Our 2023 Guests

Siouxper Headliners

Promo photo for Sean Gunn.

Sean Gunn

We are Out-of-This-Galaxy excited to announce that Sean Gunn is coming to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!

It’s not every day you get to meet someone who plays a character in Marvel Universe – and even more rare to meet someone who plays two! Multi-faceted Sean Gunn not only portrays Kraglin in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” & other Marvel films, but also provides motion reference for Rocket Racoon! He will also reprise both roles in “Guardians of the Galaxy 3” coming in 2023!

If his many, many Marvel movies aren’t enough, his other movie credits include “The Suicide Squad”, “I am Mortal”, “Agnes”, “The Belko Experiment”, “A Boy Called Po”, “Ordinary World”, and more, including new projects currently in development.

Sean has also had many television roles. Fans of “Gilmore Girls” know him as the quirky Kirk Gleason in both the original series and the recent “Gilmore Girls Revival”. He has also appeared on “3rd Rock from the Sun”, “Glee”, “Yes, Dear”, “Bones”, “The Rookie”, and many more.

Promo photo for Jim Cummings.

Jim Cummings

Winnie the Pooh is coming to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond! …and Tigger too!

A true legend, Jim Cummings has voiced almost 400 roles in his decades-long career – perhaps most notably as the official voice of Winnie the Poo since 1988 and Tigger since 1989. He’s also the official voice of the Tasmanian Devil, since 1991 and Disney’s Pete (aka Peg-leg Pete, Bad Pete, etc.) since 1991.

If you’ve visited Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World, you’ve heard his voice as Hondo Ohnaka, which he also voices in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels.

Among his multitude of voice credits, he’s also played Darkwing Duck, Cat on “Cat Dog”, Dr Robotnik in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” animated series and many, many, many more.

Even before his amazing career as a voice actor, Jim had a fascinating life, designing and painting Mardi Gras floats in New Orleans, working as a riverboat deck hand and singing and playing with a regional rock band.

Promo photo for Adrian Paul.

Adrian Paul

There Can Be Only One! …Sound familiar? Well, we’ve got him!

The one and only Adrian Paul, star of the Highlander tv series, is coming to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond! as a featured guest. In addition to playing Duncan MacLeod on Highlander for 6 years, Adrian has appeared in numerous movies and television shows, and even live theater & Broadway! He’s more than an onscreen star. He’s also a director, executive producer, screenwriter, accomplished martial artist and even a choreographer for fight scenes.

He has also developed and personally heads The Sword Experience, a sword training event that he will be bringing to Sioux Falls to coincide with his appearance at SiouxperCon! This is an exclusive, separately-ticketed event.

This is your chance to learn sword techniques from sword and martial arts expert, not to mention famous actor, Adrian Paul! In addition to your training session, you’ll also receive keepsakes from the event, including photos and video!

Customize your experience by selecting the package of your choice. To ensure the best Experience for all participants, registration is limited, so don’t wait! Spectator tickets for the Sword Experience are also available. 

Get all the details and register for your very own Sword Experience with Adrian Paul!

Promo image of Veronica Taylor.

Veronica Taylor

She’s a classically trained actor who has performed in New York City and around the U.S., but you probably know her best as the voices of Ash and May on “Pokemon”! That’s right, Veronica Taylor will be joining us for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!, sponsored by CaveGamers Sioux Falls.

In addition to “Pokemon” cartoons, you may also recognize her voice from her role as April in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, Sheep in “World World”, Mixiebot in “Lunch Lab”, or Ramona from “Chuck Vanderchuck’s ‘something something’ Explosion!” and voice roles in “Cubix”, “Dinosaur King”, “Yu-Gi-Oh”, “Huntik”, “Tai Chi Chasers”, and more!

Her current projects include voicing characters in “Sailor Moon”, “Mofy”, “Astroblast”, and “Welcome to the Wayne”. Some of her anime favorites include Amelia on “Slayers”, Yukino on “His and Hers Circumstances”, all seven Nanas on “Nana Seven of Seven”, and Narue on “World of Narue”, as well as many others. She also does numerous voices for animation, video games, audiobooks, commercials and documentaries.

2023 SiouxperCon Guests

Promo image for 131 Mockingbird Lane.

1313 Mockingbird Lane

Attention Toy Lovers! 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys and Collectibles from Lawrence, KS will be joining us at SiouxperCon this year! (and psst! the owner is something of a local Sioux Falls legend, and a rock star, so you’ll want to to meet TERRY TAYLOR too!)

You may have seen them on the Amazon Prime TV series “A Toy Store Near You” 

(Season #1, Episode #2 – or check it out for free on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/A5MTcg8mEFE)

THEY SELL AND BUY NEW AND USED TOYS!–1980s to present day!

