Press Releases

 72,000 POP CULTURE FANS SPENT THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND AT DRAGON CON

More Than $210,000 Raised for Arthritis Foundation’s Georgia Chapter And Still Counting.

ATLANTA – September 2, 2024 – Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention, attracted 72,000 attendees for the five-day celebration and raised more than $210,000 for its official 2024 charity, Arthritis Foundation’s Georgia chapter.

Dragon Con will return in 2025 for the five-day Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.

“Dragon Con is the world’s greatest gathering of friends, a place where fans come together to show off their spectacular costumes, catch up with old friends and make new ones, and meet their favorite actors, authors, and other creators,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said. “These are the reasons fans come back to Dragon Con year after year.”

As estimated, fan attendance was 72,000. Fans came from all corners of the globe, representing all 50 states, several foreign countries, and six of the seven continents.

With monies still being collected, the convention’s charity efforts raised at least $210,000 for the Arthritis Foundation, which is currently celebrating 75 years of pursuing a cure for America’s number one cause of disability, affecting nearly 60 million adults and 300,000 children in the US.

Over the past decade, Dragon Con has raised more than $1.3 million for its annual official charities.  Funds are raised through convention-based auctions, special merchandise sales, special events, and a dollar-for-dollar match from the convention up to an additional $125,000.

In the Dragon Awards, the only fan’s choice award in fandom, Starter Villian by John Scalzi won the Best Science Fiction Novel, the first of 11 categories of fiction, comics, art, gaming, and filmed entertainment.

Comedy legend John Cleese was recognized with the Julie Award, which recognizes universal achievement across multiple genres. Cleese is a co-founder of the Monty Python comedy troupe, responsible for Monty Python’s Flying Circus television show, three Monty Python films, and an assortment of television and movie specials, video games, and live tours.

LifeSouth, which conducted the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive at Dragon Con, attracted more than 3,950 donors who donated to the drive, resulting in about 10,600 blood components. The annual drive, consistently ranked as the largest convention-based blood drive benefits LifeSouth, which serves more than 25 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 125 hospitals in the Southeast.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over five days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

DRAGON CON’S DRAGON AWARDS DELIVERS A HORDE OF AWARD WINNERS

9^TH ANNUAL AWARDS RECOGNIZE FANS’ FAVORITES IN FICTION, ART,

GAMES, AND FILMED ENTERTAINMENT

Best Science Fiction Novel: Starter Villian by John Scalzi

Monty Python co-founder John Cleese, Short Fiction Authors Rachael K. Jones and Sam Brown, and Independent Music Champion Clyde Gilbert Honored with Individual Awards

ATLANTA – September 1, 2024 – Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture, sci fi, fantasy, and gaming convention, announced the winners of its 9^th annual Dragon Awards, a fan’s choice awards program to recognize the best in books, comics, games, and filmed entertainment.

Leading this year’s Dragon Awards, Starter Villian by John Scalzi was the fans’ choice in the Best Science Fiction Novel category.

Dragon Con also announced four other convention awards, recognizing achievement in short fiction and lifelong contributions to the profession and fandom.

Rachael K. Jones and her work, “The Sound of Children Screaming,” was honored with the Eugie Foster Memorial Award for Short Fiction, established in the memory of the Nebula-award winning author and long-time Dragon Con volunteer director. A juried award, the “Eugie” celebrates the best in innovative fiction. Past winners include Rich Larson (2023), Sarah Pinsker (2022), and Elaine Cuyegkeng (2021).

The Julie Award, given to an industry professional for universal achievement spanning multiple genres, was awarded to comedian John Cleese, co-founder of the Monty Python comedy troupe, responsible for Monty Python’s Flying Circus television show, three Monty Python films and an assortment of television and movie specials, video games and live tours. Outside of Monty Python, Cleese has had roles in dozens of television shows, movies, and video games, winning an Emmy for his guest appearance in the sitcom Cheers.

