The Convention Fans Blog

CombatCon is this June and with the schedule 80% complete their 2011 event looks like it’s going to totally rock. This hybrid multi-genre convention mixes steampunk, horror, pirates, sci-fi, and fantasy all with the unifying element of the Western Martial Arts. We’re pretty big on steampunk here at Convention Fans Blog so let me tell you that the steamy events scheduled so far for CombatCon 2011 are looking pretty sweet.

Saturday Steampunk Programming at CombatCon

• EVENT: Abney Park Meet the Band! – a non musical appearance.

• PANEL: Developing Your Character: What Every Good Time Traveling Victorian Needs to Know. Panel members yet to be announced

• CLASS: Manly Arts of Self-Defence

  In the late 19th Century certain activities were often classified as “manly arts”. This class will look at three of them: singlestick, pugilism and wrestling.

• CLASS: Bartitus: The Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes.

  After Gaslight Gathering I’m REALLY looking forward to this one. See photos of this Victorian martial art in our Gaslight Gathering 2011 Flickr album.

• DEMONSTRATION: 19th Century Defence Against Thugs

• EVENT: Costume Contest

• EVENT: Time Travelers’ Ball

Sunday Steampunk Programming at CombatCon

• ACTIVITY: Steampunk Discretion: Hiding Digital Cameras in Period Item

  This sounds like it will be a hands-on version of a similar panel that was at Gaslight Gathering this year.

• PANEL: Creating Your Steampunk Universe

  Panel members yet to be announced.

• PANEL: Steam Wars: The Use of steam in Weapons and Vehicles through the Ages

  Panel members announced so far: Gene Forrer.

• PANEL: The State of Music Within the Steampunk Movement

  Panel will include: “Captain” Robert, Jody Ellen and Kristina Erickson from Abney Park.

• CLASS: Victorian Cane

  The instructor for this CombatCon class is Tom Badillo, who rocked the Bartitsu demonstration/lecture at Gaslight Gathering earlier this year.

Miscellaneous Sundries

If your flavor of steampunk runs to something a little more piratical there’s a bit of Age of Sail martial programming on the CombatCon 2011 schedule so far:

• CLASS: Boarding Actions I and II

• PANEL: Boarding Tactics & Techniques for the Golden Age of Sail

• PANEL: History vs. Hollywood: Bringing Pirates of the Carribean to life

• ACTIVITY: Choreographing a Pirate Fight

There are several To Be Announced (TBA) slots still on the CombatCon 2011 schedule, so who knows what further steampunkery awaits. And as for vendors, so far PH Factor Emporium is confirmed.

CombatCon will be held June 24-26 in Las Vegas at the Tuscany Hotel. Registration is currently open and ranges from $35 to $150.