Are you a cosplay goblin? Have you thrown together more than one cosplay on a hope and a prayer? Or are you perhaps a cosplay perfectionist trying to embrace the "perfect is the enemy of good" philosophy? SheProp shows how to create amazing cosplays on a budget, as well as how to make sustainable crafting choices while building. The panelists are pros at creating amazing cosplays without breaking the bank (or even without knowing how to use a sewing machine). They will talk about garment hacking, thrift cosplay, and other sustainable costuming practices. Bring your questions and get ready to learn; audience participation is highly encouraged.
Friday March 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Chad Hatter (Queer for Fear, Robot Chicken) is bringing back some of your favorite queens to WonderCon. Come escape with Pam Demic (costume designer, Workaholics; drag performer since 1989) and Broadway diva headliners Claire Voyance (Voyance Productions, Broadway Divas SCFTA), Leeko Rae (headliner at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts), Mama St. Merman (headliner, Broadway Divas, Hamburger Mary’s), and April Showers (Showers Productions, Late-Night Divas at Hamburger Mary's) to discuss the crossroads where cosplay meets drag.
Friday March 28, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Learn from the experts: Andy Holt is well known for his Hawkman cosplay and has built six different sets of articulated wings, each set improving on the previous. Julia Jenkins has cosplayed many characters including Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Kim Possible, and Talia. An avid seamstress and builder, she is also experienced in 3D printing. Anna Yeutter has cosplayed many Star Trek characters and is a skilled seamstress and builder. Joanie Brosas is a renowned cosplay model with a strong social media following, with expertise in branding, marketing, and engaging with fans.
Friday March 28, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Scott Okuna (photographer, Swallowtail Photo Studio) discusses how cosplayers and convention attendees can generate content and take better photos using their phone cameras. This panel will cover basic principles of photography, lighting, and equipment with live demonstrations.
Friday March 28, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 300E
This panel gives a brief description of the WALL-E Builders Club along with details on how to join. Panelists will also discuss some of the basic building techniques, as well as how to bring WALL-E to life as a puppeteer.
Friday March 28, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Is your MK 50 suit melting? Boltgun breaking your back? Looking for inspiration or a creative touch for your next costume or nerdy project for around the house? 3D printing enthusiasts Anastasia Hunter (droid builder and costumer) and Matt Greenberg (manufacturing specialist, nerd) review different printable materials and how to get the most out of them. This program will have demonstrations and fun for everyone, with tips so good even Dr. Doom may lurk in the back taking notes!
Friday March 28, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Meet the Black content creators and actors who are pioneering the imaginative use of characters of color in film and television. Panelists will discuss emerging techniques in character portrayal and how Black performers and cosplayers will uniquely impact the entertainment industry. Featuring Kevin Grevious (actor, writer, director, producer, comic book publisher; creator, Underworld and I, Frankenstein), and Rico Anderson (actor, The Orville, Star Trek: Renegades, Grey's Anatomy, S.W.A.T.). Professor Ajani Brown, M.F.A. (lecturer, Africana Studies Department; academic senator, San Diego State University) will introduce the participants. Moderated by Jimmy Diggs (original content producer; screenwriter, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine).
Friday March 28, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 300E
The Cereal Killer duo, Anastasia Washington (Grind) and Maria Spiridigliozzi (LITTOH), are joined by panelists David Crownson (Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer,Killer Bee), Veronica Shea (Criminal Gines), Ashley Maria (Super Human Anxiety), Samantha Hale (Horror Nerd), Melissa Howland (We Are Movie Meeks), Gina Powers Hendry (Deadhead, Gaslighter), and Rebekah McKendry (Fangoria, Shudder) discuss true crime in comics. An interactive panel with guests, prizes, and yes . . . cereal.
Friday March 28, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Batman was victorious in the 2024 WonderCon Greatest Comic Book Superhero tournament. This year, it’s the villains’ turn. Your favorite comic book supervillains square off in a bracket-style tournament. Listen to GG4G superfan panelists (Joe Queen, Brian Slape, Steve Fromm, Jason Wilkerson, and Robert Lanuza), fill out your tournament bracket, and vote on head-to-head villain matchups until the greatest is crowned! Select audience members will have the opportunity to advocate for their favorite villain throughout the matchups. Who will dominate the vote and reign supreme?
