We have received word that the Midway Road exit on I-635 is closed today for construction. You'll want to hop off the interstate an exit early and follow the detour over to Midway, or if you have a GPS, select the alternate route.

Things grow rapidly at All-Con! The printed schedule is 'nice' but the best way to stay on top of the latest greatest information is to watch the mobile site! www.All-Con.net/mobile.

ALL-CON, Your Favorite Convention℠ is three short days away. To show our appreciation for the hundreds of you who have already purchased your badges in advance this is the final time for 2013 that we will be reminding others to pre-register. That means if you are the procrastinator, after this message you are on your own. The online box office closes tomorrow night at midnight Central Time. After that, it's back to the end of the registration line for you while your friends go on in to get a head start.

Online Box Office: http://www.All-Con.net/tkt.html

Have you seen the schedule this year?? It isn't even our tenth anniversary yet (next year...) and we've got the top shelf best-of-the-best all wanting to present for you! Once we kick off the convention at 10am on Friday, it's non-stop action until Sunday night!

The Vendors Room is opening early this year! You can start your shopping at 11am Friday, right after the Opening Ceremonies. Don't miss out on the best deals because somebody else got to it first!

Print out the schedule, bookmark the mobile app on your smartphone, tablet, or eBook reader, and figure out where to tell your friends to find at All-Con!

Still haven't got your All-Con ticket to see the world premiere of the completed Pink Five Saga?? This is your lucky day

For the past three weeks we've been hanging the promo poster all over! Find one near you, take your picture with it, and email the picture to: photos@all-con.net We'll send you back a reply with a $5 off coupon code!

Here's the catch. 'Something' has been stamped onto the back of every poster. Use the phrase that is stamped on the back of the poster as the subject of the email when you send us your photo.

This is a weekend contest. All entries must be received by midnight on Monday March 4th and $5 off codes must be redeemed by midnight of March 6th.

We've got you started by revealing some of the locations. Call around to find a local book, comic, hobby, or specialty store near you. (It's the "ALL-CON PINK FIVE SNEAK PREVIEW POSTER" that you're trying to locate...)

Good luck! We'll see you at All-Con this Friday!

JediCole.com and Half-Ass Productions Present the All-Con 2013 Grand Prize! A new All-Con tradition was begun in 2012 and continues in the new year, the All-Con Grand Prize! Essentially a shameless means to lure an audience and potential contestants to the Games & Theory (Game Shows) Track and other productions throughout the weekend, this ploy proved so popular last year that we decided to make it a permanent feature. Here is how it works:

Attend any or all of the programs that Half-Ass Productions produces (Games and Theory Track game shows and The JediCole Universe events) plus those produced by our friends from the United States of Geekdom and receive a two-part raffle ticket at the end of the show.* Save your tickets all weekend and attend Don’t Lose Your Geek Card: Mostly Star Wars Edition on Sunday (PM, Room) for the Grand Prize Drawing held after the show. If you have the lucky ticket in hand you win...

Troops from the 501st Star Garrison visit the Children's Medical Center of Dallas. The hospital is really in need of new and used DVDs and video games. In Star Garrison style, they decided to do a DVD/game drive at All-Con. Please bring any used unwanted DVD's and video games to All-Con to be given to the Children's Medical Center of Dallas. (Of course, new movies and games are welcome also.) With blu-ray on the rise, this is an excellent and worthwhile time to trim down your collection, ridding yourself of the discs you're going to re-buy in high-definition.

Donated items should be taken to the 501st's table in the exhibit hall Saturday between 9am and 5pm. Here are some examples of what the medical center is needing.

Young children: Elmo Dora Word World Sesame Street Disney/Pixar Shrek Nick Jr shows

Tweens: iCarley Hannah Montana Suite Life of Zack & Cody The Clone Wars GI Joe

Teens: (up to PG-13) Twilight series Indiana Jones Star Wars Iron Man Star Trek Spider-Man

Video Games: (rated E-Teen) Nintendo DS PSP X-Box X-Box 360 PS Wii Games Systems

Whether it's a mid-summer mixer for Volunteers, addition of a new headline event, or change in the costume contest rules it's important to stay informed about All-Con - your favorite convention. The website blog and FaceBook do a great job when you think to look at them (Hopefully they won't have scrolled off before you see them.) Your best bet is to sign up for the newsletter which arrives faithfully in your in-box. We never, ever share your email address since we like not having to compete with SPAM for your attention and trust. Give it a try! The next one is going out Saturday. Sign up today and see what you've been missing. CLICK HERE.

