2011

S C H E D U L E

O F

M A D N E S S

FREE

COMICS! SCIENCE FICTION! FANTASY! HORROR! VIDEO GAMES! ITS ALL IN HERE!

Its Time.
BENT-CON istheconvention that encourages, celebrates and appreciates LGBT and LGBT-friendly comic-book, sci, fantasy and horror artists, writers, creators, publishers, directors, actors, and producers, that create media targeted directly to LGBT audiences or the larger realm of underground and mainstream pop-culture as a whole. But its just easier to think of it like a Comic-Con, only gayer BENT-CON is committed to encouraging the vast talent and creativity within a queer and queerfriendly environment for those passionate about sharing their respective talents with YOU the Fans new and not-so-new to the work found at this convention! What follows is a moment by moment breakdown of everything were offering!

EXHIBITORS!

GUESTS!

FILMS!

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Worlds within Worlds of Excitement!

Saturday, December 3rd 10AM A Peoples History of Wonder Woman. Shes a hero. Shes an icon. Shes a goddess. Wonder Woman is one of the most popular icons in the L G B T c o m m u n i t y. I n t h i s fascinating discussion, we follow the origins of R i c h a r d M o u l t o n M a r s t o ns popular hero, her various incarnations over the years and what she means to the gay community. (Mordor.) 10AM FILM: M i s s Gentilebelle & Open House Two t a l e s o f terror and dread, including one by classic writer Charles Beaumont. Director PK Eiselt in attendance. (Yuggoth) 10AM Classically Gay: Humor in Comics Gays are funny! Just ask our panelists, all of whom produce humor comics with a gay bent: Scheduled panelists include, Eric Schlegel (Skipping Out), Brian Andersen (So Super Duper), Michael Derry (Troy Comics) and Jeff Krell (Jayson), who will also moderate. (The Shire) 11AM FILM: We Are All Cylons What does it mean to be a cylon -and how can you prove that you arent? Shawn ODonnell in attendance. (Yuggoth) 12PM P u b l i s h e r S p o t l i g h t : Northwest Press Even though LGBT publisher Northwest Press has only been in existence for a year-and-a-half, it's already made a big impression on the comics world, with numerous awards and accolades for its books and writers. But what has it been like star ting a niche publishing President of Bent-Con business in the Artist, MYTH middle of a recession? How is NWP addressing digital distribution THE FIRST BENT-CON and the "death of HAPPENED DECEMBER 5TH, print"? What 2010, IN A DONATED SPACE IN projects will be THE HEART OF SILVERLAKE. coming out in ITS AMAZING, INCREDIBLE 2 0 1 2 ? J o i n publisher Charles AND HUMBLING TO SEE WHERE " Z a n " WE ARE JUST A SCANT YEAR Christensen and LATER. WELCOME AND THANK creators Jon Macy, YOU! Justin Hall, David Kelly (Rainy Day the last two being a Recess: The Complete Steven's continuing series about sexual Comics) and Rick Worley (A Waste intrigues and gender-bending in a of Time) for a celebration of the futuristic society. Join Jon Macy as past year and a lively discussion he interviews Michael for this about the future of Northwest informative and intimate profile of Press. (The Shire). the incredible artist. (Mordor) 12PM FILM: The Fairy Tales Three fairy tale princesses (Snow 11AM From Beyond: New GLBT W h i t e, S l e e p i n g B e a u t y, a n d Fiction Writers and their Novels Cinderella) find themselves living Read a good book lately? Read a together under one roof in the good, queer science fiction, fantasy Hollywood Hills. Tempers flare and or horror book lately? Theres been bitchiness ensues as the girls cope a blossoming of genre fiction with their new roommates, all while targeted to LGBT audiences and trying to find their happily ever exploring gay characters in fantastic after. Director John Cleland in situations -- and Bent-Con is proud attendance. (Yuggoth) to introduce you to a new wave of 12PM A D r i n k W i t h . . . Jo e great authors and their creations, Phillips now easily available between print The creative and multi-talented and electronic mediums. Come and force that is Joe Phillips is another discover a great story to transport headlining talent planning to get 11AM A Drink With... Michael you to incredible vista, right from bent for BENT-CON 2011! Joe is Manning the author themselves. (The Shire) no stranger to both mainstream and Born in Queens NYC and raised on Massachusetts, celebrated artist Michael Manning has been incorporating gay and queer themes into his work, with incredible results. His graphic novels include Spider Garden, Hydrophidian, In A Metal Web, and In A Metal Web II,

