Ryan Emerson and Brandon Upson of Vinegar Syndrome.
Beetlejuice and Lydia.
Irone Singleton of The Walking Dead.
Alex from A Clockwork Orange.
Authors Stacey Longo and G. Elmer Munson at the Books & Boos table.
Lady Pinhead.
Jennifer Lynn Warren of American Horror Story.
Author Stacey Longo with a cosplayer.
Author F.M. Longo.
Cerina Vincent of Cabin Fever.
Theshay West and Moses Moseley of The Walking Dead.
A Clockwork Orange cosplay.
Stacey Longo with Lady Pinhead.
This past weekend Hartford experienced the debut of Hartford Comic Con at the XL Center. There were long lines before the doors opened at 10 a.m. From what I saw, this convention will be coming back to Connecticut.
Batman, Poison Ivy and Donatello.
Michael Massee of The Amazing Spider-man
Artist Brett E. Swanson.
The crowds at Hartford Comic Con.
Chronic and Bluntman
Brighton Sharbino and Kyla Kenedy of The Walking Dead.
Michael Myers
Beaker
Spider-man
Disney Princesses
Maleficent and Anakin Skywalker.
Woodcarver Christopher Letarte.
Katrina Law of Arrow and Spartacus.
An Umbrella corporation soldier.
Ghost Rider.
Jim Dyer of Fenham Publishing.
Marvel superheroes.
There will be a few more entries with pictures coming in the next few days.
The XL Center will be the destination for cosplay, comic books, and geeks galore when Hartford Comic Con kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday.
If you are a fan of the television show, Spartacus, then you shouldn’t miss this show since Katrina Law (Arrow), Liam McIntyre, Anna Hutchison (The Cabin in the Woods), Ellen Hollman, and Stephen Dunlevy will be on-hand signing autographs.
Other celebrities include Kyla Kenedy (The Walking Dead), Michael Massee (The Amazing Spider-man), Brando Eaton (CSI, Dexter) and Larry Thomas, the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld, will also be in attendance. You can find out about the celebrities here.
There will also be artists and vendors at the convention as well. Find out about the artists here and the vendors here.
The event schedule is here.
There are also a number of panels throughout the weekend. You can find the schedule here.
Harford Comic Con is organized by Epic Conventions, which is a privately owned company in Boca Raton, Florida. According to the convention’s website, Epic Conventions is dedicated to following the mold of the traditional comic con – while providing the perfect mix and experience of current pop culture events
The hours of the convention are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Prices are $25 for a day-pass or $45 for a weekend one.
New England is getting its second horror convention, TerrorCon, with the first one being Rock & Shock, which will be holding its eleventh convention this October. TerrorCon, which takes place in Rhode Island in June, isn’t the only new horror convention debuting in New England this year. Connecticut Horrorfest debuts in August.
TerrorCon is the brainchild of Steven Perry, director of operations for Altered Reality, who has brought conventions to fans of comics, movies, and pop culture. These conventions are Southcoast Toy and Comic Show and Rhode Island Comic Con. Perry had been thinking of his newest one, TerrorCon, for about a year, he said.
Rhode Island didn’t have a big horror type show, Perry said. “We wanted to bring that to the people of Rhode Island.”
Perry thinks the organizers of Rock & Shock do a great job so he decided to have his new convention take place in June so as not to interfere with Rock & Shock. He didn’t want to step on anyones toes, he said.
“Everyone’s happy and friends remain friends. It keeps everyone friendly with everyone. We believe that everyone should work together. There’s no need for shows to stumble.”
Perry isn’t sticking to only New England to organize shows. His company is in the process of organizing shows for New Jersey and Colorado, which should be starting up in 2015, he said. He can’t say what those shows will be since they are not fully developed, which is the reason he hasn’t announced them yet.
“Right now, they will both me similar to Rhode Island Comic Con.”
If you couldn’t guess from the different line-ups for Perry’s shows, they always try to do a theme, he said. They plan their guests around whatever theme they decide to do. Whatever guests they choose and book for the event, they are sure to tell the fans about who is coming. They have lists of guests for the next two years, he said.
“We like to keep the fans enticed and let them know what’s going on all the time. Something new pops up with us, we put it up for everybody to know,” Perry said about constantly updating the convention websites.
Perry was asked last November why they were announcing guests for this year’s convention when the 2013 one just ended. He responded with, “Why keep it a secret? We want them to know and get excited about it. We want the fans to make plans to come out to the show.”
Here is just some of the guests coming to TerrorCon: David Giuntoli (Grimm), Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Michael Biehn (The Terminator, Planet Terror), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister, The Celebrity Apprentice), Lita Ford, Cherie Currie, Michael Jai-Whie (Spawn, Arrow, Fast and the Furious 7, The Dark Knight), Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Criminal Minds), Josh Stewart (Grimm, Criminal Minds, The Dark Knight Rises), Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th: Part 7, 8 and 10, Hatchet), Lew Temple (The Walking Dead) and Dee Wallace (ET, The Howling).
