Dragon Con 2024: Star Wars guests prepare to jump in to Atlanta

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Thursday 29th August to Monday 2nd September will see Dragon Con return to Atlanta, Georgia and this years show brings more than a dash of GFFA flavour to the proceedings. Joining previously announced guests Kevin J. Anderson, Joe Corroney, Delilah Dawson, Jodi Houser, Georges Jeanty, E.K. Johnston, John Jackson Miller, Brent Spiner and Mike Stackpole come (deep breath) Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Aaron, Danny Trejo, Greg Grunberg, Alan Tudyk, Ming Na Wen, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Seth Green, Dominic Monaghan and Manny Jacinto.

There was a time, before Dragon Con, when every convention focused on its one genre. Gaming conventions were for gamers, literature shows were for readers, and comic book shows were retail events. The established conventions were successful, and the organizers stuck to their formulas.

But most fans had multiple interests. It was certainly true for Dragon Con’s founders. They were all science fiction fans, but some of them also enjoyed gaming while others liked comic books. They could go to any convention and have a good time, but only for so long before boredom set in.

And that gave them an idea: Combine fandoms and genres into a single convention for fans who, like them, were interested in different things. In the early going, that meant bringing a science fiction convention and gaming convention together in the same hotel. While it doesn’t seem so radical today, it was audacious for its time and, eventually, it upended the staid convention scene.

Chipping in $300 each, Pat Henry, David Cody, John Bunnell and Robert Dennis rounded out with a few of their friends planned the first Dragon Con for the fall of 1987. With no track record to lean on, they nevertheless managed to attract top name guests. Some 1,200 fans turned out to meet science fiction luminaries Michael Moorcock and Robert Asprin and gaming royalty Richard Garriott and Gary Gygax. Moorcock and his longtime friend Eric Bloom, lead singer for Blue Oyster Cult, jammed on stage. The Atlanta Radio Theater broadcast a live performance of H.P. Lovecraft’s Call of Cthulhu from the con. In almost every respect, the show was a smash.

Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), Xbox Series X
  • Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content - The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack includes cosmetics for Kay and Nix.
  • Discover a galaxy of opportunity. Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
  • Experience an original scoundrel story. Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
  • Embark on high-stakes missions. Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
  • Jump into the pilot seat. Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with the Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
Mark Newbold
Mark Newbold
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in 1981 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to Star Wars Insider, ILM.com, SkywalkerSound.com and Starburst Magazine, having previously written for StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host, the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015, the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Thursday 29th August to Monday 2nd September will see Dragon Con return to Atlanta, Georgia and this years show brings more than a dash of GFFA flavour to the proceedings. Joining previously announced guests Kevin J. Anderson, Joe Corroney, Delilah Dawson, Jodi Houser, Georges Jeanty, E.K. Johnston, John Jackson Miller, Brent Spiner and Mike Stackpole come (deep breath) Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Aaron, Danny Trejo, Greg Grunberg, Alan Tudyk, Ming Na Wen, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Seth Green, Dominic Monaghan and Manny Jacinto.

There was a time, before Dragon Con, when every convention focused on its one genre. Gaming conventions were for gamers, literature shows were for readers, and comic book shows were retail events. The established conventions were successful, and the organizers stuck to their formulas.

But most fans had multiple interests. It was certainly true for Dragon Con’s founders. They were all science fiction fans, but some of them also enjoyed gaming while others liked comic books. They could go to any convention and have a good time, but only for so long before boredom set in.

And that gave them an idea: Combine fandoms and genres into a single convention for fans who, like them, were interested in different things. In the early going, that meant bringing a science fiction convention and gaming convention together in the same hotel. While it doesn’t seem so radical today, it was audacious for its time and, eventually, it upended the staid convention scene.

Chipping in $300 each, Pat Henry, David Cody, John Bunnell and Robert Dennis rounded out with a few of their friends planned the first Dragon Con for the fall of 1987. With no track record to lean on, they nevertheless managed to attract top name guests. Some 1,200 fans turned out to meet science fiction luminaries Michael Moorcock and Robert Asprin and gaming royalty Richard Garriott and Gary Gygax. Moorcock and his longtime friend Eric Bloom, lead singer for Blue Oyster Cult, jammed on stage. The Atlanta Radio Theater broadcast a live performance of H.P. Lovecraft’s Call of Cthulhu from the con. In almost every respect, the show was a smash.

Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), Xbox Series X
  • Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content - The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack includes cosmetics for Kay and Nix.
  • Discover a galaxy of opportunity. Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
  • Experience an original scoundrel story. Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
  • Embark on high-stakes missions. Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
  • Jump into the pilot seat. Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with the Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
Mark Newbold
Mark Newbold
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in 1981 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to Star Wars Insider, ILM.com, SkywalkerSound.com and Starburst Magazine, having previously written for StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host, the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015, the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
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