WasabiNews

May 10 2017

FEATURED TALENT: For The Love of Clod

Wasabizilla WasabiNews cosplay, For The Love of Clod, Steven Universe, WasabiCon 2017

Known by their fans as “Bob”, For the Love of Clod has been making waves in the Steven Universe cosplay community since 2016. Their Peridot impression and propensity to cosplay characters immediately after their television debut have propelled For the Love of Clod to the forefront of the Steven Universe fan scene. Bob has hosted events at Wasabicon, Metrocon, Momocon, and more with distinctly interactive panels and quirky cosplays such as “Bob the Builder” and Peridot cosplaying as Percy from Camp Pining Hearts.
With over ten thousand instagram followers and lively YouTube videos in the works, For the Love of Clod loves talking panels, body paint, and together breakfast.
Find for the Love of Clod at patreon.com/clod and as For the Love of Clod on Instagram, YouTube, Tumblr and Facebook!

May 8 2017

FEATURED ARTIST: Brittani Marie Crawford

Wasabizilla WasabiNews Artist, WasabiCon 2017

Do you like the new Wasabizilla art that has been showing up? That’s the talent work of Brittani Crawford.
Brittani Marie Crawford is an artist, animator, and Corgi enthusiast based out of Jacksonville, FL. She earned her BFA at Kansas City Art Institute after receiving world class instruction in a variety of visual arts, including 2D hand-drawn animation, graphic design, and painting. She considers herself a jack-of-all-trades and in the years since completing university has undertaken projects ranging from detailed sculpture, to costuming, painting, and video game concept art. She also has a passion for teaching and currently instructs adult painting classes, though she also spent 2 years overseas in Japan, teaching English to children.
Though she’s only been a Floridian for three years, Ms. Crawford has been very active in the local artistic community, serving as an invitational artist at GAAM (where she unveiled a 6-foot tall Charizard statue!). Her art inspirations pull heavily from the styles of her favorite anime and video games, especially the Final Fantasy series, Akihiko Yoshida, and the Dragon Age series. She considers hobby and career to be one and the same and will happily discuss chiarascuro techniques with the same passion as Bioware love interests (though Ms. Crawford will not be swayed from the mind that the only correct choices are Alistair and Fenris).
She will be set up in Artist Alley at WasabiCon again this year – so swing by and say hi!

May 5 2017

ARTIST ALLEY space is on sale for WasabiCon 2017!

Wasabizilla WasabiNews Artist Alley, WasabiCon 2017

Artists and creators of original content are an important part of the fan convention experience and each year we’ve celebrated this fact by offering discounted space for local talent to sell their commissions, prints, and other handcrafted goods.
Each Artist Alley space comes with:
One (1) six foot OR eight foot table in the Artist Alley area (based on availability)
Two (2) chairs
One (1) weekend pass to the convention labeled “Artist”
PLEASE NOTE that our Artist Alley is juried. This means that we review all applications and a committees from the event operations staff chooses the artists who will be approved. WasabiCon does this in order to make sure a variety of art styles are made available to the attendees – thus avoiding creators all selling the same style/presentation. This also helps artists by making sure they artwork is presented as a unique part of the event!
Each space is $100 (plus Eventbrite fees). There is a limit of one (1) table per artist. This is due to floorplan logistics and to be fair to other artists.
Up to one (1) additional Artist Alley badges may be purchased (per space) at $25.
For complete information and for the Artist Alley Registration Form, please visit www.WasabiCon.com/Art

May 2 2017

CONTEST: Win a FREE Snack Box from Freedom Japanese Market (@FreedomJMarket)

Wasabizilla WasabiNews Contest, Freedom Japanese Market, Japanese snacks, WasabiCon 2017

CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER!

The winner, by random selection, was Christopher N. He has been notified directly via Facebook regarding how to claim his prize. Watch for other contests coming soon!