Friday March 28, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT
Room 300E
What sort of activities do the crew of the IKV Stranglehold engage in between missions and conventions? They present a special WonderCon mission that may tie into future missions and problems. All alien races are welcome.
Saturday March 29, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 300E
Want to make something out of leather but don't know where to start? Amy and Brayton Carpenter (owners, Legendary Costume Works) demonstrate how to tackle a leathercraft project from beginning to end, including tips and tricks from the pros and where to buy leather and tools.
Saturday March 29, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Marvel fans, are you interested in cosplay but unsure where to begin? Or perhaps you've suited up before but are curious how to use your fandom for a good cause. Members of the Avengers Initiative, a national fan organization of Marvel cosplay volunteers, discuss how to get started in cosplay as well as giving back to your communities via charity service events, visiting kids in hospitals, and much more. Bryan Lee (head executive officer, Avengers Initiative) moderates panelists Jen Athey (commanding officer, West Coast Avengers of California), Alice Irvin (executive officer, West Coast Avengers of California), Coby Thornton (commanding officer, Avengers Mid-Pacific of Hawaii), Mark Chu-Lin (head commanding officer, Avengers Initiative), and Judy Stephens (author of Cosplay the Marvel Way and co-founder of the Women of Marvel podcast).
Saturday March 29, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 300E
The creator of the viral The Disneybound Blog and author of Disney Publishing’s DisneyBound: Dress Disney and Make It Fashion,Leslie Kay, and a panel of (Disney)bounding pros Dolly Lee, Clarione Gutierrez-Owens, and Helen Kelly Davis share their expertise in conceptualizing, building, and styling and how to apply that knowledge and creativity to fandoms from across other universes, mediums, and more. Moderated by Kelsey Walmer.
Saturday March 29, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 300E
This is your chance to get to know WonderCon special guest Yaya Han as a designer, cosplayer, and author. Ask her questions on cosplay-related topics, as well as her experiences going to cons, making costumes, dressing up, and traveling worldwide.
Yaya Han is a cosplayer, designer, and author with more than 20 years of activity in the fandom world. Yaya has made over 400 costumes and has been featured in two U.S. network TV shows, countless magazines, books, newspapers, and online media. Yaya’s work has impacted cosplay profoundly... Read More →
Saturday March 29, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Creating cosplays can be a challenge, from patterning to sewing and more. It can be even more of a challenge to know where to start. Join Hylian Cream, a master-level cosplayer, sewing educator, and Janome maker, in learning how to "Frankenstein" commercial sewing patterns into the perfect fit for your next cosplay build. This program will include interactive elements and go over important, beginner-friendly details to help you get started.
Saturday March 29, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Pamm Riddle (TheMandalorian) and Walter Welsh (FaceOff) join cosplayers Linz Stanley, Aidan Wagner, Sean Shaw, Natalie Lucia, and Michelle Lorenzen as they share expert tips on sculpting, prosthetics, and makeup. Moderated by Crystal Schaefer.
Saturday March 29, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Ever wondered what it’s like to be in a group cosplay? What about one that went viral? This program is for those looking to expand not only their group cosplays but their community as well. But where do you start? Panelists will discuss the beginning stages of concept to execution. Get your friends together and get organized, from spreadsheets, Facebook groups, meetings, cohesive patterns, and fabrication all the way down to scheduling meetups and photo shoots, as well as utilizing social media to do those latest trends.
Saturday March 29, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 300E
A pastor, a kindergarten teacher, a school counselor, and a branch chief walk into a convention. It might sound like the opening of a joke, but it's actually a panel about the mostly positive but sometimes negative aspects of cosplaying in the workplace. Lisa Richter (kindergarten teacher), Brian Robison (pastor), Irene Yu (school counselor), and Shelly Grace (branch chief, CA Department of Social Services) discuss their experiences implementing cosplay into typically professional environments where they work.
Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Seasoned cosplay veterans lightheartedly show you a selection of heinous crimes they have committed in craftsmanship so you can learn from their fails.