Sam Brown was awarded the Mike Resnick Memorial Short Story Award for his work, “When I Was Your Age.”  The Resnick Award, sponsored by Galaxy’s Edge anthologies (published by Arc Manor) and Dragon Con, celebrates new, unpublished authors and is given in memory of Mike Resnick, a prolific publisher who was widely known for helping new writers start their careers.

And, Clyde Gilbert was recognized with the Hank Reinhardt Fandom Award, given each year to an individual who has made significant contributions to fandom in Georgia. Gilbert, best known as the guitarist of Irish folk band Emerald Rose, is widely loved across the independent music community for his work championing bands and the southeastern music scene. As a Dragon Con volunteer and director for more than 15 years, Gilbert has leant his deep knowledge to helping select bands that appear each year while also directing the Concourse Stage.

The Dragon Awards were created in 2016 as part of Dragon Con’s 30^th anniversary celebration. All fans – not just Dragon Con members or attendees – were invited to nominate their favorite properties for the awards and then select Dragon Award winners by voting on the annual Dragon Awards ballot.

Approximately 7,000 fans cast ballots for this year’s Dragon Award winners, selected from among 67 properties in 11 categories covering the full range of fiction, comics, television, movies, video gaming, and tabletop gaming. Winners were announced on Sept. 1 at Dragon Con 2024 in downtown Atlanta.

Final voting was held via the dedicated Dragon Awards website, and the voting period ran from Aug. 6 to Aug. 31. The ballot was selected in an open nomination process in which fans nominated their favorite properties. The nomination period ran from early November 2023 until July 2024. The best and most popular of the nominated properties were elevated to the ballot.

And the Dragon Award winners are …

Best Science Fiction Novel

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel

Midnight at the Houdini by Delilah S. Dawson

Best Alternate History Novel

All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris

Best Horror Novel

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Best Illustrative Book Cover

Of Jade and Dragons by Kelly Chong

Best Comic Book / Graphic Novel

Monstress by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series, TV or Internet

Fallout, Amazon Prime Video

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie

Dune: Part Two by Denis Villeneuve

Best Digital Game

Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios

Best Tabletop Game

D&D The Deck of Many Things, Wizards of the Coast

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over five days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

       Star Forest media contacts:

        Melissa Sanders | melissa@tadpolecomm.net 

                                                                                     Elizabeth Waldman | waldmania@comcast.net 

Star Forest To Reimagine Children’s Entertainment for the Digital Age with Multimedia Adventure of Immersive Storytelling, Music and Wonder

Full Star Forest Project to Launch at Dragon Con, August 29–September 2

Star Forest Virtual Band To Release Album, Let Me Be Real, on September 26

New Podcast To Launch September 3; Video Game to Launch Later This Year

**PRESS ASSETS AVAILABLE HERE**

ATLANTA, GA (August 26, 2024) — In a world where screens dominate and attention spans dwindle, a new force in children’s entertainment is emerging. Star Forest, the brainchild of Emmy Award-winning producer Genevieve LeDoux, is set to revolutionize how children engage with music, storytelling, and creativity. The expansive Star Forest project features a deep, intricately-crafted lore that spans multiple platforms, including music albums (new album being released on September 26), music videos (YouTube), animated character-driven content, podcasts (launching September 3) and a mobile video game (coming later this year). Watch the trailer for Star Forest HERE.

The virtual band is: Fawn Velvette (vocalist/keytar) performed by Lynzee Fraye; Twig Leifort (vocalist/guitar) performed Pete Mitchell; Sluuth Marbles (bass/vocalist/rhymes) performed by Christopher “Caz” Downing; Rocktapus “Rocky” Blueblood VII (drums/tambourine) performed by Jake Griffitts. Podcast host Phineas Fawk is performed by Garrett Braun. Additional Star Forest team members include: Andrew Morgan Smith (Composer/Producer); Dusty Higgins (Head of Animation and Visual Development); Austin Baur (Visual Effects Supervisor); Kevin Handy and Anna Lesperance (Co-Producers); Tammy Hurt (Head of Music Strategy and Industry Relations); and Jonathan Weilbaecher (Digital Strategy).