SEAN HOLMAN

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CONVENTION MAP

LOCATIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

TICKETS / REGISTRATION EXHIBITORS AREA PARADISE GAYMER AREA ARKHAM ALLEY GALLERY TEN-FORWARD SIGNING AREA MORDOR PANEL SPACE THE SHIRE PANEL SPACE BENT CON INFORMATION YOGGOTH FILM ROOM
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Films are one oor up, in the lobby, in the room marked Yuggoth. (Note: No shuggoths allowed.) Food is available four oors up, in the food court. (Replicators are currently off-line.) Bent-Con Bar opens at 3PM in the Registration Area. Must be 21+ (Current temporal reference.) Parking is down the escalators. (Transporters and teleportation by appointment only.)

Were Like Comic-Con, Only Gayer!

underground audiences, responsible for lending his artistic presence to various publishers such as DC, Marvel and Dark Horse Comics. Joe has also manage to carve out his own brand of creative endeavors in both print and animation with a h e av y a n d we l l - r e c e ive d G ay following. Such works include Joe Boys, The House of Moor ecock, Stonewall & Riot, and many others. (The Shire) 1PM A D r i n k W i t h . . . Ja n e Espenson Warping to fame as a staff-writer on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Jane Espenson has brought her gift for great plots and incredible dialog to a number of fan-favorite series like Tru Calling, Battlestar Galactica and the current network hit, Once Upon A Time. But it was her tenure as the head of the BSG spin-off Caprica that endeared her to our community, where she openly and boldly portrayed GLB characters in a SF setting -- and did so by making them a perfectly normal part of fantastic milieu. Join interviewer Brad Bell as they explore Janes career, her contributions and her upcoming projects! (Mordor) 1PM Doing It Right: Making Your Genre Films Join director JT Tepnapa of festival smash Judas Kiss, along with producer Jody Wheeler (Judas Kiss, In The Closet) and director / producer Tim Sullivan (Chillerama), as they explore what it takes to make the genre film youve always dreamed of. Using Judas Kiss as a guide, this collection of talented filmmakers will discuss what you need to do to take your idea from script to set to screen on whatever budget you have available. With the revolution in digital filmmaking tools and the ever g rowing acce ptance of and access to distribution channels, the time is right to make that long simmering SF, fantasy or horror film -especially if it involves gays! (The Shire) 1PM FILM: Bug Chaser Nathan's one-night stand ends abruptly when his date finds an alarming growth on his body. As it rapidly gets larger, Nathan gets sicker. He looks to alcohol, the Internet, and a needle for help, but to no avail. Drunk and desperate, Nathan finally reaches out to an unlikely source: a former hook-up, a nurse, who can't believe what he sees. Director Derek Shockley in attendance. (Yuggoth) 2PM Drawn This Way: Gay Male Erotic Comics LGBTQ comics began with gay porn, and the world of gay male erotic comics remains as strong and vibrant as ever. With current artists drawing influences from Tom of Finland to Japanese yaoi to Oscar Wilde, there is a greater diversity than ever of representations of male beauty and sexuality. How do the best of these artists create work that stimulates both them and their readers? Can erotic comics have c o m p e l l i n g s t o r i e s ? H ow a r e different body types and ethnicities represented? Join moderator Justin Hall (Hard To Swallow, Prism Comics Talent Chair) as he asks these questions and more to a panel of some of the best in the business: Belasco (Boo, Brothers of New Essex), Patrick Fillion (Class Comics), Jeff Jacklin (Hearts and Irons), Wendy Pini (Elfquest, Masque of the Red Death) and Jon M a c y ( Te l e n y a n d C a m i l l e ) . (Mordor) 2PM FILM: Husbands: The Series Thanks to a new law, athlete Brady Kelly and actor Cheeks find themselves unexpectedly and legally wed. Unwilling to undermine the hard-fought battle with a public quicky divorce, these two decide to make a go of it. They were doing okay when they were dating. But how will it work out, now that they are Husbands? (Yuggoth) 2PM Scanned: Multi Ar tist Spotlight Part One Theres an incredible array of new, vibrant talent in the LGBT comics world, creators of action, scifi and humor comics that you need to be aware of. Join Bent-Con in the first of several of such awareness raising sessions and meet talented creators P.K. E iselt (Ju n kya r d A n gels), Kimberly Smith (Scuttlebut, Inc.) and Russell Garcia & Shane Avery (Boy Meets Hero), who are actively publishing work that you should know about. (The Shire) 3PM FILM: Masque of the Red Death Based on the classic Poe tale, We n d y P i n i s a n i m a t e d s c i f i adaptation of her award winning graphic novel is full of music, passion.... and murder. Contains Mature Themes. (Yuggoth) 3PM Hitched: The Husbands Webseries Panel The cast and creative minds behind the internet smash Husbands speaks! Jane Espenson, Cheeks and other members of the cast and crew come together for a look at how this groundbreaking series came about, the challenges in producing a program of this quality for the web, and whats in store for Season Two of the show. [Cast Signing after the event] (Mordor) 3PM Out of the Closet into the Gayme: Videogames from the Player Perspective What does it mean to be a gaymer, someone who openly plays their video passions out and proud? From Mario to Skyrim, Mass Effect to Dragon Age, our community is playing games with just as much love and attention as any other group. But does gayming get much respect in our community? What