All-Con 2012 was a week later than usual. All-Con 2013 is a week earlier than usual. That means you had 14 fewer days to have to wait in between conventions. Today is special... You have 14 DAYS LEFT until the All-Con magic whisks you away into three (plus) days of friends and fun! From the Thursday night talent show "Buzzed Off" all the way through the Sunday evening closing bell with pinata and Volunteer Appreciation event, make sure that you're here to live what everybody else will be talking about! Book your hotel room, buy your badges to avoid lines at registration, FINISH YOUR COSTUMES, call your friends, and we'll see you in two weeks!

Every time you ask who Stephen Stanton portrays, you may get a different answer. His resume is extensive and packed with characters we all know and love. So that we don't inadvertently miss any high points, here is a graphic showing where you probably know Mr. Stanton from... He will be attending All-Con March 8-10 in Dallas, Texas and hopes to meet you there! He will be at the Pink Five Saga release, speaking throughout the weekend and signing autographs.

The 501st Legion is invading the All-Con Sneak Preview of completed Pink Five Saga. Leading the charge are 501st Legion Officers LCO Aimee Jorgensen, LXO Nick Bishop, LCR Scott Allen, and CO Kameron Earles of Star Garrison! All-Con was started in 2005 by members of the 501st and has been said to be one of the largest annual gatherings of troops outside of Celebration! So come down and join all of us for this epic event!

Ever since Stacy flew over the Death Star in 2002 as Pink Five her travels through the Star Wars universe have been closely followed and watched by millions! Now Stacy is about to face her most, you know, dangerous (and final!) encounter. The Pink Five Saga is complete, and you cannot watch it on YouTube. Writer / Director Trey Stokes along with actors Stephen Stanton (Obi-Wan/Emperor) and Vanessa Marquez (final episode surprise!) are bringing the completed work to All-Con in Dallas where it will be shown in it's entirety including the FINAL CHAPTER for the very time ever. Admission is FREE for All-Con attendees while the limited seating lasts and the film will be followed by a closed-door discussion with the writer and cast members. Don't miss your chance to be the first person to ever see the completed Saga! Get your badge to All-Con today.

Terry Naughton will be on Good Morning Texas March the 8th. He'll be talking about Pink Five, the 501st, the crew he's traveling with, his appearance at All-Con and of course his incredible career as an artist. So if you're in Dallas or the surrounding area - check it out or pull it up on their website! Should be a great interview!

For those who are attending Terry's instructional drawing class, "Creating Disney Magic" at All-Con on March 10th, Terry will be teaching how to draw one of his popular Disney characters (most likely Beast from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) there will be a drawing for a winner at the end of the class, and that person will get to keep the illustration that Terry does for the class and he will autograph it. (A ticket for class registration will be available from Terry's table at All-Con.)

Terry Naughton leads this hands-on workshop at All-Con! Terry worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation for 17 years as an animation assistant and storyboard artist. He worked on all the recent classics such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin to name only a few. This hands-on drawing workshop is taught by Terry to give students a working knowledge of how to construct Disney-style characters in art. Seating is limited and requires a $25 ticket available in advance from Terry's guest booth. ($45 for the public not attending All-Con.) Don't miss this opportunity to learn directly from the man who drew some of Disney's most iconic and beloved characters! Sunday March 10 at noon.

The adventurous CUT THRUST and RUN have revealed their plans for All-Con 2013! They will be present all three days with special presentations on Friday and Saturday!

The Illusion of Combat: Acting to the death. This panel covers the importance of emotion and intent in producing a fight, as well as an open discussion on the technical aspects of camera angles, audience viewpoint, "selling" your stunts, and consideration of materials & costume. There will be a number of short fight demonstrations to illustrate various examples, as well as allowing the audience to change the fights simply by choosing the motivation of the combatants.

The Art of Synthetic Violence: A seminar for the murderously inclined. Cut Thrust And Run walk you through the beginning movements of Hand to Hand stage combat from the American Academy of Stage and Screen Combat Choreographers. Participants will learn the primary tools from which to safely build small fights, and the principles needed to expand. This is a hands on curriculum. We encourage you to wear clothing which allows free movement.