In an era where children are increasingly disconnected from nature and overwhelmed by technology, Star Forest offers a bridge between digital engagement and real-world wonder. It’s designed to combat “nature deficit disorder” by inspiring kids to explore, create, and connect with the world around them. At its heart is a virtual band of lovable misfits whose music transcends mere entertainment, becoming a gateway to imagination and self-discovery targeted for children aged 5–9 (but may appeal to a range of music lovers).

“Star Forest isn’t just an album, a show, or a game — it’s an entire universe designed to captivate, educate, and inspire,” said Genevieve LeDoux, Star Forest Creator and Co-Founder. “We noticed a significant gap in content for children who have outgrown preschool programming but aren’t ready for teen-oriented material. Star Forest fills this void with rich, multi-layered content that grows with the child.”

In today’s world of constant stimulation and digital noise, children are increasingly struggling to find moments of focused creativity and calm. Star Forest addresses this by incorporating elements that promote the “flow state” — a psychological concept where individuals are fully immersed in an activity, experiencing heightened focus and enjoyment. Through its immersive storytelling and engaging music, Star Forest creates an environment where children can naturally enter this state of flow, enhancing their creativity, problem-solving skills, and overall well-being.

“The band is virtual, and the music is real! Star Forest is The Gorillaz for kids and the story of a band trying to make it,” said Tammy Hurt, Head of Music Strategy and Industry Relations for Star Forest. “It is a world that mirrors the challenges and triumphs of real life, offering a metaphorical landscape where the band members learn invaluable lessons about friendship, resilience, and the pursuit of their dreams. Through their shared experiences, the band members discover the true power of music to connect hearts, inspire change, and create a sense of belonging.” 

“We’re not just creating content, we’re crafting experiences that allow children to tune out the noise and tune into their own incredible potential,” LeDoux continued. “In Star Forest, kids don’t just listen to music — they become part of it, entering a world where imagination flows freely, and creativity knows no bounds. Our goal is to create content that not only entertains but also enriches, but inspires a new generation of thinkers, dreamers, and doers who understand the power of imagination and the importance of our connection to nature.”

DRAGON CON | AUG 29–SEP 2

Let Me Be Real is the newest installment in the Star Forest adventure, which is presented through music, music videos, and animated short form videos, and with a podcast coming on September 3. The full Star Forest project will officially launch at Dragon Con this weekend, the largest multi-media and pop culture event in the U.S. In addition to the release of the first song from the new Star Forest Album, “Let Me Be Real,” attendees can visit the Star Forest booth all weekend long on the Marquis level of the Marriott Marquis.  

THUR, AUG 29

• Visit the Star Forest booth at the Marriott Marquis, Marquis Level.

FRI, AUG 30

Kids Rock with Star Forest |  5:30pm | Hyatt Spring

• Kids Track welcomes Star Forest, a brand new animated multimedia experience. Explore the cosmic wilds and meet a band of misfit musicians crafting melodies to reshape worlds. Kids learn the band’s lore, check out their tunes, and style their favorite band members with Star Forest coloring. Kids under 16 must be with a parent/guardian; children 7+ must have badges.

In addition:

• Prize Giveaway: Star Forest prize boxes given to winners of Dragon Con Family Game Night.
• Dragon Con will provide Star Forest coloring pages in all of its arts & crafts and coloring activities.
• Visit the Star Forest booth at the Marriott Marquis, Marquis Level.

SAT, AUG 31

• Visit the Star Forest booth at the Marriott Marquis, Marquis Level.
• Dragon Con will provide Star Forest coloring pages in all of its arts & crafts and coloring activities.

SUN, SEP 1

Family Dance | 4pm | Hyatt Spring

• The Kids Track family dance will include Star Forest songs in the playlist, plus special giveaways throughout the event.

