only inhabitant, takes a mysterious journey through the night in a hope to cure her loneliness in this darkly surreal tale.

One Small Step
Australia - Director Damien Slevin - 5 min
On July 24th 1969 man finally reached the Moon as 600 million people watched. They were not the only ones.

Porque Hay Cosas Que Nunca Se Olvidan
Argentina - Lucas M. Figueroa - 12 min
Four friends plays soccer on the street. Suddenly the ball falls inside "evil grandma's" house. Thy probably won't play with this ball again, but the revenge will be terrible.

Red Revenge
Canada - Director Denny Dias - 6 min
With life already crashing, urban cowboy Billy Bruce loses the only thing he ever loved - a Red 1984 Camaro - to a crazed car enthusiast. Now the one thing he can finally steer is revenge, and you better bet it's gonna get red! Never mess with a man's car!

Rise of The Living Corpse
Canada - Director Christopher Walsh - 1 min
Rotting flesh breaks soil and the fun begins.

The Scottish Ninjas
USA - Director Beau Obremski - 21 min
Three kilted warriors, freshly settled in America, make their public debut battling the primate delusional, gun wielding maniac known as 'The Executioner. In the process, they catch the attention from the police, media, and a mysterious evil force working behind the scenes.

Slap Back Jack 'High Five Master'
USA - Director Mark Newell - 12 min
Having some trouble with high-fives and hand slaps? There's someone who can help, he's Slap Back Jack.

ST: Phoenix
USA - Director Leo Roberts - 30 min
After a major attack on the crew's starship, the crew attempts to rescue an away team on a remote planet.

Street Angel
Australia - Director Lucas Testro - 17 min
When Doctor Pangea, 'the world's deadliest geologist', escapes from prison with plans to destroy earth as we know it, Angel City turns to its unlikely champion, 14 year old homeless girl and kung-fu skateboarding superhero - Street Angel!

SuperBattle (Episode 1)
USA - Director Ethan Marak - 8 min
When a notorious super-villain escapes from his subterranean prison, the enigmatic robot warden summons his most powerful henchman to deliver justice. The first completed episode of an ongoing stop-motion animated series.

The 3rd Letter
USA - Director Grzegorz Jonkajtys - 17 min
Faced with the imminent loss of his crucial health insurance, Brief (Rodrigo Lopresti) unwittingly unravels a dark truth behind his insurance which subsequently pushes him to unspeakable lengths in an attempt for survival.

Thy Kill Be Done
USA - Directors Greg Hanson, Casey Regan - 16 min
When the Monsignor priest of a small church is killed by a gang of no-good hoodlums and their leader, the nuns in the church's clergy must take revenge. But these are no ordinary nuns.

Toothnapped
USA - Director George Dondero - 5 min
Pull the tooth. Discover the truth.

Two Men, Two Cows, Two Guns
Canada - Director Pardis Parker - 5 min
An unexpected visitor with odd news and an odder story interrupts a family's quiet day at the farmhouse, sending it spiraling into a chaotic whirlwind of unfortunate misunderstandings.

ABOUT MIFFF
The second annual Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival runs September 17th through 19th, 2010. Tickets are available online as well as in designated ticket venues. For more information on the Festival, including descriptions of films and events, please visit www.mifff.org. Members of the press can find and download more information, including press kits, photos, press releases, and full film descriptions in the press section of the website.

September Steamcon meeting

The next Steamcon meeting will be:

September 12th
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
4408 Delridge Ave S.W.

The meeting will be from 2:00 P.M. to 4 P.M.

Stumptown Comics Fest 2011

STUMPTOWN COMICS FEST 2011 ANNOUNCES DATES, NEW VENUE, GUEST LINEUP

The 8th annual Stumptown Comics Fest will take place on April 16th and 17th, and be held in its new location at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. In recent years the exhibition hall has been packed to the gills; this move to the Convention Center will give attendees room to breathe with 30,000 square feet of exhibition space (nearly double the square footage) and will allow the amount of table to be increased with room for future growth.

A small number of guests have already been confirmed for the next fest, from local, national, and even international stages. Guests are to include: Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Molly Crabapple (illustrator, founder of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School), Kurt Busiek (writer for DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image), Larry Marder (Tales of the Beanworld), and Barry Deutsch (Hereville). This list is by no means complete, and regular announcements will be made over the coming months as more details are confirmed.

Indigo Kelleigh, founder of the Stumptown Comics Fest, is returning as the festival director for the next three years (2011-2013). Kelleigh brings his experience in both event coordination and the comics industry to the team, and is already working to make this upcoming year a peak at what’s to come. Shannon T. Stewart, Festival Director for the 2009 and 2010 fests and a current Board member of the Stumptown Comics Foundation, is supportive of Kelleigh’s involvement. "We're all elated to have Indigo, the creator of the Fest, return to the position of Director,” says Stewart, “and I personally look forward to working with him and to the amazing ideas he has in store for Stumptown over not just this season, but the next few years leading to the ten year anniversary!"

This will be the eighth year of the Stumptown Comics Fest (founded 2004), which has become the largest creator-focused comics festival in the Northwest. The amount of comics fans attending the event continues to climb as does the national and international attention our local event garners from artists, writers, editors, and publishers. For continuing updates regarding the event, head to the official website at www.stumptowncomicsfest.com