Mark Watts Gallery at Retro Con 2023
We’re pleased to announce the return of artist Mark Watts for Retro Con 2023!
Mark is the man responsible for the brilliant artwork used on the boxes of the original G1 Transformers toy line! He created over 45 commissioned paintings for Hasbro between the mid 80’s and early 90’s, most used directly on the packaging of the product. His dynamic art style set the trend that other artists would emulate for other characters in the line.
Some of the iconic characters he illustrated include Shockwave, Jetfire, the Constructicons, Devastator, Predaking, Menasor, the original Minibots, and dozens more! He also did several paintings used for Transformers mail-away offers, such as Reflector, the “Time Warrior” Autobot watch, and the Omnibots. He’s also produced art for other toys such as Tyco’s Crash Test Dummies, and Matchbox’s “Cargantua” robotic car carrier!
Check out Mark’s booth in the guest section where he’ll be displaying his artwork and offering prints for sale! He had a great time meeting attendees in past years. He loved hearing stories of how fans would cut his artwork out of the toy packaging as kids and tape it to their walls as room decoration!
Check out Mark’s website: markwattsstudios.com
Retro Gaming at Retro Con 2023!
The Game Is Afoot Arcade will once again be bringing retro arcade action to Retro Con! In addition to dedicated arcade cabinets, they’ll also be bringing in their “multicades” featuring thousands of titles to choose from. No matter what your favorite era of video games is, they’ll have you covered!
No need for quarters or tokens… all cabinets at Retro Con will be set to FREE PLAY!
Meet Singer Stan Bush at Retro Con 2023!
**Guest Appearance plus Concert Performance!!**
He’s got the touch! He’s got the power! YEAH!! Please welcome Emmy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician Stan Bush to Retro Con 2023!
Stan Bush is best known for his iconic song “The Touch”, heard prominently during Optimus Prime’s epic last stand in the classic 1986 animated film ‘Transformers: The Movie’! An anthem for Transformers fans around the world, The Touch has been used in several TF productions over the years, and also featured on ABC’s The Goldbergs, NBC’s Chuck, FOX’s American Dad, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Saints Row IV, Shadow Warrior 2, the movie Boogie Nights, and many more!
Stan also collaborated with Vince DiCola for the song “Dare”, another standout track from the Transformers movie. You can also hear Stan’s song “Hearts vs. Heads” in the turbocharged film The Wraith (1986), “Never Surrender” in the Jean-Claude Van Damme cult classic Kickboxer (1989), “Warrior” in the video game Shadow Warrior 2, “She’s Got the Power” in DiC Entertainment’s english dub of Sailor Moon, and his song “Capture the Dream” was used as the official anthem of the US Swim Team at the 1996 Summer Olympics!
Stan will be a featured guest at Retro Con both Saturday and Sunday, so stop by his table in the guest section to say hi. Bring along your copy of the Transformers movie soundtrack on LP, cassette, or CD to get signed!
And as teased earlier, Stan will be taking the stage with the Cybertronic Spree for our Saturday night concert!! Being held at ‘Arnold’s at the Factory’ in Oaks, Stan will be singing Dare and The Touch with the band as back-up, as well as one or two more surprises! This team-up has never happened before, so don’t miss this chance to witness history!! Concert tickets go on sale next month!
Stan Bush’s trip to Retro Con is being sponsored by the generous folks over at Tommy & the Order of Cosmic Champions! We thank them for coming to us with the idea of bringing Stan to the show, and for their part in helping make this amazing crossover event a reality! Please check out their website! It’s a book and a multimedia experience. Their soundtrack even includes a brand new song by Stan Bush himself!
The Cybertronic Spree at Retro Con 2023! With Secret Guest Star!
A legendary event is in the making…
The bots with the power of rock are returning, and THIS year they’ll have some serious back-up! Please welcome to Retro Con 2023… The Cybertronic Spree!!
Join Hotrod, Arcee, Rumble, Unicron, Soundwave, Bumblebee, Shockwave, and all 5 faces of the Quintesson as they prove they’ve got the power to light your darkest hour! These rockstars in disguise play music from Transformers: The Movie (1986), plus songs from hit movies & tv shows, cartoons, classic rock, video games, as well as their own original tunes. They blend their love for 80’s and 90’s pop culture into an energon-fueled, unforgettable live show that just might transform you back into a kid again!
The Cybertronic Spree will be attending Retro Con early on Saturday (September 9th) as convention guests, where fans can meet the band and pick up band-related merchandise. Tentative times are 10am to 1pm.
And like usual, the Spree will be performing a LIVE CONCERT on Saturday night at 8pm at the nearby ‘Arnold’s at the Factory’ in Oaks. Tickets go on sale in May!