Saturday March 29, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Reviewing video games for an audience is a balancing act that’s very different from other journalistic reviews. One part business and one part entertainment, content creators focused on video games navigate this nuance with every video they post on social media. But how can you practice this balance of being both critic and creator when it comes to your content? Kurosh Jozavi (host of The KJP Show) and panelists Lisa Wallen (stand-up comedian, professional nerd), Myles Obenza (editor, games journalist), Danreb Victorio (community manager, games journalist), MerdreaStar (content creator, streamer), and Ronell Crawford (co-creator, 8-Bit Closed Fist) speak about navigating negative press, their roles are reviewers to a fanbase, and how their words can shape the success of the games they cover.
Saturday March 29, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Want to build your own Halo cosplay and props? Do the options seem infinite and the challenges unreal? The crew of Anvil will review the most common techniques used today to construct armor, props, and costumes, including 3D printing, casting and molding, foam construction, laser cutting, microcontroller programming, and more. Ask your questions in the Q&A with panelists: Cary Gunnar Lee (Legacy Effects), Chris Loomis (CrazedOneCosplay), Matt Hendricks (Matterhackers), Ricky Herriman (SNRTechBytes), and Amy Herriman (Threads and Starlight). Moderated by Benedict Choy (Spacemeat The Cosplay).
Sunday March 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 300E
Claudia Birmingham,Jim DiRosa,Donna Bawolski, and Andrea Romo (founding parents of the dD Cosplay Club for Persons with Disabilities) and Bryce Birmingham, Luis DiRosa, Dayna Bawolski, and Brandon Estribi (founding members of the dD Cosplay Club) discuss the benefits of cosplay for persons with disabilities, along with how to start and run your own cosplay club. Moderated by Chris Birmingham (creator of the superhero dDominator, founder of the nonprofit ddominatordotnet inc., and creator of the dD Cosplay Club for Persons with Disabilities).
Sunday March 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Lights, camera, cosplay! This WonderCon, be the star of the con and showcase your cosplay! Panelists Angela DiMartino (D&D aficionado), Kelly Dreyer (cosplayer), Lauren Emery (cosplayer), Aimee Tushinsky (cosplayer), and Chris Tushinsky (comic aficionado) will conduct red-carpet-style interviews (on an actual red “carpet”) of you and your cosplay, including that quintessential question, “Who are you wearing?”
Sunday March 30, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Your Neighborhood Mickey (media analyst and founder of Body Love & Beyond recovery coaching), RoseyGCosplay (master-level professional cosplayer), and Laura Munley (LMShoots Photography) discuss how the intersection of body image, cultural expression, and cosplay can be used to celebrate diversity and inclusivity as a community. Panelists will conduct a Q&A to conclude.
Sunday March 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Kids of all ages, come hear stories read by some of your favorite princesses and superheroes! Children and adults can also learn more about working with our causeplay charity and becoming a volunteer. After stories, follow cosplayers to the KCC booth on the show floor for meet-and-greets, photo ops, and booth giveaways. KCC volunteer character readers include Elemental Cosplay, Kat Ristow, James Johnson, Stefanie Carlson, Jennifer Hinojosa, Johnny Hinojosa, Leana Ahmed, Wendy Newton, and Trevor Newton.
Sunday March 30, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Pop culture is not just about the stories it tells, but the communities that rise from it. An anime, film, or TV show has the ability to bring people together in ways creators could never imagine. But what happens when your passion for fandoms extends into live or online community events? Temple of Geek executives Monica Duarte and Madison Morrow are joined by Pop Umai (owner, UmaiGosh Entertainment), Nick Williams (content creator, journalist), Amanda Castrillo (social producer, writer, performer), and JPG (pop culture educator and consultant; InterMyth) to talk about bringing your passions to the next level, with topics including practical community resource management, how to plan successful fandom events, and how to plan the right events for the most disenfranchised of our communities.
Sunday March 30, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 300E
Ronnel Ricardo Parham (showrunner, producer; 5R Productions), Nate Golon (writer, producer; Workshop), David Bianchi (actor, producer; RZR), and Corey Grant (DGA, PGA, WGA) offer insights into an always-challenging area for creators: financing your project. Panelists will also provide a blueprint for what’s needed to grab the attention of financers and investors.
Sunday March 30, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 300E
