Fandemonium Returns With a Full Day of Fun

Fandemonium is a day full of programming, activities and fun, all focused on comics, movies, video games, anime, art and more!

Event Details

Saturday, November 4
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Owings Mills Branch

Throughout the day, you can attend any number of programs and enjoy the following:

• Pick up a craft kit
• Check out an anime in the anime viewing room
• Test your trivia knowledge
• Browse Artist Alley—Where local creators have their creations for sale.
• Games—Enjoy an assortment of video games and table top games.
• Local Artist Panel—Learn about visual art careers and how you can use your skills, and how to turn an idea into a book.
• Paint Pikachu—With ArtJamz, registration required.
• Play Dungeons and Dragons—With other enthusiasts.

Mark Okrand's Presentation on Klingon

This year, we are thrilled to have Mark Okrand as one of our headline speakers. The linguist is known for creating Klingon and Atlantean languages spoken in "Star Trek" and "Atlantis: The Lost Empire," respectively. During his presentation at 2 p.m., he will dive into how he created and expanded the Klingon language and how it has evolved without his input. Don't forget to bring your questions!

We were able to chat with Okrand for a quick preview of what you can expect at Fandemonium.

Us: How did you come up with the idea for the Klingon language?

Mark: I didn't come up with the idea myself. I was asked by the writer/producer of "Star Trek III" if I wanted to create Klingon, and I quickly said yes. The reason he contacted me is because I had created some Vulcan dialogue for "Star Trek II." The idea to make Klingon a real language rather than just a few words of gibberish was the producer's, but I had free rein in designing the details.

Us: We heard a rumor you were the early face model for Milo Thatch, the protagonist in the movie "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" (which you also created a language for). What are your thoughts on that?

Mark: I would love that...if it were true. Unfortunately, it's not. I did spend some time with the animator of Milo, and he kept sketching things as we were talking (though I couldn't see what he was doing), but the way Milo looked was established before that.

Us: You obviously have a very successful career. Do you have a favorite memory that comes to mind?

Mark: I think my favorite memory is working with Leonard Nimoy on some Vulcan dialogue for "Star Trek II" and then driving away from the studio and realizing that I had just taught Mr. Spock how to speak Vulcan.

Other Speakers

Other headline speakers include:

• 10 a.m.—Fun With Kevin Sherry
  Kevin Sherry, author of "Yeti Files, Squidding Around, Remy Sneakers and I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean," is more than just a writer—he's an illustrator, artist, musician and more! Kevin leads an interactive program with singing, dancing, art and more—fun for all ages!

• 

  Noon—Keynote With Elizabeth Hargrave
  Designer of board games "Wingspan," "The Fox Experiment" and "Knot Dice," Elizabeth Hargrave talks about her experiences in board game design and gaming while sharing some insights into her upcoming projects.

Cosplay Contest

Remember to show up in your best costume or cosplay! When you arrive, you can register for the contest. Then, stick around for the Cosplay Contest presentation at 2 p.m. to see who came out on top—you may win a prize! After the awards, Superhero Support, Inc. leads a panel sharing tips and tricks on cosplay.

Test Your Knowledge

Starting at noon, you can test your fandom knowledge on a variety of topics by attending trivia. Pick the one you’re most knowledgeable about, or go all in and try out all the topics—there are prizes for winners. The trivia topics schedule is as follows:

• Noon—Anime
• 1 p.m.—Marvel/DC
• 2 p.m.—Star Wars
• 3 p.m.—Ultimate Nerd (You’ve got to know it all!)

If You Cannot Attend

While we hope that you’ll be able to celebrate with us on November 4, if you cannot attend, we have a list of books, DVDs and games created by the presenters that you can check out with your library card.