This schedule will be updated frequently and is subject to change without notice.
| Date | Time | Name | Genre | Location | Decription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Two Rooms and A BOOM!!! | Event & Gaming | Breakout Room | Play "Two Rooms and A Boom," a social-deduction game of two teams with hidden roles, is running in multiple sessions over the weekend. The Red Team is trying to bomb the President; the Blue Team is trying to save him. If at the end of the game, the Red Bomber is in the same room as the President, the Red Team wins; otherwise the Blue Team wins. Deception is encouraged so hopefully players deduce the right facts to get their people to the right place. |
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| Friday | Face Painting for Kids | Event | Breakout Room | Face painting for kids! Come get your face painted during the con. Hours and times to be posted. |
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| Friday | 2:00 PM | Treasure Planet |
Event | Amphitheater | Come watch one of Disney’s underappreciated Disney movies. Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson "Treasure Island," the legendary "loot of a thousand worlds" inspires an intergalactic treasure hunt when 15-year-old Jim Hawkins stumbles upon a map to the greatest pirate trove in the universe in this thrilling animated space adventure "Treasure Planet." Kim Stoecker |
| Friday | 2:00 PM | Play with Kristin! | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Come play one of Looney Lab’s many game with Gaming GoH Kristin Looney. Whether playing one of your favorites or learning one for the first time from one of the designers themselves, this should be a fun time for all! Kristin will be at the Looney Lab’s table at various times throughout the day. See gaming for more details. Kristin Looney |
| Friday | 2:00 PM | Parsely Games: Short Session with Andy Looney | Event & Gaming | Oak | Play a round or two of one of Gaming GoH Andy Looney’s Parsely Games. Parsely games are 80s text adventures played with a group. Andy Looney becomes the computer and will guide you through one or more of his very short modules: Trapped! Red Alert! and Ducks on a Plane. Andy Looney |
| Friday | 4:00 PM | Atlantis the Lost Empire |
Event | Amphitheater | Come watch on of Disney’s underappreciated films, "Atlantis: The Lost Empire." After Milo Thatch, a naive but determined cartographer, Milo Thatch, joins up with a group of daredevil explorers to find the legendary lost empire of Atlantis. It’s a quest begun by his his late grandfather, a famous explorer, but shifts into high-gear after a journal surfaces and an eccentric billionair funds the expedition. Kim Stoecker |
| Friday | 5:00 PM | Books to TV | Media & Literary | Birch | anelists look at various TV adaptations of science fiction fantasy literature and debate whether tv shows offer more room than a movie to better adjust for change of medium. Crymsyn Hart, Glen Engel-Cox, Allan Gillsbreath |
| Friday | 5:00 PM | Gaming For One | Gaming | Chestnut | Solo games are on the rise. Panelists talk this trend and how these games can be just as fulfilling as a game played with a larger group of people Wesley Austin Kinslow, Keeley Cooke |
| Friday | 5:00 PM | History of Crime Comics | Comics & Media | Dogwood | Panelists discuss crime in comics as seen through the ages. Anthony Mathenia |
| Friday | 5:00 PM | Tales from the Table | Other | Elm | Panelists (a group of vendors) tell stories about some of the good, the bad and the ridiculous experiences they’ve had while vending at big evens and conventions. Tommy Hancock, Bryan Huff, Chris Oakley |
| Friday | 5:00 PM | Opening Ceremony | Event | Oak | MidSouthCon 39 officially kicks off as we greet our Guests of Honor, and say hello to our members. Stephanie Osborn, Sheree Renée Thomas, Kristin Looney, Andy Looney, Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc, Randall Pass, Elizabeth Bear |
| Friday | 6:00 PM | Filk for Kids | Children s & Fandom | Ash | Come learn about the fannish tradition of filk music. Demos and singalongs appropriate for kids. Melinda LaFevers, Libby A. Smith, Mel White |
| Friday | 6:00 PM | Cultivating Your Bookshelf | Literary | Birch | Panelist discuss things that should be on every bookshelf. And how to build an interesting and well rounded book collection. S.H. Roddey, Glen Engel-Cox, Diana Morgan, Chris Oakley |
| Friday | 6:00 PM | Morality Systems Seen in Literature and Other Media | Literary | Dogwood | Morality systems and codes, or a lack of them, are a major theme of so many stories. Panelists look at examples and consider how issues of morality influence the perception we have of the character. Jim Gillentine, Allan Gillsbreath, Amy Banker |
| Friday | 6:00 PM | Weapons of the Future | Science | Elm | Science fiction is full of high tech weapons. Which are actually plausible, and what are we actually building. Melissa Olthoff, Jim Beall |
| Friday | 6:00 PM | Self-Marketing in Fandom: Authors, Editors, & Designers | Other & Gaming | Oak | Tommy Hancock, Andy Looney, Scott Lynch |
| Friday | 6:30 PM | Reading: Laura Sellers | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | A reading with Laura Sellers Laura Sellers |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Rock and Roll — the New Madrid fault system | Science | Amphitheater | A presentation on the New Madrid fault system by our science GoH Stephanie Osborn. Stephanie Osborn |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Colloboration Collectives and Writing Seminars | Literary | Ash | Panelists discuss the benefits and pitfalls of writing seminars & being part of a writer’s group. William Alan Webb, S.C. Houff, Sheree Renée Thomas |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Gaming as a Business | Gaming | Birch | From concept & design to kickestater & promotions. Panelist discuss what it takes to create, promote, and manage the day-to-day activities of running a business in the gaming community Kristin Looney, Michael Bielaczyc |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Reading: Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. | Reading & Reading | Boardroom | Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. reads from his novel Soldiers of Light Against Darkness, Book I of S.O.L.A.D series. Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Life in Gotham City | Comics & Media | Chestnut | Gotham is one of the most iconic cites in DC Comics. Join panelists as they discuss life in Gotham City. Josh Plock, Allan Gillsbreath |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | The What, How, & Why of Cup-Sleeves and K-Pop | Fandom | Dogwood | Are these events really focused on cup-sleeves? Panelists explain why these K-Pop fandom events are so big, how they came to be, and what they look for in one of these events. Alison Rushing, Celeste Marie, Our Heartshakers |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Magic + muscles + Anime = Mashle | Anime | Elm | Do you like Harry Potter and want an anime about a magic school? Do you like working out too? I have the perfect solution. Come and talk about everything Mashle. Gwenyth Stoecker, Craig Wolfe |