All-Con treasures their crowd pleasing antics and rejoices every time our invitation to perform is accepted. These are performers you will not want to miss!

For many years, since the release of Star Wars: A New Hope, costumers the world over have embraced the many and varied characters from the saga. For the most part this has been a passtime for the adult generation, a way for them to express their love of the movies and their passion for costuming.

The Galactic Academy changes all that, allowing the next generation of Star Wars fans to show the same passion and enthusiasm. It is the first online costuming club to celebrate young Star Wars fans, run exclusively for them...finally, the Star Wars costumers of tomorrow have their own home!

A Star Wars costuming club exclusively for kids and teens, anyone under the age of 18 who likes to dress as a Star Wars character is welcome to join. The Academy serves as a club where members can feel proud to be part of a community of fans.

The Galactic Academy will be having a Pod Race (little kid version of a droid hunt) Saturday from 12 to 2p. There will be two age groups competing (3 to 6 and 7 to 14). Please engage these youth and encourage them to progress in their love for Star Wars and costuming.

In case you missed the announcement last December: Camden Toy is attending All-Con all three days! Mr. Toy is best known for playing some of the creepiest and scariest villains on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. He played one of the Gentlemen in the Emmy Award nominated episode "Hush", the skin eating demon Gnarl, and the recurring role of The Ubervamp. He also appeared on ANGEL as The Prince of Lies. He can be seen in the television series GOODNIGHT BURBANK and THE BAY, and as Dr. Kerr in Robert Hall's film CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2. Other projects include THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, XXIT, THE VORTEX, VALIANT, BARE KNUCKLES, SEBASTIAN, THE GODMOTHER, MANSFIELD PATH, ALL SOULS DAY: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, PRIVATEER, TRICKERY MIMICRY, IMMORTALLY YOURS, and playing the evil Colonel in the trailer spoof THELMA & LOUISE ll: AVATARS OF PANDORA on G4TV with Olivia Munn and Eva Amurri. Upcoming projects include Joe Hollow's DISCIPLES, Shayne Leighton's OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, Anthony Brownrigg's ARCHAIC REDEMPTION, James L. Bills' HARVEST, and Stan Derain's WAR OF THE DRAGON.

Traditionally the Saturday night dance has always been the theme dance. For 2013 we present the Time Traveler's Ball! The past couple of years we've gotten requests for a more formal dance, so on Friday night we have added the ALL-CON Prom. Dress your best in whatever genre you play in! Both dances will be held in Whispers (the Whispering Oaks Club) and DJ'ed by Ultimate Mixes, All-Con's official entertainment provider.

All-Con is hosting a friendly Texas Hold'em Poker tournament! The winner will receive a snazzy trophy with victor mug, and more trophies for runner-up players! The straight-faced action takes place in the Dogwood panel room on Saturday night at 10pm until the final hand is played. There is no buy-in. This casual tournament is absolutely free to anybody aged 18 and up attending All-Con who would enjoy pulling up a chair and trying their hand at Texas Hold'Em poker. Details and house rules can be found here.

Doctor Horrible, My Little Pony, Steampunk, Burlesque, Ball Jointed Dolls, and Roller Derby. Speed dating, costuming, game shows, and comic books. Celebrity guests for nearly every geek and fandom interest. There is no other event like All-Con! Buy your ticket today and discover what will be your most anticipated, favorite weekend of the year! Click here for event descriptions!

If you are one of the ultra-observant All-Con fans, you've noticed that the panels and workshops have been steadily filling in later, and later at night. We're constructing the All-Con 'Overnight' track! This is a particularly tricky portion of the schedule because we screen it extra closely for quality, and don't allow it to fill up with a bunch of 'adult' content. The overnight audience is easily captivated as long as the content is good. Don't miss this untapped demographic! Click on the banner above and make sure to select either late night or overnight availability.

Terry can handle many different styles in a variety of media. He worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation for 17 years as an animation assistant and storyboard artist. He worked on all the recent classics such as The Little Mermaid (King Triton), Beauty and the Beast (the Beast) Aladdin (the Genie), and The Lion King (Zazu) to name only a few.

Terry has also created the last ten U.S.C. football posters and various work for the N.F.L. Terry also illustrates book covers and helps create and illustrate children's books.

Whether you're a fan of his Disney work, sports art, or independent work All-Con is the one place you'll have a chance to meet and talk with Terry, along with getting some of his artwork and DVDs signed.

