New York City's first-ever LGBT-centric comic con - fittingly named Flame Con - will take place June 13 in Brooklyn's Grand Prospect Hall, a venue that not only reminds me of a Viennese opera house/drag queen's heaven, but might even be fittingly campier than yours truly. It's here, it's queer, and it's going to blow your mind.
Launched by Geeks OUT, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating geek culture and the LGBT community, Flame Con will be a day-long event featuring discussion panels on everything from trans themes in geek culture to violence and LGBT storytelling, queer re-writes of famous literature (a queer reading of Sherlock Holmes, anyone?), a sexy nerd photo booth and a delightfully flaming cosplay pageant.
A bevvy of special guests include the stars of Welcome to Night Vale (Dylan Marron and Cecil Baldwin, what), uke sensation Sarah Donner (if you haven't heard her "Exploding Kittens Song," who are you as a person?), and queer geek comic book creator/idol Phil Jimenez. An after-party will also take place in Prospect Hall's ballroom, the gay mecca of my dreams.
While Geeks OUT has hosted its own New York Comic Con (NYCC) since 2011 - including its panel series "It Gets Better (with Comics)!" - this is the first time an LGBT-centric event of this magnitude will be held by Geeks OUT (or by anyone) not only in New York, but anywhere on the East Coast (the only other queer con in the U.S., Bent-Con, is held in Los Angeles).
Tickets are still available if you want to strap on your rainbow capes and purchase them here.
Poster: Max Wittert | Flame Con
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