| Friday | 7:00 PM | Meeple Costumes | Children s | Evergreen | In this panel, Kids can use a variety of supplies to make costume pieces to go around some of the meeples in the gameroom. They need hats, capes, clothes and anything else the kids can come up with. All supplies will be provided. |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | The Dresden Files | Fandom & Literary | Amphitheater | In The Dresden Files, Harry Dresden,the only advertising wizard in the United States, investigates supernatural cases on behalf of both human and non-human clients. Do you know Harry Dresden? He’s a ‘bonafide’ wizard. Let’s discuss! Denise Hager, Gwenyth Stoecker, Craig Wolfe |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | Playing to Lift | Gaming | Ash | How to use character vs character dynamics to not just tell your own dynamic story, but to help others tell theirs Brian Cooksey, Chad Powers, Cynthia Jerkins, Michelle Doole, Amy Banker |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | Reading: Herika R. Raymer | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Herika R. Raymer reads from her story Chicken Pulp. Herika R. Raymer |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | Japan as a Fandom | Fandom | Chestnut | Japanese Culture and History is everywhere in fandom. From Lolita Cosplay to games like Legends of the Five Rings to bonsai trees to all the anime and manga out there, you can’t get away from it. Aubrey Stephens, Keeley Cooke, Greg Stoecker |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | Writing Good Space Battles | Literary | Dogwood | A staple of Science Fiction is the conflict in space. Panelists discuss how to write space battles that keep the reader intrigued. Melissa Olthoff, John Jackson Miller |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | Getting into Cosplay | Costuming | Elm | Panelists discuss what cosplay is all about and where it comes from. From recreations to original characters everything you might want to know or were afraid to ask. Ginger Oh Snap, Celeste Marie, Lauren Knight |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | String Theory and the Multiverse | Science | Oak | String Theory is the foundation on which the idea of the possibility of the multiverse is based. But is it even plausible? Could there be an infinite number of "me" out there? Panelists discuss. Samuel A. Edwards , Bill M. Tracer, Allan Gillsbreath |
| Friday | 8:00 PM | Meet the Guests | Event | Restaurant | Come meet and greet MidSouthCon 39 s Guests of Honor while enjoying some light refreshments. Stephanie Osborn, Sheree Renée Thomas, Kristin Looney, Andy Looney, Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc, Randall Pass, Elizabeth Bear |
| Friday | 9:00 PM | Pom Poko 30th Anniversary | Anime | Amphitheater | The tanuki (raccoon dogs) of Tama Hills find their community threatened by encroaching developers. The tanuki shape-shift into a comical variety of humans and spirits to try to scare away the humans and save their home, in this deeply affecting, funny and heartfelt look at what it means to live in the modern world. Kim Stoecker |
| Friday | 9:00 PM | Mythology in the Modern Age | Media & Literary | Ash | From Percy Jackson to the Moon Knight, myths adapted for our modern age bring us new versions of some truly classic characters. Panelists discuss this trend and the stories we have fallen in love all over again. Mel White, Denise Hager, Diana Morgan |
| Friday | 9:00 PM | Chain Mail Workshop | Other | Birch | Chainmail workshop – Basic class on making chainmail rings and how to weave them. Bryan Jones |
| Friday | 9:00 PM | For the Love of Ink! | Art | Chestnut | Panelists discuss and give Q&A on ink art. Greg Cravens, Paul Bielaczyc, Melissa Gay |
| Friday | 9:00 PM | Star Trek: Lower Decks | Fandom & Media | Dogwood | Panelist talk about the animated series Star Trek:Lower Decks and its easter eggs Samuel A. Edwards , Bill M. Tracer, D Edward Jones |
| Friday | 9:00 PM | Common Trends within Horror | Literary & Media | Oak | Panelists discuss common trends in horror and why they are so appealing. D elle Memphis, S.H. Roddey, Crymsyn Hart, Tom Deady, Russ Tilton |
| Friday | 10:00 PM | Intro to Filk |
Other | Ash | Filk is the music of fandom – come join in this beginner friendly introduction. Melinda LaFevers, Libby A. Smith |
| Friday | 10:00 PM | The Trans Fan Experience | Fandom | Elm | Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals discuss their experiences, both positive and negative, in gaming and fandom. Sorella Smith, Lena Chipman, HC Playa |
| Friday | 10:00 PM | Andy vs. Everybody | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Andy Looney loves playing multiple games simultaneously. Challenge him to any version of Fluxx, various versions of Pyramids–his favorite, or another game from Looney Labs. A list of games will be available. Andy Looney |
| Friday | 10:00 PM | Interactive Imaginings via World-Building | Literary & Gaming | Oak | Panelists discuss world design, and how the that design impacts characters in both stories and role-play games. JP Chapleau, Louise Herring-Jones, Denise Hager, Scott Lynch |
| Friday | 11:00 PM | Open Filk | Other | Ash | Come and listen or singalong to filk. |
| Friday | 11:00 PM | Rick and Morty |
Fandom & Comics | Birch | Panelsits talk about one of their favorite shows Rick an Morty on this long-running panel for MSC. Trent Bontly, Katie McCallister |
| Friday | 11:00 PM | Are You A Werewolf? | Event & Gaming | Chestnut | Matt Perry |