There are only TWO ad spots left on the All-Con 6' display banners. $50 gets your 12"x8" ad on all five banners. HURRY! Also, Friday is the LAST DAY we can accept advertising - including SHOUT OUTS - for the official event program. Just as the Vendor and Exhibitor space sold out quickly, we're expecting the banner and program to be full again this year. Stop missing out. This is the last call; then we'll just quietly let the timer expire. Click here for the advertising page with all of the ad specs and details.

People attending All-Con on Saturday may receive a free Droid Badge while waiting in line or walking around the convention. Simply attach the droid badge to the front of your convention badge and "move along" throughout your day at the convention. See video for details...

All-Con is family friendly until after 7pm. When it starts getting dark outside "Parental Guidance is advised." Burlesque this year starts at 8:00 on Saturday night and has been expanded to a full 90 minute performance. Diamond Jim of La Divina Productions has pulled out the stops to bring in some of the best burlesque acts you'll ever see on stage, much less at a convention. Advanced seating is $20. Don't want to pay advanced? Any seats left over are FREE for All-Con attendees. When the room is full, seating ends and you'll *wish* you had gotten a ticket. Come on out and see what the fuss is about. Bazuka Joe is flying in from Chicago exclusively for this performance. Ladies, he's here to give you a show. Don't let him down if you want Diamond Jim to continue booking boylesque for All-Con's new expanded shows. Click Here for tickets.

Los Bastardos has agreed to shadowcast Rocky Horror Friday night at All-Con! The best (and only!) way to see a Rocky Horror shadowcast is with the most experienced, longest running troupe in the area, and Los Bastardos is it! Organized into a cast in 1998, this ever evolving ensenble will wow you with a Rocky performance unparalleled by any other. Prop bags are available at the performance door for the die-hards and the pre-show starts at 11:30pm to acclimate those who might not be fully familiar with the goings-on of this headline event. This is a FREE Friday night performance for All-Con attendees (badge required). Rocky Horror is rated "R" so identifications will be checked at the door. Must be 18 or older or be accompanied by your legal guardian. Children 12 and under will not be permitted into the performance due to content.

The Los Bastardos cast contributes over 100 volunteer hours to the convention annually. Please make sure to thank them for all of their work outside of the performance as well.

It's back! All-Con's first pre-show show returns in 2013 even better than before!

Think "The Gong Show" and you will have an idea of what is going to happen the night before All-Con 2013 kicks off in full. On Thursday, March 7 at 9:00 PM, the talented and the not-so-talented alike will converge on the Oak Ballroom for a talent show with a twist! This event is open to all comers (individuals and groups) who want a shot a the Buzzed Off! 2013 trophy and other prizes. That is if our panel of three judges find favor in your act!

Do you sing? Dance? Have a stand up routine? Perhaps you do a great impression or have a funny story to tell. How about that trick you can do with a hoola-hoop and a stack of empty soda cans? As long as it's safe, clean (we do have little ones in the audience after all) and brief, we want to see what you can do! Buzzed Off! is open to all comers and all levels of talent. All you have to do is be sure you entertain our discerning judges who are each equipped with their own buzzer.

If the judges like your act (or it is so quick they don't have time to buzz) then points are awarded by each judge. The contestant with the highest score wins the night, the trophy, and whatever else we have lying around for prizes! But beware, our judges have itchy buzzer fingers and will not hesitate to "buzz off" any contestants who they can't stand, who don't make them laugh or smile, or otherwise fail to please them.

Do you have what it takes to avoid the buzzers and give the audience and judges alike something to cheer? Preregistration begins at 8:30 PM and contestants are accepted throughout the show, even right from the audience should you get a great idea while watching others showcase their talents or lack of shame. Even if you don't want to compete, Buzzed Off! is a whole lot of fun to watch!

Hosted by Cole "JediCole" Houston, Buzzed Off! is brought to you by All-Con Games and Theory, The JediCole Universe, and Half-Ass Productions.

The time has come for you to make your hotel reservations for All-Con. You can either use the online reservation system on the hotel web page or call 972-980-8877. To get the best convention rate, you need to use the booking code: LLN.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel is an award winning Addison hotel in the prestigious North Dallas Business District. The Crowne Plaza is walking distance to Addison Restaurant Row with over 120 restaurants; good for any budget! Parking at the hotel is FREE.

