MarsCon 2025 - Virginia Beach: Full Schedule

1:00pm EST

Henchmen (and Women) of the Empire

Friday January 17, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

Cobra, Hydra, and other followers of the bad guy. Where do they get their training? What is their motivation? Is there a good benefits package and what is the going rate for a top-notch lackey anyway?

Speakers

Robert Hampson

Author, Scientist

Dr. Robert E. Hampson is a neuroscientist, professor, and author who spends his time exploring the frontiers of memory research and the far reaches of the imagination. With a Ph.D. in Physiology & Pharmacology, he studies how brains encode memories and develops futuristic technologies... Read More →

Nicole Glover

Author

Nicole Glover is the author of the historical fantasy series, Murder and Magic, which begins with The Conductors. When she's not writing, she's working as a UX researcher where her knowledge about murder and other mysteries is surprisingly useful.

Jason Cordova

Author

Bestselling author Jason Cordova has had his novels published in multiple languages around the world. He was both a John W. Campbell Award and Dragon Award finalist (though not in the same year). Author of the Black Tide Rising novel Mountain of Fire, and co-author of Monster Hunter... Read More →

Jacob Holo

Author

Jacob Holo has been a recreational geek since childhood, when he discovered Star Wars and Star Trek, and a professional geek since college, when he graduated from Youngstown State University with a degree in Electrical and Controls Engineering. He started writing when his parents... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

2:00pm EST

Beyond the Chainmail Bikini: Battling Toxic Objectification in Art & Fandom

Friday January 17, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Everyone says “sex sells” but does it have to? Do we need to cater to heterosexual men in order to make a profit selling art at Comic-Cons and Sci-Fi Fantasy conventions? Can we create, write, and/or cosplay beautiful images of both men and women in respectful poses and outfits and still attract fans? Our panel will discuss objectification in art and fandom and what we can do to change it for the better.

Speakers

Ben Yalow

Fandom

I've attended about 900 cons, and worked on about a third of them, with jobs ranging from gofer to Chair of both regionals and the Worldcon. I've also edited 4 books for NESFA Press.

Kim Iverson Headlee

Author

Kim Iverson Headlee lives on a farm in the mountains of southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, fish, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, someone else's cattle, half a million honey bees, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old... Read More →

Jake Clark

Artist Guest of Honor

Jake Clark makes badass art for badass stories. Full of grit and storytelling, his work is geared to instantly capture attention. Using 3-d modeling software combined with digital painting, his fully custom creations play with perspective and scale in a way few other covers in the... Read More →

Lindsay Reinoehl Bartleson

Featured Costuming Guest

Lindsay Bartleson of Geek Diva Cosplay has been cosplaying for just under a decade. In that time she has received multiple awards at conventions in both workmanship and stage presentation and quickly reached the Master level. She has presented many cosplay panels and has also acted... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Fandom, Being a Fan

2:00pm EST

The Best Second-in-Command

Friday January 17, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

What makes a great XO/Number 1 and who nailed the job? Who bombed? Who stood out for entirely not job related reasons?

Speakers

Dennis Myers

Author

Born and raised in central Minnesota, Dennis M. Myers developed a serious reading habit early in life due to the influence of his grandmother. In late high school he read one particularly "awful" book and, with all that teenage hubris, decided that he could do better. After spending... Read More →

Michael Morton

Author, USSF

Michael Morton is a retired USAF space operations officer and wishes the Space Force happened earlier. Still, he gets to work for them as a civilian, so life isn't all bad. He writes award-winning military sci-fi and fantasy and lives in Colorado Springs with his family. When he's... Read More →

Steve Vickers

Author

SC Vickers writes SF, fantasy, and historical fiction but has a thing for werewolves and trolls. He lives in Colorado Springs and has an MFA in Creative Writing/Genre Fiction from Western Colorado University. Troll Hunt, a novella in the Troll Lands universe, is his first published... Read More →

Wayland Smith

Author, Gamer, Fandom

Wayland Smith is the pen name for a native Texan who has lived in Massachusetts, New York, Washington DC, and presently makes his home in Virginia. His rather unlikely list of jobs includes private investigator, comic book shop owner, ring crew for a circus (then he ran away from... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

3:00pm EST

GenX Sequels Axed

Friday January 17, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

What GenX beloved movies would be unable to have a sequel or be remade today? Why, what makes them beloved radioactive trouble? What could be done to redeem them and would it work?

