Saturday, July 4, 2026

Indiana Comic Convention 2026: Bad Sword and Sandals & CatBusRuss: The Tony Kokoc of Panelists

I Dig Crazy Flicks with @CatBusRuss

Bonus - Indiana Comic Convention 2026: "Deathstalker (1983)" & The Ray Bradbury Center

CatBusRuss⁠ concluded his first day at the ⁠Indiana Comic Convention⁠ with 20 3-Mile Island Wings at Hooters, so all would seem to be a success after a comedy of errors resulted in a late arrival to Indianapolis, failing to be in the right panel rooms at the right times, and enduring the original "⁠Deathstalker⁠". The crew from the ⁠Ray Bradbury Center⁠ at Indiana University Indianapolis and some pushing from a new friend made it all worthwhile.

Our host was late to the con because he chose to try and see if he could make it "Deathstalker" week. He saw the second one at ⁠B-Fest⁠ this year and he had just watched the ⁠2025 remake⁠ for the last episode of the podcast. Wanting to get a full eight hours of sleep (or the most he could get based on the whims of Eva the Queen Kitty), he did not pack his bag till the morning. As he was packing, and trying to forget about the poorly directed and overly rapey "Conan: The Barbarian" knock off, the thought dawned on him that he should break out the ⁠Captain N⁠ cosplay for at least one day.

The wardrobe decision paid off for ⁠Russ⁠ because as he was trying to get an idea of what "⁠Bootleg Safari⁠" would be Saturday night from ⁠Effin' Birds⁠ creator Aaron Reynolds, he drew the attention of graphic novel writer ⁠Lan Pitts⁠. Pitts felt he found a kindred spirit because of his eighties cartoon nostalgia and ⁠I Dig Crazy Flicks⁠ button that replaced "Dig" with the Cannon Group logo. A conversation would ensue about "Masters of the Universe", his latest novel "⁠Beat Every 1-Up⁠", and what is the sexuality of just being attracted to those who do not identify as men.

From there he went and accidentally sat in on a very educational panel from ⁠Jason Aukerman⁠ of the Ray Bradbury Center about the history and need to resist censorship in arts. Russ's original plan was to check out one of the few older nostalgia panels at the con about THE "Star Trek Trilogy". It was probably for the best that he was not in a position to demand recognition for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" meaning they should be celebrating a quadrilogy.

The serendipity of being in room 140 was that four more representatives of the Bradbury Center had three panels after Aukerman to check out. Russ only meant to stick around for two of them, a discussion about the history of fembots and an effort to shutdown those who say "⁠Sinners⁠" was no different than "⁠From Dusk Till Dawn⁠", but ⁠Kylie Adkins, Coye Lloyd, Christopher Adkins, and Andy Jorgenson⁠ were so inviting and friendly, he had to sit in on their queer legacy in video gaming panel.

After this day, will Russ have the energy for the rest of the con? A good way to get that energy is to give a flavor from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Doich! Snacking Dough a try. It is cookie dough with more protein, less sugar, and none of the eight major allergens. Our host is not a cookie fan, but this stuff taste great and leaves you feeling full quickly. Follow the link below to save 20% on your order and give Chocolate Chip, Birthday Cake, or WTFudge Brownie dough a try.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bonus - Indiana Comic Convention 2026: Impromptu Transformers "Expert", The Norris/Sith Conspiracy, & Pompeii (2014)

CatBusRuss⁠ is out of promotional buttons. This in itself would suggest that it was a successful trip to ⁠Indiana Comic Convention 2026⁠, but its the friendships that count. Friendships that allowed him to be a substitute panelist because some people just volunteer for everything.

His sign stating that "Chuck Norris was a Sith Lord" did help him get some extra attention.

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Bonus: Planet Funk Con, QC Fright Con, and "Scanner Cop"

CatBusRuss⁠ is starting a new job this Monday, so regardless if he was asked to host his "⁠I Dig Crazy Flicks⁠" panels, he is getting one more convention out of the way. This has led him to a chill pair of conventions in Davenport with movie stars that get him hyped for a film. Welcome to ⁠QC Fright Con⁠ & ⁠Planet Funk Con⁠.

Our host was made aware of Planet Funk Con from watching ⁠Cinema Snob⁠ videos in 2025 to promote his appearance there. By the time Brad Jones was advertising it, it was too late to apply as a panelists.

Russ did apply this year, and received an email making sure that he was available because they "we're going to schedule all of your panels", but he never received any further updates. After seeing that Planet Funk only had one panel room, doubts arose. When he contacted the con about the schedule, all he received back was the same info being advertised.