Perry started organizing conventions with the Southcoast Toy and Comic Show, which was held in a VFW hall, seven years ago. That first show had about 300 people in attendance, he said. It’s a far cry from the 22,000 people who attended the first Rhode Island Comic Con when they thought the attendance would be around 10,000 and the 30,000 people they had for the second Rhode Island Comic Con. He’s expecting between 10,000 and 15,000 people to attend TerrorCon, which is a safe number in the mind of Perry.
“The horror market is a little more of a niche market so we don’t expect a large audience,” Perry said.
His vision for Southcoast was t bring a reasonable size show that would be community based, Perry said. He wanted something for the fans in that area to be able to look forward to every season or twice a year. Another thing he wanted to do was bring in celebrities that people don’t always have a chance to meet, he said.
Perry said that TerrorCon will be the same size of the original Rhode Island Comic Con plus an extra ballroom.
“TerrorCon will not just be horror. It will be horror themed, paranormal, all mixed together.”
TerrorCon takes place June 7 and 8 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI.
Author and NEHW member Erin Thorne.
Books on the Shock Totem table.
Authors Jack Haringa and Bracken MacLeod on the Writer’s Studio panel.
The Fat Foot Films booth.
Authors Stacey Longo, Erin Thorne, and Tracy Carbone at the New England Horror Writer booth.
The Shock Totem team K. Allen Wood (editor-in-chief), Robert Duperre (writer), and Jessie Young (artist).
The Fat Foot Films 2014 calendar.
Scott Wilson of The Walking Dead.
Jimmy Duval of Donnie Darko.
Another Rock & Shock has come and gone, the 10th one to be exact. It was another good one with even more vendors this year. The one thing that was lacking was attendees in costume. There just wasn’t a lot of people in costume. Here are pictures from the event.
Lew Temple from The Walking Dead.
From right to left: authors Robert Duperre, Kurt Newton, and Stacey Longo at the Sideshow Press and Shock Totem tables.
Dark Man and Elvira.
Robert Patrick from Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
Author Joe Knetter at the Writer’s Studio panel.
The Morbid Vision Films table.
Sharknado director Andrew C. Ferrante.
Actor Joey Kern (Cabin Fever).
Musician and actor Dee Snider.
Author K. Allen Wood and artist Jessie Young behind the Shock Totem table.
Actor Jason Mewes (Clerks).
Items on the Morbid Vision Films table.
TL Smokeshop.
Jennifer Jostyn (The Brothers McMullen).
Actor Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead) with two fans.
Author Gordon Bean holding his book, Dawn of Broken Glass, at the New England Horror Writers booth.
Authors Scott Goudsward, Joe Knetter, Jack Ketchum, Jack Haringa, and Bracken MacLeod on the Writer’s Studio panel.
Actor Jordan Ladd (Cabin Fever).
Actors Gunnar Hanson, Tony Moran, Robert Englund, and Kane Hodder on the 40 Years of Our Worst Nightmares panel.
Actor Brian O’Halloran (Clerks 2).
Items on the TL Smokeshop table.
Books on the Sideshow Press table.
Lew Temple. photo by Jason Harris
Lew Temple’s time on The Walking Dead has ended, but he’s still proud of the work he did on the series, even though he thinks his character Axel had more to do in the show.
“I was obviously disappointed,” Lew Temple said. “I thought he was going to be serviceable to the group.”
Temple was given the news three weeks in advance that his character was going to die. He was in denial at first, but after some time he had to commit to it, he said.
“My intent is to always serve the story and that was my job. I wanted to do the best job possible.”
Temple did feel “disappointed for Axel,” though. As an actor, he will go on and work, but Axel is gone forever, he said.
The character of Axel will live on in The Walking Dead comic books and in reruns.
Temple did use the comic book character of Axel as a blueprint. Since comic books are one-dimensional, he had to make the character three-dimensional.
“I’m certain that we were able to use some of Robert [Kirkman’s] characteristics of Axel, but also brought some of my own to it as well.”
The producers on the zombie series knew of Temple before he came on in season three since he had been in to see them for the pilot.
“They looked at me for the role of Merle, originally, and then after that they hired Michael Rooker. Then they needed Merle’s brother, Daryl, who at that time was not even named.”
Temple auditioned for Daryl by reading Merle’s lines differently, which he was asked to do by the producers.
“Thankfully, they hired Norman Reedus. So when Axel came around they came to me and we were able to make that work.”
Temple was aware of the popularity of The Walking Dead, but not of the cross-cultural phenomenon it has become.
“I would say it hasn’t hurt me,” Temple said about Hollywood recognizing him from the popular series. “I would say prior to The Walking Dead I had a certain body of work Hollywood was aware of, and I was working prior to The Walking Dead …”
He admits that the series has elevated his visibility, which has helped him. He doesn’t know if his time on the series has defined him, which only “time will tell.”
