Program Schedule

loscon.shotbyabear.com is currently operating in support of Loscon 50.

Los Angeles C

Scheduled as of 0000-00-00 00:00:00

FRI 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
8649. Are Superheroes Still Heroes in 2024?
Moderator: Nicholas Doan

In the Golden Age of comic books, it was so simple: Superman saved the planet, Batman faced off against criminals trying to control Gotham City, the Fantastic Four fought against villains who- well, you get the picture. For the most part, heroes were heroes, and (with some exceptions, like Spider-Man) feted by the authorities and the public.

But with recent stories such as Watchmen (the graphic novel and the movie), "Hancock," and even "The Incredibles," there has entered some doubt; are these mighty, powered (or simply super-skilled) beings on our side?
Nicholas Doan, L. K. Indigo, Chris Weber

FRI 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
8692. Fantasy Romance: Love in Magical Worlds
Moderator: Brandie June

Crossing genre lines, our panelists will discuss the dreamy and the steamy and how romance works in fantasy settings.
Terry Brussel-Rogers, Brandon Case, Jason Crawford, Brandie June, Anne Toole

FRI 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
8722. Horror vs. Dark Fantasy
Moderator: David Boop

The term "dark fantasy" is being thrown around a lot these days, but how different is it from horror? Is it the tone, or the stakes (no pun intended to the vampires out there), or the level of gore? Horror and Dark Fantasy author/editor David Boop moderates this panel on speculative fictions "newest" subgenre.
David Boop, Brandon Case, Ben Wallin, Steven Barnes

FRI 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm
8749. Music to Our Ears - Favorite Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Music Scores
Moderator: David Raiklen

Behind the scenes dive into the creation of the most amazing SciFi and Fantasy soundtracks of 2024 and beyond.
Steve Lee, David Raiklen, Adrianne Grady

FRI 8:00 pm - 9:15 pm
8691. Fairy Tale Mad Libs
Moderator: Sharon Sheffield

Work together to create a brand new fairytale in this fast-paced group storytelling session. Whether it turns out spooky, romantic, tragic, or very silly is up to you.
L. K. Indigo, Brandie June, Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Sharon Sheffield, Chris Weber

Los Angeles C

SAT 10:00 am - 11:15 am
8827. Urban Fantasy: Magic in the Modern World
Moderator: Jessica Brawner

Are there elves in LA or mages on the police force? Urban Fantasy brings together our day to day world with our flights of fancy. Our panelists will discuss how the blending of two worlds works and where to find the best examples.
Jessica Brawner, Brian Buhl, Brenda Clough, Cheryl Murphy Lowrance, Jules Rivera

SAT 11:30 am - 12:45 pm
8721. Here There Be Dragons: Dragons As They Appear in Multiple Mythos and Fictional Universes
Moderator: Michelle Pincus

Come explore the world of dragons and learn about the differences and similarities in how various cultures view these popular creatures.
Jason Crawford, Barbara Hambly, Michelle Pincus, Wendy Van Camp, Genny Dazzo

SAT 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
8834. What Science Fiction Can Bring to Fantasy
Moderator: Noah Lemelson

In some ways, these genres are worlds apart. In others, they can actually be quite similar. Can there be interactions between them, and just as importantly, should there be?
Brandon Case, Bruce Davis, James Glass, Noah Lemelson, SP Hendrick

SAT 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
8828. Villains in SF and Fantasy: Crafting Compelling Antagonists
Moderator: Brian Buhl

Our panelists discuss how to create the best bad guys to delight or infuriate your readers.
Brian Buhl, Barbara Hambly, Sherwood Smith

SAT 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
8811. The Hero's Journey: Classic Structure in SF and Fantasy Narratives
Moderator: Brenda Clough

Dive into the timeless structure of the Hero's Journey and its enduring influence on science fiction and fantasy storytelling. This panel will explore how classic narrative arcs shape beloved tales, from epic quests to interstellar adventures.
Brenda Clough, Vincent Roth, Sharon Sheffield, Gene Turnbow, Ben Wallin, Arthur Sellers

SAT 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm
8750. Mythology and Folklore: Inspirations for Fantasy Writing
Moderator: L. K. Indigo

How do the stories that came before shape the stories we create? Share in a discussion of how the old stories can inspire and guide the work being put out today.
Denise Dumars, L. K. Indigo, Ashish Mahabal, SP Hendrick, Russell Nohelty, Mark L. Williams

SAT 8:00 pm - 9:15 pm
8643. A United Earth: Science Fiction's Long Legacy Portraying the Political Unification of Humanity and the Abolition of War
Solo Panel: Tad Daley

I started devouring science fiction when I was a kid. I dug it because it offered both rollicking good yarns and fascinating speculations about the vistas of human possibility. And I discovered, too, almost in passing, that many science fiction works, both in literature and in film, contained something like a world state, a world government, a politically and constitutionally unified human race. Often this wasn't even what the story was about. It was just a background component of the fictional future universe created by the author. And almost always, it had an inherent plausibility to it. "A couple hundred years in the future? Of course we will have managed to abolish war by then. Of course we'll have a unified human race by then."


So in this presentation, I will examine a world state as a major theme in the long history of science fiction - dating as far back as H.G. Wells and continuing to contemporary authors like Ada Palmer and Becky Chambers. In some cases I will examine something larger still, such as the galactic states seen in landmark works like Star Trek, Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels, and the 1951 film The Day The Earth Stood Still. And I will finally consider why, when brilliant science fiction writers can make this development seem so believable, so desirable, and so inevitable, real-world political thinkers like me are dismissed as hopelessly utopian when we assert that we might chart a course toward the political unity of the human race as an actual historical goal.
Tad Daley

Los Angeles C

SUN 10:00 am - 11:15 am
8648. Anthology 101
Moderator: David Boop

Have you either wanted to edit your own anthology or just submit to one? How does one pitch a whole anthology or just a single story? Bestselling editor David Boop brings some the authors from his many anthologies to a Q&A panel where we answer your burning questions. Featuring Eytan Kollin and more!
David Boop, Eytan Kollin, Michael Todd Gallowglas

SUN 11:30 am - 12:45 pm
8817. The Rise of Women in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Moderator: Wendy Van Camp

Women have grown from sidekicks, afterthoughts and romantic interests to fully formed characters and protagonists in their own right. Our panelists take a look at the development of female characters in genre literature.
Lauren Cipollo, Brenda Clough, Wendy Van Camp, Ben Wallin

SUN 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
8845. Yesterwhen: Why Are So Many Fantasy Worlds Modeled After Our Own History?
Moderator: Bruce Davis

Fantasy worlds lean heavily on our real past. What fascinates us so much about our history that we use it when world building?
Bruce Davis, J.L. Doty, Jenni Powell, Martin Young

SUN 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
8739. Magic Systems: Rules, Creativity, and Consistency
Moderator: Michelle Pincus

You're putting magic in your book. Now what? How do you prevent it from becoming a "get out of jail free" card for all situations? What are the limitations, the costs and the rules of your magic system?
Brandon Case, Brenda Clough, James Glass, SP Hendrick, Michelle Pincus

SUN 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
8840. World-Building in Fantasy: Creating Fantastical Realms
Moderator: Sherwood Smith

How to build your world of wonder and make it a cohesive background for your characters and your story.
Noah Lemelson, Robert (Bob) Nelson, Jenni Powell, Erin Hunt Rado, Sherwood Smith, Gene Turnbow