Page 56 June 2 0 1 4 By Danica Worthington Superheroes unite, Phoenix Comicon is in town. The Con will be at the convention center in downtown Phoenix from June 5-8. The convention has grown from simply a comic book event to one centered around popular culture, including genres from TV, film and costumes to anime, steampunk and gaming. The family-friendly event will showcase many stars ranging from Nathan Fillion of ABC’s Castle and cult favorite Firefly on Saturday and Sunday, Batman’s Adam West on Saturday and comic book icon Stan Lee on Sunday. Phoenix Comicon Director of Marketing Jillian Squires said the convention is a family-friendly event, especially since children under 12 get in for free. She said attendees can range from babies only a couple of months old to grandparents, such as her 68-year-old mother who flies in for the convention. “We focus on family-friendly,” Squires said. “We have something for everybody.” A special section of the Con will be devoted to kids, she said. They have the opportunity to learn how to draw, listen to an author read and learn to be a sidekick with krav maga lessons. The convention has been increasing in popularity, she said. Registration has grown from the basement of the convention center to a separate building. The horror genre will also be given its own area like the kids’ area. Dust off your light sabers, it’s time for Phoenix Comicon CELEBRATE RECOVERY In Christ We Grow That Others May Know Sunday Worship 8:00 & 10:45 A.M. –Traditional 8:30 & 10:30 A.M. –Contemporary 12:30 P.M. –Spanish Service Wednesday Worship 7:00 P.M. Saturday Worship 5:00 P.M. Saturday Youth-Led Worship 6:00 P.M. Sunday School / Bible Classes 9:40 A.M. (Nursery Care At All A.M. Sunday Services) 3901 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix (602) 955-4830 visit our website www.cclphoenix.org e-mail us at christchurch@cclphoenix.org Squires said the convention even grew the section devoted to costuming. She said the Valley has several Star Wars costuming groups who are given a 70 ft. by 80 ft. area for them to bring in their own homemade set. The commanding officer for Rebel Legion, or the “good guys,” costuming group Michael Little said there are four main costuming groups that get together for the Con. Besides the rebels, the empire, R2D2 and aliens from the Cantina are represented. Little described the costumes, which can take 6 months to a year to finish, and set design as like “playing in George Lucas’s sandbox.” “Kids, you see their eyes light up,” Little said. “Sometimes those kids are 40 years old and they like us more than their children do.” He said people often take pictures with the groups in costume. It’s one of the best compliments, he said, second only to when someone tells a costumed character that they look like they stepped out of the film. Little encouraged people to come to the Con in their own costumes as well. “Put on your Jedi robe made out of your bathrobe and your storm trooper made of cardboard and come take photos with us,” Little said. Little said he has gone to several Comicons, including the biggest one in San Diego. He said “everyone and their brother” tries to go to San Diego because a lot of big production studios and publishers are vendors. “It’s so much nicer at Phoenix Comicon,” Little said. “To be able to actually move around. There’s lots of room and lots of things to see and do.” Artist Anie Miles, who will have a booth at the Con, also said there were a lot of things to see. Miles, who has been selling art at Phoenix Comicon for the past three years, said the popular culture convention brings together a lot of separate genres, such as science fiction and steampunk, that typically have their own conventions. “It’s really great,” Miles said. “There’s a lot of energy and you get to meet a lot of people who are into a lot of different things.” She said she is busy all day in the showroom and isn’t able to check out some of the programming until the vendor floor closes. But she complemented the nightlife put on by the convention at the Sheraton, Renaissance and Hyatt hotels. “They have such a great night life where I can go to have drinks with a lot of my artist friends who I haven’t seen even though we’ve been in the same room all day,” Miles said. She said the Con does a good job at fostering children’s interest in “real” science and math. NASA will be part of the convention, she said. “Only there can you take their interest in Batman and turn it into a career,” Miles said. Your Dream Home on Arcadia Lane! • Gourmet kitchen complete with gas range, multiple ovens, top of the line appliances • Couples retreat complete with fi replace, jetted tub, dressing room and spacious walk in closet. 