| Friday | 11:00 PM | Sex and the Single Robot | Other | Dogwood | Is mechanized sex impossible, possible, or probable? What about robotic-human reproduction? Parenthood? These questions and more will be imagined, analyzed, and discussed (but not demonstrated) at this adults-only panel. Louise Herring-Jones |
| Saturday | 12:00 AM | Rocky Horror Picture Show | Event | Amphitheater | Come join us for our annual midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show! |
| Saturday | 8:00 AM | Saturday Morning Cartoons | Media | Amphitheater | Craig Wolfe |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM | Talking Cutthroat Spades with Fandom GOH Randall Pass | Fandom & Gaming | Chestnut | Cutthroat Spades used to be a classic of MSC and still is at other conventions. Join our Fandom GOH Randall Pass who talks about this game, how its different from the classiv version of spades, shares memories of playing this at MSC and other events from previous cons. Randall Pass |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM | Influence of Fandom on Music | Fandom | Dogwood | Our interests affect all sorts of things. Panelist discuss this trend and how music and fandom interact. Kevin Steverson, Melinda LaFevers, Libby A. Smith, Allison 9 |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM | Paranormal Romance | Literary | Elm | From slow-burn romance to smut, it’s not your standard romance novel. Panelist consider if the appeal of paranormal romance is more the then the risque on paper? Melissa Olthoff, S.H. Roddey, Crymsyn Hart |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Geek Tank Radio Podcast | Event & Media | Amphitheater | Geek Tank Radio is here at the Con! There has already been a podcast about this con and prepping for it, now get their take on all things geekery that are bouncing around their head and their experience so far with MSC. Join them live and be part of show. Allan Gillsbreath, Brandon Olmstead, Joe Thordarson |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Plagues and Pandemics: Reality vs. Fiction | Science & Literary | Ash | Panelists discuss what fiction gets wrong or right when it come to plagues and pandemics. HC Playa, Master Duk Ku Son, Dana Bridges |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Creating Believable Aliens | Literary & Science | Birch | Panelists discuss how to create interesting and believable aliens. John E. Siers, Jim Beall, Michael LaVoice |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Reading: Mike McCarthy | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Mike McCarthy reads from his essay Aftermyth Mike McCarthy |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Gaming Done Virtually | Gaming | Dogwood | Whether you are an avid board gamer, or just need a way to get everyone together for a rpg sessions, playing games online has grown and changed dramatically over the past few years. Panelist look at this rising trend, and discuss how its changed the ways we view gaming. Brian Cooksey, Kristin Looney, Andy Looney, Logan McNeil |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Narrative Elements in Art | Art | Elm | Panelists look at narrative elements in visual art and consider how details in art tell a story. If a picture says a 1000 words, then small details in a painting or pictures say a lot towards the story. Greg Cravens, Michael Bielaczyc, M. R. Williamson, Melissa Gay |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Tabletop Gaming for Kids | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Bring your child to play either a board games or the roleplay game My Little Pony: Tales from Equestria. Game options for kids of various ages and staff available to help as needed. See gaming for details. Wesley Austin Kinslow, Bailey-Anna |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM | Silently Screaming Inside | Other | Oak | 20% of all Americans suffer from some form of depression. Yet depression and anxiety is still so underrated and misunderstood. Do you ever feel like no one hears you, understands you, or sees you? You are not alone. Come listen as others come and listen as others stand out and stand up to and for depression. Denise Hager, Gwenyth Stoecker, Greg Stoecker, Amy Banker |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | An Interview with Elizabeth Bear | Literary | Amphitheater | An interview with Elizabeth Bear. Denise Hager, Elizabeth Bear |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | Books that Forever Changed Me | Literary | Birch | Panelist talk about books and stories that changed them for better or worse. S.H. Roddey, Glen Engel-Cox, Diana Morgan, Chris Oakley |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | Reading: Daniel Reece | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Daniel Reece reads from his short story Stake and Eggs. Daniel Reece |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | The Bad Boys: why do we love our Anti-Heroes | Media & Literary | Chestnut | The Winter Soldier, Deadpool, the Sons of Anarchy, and Boba-Fett are just a few of our favorite rulebreakers of the page and screen. Panelists discuss if its their journeys of redemption (or not) that draw us in or are these ‘heroes’ just better reflections of ourselves than the average do-gooder? Alderaan Cosplay, Jim Gillentine, Josh Plock, Crymsyn Hart, Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | Using Science Fiction as a Teaching Tool | Other | Dogwood | How Science Fiction can be used as a way to engage students. Melinda LaFevers, Aubrey Stephens, Elizabeth Donald |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | The Costume Closet | Costuming & Gaming | Elm | The Costume Closet: Backbeat Ballad’s talented Staff and Mentor team discuss how to pull together iconic original character looks, for LARP, and more! Chad Powers, Cynthia Jerkins, Michelle Doole, MissingxLondon, Melissa Webb |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | Andy vs. Everybody | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Andy Looney loves playing multiple games simultaneously. Challenge him to any version of Fluxx, various versions of Pyramids–his favorite, or another game from Looney Labs. A list of games will be available. Andy Looney |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM | Blending Other Genres into Sci-Fi | Literary & Media | Oak | Moving the tropes or hallmarks of genres into Science Fiction or Fantasy. (like noir) Melissa Olthoff, H David Blalock, John Hornor Jacobs |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | Ring Shout with Sheree Renee Thomas | Literary | Amphitheater | Join us as we talk with local Memphian and Editor Guest of Honor Sheree Renee Thomas about her works, being the editor for the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, her muses, Black Panther, Dark Matter, Nine Bar Blues: Stories from an Ancient Future or anything else on her mind. Sheree Renée Thomas, Denise Hager |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | Iron Artist | Art | Ash | Watch artists race to create wholly original works in only two hours for our Art Charity Auction. Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc, Melissa Gay, Kenny Dunn |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | Getting Started in Self-Publishing | Literary | Birch | How to get started Self-Publishing your work. Tommy Hancock, Daniel Reece, S.H. Roddey, Glen Engel-Cox |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | Reading: Jim Gillentine | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Jim Gillentine reads from his novel A Night at Deaths Door. Jim Gillentine |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | The Simulation of Life, The Universe, and Everything | Science | Dogwood | According to the Simulation Theory, the universe and everything we think we know is really all a big computer simulation. Panelists consider the merits and flaws of this hypothesis, and the troubles with it in relation to our collective reality. Mark Stallings, Samuel A. Edwards , Bill M. Tracer |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | The Fashion of Lolita | Costuming | Elm | History some facts and some examples of the lolita fashion. Lilium Rose, Celeste Marie, Bailey-Anna |
| Saturday | 12:00 PM | SCA Demo | Event | Oak | The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), puts on a fighting demonstration. |
| Saturday | 12:30 PM | Reading: Alderaan Cosplay | Reading & Children s | Boardroom | Alderaan Cosplay reads from a children s book. Alderaan Cosplay |
| Saturday | 1:00 PM | INCOMING! | Science | Amphitheater | Our Science GoH gives a presentation on The Chicxulub impact and the KT extinction. Stephanie Osborn |
| Saturday | 1:00 PM | Digital Consciousness: The Brain-Body Interface | Science | Birch | Interfacing our minds and bodes into the digital world. HC Playa, Elizabeth Bear, Jim Beall |
| Saturday | 1:00 PM | Reading with Scott Lynch | Reading | Boardroom | Come sit and listen to a reading from epic fantasy author Scott Lynch, author of The Gentleman Bastard series. Scott Lynch |
| Saturday | 1:00 PM | The Do’s and Dont’s of Cosplaying | Costuming | Chestnut | Panelists share tips and answer questions on how to include fabrics to use, how to make patterns, armor making, prop making, posing, genderbending, how to store cosplay safely, how to navigate cons in cosplay, undergarments, and more! D elle Memphis, Ginger Oh Snap, Lauren Knight, Angel of Azarath |
| Saturday | 1:00 PM | Streaming our Comic Stories | Comics & Media | Dogwood | Riverdale, The Umbrella Academy, Moon Knight, etc. so of much of the streaming services’ content originally came from comic books. How well are they representing the source material. John Jackson Miller |
| Saturday | 1:00 PM | The Power of a Shared Universe | Literary | Elm | A shared universe is a set of creative works by multiple authors, set in the same background. What is there appeal? Melissa Olthoff, Bill M. Tracer, D Edward Jones, John E. Siers |
| Saturday | 1:30 PM | Reading: Paul K. Fischer | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Paul K. Fischer reads form an assortment of science fiction poetry. Master Duk Ku Son |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Being Looney | Gaming | Amphitheater | Kristin & Andy Looney talk about their game company Looney Labs. From how they began to where they are going in the future. Kristin Looney, Andy Looney |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Science Fair Science Demoes | Children s & Science | Ash | Panelist displays and demos some cool science experiments (and possible science fair projects) because science is cool. Mel White |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Short Story Collections | Literary | Birch | Panelists talk about releasing a novel that is made up of short stories from various authors. H David Blalock, Daniel Reece, Herika R. Raymer, Sheree Renée Thomas |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Reading: Elizabeth Donald | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Elizabeth Donald reads form her work. Elizabeth Donald |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Cospositivity and Diverse Cosplay | Costuming | Chestnut | In this open discussion, panelist talk about the body positivity movement, the many facets of bullying in the community and the issues surrounding this behavior. Most of all, we ll talk about how we all can make both cosplay and fandom better for every fan – because cosplay is for everyone. Alderaan Cosplay, D elle Memphis, Lilium Rose, Ginger Oh Snap, Lauren Knight |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers | Fandom & Media | Dogwood | Dearest Gentle Reader, are you as excited for the next season as I am? Looking for something to watch in the mean time? Gwenyth Stoecker, Ashton Swiger |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Play with Kristin! | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Come play one of Looney Lab’s many game with Gaming GoH Kristin Looney. Whether playing one of your favorites or learning one for the first time from one of the designers themselves, this should be a fun time for all! Kristin will be at the Looney Lab’s table at various times throughout the day. See gaming for more details. Kristin Looney |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | Doctor Who: 60 Years and Still Going Strong! | Media & Fandom | Oak | t has been over 60 years since the airing of the first Doctor Who and it still going strong! Panelists talk about everything Doctor Who. Laura Sellers, Tyrone Tony Reed Jr., Jesaiah Burnett, Katie McCallister |
| Saturday | 2:30 PM | Reading: Susan Roddey | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Susan Roddey reads form her work. S.H. Roddey |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | Star Trek to Star Wars: The Latest Works From John Jackson Miller |
