Friday, October 23 Panels

2nd Floor Events Atrium CTC Auditorium Room 4:00 "Star Trek Rene- Registration Opens gades" Movie

4:30 Crochet Your Fandom Classic Movie Mon- sters: A Beginner's

Guide to Creatures and Stars 5:00 Marvel vs DC: Who Would Win In A Fight?

5:30 Once Upon a Time: Keep Watching the Dark Swan Skies: The Birth of the Modern Sci- ence Fiction Film 6:00 "So You Want to Co- splay..." (This program will run until 10:00pm) 6:30 A Reading of "Myths of Sheogorath"

7:00 Jamberry Nails 101: An Animated Dis- Welcome Back to Pretty Nails, Designs, cussion "Night Vale" and Cosplay

7:30

8:00

8:30

9:00 Day 1 of Rocket City NerdCon 2015 complete!

Bold events feature NerdCon special guest Events in gray are intended for 18 and over only. Badges will be checked at the doors.

Friday Panels Descriptions

4:00p.m. — Star Trek Renegades Movie Showing—Starring Tim Russ, Walter Koening, Adrianne Wilkerson, Sean Young, John Carrigan, and many other stars.

4:30p.m. — Classic Movie Monsters: A Beginner's Guide to Creatures and Stars—A talk about the essential stars of classic horror and the monsters that made them famous.

Crochet Your Fandom—Learn the basics of crochet to create items inspired by what you love. You'll get started on Hogwarts house scarves (or whatever you want to represent) so bring yarn in your colors & an appropriate-size hook. Some yarn & hooks will be available for practice. For info on picking out your materials, check out Facebook.com/OOAKindness

5:00p.m. — Marvel vs. DC: Who Would Win In A Fight?—A lot has changed with our favorite comic book characters over the years, and it is time to ask that age old question: Who would win in a fight? Join us for an interactive panel where we'll present two characters handpicked by a select group of experts and based on audience participation, see who would come out on top! Seriously, these are some big questions.

5:30p.m. — Keep Watching the Skies: The Birth of the Modern Science Fiction Film—Special Guest Lee Shackleford explores the beginnings of modern science fiction films in a movie/lecture program that includes a screening of two essential 1950’s sci-fi movies: “The Thing from Another World” & “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. *This program will run until 10:00pm, past convention closing time.

Once Upon a Time: Dark Swan—Spoilers galore for those aren't up to date on the latest episodes! However, for those of you who are - what theory do you have for Season 5? Come and share your thoughts with fellow OUAT fans.

6:00p.m. — "So You Want to Cosplay..."—A panel introducing the basics of cosplaying presented by JWo Designs. We will be discussing the basic tools you will need to build your own cosplays and sources for materials and tutorials. There will also be a discussion on general convention etiquette, how to plan your cosplay, and many other helpful tips for beginning cosplayers or those interested in starting a cosplay hobby. A question and answer session will follow the presentation so the audience will have a chance to ask any lingering questions about cosplay.

6:30p.m. — A Reading of "Myths of Sheogorath"—(teens+) We will be reading three short stories about the Mad God himself, Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness. And don't forget the CHEESE!

7:00p.m. — An Animated Discussion—Join us for a large panel discussion featuring Simon Fraser, Jen Wang, Lauren Affe, Frank Barbiere, and Kate Kasenow. Signing to follow.

Jamberry Nails 101: Pretty Nails, Designs, and Cosplay—Join us for a demo, take home or try a sample, and see designs currently available. We will also discuss making your own designs via the Nail Art Studio and complementing them with your cosplay!

Welcome Back to “Night Vale”—(teens+) Another year, another 24 episodes of weirdness and floating cats. “Night Vale” has gotten even crazier and we're here to discuss just what happened this season! Desert other worlds? Fashion week? Why can't Kevin leave us alone? All this and more!

Saturday, October 24 Panels

2nd Floor Events Ranee Pruitt Room CTC Auditorium Room 9:00 Registration Opens

9:30 Wild Things Puppet Teen Fandom Show- Show down #1 10:00 Etiquette and Proto- col at the Game Table 10:30 Jen Wang Electronic Effects for Mayhem in the Media Muppet Mania Trivia Panel and Signing Costumes Time! Creative Comics 11:00 Team

11:30 DMing 101 "The Phantom of the Simon Fraser Opera" Panel and Signing 12:00 Teen Fandom Show- down #2 12:30 Disney Sing-along Armor Building 101

1:00 "Outlander": The "Star Trek": Yes- Gathering terday, Today and Tomorrow 1:30 Fighting Games Phe- "Doctor Who": Trav- nomenon eling the Vortex 2:00

2:30 Cosplay Con- Cosplay Con- Cosplay Con- Cosplay Con-

test in Library test in Library test in Library test in Library 3:00 Atrium Atrium Atrium Atrium

3:30 Teen Fandom Show- Pro Wrestling's Anat- How to Make Video down #3 omy of a Heel Games 4:00

4:30

5:00 Day 2 of Rocket City NerdCon 2015 panels complete!

