Tag: Dragon Con

Returning to Dragon Con as an Attending Pro for 2026

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Returning to Dragon Con as an Attending Pro for 2026
Atlanta, GA – September 3 through September 7, 2026

Boldy celebrating the convention’s 40th show, we’re gonna do Dragon Con again!

I am pleased to be selected as an Attending Professional for Dragon Con 2026. This will be my eighteenth year at the con (participating in various capacities since 2009) and my ninth year as an AP (since 2016, excluding 2020 and 2023). Dragon Con is a pop culture convention spanning five days, hundreds of programming hours, and countless fan passions. It is one of the largest pop culture conventions in the world, and it remains a ton of fun both as an attendee and as a contributor. It’s also a fantastic nerd party to close out the summer.

From Dragon Con Newbies events to sci-fi classics, modern SF and fantasy, Doctor Who, military SF, and so much more, I’m excited to see what 2025 brings.

Dragon Con takes place in Atlanta, Georgia during Labor Day weekend. For more information, visit the official site. For more information about Dragon Con Newbies, visit the group on Facebook.

50 days until Dragon Con.

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The Convention Report is a semi-regular series that announces and discusses my convention appearances. For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Battle of the Fictional Bands! (Again!)

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Battle of the Fictional Bands! (Again!)
July 13, 2026

One of the staples of the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track is the Battle of the Fictional Bands. Consider March Madness brackets, but filled with fictional musical groups from classic sci-fi that battle to the death.

On March 18th, Gary Mitchel, Joe Crowe, Amy Chandler, Shaun Rosado, Kevin Cafferty, and Kyle McCraw hosted a musical throw-down of competitors drawn from the KISS CUP OF DESTINY to decide once and for all (?) which act gets top billing.

These Classic Track Quarantine Panels are hosted by Gary Mitchel and Joe Crowe, the diabolical masterminds behind the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track. If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the world wide webs to the track’s YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Gary can also be found on A Podcask of Amontillado, a horror-themed podcast that he co-hosts with Erin McGourn.

If you want to connect with the track, Joe, and/or Gary on the socials, you can find them on Twitter (ClassicTrack, JoeCroweShow, and sneezythesquid) and Instagram (SciFiClassicTrack, JoeCroweShow, and Gary_Mitchel). And, of course, to celebrate more pop culture awesomeness, you can find Dragon Con all year round on the internet, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

You can find those discussions and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.

The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on her website Subspace Sue.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2026 #4: Tracks of Horror & Urban Fantasy

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2026 #4: Tracks of Horror & Urban Fantasy
July 9, 2026

I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast.  Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the fourth episode for 2026, the team explores something wicked and weird with guests from the Horror Track and the Urban Fantasy Track.

Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Derek Tatum, Carol Malcolm, and DJ Icabod to chat about the scary and the strange fun you can find on these wonderful tracks this Labor Day Weekend!

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – We Were There – Representation in Classic Media

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
We Were There – Representation in Classic Media
July 6, 2026

Representation is important in speculative fiction. Part of the power in television, movies, print, and art overall rests in being able to see yourself in the roles you enjoy. The classic era of science fiction is particularly challenging for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) representation. So for this installment of the American Sci-Fi Classics Track virtual panels, the Fandom Hybrid Podcast team take over to discuss the need for representation and some of their favorites across the years.

This presentation aired on March 4th, and features Hanako, Michael, and Anthony, all hailing from the Fandom Hybrid Podcast, alongside Gary Mitchel.

These Classic Track Quarantine Panels are hosted by Gary Mitchel and Joe Crowe, the diabolical masterminds behind the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track. If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the world wide webs to the track’s YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Gary can also be found on A Podcask of Amontillado, a horror-themed podcast that he co-hosts with Erin McGourn.

If you want to connect with the track, Joe, and/or Gary on the socials, you can find them on Twitter (ClassicTrack, JoeCroweShow, and sneezythesquid) and Instagram (SciFiClassicTrack, JoeCroweShow, and Gary_Mitchel). And, of course, to celebrate more pop culture awesomeness, you can find Dragon Con all year round on the internet, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

You can find those discussions and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.