The address for your GPS: Crowne Plaza North Dallas, 14315 Midway Road, Addison, Texas 75001

Whether you fell in love with Vanessa for the first time watching Stand and Deliver, or she kept your heart pounding as Nurse Wendy Goldman during episodes of ER, she is one special guest that you aren't going to want to miss at All-Con!

This will be her inaugural convention. Having confessed her love for all things geek by putting up a FaceBook page professing her love of Star Wars (complete with video of her in front of her collection!), and most recently appearing in the final episode of Pink Five, we doubt that there's a fan out there who didn't enjoy something she had a role in. (Remember Father Hood with Patrick Swayze??)

Please help to welcome her not only to Texas, but to the whole convention family scene. To see Vanessa's bio, click here.

The Pink Five Saga sneak preview is one super hot ticket! Fan groups are already planning to attend en masse! (Is yours?)

The special showing with exclusive fanfare is Friday March 8th at 4pm, followed by a Stephen Stanton and Trey Stokes on stage! BUT... if you aren't able to get in to see the sneak preview, all is not lost!

All-Con has been granted licensing to show the Pink Five Saga in it's entirety (include the final chapter) twice on Saturday! see schedule for details...

This is your chance to see the complete Pink Five Saga before anybody else in the WORLD. If you don't mind spoilers, here is the first chapter.

Play Life Isn't Fair Monopoly at All-Con 2013! Celebrating its sixth year at All-Con, Catherine "Mrs. JediCole" Houston's ever-popular rethinking of the classic board game returns!

Unlike traditional Monopoly, Life Isn't Fair Monopoly is not won solely on obtaining all of the best properties on the board in a first round land-grab...because life isn't fair. Do you think being sent to jail is just a vacation from paying rent? You have a debt to society! But don't worry, could get off on a technicality or frame another player...because life isn't fair. How about that $200 when you pass go, pretty nice, huh? Well if you wind up with dependant children you get $10 less per child on that payday...because life isn't fair.

Those are just a few examples of what awaits you as you move around the board. You start the game with two properties! You could win the lottery! You could get on welfare! Really desperate? You can even marry for money!

Imagine Monopoly if it was fun to play.

If you have not yet experienced Life Isn't Fair Monopoly at All-Con then you owe it to yourself to stay up late on Friday and Saturday night (into Saturday and Sunday morning) to see for yourself why this game is so popular no one wants it to end. And if you have played before, come on back and play again. Every time you play it is a whole different outcome. Because life isn't fair!

And don't forget, you could win a coveted LIFM trophy! Seating per game board is limited. Same day sign-up at the room door is encouraged but not required. Unclaimed seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

This is your chance to be heard in All-Con's official event program. Shout Out to friends. Promote your blog. Send a message. All entries must be suitable for general family audiences and meet convention standards. Up to 100 characters for $11.24.

Not going to All-Con? Still not a problem! Program shouts aren't tied to badge or table purchases. They're a great way to reach convention attendees if you cannot be there in person.

There is no limit to the number of shouts, so don't delay. Midnight on February 8th, 2013 is the deadline to get your shout out. Click Here to begin.

All-Con is hosting a Texas Hold'em tournament on Saturday night at the convention.

This is a friendly game with no buy-ins, and plenty of fun. Players must be at least 18 years old. Managing the tournament for All-Con is Quad Kings Poker – the tournament director will be Mr. Scott Kochenower, an experienced organizer of professionally operated Texas Hold'em tournaments.

Registration is at-the-door. Since this is a prize tournament there is no late entry. Make sure to be on time. Poker is not a spectator sport. Only players are permitted in the room once the tournament begins.

Meet "The Cave" in person! Officially launched January 23rd, the game has already become fantastically popular and All-Con is the place that Stephen Stanton (voice of "The Cave") will be signing stills from the game. Don't just play "The Cave", meet "The Cave"!!!

Many of us love Sylvester McCoy for his years as Doctor Who (7th Doctor) and new fans adore him for his current role as Radagast the Brown in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. Mr. McCoy is very fan-focused, but he is also an actor in very high demand. This morning we had this waiting for us in our in-box: "I am writing this with very bad news... Sylvester will need to cancel your show as he has just got the lead in a film in the UK and he starts filming on Feb 23 through March 28 and of course work comes first... He sends his apologies."

