Star Trek, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Doctor Who Fan Communities Attending New Orleans Comic Con

Nov. 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Fan communities representing the most fervent followers of blockbuster franchises like “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” “Ghostbusters” and “Doctor Who” are among the groups that attendees will see roaming the Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con floor, Friday through Sunday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.  Cosplayers from these groups love to interact with fans, adding another level of fun and in many cases raising money for charity.

Some organizations that fans will enjoy meeting include:

· Adventure League of GEARS, a family-friendly Steampunk Performance Group based out of New Orleans, and a fan and homage group to the League of S.T.E.A.M.
· 501st Legion/Bast Alpha Garrison, the Louisiana chapter of the 501st Legion, featuring the "bad guys" from the Star Wars Universe. The 501st Legion has over 4000 members from all 50 states and 22 countries around the world.
· Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat, the official fan club for Anne Rice's “Vampire Lestat,” the Vampire Chronicles and the annual New Orleans Vampire Ball.
· Barony of Axemoor, the local chapter of the SCA, an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-Century Europe.
· BayouCon, held in the heart of Southwest Louisiana, is Lake Charles’ original fan produced convention. BayouCon V will take place the last weekend of June 2013.
· Cast Aways Open Theatre Troupe, whose costumed volunteers perform at fairs, festivals, conventions, and charity events. They appear in parades and in films. New Orleans Comic Con attendees are welcomed to come and visit the Royal Court of Cast Aways and participate in the Quest for the King of the Realm.
· CoastCon, Mississippi's oldest and largest science fiction, fantasy and gaming convention. It is the main sponsored event of CoastCon, Inc., a non-profit literary organization run by a 10-member volunteer board.
· CONtraflow, a fan convention held in the Greater New Orleans area.  It focuses on science fiction, fantasy, comics, and related literary genres in any form, including but not limited to writing, visual arts, dramatic arts, and interactive fiction.
· CyPhaCon, Southwest Louisiana’s premier, family-friendly Anime, Gaming & Sci-Fi/Fantasy convention venue. With nearly 700 attendees in its second year, it includes expanded board and video game tourneys, anime panels, costuming & cosplay displays, Musical guests, fan produced panels and much more.
· Fans for Christ, for all believers in Christ who are also fans of comics, anime, fantasy, sci-fi, gaming, computers, costuming and cosplay.
· The Garou Nation, a national organization of networked “Live Action Werewolf: The Apocalypse” role-playing games that share a universe in White Wolf's original “World of Darkness” game setting. Its goal is to enhance and expand different chronicles across the country as a shared network that shares those experiences with friends and fellow players throughout the country.
· Geek Girls with Guns, officially Geek Endowment Krewe, a non profit organization that schedules fundraising events for children with special needs.
· The Greater New Orleans Krewe of the Living Dead, to glorify all things Zombie and call upon fans of the genre to join and rejoice in the persistent and exponential rise in popularity of the Living-Dead in pop culture.
· HMS Death Claw, part of the Royal Manticoran Navy based on best seller books from David Weber. The Death Claw is the flagship of 6th Sphinx Fleet which comprises of 10 states and Manitoba, Canada.
· Krewe du Who, over 375 strong and consists of fans of the New Series, Classic Series and All things “Doctor Who!” The open group members are fans of “Torchwood,” the “Sarah Jane Adventures”, “Big Finish Audio Dramas” and all “Whoniverse” related spin off media.
· Krewe of P.U.E.W.C, a new fantasy, horror and anime themed New Orleans Mardi Gras parade organization for the most happily insane Harry Potter wizards, Lord of the Rings hobbits, Dungeon & Dragon warriors, SCA fighters, Sailor Moons, Astro Boys, were-beasties, faeries, and the like.
· Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, a parade organization for the most revelrous of Star Wars Freaks, Trekkies, Whovians, Mega-Geeks, Circuit Benders, Cryptozooligists, UFO Conspiracy Theorists, and all the rest of Super Nerdom.
· Louisiana Ghostbusters, a fan-based “Ghostbusters” franchise. As costumers and fans of “Ghostbusters,” LG represents an open costuming policy with movie-accurate props and wardrobe representing all aspects of the “Ghostbusters” series of movies, cartoons, games, and novels. As a service organization, the group directs money to charities, participates in fundraisers for charities, attends fund-raising events, and performs charitable acts and community service.
· Louisiana Science Fiction and Costume Festival,  "The Unconventional Convention" April 20-22 at the Hampton Inn Port Allen, La.  It includes fan films, panels, workshops, live entertainment, and a costume ball.
· Mind's Eye Society, founded in 1992, an international fan organization dedicated to White Wolf's “World of Darkness” in all its incarnations. One of the world's largest gaming fan communities, with thousands of members all over the globe.
· Mississippi Ghostbusters, a fan based Ghostbuster franchise that promotes acts of charity with our open based costuming that represents all forms of the Ghostbusting community, attending all manner of events to raise money for a various number of charities.
· Mobicon, Mobile, Alabama's annual 3 day science fiction, fantasy, gaming, anime, paranormal, horror, and comic convention. Always on the third full weekend in May; MOBICON XVI will be May 17-19, 2013, at the Ashbury Hotel & Suites.
· New Orleans Public Library, the premier cultural institution that celebrates and preserves the collective memory and living history of New Orleans, Louisiana and the world. NOPL fosters the future aspirations and democratic dreams of all.
· One World by Night, an organization dedicated to creating links between White Wolf's Mind's Eye Theatre LARP games around the world. By combining the various stories of member Chronicles, OWbN hopes to enhance the enjoyment of its members by expanding local plots to the world.
· Red Stick Rebellion Star Wars Collectors Club, a Star Wars collectors group based in Baton Rouge, La.  Every month it has a different focus topic presented by individuals who have a great deal of knowledge in the area - plus they always have our regular general discussion, trading and lots of fun.
· Star Wars Museum, a nonprofit group of like-minded individuals working for a goal: To Build a Star Wars Themed Children’s Museum. Our Mission “To Inspire and Educate.
· Steampunk Americans, a group of Steampunk enthusiasts in New Orleans. NOLA is truly Victorian city where the ships still run on steam and the Absinthe flows like water. As one of the last bastions of the civilized world, this city still let citizens smoke tobacco in the taverns and openly drink in the glow of the gas streetlights.
· USS Corsair, which provides fans a way to meet each other, make friends, have fun, give back to their community, and show that the dream of Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry can endure. In 2007, the club was awarded “Shakedown Mission of the Year” by its parent organization, Starfleet International and in 2010, it received the Regional Chapter of the Year Award.
· USS New Orleans, a Chapter with Starfleet: The International Star Trek Fan Association, currently located in the city of New Orleans and the outlying areas, founded in May 2010, five years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed its predecessor.
· Visual Art League, which wants to spread knowledge of the arts and encourage creativity throughout the community of the University of New Orleans, other neighboring colleges, and the city of New Orleans.