In addition:

• Prize Giveaway: Star Forest prize boxes given to winners of Dragon Con Family Game Night.
• Dragon Con will provide Star Forest coloring pages in all of its arts & crafts and coloring activities.
• Visit the Star Forest booth at the Marriott Marquis, Marquis Level.

MON, SEP 2

• Visit the Star Forest booth at the Marriott Marquis, Marquis Level.
• Dragon Con will provide Star Forest coloring pages in all of its arts & crafts and coloring activities.

NEW ALBUM: LET ME BE REAL | SEP 26 RELEASE

The new Star Forest album, Let Me Be Real, will be released on September 26, 2024. The album transports listeners into the enchanting world of Star Forest, a multimedia adventure that merges vibrant melodies with lyrics inspired by a deep connection to nature, encouraging kids to embrace their true selves and celebrate their individuality. Blending nostalgic synthwave vibes with contemporary pop elements, Let Me Be Real is designed to resonate with both kids and adults. 

• Label: Silver Comet Productions, LLC
• Distribution: Magic Star, the Global Kids and Family Entertainment Division of The Orchard (part of SONY Music Entertainment)
• Recommended ages: Kids age 5+
• Running time: 45 minutes
• Release Date: Will be available on all major platforms beginning September 26, 2024.

Track List:

Can You Hear Me

Pinky Promise

Let Me Be Real

Beam On

Green Dream

Mind of Sky

Nerding is Fun

Star Slugzz

Home
Part of Life

Climbing Tree

PODCAST | SEP 3 LAUNCH

The new Star Forest podcast, “Fawks Talks w/ Phineas Fawks” will launch on September 3 on the “Treequalizer Network” — a  brand-new podcast network and subsidiary of Intermediate Intermedia. The talk show (podcast) stars the eponymous (virtual) Phineas Fawks, and will take a deep dive with each (virtual) guest. The backstory is that Fawks, a long-time on-air personality, recently canceled his previous show of similar name and format to help launch the Treequalizer Network, which he describes as their flagship show.

Each of the first four episodes will feature a member of the band’s new lineup in their first solo interviews. The fifth episode will feature the entire band fielding questions from denizens of the Star Forest Island:

• Episode 101: Fawn Velvette (vocals/keytar)
• Episode 102: Twig Leifort (vocals/guitar)
• Episode 103: Sluuth Marbles (bass/vocalist/rhymes)
• Episode 104: Rocktapus “Rocky” Blueblood VII (drums/tambourine)
• Episode 105: Star Forest (Band)

# # #

DRAGON CON BRINGS POP CULTURE BONANZA TO DOWNTOWN ATLANTA  

ANNUAL LABOR DAY CONVENTION EXPECTING 72,000 FANS

Fans Fill the Stands to See John Cleese, Walter Koenig, and Danny Trejo; Compete for Bragging Rights in the Gaming Hall; March in the Most Colorful Parade this Side of Paris

ATLANTA – August 13, 2024 – Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, returns to downtown Atlanta for Labor Day weekend, bringing with it some 72,000 pop culture fans.

Dragon Con attracts fans from all 50 states and several foreign countries who come to Dragon Con to meet their favorite actors, artists, authors, creators, and experts, show off their latest cosplay, make new friends, and revel in the joy that is Dragon Con.

Dragon Con 2024 begins Thursday, Aug. 29 and ends five days later on Monday, Sept. 2 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Courtland Grand – plus AmericasMart Buildings Two and Three.

Guests – A trio of living legends – John Cleese, Walter Koenig, and action movie icon Danny Trejo – lead a stellar list of more than 100 celebrity guests headed to Dragon Con. They will be joined by fan-favorite Giancarlo Esposito, Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker, Marvel’s Vincent D’Onofrio and Cobie Smulders, Disney princess Ming-Na Wen, Firefly’s Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk, and comics legends Jim Steranko all coming out to meet fans, lead panel discussions, and sign autographs.

Karen Prell will lead a band of puppeteers from Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock television series – along with their famous Fraggle puppets – in sing-a-longs, panel discussions, and puppetry demonstrations.