But UNLIKE usual, this year they’ll be joined on stage by a SECRET GUEST PERFORMER! Who’s the secret guest?? Find out in a future Retro Con announcement! Your only hint is that this person has never performed with the band previously. *activates the rumor mill*
No worries, CS purists! This will absolutely be a Cybertronic Spree concert! They’ll just have a special guest joining them for a few select tracks. Believe us, this will be “relevant to your interests”…
We won’t leave you hanging for long. Stay tuned for a follow-up post next week!! Or in the words of a Transformers cartoon two-parter: TO BE CONTINUED…
Meet Kathy Garver at Retro Con 2023!
Spider Friends… GO FOR IT!!!
Please welcome to Retro Con 2023, actor and author Kathy Garver!!
Kathy is beloved for her portrayal of Firestar, one of Spider-Man’s amazing friends on the 1980’s animated hit ‘Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends’! The show ran for three seasons as part of NBC’s Saturday morning line-up, making its indelible mark on pop culture! The show still holds up today through its charming animation, energetic music, and first-rate voice acting. If you’ve never seen the show, it can be streamed on Disney Plus.
An original character created for the series, Firestar/Angelica Jones proved so popular that she turned up in her own comic mini-series, quickly becoming a full-fledged character in the Marvel comics universe! She’s been a member of both the X-Men and the Avengers, has had a wide assortment of action figures and other merchandise based on her, and has even made appearances in modern cartoons and video games!
Kathy is also very well known for her on-screen work, and we would be remiss not to mention her iconic role as Cissy Davis on the classic 1960’s sitcom ‘Family Affair’! The series centered on bachelor & engineer Bill Davis who is given custody of his late brother’s three children: Cissy, Jody & Buffy, raising them with the help of his traditional English butler, Mr. French. The show ran for 5 seasons, and has been in reruns ever since, drawing in new fans with each generation that discovers it! It’s also the show that Zed was getting emotional over in Police Academy 2…
Kathy’s a real sweetheart and we look forward to bringing her to the show, and we hope you’ll come out to meet her too! Save the dates: September 9th & 10th in Oaks, Pennsylvania!
Follow Kathy Online!
Website: http://www.kathygarver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathygarverfanpage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kgcissy/
Greg Evigan is Coming to Retro Con 2023!
Retro Con 2023 keeps on truckin’! Please welcome to our guest list actor Greg Evigan!!
Greg is best known for his starring role in the endearing 70’s/80’s tv show B.J. and the Bear! Greg played Billie Joe McKay, freelance trucker traveling the highways in his red and white Kenworth K-100 Aerodyne with his chimpanzee sidekick and best friend ‘Bear’. A mix of action and comedy, the Glen A. Larson created show is still popular and fondly remembered to this day, despite the series never being released on official DVD or playing on streaming services/classic tv networks (possibly due to the masters being lost).
Greg moved on to another hit show in the late 80’s, playing Joey Harris for three seasons on the sitcom My Two Dads, co-starring Paul Reiser and Staci Keanan! He also starred as lead character Jake Cardigan in the 90’s sci-fi movie/tv series TekWar, based on the book series of the same name! The series was co-written by William Shatner, who was also featured on the show.
Greg has enjoyed success as a singer, songwriter, and musician as well. You can even hear his voice as the male vocals on the BJ and the Bear theme song! “♫ New dreams and better scenes, and best of all I don’t pay property tax!♪” (Aaaand now we have the song stuck in our head.)
Meet the amazing Greg Evigan at Retro Con 2023, September 9th & 10th in Oaks, Pennsylvania!
Win a HabLab Proton Pack at Retro Con 2023!
Yes, the proton pack IS a toy!
Just added to our show raffle is the recently released HasLab Ghostbusters Proton Pack, brand new in (very large) box! The talk of the town in recent months, this is one cool toy of Gozer-level proportions! It’s full 1:1 scale with detailing based on the Spengler pack seen in Ghostbusters Afterlife, has a hefty weight, authentic lights and sounds, a rumble motor, is wearable right out of the box, and designed to be “modder” friendly. Too hot to handle! Too cold to hold!
The HasLab proton pack didn’t come bundled with a neutrona wand, so we’re throwing one in! It integrates with the pack via an included connector cable, giving you the power to heat it up! “Do…” “Re…” “Egooonnn!”
The original retail price on this bundle was $525, but is now going for $800+ on the aftermarket. One lucky winner at the show will take it home! “I love this plan! I’m excited to be a part of it! Let’s do it!”
Retro Con 2023 Weekend Tickets Now Available!
Weekend tickets for Retro Con 2023 are now available for purchase!
Retro Con keeps it simple. If you can only come to the show on Saturday or Sunday, you can buy your ticket right at the door. Kids 12 and under get in for free with paying adult. We’re opening additional cash lines for Saturday morning to help keep ahead of the crowd this year.
If you would like a weekend ticket however, they can be purchased in advance at the link below. A weekend ticket gets you a slick Retro Con attendee badge with lanyard, and raffle tickets for Saturday and Sunday! Also, we start checking in weekend ticket holders at 9am on Saturday, an hour before General Admission begins. So consider this your “Earlybird” pass!
