elvira | Sub Cultured

It’s that time of year again, the leaves are changing color from brown to brown..er… Uh.. Well it’s fall in California, that means we are only a few days away from the last major CA con of the year. COMIKAZE! After a year full of Cons that require travel having the final one of the year be in my backyard is nice. Just a hop, skip, and a jump into downtown LA and we are ready to nerd out for an entire weekend. But hearing about my commute isn’t what you came here for. Let’s dive right in to what has me excited this weekend.

Special Guests!

You can check out the whole list of special guests for this years show right HERE. But the top of my list is Julie Newmar, Alfie Allen, Gwendoline Christie, and Jim Lee. Seriously guys, Julie FREAKING Newmar and Gwendoline Christie!!! It’s too much for my poor little nerd heart to handle.

The thirst is real.

Panels I am stoked for on Friday!

Room 404AB at 5pm

THE KAIJU KINGDOM LIVE PODCAST! – GODZILLA’S 60TH
ANNIVERSARY/GAMERA’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY – The King of Monsters and Friend to Children celebrate some major milestones this year. If you are a fan of Godzilla, Gamera, or Kaiju in general you should make some time to check out this panel.

303AB – 6pm

THE WRITER’S JOURNEY: BREAKING INTO COMIC BOOK AND HOLLYWOOD
SCRIPTWRITING – For the writer in every nerd, hopefully they’ll answer all the burning questions I have. Even if they don’t it looks like it will be an amazing panel with guests like Erika Alexander (Concrete Park) and Tony Puryear (Concrete Park, Eraser).

If neither of these panels get you excited Friday is surprisingly jam-packed for such a short day, you might want to check out the Geek Fashion show on the main stage at 6:30 or learn more about Steampunk in room 308AB at 6pm!

Even though Friday is a short day, but that only prepares us for the inSTANity (see what I did there) of Saturday and Sunday! Here are the panels I am way too excited about on Saturday.

We start the day off early at 9:00 AM with:

408AB – 9AM

NOSFERATU – A RESURRECTION OF THE LEGENDARY FILM STARRING DOUG
JONES! PLUS A SNEAK PEAK OF BEAMSCREEN.COM.
The official launch of Nosferatu starring Doug Jones as the monstrous Count
Orlok in a feature-length revisit of the classic masterpiece of horror. Plus
the debut of BeamScreen.com – a revolutionary, cloud-based studio that
incorporates artist’s talents worldwide into its feature quality productions.
Participants: Daamen Krall, David Fisher (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari),
Chris Duddy (True Lies, Terminator 2, Titanic, Robocop), Eban Schletter
(SpongeBob, Thrilling Adventure Hour, Drunk History), Doug Jones (Pan’s
Labyrinth, Hellboy I & II, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Buffy the
Vampire Slayer)

After a quick break for some souvenir hunting on the floor the Main STAGE of COMIKAZE is going to experience some justice.

HOT TOPIC MAIN STAGE – 10:30AM

SPOTLIGHT: ADAM WEST

TV’s most prolific Batman joins us to talk all things Batman, and help
celebrate Batman’s 75th Anniversary

NaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNa….BATAMAN

and while there are tons of things to fill Saturday with I would be remiss if I didn’t make sure I made it to my favorite podcast’s panel.

404AB – 12:30pm

THE THRILLING ADVENTURE HOUR
The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a staged show in the style of old-time radio
performed live, monthly at Largo at the Coronet in Hollywood as well as on
the road. The show sells out monthly and features all of your favorite actors
from the worlds of TV, comedy, animation, film, theater, and improv.
Participants: Ben Acker, Ben Blacker, Aaron Ginsburg, Paul F. Tompkins, Craig
Cackowski, Hal Lublin, Janet Varney, Autumn Reeser and more!

Paget Brewster and Paul F. Tompkins are perfect.

After a Saturday that is full of so many things to do, you may be asking yourself. “But what about Sunday Sam? What if we can’t go the first two days?” Well never fear dear reader of things written on websites! Sunday helps Comikaze go out with a bang, and here are the things you should check out!

