Wild Wild West Con 2013

20 03, 13

True confession: I lived in Tucson for a decade and only went to Old Tucson once, and that was the version that burned down in 1995. So everything about the old western set was entirely new to both Drake and me when we arrived for Wild Wild West Con.

As promised in “Oh Hats!,” we premiered our new Drake-and-McTrowell-before-they-were-D&McT costumes. Luckily, Lady Amethyst was there to capture us in our new finery. (Thanks, yet again, for making us look good.)

Sparky del Pecos

Can You Say Pecos Incident?

Drake as Pirate

Thar Be a Fancy Pirate

L.O.S.E.R. was there organizing a scavenger hunt. Drake and I both found all four villains, which won us an advance reader’s edition of A Conspiracy of Alchemists. Of course, Drake had to arrest them and throw them in the hoosegow.

LOSER in Jail

Behind Bars Where They Belong

Needless to say the Saturday night concert with Professor Elemental, Steam Powered Giraffe, and Abney Park really raised the roof in the Grand Palace Saloon.

And there were new delights to be sampled. League of S.T.E.A.M. recorded the first live edition of their S.T.E.A.M. Geeks podcast. You can see Drake and a sliver of my head in the pics on their website, and you can hear me on the podcast. One of the topics I discussed was my new favorite sport, tea dueling!

Alva and Sparky Dueling

My Opponent, Alva, Looked Better in Her Corset, Too!

I learned that this is the signature event of the Tucson Steampunk Society. Sadly, I lost to my friend, Alva O’Dell. Her partner in crime, Oliver Von Bremen, also acquitted himself with valor…and swagger.

Von Bremen Dueling

Maximale Gesundheit!

And then there was Professor Elemental’s steampunk rapping workshop.

Zero G Rap

Who Knew You Could Rap About Zero G?

I’m starting to see more fans cosplaying Steam Powered Giraffe, including these two. Someone told me they’re a family that traveled all the way from Georgia. Yes, there’s someone on those stilts inside that metal giraffe.

Stilt Powered Giraffe