Literary | Amphitheater | Memphis native and New York Times bestselling author JOHN JACKSON MILLER returns to MidSouthCon! Since his last visit, he’s released the award-winning STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS – THE HIGH COUNTRY novel and he’s just about to release his first Star Wars novel in ten years, THE LIVING FORCE. Find out about those and his other new comics and prose works in this event, which is also the 20th anniversary of his first Midsouthcon presentation about his comics work! John Jackson Miller |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | Classic Board Games and the Reason they Suck | Gaming | Ash | Panelists look at classic games and talk why they were popular until they weren’t. Or are they still? Essentially, this panel offers gaming recommendations — if you like this, try this modern game instead! Wesley Austin Kinslow, Logan McNeil |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | Looking Back From the Year 4000 | Science & Other | Birch | Archeological artifacts have been found on an obscure planet dating back 2000 years. Join our panel of experts as they attempt to deduce the purpose and cultural context of these strange and mysterious objects. HC Playa, Stephanie Osborn, Elizabeth Bear, Jim Beall |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | Reading: Lena Chipman | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Lena Chipman read from May Peterson’s book, The Calyx Charm Lena Chipman |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | Ins and Outs of Podcasting | Media | Dogwood | Panelists discuss everything about Podcasting. Brian Cooksey, Andy Looney, John Hornor Jacobs |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | YA Stories that Feel Pretty Grown-Up | Literary | Elm | Adult novels are thought to be more about than greater story depth and more mature characters than those categorized as YA. But are they really or is it just age of the characters? Panelists consider the division between books category YA and Adult, and stories that push the limits. Daniel Reece, Crymsyn Hart, Diana Morgan, Chris Oakley |
| Saturday | 3:00 PM | The Effects of AI on Literature | Literary & Science | Oak | Is A.I. a writer’s friend or foe? Panelists discuss AI and how this technology will affect the literature of the future. Mark Stallings, William Alan Webb, D Edward Jones, Louise Herring-Jones |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | The Art of Aradani Studios | Art | Amphitheater | Our Artist GoHs present a slideshow of their work. Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | Fit to Purpose: D&D vs The Many RPGs Out There | Gaming | Ash | D&D is a great system but its not one size fits all, and yet we often try to use it that way. Panelists discuss some of merits and flaws of D&D, and how other game systems can often be a better fit for your campaign. Cynthia Jerkins, Denise Hager, Keeley Cooke, Logan McNeil, Amy Banker |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | The Editor: Necessity or Luxury? | Literary | Birch | Panelists discuss the importance of having an editor and what they do for writers and stories. Kevin Steverson, Tommy Hancock, H David Blalock, Brian Cooksey, Sheree Renée Thomas |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | Reading: Paul K. Fischer | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Paul K. Fischer reads form an assortment of science fiction poetry. |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | DIY Ductape Dressform Demo | Costuming & Gaming | Chestnut | For this workshop the audience to breaks into teams, ducktaping their chosen model to make a dress form from ducktape, cling wrap, and assisting them to cut out. This would be a team building exercise with friends. Michelle Doole, MissingxLondon, Melissa Webb |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | Disney’s Flops. . . (Underrated Films) | Disney & Media | Dogwood | Is your favorite Disney film a flop, but do you think it is really the best thing ever? Alderaan Cosplay, Gwenyth Stoecker, Greg Stoecker |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | National Cartoonists Society |
Art | Elm | National Cartoonists Society what is it, and how does one join. Greg Cravens |
| Saturday | 4:00 PM | Anime Un-Animated | Anime | Oak | One Piece, Avatar, Cowboy Bebop, etc. Panelists take a look at anime characters and stories brought to live action. Herika R. Raymer, Craig Wolfe |
| Saturday | 4:30 PM | Reading: John E. Siers | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | John E. Siers reads from his latest novel Aphrodite of Luna. John E. Siers |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | The Great Miyazaki! | Anime | Amphitheater | Miyazaki is easily one of, if not the most, well known creator of anime movies. He has done so much. What is you favorite? Celeste Marie, Gwenyth Stoecker, Ashton Swiger |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Painting Your Minis Demo | Gaming | Ash | How to paint miniatures demonstration. |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Making It Up as We Go Along: A Game Design Workshop | Gaming | Birch | In this collaborative workshop, participants will work in teams to construct their own card games using randomly selected topics and the nomic game, Dvorak. This workshop is a fun way to practice game design! No prior knowledge of Dvorak or nomics is required Lena Chipman |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Reading: Melinda LaFevers | Reading & Literary | Boardroom | Melinda LaFevers reads from her work. Melinda LaFevers |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Mummy UnWrapping | Children s & Science | Chestnut | Learn about mummies from around the world, and unwrap a "cat mummy." Mel White |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Ghost Prepping | Paranormal | Dogwood | Panelists talk what you need to plan for and prepare before you go ghost hunting. Crymsyn Hart, S.C. Houff, Allan Gillsbreath, Russ Tilton |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Screenplays and Film Making | Media & Literary | Elm | Panelist talk about writing screenplays, editing them, and then using them to make a film. Anthony Mathenia, Mike McCarthy |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | What Flavor is Your Apocalypse? | Literary | Oak | What’s your flavor of apocalypse? (grimdark, hope in humanity, the process of rebuilding – what does our love of post-apocalyptic stories say about our society/hopes/fears?) H David Blalock, Tom Deady, John Hornor Jacobs |