This left our host a little frustrated after restocking promotional buttons, but the Peoria Chiefs and the Chicago Cubs are out of town. The Quad Cities is as good of an escape as any place else.

And thus far, he has no regrets. Just confusion that QC Fright Con and Planet Funk Con are being advertised as two different events. Why is ⁠Sam Jones⁠ of "Flash Gordon" fame a celebrity at the horror con? Was it because you cannot have more than one Jones per con? Does CatBus need to provide claymores to the two since there can be only one?

Russ got to meet ⁠Ken Foree⁠, talk shop with a 3D Pokeball dealer whom he met at ⁠Quad City Comic Con⁠ and ⁠Indiana Comic Convention⁠, and having a great chat with ⁠Brian O'Halloran⁠ about podcasting and shared trauma of being clerks. Add a autograph from ⁠Matt Hill⁠, the voice of "⁠Captain N: The Game Master⁠", CatBusRuss is feeling like a winner.

If you need a winner when it comes to healthy snacks, try a flavor from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Doich! Snacking Dough. It is cookie dough with more protein, less sugar, and none of the eight major allergens. Our host is not a cookie fan, but this stuff taste great and leaves you feeling full quickly. Follow the link below to save 20% on your order and give Chocolate Chip, Birthday Cake, or WTFudge Brownie dough a try.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Undrafted and Wrongfully Drafted

"Bull Durham" was not drafted on the Baseball Draft (A film that can only be drafted at #1)
"No Fear of a Black Hat" on the Fictional Band Mini-Mega Draft
The entire George Lucas Draft
"The Birdcage" instead of "La Cage Aux Folles" on the Drag Draft
"Road Trip" was not even mentioned during the Road Trip Draft
"Major League" instead of "Drop Zone" on the Wesley Snipes Draft
"Black Swan" instead of "Mermaids" on the Wynona Ryder Draft
"Akira" instead of "Ghost World" on the Comic Book Movie (Non-Super Hero) Draft. Tetsuo is a Supe.
"Now You See Me" instead of "Diggstown" on the Con Artist Movie Draft
"The Onion Movie" instead of "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask" on the Sketch Comedy Anthologies Draft
"The Big Lebowski" not being marked eight on the Coen Bros. Draft
"Labrynth" or "Dark Crystal" not receiving the number 1 or 2 spot in the Jim Henson Draft
"Stage Fright" on the Giallo Draft. It is a slasher despite the presentation.
"Assault of Precinct 13" and "Prince of Darkness" Instead of "Escape from New York" and "The Thing" on the John Carpenter Draft
"Con Air" instead of "US Marshalls" and "Universal Soldier" instead of "Time Cop " on the 90's Action Draft
"WarGames" instead of "Spies Like Us" on the Cold War Draft
"Traffic" instead of "Side Effects" on the Steven Soderbergh Draft
"Fight Club" instead of "The Virgin Suicides" on the 1999 Draft ("Suicides" made the Actor Directorial Debut Draft)
Any Kirk Douglass instead of "The Shining" being on the Kubrick Draft
"Return of the Jedi" instead of "Tokyo Drift" on the Threequels Draft (there's only one "Return," okay, and it ain't "of the King," it's "of the Jedi.")

Deserves a Second Chance

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).

I find the DC movies, or at least Zack Snyder, was trying to bring comic books to the big screen as opposed to adapting comic books for the big screen. If you read, (or watch the excellent animated adaptation of) "The Dark Knight Returns", it is a very slow build to the battle between the Bat and Supe. This is regarded as one of the best threads in comics.

As a guy who fell in love with wrestling in the 1980's, the very methodical showdown is what I loved. It's a love letter to comic book fans who read and note every detail and want to try figuring out the plot before the character do. Come at the flick this way, and I think you will get something out of it.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

This is a feature that dares you to be offended. When director Ben Stiller is that forthcoming like Robert Downey Sr. was with 1969's "Putney Swope", an audience saying that something is in poor taste, hence not funny, means they are afraid to make a mockery of a concept.

My own experience with junkies bankrupting me allows me to thoroughly enjoy Jack Black's making addiction seem ridiculous. Robert Downey Jr. nails his taboo performance and I would say helps the call for actors from a demographic to be the first people called on for the roles representing them. As for the "Forest Gump" knock off jokes, they serve as a way to ridicule us for what we accepted (and encouraged) as fine a decade prior. The narrative that controls the pace in the second act can drag, but the content that is delivered cannot be cut.