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Flix After Dark is our festival within a festival, complete with special premieres!
about the larger, mainstream one? What challenges do we face? And where are things g oing? Join podcasters The Silly Frags and guests as they share experiences and love for this 21st century art form. (The Shire) 4PM A Drink With... Wendy Pini Elfquest creator and long-time fanfavorite Wendy Pini will be gracing BENT-CON with her creative effervescence and charm as she shares her latest creation and passion, Masque of the Red Death~ a graphic tale loosely inspired by Edgar Allen Poes short story, but seasoned with Pinis creative-blend of sci-fi, eroticism and with a yaoi-manga twist. Wendy Viktor Kerney (Southern4Life.Com) inter views Chance Whitmere (FBOTU.Com), Garon Cockrell (Pop Culture Beast) and other bloggers, as they discuss the what its like to track the latest genre news. (The Shire) 5PM It Doesnt Get Better. You Do: Queerness As A Super Power and You as the Hero With the rash of tragic teen s u i c i d e s, t h e I t G e t s B e t t e r campaign launched, providing voices of support to struggling GLBT youth, telling them that the world will become a better place if they endure. In this provocative panel, guests utilize comics as inspiration, metaphor and guide to challenge the notion that the world gets better on its own, arguing instead that in learning to accept ourselves and the unique gifts we have, we remake the world for the better in the process. (Mordor) 5PM FILM: Fearful Hunter Book trailer for issue three of the adult gay fantasy comic book Fearful Hunter by Jon Macy (Yuggoth.) 5PM Theyre Here! Theyre Here! The New Wave of Queer Genre Filmmakers Its a good time to be a fan of movies. From horror to humor to action to SF, openly gay creators are bringing gay characters and themes into what was previously an allstraight environment. Director JT Tepnapa is your guide to meeting up-and-coming filmmakers John Cleland (The Fairy Tales) Desmond Miller & Audra Woldmann (Souls of S p l e n d o r ) a n d S t e v e n Ty l e r OConnor (A Fairy Tale) as they describe their challenges and their ambitions in getting their work off the ground. (The Shire)

F LI X AF T E R DARK
Saturday 9PM-2AM
A special movie event After the formal day is done, stick around for a special selection of movies and fun, specially suited for the later night hours! Free with a Saturday, Sunday or Weekend membership, otherwise $15 dollars at the door -- and you can come to the regular con on Sunday!

