It's that time of year where it seems like there's at least one big fan convention going on every weekend somewhere in the country. Whether you're planning on heading to New Jersey for The Steampunk World's Fair later this month or counting down for San Diego Comic-Con in July, there are a few esse ... More >>
It's a bright crisp day on the Sunset strip and LA Weekly's at Prism Gallery waiting for our turn to meet Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, Brazilian brothers who are known in the contemporary art and graffiti worlds simply as "the twins," or "Os Gêmeos" in Portuguese. The brothers are here in L.A. fo ... More >>
Roller derby league Angel City Derby Girls went bigger and bolder on Saturday night for their fifth annual Eat Your Art Out fundraiser. This year, they took over Titmouse's Hollywood animation studio for a carnival-themed bash filled with bearded ladies, cotton candy and lots of art, all of which wa ... More >>
Shannon CottrellPaul J. Salamoff and his TARDIS ConsoleFor more photos see our slideshow, Doctor Who Convention @ The Marriott Los Angeles Airport Paul J. Salamoff is a former special effects artist from Burbank who now works as a writer and producer. He's also the owner of the TARDIS consol ... More >>
Shannon CottrellFor more photos check out our slideshow, How Nosm Paint the LA Weekly Building The L.A. Weekly celebrated Valentines day 2012 like no one else could, with a new red, black and white façade painted by artists Raoul and Davide Perre, known as How & Nosm. In October, during ... More >>
I think I'm hooked on Homestuck. Homestuck is a web comic, the fourth story in the MS Paint Adventures collection created by Andrew Hussie. It started in April of 2009 and is ongoing, with five acts completed and a sixth one underway. If you want proof of its popularity, go to a comic book or anim ... More >>
Shannon CottrellKevin Eastman at Meltdown Comics.Read more in "Kevin Eastman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Co-Creator, Takes Over Meltdown Comics for 35 Days." See more photos in "Kevin Eastman @ Meltdown Comics." When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman took over a portion ... More >>
Read more in "Kevin Eastman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Co-Creator, Takes Over Meltdown Comics for 35 Days." See more photos in "Kevin Eastman @ Meltdown Comics." Stacy E. Walker has done a lot of modeling for artists. She's appeared on book covers and has worked with video game and animation com ... More >>
See more photos in "2011: The Year in Cosplay." Read more in this years "Best of the Cons," Part 1 and Part 2 and "Top 10 Cult Stars of 2011." While some conventions attract more people in costume than others, there's no denying that cosplay has become a very important aspect of the fan convention ... More >>
Shannon CottrellWhere's Andrew W.K. on this list?I had the chance to interview quite a few people this year. Some were famous. Others weren't. However, most of this year's interviewees had a few things in common. They all created something, be it an event or a piece of art, that is memorable. ... More >>
There are still a few more conventions left for 2011, but it's not too early to begin the countdown of the best of the superfan scene. This week, I'm counting down a few of the most popular trends spotted at conventions this year. This list avoids perennial favorites (i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek and D ... More >>
See more photos from Shannon Cottrell in "Sweet Streets at WWA Gallery." In just three years, Sweet Streets has become one of the most anticipated events for L.A. fans of Japanese street fashion. The annual group show/fashion event, which opened Saturday night at WWA Gallery, brings together artwor ... More >>
Shannon CottrellEven ball-jointed dolls need their laptops at Pacific Media ExpoSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "Pacific Media Expo 2011." Sunday afternoon at Pacific Media Expo, a small room on the second floor of the LAX Hilton was filled with a handful of people armed with t ... More >>
Shannon CottrellTitmouse animation panel at ComikazeSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's slideshow, "Comikaze Expo 2011." Jhonen Vasquez, creator of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and Invader ZIM, is working with L.A.-based animation studio Titmouse on a few new projects. The catch is that he ... More >>
Shannon CottrellDerek "D-Bone" Reckley "It's the only trophy in sports that you can fuck," says Chris Trew, host and creator of Air Sex World Championships, referring to the Fleshlight sex toy (a fake vagina) Air Sex finalists receive for their sex-rated efforts. Beginning in Austin in 200 ... More >>
The 25th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention, held last weekend at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, was a convention like no other we have attended. There were a few of the typical activities-- autograph signings, a custom car contest, games for the kids-- but the real action took place off the ... More >>
For more photos check out our slideshow, Sage Vaughn: Studio Tour Sage Vaughn, one of SoCal's favorite contemporary urban naturalist painters, is tucked inside a quaint and tidy mid century modern one story studio, located right where Pasadena ends. There's a small group of mourning doves that gath ... More >>