303AB – 12pm

THE BOYS WHO BUILT BATMAN
Who really created Batman? Was it the Caped Crusader’s officially credited
creator, Bob Kane, or was it his secret collaborator, Bill Finger? What
influences first shaped the Batman mythos back in 1939, from his Detective
Comics #27 debut to the revelation of his tragic origin? Experts conduct
a forensic investigation into this question of historical, cultural, and ethical
importance.
Participants: Dr. Travis Langley, Alan Kistler, Jens Robinson

404AB – 1pm

NERDIST WRITERS PANEL: COMICS EDITION SPOTLIGHT ON ROB PRIOR
Be there as part of this LIVE taping of the show when we deep dive into
Rob’s artistic evolution from a young painter for Dungeons & Dragons to his
two-handed painting approach developed while working on Spawn, Evil Ernie
and Heavy Metal.
Participants: Heath Corson, Rob Prior, Adam Beechen

Stay in that same room for the next panel!!!!

404AB

SECRETS OF THE FLASH! – A GEEK HISTORY LESSON AND GAME SHOW ON
THE SCARLET SPEEDSTER
How much do you really know about the Flash, the star of the CW’s newest
superhero show? Watch a live recording of the Geek History Lesson Podcast
as they challenge comic book writer Sterling Gates (Kid Flash) and Geek &
Sundry’s 2 Broke Geeks to a Flash trivia contest where only the audience can win prizes!

Participants: Jason Inman, Ashley Victoria Robinson (The Red Shirt Diaries,
Co-Host of Geek History Lesson), Sterling Gates (Kid Flash, Supergirl and
Vibe), Omar Najam, Mia Resella (2 Broke Geeks on YouTube)

And that’s it. Those are the things I think you should take some time to check out this weekend at Comikaze. Have you had a chance to check out the schedule? What does your list look like?

Let us know in the comments!

Sam Smith

Staff Writer

sam@sub-cultured.com

Twitter: @samwasbornanerd

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I decided to do a set of mini interviews with people I’ve interacted with and have extraordinary backgrounds. Many I’ve met via Facebook and many I’ll meet when I attend SDCC for the first time this July. Next up is founder of one of the biggest conventions in California, Comikaze Expo, Regina Carpinelli!

————————————————————————————————

Name: Regina Carpinelli

Age: 30

Online Handle: @ComikazeExpo

Sites: www.comikazeexpo.com and www.facebook/comikazeexpo

Favorite Game: Magic the Gathering, Call of Duty, Street Fighter, and I love me some Tony Hawk.

Favorite Superhero: Everyone

who made Comikaze possible. Family, Friends, Fans. I also love Batman a whole lot.

Favorite Comic Series: The Preacher, Hellboy, X-men, Moon Lake.

Favorite Anime: Sailor Moon!

Favorite Author: RH Stavis, Anais Nin, John Steinback, CS Lewis, and Roald Dahl.

Favorite Artist: Camilla D’Errico

Favorite TV Show: Doctor Who

Personal Quote: If you stand in my way, I will walk through you for the rest of my life.

L: You started Comikaze Expo with your siblings (no small feat). How daunting was it to take on that task?

RC: First off, I need to thank all the fans and supporters who, absolutely made Comikaze Expo happen. We could NOT have done it without them.

The show was by fans, for fans-and I think we got the message through. I am one of those maniacs with that “Do or Die” mentality-or even the Green Lantern way of life. When I work on a project, it’s no fear all the way. No fear of failure, just blood, sweat, and tears. Zero sleep. I’m pretty damn lucky to be working with my little brothers-and my best friends. Yes, we fight and bicker, like anyone else, but then we work it out. We’re a family business. It happens. Passion counts. No first-year show has ever had the numbers that we did. It was insanity, but my team is amazing. We pulled it off! In fact, we did so well that Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) invested in the company. Then…Stan Lee did the same with his company, Pow! Entertainment.

We are now Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo presented by Pow! Entertainment. Talk about nerd dreams coming true.

L: I vow to one day attend your marvelous convention!! You live an incredible life, if the pictures you post are any indicator! Riding in a limo with Stan Lee, to having your very own Delorean….it’s amazing. How often do you get star struck doing what you do?

