ATOMICON Grows in Third Year with More Programming
Published on August 28, 2024
This Saturday’s comicon-inspired Atomicon at the Los Alamos Public Library will build on the successes of the previous years as it grows into a destination event. On August 31, 2024, from 10:00am until 5:00pm, there will be a diverse lineup for fandoms of all kinds: workshops to develop your illustration skills, panels to learn from professional storytellers, and a series of events to showcase the best of Atomicon’s costumes.
The events of Atomicon are streamlined into three conference tracks—World Building, Costume Art, and Maker. The tracks will be featured in Mesa Public Library’s upper and lower levels. The main level of Mesa Public Library, and the White Rock Branch Library will hold normal library activities during the day—though there may be spillover of enthusiasm and costumes throughout all library spaces.
World Building Track
The World Building track features two panels of professional comics writers, cartoonists, and storytellers. Many of the moderators and panelists are part of 7000 BC, a New Mexico-based non-profit collective of comics writers and artists. These professionals will share discussions on how to create a fantasy world and the ways in which they immerse themselves in their creative work in the panels “Welcome to Our World” and “Ideas Take Form”. The World Building track concludes with our Atomicon keynote speaker, Jeff Benham, and a special Atomicon-exclusive presentation of his talk “Truth, Justice & The American: How Comics Animate Culture.”
Maker Track
The Maker track of Atomicon celebrates the artistic talents of con-goers and professionals alike. Two workshops will be part of this track, and participants will be guided in hands-on development of their own comics in “How Do I Comic?” and “Making a Mini”. In addition to the two scheduled workshops, the day-long Maker Mania will include craft tables in our Creations Stations and games and activities in our Action Stations. Atomicon collaborators from across Los Alamos—like JJAB, Atomic City Quilts, LAHS Olions, Los Alamos STEAM Lab, American Gamers Academy, and the Los Alamos Little Theater—will also be sharing their own amazing talents, information, and demonstrations in our Learning Stations.
Costume Art Track
The Costume Art track invites con-goers to share in the conference excitement of costumes. Early in the day, a workshop with a professional art model will teach the skills and techniques of gesture poses and modeling for life drawings. Participants who show up in costume will learn how to show off their best garb for artists. The participants from the modeling workshop will then get to show off their new skills in the “Cosplay Draw-a-thon”, a life drawing session for participants of all ages and drawing skill levels. As part of this track, there will also be many costumed and cosplay participants as part of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). The SCA will exhibit their costumes and shields and perform sword fight demonstrations in the outdoor area between the library and the Betty Ehart Senior Center next door. Learn more about the SCA at sca.org.
Costume Contest
As a special culmination of the events of the day, the final and most popular element of Atomicon will be a Costume Parade and the awarding of prizes for costumes at 4:30pm in Mesa Public Library’s lower rotunda. Silent entries and virtual entries will be accepted throughout the day, with information available at the event on how to participate.
The end-of-day Costume Parade will showcase all the participants who wish to show off their creativity, humor, imagination, dedication, accuracy, intricacy, craft, beauty, cuteness, and ferocity. Costumes of all sizes and intricacy are welcome in the Costume Parade, including children’s costumes, handmade costumes, or group entries. Melissa Mackey, youth services librarian, said “I think we see more Spiderman costumes than any other. That’s often younger kids and they are quite cute. I really enjoy the thoughtful and creative costumes I’ve seen like Markl from Howl’s Moving Castle, Artemis from Lore Olympus, Freddy Fazbear from Five Night’s at Freddy’s, and group costumes.”
Vendor Hall and Coyote & Crow
The Fuller Lodge Vendor Hall is hosted this year by Los Alamos Arts Council. Creators from Los Alamos, Española, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque will share their jewelry, original art, clothing, books, comics, and more from 10:00am until 5:00pm. Many of the Atomicon presenters will also have their wares available in Fuller Lodge, and much of the items are Atomicon-exclusive work. The road construction on Bathtub Row will impede access to Fuller Lodge. Pedestrians should take care and follow signs to find the best way to view all the great Comic inspired art for sale.
With sponsorship from Samizdat Bookstore & Teahouse, Fuller Lodge will also host a special guest, Weckiai Rannila, gamemaster and Jeopardy champ, for two full, immersive play throughs of the award-winning tabletop role-playing game, Coyote&Crow. Weckiai and Weyodi OldBear—who will also be taking part in the World Building track to share writing and creative development expertise—have been part of the team to bring Coyote&Crow to the world. Coyote&Crow, inspired by indigenous games, culture and lore, is a beautifully illustrated game set in an alternate fantasy future where the Americas were left uncolonized. Registration to play at the 10:00am and the 2:00pm games with Weckiai can be made at LosAlamosLibrary.org.
Atomicon is Free and Open to All
All library activities, including Atomicon, are free and open to the public. The Los Alamos Public Library strives to create activities that are open to all ages and invites you to explore more about the library during the fun and festivities of Atomicon or visit LosAlamosLibrary.org.