For Gen X fans, Dragon Con welcomes the cast of the original 1980s animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles including Barry Gordon, Cam Clarke, Renae Jacobs, Rob Paulsen, and Townsend Coleman – all four pizza-munching, crime-fighting turtles plus reporter April O’Neil.

In addition, Dragon Con will host some 300 authors, artists, game designers, puppeteers, scientists, engineers, and other experts to lead panels and talk with fans across 38 tracks of programming, from high fantasy to hard science.

Gaming – Dragon Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the nation, offers more than three acres of gaming in AmericasMart Building Three, plus additional gaming and game-related programming in the nearby Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel.

Dragon Con will celebrate the golden anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons with special events, tournaments, and panel discussions about the industry-changing, imagination-capturing role-playing game that remains a tentpole for the gaming industry 50 years after its introduction.

Luke Gygax, son of D&D creator Gary Gygax and creator of D&D convention Gary Con, leads an all-star selection of D&D guests at this year’s convention, including game designers Keith Baker and Amanda Hamon, writer Elisa Teague and professional dungeon master Jason Massey, who also hosts the Dungeons & Randomness podcast with guest Brianna Marie.

Current gaming sensation Baldur’s Gate III, a faithful recreation of Dungeons & Dragons in video game form, will also be well represented. Voice actors Aliona Baranova, Devora Wilde, Jennifer English, Neil Newbon, and Theo Solomon will all be on hand to talk with fans, sign autographs, and lead panel discussions.

Dragon Con offers the full array of games including PC and console games, miniatures, role-playing games, collectable card games, social deception games, LARP games, and a basement full of familiar and rare board games, plus Japanese and classic American arcade games. All gaming is free to Dragon Con members and begins Thursday, Aug. 31 at 4 pm.

Parade – Atlanta’s most colorful and always popular Dragon Con Parade steps off on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 10 am. The parade is free and open to the public.

The parade route remains the same as in past years. Beginning at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Linden Avenue, the parade will head south on Peachtree, east (left) on Andrew Young International Boulevard and north (left) on Peachtree Center Avenue. It will end on Peachtree Center Avenue between John Portman Boulevard and Baker Street, in front of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

The route is convenient to three MARTA stations – North Avenue, Civic Center, and Peachtree Center. Parking downtown is expected to be tight. Dragon Con encourages parade spectators to ride MARTA.

The 2024 parade will once again be televised live on Atlanta 69. Live coverage will begin at 10 am and will remain on air through the entire parade, with a time-edited rebroadcast on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 10 p.m.

There are a number of live streaming options. DCTV will broadcast the parade live on a closed circuit to the convention’s host hotels, with rebroadcasts throughout the weekend. Parade coverage will also be available through Dragon Con’s streaming membership available at dragoncon.tv.

Cosplay – Dragon Con is well known for the quality of its cosplay and that tradition will certainly continue. The nation’s top cosplayers will show off their best work during the show, participating in costume contests every night of the convention and promenading throughout the five host hotels and the streets of downtown Atlanta.

Cosplay competitions remain a mainstay of Dragon Con, including the queen of competitions, Dragon Con Masquerade, the oldest continuously-run competition in fandom, the craftsmanship-focused Friday Night Costume Contest, and the low-key and fan-voted Hallway Costume Contest.

Official Charity – The Georgia chapter of Arthritis Foundation is Dragon Con’s official charity for 2024. Through auctions, merchandise sales and other charity events, plus a dollar-for-dollar match up to $125,000 from Dragon Con, the convention will raise money to support this important organization.

Over the last decade, the convention has consistently raised more than $100,000 for each of its annual official charities – and more than $200,000 in each of the past two years – for a total of more than $1.3 million donated to Atlanta-based charities since 2014. In 2023, Dragon raised more than $270,000 for official partner CURE Childhood Cancer.

Currently celebrating its 75^th anniversary, Arthritis Foundation is boldly pursuing a cure for America’s leading cause of disability, which affects nearly 60 million adults and 300,000 children in the US, with life-changing science, resources, advocacy and community connections.