YUGGOTH IS OUR FILM ROOM, ONE FLOOR UP IN THE LOBBY.

will be relating in greater detail her latest love-affair with Masque of the Red Death, along with a few surprises about the future of the graphic series. (Mordor) 4PM F I L M : Tr o y : N a ke d Boys Behind Bars, Sing! Based on the comics strip Troy the story revolves around Troy getting cast in the new, gay musical "Naked Boys Behind Bars, Sing!" Troy falls his hunky, "straight" co-star Nick who is not as straight as he insists. (Yuggoth.) 4PM B l o g g i n g t h e G a y Fantastic: Genre lovers and their Blogs Were here, were queer and we blog. It used to be that we were forced to share our love for the shirtless heroes and blaster babes in secret, as we were looking and enjoying the opposite of what the mainstream found fascinating. No longer. Host

Films include: Vamperificia One For The Road I Was a Teenage WearBear Troy: Naked Boys Sing! In the Closet

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5:30PM FILM:Batman: Battle for the Cowl BATMAN: BATTLE FOR THE COWL is a short fan film which takes the 2009 DC Comics storyline and not only simplifies it, but pushes the envelope even more by giving it a twist. The film has complete non-traditional casting, and has made Robin, the boy wonder's, sexuality in question. (Yuggoth) 6PM Fan Boys of The Universes Costume Catwalk! What would a convention be, especially one produced by and for the LGBTQ community, without a little cosplay? Or a LOT of cosplay, as the case may be! Patrick F i l l i o n ( C l a s s C o m i c s ) , Z a n Christensen (Northwest Press) and Johnny M (Fanboys of the Universe) judge and Brian Andersen ( S o S u p e r D u p e r ) j u d g e s ! (Mordor) 6PM From Slash to Bromance to....? Moving beyond Subtext in Mainstream Genre Media Despite popular opinion amongst critics, slash in fanfiction didnt spring up from a vacuum, but rather from the chemistry and charisma between actors on the screen. (Kirk never did choose a girl over Mr. Spock.) Recently, series such as Xena and Supernatural have found ways to acknowledge the homoeroticism between characters -- while still keeping the divide there. But is the day is soon coming that the passion between a pair of male or female leads on a TV show will be subtext no longer? (The Shire) 9PM - 2AM: Flix After Dark Join us for this special event, an evening of awesome movies, camaraderie and mayhem, with special premieres of never before seen flicks. Tonight we debut Paul Wards bloody

adaptation of Stephen Kings short-story ONE FOR THE ROAD and showcase Bruce Orensteins delightful gay vampire movie VAMPERIFICA -- with many more movies in between. (See sidebar.) Weekend, Saturday or Sunday tickets get you in for free otherwise, tickets are $15 at the door.

Sunday, December 4th 10AM Tom of Finland: Super Foundations To m o f F i n l a n d wa s a groundbreaking Queer artist, a subversive, an activist. His drawings have provided developing
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Homosexuals with empowering role models: Icons. His work also influenced a generation of artists and their depictions of mainstream super heroes. Come learn about the history of this gay icon, his TOMs Men, and their role in shaping the super-icons with moderator S. R. Sharp of the Tom Of Finland Foundation, artists Rick Castro, Axel, Blake Besharian, Roberto Gomez, Carrington Galen, Michael Kirwan and promotor Sean Carnage. (Mordor) 10AM FILM: Vincent Price: Sinister Image Vincent Prices life, career and place as a queer icon. Scholar Derek Botelho in attendance. (Yuggoth) 10AM P u b l i s h i n g Q u e e r : Producing LGBT Graphic Novels & Comics Queer-themed comics, once solely the domain of the gay press, are breaking into the mainstream. What are the challenges and rewards of producing this work and getting it in front of an audience hungry for the material? How can it be marketed and publicized, both to an LGBT readership and beyond? Should queer cartoonists selfpublish or look to established publishers? Moderator Justin Hall (Glamazonia, Prism Comics Talent Chair) leads a spirited conversation with a diverse panel of publishing pros: Brian Andersen (selfpublisher, So Super Duper), Charles Zan Christensen (publisher, Northwest Press), Robert Fraser (co-publisher, Class Comics), Steve MacIsaac (Shirtlifter), Alex Woolfson (editor-in-chief, Yaoi911), and Tony Valenzuela (executive director, Lambda Literar y Foundation). (The Shire.) 11AM S k i n j o b s : N u d i t y , Sexuality, Storytelling and Art Nudity and sex are part of our lives, but they dont always mean the same thing. T he way theyre depicted can make a difference between erotic excitement, a mere