Shannon CottrellThe site of Mr. Brainwash's upcoming show As if traffic along the La Brea corridor isn't already bad enough, L.A.'s beloved street artist Mr. Brainwash -- who first got attention through our cover story and later through the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop -- is staging ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more of Shannon Cottrell's photos from Power-Con/ThunderCon in "Celebrating He-Man, She-Ra and ThunderCats at Power-Con/ThunderCon." For nearly a decade, Johnny Bilson has been making costumes based on Masters of the Universe characters for himself and his friends. He has ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSkeletor sighting at Power-Con/ThunderConSee more of Shannon Cottrell's photos from Power-Con/ThunderCon in "Celebrating He-Man, She-Ra and ThunderCats at Power-Con/ThunderCon." It's not too often that we go to a convention and end up sitting poolside as we sip on themed cock ... More >>
Shannon CottrellHeal the Bay House in progress In 2008, a deco-style fortress built in the '50s and originally belonging to a prominent family in Santa Monica fell into foreclosure in the middle of an extensive renovation. Until three months ago it stood vacant, an eerie house on a bluff with ... More >>
Shannon CottrellLeonardo da Vinci, by way of Aled LewisSee more of Shannon Cottrell's photos in "SUPER iam8bit in Echo Park: Video Games and Art." Part of pop art's appeal comes in instantly recognizing icons from contemporary life. Andy Warhol's soup cans might've been ridiculously mundane, ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's slideshow "OnchMovement Pop-Up Shop Perfectasy Opens @ Royal/T." Read more about Onch in "OnchMovement Pop-Up Shop, Perfectasy, Opens at Royal/T on August 4." OnchMovement's new pop-up store, Perfectasy, opened on August 4 at Royal/T in C ... More >>
Shannon CottrellOnch"Hello Kitty is still cute. Barbie is still flawless and gorgeous," says jewelry designer Onch, "but, I think that OnchMovement should be the next cute thing. Hopefully, OnchMovement is the cute now." Onch, a former contestant on Paris Hilton's My New BFF (and Hilton's "l ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "The Venture Bros. @ San Diego Comic-Con 2011." Adult Swim's cult hit The Venture Bros. was back at San Diego Comic-Con this year. Friday's panel featured show masterminds Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer along with James Urbaniak, ... More >>
Shannon CottrellKit Quinn as Superma'am and Tallest Silver as Batma'amGender Bent Justice League is a group of cosplayers who have taken characters associated with DC's Justice League and transformed them into something that is more Rule 63 than it is crossplay. "A couple of us like to do ... More >>
Shannon CottrellJenn of justJENN breaks out the Boba Fett and Yoda cookies inside Small PressSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "San Diego Comic-Con 2011 Preview Night." "Small Press almost like a mini-con within the Con," said Jenn of justJENN Designs when we interviewed her rec ... More >>
Shannon CottrellThe League of S.T.E.A.M., when they aren't fighting Victorian ghosts and monstersSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "The League of S.T.E.A.M. Prepares for San Diego Comic-Con." In 2008, Robin Blackburn decided to make a ghost costume to wear to the annual masquera ... More >>
Shannon CottrellEthan Spaulding, Michael Jelenic, Dan Norton of ThunderCatsThunderCats art director Dan Norton has a sign in his office that reads, "This is the day you dreamed of when you were 12 years old." "I was a ridiculous ThunderCats fan," he says. "I mean, you would run home from ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more of Shannon Cottrell's photos in "Inside COOP's Studio: Huge Paintings, Pinball Machines, Toy Collections and Cute Dogs." L.A.-based artist COOP, famous for his references to cars, comics, devils and hot girls, once built a Model A Sedan. "Obviously, I had as much he ... More >>
Shannon Cottrell"Spoonful of Star Wars" at DesignerConBefore Bwana Spoons was commissioned by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys to paint the Kenner Star Wars toys, he had a 60-piece collection of the action figures released between the late-1970s and early-1980s. During the course of ... More >>
Shannon CottrellDurarara!! cosplayers at Anime Expo 2011When we covered Anime Expo back in 2010, we noted that characters from a new series called Durarara!!, then only available in the U.S. through Crunchyroll, were amongst the most memorable cosplays of the convention. We saw numerous femal ... More >>
Shannon CottrellChocolate Covered CosplayRoughly two weeks before the start of Anime Expo, Chocolate Covered Cosplay was born. The group of six women-- Ashphord Jacoway, Neko Nivi, Ginger Burton, Angel Drake, Danielle McRae and Deanna McRae-- came together for cosplay with a purpose. "No ma ... More >>
Shannon CottrellTank9 and a breakdancer at Anime ExpoSearch "industrial dance" on YouTube and you'll find a lot of videos of people busting out the dance floor stomp that's become associated with clubs that play industrial, EBM and other associated styles of music. Near the top of your search ... More >>
