Mega Sci-Fi Dreams Spring to Life with Infinity Con

Tallahassee Democrat - 06/28/2019 Copy Reduced to 80% from original to fit letter page Page : F03

COVER STORY Mega sci-fi dreams spring to life with Infinity Con

Amanda Sieradzki Council on Culture & Arts

Mega. Super. Infinity. Community or- ganizer and writer David Heringer dreams big. “I consider myself a hopeless creator in the way that I seem to take my own creative path in everything in my life,” says Heringer, who strives to think as large as the worlds of science fiction and fantasy that he consumes. “I think ev- eryone has a little bit of this inside. We were made to be creative, and I feel In- David Heringer is heading up finity Con is about bringing that out.” Tallahassee’s first Infinity Con on Heringer is heading up Tallahassee’s Saturday. Infinity Con a family-friendly first Infinity Con on Saturday, a family- comic book convention that celebrates friendly comic book convention that comic, sci-fi, video game and celebrates comic, sci-fi, video game and entertainment fandoms. SPECIAL TO THE entertainment fandoms. Heringer’s in- DEMOCRAT terests in these genres stem from a childhood proclivity for exploring the woods around his small town Florida If you go home and making up stories. Infinity Con He wrote them down as they trans- What: formed into ideas for comics. Science When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday fiction, fantasy and horror are his favor- : Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. ite genres, while Spider-Man and Bat- Where Pensacola St. man top the list as far as superheroes. His father loved diving into these un- Cost: Online: $12, children (6-11) $8; known realms with him, while his On-site: $14, children (6-11) $10 mother would read him the “Chronicles For more information, visit of Narnia” at bedtime. Contact: www.infinitycontally.com “I’ve always wondered what’s out there,” says Heringer. “Growing up in a Christian home and seeing spiritual things in the church, I’ve always won- “You see comics piled high and tow- dered about what we don’t understand.” ers of T-shirts,” says Heringer. “It cre- Music was another burgeoning pas- ates this atmosphere of walking in sion in high school. Heringer learned somewhere like Disney. You see these saxophone and joined a ska band. He Dex Mccullough enters the at the Cosplay Contest at Infinity Con in Lake City elaborate costumes like they’re walking loved being a singer and traveled around INFINITY CON out of Marvel comics. It was mind- as a front man, writing lyrics and melo- blowing being a part of that.” dies. However, he struggled to trim When his friend and former band- down his ideas into the traditional song- ten, he started several novels and col- indie music event, The Objective, in mate, Ray Hancock asked him to step in writing format. laborated with a hip-hop artist on a Nashville. Coordinating nearly 500 mu- and help with Infinity Con in Lake City “I was trying to write stories in song,” comic book series. For his other works, sicians, he saw firsthand what it took to in 2014, Heringer jumped at the chance. says Heringer, who eventually started he used television shows like “The Twi- be behind the scenes, as well as how to They hoped for a few people and were working on a solo concept album. light Zone” and “The Walking Dead” as handle the logistics of creating a fun surprised with hundreds. They promot- The plot of this album revolved jumping off points into new material. atmosphere for attendees. ed the event in Tallahassee comic book around a nano-technological future “I generally write a concept, then do When he attended MegaCon in Or- shops for the past six years and began to based on stories of skin grafting and some world-building describing what lando for the first time a few years back, see an interest in bringing the event to heart transplants. The backstory was so kind of a world I want to create,” says he marveled at the sheer scale of the the capital city. extensive that his wife questioned if he Heringer. “I make some loose rules of event. As an attendee, Heringer was de- For Heringer, that meant expanding truly was a songwriter or if he had an- what that world will be, then I’ll start lighted to meet and speak with leading their usual 1,000-square-foot venue in other calling. writing the first few chapters.” industry creators about his aspirations As Heringer began writing more of- At one point, Heringer helped run an as a comic book writer. See INFINITY CON, Page 7F

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creative symphony.” geons & Dragons. Ultimately, Heringer Infinity Con This year, Heringer is expanding In- is excited to provide a space where any- finity Con’s special effects panel, hosted one can transform into the most fantas- Continued from Page 3F by Jeh Howell, which will up the ante to tical version of themselves. include parkas for a gory “splash zone.” “One of the cool things about a comic Lake City to 33,000 square feet at the A Japanese anime “Maid Cafe” will book convention is you get to see this Civic Center. With so much room to play serve up desserts and small cakes by melting pot of people,” says Heringer. with, they brainstormed on how to raise costumed characters while a local ro- “People come in and feel like they can let excitement levels for this summer’s botics group runs demonstrations in go of how they’re supposed to act and seminal event. Envisioning the venue in another area. Heringer is also proud to look. You can be any character, you can his mind’s eye, Heringer sat surrounded be partnering with the Hang Tough make your own character, and you can by whiteboards, where he sketched out Foundation to create a sensory-friendly see people from all groups come togeth- different area compositions and placed area for children and families who need er under this sci-fi, horror, fantasy, gam- himself to an event-goer’s shoes. a quiet moment away from the hustle ing umbrella and enjoy each other’s “What will be the first thing that hits and bustle of the event. company for a day.” them since this memory that might Artist Alley will be comprised of local Amanda Sieradzki is the feature stick with them the rest of their life? all-stars and vendors, while featured writer for the Council on Culture & Arts. What is the first thing they’re going to creators include Mark Maddox, an COCA is the capital area’s umbrella see?” questions Heringer. “I look for award-winning illustrator and Christo- agency for arts and culture (www.talla- Infinity Con is coming to the Civic things that have that ‘wow’ factor. See- pher Burdett, concept designer for Mag- hasseearts.org). Center on Saturday. DAVID ing it all come together for me is my own ic the Gathering, “Star Wars” and Dun- HERINGER/INFINITY CON