state of being, or sublime artistic expression. Panelists delve into the different ways artists and movie creators use sex and nudity, wrestling with the question of should sex and nudity always be seen as erotica -- with all the connotations therein -- or are they also tools to express deeper stories about the human condition? (Mordor) 11AM T h e Clubhouse Presents.... Working outside the bounds of studio filmmaking, producers Brian McCulley and Tim Sullivan are rewriting the r ules of indie filmmaking, with their brash and energetic takes on horror, thriller and sci-films. Find out from these new masters of the craft whats coming up from their labels. Catch sneak previews of College Pranks, Creep! and several other projects in production. Find out what it means to be gay producers and directors making content for mainstream audiences. Discover how the independence, resourcefulness and know-how of these upstarts is making a difference in film -- for LGBTers and mainstream audiences alike! (The Shire) 11:15AM FILM: A Fairy Tale Prom night finds fairytale sibling Jack looking on forlornly as his sister, Jill, heads off to a wonderful night at the school dance. But when J a c k s F a i r y D r a g - Q u e e n Godmother arrives, perhaps his night will get a Happily Ever After ending, too. (Yuggoth) 12 PM A Drink With... Kerry OQuinn Before blogs, before chat-groups, before even the internet, genre movie lovers got their news and information from one man and his many magazines, Kerry OQuinn, publisher of Starlog, Fangoria and Future Life magazines. OQuinns magazines spoke to a generation of Hollywood filmmakers (including

many here at Bent-Con) and directly contributed to the success of films like STAR TREK and STAR WARS. But OQuinn is also a writer, actor and producer, with a new book on the way and a musical stage production in previews. Celebrated producer Tom DeSanto ( X - M E N, T R A N S F O R M E R S ) interviews his long-time friend about his past adventures, his present undertakings and his future goals in this special Bent-Con event! (Mordor) 12PM FILM: JUDAS KISS A Christmas Carol meets The Twilight Zone when a man gets a chance to redo an important moment in his life a second time. Director JT Tepnapa in attendance. (Yuggoth.) 12PM Out of the Closet into the Gayme: Videogames from the Industry Insiders Perspective. Workers from the video game field speak! Whats it like to be on the inside of major gaming companies, contributing to the creative and technological aspects of many of the games we love? What special challenges are faced by openly queer industry vets? How have things changed over the years. Join our panel of industry insiders, as they explore this fascinating world! (The Shire) 1PM The Making of Stephen Kings One For The Road With its American debut last night at Bent-Cons Flix After Dark, Paul Smiths adaptation of the the Stephen King short story One For The Road is the latest expression of horror culled from Kings expansive library. Find out what went into making this film, from the locations to the production challenges to the joys the actors had in appearing in this story. Director Paul Smith, Producer Tim Sullivan and lead actor Reggie Bannister share their experiences. (Mordor)

1PM Women Make (Queer) Genre Many of the depictions of queer characters in mainstream genre fiction come thanks to the effort of one group: women. Female writers have done an incredible job in bringing gay characters to the screen and to the page, depicting our lives as part of the same extraordinary adventures alongside mainstream counter par ts. M o d e r a t o r D e b o r a h Wa r n e r inter views fellow writers Jane Espenson, Wendy Pini and others in this open talk about what it means to be a woman creating genre entertainment to both mainstream and queer audiences. (The Shire) 2PM Un-Gays in Comics: Not LGBT Creators on Their Work This panel examines those nonqueer, non-LGBT people working in the industry today. Whats it like to not be gay and working in the industry? What special challenges do not-LGBT people experience on the job? Are they not-not-out? How does not being LGBT affect their creative endeavors? What advice do they have for both un-gays and gays alike, seeking to work in this wide and diverse creative field? Come join us for a spirited -- and very tongue in-cheek -- discussion. (Mordor) 2PM F I L M : We n d y P i n i s Ma sq u e o f th e Red D ea th (Encore) Based on the classic Poe tale, We n d y P i n i s a n i m a t e d s c i f i adaptation of her award winning graphic novel is full of music, passion.... and murder. Contains Mature Themes. (Yuggoth) 2PM Scanned: The Mutli Artist Spotlight Part Two Theres an incredible array of new, vibrant talent in the LGBT comics world, creators of action, scifi and humor comics that you need to be aware of. Join Bent-Con in number