In addition to fundraising, Dragon Con conducts the largest convention-based blood drive in the nation. In 2023, some 3,000 fans donated more than 6,000 units of blood and blood products in the annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive, benefiting LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast.

About Dragon Con:

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 29 -Sept. 2, 2024) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

DRAGON CON’S DRAGON AWARDS PUBLISHES ITS 2024 BALLOT

Ninth Annual Awards Include 11 Categories Covering the Best in

Literature, Comics, Gaming and Filmed Entertainment.

Award Winners Will Be Announced at Dragon Con over Labor Day Weekend.

ATLANTA – Aug. 6, 2024 – Dragon Con’s Dragon Awards, a fan’s choice awards program to recognize the very best in science fiction and fantasy literature, comics, gaming, and filmed entertainment, has published its 2024 ballot.

Winners of the Dragon Awards are selected by fans – not just Dragon Con members or convention attendees – and voting is free.  You can view the ballot here.

“The goal of Dragon Awards is to use the power of the people – the fans who read it, watch it, or play it – to recognize the best properties in science fiction and fantasy,” said convention co-chair David Cody.

More than 7,000 fans cast ballots for Dragon Award winners in 2023, selected from among 67 properties in 11 categories covering the full range of fiction, comics, television, movies, video gaming, and tabletop gaming.

All voting is done electronically and only via a ballot emailed to each confirmed voter. To vote, fans must first register on the Dragon Awards website: Register Here. Ballots are then emailed in batches every few days through August.

Fans have until Friday, Aug. 30 at 11:59 p.m., eastern, to register. Voting ends 24-hours later on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 11:59 p.m., also eastern.

Winners will be announced on Sunday, Sept. 1 at Dragon Con in downtown Atlanta. The annual Labor Day convention is scheduled this year from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2.

The ballot was selected in an open nomination process, in which more than 5,000 fans participated. Using the dedicated Dragon Awards website, fans were invited to nominate one (and only one) of their favorite properties in any or all the award categories. Nominations ran from November 2023 until July 19, 2024. The best and most popular of the nominated properties were elevated to the ballot.

Further details are available on the awards website: awards.dragoncon.org. Please direct all inquiries to dcawards@dragoncon.org.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 29 -Sept. 2, 2024) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

JOHN CLEESE, WALTER KOENIG, DANNY TREJO, JODIE WHITTAKER,

GIANCARLO ESPOSITO, VINCENT D’ONOFIRO, MING-NA WEN, AND COBIE SMULDERS

HEAD UP AN OVERFLOWING GUEST LIST AT DRAGON CON

Comics Legends and Creators Jim Steranko and Marv Wolfman Will Meet Fans

Newbon and English Lead a Large Cast of Baldur’s Gate III Voices; McFadden, Spiner, and Frakes Host a Meetup of Star Trek: Picard Fans; And Roswell Cast Reunites for its 25^th Anniversary

ATLANTA – Aug. 5, 2024 – A trio of living legends – John Cleese, Walter Koenig, and action movie icon Danny Trejo – lead a stellar list of celebrity guests headed to Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, science fiction, and gaming convention, for Labor Day weekend.

They will be joined by Giancarlo Esposito, Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker, Emmy-nominated Vincent D’Onofrio, Disney princess Ming-Na Wen, Firefly’s Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk, Marvel’s Cobie Smulders, and comics legends Jim Steranko and Marv Wolfman, all coming out to meet fans, lead panel discussions, and sign autographs.

Other top guests from television and movies include Resident Alien’s Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Alice Wetterlund, and Meredith Garretson; Baldur’s Gate III’s Neil Newbon, Jennifer English, Devora Wilde, Theo Solomon, and Aliona Baranova; Star Trek: Picard will be represented by Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Johnathan Frakes, John de Lancie, and Todd Stashwick and fans of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can see Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Dan Jeannotte, Melissa Navia, and Babs Olusanmokun.