Horror, Sci-Fi, Star Wars, Masters of the Universe, Funko Pops, Supernatural, Marvel, DC, GIJOE, Harry Potter, Nightmare Before Christmas, Hello Kitty, Plushes, Anime, Spawn, TMNT, Power Rangers, Godzilla, Transformers and so much more!

You’re sure to find some treasures!

Check them out ahead of time on:

Facebook.com/1313mockingbirdks

Instagram.com/1313mockingbirdks

TikTok: mockingbirdlane

www.1313mockingbirdtoys.com

621st Detention Squadron

The 621st Detention Squad-Central Garrison of the 501st Legion have been a part of our convention ever since the first SiouxperCon, and we are so excited to have them return to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana

The 621st Detention Squad is dedicated to having fun while bringing Star Wars costuming through charity and community service for the state of South Dakota and is part of the Central Garrison which, combined with 75 other Garrisons from around the world, make up the 501st Legion, an all-volunteer international Star Wars Costuming Club. 

The Legion was started in 1997 by Albin Johnson from South Carolina, and since then has grown to over 14,412 active members with a total of 31,646 Legion-approved costumes covering 6 different continents.

While the 501st was initially founded to unite costumers with a penchant for Star Wars villainy, one of the real-world missions is to bring good to local communities through volunteer charity work. The 501st is always looking for opportunities to brighten the lives of the less fortunate and to bring awareness to positive causes on both a local and global scale. One such example started in September 2016, when the 501st Legion announced their commitment to a first-of-its-kind international endowment in a unique partnership with Make-A-Wish. The 501st Legion Make-A-Wish Endowment Fund will allow Make-A-Wish America and Make-A-Wish International to grant more Star Wars-related wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. The endowment fund will allow Make-A-Wish to grant wishes, alternating between the United States and international locations every other year – a first for an endowment of this kind. 

The Endowment relies on contributions from its members, as well as the public. The Endowment fund will grant wishes from the interest accrued; as the fund continues to grow, so will the number of wishes granted by the endowment.

Promo photo for David Barclay.

David Barclay

Yoda is coming to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!

Yes, you read that right! Yoda will be here along with expert puppeteer David Barclay, one of the most sought after puppeteers in both Hollywood and England.

David assisted Frank Oz with Yoda during filming of “The Empire Strikes Back” and was also chief puppeteer for Jabba the Hutt in “Return of the Jedi”. His film credits include work in other amazingly popular movies such as “Labyrinth”, “The Dark Crystal”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Muppet Christmas Carol”, and “Where the Wild Things Are”, among others.

David will be bringing with him the ONLY EXACT replica of the “Empire Strikes Back” Yoda puppet taken from the original mold. He and Yoda will be available for professional photo ops, and David will greet guests and sign autographs throughout the convention.

Don’t miss your chance to meet David Barclay and ask him what it’s like not only to be in control of the most disgusting creature in the “Star Wars” universe (Jabba the Hutt) but to be inside him as well! And get your photo with Yoda! How often are you going to get an opportunity like this?

Promo image for John Bivens.

John Bivens

John Bivens’ work has appeared in the Eisner and Harvey Award winning “Comic Book Tattoo”, the Harvey Award winning “Popgun volume 4”, and the Harvey nominated “Reading with Pictures”. He has also received nominations for an Eagle Award and a Ghastly Award. He has worked for IMAGE Comics, Heavy Metal Magazine, Vault Comics, Valiant Comics, IDW Publishing, and others.

John’s work spans the genres of crime, horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and education. His education includes the undergraduate illustration program at Northern Illinois University and the Graduate program at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University, Dakota County Technical College, and participated in multiple visiting workshops and panels.

Promo photo for Ren Brown.

Hailey “Ren” Brown

Hailey “Ren” Brown is an award-winning, internationally-published artist with a love for color, motion and storytelling.

She has worked as a sequential artist, colorist and illustrator for a wide range of clients, including Brink Literacy, “F(r)iction Magazine”, New York Times bestselling authors, Newsarama, Dynamite Entertainment, and a variety of independent projects.

 

Frankly Built Cosplay

We’re excited to bring you Frankly Built Cosplay at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

Come and see what hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers and Instagram followers and 2 MILLION TikTok followers are fascinated by! Frankly Built doesn’t just create amazing cosplay designs, he also loves teaching people how to build their own, too! If you’re interested in 3D printing and cosplay – you’ll definitely want to meet this guy!

Find Frankly Built on the exhibit floor from September 29th to October 1st at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and judging the cosplay competition. His work is amazing & he’s ready to tell you all about it!

Zander Cannon

We’re thrilled to announce Zander Cannon will be returning to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux
Falls and Beyond!

Zander is an award-winning cartoonist who has been writing and drawing comics since
1993–most notably Kaijumax, Heck, Top Ten, Smax, and The Replacement God. In addition to
his comic work, he has also partnered to develop several nonfiction graphic novels, a digital comic magazine and more. He lives in Minneapolis with his cool wife and awesome son.