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You really are the hero!

two of our awareness raising sessions and meet more of the talented artists who are actively publishing work that you should know about. (The Shire) 3PM Make it So: Writing for Movies, TV, Novels, Comics and Video Games. Its all about stories. Be they expressed on the a screen, in a book or on a monitor, stories are the blueprints for our dreams. In this panel, meet working writers in their fields. Find out how they got started, what challenges they faced and what successes theyve achieved. Learn some tips on improving your art and get your burning questions regarding creating finally answered. Featuring Paul Chitlik (The Twilight Zone), Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Wendy Pini (Elf Quest), Jeffrey Riddick (Final Destination), Dan Farrands (A Haunting in Connecticut) and Shelly Doty (Strange Frame). (Mordor) 3PM FILM: One For The Road. Based on the Stephen King story, this sequel to Salems Lot finds two samaritans try to help a stranger retrieve his family -- from the most cursed place on earth. (Yuggoth) 3PM Robot Ninja Gay-Guy: A Modern Three-Way. Robot, Ninja, Gay-Guy is the hilarious web-sitcom about... a robot, a ninja and gay guy, doing the roommate things in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Brainchild of actor / comedian Travis Richey, RNGG has been racking up the views, winning accolades and gaining an impressive legion of fans. Richey is also known to audiences as Inspector Spacetime, the inventive parody of Doctor Who, that appears on NBCs sitcom Community. Find out how Richey wound up in this great role and what plans the producers have for him in the future. Then, in an Bent-Con special event, watch as Travis and his fellow RNGG cast mates do a live reading of their n e ve r- b e f o r e - s e e n H a l l owe e n episode! (The Shire) 4PM Fear: Why We Do It Better We all love to be scared. Horror is a staple of movies and television, drawing in audiences of every persuasion, to be thrilled, chilled, moved and maddened by the delightfully devilish images on the screen. But its gay writers and directors -- from James Whale to Ryan Murphy -- who seem to have a special talent for spine-tingly tales, of creating monsters to sneak up behind and go Boo. Why is this so? Whats so special about us? Panelists Tim Sullivan (2000 Maniacs), Jeffrey Riddick (Final Destination) and scholar Derek Botelho find out. (Mordor) 4PM FILM: The Locals. Hunting for zombies? Its all in a days work for a group of friends in post apocalypse America. Director Brian McCulley in attendance. (Yuggoth.) 4PM Super Women and the Gay Men (And Women) Who Love Them From Wonder-Woman to Power Girl, from Buffy to Echo strong, powerful super-women are frequent favorites of gay men -and quite a few gay women -everywhere. In this panel from the fans point of view, we explore our communitys attachment to these iconic characters. Whats the attraction to these super women? Why are they so iconic to us? Join our panelists as we celebrate our affinity for these characters. (The Shire) 5PM Reel vs Real: The Actual Fantastic Science Behind Your Favorite Comics and Films Warp drive, blaster cannons, telekinesis and super-strength are some of the most common tropes and wonders that freely populate our favorite genres. But what is the real science behind it? You might be surprised to discover the the real science is far more fascinating than the reel science we so love.
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Join D.J Grothe of the James Randi Educational Foundation as he interviews leading scientists to bring many of these wonders to light. (Mordor) 5PM F I L M : S o u l s o f Splendor. The story of Leo, a black, gay comic book store clerk and writer who is dealing with his own complicated relationship to his art. (Yuggoth) 5PM First Look: Strange Frame: A Lesbian Rock SciFi Flick With the voice talents of legendary icons including Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show), Claudia Black (Stargate SG1), George Takei (Star Trek, Heroes), Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Serenity, Transformers), Juliet Landau (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Claudia Christian (Babylon5), Strange Frame boldly brings an epic, futuristic lesbian drama to creative life with fresh animation. Join Strange Frame creator Shelley Doty, as Bent-Con gives you a sneak preview of exclusive clips from this awesome, animated, SF flick! (The Shire)

In 2012 The World Isnt Ending. Bent-Con 2012 December 7th-9th Los Angeles, CA www. Bent-Con2012 .org