Here at the WasabiCon offices, we LOVE giving away free stuff. Last month we gave away free tickets to the Pokemon Symphony and this month: JAPANESE SNACKS! We’re partnering with Freedom Japanese Market to give away a free box of Japanese candy, snacks, and DIY candy kits!
HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:
STEP 1: Reply to this post on the WasabiCon 2017 Facebook event by tagging THREE FRIENDS – and invite them to the event: www.facebook.com/events/134335700376144/permalink/241615269648186/
STEP 2: Do it again. (You can enter as many times as you want!)
RULES:
1. No purchase necessary to enter or win!
2. You must be a U.S. resident to participate in the social media contest.
3. Winners will be notified via social media – so watch for updates.
WINNER:
We will pick a random winner from everyone who posted in that Facebook thread sometime on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. As mentioned in the rules, the winner will be notified via social media.

What is “Freedom Japanese Market“? From their website:
Our family started Freedom Japanese Market as a way to fill the need of many of our friends who had moved away from Japan and were depressed they could not find quality Japanese snacks in their own country. Many of these complained the “Made For Foreign Markets” Japanese snacks didn’t taste like the real thing.
On a family vacation to the U.S., we were shocked to see that many of the snacks in international stores were not even made in Japan, or were dangerously close to their “Sell By” dates. We knew then and there we had to do something; we decided to make it our goal to bring the Japanese snacks we love to the rest of the world. If you love Japanese snacks, the advantage of buying from our Japanese based subscription box service is clear: all your snacks come directly from Japanese manufacturers and are shipped directly from Japan to your home or office.
The boxes we send often include many limited edition snacks only available to the Japanese market for a limited amount of time. We also include an English content list with color pictures, and a short explanation about what Japan is like during each season. We want our customers to know what they are eating, as well as provide some information about Japanese culture with every box. We also include a handmade, seasonal origami (with English explanation). Our team of experienced snack lovers is in charge of putting together a balanced box of sweet, savory, and fun snacks that you are sure to enjoy! Rest assured that if we wouldn’t buy a snack for ourselves, we wouldn’t think of sending it out to our valued club members.
Check ’em out online at www.FreedomJapaneseMarket.com
BONUS: Use this link and get a $3 discount off the first box for all Original and Family pack plans: https://www.freedomjapanesemarket.com/?rfsn=591767.e4b38 (or just use promo code “WasabiCon”)

May 1 2017

FAN PANEL Registration Is Now Open!

Wasabizilla WasabiNews fan panels, WasabiCon 2017

It’s that time of year! We are now taking submissions for fan panels at WasabiCon 2017. You can fill out the form via this link: https://goo.gl/forms/Stca4IHkiYGvZ2dA2 -OR- using the form below. Please read all the guidelines before completing the form, and we look forward to reading your submissions!
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April 26 2017

FEATURED TALENT: The North Florida Ghostbusters

Wasabizilla WasabiNews cosplay, fan group, North Florida Ghostbusters

North Florida Ghostbusters is an “Ghostbusters” costuming group/non-profit organization that is officially recognized member of the Ghost Corps. The group was founded 17 years ago with the goal of doing their part in their community and making a difference in people’s lives.
Today, the group is split into two different branches, the original North Florida Ghostbusters in Gainesville and the North Florida Ghostbusters – Jacksonville. Their goal is still to make a difference in their communities and bringing smiles to people’s faces. We’re ready to believe you.
Check them out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NFGhostbustersJax/

April 24 2017

FEATURED TALENT: Fred & Elle Designs (from #CosplayMelee) are coming to WasabiCon!