“I like to do diverse stuff. I’m certainly proud of the work I did on The Walking Dead and to be part of that show. It’s been such an incredible hit.”
Temple has worked with writer and director Rob Zombie on Halloween and The Devil’s Rejects. He has “a really great relationship beyond a working relationship” with Zombie.
“I adore working with him because he knows what he wants and wants what he knows so there’s not a lot of grey area in-between. He is an absolute perfectionist and he does whatever it takes to make the day work, and if that means he needs to provide something on set, he does so.”
He does expect to work with Zombie again because he thinks they work well together. He just doesn’t know when that will happen.
“I think that I bring something to his story that he appreciates. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lew Temple in a Rob Zombie production yet again.”
Along with acting, Temple is “an incredible baseball fan.” He adores the game and it has been his first passion since he was a little boy. He’s even played it all the way up until the minor leagues with the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros. When he couldn’t play the game, he worked as a baseball scout for the New York Mets. Now he roots for the Atlanta Braves.
“I would say I’m excited for the Red Sox, but rooting for the [Detroit] Tigers.”
Temple also writes music.
“I think that I am a pretty interesting songwriter. I think that I am able to spin a tune, at least in my head.”
He has a record deal with Universal through the Rob Zombie production, Banjo and Sullivan.
Massachusetts prepares for the 10th anniversary of the Rock and Shock Horror and Music convention series this weekend (October 18th – 20th) with a lineup of sinister guests, musical acts and events that cannot be missed!
This year’s celebrity guests include Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger of Nightmare on Elm Street), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2, The X-Files), Gunnar Hansen (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Michael Rooker, Scott Wilson, Lew Temple and IronE Singleton (of The Walking Dead), cast and crew from Sharknado, the cast of Holliston and many more!
Rock and Shock’s show floor offers so much more than awesome celebrity guests and isle after isle of incredible vendors.
Tickets are available now at http://rockandshock.com/tickets/ with options from VIP to show attendee.
Worcester, Massachusetts on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19. Meteorologists can confirm that Sharknado‘s director Anthony C. Ferrante (Sharknado, Boo, Hansel & Gretel, Headless Horseman) and star Jason Simmons – (Sharknado, Bloody Mary, Nowhere, Baywatch) will be making landfall directly inside the DCU Center as part of Rock & Shock 2013. All residents are advised to take proper precautions by purchasing their tickets at rockandshock.com.
Also joining Ferrante and Simmons will be Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street, Hatchet), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The X-Files), The Walking Dead’s Michael Rooker and Scott Wilson and many more. Live performances include, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie and Podcast Q&A), Danzig with special guest Doyle and Twiztid.
For a complete list of attendees and up-to-the-minute announcements, please visit http://www.rockandshock.com.
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The filmmakers behind Inkubus, Infested and Self Storage will be showcasing their latest production Army of the Damned at Rock & Shock 2013. Along with a special invite-only premiere on Saturday, October 19, the film’s producer, director and cast will be meeting with fans all weekend long.
Some say that New England is quickly becoming the Hollywood of the East and thanks to Rhode Island based producer Chad A. Verdi and writer/director Tom DeNucci, they may just be right. The duo have cranked out hometown horror with Hollywood legends and their latest endeavor is no different. Boasting an all-star cast including Tony Todd (Candyman), Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts (The Expendables), *NSYNC ‘s Joey Fatone (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Sully Erna (lead singer, Godsmack) and professional wrestlers Tommy Dreamer, Maria Kanellis and Thea Trinidad, Army of the Damned is poised to once and for all put the East Coast on the movie making map.
To celebrate the release of the Rhode Island helmed horror flick, Verdi, DeNucci and the film’s cast will be heading up to Worcester, MA to premiere the film at Rock & Shock 2013. Joining the film’s aforementioned stars will be David Chokachi (Baywatch), Nick Principe (Laid to Rest), Jackie Moore (Atlantic Rim), Tom Paolino (Inkubus), David Gere (Remains) and Billy Vigeant (The Fighter).
Army of the Damned follows the crew of a hit reality TV show as they chronicle the lives of local cops in a sleepy town. When things go horribly awry after a call that brings new meaning to the term “domestic disturbance,” these small town cops must put their lives – and their training – on the line if they want to make it out alive and avoid joining the Army of the Damned.
Rock & Shock, now in its 10th year is an annual convention that brings together monsters, music and mayhem for three days of frightening fun! This year’s event will see the likes of Robert Englund(Nightmare on Elm Street, Hatchet), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The X-Files), Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead), Scott Wilson (The Walking Dead), Gunnar Hansen (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, American Mary) and many more signing autographs, taking pictures and meeting fans from all over the world. In addition to Twiztid, this year’s live performers include Danzig with special guest Doyle and Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes; who will be screening their new film Jay and Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie and answering fan questions with a live podcast.
For a complete list of attendees and up-to-the-minute announcements, please visithttp://www.rockandshock.com.
Jason Harris Promotions 