Fans of WB’s hit aliens-among-us drama Roswell will have a chance to celebrate its 25^th Anniversary with an original cast reunion featuring Shiri Appleby, Jason Behr, Majandra Delfino, Brendan Fehr, and Nick Wechsler.

Karen Prell, better known as Red Fraggle, will lead a band of puppeteers – and their Fraggle Rock puppets – from Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock television series in a series of sing-a-longs, panel discussions, and puppetry demonstrations. She will be joined by John Tartaglia (Gobo), Kevin Clash (Uncle Travelling Matt), Donna Kimball (Mokey), Jordan Lockhart (Wembley), Frank Meschkuleit (Boober/Pa Gorg) and Ben Durocher.

For Gen X fans, Dragon Con welcomes the cast of the original 1980s animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles including Barry Gordon, Cam Clarke, Renae Jacobs, Rob Paulsen, and Townsend Coleman – all four pizza-munching, crime-fighting turtles plus reporter April O’Neil.

Other media guests will represent Smallville, Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D, Heroes, 12 Monkeys, X-Men 97, Star Trek: Lower Decks, the Harry Potter franchise, and video game Demon Slayer.

An estimated 72,000 people are expected to attend Dragon Con over the five-day Labor Day Weekend – Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 – with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings Two and Three and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Courtland Grand.

English actor and writer Cleese is best known as a co-founder of the Monty Python comedy troupe, responsible for Monty Python’s Flying Circus television show, three Monty Python films and an assortment of television and movie specials, video games and live tours. Outside of Monty Python, Cleese has had roles in dozens of television shows, movies, and video games, winning an Emmy for his guest appearance in the sitcom Cheers.  Cleese will be at Dragon Con on Saturday and Sunday only.

Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov in the original 1960s Star Trek television series, brought teen idol good looks to the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Koenig also appeared in all seven motion pictures featuring the original cast. Later in his career, Koenig had a featured role in the science fiction television series Babylon 5.

Trejo, the self-described ex-con turned icon, has appeared in over 350 movies in his career and is best known for his leading role in the three Machete action films and the first three Spy Kids films. With his distinctive, tough guy looks, Trejo regularly plays gangsters, convicts, and other criminals. Despite his appearance, he is also known as one of the nicest people in Hollywood.

Giancarlo Esposito, best known to fans for playing a series of wicked characters in Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, The Boys, and Once Upon a Time, will next appear as the villain Sidewinder in Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World.

English actress Whittaker is best known for her five-year turn as the Thirteenth Doctor in the long-running Doctor Who television series, followed by her work in the crime drama Broadchurch. Whittaker, who will be at Dragon Con on Sunday only, will appear with Doctor Who castmate Catherine Tate.

D’Onofrio is best known to fans as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Daredevil, Hawkeye, (Georgia-produced) Echo and two new series slated for 2024 and 2025. Other key roles include Pvt. Pyle in Full Metal Jacket, Edgar the Bug in Men in Black, Hoskins in Jurassic World, Jack Horne in Magnificent Seven, and eleven years as Det. Robert Goren in Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Wen, the voice of Mulan in Disney’s animated movie and television spin-offs, has appeared in a wide variety of fan-favorite television, including Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D, Star Wars’ The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, and Stargate Universe.

Fillion, best known to Dragon Con fans as Capt. Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds on television’s Firefly and its follow up film Serenity, currently stars in television’s The Rookie. He has previously starred in television’s Castle and made appearances in the Marvel films Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and, in theaters now, Deadpool & Wolverine.

Tudyk, who appeared alongside Fillion in Firefly and Serenity, currently stars in SyFy’s Resident Alien and previously appeared in Star Wars Rogue One, American Dad, and pop-culture convention take down series, Con Man.

Cobie Smulders has played Agent Maria Hill in six Marvel Cinematic Universe movies between 2012 and 2019 as well as reprised the role in several MCU television shows, including Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D and What if? She was also a lead actor for nine seasons of the hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Comic writer and artist Steranko changed the look of comics with innovative artwork featuring surrealism, psychedelia, op art, and graphic storytelling that became a benchmark of 1960s pop culture and the Silver Age of Comic Books.