Keith Champagne

Please welcome Keith Champagne to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond
benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

Keith is a writer/inker/artist best known for his three decades of work in the comic book industry, for clients such as DC Comics (Green Lantern, JSA), Marvel Comics (X-Men, Spider-Man), Dark Horse Comics (Stranger Things, Apex Legends) and hundreds of other projects for almost every publisher in the comic book field. His creator-owned work includes The Switch: Electricia, Daybreak!, Microscopic and more. Keith is also an editor (Heavy Metal/Virus), Kickstarter consultant, and the publisher of New Pain Productions, the creator-owned publishing company formed with frequent collaborator Tom Nguyen. If you’re not tired of reading about him yet, he also letters comic books under the pseudonym “Alfie Betts.”

Hector Curriel

We’re excited to welcome Hector Curriel back to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

Hector Curriel is a contemporary visual artist who lives and works in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A native of Lima, Peru, his variety of art production includes; fine art, book illustration, and cartooning. His distinctive personal style emanates in his compositions of different stages of the human spirit. As an artist, he defines himself as a storyteller.

Curriel’s artwork has been shown in exhibitions at The California State Library, Augustana University, Minnesota West Community College, and more. He has illustrated several books for individuals and house publishings and one of the latest was” Something About Christmas” published by Children’s Home Society in 2020.

Bob Elmore

We are happy to also announce “Leatherface” himself Bob Elmore will also be in attendance for SiouxperCon signing autographs and taking photos! Bob was the Leatherface stunt performer alongside Caroline Williams in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
 
That’s not all! We will also have a special presentation of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 as part of the SiouxperCon Film Festival Friday, September 29th at 6PM!

Hannah Eva

Get ready to meet cosplay guest Hannah Eva at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and
Beyond!

Hannah Eva is a cosplayer who considers herself a child at heart–who never grew out of playing dress up. Hannah attended her first convention in 2014 and immediately fell in love with the cosplay culture. She treats every costume that she makes like a work of art and loves to put creative twists on classic looks.

The winner of multiple costume competitions, she now uses her experiences to focus on judging cosplay competitions. When she is not attending conventions, she helps promote charities and local businesses with her cosplays. Hannah has always had a dream of making a career out of dressing up in costumes and with each stitch, button, and sequin she is proud to be making her dream a reality.

First Lego League

We are so excited that FIRST Lego League has agreed to be a part of SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

FIRST is the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education. For 30 years students from all walks of life have developed self-confidence in STEM and valuable, real-world skills through FIRST that open pathways to a better future. 

Through a progression of team-based robotics challenges and backed by a global network of mentors, coaches, volunteers, alumni, and sponsors, FIRST ® helps young people discover a passion for STEM and develop skills they’ll need to succeed in today’s competitive workforce.  

First will be located in Kidzone in a large interactive booth with plenty to do for everyone. Information on how to form a team and how to volunteer will also be available at the booth.

Tony Fleecs

We are excited to announce Tony Fleecs will be back with us again for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana! 

Tony is a critically acclaimed comic book creator, his work having sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the United States and having been translated and reprinted all over the world.

Tony’s creator-owned books include Stray Dogs, In My Lifetime, Jeff Steinberg: Champion of Earth, and Time Shopper. You’ve seen Tony’s art on some of your favorite titles like Star Wars, Avengers, Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rick & Morty, Transformers and My Little Pony.




Eric Gapstur

We are more than just “sort of” excited to announce that Eric Gapstur, author of “Sort of Super” will be joining us at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota and Montana!

And we’re equally excited to announce that every child, 10 and under, who attends SiouxperCon on Dakota News Now Siouxper Family Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 1, will receive a copy of Eric’s book, “Sort of Super”, thanks to a grant from the South Dakota Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Over 1,000 copies of the book will be distributed to youth during this event!

An author and illustrator, Gapstur does work for DC and Image Comics. “Sort of Super” is his debut middle-grade graphic novel, soon to be followed by “Sort of Super: The Magma Cup”.

Sort of Super is about eleven-year-old Wyatt who suddenly has superpowers, but is not very good at using his powers yet.

Gapstur will be available all three days of the convention to interact with fans and sign books in the Bricks & Minifigs Kidzone. On Sunday, he will also do a panel presentation at noon to talk about his book and his career.

Promo image for Celtic Honey.

Celtic Honey

A long time con attendee starting way back with Gen Con in 1997, Honey has always had a passion for all things cosplay, gaming, anime, sci-fi, and more! Joining us from the Quad Cities (Iowa/Illinois border), Honey loves hosting panels for cosplay, burlesque/nerdlesque, body positivity, consent education, martial arts and enjoys anything to do with art and inspiring creativity. We can’t wait!