Speakers

Wayland Smith

Author, Gamer, Fandom

J.F. Posthumus

Author

Wife and a mother of five, J.F. Posthumus is an IT Tech with over a decade of experience. When she isn’t arguing with computers and their inherent gremlins, or being mom to the four younger monsters (the eldest was a police officer, lost to us all in June of 2023), she’s crafting... Read More →

Scott Sykes

Author

S.M. Sykes never saw himself as a writer, facing struggles with English classes in school. Even his wife, who doubles as his editor, can attest to occasional challenges with organizing his thoughts. However, despite these obstacles, he discovered a passion for storytelling that he... Read More →

Aaron Brite

Environmental Compliance Officer, Jen-Weld, Inc.

GenX feral nerd from the womb raised on TOS and the original Wild Wild West reruns while "recreating" some of those gadgets (thankfully to little success). Grew up to become an Air Force avionics tech and then Supply Sergeant where he caught the hazmat bug. Now a corporate environmentalist... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

5:00pm EST

How Far Will Your Dollar Go in Building Cosplay?

Friday January 17, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EST

Salon L

This is not a cosplay/prop making on a budget pitch, but more so where you should spend your money and get the biggest returns for them.

Speakers

Pamela K. Kinney

Author

Pamela K. Kinney gave up long ago, ignoring the demanding voices in her head and has been writing ever since. Her horror short story, “Bottled Spirits,” was runner-up for the 2013 WSFA Small Press Award and considered one of the seven best genre short fiction for that year. She... Read More →

Aaron Brite

Environmental Compliance Officer, Jen-Weld, Inc.

Daniel Kim

Cosplayer

Max Thompson

Cos Player

Hello there and welcome to my channel! My name is Bash, The Prop Slayer! My channel is dedicated to bringing game and movie replica weapons and armor to life. My main sources of inspiration are Final Fantasy, Star Wars, and The Lord of The Rings. I was introduced to cosplay and prop... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EST
Salon L

Fandom, Being a Fan

7:00pm EST

There is No Chaplain on the Enterprise

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

A lot of science fiction depicts a future with no religion at all, or the subject of religion is never really brought up--and when it is, it is often a disorganized spirituality. Organized religions, if they appear, are almost invariably evil. But regardless of one's opinions on religion, it is a fundamental part of human life and culture. How can we write about religion in our science fiction settings? Should we?

Speakers

Alexander Gideon

Author

Alexander G. R. Gideon's writing style can best be described by the phrase "and many people died". He's a multi-genre author of Historical Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Sci-fi, and Horror. As the world's only Pan Librarian Wizard, he's an expert on most things, from High Magick and spirit... Read More →

Kim Iverson Headlee

Author

Gray Rinehart

Literary Guest

Gray Rinehart is a writer, an editor, a singer/songwriter, and a retired Air Force officer. He is the only person to have commanded a USAF satellite tracking station, written speeches for Presidential appointees, devised a poetic form, and had music on The Dr. Demento Show. He is... Read More →

Christopher Ruocchio

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Christopher Ruocchio is the internationally award-winning author of the Sun Eater, a series blending elements of both science fiction and fantasy, as well as more than twenty works of short fiction. Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Christopher received a degree in English... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

8:00pm EST

Reboots, Re-imaginings, and Relaunches

Friday January 17, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

Just how many times can they remake Robin Hood? Is there a film that they should never make a reboot of? In this panel, we take a look at the positive and negatives of the modern reboot.

