Dragon Con Media Relations

September, 1 – September, 5 Atlanta, GA
2019 Dragon Con Reporters Will Need to Report Coverage by October 11th
Sep• 12•19

As Dragon Con grows, the amount of requests we receive for Media Access also grows. Thus, we find it necessary for reporters to send us their coverage early after Dragon Con.

  • If we do not receive your Dragon Con 2019 coverage you will not be eligible for Dragon Con 2020 Media Access.
  • If you weren’t able to attend Dragon Con 2019, make sure we know so we mark your status as excused.
  • If your coverage was not used, complete the form showing your work as proof you were reporting at Dragon Con 2019.
  • If your interview requests were not approved, you are still required to provide coverage of Dragon Con.
  • If you have questions regarding coverage requirements, please email Samm at mediarelations@dragoncon.org.

What do you need to do? Click on the link below, complete the form for Dragon Con 2019 coverage, and we’ll take it from there!

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR DRAGON CON 2019 COVERAGE!


RECORD NUMBERS OF POP CULTURE FANS TREKKED TO DRAGON CON 2019
Sep• 02•19
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:       Contact:  Phone:   Email: URL: Dan Carroll
Director, Media Engagement  
404 692 1958  
dancarroll@dragoncon.org
www.dragoncon.org  

RECORD NUMBERS OF POP CULTURE FANS TREKKED TO DRAGON CON 2019

Attendance Soars Past 85,000 for Five Days of Celebration

More Than $110,000 Raised for American Heart Association’s Georgia Affiliate

ATLANTA – September 2, 2019 – Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi and gaming convention, attracted a record 85,000 people for the five-day celebration and raised more than $110,000 for its official 2019 charity, American Heart Association’s Georgia affiliate.  

Dragon Con 2020 – the 34th annual convention – will return to downtown Atlanta for the five-day Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3 to Sept. 7. 

“Dragon Con 2019 was another terrific success. For many of our fans and guests, Dragon Con gave them five days to escape the real world and embrace the things they love with friends from around the world,” convention co-chair Rachel Reeves said.  

Fans came from around the world and all 50 states, with this year’s convention attracting people from Canada, Mexico, several European countries, and Australia.    

Some of this year’s top guests included George Takei, Sulu from the Star Trek franchise, Once Upon a Time’s Lana Parrilla, David Tennant, whose geek credits include Doctor Who, Jessica Jones, and Good Omens, plus Freema Agyeman, Cary Elwes, Lou Ferrigno, Zachary Levi, Ralph Macchio, Catherine Tate, Cress Williams, and pop duo Aly & AJ.   

The convention also supported a number of movies and television shows made in Georgia including Stranger Things, Black Lightening, Cobra Kai, Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, and The Gifted. Fans also had a chance to talk with creators and professional players from Paladins and SMITE, perhaps the most popular video game to come out of Georgia.

In the Dragon Awards, A Star-Wheeled Sky by Brad R. Torgersen, was the fan’s choice in theBest Science Fiction Novel category. The Dragon Awards are the only fan’s choice award in fandom, with more than 10,000 people casting a ballot this year.   

In the months leading up to the 2019 convention, Dragon Con Superheroes community service program, volunteers and fans worked with Piedmont Park Conservancy to mulch the dog park and handle other maintenance tasks, packed some 1500 meals for Open Hand Atlanta, and sorted and packed medical supplies for MedShare. Since 2014, Dragon Con Superheroes have contributed more than 3,500 hours to Atlanta-area non-profits. 

LifeSouth, which has organized the convention’s annual Robert A. Heinlein “Pay It Forward” blood drive since 2002, held another successful drive. This year, some 3,600 donors contributed more than 10,000 units of blood and blood products.  The annual drive – consistently ranked as the largest convention-based blood drive – benefits LifeSouth, which serves more than 40 hospitals in the Atlanta area and 110 hospitals in the Southeast. 

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


DRAGON AWARDS RECOGNIZE FANS’ FAVORITES IN FICTION, GAMES, AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT
Sep• 02•19
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:       Contact:  Phone:   Email: URL: Dan Carroll,
Director, Media Engagement
404 692 1958  
dancarroll@dragoncon.org www.dragoncon.org  

DRAGON AWARDS RECOGNIZE FANS’ FAVORITES IN FICTION, GAMES, AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT

Comic Book Legend George Pérez, Short Fiction Author Simone Heller, and Fandom Superhero

Edward deGruy Honored for Contributions to Writing, Fandom, and the Industry

ATLANTA – September 2, 2019 – Dragon Con, the internationally known pop culture, sci fi, fantasy, and gaming convention, announced the winners of its 4th annual Dragon Awards, a fan’s choice awards program to recognize the best in books, comics, games, and filmed entertainment.