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Lee Kotick on guitar and vocals, David Langston on fiddle and vocals, Billy Samford on banjo, and Brent Kittrell on bass and vocals. Blue Holler is a young Georgia quintet whose personnel includes Georgia State Fiddle Champion Skylar Gandy on fiddle, Brandon Taylor on guitar, Georgia State Banjo Champi- on Brandon Gandy on on banjo, and At- lanta Country Music Hall of Fame In- ductee Seabie Ewer on bass. Tickets are $7 advance, $8 at the door. Visit Hepzibah Jones holds down the Lost www.bradfordvilleblues.com. 2019 Bluegrass Summer Concert Series presents the Bottom Dollar Boys in Monday session at Blue Tavern. SPECIAL concert with Blue Holler from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Bradfordville Blues TO THE DEMOCRAT And the beat goes on . . . Club. SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT

Tom & the Cats throw a big ol’ dance with special guest Darryl Steele from 7 party at 9 p.m. Friday at Corner Pocket Pandolfi, Wayne Britt, Neal Goree and to: “Sometimes high, always lonesome”) to 10 p.m. Saturday at Waterworks, 1133 Bar & Grill, 2475 Apalachee Pkwy. Fran- Brett Crook – kick it from 7 to 10 p.m. Fri- play down-to-earth bluegrass at 8 p.m. Thomasville Road. Cover is $5. Call 850- kie Golden opens at 6 p.m. Cover is $5. day at Backwoods Bistro, 401 E. Tennes- Saturday at Blue Tavern, 1206 N. Mon- 224-1887. . . . Hepzibah Jones holds Call 850-574-2724. . . . The Rockitz wel- see St. No cover. Call 850-320-6345. The roe St. Cover is $5. Call 850-212-5204. . . down the Lost Monday session with a come new drummer Walter Kelleher to a band shifts to Bumpa’s Local 349, 2738 . Big Apple band VISTA join locals Boys little help from “Sweetgroove” Deb lineup that also includes a full horn sec- Capital Circle NE, from 6 to 9 p.m. Sat- Who Cry and Cool Now for a show at 9 Berlinger on percussion & Richard tion at a show featuring the band’s clas- urday. Again, no cover. Call 850-999- p.m. Saturday at The Wilbury, 513 W. Kraft on clarinet at 8 p.m. Monday at sic rock-influenced playlist at 8 p.m. Fri- 8652. . . . Three Billy Goats Gruffbring Gaines St. Cover is $5 21-plus, $7 un- Blue Tavern, 1206 N. Monroe St. Cover is day at the American Legion Hall at Lake the thunder from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at der-21. . . . The Adventures of Anna- $2. Come back the next night for the Ella. Cover is $10. Call 850-222-3382. . . . Apalachicola Ice Company in Apalachi- belle Lyn conjures sweet harmonies First Tuesday Jazz Session with the Bob Your Captain Speaking plays chart- cola. No cover. Visit https://www.face- from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Fifth & Dogan Trio from 8 to 10 p.m. Tuesday. topping ‘90s alt-rock hits with passion book.com/apalachiceco/. . . . The Young Thomas, 1122 Thomasville Road. Tickets Cover, again, is $2. And the Warehouse and creativity at 9:30 p.m. Friday at Bucks play unplugged from 7 to 10 p.m. are $8 advance, $10 day of show. Visit Open Mic night lives on with host Doc Fifth & Thomas, 1122 Thomasville Road. Saturday at Backwoods Bistro, 401 E. www.fifthandthomas.com. . . .The Lon- Russell Wednesday at the Tavern. Sign- No cover. Visit www.fifthandthomas- Tennessee St. No cover. Call 850-320- gineu Parsons Quartet drops some up starts at 8 p.m. That one’s free, folks. .com. . . . Stumblefeet – featuring Bill 6345. . . . The Bottom Dollar Boys (mot- funk in its jazz-soul-world music bucket Call 850-212-5204.

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