Bold events feature NerdCon special guest Events in gray are intended for 18 and over only. Badges will be checked at the doors. 14

Saturday Panel Descriptions

9:30a.m. — Wild Things Puppet Show—Start off your day with our special guest, The Wild Things. The talented Bailey Cove and Eleanor Murphy Libraries puppet troupe will put on a show guaranteed to have you and your little one laughing out loud with their witty banter and rambunctious antics.

Fandom to Careers—Do you want to have a successful career working in a field that you’re passionate about? It is possible. John Gale (johnsensei.com), former Nashville coordinator for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET Program), will show what employers are looking for in candidates during a tough job market. What you maybe didn’t know is that the passion, knowledge, and skills from your fandoms can give you the edge you need. Come to the panel and find out how.

Teen Fandom Showdown #1: Superhero Bingo—Test your knowledge of superheroes and villains in a game of Superhero Bingo.

10:00a.m. — Etiquette and Protocol at the Game Table—(teens+) We will be discussing ways to make the gaming experience, no matter what game, fun for everyone at the table.

10:30a.m. — Muppet Mania Trivia Time!—A trivia game with props and prizes!

Electronic Effects for Costumes—(teens+) Is your cosplay lacking confidence? Does your prop need some pizzazz? This panel will show you how! In this panel we will show you the basics of lights and sound and give you good ways to get them into your cosplay.

Jen Wang Panel and Signing—Meet Rocket City NerdCon special guest, the author and illustrator of “Koko Be Good”, “In Real Life”, and “Adventure Time with Fiona & Cake: Card Wars”.

Mayhem in the Media—(teens+) Do you enjoy “CSI”, “True Detective”, “Bones”, or “Hannibal”? Join us as we take a look at pop culture's obsession with serial killers.

11:00a.m. — Creative Comics Team—(teens+)- Lauren Affe, Frank Barbiere, and Kate Kasenow each represent a different component of a creative team. They hope to shed light on what it's like to work as a part of a team, as well as how to make the collaboration successful both creatively and financially.

11:30a.m. — Simon Fraser Panel and Signing—Meet Rocket City NerdCon Special Guest, the author and illustrator of “Judge Dredd”, “Nikolai Dante”, and the illustrator for the 11th “Doctor Who” Comic.

DMing 101—(teens+) New to running a table top role-playing game or thinking about taking up the mantel of DM? Come and ask your burning questions to two veteran game masters.

Saturday Panel Descriptions (Continued)

11:30a.m. — “The Phantom of the Opera”—Do you love “The Phantom of the Opera”? Join us for an overview of the story, from its beginning as a French novel to its depiction on film, to the current musical productions. We will have a presentation of various memorabilia from around the world, a display of autographs from cast members, a literary collection in multiple languages, a slideshow of rare photos, brochures, playbills, and props used in actual productions on Broadway, and an audio demonstration of international performers!

12:00pm — Teen Fandom Showdown #2: One Fandom to Rule them All—Go head to head with other fandoms in a scenario game to see which fandom has what it takes to rule them all.

12:30pm — Disney Sing-along—Come sing along to your favorite Disney songs with us!

Armor Building 101—(teens+) Victoria Rose Cosplay and JWo Designs present a comprehensive tutorial on what you need and how to start building your own armor! We will discuss the different materials and techniques for creating armor and include a breakdown of craft foam, EVA foam, and Worbla/Thermoplastic techniques. We will have a live demonstration on how to work with these materials and we will share our do's and don'ts of armor making. This is a great tutorial for those who have always wanted to build their own armor but never knew where to begin or where to purchase local supplies. We will answer all of these questions and more!

1:00pm — “Star Trek”: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow—Special guest Lee Shackleford wrote for “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and is a life-long fan of “Star Trek”. Lee explores the history of this legendary franchise and predicts whether it will continue to boldly go where no one has gone before.

“Outlander”: The Gathering—(adults only) This is a meet-up for fans of Diana Gabaldon's “Outlander” novels. Whether you love the STARZ television series or the books, Sassenachs and Highlanders are invited to discuss all things “Outlander”. Come test your knowledge of the books, show, and Scottish culture in team trivia. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team. Teams will have four or fewer participants each.

1:30pm — Fighting Games Phenomenon—(teens+)-The importance of the fighting game community. Discussion of past E3 expos.

“Doctor Who”: Traveling The Vortex—Come along on a journey through five decades of the BBC's science fiction series. We'll look at the origins of the series, its initial success and long run before its apparent downfall in the 1980s. We'll also see how the "wilderness years" of the 1990s led to its successful regeneration in 2005 and what the future may hold for our favorite Time Lord.

Saturday Panel Descriptions (Continued)

2:30p.m. — Cosplay Contest—There will be four parts to the cosplay contest: kids, teens, adults, and group. Contestants must abide by the cosplayer rules and regulations in terms of costume and props. Rules are available at the registration table.

3:30p.m. — Teen Fandom Showdown #3: Capture the Fandom—Test your fandom knowledge to see who can capture the most fandom badges for fame, glory, and chocolate.