RC: First off- I was riding in a Honda with Stan Lee.. So So SO glamorous! Second- Life is not worth living unless you are having fun. I’ve never been one to turn down a cool opportunity; because of that, I find myself in interesting situations. Like, I live on a boat. Yes, I am totally ridiculous. But, to run a comic convention, I think it’s necessary to be a little bit of a kook. I don’t have time to get starstruck! I mean, I am learning from the Master (Stan Lee). I mean sometimes I realize that WAIT I am sitting next to Stan on a plane, going somewhere with him…or Elvira just called me asking me to be her date to Showgirls the Drag version. Not to say that I never have fan moments! Hanging out with Camilla D’Errico has been awesome, really stoked to have her at the show I have been a fan of her art for a long time. I FREAKED when I met Tish and Snooky (creators of Manic Panic hair dye), growing up with pink hair, pissing my mom off and the whole nine yards. Cat totally had my tongue when I met the creator of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, dorked out on C. Martin Croker. He drew me a business card with Zorak on it. Obviously, I had it framed! This all sounds crazy, but it gets weird when now people (not just Lisa Foiles) stop ME and ask me for a photo, autograph, handshake. I always ask, “are you SURE?” I mean, I’m a fan kid just like they are. Just another geek! It does feel great to hear that people had a blast, or have been inspired by the Comikaze monster.

L: Since you seem constantly doing something amazingly cool, what kind of projects do you have in the works? Professionally?

RC: So many. It never seems to end. I’d like Stan Lee’s Comikaze to be a new kind of convention. I’m not looking to do another annual weekend thing, What I want to do is keep the fans interested year-round. Geeks aren’t just geeks once a year. We’re launching a webseries with Elvira and Peaches Christ called Elvira and Peaches Christ’s Horror Hunt. Basically, it’s like Mystery Science Theater 3000 meets American Idol. We’re asking for submissions from new horror/gore-makers…Elvira and Peaches will review them (make fun of them or love them). The winner will be brought to LA and given the star treatment with a Red Carpet Movie Premier at the Vista Theater the night before Comikaze. Their movie will also be screened at Comikaze and reviewed by a panel of heavy hitters in the Horror world. I also created Stan Lee’s Comikaze Army. These enlisted fans will get dog tags, a intro letter from Stan, arm band, a weekend pass to Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo. The military ID gets you discounts from certain vendors and tickets for friends, as well as a stack of posters and stickers. The cool thing is you can move up in rank and get the Stan Lee medal of honor if you put the posters and stickers in cool places and take photos of them . Its gonna be rad, I have so much great programing and guest I have yet to announce. Our Tag line this year is SHOCK AND AWESOME and it will for sure hold true! Stan Lee’s Comikaze 2012 is going to be amazing and affordable!

L: Everyone has a science fiction property that means the world to them, be it Star Wars, Back to the Future, or even E.T. What’s yours?

RC: Geez thats like a life or death question.

I love Star Wars, but anyone who doesn’t love it, I can not look ’em in the eye. Obviously, I love Back to the Future as well, I do drive a Delorean (which break down perpetually, BTW.). I’m a huge Doctor Who Fan-who’s to say my bedroom isn’t a TARDIS?

Showgirls doesn’t count as science fiction, but it should. If I had to pick just one, it would be Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Beautiful, and way ahead of its time. Almost 100 years old, and still outshines most of what’s out there in 2012. Such an inspiration.

L: What’s your next upcoming event where people could meet the lady behind Comikaze Expo?

RC: Stan Lee’s Comikaze will be held this year Sept 15-16 at the LA Convention Center, get your tickets NOW. When it’s not “game day”, I can be found at Dream World Comics in Culver City… whether I’m getting my pull, or just kicking it in their batcave.(They’ve got a Doctor Fries bathroom. GO). You can also find me playing Friday Night Magic All Star Cards, or the Comic Bug, I am often found wandering the floor at Frank and Sons in city of industry. We post all of our goings-on via our Facebook-keep an eye out, we have some rad pre-events happening!

We’re fun, funny, charming, and JUST FOR YOU, YOU NERDS!

L: Lastly, I ask this question of everyone, so be honest: If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what position would you want? I know I’d crap my pants.

RC: I go for the moon, so I would ask to be Supreme Ruler. My qualifications are pretty solid…just call me the Alien Ambassador/Overlord.

Then again, Jupiter has 66 moons-THE MORE, THE BETTER.

[slideshow]

Lots of love for Regina so be sure to check out Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo 2012 if you happen to be visiting California!

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Interviews