5337 E. Arcadia Lane, Phoenix I have lived in Arcadia for over 13 years and have longtime connections at Hopi, Ingleside, Arcadia High School, Arizona School for the Arts and Prince of Peace preschool and church. I live, breathe and run in Arcadia every day! • 5,123 sq. ft., 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms • Unobstructed views of Camelback Mountain • 950+ bottle wine cellar • Formal dining room, family room and billiards room Call me today for a private appointment. 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Page 57 June 2 0 1 4 Fathers are a constant driving force in life and in film By Julie Demetros For Mother’s Day, there was a list of some great movie moms, but what about dads? This Father’s Day, celebrate all the fathers and father figures who prove to be a guiding force, in film. THE WAY WAY BACK (2013) Summer vacation should be something to look forward to, but not for Duncan as his mother and her boyfriend, Trent, drag him to the beach for some “family bonding” time. With no other options, Duncan tries to make the best of it. He befriends the manager of the local water park, Owen, who offers to hire him to give him something to do. With a new job and new friends, things are looking up for Duncan, and he thinks he might actually enjoy what started out as the worst vacation imaginable. The father figure: Owen takes Duncan under his wing, trying to teach him about everything, from Pacman to comedy to taking charge of a situation. His lessons may not always be the conventional sort, and sometimes Owen doesn’t even realize that he’s giving one, but Duncan definitely learns and grows as a person from his time with the water park’s manager. HELLBOY (2004) During World War II, a portal was opened to another dimension to let monsters through from the other side to wreak havoc on the world. Though it was closed before the intended creatures could get through, one red, infant demon had escaped to earth during the confusion. Dubbed “Hellboy,” the demon was taken in by one of the men who helped stop the imminent destruction of the world. Sixty years later, Hellboy has grown into his role as a sort of unconventional hero. He and his psychic, amphibious humanoid friend, Abe Sapien, work with the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense to protect the world from danger at the hands of other supernatural beings that aren’t as cute and cuddly as him. The father figure: Prof. Trevor Bruttenholm, aka Professor “Broom,” raised Hellboy as his adopted son since the day they found him. He taught him right from wrong and showed him he could be more than the monster people saw when they looked at him. MRS. DOUBTFIRE (1993) Life seems to be going well for the Hillard family, although a little strained between parents Miranda and Daniel. When Daniel resigns from his current acting job and proceeds to throw a messy party for their son’s birthday behind Miranda’s back, it becomes the last straw for the hard-working mom, who believes Daniel isn’t the best influence for their three kids. One divorce later, Daniel goes from being with his kids every day to only seeing them once a week. Desperate to be a bigger part of his kids’ lives, he gets an idea when he sees that Miranda is looking for a housekeeper. With the help of his brother’s skills as a makeup artist and his own acting, Daniel disguises himself as an older, English woman and answers Miranda’s ad under the name “Mrs. Doubtfire.” The father figure: Daniel Hillard may not be the best role model to his children in the beginning, but there is no doubt that he loves them more than anything else in the world. Through his experiences after the divorce, having to find a steady job, manage an acceptable living environment, and keeping up the act as a housekeeper, he grows as a person into the father his kids deserve. FINDING NEMO (2003) Marlin and his son, Nemo, are clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef. Despite Marlin’s warnings about the dangers of the ocean, Nemo strays too far and gets captured by a boat’s fishing net. Determined to find his son at all costs, Marlin sets off to look for clues and runs into a blue tang fish, Dory, suffering from short-term memory loss. Meanwhile, Nemo wakes up to find that he’s the newest of a collection of aquatic creatures living in the fish tank of a dentist’s office. Marlin and Dori continue their search, while Nemo begins plotting his escape. things to see. rt at Phoenix ears, said the rings together ch as science ypically have id. “There’s a meet a lot of ferent things.” l day in the heck out some vendor floor d the nightlife the Sheraton, ht life where I ot of my artist even though all day,” Miles good job at t in “real” be part of the their interest areer,” Miles RSIES R LAW & 202 Fwy) The father figure: Marlin can be overprotective of his son sometimes, though his paranoia over Nemo’s safety isn’t unfounded. His love for his son and his desperate search to find him proves his commitment to his young fish while also teaching him a thing or two about loosening up and growing as a father. Julie Demetros is an Arcadia resident who writes about movies and books at julieatthemovies.wordpress.com.