PANELS
Saturday, February 22nd
11:00 AM
Panel Room 104 - Talk with the Professors-Comics and Comic Book Movies
A longstanding tradition at Lubbock Con Rob and Matt will have a discussion related to comics and comic book movies. What makes a good comic book adaptation? What makes a bad one? How do comics and movies intercede with one another? Join us won't you?
Presenter/Panelists: Rob Weiner and Matthew Mceniry
12:00 PM
Panel Room 104 - An Academic Discussion of Why We Love Horror/Real Life Horror/True Crime
With so much real horror in the world, why is the horror/true crime genre one of the most popular forms of entertainment? This academic discussion will talk about why we love horror and real-life horror in the form of true crime. True Crime podcasts, books, and movies are some of the most consumed in American Culture. In addition, horror novels, comics, movies, and video games are equally popular. It has been argued that horror and true crime can provide a cathartic experience. This panel seeks to understand why.
Presenter/Panelists: Rob Weiner and Joshua Salmans
Panel Room 105 - Writers. We make up stuff for a living.
We'll speak about fiction writing and the art of using our imaginations to create characters and the stories they tell.
Presenter/Panelists: Jennifer Standridge, Ricky Mendoza, Alyssa Marzili, and Kaity Swecker
Panel Room 103 - Want a Sword? Build a Sword!
Join Loremaster to learn how to construct your own LARP safe weapon!
Presenter/Panelists: Loremaster
1:00 PM
Panel Room 107 - Life After Death: A Discussion with Special Guest Julian Richings
3:00 PM
Panel Room 104 - All things Pop Culture with the Librarians
Come and discuss Popular Culture Topics with faculty from Texas Tech University.
Presenter/Panelists: Rob Weiner, Erin Burns, Jenni Jacobs, and Shelby Hebert
Panel Room 103 - Hey, So You Want to TTRPG?
Want to start playing D&D or are intimidated by the TTRPG choices nowadays? Or are you feeling insecure about expanding your role-playing at the table? Maybe, you’re a GM scared of killing off your favorite PCs or NPCs. Join podcasters, Alex and Adrian of Dungeons & Degrees, where they will discuss anything and everything TTRPG. Come with questions or stop by and listen to get new tips to improve your tabletop experience.
Presenter/Panelists: Alex Saulnier and Adrian Lawrence
4:30 PM
Panel Room 104 - From Mishapocalypse to #MeToo: How Tumblr's Fandom Became a Force for Social Change"
This panel will explore how Tumblr's fandom became a breeding ground for social justice movements and a safe haven for marginalized voices. For many, Tumblr's fandom wasn't just a place to geek out, it was a refuge, a digital utopia where difference was celebrated and everyone could belong. This panel will explore how Tumblr’s unique platform, with its focus on anonymity and community-building, became the unlikely birthplace of a social justice revolution.
Drawing on the research, the panel will examine:
How Tumblr's fandom mobilized around issues like LGBTQ+ rights, body positivity, and racial justice, using their collective voice to challenge harmful stereotypes and fight for a more equitable world.
How Tumblr's fandom popularized concepts like trigger warnings and helped shape a more inclusive and progressive understanding of topics like sexuality, gender identity, and mental health, fostering conversations that often went unheard in offline spaces.
How Tumblr offered a safe space for fans who felt ostracized in their offline lives, particularly those from marginalized communities.
How Tumblr fostered a culture of radical acceptance, allowing fans to explore their identities, find solidarity with like-minded individuals, and challenge societal norms that excluded them.
How, similar to the hippies of the 1960s who leveraged physical spaces to foster community and share radical ideas, Tumblr provided a digital space where young users could explore, express, and advocate for social justice causes, mirroring and expanding on the causes defined and fought for in the 1960s.
How the research dubbed this generation of fans "digital hippies" for their embrace of countercultural ideals and their commitment to social change.