As some of you already know, Honey headlined the Nerdlesque show for SiouxperCon 2022! What you don’t know yet is that Honey will also be a part of the VeauxDevil Cabaret Burlesque Show again this year under drag persona, Stinger Wright-Sin!

Promo photo for Megan Hollingshead.

Megan Hollingshead

We’re so excited to announce that the Original Nurse Joy from Pokémon – Megan Hollingshead – will be our guest at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!

In addition to being the “OG” Nurse Joy, Megan is also well-known in the voiceover world as Yu-Gi-Oh!’s original Mai Valentine!

She has voiced hundreds of characters in animation and games including Bleach (Rangiku and Nemu), Naruto (Shizune and Ton Ton), Valkyrie Profile (Lenneth), Ergo Proxy (Rey-L Meyer), Code Geass (Villetta Nu), as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Dr. Abigail Finn), Sonic the Hedgehog (Scarlet Garcia) and many, many more Pokémon characters! The list really does go on and on and on!

If you’re starstruck and at a loss for words when you meet her at SiouxperCon: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!, ask her about her adventures braving volcanic hot springs with George Takei (Captain Sulu from Star Trek) or how she feels about the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 

Mikaela Hoover

Adding to our Galaxy of Stars – we are pleased to announce Mikaela Hoover is coming to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

Mikaela Hoover helped James Gunn and company break global audiences’ hearts with her touching portrayal of the lovable, tortured Floor the Bunny – doomed friend of Rocket Raccoon – in the global megahit “Guardians of the Galaxy 3”. She also appeared as Nova Prime’s assistant in the inaugural installment of the “Guardians” franchise. Hoover has worked with writer/director Gunn on several projects including “The Suicide Squad”, “The Belko Experiment”, “Super” and “PG Porn”.

Hoover is known for her work as Madison in the WB’s “Sorority Forever”, Netflix film “Love Hard” and a recurring role on the ABC show “Happy Endings”. She has also guest starred on many extremely popular sitcoms including “How I Met Your Mother”, “Two and a Half Men”, “Saint George”, “The League”, and “Anger Management”. Her film work further includes “Guest House” and “Holidate”.

Mikaela will be appearing with her Guardians of the Galaxy 3 cast mate, Sean Gunn. Look for them on the exhibitor floor all three days of the convention and come see their main stage panel on Saturday, September 30, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center! 

Dylan Jacobson

Let’s give a big SiouxperCon welcome to Dylan Jacobson, sponsored by Game Chest!

Dylan is a local artist known for his comics and illustrations.You may be familiar with his original comic series “Champions”, or his coloring book, “Together With Goblins”. He has worked in comics, writing, character art and graphics and he has been working with schools and communities teaching comic art, character art, storytelling and roleplaying since 2016.

Knightmage

Can’t get enough Cosplay? Neither can we! We’re thrilled to welcome back international cosplayer/entertainer/philanthropist Michael “Knightmage” Wilson as a cosplay guest for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond, sponsored by Sioux Falls Pride!

 
A current, decorated 24-year Deputy Sheriff for the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio, Michael has been cosplaying since 2012. Having created over 350 costumes and won numerous awards and accolades, Michael is noted as one of the most influential and diverse cosplayers in the world. And yes! We’re bringing him to Sioux Falls to meet fans right here!
 
Genuinely loving to entertain, make a positive impact and bring smiles, Michael most often uses his costuming by participating in many charitable events, benefits, parades, birthdays and hospital visits to children. This has led him to becoming a member of esteemed costuming groups all over the United States such as “The League of Heroes, The Heroes Alliance-Ohio Branch, East Coast Avengers, Costumers with a Cause and Superheroes to Kids in Ohio and Heroic Inner Kids”.
 
Michael often works closely with charity organizations as a sponsor and has partnered with over 200 various organizations around the world to fundraise and bring awareness to these organizations. Michael has received numerous awards for his charitable deeds including the “Outstanding Service Award” from Credit Where Credit Is Due, the CosBravo Award, Electronic Sports Industry Most Influential Male Cosplayer Award and most notably the “Presidential Volunteers Award” from President Barack Obama and the White House.
 
In addition to philanthropy, Michael also has a love for acting and stunt work, having worked on several Hollywood comic book movie productions. He was even an alternate for the 2006 reality show “Who Wants To Be A Superhero” hosted by Stan Lee. You may have seen him featured in the popular YouTube series “MAN AT ARMS: Reforged”. In addition to his own cosplay looks, Michael has also created various costumes for World Wrestling Entertainment superstars.

Heather & Lace

They put the “cleave” in Cleveland, it’s Heather & Lace! Heather performs burlesque using their unique blend of costuming, dance, and storytelling to create their acts. Recently, they’ve been seen all over the interwebs, including winning the “Your Royal Tease Burlesque Competition”, BUT they have also been seen at the Land of the Sky Festival, NOLA Nerdlesque Festival, Oklahoma City Burlesque Festival where they won “Most Original”, and the Midwest Burlesque Festival where they won the “Tornado” and “Master of Tassels” awards. They are also a co-producer with Shrimply the Best! Burlesque, The Fandom Fantasies, Love & Lace Presents, and with The Midwest Nerdlesque Festival and Ohio Burlesque Festival.