Wasabizilla WasabiNews Cosplay Melee, Fred & Elle Designs, Fred and Elle Designs

Justin “Fred” Reed, artist and propmaker, is a featured contestant on the series premier of Syfy’s new transformation competition COSPLAY MELEE – an epic showdown of creativity, eye popping costumes and one of a kind characters. Premiering on Tuesday, March 21 at 10/9C, the hour-long battle is hosted by actress and self-described “super fan girl” Yvette Nicole Brown (“The New Edition Story”, “Community”) and executive produced by Jay Peterson and Todd Lubin of Matador Content (“Lip Sync Battle”).
Each week, four world class cosplayers compete to create not only intricate full-body costumes – but fully-formed characters that they must bring to life through their own realistic performance. Guiding and critiquing them are a panel of judges including world class cosplayer LeeAnne Vamp, and A-list costume creator, Christian Beckman (“The Hunger Games”, “TRON: Legacy”). At the end of every episode, the winner will walk away with $10,000… and the right to claim cosplay supremacy.
When not starring on cool TV shows, Fred is a professional wargame miniature painter with over twenty years of experience. Before becoming a painter, Fred was a member of the British Army’s Royal Logistics Corp. After being medically discharged in 1992, he joined the team at Games Workshop (GW) in Bristol, UK, as a sales assistant. He worked his way through to a regional manager where he oversaw more than thirty stores throughout Europe. During his time with GW, he perfected his figure painting skills and won the Golden Demon staff award for painting and began to produce life-size props. After eight years with GW, he branched out and started his own figure painting company and built his worldwide business with clients on every continent.
In 2004, Fred met his wife, Elle, through a mutual love of figure painting and all things nerdy. After proposing to her in a drunken online chat at 2pm Eastern Standard Time, she accepted his proposal (the following morning after a blood alcohol test) and he moved to the United States in 2006. They married and resided in St. Mary’s, Georgia, for two years before relocating to Jacksonville, Florida. During that time, they discovered their love of cosplay and costuming and Fred took his talent for painting to the cosplay world, creating a portfolio of award-winning costumes. When not sewing ornate and elaborate gowns for cosplay, Elle is saving the planet as the Executive Director of an environmental nonprofit in Ponte Vedra Beach, hosts her own weekly radio show on WSOS 103.9 in St. Augustine, and watches Sci-Fi with their dogs, Dotsie and Creamy.
Their resume of cosplay achievements include:
• InfinityCon 2017, Lake City, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• Fan Lexicon 2016, Jacksonville, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• InfinityCon 2016, Lake City, FL: First Place/Masters Category
• ConjureCon 2016, Orlando, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• Mandarin Minicon 2016, Jacksonville, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• Hourglass Con 2016: First Place
• AmeliaCon 2015, Fernandina Beach, FL: First Place for Costuming
• Retrorama 2015, Jacksonville, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• WasabiCon 2015, Jacksonville, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• Hourglass Con 2015, Jacksonville, FL: First Place
• Mandarin Minicon 2015, Jacksonville, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• Retrorama 2014, Jacksonville, FL: First Place/Best in Show
• Hourglass Con 2014, Jcksonville, FL: First Place
• Megacon 2015, Orlando, FL: First Place in Children’s Category
• CollectiveCon 2016, Jacksonville, FL: First Place in Children’s Category
• HurricaneWho 2014, Orlando, FL: First Place in Kid’s Category
• Timelord Fest, 2016, Jacksonville, FL: First Place in under 15 category
• InfinityCon 2017, Lake City, FL: Best in Show

April 21 2017

FEATURED TALENT: Candy Keane (@CandyKCosplay) will return to WasabiCon!

Wasabizilla WasabiNews Candy Keane, WasabiCon 2017

Candy Keane is a cosplayer and costume designer that got her start making and wearing the infamous Slave Leia costume, which put her on the cover of Jedi Junkies, featured on the E! channel’s Top 25 Most Memorable Swimsuit Moments and in the Morgan Spurlock ComicCon documentary and book, where she also appears as Wonder Woman. She also made the costume worn by Kristen Bell in the movie Fanboys.

Candy won her first costume contest at the age of 5, and has been dressing up ever since. Her love of creating costumes led to a boutique and costume business that she ran for 11 years before closing in 2016 to concentrate on personal projects and raising her son. She plans on recapturing more of the fun aspects of costuming that got her started in the first place and is excited to embark on a new family focused cosplay venture while writing for her blog GeekMamas.com.

April 19 2017

CANCELLATION: AJ Michalka will not be attending WasabiCon 2017

Wasabizilla WasabiNews AJ Michalka, Steven Universe, Stevonnie, The Goldbergs

UPDATE: Sometimes things don’t always work as planned… Due to an unforeseen professional commitment, AJ Michalka will not be able to attend WasabiCon 2017. We wish her the best, and hope she can join us at a future date.