Leading this year’s Dragon Awards, A Star-Wheeled Sky by Brad R. Torgersen was the fans’ choice in theBest Science Fiction Novel category.

Dragon Con also announced three other convention awards, recognizing achievement in short fiction and lifelong contributions to the profession and fandom. 

When We Were Starless by Simone Heller was honored with the Eugie Foster Memorial Award for Short Fiction, established in the memory of the Nebula-award winning author and long-time volunteer director. A juried award, the “Eugie” celebrates the best in innovative fiction. Previous winners are Fran Wilde (2018), N.K Jemisin (2017), and Catherynne M. Valente (2016). 

Comic book legend George Pérez was honored with the Julie Award, given to an industry professional for universal achievement spanning multiple genres. Best known for his work with The Avengers, Teen Titans, and Wonder Woman, Pérez is also known for his charitable efforts, regularly raising money for myriad causes. Peter David, 2007 Julie Award winner and Pérez’s longtime collaborator, presented the award.

And, Edward deGruy was recognized with the Hank Reinhardt Fandom Award, given each year to an individual who has made significant contributions to fandom. deGruy co-founded Atlanta OutWorlders, an organizer of events for LGBTQ+ fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and gaming and is a long-time volunteer and director at Dragon Con.

The Dragon Awards were created in 2016 as part of Dragon Con’s 30th anniversary celebration. All fans – not just Dragon Con members or attendees – were invited to nominate their favorite properties for the awards and then select Dragon Award winners by voting on the annual Dragon Awards ballot. 

More than 10,000 fans cast ballots for Dragon Award winners, selected from among 91 properties in 15 categories covering the full range of fiction, comics, television, movies, video gaming, and tabletop gaming.  Winners were announced on Sept. 1 at Dragon Con 2019 in downtown Atlanta.

Final voting was held via the dedicated Dragon Awards website, and the voting period ran from August 6 to August 31. The ballot was selected in an open nomination process in which fans nominated their favorite properties. The nomination period ran from early April until July 19. The best and most popular of the nominated properties were elevated to the ballot. 

And the Dragon Award winners are …

Best Science Fiction Novel
A Star-Wheeled Sky by Brad R. Torgersen

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)
House of Assassins by Larry Correia

Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel
Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard

Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel
Uncompromising Honor by David Weber

Best Alternate History Novel
Black Chamber by S.M. Stirling

Best Media Tie-In Novel
Thrawn: Alliances by Timothy Zahn

Best Horror Novel
Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

Best Comic Book
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples

Best Graphic Novel
X-Men: Grand Design – Second Genesis by Ed Piskor

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series
Good Omens, Amazon Prime

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie
Avengers: Endgame by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game
Red Dead Redemption 2 by Rockstar Games

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite by Niantic, WB Games San Francisco

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game
Betrayal Legacy by Avalon Hill Games

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game
Call of Cthulhu: Masks of Nyarlathotep Slipcase Set by Chaosium Inc.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over five days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


JOANN Sponsors Dragon Con!
Aug• 30•19

JOANN is a sponsor at Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA this weekend, thrilled to engage with the cosplay community and share details on their cosplay fabric and notions line with Yaya Han, in partnership with CosplayFabrics.com

The line features cosplay fabrics, notions and accessories handpicked in close collaboration with Han, veteran costume designer and cosplayer, as well as Atlanta local. As Han celebrates her 20th year in cosplay, she’s a highly knowledgeable source on what materials will be provide cosplayers with the best results as they bring their inspiration to reality.

In the past, cosplayers were limited on where they could locate fabrics and special materials for costumes. Now, with the Yaya Han collection available at JOANN stores and joann.com, cosplay enthusiasts can easily secure what they need to perfect their ensembles, right at their local JOANN.

We invite you to connect with Yaya Han to hear more about her exclusive cosplay fabric line with JOANN. Jeff Csuy, Vice President of Sewing at JOANN is also available for interviews to discuss why JOANN finds it imperative to be a one-stop destination for cosplayers.

Please contact interviews@dragoncon.org to schedule an interview on Saturday and Sunday of Dragon Con. 


DCMR Podcast 9 Return of Reporters
Aug• 26•19

Plus 15 Things Media Relations Thinks You Should Know.

Thank you for joining us on this, the 9th and Penultimate Dragon Con Media Relations Podcast for 2019. This is our annual Reporters Strike Back edition of the podcast but first we have a quick run down of  Fifteen things we in Media Relations think you need to know coming to Dragon Con 2019.