| Saturday | 5:00 PM | Banquet | Event | Restaurant | Good food. Tickets are $40.00 and available at registration. Stephanie Osborn, Sheree Renée Thomas, Kristin Looney, Andy Looney, Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc, Randall Pass, Elizabeth Bear |
| Saturday | 6:00 PM | Bougie on a Budget: Cosplay and LARP Makeup | Costuming & Gaming | Chestnut | Workshops and tricks to demonstrate various techniques such as bruising, scars, and how to apply prosthetics, or even add battle damage. Panelists demonstrate how to elevate your costume or cosplay to the next level but at thrift store prices. Cynthia Jerkins, Michelle Doole, Lena Chipman, MissingxLondon, Melissa Webb |
| Saturday | 6:00 PM | Bonsai Styling Demostration | Event | Dogwood | Brussel s Bonsai styling demo is where a bonsai stylist remove limbs and branching to style a pre-bonsai in a more desirable captivating artistry to display movement within the trees natural growth. A variety of techniques will be used and the audience is encouraged to ask questions about how to grow, maintain, and style bonsai for years to come. Terra Miller |
| Saturday | 6:00 PM | Hazbin Hotel | Fandom | Elm | In an attempt to find a non-violent alternative for reducing Hell’s overpopulation, the daughter of Lucifer opens a rehabilitation hotel that offers a group of misfit demons a chance at redemption. Craig Wolfe, Ashton Swiger |
| Saturday | 6:00 PM | The Many Faces of Joker | Media & Comics | Oak | Batman has gone through many versions of himself as he evolved through the comics, shows, and movies, but he has nothng on his great nemesis, Joker. Panelists look at the metamorphoses of our favorite villain of DC. == Libby A. Smith, Josh Plock, Tyrone Tony Reed Jr., Kenny Dunn |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | Auction | Event | Amphitheater | The Art and Charity auction. |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | We Don’t Do That Here (Anymore) | Gaming | Ash | Updating the meta, politics, or other aspects of gaming to remove problematic or inappropriate elements found within gaming regardless of what is playing. Panelist evaluate the need to update aspects of games to make it more accessible for all players. Brian Cooksey, Cynthia Jerkins, Lena Chipman, Wesley Austin Kinslow, Amy Banker |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | Reading: Melissa Gay | Reading & Art | Boardroom | Melissa Gay reads from her book Earth and Water, about her award-winning sumi-e and other ink art, and answer ink related questions from the audience. Melissa Gay |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | BodyPainting for Cosplay | Costuming | Chestnut | For a good cosplay, body painting can be an important feature. Panelists cover which brands, what techniques, how does it work? Learn from panelists who change their skin a rainbow of colors on the regular. Ginger Oh Snap, Angel of Azarath |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | Disney Live Action vs Animated Classic | Disney & Media | Dogwood | Disney’s honoring the classics, that we love, by recreating them as live actions. But are they truly doing them justice or are they just ruining our childhood? Gwenyth Stoecker, Greg Stoecker, Ashton Swiger |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | Judging a Book By Its Cover | Art & Literary | Elm | Book covers are like an advertisement for a book. It wlll draw readers in or keep them away. Panelists discuss the both choosing an artist and image for a cover and the effects of good and bad covers on stories. S.H. Roddey, Elizabeth Donald, M. R. Williamson, Chris Oakley |
| Saturday | 7:00 PM | Interesting Monsters | Literary | Oak | Dynamic monsters of story. Panelists discuss on how to write them and where to find them. Mark Stallings, Mike McCarthy, Tom Deady, John Hornor Jacobs, Russ Tilton |
| Saturday | 8:00 PM | Reading with Elizabeth Bear | Reading | Ash | Come sit and listen to our Guest of Honor as she reads a selection from one of her books. Elizabeth Bear |
| Saturday | 8:00 PM | Parsely Games: Long Session with Andy Looney | Event & Gaming | Dogwood | Play a round or two of one of Gaming GoH Andy Looney’s Parsely Games. Parsely games are 80s text adventures played with a group. Andy Looney becomes the computer and will guide you through one of his longest modules. The group will choose between: Muffins, Fun World, Crowther s Cave, and In Search of Pip. Andy Looney |
| Saturday | 8:00 PM | Behind the Ballad | Gaming | Elm | The staff of Memphis’s own Backbeat Ballad Changeling LARP give a peak behind the curtain of what makes a successful campaign LARP Chad Powers, Cynthia Jerkins, Michelle Doole, MissingxLondon, Melissa Webb |
| Saturday | 8:00 PM | The Learnings of the Potterverse: A Wizarding World | Fandom & Literary | Oak | Panelist take a look at the various schools and their magical focus and how this interrelates to the the Wide Wizarding World of the Potterverse that has unfolded through its books and media. Laura Sellers, Denise Hager, Bailey-Anna |
| Saturday | 9:00 PM | Queerness in Gaming | Gaming | Ash | Centering the LGBTQ+ experience in your role playing games. Alderaan Cosplay, Chad Powers, Cynthia Jerkins, Lena Chipman, Amy Banker |
| Saturday | 9:00 PM | Hard-Boiled Detectives | Literary & Media | Elm | Sherlock Holmes, Rick Deckard, Monk, Harry Dresden are some of the detectives that solve our most puzzling cases. Panelist discuss what makes a detective, look at common traits regardless of setting, and consider why they intrigue us. Is it from origins of noir or something more? Aubrey Stephens, Scott Lynch |
| Saturday | 9:00 PM | Comics and Society | Comics | Oak | What influence have comics and graphic novels had on our society? How do we see them affecting our future? Josh Plock, Glen Engel-Cox, Sheree Renée Thomas, Kenny Dunn |
| Saturday | 10:00 PM | Masquerade | Event & Costuming | Amphitheater | See the best costumes the Mid-South has to offer. Bryan Huff |
| Saturday | 10:00 PM | Pirate Sing-along | Other | Ash | Join in a Pirate Sing-along! Melinda LaFevers, Libby A. Smith, Mel White |