They’re known as the Dollar Store Diva, get ready for Heather & Lace!

Catch Heather & Lace at the 3rd Annual SiouxperCon After Dark drag and burlesque show by VeauxDevil Cabaret on Saturday, September 30th!

Ant Lucia

If you missed him last year, you get another chance! If you got to see him last year, you’ll want to stop by and see what is new this year! Let’s hear a big SiouxperCon “Welcome Back!” for Ant Lucia!
 
When Ant Lucia unveiled his designs for such characters as Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Harley Quinn, and the rest in the series, popularity of the DC Bombshells exploded! His designs inspired the launch of the DC Bombshell comic, as well as one of the most popular lines of DC collectible statues, lithographs, action figures, Funko POP figures and many more licensed products – not to mention scores of cosplayers!
 
His cover work has been used on many DC titles including Action Comics, Aquaman, Batman, Catwoman, Green Arrow, Harley Quinn, Justice League Dark, Justice League United, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Detective Comics, Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Earth 2, Teen Titans.
 
Come see Ant’s latest work as well as his classics at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana. September 29 – October 1 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Get your tickets now at SiouxperCon.com!

Tré Da Marc

Hailing from Minneapolis, MN, Tré Da Marc is an international boylesque sensation that cannot be duplicated. Known for his trademark combination of sass and ass, he is ready to leave his stamp (and a fair amount of glitter and sweat) on any stage he meets. He is a cast member of Black Hearts Burlesque and Sovereign Tease Productions locally in the Twin Cities.

This multi-award-winning performer began his burlesque career in August 2013, at the Nudie Nubie Amateur Reveal Show where he won that month’s Nubie competition. Since then, he has performed in more than 40 festivals around the world, being featured internationally at the Vienna Boylesque Festival and the 2016 Amsterdam Burlesque Awards.

They competed in the 2018 Mr. Exotic World/Best Boylesque Category at the Burlesque Hall Of Fame in Las Vegas. He was crowned King of Burlesque at the Noire Pageant in 2020 and was voted one of the Top 50 most influential burlesque industry figures of 2020-2022, by thousands of burlesque peers and fans worldwide.

Catch Tré Da Marc, The Chocolate Drop That Won’t Stop, at the 3rd Annual SiouxperCon After Dark drag and burlesque show by VeauxDevil Cabaret on Saturday, September 30th!

Maria Wolf Lopez

Back by popular demand from last year and sponsored by Rainbow Comics, Cards and Collectibles – Maria Wolf Lopez – will again be our guest at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!
 
Maria is a Chicago-based comic book artist and freelance illustrator. Her work has been published in several short stories and anthologies like Deer Women and The Lost Pages. Her artwork has been displayed in many galleries and charity events; she was also given the opportunity to illustrate artwork for the Smithsonian Museum [Native Knowledge 360]
 
Her cover work for Marvel are some of the most sought after variant covers on the market. Her work includes Marvel Voices, X- Force, Death of Doctor Strange: Bloodstone, Reptil, Women of Marvel, Spider-Punk, Devils Reign, X-Men, By the Horns, Refrigerator full of Heads, Drumsticks of Doom, Lunar Room, God Killer and Barbaric.
 
She expresses her love, passion and raw detail through every line she draws. She believes that every line should bring out movement and flow, making even the smallest of details matter.
 
Her art has been described as intense and powerful. She looks forward to every new
opportunity and welcomes the challenges of her next big projects.
 

Kelli Maroney

As announced on the Screams from the Basement podcast, Kelli Maroney will be appearing at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana! Kelli’s appearance is sponsored by Fear Asylum Haunted House of Brookings.
 
An American actress whose career spans several decades, Kelli has appeared in 31+ films and over 540 hours of television. She first came to recognition through daytime TV programs RYAN’s HOPE and ONE LIFE to LIVE.
 
Today Kelli’s cheerleader costume from FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH is on display in the Universal Studios Museum but she is perhaps best known for her work in the horror genre. Strong female leading roles, notably MAC-10-toting cheerleader “Samantha Belmont” in the zombie apocalypse classic NIGHT OF THE COMET, the sweet Killbot-slaying “Alison Parks” in CHOPPING MALL, “Jamie” in the underground slasher THE ZERO BOYS, teen psychotic-killer “Jolene” in SLAYGROUND, and several other well-received films quickly earned Kelli her seat at the table as a final girl in the family of the horror genre.
 