We are joined by: Chase Lawrence of Affliction Media Productions (http://afflictionphotos.com/), Jeff Leiboff of Radio Labyrinth ( https://radiolabyrinthpodcast.com/), and Kelly Adams of Big Shiny Robot ( https://bigshinyrobot.com/) and talk about reporting from Dragon Con from the reporters point of view.

Download Podcast

Click through to read the 15 Things We Think Reporters should Know:

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DRAGON CON EXPANDS ESPORTS WITH ADDITION OF SKILLSHOT’S ATLANTA OPEN
Aug• 26•19
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: 
Phone:

Email: 
URL:

Dan Carroll, Director, Media Engagement
404 692 1958

dancarroll@dragoncon.org
www.dragoncon.org

DRAGON CON EXPANDS ESPORTS WITH ADDITION OF SKILLSHOT’S ATLANTA OPEN 

2019 Gaming Release (PDF Version)

Skillshot Atlanta Open Stops at Dragon Con to Host Tournaments, Meet-and-Greets, and VR Open Play

Dragon Con adds 200 Peachtree to its 140,000 Square Feet of Gaming Space Featuring ‘Round the Clock Gaming Plus Panels with Top Game Designers, Voice Actors, and Industry Experts

ATLANTA – August 26, 2019 – Dragon Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the nation, will expand its eSports programming, playing host to the Skillshot Atlanta Open featuring cash-prize eSports tournaments and other events including live music performances and meet and greets with professional players and developers from SMITE and Paladins.

Gaming’s footprint is also expanding this year to include 200 Peachtree, an event space next to the Westin Peachtree, for selected events including the 8-Bit Ball on Thursday, 10 pm to 2 am, and the Heroes and Villains Ball, Saturday, 10 pm to 2 am, both in the Whitehall Ballroom.

Some 85,000 fans will converge on downtown Atlanta for Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi and gaming convention that occurs over the five-day Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 to Sept. 2, with events and activities across AmericasMart Buildings One and Two and five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta.

With more than 140,000 square feet, gaming at Dragon Con features the full array of gaming including PC and console games, board games, miniatures gaming, role-playing games, collectible card games, and even LARPs.  A large selection of modern Japanese arcade games not usually seen in the United States alongside classic American cabinet-style arcade games will be available for ‘round the clock free play.

The gaming hall opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 30, and stays open through 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 3.

The enormously popular Artemis bridge simulator, in which eight players man a Star Trek-style starship, will now have a second dedicated installation where cooperative and head to head play will be available. Gamers of all skill levels can play as pilot, gunner, communications officer, or even captain in this intuitive, cooperative game experience. More information about the Artemis Bridge game can be found at artemisspaceshipbridge.com/info.

eSports tournament host Skillshot will hold a number of events at DragonCon for the Skillshot Atlanta Open. On Saturday and Sunday, they will host an open-entry Dota Underlords tournament with $3,600 in prizes available each day. They will also host meet-and-greets with the Hi-Rez Studios development team and some of the top pro SMITE and Paladins players. Additionally, the Skillshot area will have an open play area available to gamers, complete with VR titles. Attendees can visit this area to enjoy giveaways, music, anime, and face painting. Location details and further information is available at www.skillshot.com/dragoncon

Dragon Con attendees can watch professional players and teams compete against each other live while their gameplay broadcasts to overhead screens. Meanwhile, gaming fans at home can watch the gameplay via Twitch.  Amazon-owned Twitch, Dragon Con’s broadcast partner for its tournaments, has approximately 1 million viewers at any given time for its eSports and related programming.

Costumers and costuming enthusiasts can look forward to this year’s Video Game Costume Contest Friday evening at 5:30 PM in the Westin’s Peachtree Ballroom. Judged by professional cosplayers and emceed by Mass Effect’s Kimberly Brooks, this event is bound to thrill those who love to bring their favorite video game characters from screen to scene.

In addition to the guests, key gaming guests for 2019 include voice actor Quinton Flynn from the Sonic franchise, voice actor Dave Fennoy, best known for his role as Lee Everett in the Walking Dead game, and former Epic Games president Mike Capps, whose company developed Fortnite, Gears of War, and Unreal Engine. Gaming entertainment guests will include LAVA – Loud, Annoying, and Very Annoying variety show with Max Mittelman, Ray Chase, and Robbie Daymond. More information about LAVA can be found at www.lavatheshow.com/the-show.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than about 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Skillshot

Based in Alpharetta, GA, Skillshot provides a turnkey esports solution for leading competitive titles, including online and offline tournament organization, industry-leading esports production and active community management. Skillshot has more than five years of esports experience in hosting thousands of global competitors, paying out millions in tournament prizing and serving more than one billion esports views to date. Learn more at www.skillshot.com.