| Saturday | 10:00 PM | Adult Toys of the Future | Other | Dogwood | From hysteria to the Orgasmatron, and beyond: panelsit will explore the past, present, and future of old and new adult toys. All together now, say rabbit! This is an adults only panel. Bryan Jones, Louise Herring-Jones |
| Saturday | 11:00 PM | Open Filk | Fandom | Ash | |
| Saturday | 11:00 PM | Are You A Werewolf? | Event & Gaming | Dogwood | Matt Perry |
| Saturday | 11:00 PM | Dance | Event & Gaming | Oak | Come dance the night away at MSC s annual dance. Featuring DJ Perki. |
| Sunday | Face Painting for Kids | Event | Breakout Room | Face painting for kids! Come get your face painted during the con. Hours and times to be posted. |
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| Sunday | 12:00 AM | Witness Underground: A Special Midnight Event | Event | Amphitheater | Join us for a special showing of the documentary of Witness Underground. Witness Underground is a story about using creative expression to overcome past trauma … and also the power of rock and roll. Anthony Mathenia, Allison 9 |
| Sunday | 8:00 AM | Sunday Morning Cartoons | Event | Amphitheater | Craig Wolfe |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM | Valuing Your Books | Literary | Chestnut | Chris Oakley |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM | Backchannels | Art | Dogwood | Panelist look at the unexpected ways you can make a living as a cartoonist. Greg Cravens |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM | Easy on the Editor | Literary | Elm | The journey to being an author absolutely begins with the written word. After that, many consider an editor – it’s a big step but which one to select? Join Freelance Bookwright/Editor Herika R. Raymer as she outlines a few types of editors and what they look for. Herika R. Raymer, Richard Cartwright |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM | Kaffeeklatsch I | Event | Oak | Enjoy breakfast at a table with one of our Guests of honor. Space is extremely limited so sign up early. Kristin Looney, Andy Looney, Randall Pass, Elizabeth Bear |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | Sunday Morning Worship Service | Event & Event | Amphitheater | Enjoying the con but its Sunday? Come join Level Up Church for Sunday morning service. Jacob McNally |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | Let’s Create a Creature! | Art | Ash | Artist Melissa Gay demonstrates how to create a creature. Melissa Gay |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | Drafting Military SF | Literary | Birch | Military Science Fiction is a popular sub genre, how do you keep it it interesting while presenting believable structure and soldiers. Mark Stallings, Melissa Olthoff, Master Duk Ku Son |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | The Worlds of Sarah J Maas | Fandom & Literary | Boardroom | Lets discuss the various worlds of Sarah J Maas. Gwenyth Stoecker |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | Armor Patterning 101 Demo | Costuming & Gaming | Chestnut | Make your own armor pattern and take it home. Cynthia Jerkins, Michelle Doole, MissingxLondon, Melissa Webb |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | Didnt Hate It Movie Podcast | Media & Event | Dogwood | Listen and watch as DeSoto Arts Institute makes an episode of their podcast: Didn’t Hate It Movies. During this podcast, they are likely to talk about their MSC39 experience and some movies too. Laura Sellers, Jesaiah Burnett, Nathaniel Bullard, Lewis Jennings |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | The Mandela Effect | Paranormal | Elm | The Mandela Effect — An ever changing reality or imperfect memories? William Alan Webb, Samuel A. Edwards , Bill M. Tracer, D Edward Jones |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM | Kaffeeklatsch II | Event | Oak | Enjoy breakfast at a table with one of our Guests of honor. Space is extremely limited so sign up early. Stephanie Osborn, Sheree Renée Thomas, Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | Tales from the Handwavium Factory | Science | Ash | Science panelists relate stories about things that the were asked by authors HC Playa, Stephanie Osborn, Jim Beall |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | Historical Fiction for Beginners | Literary | Birch | Panelists discuss historical fiction. Melinda LaFevers, Aubrey Stephens, Louise Herring-Jones |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | Afrofuturism | Other | Chestnut | Panelists discuss the past, present & future of Afrofuturism. Tyrone Tony Reed Jr., Samuel A. Edwards , Sheree Renée Thomas, Kenny Dunn |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | Gaming on the Fly: Improvising an RPG session | Gaming | Dogwood | How to run a RPG session off the top of your head. JP Chapleau, Chad Powers, Cynthia Jerkins, Logan McNeil |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | The Artistry of Social Media | Art | Elm | Panelists look at the online studio that is their social media presence. Whether displaying their work or asserting their voice through their pages, navigating social media is an important skill any contemporary artist needs to build their brand and engage with followers. Alderaan Cosplay, D elle Memphis, Paul Bielaczyc, Lauren Knight |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | Tabletop Gaming for Kids | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Bring your child to play either a board games or the roleplay game My Little Pony: Tales from Equestria. Game options for kids of various ages and staff available to help as needed. See gaming for details. Wesley Austin Kinslow, Bailey-Anna |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM | Andy vs. Everybody | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Andy Looney loves playing multiple games simultaneously. Challenge him to any version of Fluxx, various versions of Pyramids–his favorite, or another game from Looney Labs. A list of games will be available. Andy Looney |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM | Epic Epic Fantasy | Literary | Amphitheater | Epic fantasy is broad and dynamic. Panelists discuss epic fantasy as both a writer and a reader, how it crosses and compares with other forms of fantasy, and some epic examples of this sub-genre. Melissa Olthoff, Denise Hager, Scott Lynch, Elizabeth Bear |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM | Puppet Making Workshop | Art & Event | Ash | Class on how to make a sock puppet and the basics