All-Con has backed out previous announcements and comments about Mr. McCoy's attendance from our website, blog, and FaceBook, not to try to try to distance ourselves from this unfortunate turn of events, but so that as we continue to promote the new people we reach won't see the posts and use them as a basis to attend.

All tickets already purchased to Mr. McCoy's Private VIP Panels and Fan Dinner, along with advance sale autographs will be refunded within the next 24 hours. (We're starting now, but it will take us several hours to get through them all.)

2013 is a record setting year for All-Con booking guests. Every one of them has made a committment to come to Dallas and meet each of you in person! You wouldn't want to let them down by missing the convention, would you? In case you missed any of the announcements, here is the re-cap of guests!

Stephen Stanton  Camden Toy  Kathy Coleman  Marilyn Ghigliotti  Rick Fitts  Trey Stokes

Michael Gregory  Tim taylor  Samantha Newark  Candy Keane  Illa Scriptor  Marshall Barnes  Darwin Prophet

We're asking for you to do your part. You can keep the registration line moving quickly by pre-registering and buying your badge in advance. You can use PayPal or credit card if that's more convenient online, or in person at TITAN Comics in Dallas, TX. Box office and details here: TICKETS AND REGISTRATION

The United States of Geekdom proudly presents...Not one, but TWO special sing along event screenings of the critically acclaimed Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog! Neil Patrick Harris plays Dr. Horrible, an aspiring super villain who is trying to join the Evil League of Evil and at the same time get with the cute girl at the Laundromat. Will he be able to perfect his freeze ray? Will Bad Horse make Dr. Horrible his mare? Will Captain Hammer ever stop being a corporate tool? Find out in DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG!!!!! Friday Night at 6 p.m. and Saturday Morning at 10 a.m.!

ADDED ATTRACTION!: Join us for the 10 a.m. screening for a quick Evil Laugh Competition! Think you have the power of the dark side? Come and show it off!

"Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Along Blog'' screened by permission from Time Science Blood Club, LLC. © Time Science Blood Club, LLC. all rights reserved."

Every year Samazecon produces a themed promotional video for their contest to give away 3-day badges to All-Con. This year the video theme they have selected is Hunger Games.

To enter, all you have to do is post your own Video Response to their YouTube video. A winner will be selected March 1st by Samazecon. If the winner has already purchased their advance tickets, their original badge purchase will be refunded - you can't lose!

So check out the Samazecon All-Con / Hunger Games parody video and get in on the action. As always, May The Odds be Ever In Your Favor!

MICHAEL GREGORY has appeared in over 400 films, TV shows and video games. Best remembered as the first Dr. Rick Webber from daytime's General Hospital, he has also appeared in such iconic TV shows as The Fall Guy, Dynasty, The A Team, Murphy Brown, MacGyver and the Ghost Whisperer.

On the big screen, Michael has bounced from one side of the badge to the other playing "heavies" or law enforcement personnel in such films as NIGHTBREAKER, BLACK ANGELS, STEALTH FIGHTER, TOTAL RECALL, ERASER and the cult classic, ROBOCOP.

Michael's video game roster includes playing major characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic, Everquest II: Kingdom of Sky, Dragon Age: Origins, Dota 2, Ninja Gaiden 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

Many Anime fans will know Michael from projects like Cowboy Be-Bop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Sol Bianca: The Legacy, Gundam, and Kikaider among many others.

Mr. Stokes has worked as a visual effects artist on numerous feature films including Starship Troopers, The Abyss, Robocop 2, Batman Returns, The Polar Express and Team America: World Police. And his work as a writer/director has included several award-winning short films and the Hulu webseries "Ark". What people don't realize is Trey has also appeared in front of the camera in STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE. But he may be best known as the creator of "The Pink Five Saga" a wildly popular series of Star Wars spoofs which have won multiple awards in the Lucasfilm Star Wars Movie Challenge. The final episode in the Saga has just been completed and will be starting a world tour with it's first Sneak Preview at All-Con Dallas!

Entertainment news: All-Con selected for Pink Five Sneak Preview. Pink Five is a world famous Star Wars fan film that set the standard for all fan films that came after. It was first released in June 2002 and went on to be the 2003 winner of the "George Lucas Selects Award" at The Official Star Was Fan Film Awards. As part of the prize, Trey Stokes (creator/director) travelled to Skywalker Ranch, where the film was remixed at Skywalker Sound. The film was also featured on CNN, and became one of the most popular downloads on Ifilm, Atom Films and TheForce.net drawing millions of hits on these sites.