Covering Dragon Con Parade 2019
Aug• 23•19

The annual Dragon con parade this year will be held at 10 am on August 31st, lasting roughly two hours. Approved reporters will again be able to take advantage of the media area at the corner of Peachtree Street and Baker Street. Please approach from the Hyatt side, and we recommend you arrive around 9:30 am on Aug 31. Reporters will be allowed to take up-close photographs and even walk along with the marchers in the parade for a brief time.

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DRAGON CON BRINGS 85,000 FANS TO ATLANTA
Aug• 22•19
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: 
Phone:

Email: 
URL:
Dan Carroll, Director, Media Engagement
404 692 1958

dancarroll@dragoncon.org
www.dragoncon.org

DRAGON CON BRINGS 85,000 COSPLAYERS, GAMERS, AND POP CULTURE ENTHUSIASTS TO ATLANTA 

2019 General Release (PDF Version)

The Streets Will Be Alive! … with Zombies, Superheroes, Villains, Stormtroopers, and Other Characters from Fantasy, Sci-Fi, & Gaming

ATLANTA – August 22, 2019 – Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, returns to downtown Atlanta for Labor Day weekend, bringing with it some 85,000 pop culture fans.

Dragon Con 2019 runs from Thursday, Aug. 29 to Monday, Sept. 3 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta – and AmericasMart Buildings #1 and #2.

This year, Dragon Con’s footprint will expand to include 200 Peachtree, an event space next to the Westin Peachtree, for selected events including the 8-Bit Ball on Thursday, 10 pm to 2 am, and the Heroes and Villains Ball, Saturday, 10 pm to 2 am, both in the Whitehall Ballroom.

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DCMR Update 2019-4 (8/20)
Aug• 20•19

As always, we recommend you check the website (http://www.dragoncon.org/mediarelations), look at past updates on the website, and listen to the available podcasts for many of the topics you may be interested in. If you can’t find information, send us your questions! 

Hot topics: The Parade: We will be publishing a website post about the parade this week, but we want to remind  you now that we have a special area reserved for media at the corner of Peachtree and Baker along side the Hyatt Regency.  Reporters are not allowed to walk in the parade without a DCMR volunteer escorting you, and security will remove you from the parade route if they notice you. BUT…we give every reporter a chance to walk through the parade WITH an escort. Come to the reporter “corral,” and we will ensure that every reporter gets a chance to take up close and personal shots of the parade!  Details will be found on the website.  

  • Pro Tip: You do not have to sign up for this. Just show up! 

Areas where photography is prohibited: There is no photography in the Art Show at any time, photography in the Walk of Fame is only allowed when you purchase a selfie with a guest, and vendors halls and Comics and Pop Artist Alley are both prohibited. Further there is no reporter access provided for any backstage activity. Reporters are not allowed backstage at the Masquerade or any costume contest, nor are they permitted in the Parade Staging area. Pro-tip: Please respect these rules.  

  • Pro tip: We are warning you about these rules because security does enforce them, and we want to make sure you have a enjoyable Dragon Con. 
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DCMR Podcast 8 2019: Interview Updates
Aug• 20•19

This week, we talk to Erin Behnke (interviews@dragoncon.org) about updates regarding interviews. This is a very short podcast and the big take away is: Interview Requests for Guests not in the Walk of Fame close on August 29! You have plenty of time to get your requests in.

Here are some of the Dragon Con Guests who will make themselves available for media interviews! (You can find out more about the at: https://www.dragoncon.org/people-to-see/guests/

Comic Creators

  • Dane Ault  
  • Andrew Aydin  
  • Mike Baron  
  • June Brigman  
  • James Burns  
  • Richard Case  
  • Mark Dos Santos
  • Stephan Franck  
  • Bryan Scott Fyffe  
  • Scott Hanna  
  • Erica Henderson
  • Georges Jeanty  
  • Ted Naifeh  
  • Zu Orzu  
  • Yanick Paquette  
  • Dan Parent  
  • Lan  Pitts  
  • Van Allen Plexico  
  • Robert Pope  
  • Benny Powell  
  • Jenna Powell  
  • Roy Richardson
  • Richard  Rivera  
  • Fabrice Sapolsky  
  • TJ Sterling  
  • Adam Withers  
  • Thomas Zahler  

Interesting Guests that are hard to categorize:

  • Cheralyn Lambeth Costume/Puppet Creator
  • Dr. Scott Edginton Science/Space
  • Gigi Edgley Actor and Musician (Farscape)
  • Jason Marsden  Voice Actor, Actor, Musician (Goofy Movie)

Authors:

  • Jack  Campbell  
  • Andrew Gaska  
  • Susan & Clay Griffith  
  • Jody Lynn Nye Saturday Only!
  • Tim Waggoner  
  • Robert Sawyer