Speakers

Wes Rist

Int'l Human Rights Lawyer

D. Wes Rist is an international human rights lawyer with a specialization in preventing genocide and mass atrocities. He has worked with non-profit and non-governmental organizations around the world, conducted trainings for international lawyers and atrocity prevention experts, and... Read More →

Jim & John Gaines

Authors

Jim and John Gaines write sci fi together as J.M.R.Gaines. Their novels Life Sentence and Spy Station form part of the Forlani Saga series, along with Earth Regained (in progress). They have also publish space-themed short stories and poetry in a variety of journals. Jim is a retired... Read More →

Sean Korsgaard

Author, Publisher, Fandom

Sean CW Korsgaard is a U.S. Army veteran, award-winning freelance journalist, author, editor and publicist who has worked with Analog Science Fiction & Fact, Baen Books, and Writers of the Future, and recently became the editor of Anvil and Battleborn magazines. His first anthology... Read More →

Vivian Valentine

Author, Dealer

The author of The Amelia Temple Series, Vivian Moira Valentine is a rad trans lady who loves monsters. When she was a child, she found the Crestwood House Monster Series at her local library and it's all been downhill from there. Now everything she likes is horrible. When not writing... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

9:00pm EST

Fandom and Mental Health

Friday January 17, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Salon L

Fans everywhere talk of how their participation in fandom has helped maintain their mental health. Some say that fandom has literally saved their lives. Join in the discussion of how fandom has and continues to be a balm for many in an uncertain world and concrete ways that others can help their fellow fans in the midst of the chaos.

Speakers

Phillip Pournelle

Author, Gamer

Commander Pournelle retired from the Navy after 26 years of service as a surface warfare officer, operations analyst, and joint operations planner. He served on cruisers, destroyers, amphibious ships, and an experimental high-speed vessel. He served on the Navy staff conducting modeling... Read More →

Brad Goodman

Scientist

Brad has been a guest at local science fiction conventions for more than thirty years. Now retired, he worked for NASA Langley Research Center, at their Visitor Center, and in support of traveling exhibits. Later he worked for the Science Museum of Virginia. These assignments came... Read More →

Ben Yalow

Fandom

I've attended about 900 cons, and worked on about a third of them, with jobs ranging from gofer to Chair of both regionals and the Worldcon. I've also edited 4 books for NESFA Press.

Lindsay Reinoehl Bartleson

Featured Costuming Guest

Friday January 17, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Salon L

Fandom, Being a Fan

1:00pm EST

When the Good Guys Turn Out to be Bad Guys

Saturday January 18, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

Jedi are evil. Starfleet is fascist. What happens to us when our revered good guys turn out to not be quite so good? Or when they are down right bad? Join our panelists as they discuss how even the best of the good guys has some evil in their hearts.

Speakers

Claire Merrick

Author

Tired of writing about bad news as a producer at a news station, Claire Merrick began using her free time to write urban fantasy stories. She attended FantaSci in Durham, hoping to learn from authors about the business side of publishing. One of the guests, Kevin Ikenberry, asked... Read More →

David Shadoin

Author

David "Shady" Shadoin is a trouble-making, corn-fed Nebraska boy the United States Air Force managed to turn into a somewhat decent pilot of whirly birds. An avid reader from a young age, he has always found inspiration listening to rock music while reading Fantasy and Sci Fi novels... Read More →

Vivian Valentine

Author, Dealer

Phillip Pournelle

Author, Gamer

Saturday January 18, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

7:00pm EST

Modern American Mythology

Saturday January 18, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

Other cultures have their gods and heroes from myth and legend such as Greek mythology, King Arthur, the 3 Musketeers and so on. Are superheroes, Star Trek and Star Wars our mythology?

Speakers

J.E. Pittman

Author, Dealer

J.E. Pittman dabbles in many speculative worlds. He blurs the borders between genre and crafts salient lies to tell a measure of truth. His work has been described as: capriciously chimeric, dreamlike, and a vivid enigma with indelible images stamped on your brain. He’s currently... Read More →

Sam Robb

Author

Sam Robb is a Pittsburgh native, a former US Navy officer, and a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University. Over the course of his life, he has acquired a wife, three daughters, several quadrupeds, and a penchant for walking down back alleys and taking pictures of graffiti. When he's... Read More →

Saturday January 18, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, It's in the Details

8:00pm EST

TMG Business Meeting

Saturday January 18, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Family Programming - Salon O

The Mercenary Guild will have a business meeting. If you are a member of the Guild, you are highly encouraged to attend. If you are not a member yet, you may come and observe the proceedings.