She has guest-starred in a variety of prime-time ABC, NBC, and CBS shows, including the ever-popular MURDER, SHE WROTE. Kelli has said that her most fulfilling role to date is the schizophrenic femme fatale “Merrie/Meredith” in Showtime’s noir thriller FACE DOWN (written and directed by NIGHT OF THE COMET’s Thom Eberhardt), playing opposite Joe Mantegna, J.K. Simmons, and Adam Ant. Other streaming highlights include Kelli’s channeling Tammy Faye Baker on HBO’s TRUE BLOOD and playing herself in ADULT SWIM’S TIM and ERIC’S AWESOME SHOW-GREAT JOB! alongside Patrick Duffy.
 
Current on-demand films include EXORCISM AT 60,000 FEET with horror icons Lance Henriksen, Adrienne Barbeau and Bill Moseley, THE DEEP ONES, a modernized H.P. Lovecraft film adaptation, and NIGHT CALLER, the 70s-inspired shocker with Steve Railsback and Lew Temple.
Promo image for Clara Meath.

Clara Meath

Clara has been working professionally in comics since 2014. She graduated from SCAD Atlanta in 2016 with the honor of Valedictorian, and her credits include two independently Kickstarted graphic novels–‘Edgar Allan Poe’s The Conqueror Worm’, and ‘Mother47‘ both of which are now published by Comics Experience Publishing.

Come say “Hi” to Clara and see what she’s up to now! Join us September 29 – October 1 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center!

Promo image for Rags Morales.

Rags Morales

Legendary Comic Book Illustrator Rags Morales, sponsored by Brookings Books and Comics

Morales is the artistic talent behind many of the most famous DC Comics titles, including “Identity Crisis”, DC’s ongoing company-wide storyline.

You may have seen his work in “Nightwing”, “Superman/Batman”, “Blackest Night”, “Wonder Woman”, “Forgotten Realms”, “Black Condor”, “Justice Society of America”, and “Hawkman” among many other titles. He has also done work for Dungeons and Dragons magazine and novella work for Harper Collins, including titles by Isaac Asimov and Margaret Weis.

Mythbusters Jr.

We are pleased to announce that the Mythbusters Jr. crew will be back with us again for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

Rachel, Allie, and Elijah always bring creative and inspirational energy to SiouxperCon, and we love to have them!

Rachel Pizzolato is a multitalented, award-winning scientist and Patent-Pending inventor, published writer and poet, fashion and runway model, National Champion Trampolinist, as well as an actor starring in Discovery Science Channel’s – MythBusters Jr.

Allie Weber is a Sioux Falls teen who represented Sioux Falls brilliantly on Mythbusters Jr.! Allie’s creations make use of all kinds of tools and materials. She has been recognized for her innovations by Teen Vogue, 3M and even the Smithsonian!

 

Elijah Horland rounds out the group, bringing his own version of creative, technical mischief, all the way from New York. Elijah is a maker, programmer, and circuitry wizard, with ingenuity to spare, and to share!

Come see what the Mythbusters Jr. team have been up to since last year, and find out what’s next for them at SiouxperCon – September 29 – October 1, 2023 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center!

Nebraska Mystery Machine

Calling all Scooby Do fans! Come out to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond
benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana to see the Mystery Machine!

For the first time at SiouxperCon, the Nebraska Mystery Machine will be available for photo ops!

Come see it, and many other attractions in the newly-expanded main stage area in the Sioux Falls Arena!

Buy your convention tickets online ahead of time to save!

Tom Nguyen

We are excited to announce Tom Nguyen will be back with us again for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana! 

Tom Nguyen began his professional career freelancing for comic book publishers such as DC Comics and Marvel Comics from the age of 19.  Building his name as an inker, he has worked on major titles such as Batman, Green Lantern, JLA, Catwoman, and Superman: The Man of Steel among others.  

Tom has since quickly branched out into other areas professionally, such as penciling, painting, and authoring two instructional books on comic book art.  In addition, Tom has added photography to his resume in recent years with his commercial work for catalogs and portraits of glamour and fitness models.

Along with writer/artist (and SiouxperCon 2023 guest) Keith Champagne, Tom is the co-creator of the successful Kickstarter hit comic book The Switch and is currently working on the sequel.

In recent years, Tom has rebranded himself as an illustrator for television specializing in pitch illustrations, storyboards, concept art, and onscreen artwork (most notably for CBS’s Big Brother, TBS’s Wipeout, and Nickelodeon’s All That among others)

In his spare time, Tom makes appearances at various comic/pop culture conventions, teaches art via his online workshop Art Samurai, runs photography lighting workshops, lifts weights, and plans his next areas of travel with his wife and little Boston Terrier dog named Banh-Bao.




Travis Nye

SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota &
Montana is excited to welcome back magician Travis Nye!

If you haven’t seen Travis Nye perform live before – #1 Where have you been? and #2 You’re in
for treat! Travis is known for not only his interactive magic acts, but also his close-up sleight of
hand, as well as much more! He’s performed live on stage all across the midwest, and also on
ABC, CBS, FOX, Kelo News and Dakota News Now.