How to Make Video Games—You may have seen lots of hype in the video game press recently about how one person made a game alone. You might think that's really cool, but impossible for you to do. You have ideas, but maybe you can only program or draw. How would you design a game? Can you really do the programming, art, and sound all by yourself?! The answer is: YES! We'll show you can start now!

Pro Wrestling’s Anatomy of a Heel—(adults only) This is the wrestling panel for the bad guys. This panel will breakdown what makes someone a great heel. We will discuss major developments of a heel including the nuances of creating heat, the cowardly heel, and the monster heel.

Sunday, October 25 Panels

2nd Floor Events Ranee Pruitt Room CTC Auditorium Room 1:00 Registration Opens

1:30 Harry Potter Theories Jen Wang "Walking Dead" Fan DisneyBounding and Talk Everyday Cosplay Panel and Signing

2:00

Hetalia History Panel 2:30 African American Women in Specula-

tive Fiction

SCA Fighting Demo Nerdies 3:00

3:30 Digital Publishing "The Name's Bond, James Bond"

4:00

4:30

5:00 Day 3 of Rocket City NerdCon 2015 panels complete!

Bold events feature NerdCon special guest Events in gray are intended for 18 and over only. Badges will be checked at the doors.

Sunday Panel Descriptions

1:30p.m. — Jen Wang Panel and Signing—Meet Rocket City NerdCon special guest, the author and illustrator of “Koko Be Good”, “In Real Life”, and “Adventure Time with Fiona & Cake: Card Wars”.

“Harry Potter” Theories—Discussion of “Harry Potter” fan theories and possibly a few theories of our own.

“Walking Dead” Fan Talk—(teens+) A brief presentation on psychology of the show. Then we'll have an open discussion on the series so far and theories for season 6! Fans of graphic novels welcomed as well.

DisneyBounding and Everyday Cosplay—Bring the magic of cosplay into your everyday wardrobe! Learn about DisneyBounding and how to dress up like your favorite characters without wearing a costume. Find out how to translate elements of any character into clothing and accessories. Wear your fandom on your sleeve!

2:30p.m. — African American Women in Speculative Fiction—(teens+) Defining speculative fiction (scifi, paranormal, fantasy, etc.), and highlighting famous and up-and-coming African-American women writers.

Hetalia History Panel—(teens+) Welcome to the World Conference! Join the Nations of the World as members of the press, and see just how smoothly–or not–this conference goes. Listen as the Nations try to clear up a few misconceptions or moments from their pasts, and then ask them questions that you want the answers to! Will this conference go smoothly? Will your questions get answered? Will the Nations actually get along? Who knows? (Probably not)

3:00p.m. — Nerdies—Our closing Nerdcon event honors all the wonderful bad movies we’ve watched over the years. Audience members will view clips of some of the worst films ever made in a variety of categories and will then vote on which ones are the “best.” Nerdy Award categories include “best” special effects, “best” actor, “best” movie as well as a special “What the….” category. You’ll want to bring your best zingers and one liners to this light-hearted tribute to the worst in movie making.

SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) Fighting Demo—See an awesome demonstration of rapier fighting and a heavy fighting demo (rattan swords and shields)…among other things!

3:30p.m. — Digital Publishing—(teens+) How to publish in the digital age. How to format an ebook and where and how to publish it.

"The Name's Bond, James Bond"—(teens+) From the original novels of Ian Fleming to the upcoming release of the 24th Bond film “Spectre”, join us for a look at one of the most successful franchises in the world. Learn about Bond's origins in post World War II Britain, the sometimes turbulent behind-the-scenes history of the film series and look at what's made Her Majesty's Secret Servant the most popular fictional spy of all time.

Gaming Schedule All gaming is located on the 2nd floor

Noon

Table Top Gaming—2nd floor In addition to our scheduled gaming times, the table top gaming area on the second floor is open any time for a variety of board and strategy games and is open to any- one who wants to play. Available games include Munchkin, Settlers of Catan, and Scrabble, but feel free to bring your own and introduce new people to the games you love!

Thanks to the following for sponsoring gaming at Rocket City NerdCon or a donation of materials:

Special Events at RCNC:

Gabrielle’s Face Painting—Youth Services Stop by for free face painting for Rocket City NerdCon! www.facebook.com/ gabriellesfacepainting

Sylvester Photography—Youth Services Sylvester Photography will be doing photo sessions as a fundraiser for Huntsville- Madison County Public Library. Every person who donates at their booth will receive a high resolution copy of their photograph to download. For every dollar that is donated, you will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win an autographed photo of actress Chase Masterson from “Deep Space Nine” and/or an autographed photo from Star Trek Renegades.

Kid Friendly Activities—Youth Services Fun crafts and science experiments are available to occupy little (and big) nerds during NerdCon. For more information check out our kids program handout at the registration table. Also, be sure to check out the great selection of books, music, comics, graphic novels, and movies you can browse and borrow during your visit.

Food Trucks—Looking for a snack? Check out our food trucks located on the east side of the library parking lot for all your snacking needs.

Looking for a great souvenir from Rocket City NerdCon 2015? Check out our t-shirts for sale on the first floor!