Schedule
- Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at the University-Student Union 3rd floor, 9:00am-5pm
- Thursday, October 19, 2023 at the University-Student Union 3rd floor, 9:00am-4:30pm
- Friday, October 20, 2023 at the Courtyard Monterey Park Hotel 2nd floor, 8:30am-5:00pm
Cost: Wednesday and Thursday are free for everyone. Friday is free to all students and faculty members from any high school, college, or university, as well as to all members of the Cal State LA and UC Riverside communities and members of the Art Directors Guild.
What is Eagle-Con?
Cal State LA’s premier event explores and celebrates science fiction and fantasy across media practices. We bring working entertainment professionals to engage with our students, bestowing valuable knowledge in their journey to a thriving career path.
10th Anniversary Convention
ART EXHIBITIONS
8:00am – 7:30pm University Library 2nd Floor Walkway
Art Directors Guild Imaginator Award Winner Exhibition
- Come see the Art Directors Guild exhibition of the work of this year’s Imaginator Award Winner, graphic designer Martin Charles. The exhibition includes his work from films such as The Avengers, Minority Report, Leatherheads, and much more!
9:00am – 4:30pm University Student Union 3rd Floor, Los Angeles Room (room 308)
Art Directors Guild EagleCon Exhibition
- Come see the Art Directors Guild exhibition of work from your favorite movies and television shows and meet members of the ADG to talk about careers in the entertainment industry. The exhibition will include work from such shows as Star Trek: Picard, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Babylon 5, Lucifer, Jurassic Park, and much more!
PANELS
10:00-10:50am
The Current State of the Creative Industries: What We’ve Learned from the Strikes in U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Flora Ortega, production designer (God’s Country, Outsiders, WWE Evil)
- Alex Hajdu, production designer (Lucifer, The Walking Dead)
- Dionisio Tafoya, Chair, ADG Professional Development Committee and scenic artist (Logan, American Horror Story, Independence Day: Resurgence)
- Chuck Parker, ADG National Executive Director, production designer (Monk, Beyond the Trek)
- Moderator: Andrew Stumme, ADG Director of Field and Organizing, assistant art director (Torchwood)
Ancient and Medieval SF in U-SU Alhambra Room (room 305)
- Stephen Trzaskoma, Cal State LA, College of Arts and Letters, “Making Time for Female Intelligence through Uchronia in Ancient Fiction: The Case of Chariton’s Callirhoe.”
- Ahmad Muhammad Aurangzeb, University of Washington, “Servants of God: Conceptualizing Intelligences across Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the Medieval Era”
11:00-11:50am
Comics Typography and Graphic Design in U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Don Nguyen, comic book and graphic artist, Marvel Upper Deck, Pablo the Gorilla
- Moderator: Professor Zachary Vernon, Cal State LA, Department of Art
Science Fiction and the Future of Anti-Racism U-SU Alhambra Room (room 305)
- Michael Pfirrmann-Pugh, University of California Riverside, “Michael Burnham’s Hair Journey: Black Hair and Self-Actualization in Science Fiction Television”
- Lando Tosaya, University of Washington, “The Creation of Afro-Indigenous Futurisms: How an Entwined Tyrannized Past Generated the Production of Imagined Futures”
- Moderator: Stina Attebery, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
12:15-1:30pm
Imaginator Award Presentation in U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Martin Charles, graphic designer
- Join us in celebrating the art and career of Martin Charles, the founder of Santa-Monica-based SagaBoy Productions, who has helped design and create realistic sets for more than 60 feature films and television productions including AI, Black Adam, Ghostbusters, The Avengers, and many more.
- Moderated by ADG Past President Mimi Gramatky, University of Southern California
1:45-2:55pm
Ready, Set, Play! Building a Creative Career in Games in U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Scott Newton, Senior Manager, Riot Games
- Brice Cox, Sr. Creative Director, Riot Games
- Lindsey Zamplas, Director of Production, Riot Games
- Shannon Denton, Sr. Narrative Writer, Riot Games
- Cat Cheresh, Narrative Writer, Riot Games
Space Babe Podyssey: Quality Queers in U-SU Alhambra Room (room 305)
- Rosa Rivera, Cal State LA
- ‘Jubi Sandoval, Cal State LA
- Matt Rumer, production designer
2:55-3:00pm
Presentation of the Rhonda Mitchell Award for outstanding service to EagleCon in U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
3:10-4:20pm
Gender in the Comics Industry in U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Barbara Randall Kesel, Creative Director/Producer for Urus Entertainment, writer/editor for DC Comics (including Watchmen), Dark Horse Comics and CrossGen Comics
- Shequeta Smith, writer, creator, and CEO of Shero Comics
- Moderator: Pam Noles, organizer at San Diego Comic-Con.