Travis will be wowing attendees throughout the weekend in the Kid Zone and will have a main
stage magic show on Dakota News Now Family Day on Sunday, October 1st on the Main Stage.

Promo photo for Nick Palma.

Nick Palma

We’re excited to announce that stunt man, martial artist and “Action Turtle” Nick Palma will be joining us at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!, brought to you by Flashbax Comics and Collectibles.  

His movie credits include being the “Action Turtle” (the performer in the suit) for Michaelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooz.” Nick will appear at SiouxperCon in the Michaelangelo suit for character photo ops as well as greeting attendees & signing autographs in the exhibit hall.

Nick is a U.S. Army veteran, a Golden Glove-awarded boxer, and a skilled martial artist & performer having studied Wing Chun Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Wrestling, Gymnastics, Fencing and Tai Chi.

Eliot Rahal

Eliot Rahal is returning to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A- Wish of South Dakota & Montana!
 
Eliot Rahal is an acclaimed writer based in Minneapolis. Best known for his creator-owned comics, Eliot has also collaborated on graphic novels with international entertainers like Machine Gun Kelly, Cheech & Chong, and “Last Podcast on the Left”. Additionally, Eliot’s works have been featured by “The New York Times”, “Late Night with Seth Meyers”, “The CBS Morning Show”, and “The Drew Barrymore Show”.
 
Be sure to spend some time with Eliot on the Vendor floor September 29th to October 1st at the Sioux Falls Convention Center!

Erick Rowan

Flagship Pro Wrestling and SiouxperCon are thrilled to announce the appearance of professional wrestler Erick Redbeard.
 
Erick is best known for his time in WWE under the ring name Erick Rowan, a member of the Wyatt Family. He went on to become a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion (with Luke Harper) and a two-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion (once with Harper and once with Daniel Bryan). Erick has been wrestling the independent circuit since 2020 most notably in All Elite Wrestling.

South Dakota Ghostbusters

The original and premier Ghostbusters themed cosplay group of South Dakota are joining us again at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

 
Best known as Ghostbusters fans who take their love to the most extreme with movie-accurate props and outfits, all with the intent of raising money and awareness for a good cause or simply making people smile, the South Dakota Ghostbusters are not superheroes–just some average, hard-working Ghostbusters trying to help. This diverse group of cosplayers has only one wish–to serve the greater good and have fun doing it! They’re saving the world one charity event at a time. Who ya’ gonna call? Ghostbusters!

SD Superheroes & Villains

As always, we love to feature local clubs and groups that serve our community with their love of nerd culture and cosplay.

We are pleased to announce that The SD Superheroes & Villains will be returning to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

The SD Superheroes & Villains is a cosplay group dedicated to bringing characters to life for children and families in the Siouxland area.

They love to bring smiles to everyone at charity events, hospital visits, and numerous superhero-themed special appearances. They pride themselves on pushing for the best costumes they can create to make the characters look like they jumped off the comic page or off the movie screen. Making and sharing these costumes has brought them together and they love to see all the new costumes people bring to conventions like Siouxpercon!

South Dakota LEGO User Group

We are excited to announce that South Dakota LEGO User Group will be joining us for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

We will have LEGO creators from South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa who free build their own unique creations out of LEGO brick. All of these builders are members of SODALUG (South Dakota LEGO User Group) which is based in Sioux Falls. 

Members will bring their creations to display at SiouxperCon, including:  

  • 5ft+ long replica of the USS Battleship South Dakota
  • 80,000+ LEGO recreation of “Kaer Morhen” from The Witcher 3
  • a large series of scene layouts from Gilligan’s Island
  • a 5ft x 5ft pirate world layout
  • a massive LEGO lunar space station

And More – including a special LEGO replica of Phillips Avenue in downtown Sioux Falls – planned to be unveiled at SiouxperCon!

Come out and see LEGO dreams come to life with the South Dakota LEGO Users Group. You’ll find them and their amazing creations located in the SiouxperCon Kidzone presented by Bricks & Minifigs Sioux Falls all three days of the convention!

Ron Simmons

Hall of Fame Wrestler Ron Simmons is coming to SiouxperCon. Ron is a retired professional football player and professional wrestler. Ron was an All-American College Football Player for the Florida State Seminoles before playing professionally for the Cleveland Browns.
 
He entered wrestling in 1986 for WCW and eventually found his way to the WWE and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2012. He was the first African American to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, and was thus the first officially recognized African American World Champion. He was also a one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion and a one-time WCW United States Tag Team Champion He was one of the most prominent stars in the WWF in the early Attitude Era. In the WWE, he was most famously, a three-time WWE Tag Team Champion with Bradshaw as one half of the Acolytes Protection Agency.