Encouraged by the positive response, Stokes brought the character of Stacy (Pink Five) back for a sequel, Pink Five Strikes Back, in May 2004. Pink Five was shown at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, the first installment of the third episode in the Saga Return of Pink Five was released.

To give you an idea of the popularity of the character of Stacy/Pink Five, she has appeared in the 2007 Star Wars novel "Allegiance" making her one of the few fan created Star Wars characters ever to become part of the Expanded Universe. She has her own Topps trading card in the 30th Anniversary Fan Film Trading Card Set. An original Pink Five poster appears in The Star Wars Vault by Steve Sansweet. And in 2010 Time listed it in the top ten Star Wars fan films of all time. Throw into that mix that Stephen Stanton is the other star of this fan film playing Old Ben Kenobi and Emperor Palpatine. Stephen is one of the mainstay actors on the current animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series.

The final episode was never completed. So a Kickstarter was launched and raised over $28,000 from loyal fans and supporters from around the world in order to finish the film. All-Con will be the first Sneak Preview of the finished Saga.

Rick Fitts has starred in over 100 television shows and many motion pictures and stage productions. Recently he has been on television's GUYS WITH KIDS, REVENGE, VEGAS, PARKS AND RECREATION and FRANKLIN & BASH. Rick has also appeared in such iconic TV shows as STAR TREK: TNG, STAR TREK: VOYAGER, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, FRIENDS, N.Y.P.D BLUE, FRASIER, SEINFELD and THE A TEAM to name a few. Rick's motion picture credits include SOMETHING NEW, PLATOON LEADER, THE HANOI HILTON and the cult classic BANZAI RUNNER. Rick is also an accomplished stage actor and singer and appeared in Tom Hank's stage production of PASSING GAME as well as the musical THE WHO'S: TOMMY. And you may have even heard his voice in the popular television animated series HEY ARNOLD!

Mr. Fitts wide range of talent and tens of thousands of fans made him a natural choice for All-Con, and we are pleased that he has added us to his tour of appearances.

Stephen hasn't ever been to All-Con, but has heard that many of his fans will be here and that has him excited. A truly personable celebrity, Stephen looks for opportunities to meet and entertain the public who support his career roles.

He has a new Disney series coming out soon called THE 7D and if you've been to Disneyland, you've heard his voice as the Mark Twain Riverboat Captain or Stinky Pete. Stephen is the current voice of Happy from SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. He is the voice of the villainous Klaw in Marvel's BLACK PANTHER series, Jimi Stringer in LEGO HERO FACTORY and he has worked on FAMILY GUY, ROBOT CHICKEN, G.I. JOE: RENEGADES, ARCHER and WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN.

Do you have what it takes to travel through time and space with The Doctor? Men and women will compete side-by-side on their knowledge of time and space, their ability to be brave, clever, and funny, as well as their eagerness for adventure. This is your chance to shine in the first competition kicking off the weekend at All-Con. Costumes are not required. Registration is at the door. Study up and remain steady and you might just be named All-Con's 2013 "Doctor's Next Companion"!

The All-Con preliminary schedule is posted! We tell you each day about the various costuming, roller derby, steampunk, cosplay, My Little Pony, gameshow, celebrity, etc. content that we pack into three short days... But did you know that you can check out the schedule now?? We are 58 days away from the opening of All-Con IX. The schedule may change a little in the coming days (additions, mostly) however that shouldn't stop you from starting to plan your All-Con weekend! Here are some important links to get you on your way...

Steampunk isn't always about airships; nor is it always sunny skies. Steam Engine Intrepid is a 'dark' steampunk group out of Galveston. Just as Star Wars wouldn't be any fun without the 501st stormtroopers, the Intrepid and her crew give a professional twist to the other side of the modern Victorian era. Watch for them to be presenting panels on costuming, leather working, and accessorizing for any mission. Steampunk 102 takes play to the next level; beyond just re-purposing and actually becoming involved. The Intrepid will be arriving Friday and staying all weekend. Don't miss your chance to learn from her well honed crew.

The KiraKira Moe Show has been providing maid cafes, Jpop performance, and super cute girls to Texas Conventions since May of 2010, and they're back at All-Con this year for the third time! 10 KiraKira Moe Show maids will be running around All-Con to perform their "Anime Cabaret: Showgirl Extravaganza!" a Jpop and Kpop show amped up with showgirl style all three days, and doing a demonstration of maid cafe service on Friday, followed by a breakfast maid cafe on Saturday morning! Make sure to drop by to see the girls, they'll always greet you with a smile! Click Here for advance All-Con registration and swag!