AJ Michalka, 25, has demonstrated her talent and versatility as a successful actress, musician, and songwriter. At her young age, Ms. Michalka carries a reputation as a tremendous actress, developing strong relationships with directors such as J.J. Abrams and Peter Jackson. In 2010 she starred opposite Diane Lane and John Malkovich in the Walt Disney Pictures feature film SECRETARIAT, based on the life story of Penny Chenery, owner of the racehorse Secretariat, who won the Triple Crown in 1973. She then went on to shoot the much anticipated J.J. Abrams film SUPER 8, released in 2011.
Ms. Michalka also co-starred in the Paramount Pictures feature film THE LOVELY BONES alongside Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Saoirse Ronan. The film, directed by Academy Award winner Peter Jackson, is an adaptation of the bestselling novel about a young girl who has been murdered and is watching over her family and friends from heaven.
Ms. Michalka began her acting career with several roles in television. She starred in the CBS series THE GUARDIAN for two seasons as well as the Fox series OLIVER BEENE. She also starred in the Disney Channel film COW BELLES, the Disney pilot HAVERSHAM HALL, and the MTV original movie, SUPER SWEET SIXTEEN: THE MOVIE. AJ recently guest starred on HBO’s SILICON VALLEY and can be seen as a series regular on THE GOLDBERGS for ABC.
She starred in the independent feature film ANGELS IN STARDUST and served as a co-producer on the film, which was taken to the Cannes Film Festival. She then starred in Lionsgateʼs GRACE UNPLUGGED, playing the eponymous Grace Trey opposite Kevin Pollak and James Denton.
In addition to singing and songwriting, Ms. Michalka is an accomplished musician, playing guitar, piano and percussion. As a member of Aly & AJ, she released two hit albums with Hollywood Records, helping Ms. Michalka and her sister Aly become platinum-selling recording artists at a very young age. In 2006, Aly & AJ were nominated for their first American Music Award. They have written all of the songs on their two hit records, and their holiday release ACOUSTIC HEARTS OF WINTER was one of the best-selling Christmas albums of 2006. Their hit single, POTENTIAL BREAKUP SONG, was noted in Time Magazine as one of the Top 10 Songs of the Year for 2007 and has been RIAA certified with sales of more than one million downloads. The music video for the single has scored over 62 million views on Youtube.
The duo contributed to the soundtracks for the films THE GAME PLAN, HERBIE FULLY LOADED, ICE PRINCESS, BANDSLAM, as well as writing the theme song for the CW television drama HELLCATS. Separately, Ms. Michalka recorded ITʼS WHO YOU ARE, the theme song for her film SECRETARIAT, also filming the accompanying music video. She recorded four songs for the GRACE UNPLUGGED soundtrack.
She recently starred in EXPECTING AMISH for Lifetime and recurs as the voice of “Stevonnie” in STEVEN UNIVERSE. One of her most incredible endeavors to date is the film she produced and stars in alongside her sister Aly, called WEEPAH WAY FOR NOW, which follows two 20-something sisters as they spend their last week before their next music tour wandering through the heart of Laurel Canyon. The film was released on June 17th on iTunes.
AJ can currently be seen as ‘Lainey Lewis’ on ABC’s hit comedy, THE GOLDBERGS, opposite Jeff Garlin and Wendi McLendon-Covey.
Ms. Michalka currently resides in Los Angeles.

April 17 2017

We want YOUR PHOTOS from WasabiCon!

Wasabizilla WasabiNews Photo, WasabiCon

WasabiCon has run for five (amazing) years in Jacksonville, Florida – and we’re putting together something special to celebrate that fact. To make it happen, we want a photo of you AT WasabiCon. You can be in costume or dressed normal… it doesn’t matter. What matters is YOU at the convention celebrating fandom in Jacksonville, Florida.
Email the photo to [email protected] and we’ll fill you in on how we plan to use it. The larger the resolution, the better!