of puppetry. Bryan Jones |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM | Star Wars — A Universe of Stories | Fandom & Media | Chestnut | Star Wars Universe encompasses movies, novels, comics and even fan fiction & films. What draws us all to that Galaxy far, far away? Alderaan Cosplay, John Jackson Miller, Axel, Katie McCallister |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM | Television Shows Gone Long Before Their Time | Media | Dogwood | Panelists discuss TV Shows were canceled way too soon. Laura Sellers, Tyrone Tony Reed Jr., Diana Morgan |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM | The Art of Photography | Art | Elm | Getting that perfect shot requires more than snapping a picture; it can be an art in and of itself. Panelist discuss their passion for pictures. Bryan Huff, Master Duk Ku Son |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM | Beginner Bellydance | Event & Costuming | Oak | This workshop goes over basic bellydancing steps where attendees learn beginner moves and combine them into a choreography Angel of Azarath |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Spirited Away | Anime | Amphitheater | Watch Spirited Away with Us. Part of Studio Ghilbli, this animated film follows 10-year-old Chihiro and her parents, who stumble upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park. After her mother and father are transformed into pigs, Chihiro meets the mysterious Haku, who explains that the park is really a resort for supernatural beings, and that she must work there if she wants to save her parents. Kim Stoecker |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Cosplay for Competition | Costuming | Ash | Panelists host an open discussion with a seasoned cosplay competition judge, who is here to address any questions or concerns you may have, to make your next competition entry the best it can be! Ginger Oh Snap, Angel of Azarath |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Parsely Games: Medium- Length Session with Andy Looney | Event & Gaming | Birch | Play a round or two of one of Gaming GoH Andy Looney’s Parsely Games. Parsely games are 80s text adventures played with a group. Andy Looney becomes the computer and will guide you through one of his longest modules. The group will choose between: Muffins, Fun World, Crowther s Cave, and In Search of Pip. Andy Looney |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Creating Realistic Characters in Short Stories | Literary | Chestnut | Panelists discuss how to write realistic and engaging characters within the limits of short stories. Herika R. Raymer, Libby A. Smith |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | The Wonderful World of Disney: Moments Behind the Magic | Disney & Media | Dogwood | Disney is ah-MAZE-ing let’s talk about it. We are so very excited to bring this panel to life with a former cast member and someone who has been to five of the six Disney parks around the world. Come talk with us about moments behind the magic. We will compare the different rides across the world and their movie correspondents. Alison Rushing, Gwenyth Stoecker, Greg Stoecker |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Art Made in a Tech Age | Art | Elm | Panelists evaluate the relationship between art, digital media and technology, and discuss the pros of cons of making art in our modern age. Mike McCarthy, Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Play with Kristin! | Event & Gaming | Evergreen | Come play one of Looney Lab’s many game with Gaming GoH Kristin Looney. Whether playing one of your favorites or learning one for the first time from one of the designers themselves, this should be a fun time for all! Kristin will be at the Looney Lab’s table at various times throughout the day. See gaming for more details. Kristin Looney |
| Sunday | 1:00 PM | Walking Talking Machines | Science | Oak | Giving Machines Qualia. Making a machine, robot, or android walk and talk with more humanistic actions and traits. We are getting closer but aren’t there yet. The challenges, merits and flaws in both fact and fiction of cognitive psych applications to robotics. HC Playa, Elizabeth Bear, Jim Beall, Allan Gillsbreath |
| Sunday | 2:00 PM | The Comic Gateway | Comics | Ash | How reading comics can lead into a lifelong love of literature. Jim Gillentine, Anthony Mathenia, Axel |
| Sunday | 2:00 PM | Alternative Histories and Time Travel | Literary | Boardroom | Panelists explain the idea of what alternative history is all about, examples within literature, and how time travel is the key to both creating possibilities or even changing history. Aubrey Stephens, Jim Beall, Michael LaVoice |
| Sunday | 2:00 PM | The Do’s and Dont’s of Writing Reviews | Literary & Fandom | Chestnut | Writing a good review can be challenging Panelists will discuss the difference between reviews for magazines, websites, and social media and critical essay, and how to be fair and honest to both authors and potential readers. Glen Engel-Cox |
| Sunday | 2:00 PM | How to Weasel Your Way Into a Shared Universe Demo | Literary | Oak | Authors talk about how to join and create stories for a shared universe. Kevin Steverson, William Alan Webb, Richard Cartwright |
| Sunday | 3:00 PM | Anime On Demand | Anime | Amphitheater | First Come First serve of the anime’s we have on hand. Kim Stoecker |
| Sunday | 3:00 PM | Dark and Stormy Night | Literary | Ash | It was a dark and stormy night… Professional guests tell a story from con goers’ prompts with unpredictable (and usually hilarious) results! Parents be warned, this panel may not be suitable for younger audiences. Tommy Hancock, Jim Gillentine, Allan Gillsbreath |
| Sunday | 3:00 PM | Self-Employed as a Writer | Literary | Birch | Putting pen to paper or proofreading is only a part of what is to get a story out there. Panelist go over the various business decisions and details that have to be made by those who have a profession in the literary world. Elizabeth Donald, Richard Cartwright |
| Sunday | 3:00 PM | Do You Inuyasha? | Fandom & Anime | Dogwood | Celeste Marie |
| Sunday | 4:00 PM | Closing Ceremony | Event | Oak | Join us as we wrap up another wonderful Con, hear some parting words from our Guests, and conduct our prize drawings. Stephanie Osborn, Sheree Renée Thomas, Kristin Looney, Andy Looney, Michael Bielaczyc, Paul Bielaczyc, Randall Pass, Elizabeth Bear |