Nick Simon

Welcome back normal local Sioux Falls guy and hot-shot LA movie writer/director Nick Simon to SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana!

Nick Simon grew up in a mixed-race home where an early interest in film allowed him a view into his Syrian heritage that wasn’t reflected in his local landscape. His interest in cinema turned to an obsession as he began filming the local bands, eventually crafting music videos that played on MTV. Simon moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to attend the American Film Institute, which led to him being mentored by the late horror legend, Wes Craven.

Nick has directed and written several feature and television films including “The Girl in the Photographs”, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and “The Pyramid”, released by 20th Century Fox. Simon’s film, “Untitled Horror Movie”, is an innovative movie that was filmed entirely remotely, during the 2020 lockdown and released in 2021.

Nick’s appearance is sponsored by Pepper Entertainment. A hearty thank-you to them for helping us to bring Nick back to SiouxperCon!

Arthur Suydam

Love zombie stories? C’mon – who doesn’t? Our guest–Arthur “Zombie King” Suydam–is probably partially responsible for that. Suydam’s work for the smash hit series “Marvel Zombies” helped prompt the international pop-culture zombie phenomenon.

Suydam is an award-winning artist for “The Walking Dead”, “Marvel Zombies”, “Deadpool”, “Army of Darkness”, “Moonknight”, “Black Panther” and many more.

He’s won the Spike TV Scream Award, Spectrum Gold Award for Institutional Art, The San Sebastian Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, U.O.M.E.S. Lifetime Achievement Award, and numerous fan-site favorite awards across the globe.

And did I mention ZOMBIES? 

Ben Templesmith

For the first time, SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana will be welcoming Ben Templesmith!
 
Ben Templesmith is a New York Times best-selling artist and writer most widely known for his work in the comic book industry where he has received multiple nominations for the International Horror Guild Awards as well as the industry’s top prize, the Eisner Award. He also won a Spike TV Scream Award.
 
As a creator, his most notable works have been 30 Days of Night (which spawned a major motion picture) and Fell. His other projects include the critically acclaimed serial Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, as well as Welcome to Hoxford, and Singularity 7, all of which he also wrote.
 
He has also worked on the Star Wars, Doctor Who, GI Joe, Army of Darkness, Silent Hill and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer properties and produces art and design for music bands, dvds, toys, and film concept work.
 
This will be Ben’s first time visiting South Dakota! Come see him on the exhibit floor all three days–join us Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center! Tickets available for pre-purchase now!

Peter Wartman

We are thrilled to announce that Peter Wartman, cartoonist and illustrator will be back with us
for SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond!

Peter is currently working as the artist on the Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novels with writer Faith Erin Hicks. 

His past work includes his debut, creator-owned graphic novel, Over the Wall, and its sequel, Stonebreaker, both of which were published by Uncivilized Books. He has also done work as a writer, most recently writing the NY Times Best Selling Dragon Prince: Through the Moon with artist Xanthe Bouma.

Promo image for Caroline Williams.

Caroline Williams

As announced on the Screams from the Basement podcast, horror queen Caroline Williams-Stretch from Texas Chainsaw II and the upcoming Nick Cage movie Reinfeld, will be appearing at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond! Sponsored by Fear Asylum.

After starting out in mainstream movies, commercials and voiceover work, Caroline Williams earned her first horror role by running screaming down the hallway and bursting into the casting office, pulling the chairs out from under the casting directors and performing her audition huddled in a corner. Her antics won her the role from a field of 440 actresses and set her on a path to roles in a mix of horror and mainstream films, including “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”, “Leprechaun 3”, “Stepfather II”, “Days of Thunder” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.

She has also appeared in numerous TV series guest starring roles including “Grey’s Anatomy”, “The Mentalist”, “ER”, “Nip/Tuck”, “NYPD Blue” and “Murder She Wrote”, among many others. She even made an appearance in the Sharknado franchise, appearing in “Sharknado: The 4th Awakens”.

Dave Wheeler

Please help us welcome back one of the co-founders of the kid-friendly comic company – Mind Wave Comics – Dave Wheeler!
 
Dave is a jack of all trades when it comes to comics and design. Working as an: inker, colorist, letterer, writer and book designer in comics for the better part of two decades.
 
He’s doing his part to bring back fun to comics! Along with comics Dave has worked as a toy designer for Boss Fight Studios and streams regularly about his love of toys on his Youtube channel: Youtube.com/davewonder
 
Outside of comics and toys Dave also has worked as a graphics, gear and merch designer in the professional wrestling industry, having his work seen on AEW, ROH and WWE!
 
Find out what he likes to do when he’s not in the studio! Rumor has it he enjoys long walks on the beach, making toys and professional wrestling!
 
Come meet Dave Wheeler at SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond benefitting Make-A-Wish of South Dakota & Montana.
 
Tickets are available now for September 29-October 1 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Get yours today!