I agreed to participate in this event for 4 reasons:
- The fans let down by Fancon and the city of Baltimore NEED this.
- The building is OWNED by one of the organizers (Who has secured the permits)
- The admission fee goes STRAIGHT to the building owner to cover rentals, tables, etc.
- WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY FROM THIS EVENT
For a list of the details, check out the official Press release below:
ANNOUNCING WICOMICON 2018: A ONE-DAY POP-UP CELEBRATING BALTIMORE’S NERDS & HEROES ALIKE
April 23, 2018 – The Nerds of Color, Black Heroes Matter, New Release Wednesday, and theblerdgurl, in association with André Robinson of Carbon-Fibre Media and Elijah Kelley of the Be A Boss App, are pleased to announce the opening of WICOMICON 2018, a one-day pop-up convention featuring comics creators, cosplayers, artists, music, and more!
The name “Wicomico” is derived from the Algonquin words meaning “a place where homes are built.” Housed in a historic building at 1100 Wicomico Street in Baltimore, Maryland, WICOMICON 2018 will be a home for fans and artists left homeless due to the unexpected postponement of Universal FanCon.
Featuring some of the most acclaimed names in the comic book, arts, and entertainment industries, WICOMICON 2018 will open its doors starting at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 28 and run until 7:00 pm. In addition to dozens of exhibitors, this unique pop-up convention will also feature panels, cosplay contests, special guests, and a wide variety of food options. Admission at the door will be only $10 for everyone and free for children under 12 years old.
“We knew there were a lot of people in and out of Baltimore hurting when FanCon was postponed, and we wanted to provide some relief,” said Keith Chow, founder of Hard NOC Media and The Nerds of Color. “Fortunately, we were able to come together as a community and find a place to celebrate the things we love in the city we love.”
“If we are to say that we are a community, then we must truly operate as a community. That means picking each other up when we stumble and fall, and elevating each other to the best of our abilities,” said Uraeus, creator of Black Heroes Matter. “We saw a problem that needed solving, and mobilized our collective resources and skills to solve it.”
“WICOMICON is what the geek community needs right now,” said Karama Horne, a.k.a theblerdgurl. “It’s going to allow us to uplift artists, fans, and the city of Baltimore.”
“My organizing partners have risen to the occasion and like Peter Parker: ‘with great power comes great responsibility,’” said Patrick Michael Strange, host of The New Release Wednesday Show. “So, like pop culture and the comics that we are fond of, it is in times of tragedy and adversity that real heroes emerge and people come together. This is that time.”
“I am so pleased to be working with some of the brightest minds in the region on an event that celebrates the best of us when things can look their worst,” said André Robinson, executive producer of Carbon-Fibre Media who also serves as executive director of Innovation Villages: Baltimore. “My partners and I welcome the opportunity to showcase how together we rise when facing adversity.”
Said Be A Boss CEO Elijah Kelley: “You don’t have to be a success to become a success.”
Visit hardnocmedia.com/popup for more information, or contact Keith Chow at keith@hardnocmedia.com for press inquiries.
ABOUT THE NERDS OF COLOR
Since its inception in 2013, The Nerds of Color has served as an online hub, reaching over 1.7 million unique visitors. The website has been featured in The New York Times and NBC News and continues to be a leading voice in advocating for diverse and inclusive popular culture.
ABOUT BLACK HEROES MATTER
Black Heroes Matter is a Baltimore-based “social justice brand” founded by designer, URAEUS in 2016, dedicated to championing diversity in pop culture through the creation of dynamic content/conscious gear, and the promotion of heroes of color.
ABOUT NEW RELEASE WEDNESDAY
The Strange World Presents… The New Release Wednesday Show! Filmed LIVE at Strange Manor, Painted Visions Comics, Cards and Games, and at The Amazing Comic Shop! Get the breakdown on all things pop culture and the top comics coming in that you should be picking up at your friendly local neighborhood comics shop!
ABOUT THEBLERDGURL
Karama Horne is a Contributing Editor, producer, writer and host for SYFY Wire. She’s a regular on the SYFY Wire Blast TV segments and the podcast Who Won the Week and provides commentary, reviews and interviews on her popular website theblerdgurl.com. She also has been featured on panels and stages at New York Comic Con, Awesome Con, Emerald City Comic Con, C2E2 and The Schomburg Black Comic Book Festival. Karama also actively gives presentations on diversity and inclusion of people of color and women within comics and geek culture genre. In addition, she has over 15 years experience in production, post production and project management.
ABOUT BE A BOSS
Be A Boss® is an App that connects people. By creating a network of both service Providers, and Callers (people who need or desire a service) the App makes it easy for each individual to be their own Boss. Callers enjoy the ability to command executive style services, while Providers command their business, control their own schedule, and demonstrate that The Willing Are Many®.
ABOUT CARBON-FIBRE MEDIA
Carbon-Fibre Media approaches the creation of original content with a vision focused on advancing the art of sequential storytelling. Our mission is to offer creative properties that push the envelope of standard media fare into an artistically dangerous realm with controversial and unusually thought-provoking content.
1 Comment
Wow, awesome you are doing this. Way to step into the breach and fill a need. Hopefully this will be more fun than the postponed con. Kudos for the venue for the late hookup!