NYC, NY Comic Con

[Queen Amidala (Mary Alice Ladd)]

New York Comic Con (NYCC) 2009 started with an early morning muster for the some of the Rebel Legion, with a TV promo for NYCC at for the Friday February 6th 8:00 AM and 8:30 AM outdoor weather report slots for CBS Early Show. The temperature at that hour was doing it's best to remind everyone of Hoth/Echo Base, and while most members were hiding thermal underwear under layers of Jedi tunics and robes, or Rebel Fleet Trooper uniforms, Echo Base's Benae Quee (Kristin Mrozek Sirota) braved the cold in her Slave Leia bikini! After a post show tour of the CBS Early Show studios, we headed back down to the Jacob Javits Convention Center to pick up our badges, get situated in our volunteer dressing room, and set up our Rebel Legion Table. Thank you to all the members that donated trading cards and temporary tattoos for table give aways. And big thanks to Echo Base's Navajo Bro (Terry Browning) for the loan of the table and chairs, Fredom Base's Shivannd (Joel Webne) for bring the Rebel Legion banner and costume book and to Terrapin Base's Aurabesh (Neil Shivelle) for Captaining the staffing of the table.



Joining us at the Rebel Legion and 501st Legion tables on Friday and Saturday was Honorary Legion member Steve Sansweet, Head of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL). Steve signed his various books and posed for photos with fans and even was made a honorary Slave Master by the ladies gathered near the Rebel Legion table for the Slave Leia group photo on Saturday. The LFL panel this year was themed Celebrate a Star Wars Decade. Were You in Line in '99? http://www.starwars.com/fans/events/news20090126.html At the panel Steve read from selected questioners, that con goers had filled out at the Legion tables, about where they were in 1999 and how the release of Star Wars The Phantom Menace effected their Star Wars fandom. Steve also interviewed Kyle Newman, Jamie King, and Dan Fogler from Fanboys movie. which opened in theaters that weekend. The Force.Net has a full recap of the LFL panel posted here: http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/new_york_comic_con_2009_120617.asp



Since Honorary Rebel Legion member Peter Mayhew was a guest of NYCC, it was a Wookiee-tastic weekend with as many as 4 Wookiee costumers suited up, causing flurries of flashes for photo ops.





The only thing that grabbed more attention then the Wookiees was a remote controlled R2 D2 Unit, expertly handled by R2 builder Dana Powers. Fredom Base's Bouri-Plwel (Rick Bouwhuis) and I debuted the new Rebel Legion Cheerleaders which come in a ladies or mens uniform, for more info on the unifom see http://www.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14115





There was a glitch in the original location for the Friday Legion Group dinner, but I was able to find an Irish Pub within walking distance of the Javits and we were um….. cozy in their private dining room in the back. While the Legion Honorary Members we all invited to attend our Saturday night dinner, two of them joined us for Friday dinner too: Anthony Forrest and Doug Wangler. Following the tradition, started the prior year at NYCC, a knitted Leia buns hat was passed around and every posed for photos with someone else doing a "kiss the buns" pose. Doug Wrangler was probably the most creative with the buns, and I hope there are no photos of some of his creativity .

Our Saturday night dinner an karaoke was once again held at Stout restaurant and bar, 60+ members of the Rebel and 501st Legions were joined by Honorary Legion members and their guests including: Steve Sansweet, Peter and Angie Mayhew, Anthony Forrest , Matt Busch, Jan Duursema, Doug Wangler. Each Honorary member received a bright orange bag with assortment of Rebel Legion and Echo Base patches, temporary tattoos, trading cards. Thanks to Echo Base's cyranodb (Mike C.) for helping me out with donation of patches for the bags.





The Leia buns hat again made the rounds of the room, and many group photos with Rebel Legion hockey jersey wearing members were taken.







The Rebels outlasted the 501st for staying late for karaoke. By the end of the night there were only a couple of 501st Legion only members remaining, the rest were all Rebel Legion or dual Rebel/501st Legion members. I usually stick to doing group songs for karaoke, but this year I tried a duet with Echo Base's rubinekso (Ruby Rinekso), thanks Ruby for carrying me on that song.



Sunday was Kids Day at NYCC, and our Legion tables were the busiest they had been all weekend with lots of parent and kids stopping by for Legion free items including: trading cards, temporary tattoos, Legion activity books, and also to look at the helmets, lightsabers and Legion costume photo book on display.

Thank you to the members of (host) Echo Base, Alderaan Base, Corellian Base, Freedom Base, Sunrider Base, Terrapin Base for once again attending and volunteering for NYCC, helping make it the biggest and best North East convention of the year for the Legion. Hope to see you all again next year when NYCC moves to October 8th to 10th 2010 (yeah no threat of snowstorm)! http://www.nycomiccon.com .

-Photos-

Echo Base:
Navajo Bro (Terry Browning) photos: http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/aa207/bro117/NYCC%202009/
mattydog (Matt Smith) photos: http://imageevent.com/mattydog
rubinekso (Ruby Rinekso) photos: http://www.rubyrinekso.com/nycc09
Queen Amidala (Mary Alice Ladd) photos: http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=QueenAmidala&AID=3295016
Fredom Base:
Koda Vonnor (BillCostigan) photos: http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/Koda_Vonnor/NYCC%202009/
Shivannd (Joel Webne) photos: http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p34/shivann/NYCC%202009/
Terrapin Base:
padme911 (Becca K) photos: http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l107/princessleia911/NYCC%202009/


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CO: Echo Base ---- TK8228: ECG 501st Legion

[Queen Amidala (Mary Alice Ladd)]

Check out a version of this Mission Repot in the latest Comlink:
http://www.rebellegion.com/comlink/Comlink_Summer_09.pdf
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CO: Echo Base ---- TK8228: ECG 501st Legion