Can you buy a weekend ticket even if you only plan to attend the show one day? Absolutely! Many people buy the weekend pass simply for the badge and to get into the show early on Saturday.
Buy your Retro Con 2023 Weekend tickets here:
retrocons.com/purchase-retro-con-tickets/
Meet Flash Gordon himself, Sam J. Jones, at Retro Con 2023!
“What do you mean ‘Flash Gordon approaching’… ?”
He’s a miracle, king of the impossible, and he’s coming to Oaks, Pennsylvania this September! We’re excited to announce Sam J. Jones will be joining our guest list for Retro Con 2023!!
Sam is of course best known for playing the title role in the awesomely over-the-top 80’s sci-fi classic Flash Gordon! While the movie failed to make a big splash at the box office in its original run, it has since gone on to celebrated cult status with its campy tone, eccentric characters, flamboyant costumes and sets, not to mention an immersive and hard-pumping soundtrack by legendary rock group Queen! This is one of those movies the Retro Con household can never pass up when it’s on!
In the years following Flash Gordon, Sam also starred in the Glen A. Larson sci-fi series ‘The Highwayman’ (remember Jacko?), The Spirit (1987), and played bounty hunter Aris Boch on Stargate SG-1. Sam also had notable appearances as a spoofed version of himself in the offbeat ‘Ted’ movies! “We are gonna party like the 80’s.”
Sam was even the subject of his very own documentary called “Life After Flash” in 2017! Partly chronicling the making of and staying power of the Flash Gordon movie, the doc mainly focuses on Sam’s life during the film’s production, and his struggles and successes in the decades that followed.
Sam Jones will be at the show all weekend, so stop by his table in guest row for autographs and photo ops! He’ll also be taking part in a Q&A at the show. Be sure to thank him for saving every one of us!
Thanks From Retro Con!
It’s been two weeks since Retro Con 2022, so I guess we’re overdue for a post show wrap-up!
First off, we wanted to say we’re sorry to anyone caught up in MEGA LINE early on Saturday. We hadn’t expected such a large crowd so early on, and we were ill-prepared for it. We thank you for your patience though, and for not judging us too harshly. If we keep going with the show and are fortunate to have a crowd like this again, we already have ideas in mind on how to improve our system and get people onto the floor faster (both at the door and Pre-Reg). A big shout-out to our Star Wars friends at Garrison Carida for going outside to entertain the crowd while we got our [wits] together!
Overall though, Retro Con’s 10th anniversary show was a smashing success! We had our largest attendance ever, and we really felt the energy and enthusiasm throughout the hall this year. The vendors were hopping, costumes were back in full effect, and the panels and contests were all widely attended. We were happy to see new faces at the show in addition to longtime supporters. Even though we attract people of all ages, we like to think everyone gels together very well at Retro Con. That’s the difference a “grassroots” show can make.
We’d like to thank everyone that supported the show by purchasing a ticket, all our super-friendly guests for the year, anyone that came to the show dressed in costume, all the awesome car owners and the costume groups, the Cybertronic Spree band for rocking the place, our A/V tech for the year Tom Dalton, the Game is Afoot Arcade, the various agencies that helped with our guest list, sponsors Cool 98.5 FM and Tommy & The Order of Cosmic Champions, Arnold’s Family Fun Center, and the Greater Philly Expo Center for having us!
And as always, our biggest shout-out goes out to our staff and volunteers, the true backbone of the show! When things go “off script”, we’re not always sure how to respond. But our friends at the show always bring a fresh set of eyes to the situation, and offer solutions we never would have thought of. Their help is immeasurable and indispensable.
Our staff and volunteers for 2022 included Denise Albright, Mike Breaux, Kevin Jones, Nagi Oki, Nate Kiphorn, Nick Govosdian, Jack Doud, TJ Becker, Jim Cannon, Anthony Kyzer, Trick Treat, Dean Plakus, Tim Plakus, Greg Hammaker, Matt March, Courtney March, Kyle Williamson, Brandon Wassmer, Joe Fiore, Wayne Kline, Candice Santora, Rob Brand, Nancy Squartino, Allie Squartino, Logan Moran, Mike Townsend, Zach Townsend, Stephen Wang, Renee Devlin, Connie Smeriglio, Linda Marquis, Nikki Ashley, Amanda Parker, Rachel Coppersmith, Paul Sutt, and Jamie Sutt. Sincerely, thank you for everything.
Retro Con signing off!!
PRE-REG HAS ENDED! BUY AT DOOR!
Vendor Table Info Below!
Sponsors!
Retro Con would like to thank all those that helped to sponsor this show!
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98.5 WXPM The Phoenix
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The Retro Network
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Rediscover The 80s
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Friends of Retro Con!
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The Breaux Show
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Fandom Spotlite
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Toy Spotlite
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The Very Best
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retrocons.com 