Over the next few weeks and months, local events like the horror-themed Mad Monster Party Arizona, the anime-centric Saboten Con, and the Arizona Toy Con are being staged as promoters and companies pick up where they left off before COVID-19 sent the geek scene into the Phantom Zone for more than a year.
(And it isn’t just in the Valley. Notable events like Anime Matsuri in Houston this summer and the famed New York Comic Con in October will offer in-person versions this year, albeit with reduced capacity and social distancing.)
Some of the Valley’s biggest cons (such as Phoenix Fan Fusion) are being extra cautious and won’t happen until 2022, while Greg Fennell, one of the organizers of Saboten Con, and other local promoters feel it's safe enough to go forward with their events.
“Depending on the level we are at [with COVID-19], we will have specific things that need to be followed so we can react fast to whatever place we are in when we open the doors to [our show] this year,” Fennell said on Facebook in April.
Here’s a look at recent news from the Valley’s geek scene, including info about events happening during the summer, fall, and into early 2022.
Mad Monster Party Arizona Finalizes Guest Lineup
If you’ve ever wanted to be granted an audience with the King of Hell (without having to endure fire, brimstone, and utter damnation), this year’s Mad Monster Party Arizona will give you the chance to do so … more or less. Famed character actor Mark Sheppard, who starred as the insidious Crowley on Supernatural, will be one of the biggest special guests at the event, which takes place from Friday, July 2, to Sunday, July 4, at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel in Glendale.Other actors scheduled to appear at the 2021 version of Mad Monster Party Arizona, which celebrates horror fandom, include Scooby Doo’s Matthew Lillard, James Remar from Dexter, Scream’s Skeet Ulrich, and P.J. Soles of Halloween fame. Organizers recently added a few additional names to the lineup, including Doug Bradley (who starred as Pinhead in the first three Hellraiser flicks) and actress Felissa Rose from the 1983 cult film Sleepaway Camp.
Single-day admission to Mad Monster Party Arizona 2021 is $30 to $40 in advance, three-day passes are $80, and a "R.I.P." package loaded with perks is $199. Masks will be required and social distancing will be implemented.
Bill Oberst Jr. Is Coming to Phoenix Fearcon X
Mad Monster won’t be the only horror fest happening in the Valley in the near future as Phoenix Fearcon X will haunt Sun Studios of Arizona in Tempe on Friday, October 15, and Saturday, October 16. Promoters recently announced that renowned character actor Bill Oberst Jr. – a star of such cult horror films as 3 From Hell, Werewolf Rising, Devil's Junction, and Scary or Die – will make an appearance at the event and might perform his off-Broadway solo piece "Ray Bradbury's Pillar of Fire."Oberst joins a special guest list that already includes such names as Fred Williamson of From Dusk Till Dawn, Reggie Bannister from the Phantasm series, and Troma Entertainment co-founder and director Lloyd Kaufman. Tickets for Phoenix Fearcon X are $30 each day, $50 for the weekend, or $75 for VIP admission. More details about the event can be found here.
Saboten Con Day Passes Are Now On Sale
Local anime fans looking to show off their costumes or hang out with fellow otaku can now purchase tickets to Saboten Con 2021, which will run from Friday, September 3, through Monday, September 6 (a.k.a. Labor Day weekend) at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.For those of you who aren’t weeaboos, Saboten Con is the biggest anime event in Arizona and boasts upward of 10,000 people in attendance each year. Organizers will have reduced capacity for this year’s event, though, and will utilize other safety measures like social distancing. Admission costs are $25 for Friday, $35 for Saturday and Sunday, and $20 for Monday. A full event pass will run you $55. Complete details can be found here.