Wolfman is an influential comics writer for DC and Marvel who created or co-created dozens of characters, including Cyborg, Raven, Deathstroke, Tim Drake/Red Robin, and Blade. In January 1970, Wolfman was the first comic writer to receive printed credit for his work, kicking off an industry wide change of practice.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 29 -Sept. 2, 2024) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

FIFTY YEARS OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS GETS THE GOLDEN TREATMENT AT DRAGON CON

Luke Gygax, Son of D&D Creator Gary Gygax, Leads a Host of D&D Designers, Writers, and Other Professionals; Special Tournaments for All Levels Are Also Planned.

More than Three Acres of Gaming in Americas Mart, With Additional Programming in the Westin,

Will be Free to Play for Dragon Con Attendees

ATLANTA – July 31, 2024 – Dragon Con will celebrate the golden anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons with special events, tournaments, and panel discussions about the industry-changing, imagination-capturing role-playing game that remains a tentpole for the gaming industry 50 years after its introduction.

The five-day convention, one of the largest gaming events in the nation, will also offer programing and tournaments featuring Disney’s Lorcana, the latest entry into collectible card games. Lorcana lets players create their own Disney stories using the timeless characters, songs, and events from the Disney universe.

Some 72,000 people are expected to attend Dragon Con this year, filling downtown over the five-day Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 to Sept. 2, with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings Two and Three and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree Plaza, and Courtland Grand Hotel.

Dragon Con offers more than three acres of games and gaming in AmericasMart Building Three with additional programming in the Westin. The full array of gaming includes PC and console games, miniatures, role-playing games, collectable card games, social deception games, LARP games, and a basement full of familiar and rare board games.

Luke Gygax, son of D&D creator Gary Gygax and creator of D&D convention Gary Con, leads an all-star selection of D&D guests at this year’s convention, including game designers Keith Baker and Amanda Hamon, writer Elisa Teague and professional dungeon master Jason Massey, who also hosts the Dungeons & Randomness podcast with guest Brianna Marie.

Current gaming sensation Baldur’s Gate III, a faithful recreation of Dungeons & Dragons in video game form, will also be well represented. Voice actors Aliona Baranova, Devora Wilde, Jennifer English, Neil Newbon, and Theo Solomon will all be on hand to talk with fans, sign autographs, and lead panel discussions.

“When Dungeons & Dragons arrived, it changed the world. Not only was it an immensely popular game, it influenced culture. It changed the way games are designed, which continues to be felt in tabletop and video gaming today, and it inspired characters and plots across science fiction and fantasy literature and movies,” said convention co-chair David Cody, who pointed to RPG video games World of Warcraft and Baldur’s Gate III, and George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice & Fire book series as examples.  “Gaming would not be the $400 billion industry it is today without Dungeons & Dragons.”

Introduced in 1974, Dungeons & Dragons was the first game to shift from a competitive, player versus player setting to collaborative storytelling in which players worked together to complete a quest. D&D, as it is frequently called, also offered innovative new game elements and mechanics that have since been widely adopted across gaming.

D&D OnDemand events will be available for players curious about the resurging hobby or just have a little time to kill as events last just two hours. Everything is provided and each two-hour session features a different scenario.

As it always has, Dragon Con will offer fans a chance to talk with today’s top game designers, voice actors, and other experts about games, game design, and gaming culture. Popular parties, such as the Heroes & Villains Ball and the 8-Bit Bash, offer gamers and other fans a chance to take a break from the tables.

Always popular, an assortment of Japanese and Asian arcade games is returning to Dragon Con, giving fans a chance to play cabinet games not usually seen this side of the Pacific Ocean. These games will be available in AmericasMart Building Three. In addition, Atlanta’s own Joystick Game Bar retro arcade returns with its Peachtree Center Mall pop-up version of their original Old Fourth Ward location.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 29 -Sept. 2, 2024) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.