The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on her website Subspace Sue.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2026 #3: It’s the Brit Track

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2026 #3: It’s the Brit Track
June 29, 2026

I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast.  Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the third episode for 2026, the hosts go British.

If you’re a die-hard Anglophile or a fair-weather fan from PBS, the BritTrack is for you. Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Caro and Rob to discuss the tea-fueled panels and cutting wit they keep hidden in the Hilton’s basement just minutes from Trader Vic’s.

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Playing Remote Control

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Playing Remote Control
June 22, 2026

Once upon a time, MTV meant music on television. It was in the name: Music Television. In the late 1980s, however, MTV branched out with their first original non-musical program and game show. Thus, Remote Control was born.

The game show ran from 1987 to 1990 and showcased trivia questions based on movies, music, and television presented in skit format. The show hosted by Ken Ober playing a character who grew up on television and really wanted to host a game show, so he set up a makeshift studio in his basement.

On January 28th, Joe Crowe, Gary Mitchel, and Kyle McCraw played a live instance of the Remote Control board game to celebrate the legacy of this pop culture phenomenon.

These Classic Track Quarantine Panels are hosted by Gary Mitchel and Joe Crowe, the diabolical masterminds behind the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track. If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the world wide webs to the track’s YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Gary can also be found on A Podcask of Amontillado, a horror-themed podcast that he co-hosts with Erin McGourn.

If you want to connect with the track, Joe, and/or Gary on the socials, you can find them on Twitter (ClassicTrack, JoeCroweShow, and sneezythesquid) and Instagram (SciFiClassicTrack, JoeCroweShow, and Gary_Mitchel). And, of course, to celebrate more pop culture awesomeness, you can find Dragon Con all year round on the internet, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

You can find those discussions and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.

The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on her website Subspace Sue.

cc-break

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2026 #2: Dragon Connections

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2026 #2: Dragon Connections
June 15, 2026

I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast.  Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the second episode for 2026, the hosts explore love. Love at con. Love that brings congoers together.

From chance encounters in crowded hotel lobbies to friendships that blossomed into lifelong partnerships, these are stories of fans who met at con and are still together years later. Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Josh Duart, Tyra Burton, Lauren & Nikki Evallen-Muller, and Kristi & Justin Grub to talk about meeting their someone in the dance of cosplay and late-night panel adventure.

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2026 #1: The First Dragon Con

Michael FalknerLeave a comment
Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2026 #1: The First Dragon Con
June 8, 2026

I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast.  Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the premiere for 2026, the hosts are honoring Dragon Con’s 40th year with a look at the very first Dragon Con convention. Dragon Con officially launched on October 2, 1987, at the Pierremont Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia (which is apparently known now as the Crowne Plaza Atlanta – Midtown, located near Spring Street and North Avenue, about a mile from the current convention footprint). Chipping in $300 each, Pat Henry, David Cody, John Bunnell, Robert Dennis, and others were able to attract some big names like Michael Moorcock, Robert Asprin, Richard Garriott, and Gary Gygax, as well as 1,200 attendees. It was small, but it was a success.

Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Darin Bush and Marilyn Teague to discuss their memories of that 1987 event and its legacy.

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2025 #11: Dragon Cults

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2025 #11: Dragon Cults
November 5, 2025

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast.  Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the eleventh episode for 2025, the hosts are starting a new series in preparation for Dragon Con’s 40th anniversary. That’s right, it’s history time with some discussions on the various con cults. From carpet celebrations to shrines for cardboard cutouts, this con has some wacky ways to build communities. Start your journey with this introductory episode.

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2025 #10: 2025 Dragon Con Debrief

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2025 #10: 2025 Dragon Con Debrief
October 27, 2025

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast.  Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the tenth episode for 2025, the hosts look back on Dragon Con 2025 and discuss the highs and lows from the event. Con may be over, but there’s always time to think about next year, the things you’d love to do again, and the things that need some improvement.

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

cc-break

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.