Join us as we discuss how Tumblr's fandom used their passion to make a difference, leaving an indelible mark on fan culture and the world beyond. We will discuss the lasting legacy of Tumblr’s fandom and how its influence continues to ripple throughout today's digital landscape, leaving a lasting impact on everything from online discourse to fan conventions
Presenter/Panelists: Sydney Scheller
Panel Room 105 - The Fan Artist's Way
A panel to discuss how we create our fan art. Tips and tricks on how to improve your art.
Presenter/Panelists: Katy Standridge, Logan Pack, Inky Garcia, Shelbye Karr, and Illya Mc
Panel Room 107 - Legends & Legacy: How a Student Club Created a New Tradition from University Ghost Stories
On a chilly October evening, a lantern-bearing student guides a group across the moon-lit Texas Tech University. Awaiting their presence are student storytellers, ready to recount the macabre histories and legends that haunt the campus. But how did this new tradition, and the organization that hosts it, come into being? Join us for the world premiere of Legends & Legacy: How a Student Club Created a New Tradition from University Ghost Stories, and a conversation about the roles paranormal beliefs play in culture and society.
Presenter/Panelists: Members of Raider Power of Paranormal
Sunday, Feb 25th
12:00 PM
Panel Room 107 - Neo+Dream Cosplay Spotlight
Join Lubbock-Con Cosplay Spotlight, Neo+Dream
Panel Room 105 - Writing Lessons from the RPG
What lessons can storytellers glean from D&D, RPGs, and other player driven games? Quite a lot! Get an insight on how to broaden your narrative prowess by taking a deeper look at the mechanics behind player driven stories.
Presenter/Panelists: Richard Mendoza III
Panel Room 103 - Looking Local - How to find your market.
In this panel, we will go into detail on tips to make your booth stand out, and increase your acceptance chances. This discussion will be aimed towards beginner market artists, to help navigate the new age of marketing. Demographic, social media performance, application standards, and how to avoid scams will be just some of the main topics.
This panel will also be open for questions during as well as afterwards, at Inky's table, to make sure all of your questions are answered!
Presenter/Panelists: Inky Garcia
1:00 PM
Panel Room 107 - Building a Voice Acting Career
“One Piece” at a Time!
2:00 PM
Panel Room 104 - Lindsey & Todd Cosplay Spotlight
Join Cosplay Spotlight - Lindsey and Todd
Panel Room 105 - Trivia Off!
It's time for a Trivia Off! Participants will compete head-to-head in to see who can answer more of the rapid-fire questions of their selected category in a minute 30 seconds. Each round is based on a different geek/nerd topic including (Comic books & movies, Horror, TTRPG's, Video games, Anime, Literature, etc.). My brother and I have pooled our distinct nerd knowledge, the expertise of fellow nerd friends, and the power of Google to make these questions extra difficult. Battle it out in this fun and interactive event! We'd like to see you try.
Presenter/Panelists: Theresa Brown and Sebastian Brown
Panel Room 103 - An Artist’s Guide to a Healthy Art Relationship
Art is most often spawned from emotion and passion. Whether it be from loving a piece of media, to a creation from your own imagination, or a piece of vent art as a coping mechanism. No matter what style you have it comes from you (including drawn, written, acting, etc)! So what happens when you start being too afraid of messing up, it feels like a chore, or you’ve become so obsessed with perfection the joy you once had is gone?
I am a very emotional and passionate person, and there is nothing wrong with that. The same goes for you! In this panel I want to cover some of the coping mechanisms and mental health tips and tricks that have helped me overcome these challenges myself. So whether it’s: a fear, art block, or obsession with perfection, my goal is to help you find something that sticks with you to help find you joy in art again! :D
Presenter/Panelists: Katelyn Lucus
3:00 PM
Panel Room 107 - Musical Radio Documentary
In the past five years, I have worked on a new form of audio media: the Musical Radio Documentary. In this format, narration is provided through original tones, music, and sound effects, without the use of a narrator or text. The entire content is produced and created using sound, including the voices of famous individuals. The producer focuses solely on audio design, using original tone sounds to convey the message to the audience. This approach allows the audience to engage with the production on a deeper level, enabling them to interpret and assess the accuracy of the result based on the content presented
Presenter/Panelists: Pedram Bahaeabadi Ravari