- Markeia McCarty, actor, journalist and gamer
- Tamara Brooks, author and commentator
4:30-5:00pm
Tours of Martin Charles Library Exhibition on 2nd Floor, University Library walkway
5:00-6:30pm
USITT Design Resource Library Reception at 5PM on 3rd Floor, University Library North
GAMES located in Games Room, 2nd Floor, U-SU
- Open Gameplay (including 2 gaming stations) from 10am-2pm
- Mario Kart 8 group games from 2-4pm.
SIGN UP HERE to RSVP
ART EXHIBITIONS
8:00am – 7:30pm in the University Library 2nd Floor Walkway
Art Directors Guild Imaginator Award Winner Exhibition
- Come see the Art Directors Guild exhibition of the work of this year’s Imaginator Award Winner, graphic designer Martin Charles. The exhibition includes his work from films such as The Avengers, Minority Report, Leatherheads, and much more!
9:00am – 4:30pm in the University Student Union 3rd Floor, Los Angeles Room (room 308)
Art Directors Guild EagleCon Exhibition
- Come see the Art Directors Guild exhibition of work from your favorite movies and television shows and meet members of the ADG to talk about careers in the entertainment industry. The exhibition will include work from such shows as Star Trek: Picard, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Babylon 5, Lucifer, Jurassic Park, and much more!
PANELS
9:25-10:15am
Intersectional Disability Representations in Speculative Fiction in the U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Dr. Pau Abustan, Cal State Los Angeles (Fruits Basket)
- Leslie Sweet, Liberal Studies Major (Malcom in the Middle, Mad Max Fury Road, Man in the High Castle)
- Janet Tsi, Graphic Design Major (BatGirl, Oracle)
- Ruby Lopez, Sociology Major (Never Have I Ever)
- Tracy Hong, Nursing Major (Stranger Things)
10:19-10:50am
Great California Shakeout Drill In Front of the U-SU
11:00am-12:05pm
The Music of The Future in the U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Geoff Stradling, orchestrator, Star Trek: Picard, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- David Carbonara, composer and music editor (Mad Men, Chocolat, The Lake House)
- Prof. John Kennedy, Cal State LA, Department of Music (moderating)
Race, Utopia, and Dystopia in Comics in the U-SU Alhambra Room (room 305)
- Dion Bickham, writer (Blood Priest, Unnatural Selection: The Chambers Effect)
- Tamara Brooks, author and commentator
- Lando Tosaya, University of Washington (moderator)
12:20-1:30pm
Theatre Arts Cosplay Catwalk in the U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Join Professor Bueso and his Theatre Arts students as they model and discuss their costumes that have been inspired by the classic film The 5th Element.
SF’s Queer Possibilities in the U-SU Alhambra Room (room 305)
- Manifa Baghomian, California State University Los Angeles, “Science Fiction & Transgender Representation: A Symbiotic Partnership”
- Willow Eichler, California State University Los Angeles, “The Queer Experience: Pressures, Freedoms, and Dangers as Presented in Left Hand of Darkness”
- Moderator: Joshua Pearson, Cal State University Los Angeles
1:45-2:55pm
Prism Award Presentation in the U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, writers and illustrators, Love and Rockets
- Join us in celebrating the achievements of legendary Los Angeles artists and comics creators Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, whose long-running independent title Love and Rockets has inspired generations of artists, musicians, and Chican@ futurists.
- Moderated by Dr. Victor Viesca, Cal State LA
3:10-4:20pm
Illustration and Storyboarding in SF in the U-SU Los Angeles Room (room 308)
- Anson Jew, storyboard artist and illustrator (Wonder Woman, World of Warcraft, Fantastic Four)
- Frank Forte, storyboard artist and illustrator (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Lovecraft Country, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out)
- Moderated by ADG Past President Mimi Gramatky, University of Southern California
AI, Power, and Free Will in the U-SU Alhambra Room (room 305)
- Mark Balaguer, California State University Los Angeles, “Why the Market Value of Free Will is $99.99: Ted Chiang’s ‘What’s Expected of Us’”
- Jung Soo Lee, University of California Irvine, “Artificial Knowledge and Intelligence Generated through Power Structures in Octavia Butler's Dawn”
GAMES located in the Games Room, 2nd Floor, U-SU
- Open Gameplay (including 2 gaming stations) from 10am-2pm
- Super Smash Brothers Tournament from 2-4pm.
