‘Bring Back Legends’ devotees upgraded to actual harassment at DragonCon

dragonconIn addition to the nuttery going on with Aftermath and the ever-present comment hijacking on official Facebook pages, it appears that a faction of the ‘Bring Back Legends‘ crew was actually harassing VIPs and fans at DragonCon last weekend, Brian at Tosche Station reports:

One panelist and moderator was stalked to a restroom by someone from Bring Back Legends. Another panelist was halted in the Marriott atrium and, again, was talked at and had a set of flyers pushed off on them even though the panelist said they didn’t want one. The Bring Back Legends folks at Dragon Con had become general nuisances, but more than once it went beyond that. I spoke with several fans and panelists who confided that they were made extremely uncomfortable by the advances of the individuals from Bring Back Legends. Others corroborated my story, that they were cornered after panels and had a difficult time escaping their speeches and questioning. The combination of forced interaction and awareness of what the general behavior of these people online proved to be an unsettling experience every time we were approached. We knew they weren’t interested in talking to us, they wanted to talk at us and recruit us to their cause.

And those are far from the only incidents he experienced or heard about – there are more at the link.

The Legends folks were, from reports, fairly courteous at SDCC – and I don’t recall any stories from Celebration at all. Did DragonCon just luck into a particularly obnoxious contingent? Did the more fan-run nature of the con make people think they could get away with this sort of thing more easily? Or are we just dealing with a few individuals who don’t understand basic social cues? In any case, this is not how you get folks on your side.

DragonCon’s Star Wars activities will include Aloha for Aaron Allston Day

Dragon Con is coming up Labor Day Weekend. Once again, the center of Star Wars activity will be the Star Wars at Dragon Con track. On Sunday, August 31st, the track is asking fans to wear Aloha shirts in honor of one of Aaron Allston‘s favorite wardrobe features.

That same day at 5:30pm in Hyatt International North, there will be a tribute panel to Aaron and A. C. Crispin, who lost her battle with cancer since the last Dragon Con.

Other fun Star Wars activities coming up this year include:

  • Last Party on Alderaan – Party like it’s the end of the world at what is arguably Dragon Con’s best club dance.
  • Suits, Sinatra and Star Wars Mixer – A new event that will give you the excuse to wear your best Star Wars fabric suit or Rat Pack fashion and meet fellow fans.
  • The Empire Striketh Back Table Read – A “dramatic,” or at the very least amusing, table read of Ian Doescher’s next installment in his Shakespeare’s Star Wars series.
  • An Hour with Sam Witwer – Our own Bryan Young interviews actor Sam Witwer about his love of Star Wars and his roles as Starkiller and Darth Maul on The Clone Wars.

Coming back will be the Podraces for the kids. And, as always, lots of discussion about the movies, collectibles and books.

For the most up-to-date happenings, be sure to download the Dragon Con app.

#‎AlohaAaron: Remembering Aaron Allston at, during SDCC

Aaron and Tim Zahn goof around at JadeCon 2002 in Las Vegas.
Aaron and Tim Zahn goof around at JadeCon 2002 in Las Vegas.
Del Rey is spearheading a tribute to author Aaron Allston, who passed away earlier this year, on Saturday, July 26, at San Diego Comic-Con. The Del Rey staff will be sporting Aloha/Hawaiian shirts and encouraging fans to do the same. (If you don’t have anything tropical-themed, tie-die is also a valid option.) They’ll also be giving away copies of Aaron’s novels throughout the day. If you’re not at SDCC, you can still dress up in something sufficiently bright, and Del Rey is encouraging fans to use the hashtag ‪#‎AlohaAaron‬ on social media.

DragonCon will be memorializing Aaron this year as well – stay tuned for details.

EUbits: Editor Jennifer Heddle pens Leia short story

senator-leiaShort stories. Star Wars Books announced last night that Lucasfilm editor Jennifer Heddle has written a young Leia Organa novel for Star Wars Insider #145. “Constant Spirit” features Leia before A New Hope, and Heddle thinks it’s “one of the earliest-set stories about Leia there’s been, if not the earliest.” The issue will be on newsstands October 22, and in subscriber mailboxes a week or so before that.

Chats. Star Wars Books also had a Facebook chat with James Arnold Taylor the other day. (About… Kenobi? I guess?) There’s even an official edited transcript. There’ll be a John Jackson Miller chat soon, but no details yet.

Interviews. Speaking of Miller, he did a bunch of Kenobi interviews. Check them out at Suvudu, Tosche Station, Eleven Thirty-Eight and TFN. Yes, there are more, but Miller himself has rounded ’em up and he’d know better than I.

DRAGONCON! Tosche Station Radio was on location at DragonCon, and they shared their experience with those of us who had to play along at home. Check out their audio of panels with Star Wars authors, fan activities and the panel on women and minorities in the franchise, featuring Club Jade’s own Luci! They also caught Tim, Mike, and Aaron conspiring!

Reviews. Head over to the newly-redesigned Big Shiny Robot for James’ latest comic reviews: A double (with Bryan Young) of the hot new release The Star Wars #1, plus Star Wars #8, Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #5 and Dark Times: A Spark Remains #2.