Speakers

Daniel Kim

Cosplayer

Teresa Bhaile

Guest Liaison and Programming Director, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Aaron Brite

Environmental Compliance Officer, Jen-Weld, Inc.

Saturday January 18, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Family Programming - Salon O

Fandom, Being a Fan

10:00am EST

So, You Wanna Host a Podcast...

Sunday January 19, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EST

Salon L

You have a great idea for a podcast, but how do you get one recorded? How do you get it out there? How do you get more than just your mom to listen to it? Come talk with these veteran podcasters and find out.

Speakers

Mikey Mason

Featured Musical Guest

Mikey Mason spent more than a decade as a full-time standup comedian. He headlined on all four coasts, performed multiple times each on NBC, at the legendary House of Blues, and the Hard Rock Casino. He even headlined the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas. But it wasn’t... Read More →

H.Y. Gregor

Author

H.Y. Gregor was born in Portland, Oregon, but will always call the mountains of Colorado home. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science but put it down often enough to narrowly avoid law school. Now she spends her free time weaving fantasy tales and battling plot gremlins... Read More →

Ben Davis

Scientist, ECPI University

Ben Davis has a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics and an M.S. in Nuclear Astrophysics from the University of Notre Dame. He taught at the college level for several years on a number of technical subjects ranging from computer programming and math to, of course, astronomy and physics. In the... Read More →

John Holmes

Publisher

J.F. Holmes is a retired Army Senior Noncommissioned Officer, having served for 22 years in both the Regular Army and Army National Guard. During that time, he served as everything from an artillery section leader to a member of a Division level planning staff, with tours in Cuba... Read More →

Sunday January 19, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EST
Salon L

Fandom, Being a Fan

12:00pm EST

MarsCon (Virginia Beach) Wants You!!

Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

You've come to MarsCon and had a great time! You're already making plans to come again next year. Have you thought about volunteering? MarsCon is volunteer run and we are always looking for people who want to pitch in. Come find out what kinds of things you could do and how to fit volunteering at MarsCon into your fandom life.

Speakers

Jennifer May

Jedi, Founder of "Marscon Jen Club", Volunteer Coordinator, Charity Auction

Jennifer May is a community health researcher in the real world, but is also a Jedi in the national organization, The Rebel Legion. She has been attending Marscon for almost 30 years, and serving as volunteer coordinator for the past 4 years. She also enjoys helping to organize... Read More →

Jen Cooper

2025 Conchair, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Teresa Bhaile

Guest Liaison and Programming Director, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Amy Cardona

Swag and Charity Auction, Treasurer, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, Being a Fan

1:00pm EST

How'd They Make That?!?!

Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

Cosplayers and costumers explain how props and costumes can and/or are made.

Speakers

Alexander Gideon

Author

Daniel Kim

Cosplayer

Max Thompson

Cos Player

Sunday January 19, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Fandom, Costuming & Cosplay

2:00pm EST

Galactic Empires & Epic Interstellar Legends

Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Join our Guests of Honor as they discuss what makes empires, especially galatic ones, and interstellar legends. Which empires and legends do we want to know more about? Which ones have been overdone? It's the MarsCon theme this year, but what does it mean?

Moderator

David Shadoin

Author

Speakers

David Hensley

Author

David is an East Coast Hepaw born and raised in southwest Colorado. The town of Dolores, to be specific. He's been a lot of places and done a lot of things since then, including cowboying in the Utah desert and twenty years as an aviation structural mechanic for the United States... Read More →

Cassandra Clarke

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Cassandra Rose Clarke’s novels have been finalists for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults. Her poetry has placed second in the Rhysling Awards, been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and appeared in... Read More →

Christopher Ruocchio

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Jake Clark

Artist Guest of Honor

Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Fandom, It's in the Details