Tim Taylor has an ever growing list of roles in film and TV, including his most recent role in the blockbuster film "The Hunger Games", in which he was hand-picked by director Gary Ross for the role of the notorious Gamekeeper who hurls fireballs at heroine Katniss. Tim is on a very tight schedule for his promotional tour and so will only be available for autographs on Saturday and Sunday. Don't miss your (brief!) chance to meet the Hunger Games Gamekeeper! And as always, may the odds be ever in your favor.

As we say good-bye to 2012, the early registration discount for All-Con also expires at midnight! Our 2013 line-up promises to be the most talked about and possibly the highest anticipated convention of the year! If you haven't purchased your badge yet, you've only got hours left before the discounted price goes the way of 2012 ... Click here for the lowest rate!

Darwin Prophet is a Thematic Traveler from Planet Mi and an aural exhibitionist; collecting color from the tapestry of thought, riding the mirror of time, bending will to gravity, and dragging audiences kicking and dreaming into literacy -- She implores you to BECOME SOMEONE YOU BELIEVE IN.

Darwin Prophet will be performing at All-Con. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the magnificent Darwin Prophet this March!

With Battlestar Galactica airing on BBC America after five successful years on Sy-Fy, the spinoff "Caprica" and Sy-Fy's new BLOOD AND CHROME (Adama's story from the first Cylon War, now showing on YouTube; available on Blu-Ray February of 2013) the fan club has been busy recruiting! Meet with them at All-Con in the exhibitor hall all three days of the convention, join their ranks, and make life-long friends.

Camden Toy is attending All-Con all three days! Mr. Toy is best known for playing some of the creepiest and scariest villains on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. He played one of the Gentlemen in the Emmy Award nominated episode "Hush", the skin eating demon Gnarl, and the recurring role of The Ubervamp. He also appeared on ANGEL as The Prince of Lies. He can be seen in the television series GOODNIGHT BURBANK and THE BAY, and as Dr. Kerr in Robert Hall's film CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2. Other projects include THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, XXIT, THE VORTEX, VALIANT, BARE KNUCKLES, SEBASTIAN, THE GODMOTHER, MANSFIELD PATH, ALL SOULS DAY: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, PRIVATEER, TRICKERY MIMICRY, IMMORTALLY YOURS, and playing the evil Colonel in the trailer spoof THELMA & LOUISE ll: AVATARS OF PANDORA on G4TV with Olivia Munn and Eva Amurri. Upcoming projects include Joe Hollow's DISCIPLES, Shayne Leighton's OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, Anthony Brownrigg's ARCHAIC REDEMPTION, James L. Bills' HARVEST, and Stan Derain's WAR OF THE DRAGON.

2014 Will Be All-Con's 10th Year!

With 2013 having a Fracture In Time, it's not surprising that we need to talk about 2014 already! We always announce the next year's dates and theme at the latest convention, and so as we build 2013 we must already have 2014 in the planning stages.

This is your opportunity to let your creativity and ideas be heard! We've got a poll going on FaceBook where you can either vote on the 2014 theme, or submit an idea of your own!

Go and post your ideas now, before the window closes and we end up choosing somebody elses!

http://www.facebook.com/questions/266428613442864

There is always a curiosity about Grand Champions of costuming. We always get an introductory paragraph with a highlight list of costuming pieces to admire from afar. The rules say they get 30 seconds on the stage and then its on to the next contestant. For 2012, we have found a special treat! The ladies who ended up as our Grand Champions had done a video shoot that same afternoon, showing off the costume components close-up and in action!

So, on this first day of a clean-slate blog we present to you one more time, the reigning Grand Champions of the All-Con 2012 Costume Competition!

2013 will be All-Con's ninth year as a multi-media fan culture convention in Dallas, Texas. The world did not end in 2013 after all (although for those who attended, there was no doubt that the Zombie Apocalypse was at hand!) As it turned out, there was a FRACTURE IN TIME (our 2013 theme) which lead to alternate realities, parallel worlds, and the leaking of time from one era to another. We, the staff at All-Con, cannot wait to see where you go with this theme and are looking forward to being your hosts again in March!