Shannon CottrellFor more photos, see Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "Anime Expo at Night: Hatsune Miku in Concert, Tune in Tokyo at Club Nokia." Read more about Anime Expo 2011 in Style Council. The big draw for this year for Anime Expo 2011 was Japan's virtual pop star. Hatsune Miku is a chara ... More >>
Shannon Cottrell Hatsune Miku mania continued at Anime Expo Saturday night when the virtual singer appeared in concert with a live band at Nokia Theatre. Read about the show in "Live Review: Hatsune Miku @ Nokia Theatre for Anime Expo 2011" from our music blog, West Coast Sound. See more phot ... More >>
Shannon CottrellWe've just received word that the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center has been evacuated in the middle of Anime Expo 2011. Rumors are swirling of a suspicious package or a bomb threat, as they generally do in these situations. We'll update with more concrete detail ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "Anime Expo 2011: Day One, Friday." Have you ever seen someone run and jump on top of an unsuspecting friend in an attempt to give a hug? It's called glomping (Check Urban Dictionary for a variety of definitions), and if you go t ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's slideshows, "E3 2011: Day 1" and "E3 2011: Day 2," and read more about Video Games Live in Liz Ohanesian's post, "Video Games Live: The E3 Event That's Open to the Public." Video Games Live, which performed its 200th show at Nokia Theatre ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "Transformers Fans Gather for BotCon 2011." One thing we can say with certainty after covering conventions for LA Weekly for the past two-and-a-half years is that whether we're at small events like MacrossWorld or something as la ... More >>
Shannon CottrellThroughout April and the earliest part of May, New York-based musician Andrew W.K. was stationed in Los Angeles. During this time, he played a few shows, including his own birthday extravaganza at Check Yo Ponytail, and went to work on a new album, which he says he anticipates ... More >>
Shannon Cottrell Consider yourself warned. Mr. Brainwash, aka Thierry Guetta, the real guy/fake artist star of Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop is bringing another of his art shows to Los Angeles, and, as evidenced by the new explosion of wheatpaste and red paint on the corner of La Brea a ... More >>
Shannon CottrellGinger Burton of SoCal Cosplay BallSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's photo gallery, "SoCal Cosplay Ball." Back in January of 2009, when Shannon Cottrell and I covered Anime Los Angeles together for the first time, we met Ginger Burton. At the time, Burton was a student at ... More >>
Shannon CottrellSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery "Tomo Neko Maid Cafe." Sunday afternoon, we went to a maid cafe. Well, we kind of went to a maid cafe. No, we still haven't made our way to Tokyo. Instead, we were inside the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo for Tomo Neko Maid Cafe, ... More >>
Shannon CottrellJR just blew through town for 48 hours on his way to Japan and left behind two new walls. Both pieces are part of his ongoing "Wrinkles of the City: LA" project, something he started back in February that the LA Weekly has mapped for your street art pleasure. The subjects are ... More >>
Shannon CottrellDe/VisionSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's gallery, "Legends of Synthpop with De/Vision, Mesh and Iris @ The Echoplex." Calling a tour Legends of Synthpop when the bands aren't quite as easily recognizable names as Depeche Mode and Erasure may seem a bit bold. Some might ... More >>
When it comes to Southern California anime conventions, Pacific Media Expo, held annually in November, has carved out a niche for itself with its focus on Tokyo street fashion brands. Over the years, they've brought designers like Takuya Angel and Angelic Pretty to Los Angeles. Last year's fashion l ... More >>
See more photos in Shannon Cottrell's photo gallery, "D*Face 'Going Nowhere Fast' Opens at Corey Helford Gallery." "The thing is, LA for me is all the irony of my work, but everything I love about where I would want to live," said British street artist D*Face when we interviewed him last week. (Rea ... More >>
Shannon CottrellPeelander-Red plays on top of the crowdSee more photos in Shannon Cottrell's slideshow "Peelander-Z, Anamanaguchi @ The Roxy." Read more about Anamanaguchi in Liz Ohanesian's post, "Anamanaguchi's Peter Berkman Shares His Top 3 Influences: Tim and Eric, Japanese Music and Vide ... More >>
If you live in L.A., you might think that Luke Chueh is everywhere. The local artist with an international reputation has had, he estimates, ten solo shows in the city (his latest, Contemptorary ran at Corey Helford Gallery in February). He's been in countless group shows, from the Cannibal Flower e ... More >>
Find everything you're looking for in your city
Find the best happy hour deals in your city
Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%
Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city