Cost: This event is free to all students and faculty members from any high school, college, or university. It is also free to all members of the Cal State LA and UC Riverside communities, as well as to all members of the Art Directors Guild. Just show your school identification card or your union card at the entrance to the event.
Parking: There is free public parking available across the street from the Courtyard Monterey Park underneath the mall.
9:00-10:30am
Continental Breakfast on the 2nd Floor Outdoor Patio
- Grab some coffee and a bite before the first panels of the day.
PANELS
10:00-11:10am
Avatars and AI in Contemporary Video Games in the Venus/Mercury Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Pawel Frelik, University of Warsaw, "’All Your Character Are Belong to Us’: Avatars and In-game Characters As Players' Speculative Extensions”
- David Shipko, Johns Hopkins University, “‘Opportunity knocks’: Artificial Intelligence, Capital Accumulation, and the End(s) of Humanity in Ixion (2022)”
Gender in European Speculative Literature in the Saturn/Mars Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Katie Howard, Cal State LA, Department of Philosophy, “Technologies of Care in Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun”
- Katherine Weiss, Cal State LA, Department of English, “Venus Attacks: Women Haunting Beckett”
11:20am-12:25pm
A View into the Future: An Introduction to the Lucas Museum in the Venus/Mercury Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Ryan Linkof, Curator and Manager of Collections Development, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
- Joan Jocson-Singh, Director of the Library, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
- Patrick B. Sharp, Cal State LA (moderator)
New Perspectives in an Old Industry: Writers of Color in 21st Century Hollywood in the Saturn/Mars Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Brandon Easton, writer, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, Agent Carter, Star Trek: Year Five, Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom
- More panelists TBA
12:30-1:30pm
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art lunch reception in the Outdoor Patio (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Join us for a light lunch and conversation about speculative genres, narrative art, and the future of the Lucas Museum.
1:40pm-2:45pm
Radical Sovereignty: New, Old, and Emerging Roads to Indigenous Futurity in the Venus/Mercury Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Carolyn Dunn, Cal State LA, Department of Theatre (Tunica/Choctaw-Biloxi, Mvskoke Creek and Cherokee)
- Laura Harjo, University of Oklahoma (Mvskoke Creek)
- Arigon Starr, singer and actor (Kickapoo/Mvskoke Creek)
- Ryder Perez, Cal State LA, Department of Theatre (Yaqui)
- Jeszebel Millan, Cal State LA, Department of Theatre (Purapecha)
Neurodivergence in Speculative Fiction in the Saturn/Mars Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Rachel S. Anderson, Grand Valley State University, “’I Don’t Want to Be Human’: The Neurodivergent Reader Response to Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries Series”
- Emily Aguilar, Cal State LA, “Autism as a Metaphor for Resistance in Rivers Solomon's An Unkindness of Ghosts”
2:55-4:00pm
Sentience and Divinity: The Narrative Art of Lucifer in the Venus/Mercury Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Alex Hajdu, production designer (Lucifer, The Walking Dead)
- Tim Wilcox, illustrator (Lucifer, AI, Contact)
- Patrick Sharp, Cal State LA, Department of Liberal Studies (moderator)
Emerging Ontologies of Artificial Intelligence in the Saturn/Mars Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
- Joshua Pearson, Cal State LA, Department of Liberal Studies, “Why ‘Hallucination?’: Exploring the Stakes of How We Label AI Lies
- Stina Attebery, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, “Rocks and Other Intelligences: How do Indigenous Ontologies Transform the Conversation Around AI?”
4:15-7:00pm
Closing Reception with a Light Dinner and Dessert Bar in the Jupiter Room (2nd floor, Courtyard Monterey Park)
Eagle-Con 2023 Mission Statement
Eagle-Con at Cal State LA is a student-centered, community-welcoming event that celebrates science fiction and fantasy across media. Eagle-Con’s mission is three-fold:
To educate the students of Cal State LA and members of the Greater Los Angeles community about the history, impact, and continued necessity of the contributions of women, BIPOC, the LGBTQIA-identified, the differently-abled, and the variously-aged to the science fiction and fantasy genres; and to explore diverse identity representations and expressions within these genres while creating spaces for new voices, creators, and small and independent publishers and producers of the same
To provide opportunities for students to learn about these genres from artists, writers, and professionals working in southern California’s entertainment industries, network with these professionals, and imagine how they might one day join their ranks.
To celebrate science fiction and fantasy through entertaining events involving art, fashion, storytelling, games, screenings, and special presentations.