Skip to main content

Yes We Con!

For those of you unfamiliar with the term "con" or " fandom", this blog will help you master the lingo on all things having to do with the con and fandom world. First some terms of endearment, I will offer a starter fandom glossary taken straight out of a School Library Journal article. Following that, I will list some sites where you can get more information on upcoming fandom and Comic Con events around the country.

Level 1- The Basics

Cosplay: A mash-up of the words costume and play, cosplay is both a noun and a verb. Cosplayers dress as favorite characters, celebrities, or anime characters; truly anything is fair game in cosplay. Imagine a cross between Halloween and your favorite pop culture phenomenon.

Cons: An abbreviation of "convention". Comic-con San Diego (held annually in July for the past 46 years) is likely the most famed of cons.

Fandom: A combo of the words fan and kingdom, which identifies a group of people with a common interest.

Fangirl/boy: Used to describe an avid fan.

LARPing: Live Action Role-Playing. People who role-play games while dressed in character garb are considered LARPers. See larping.org for further details about the very active community.

Manga/anime: Manga are Japanese comics, typically in black-and-white, and read right to left. Anime are Japanese animated films. Some anime are based on manga, but not all.

RPG: Short for Role-Playing Game. Players are guided by one player (a "referee") who oversees adventurous game play, which is either played out on cards or computerized. Think Dungeons and Dragons or Pokemon.

Steampunk: A sci-fi genre that incorporates 19th century steam-powered technology. Think Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.  Usually refers to garb, but there is also an active community at steampunkworldsfair.com.

Resources for inspiration if planning or attending an event:

Convention Scene
conventionscene.com
This website offers a concise look at what conventions are slated to meet in the United States. Cons can be broken down by type of fandom- anime, gaming, collectibles, horror, sports, sci-fi and fantasy, and more.
Upcoming Cons
upcomingcons.com
Similar to the site above, Upcoming Cons includes international cons as well as domestic. A big highlight is the interactive map showing cons around the globe.
The Fandom
thefandom.net
This website started by two Harry Potter aficionados gives an inside look at media beyond the Potter franchise. Movies, TV shows, comics, and the YA world are explored. Reviews, sneak peeks, quizzes, and a book club are all included.


In the next blog, we'll dig a bit deeper into specific groups and offer a brief sampling of literature-related fandoms.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dealing with Grief

Below are some sites that can help you cope with the grieving process. Death and Grief Teen Grief Support Help for Teens Teens and Grief Support for Grieving Teens Grief Speaks: Death of a Friend
Post a Comment
Read more

8 YA BOOK CLUB BOOKS TO READ FOR GREAT DISCUSSIONS

Alice Nuttall   Sep 5, 2023 B ook clubs aren’t just a way to enjoy reading and branch out by trying books you wouldn’t have picked for yourself — they’re also a great way to get into discussions of multiple different subjects inspired by the reading you’ve done together. While book clubs can be beneficial to people of all ages, they can be a particularly helpful place for teens to engage with new ideas, put their opinions forward, and take part in friendly discussions about everything from social issues to the writing process. I’ve been in a few book clubs over the years, and while I certainly haven’t loved everything I’ve read as part of them, it definitely led me to YA book club books I otherwise would never have tried and got me looking at a whole range of different perspectives. School is back in session for the autumn, and whether you’re an educator yourself or just want to help the teens in your life discover new books, a YA book club is a great way to get young people engage...
Post a Comment
Read more

RECENT YA RELEASES SET IN THE 1990S

  Tirzah Price   Sep 6, 2023 The 1990s are alive and well with Gen Z! While it might be simple to say that the ’90s are so popular because of the fashion aesthetics or easy access to ’90s pop culture (thanks, internet!), I think the ’90s are such an interesting time period to explore for today’s teens because they look back on a time (although not so long ago!) where our lives didn’t center around the constant connection of phones, social media, and the internet. While some things have changed, we’re still facing a lot of the same social issues, but in different contexts. YA books set in the 1990s aren’t exactly scarce thanks, likely, to many millennials’ nostalgia, but here are three more recent YA releases set in the 1990s for your TBR! BE THAT WAY  BY HOPE LARSON Set in 1996, this novel follows Christine, who makes a resolution to be the shiny, cool girl that people will actually want to hang out with — like her best friend. But when a falling out and a misstep le...
Post a Comment
Read more