Most of the Collective crew and I consider ourselves devout Tolkienites, and when a panel and a screening of the Tolkien film was announced at WonderCon, we made sure to wear our finest Elf attire to the event. We were fortunate enough to speak with director Dome Karukoski after the screening (during which he complimented our cosplays, but that’s neither nor there). Shortly after WonderCon, we were invited via a friend to attend the Los Angeles premiere on May 8.

Seeing the film for a second time proved that it is just as heartwarming and tender as it was when we first saw it last month. Tolkien is a film meant for his fans: it paints a picture of a young man whose imagination was strengthened and nurtured by the fellowship and love of the people surrounding him in his youth.

By the Collectress

The Collective Crew has been to our share of comic and fan conventions around the globe, and we’ve written about most of them. Yet, for all the con coverage we’ve done, we’ve never really delved into the types of people you meet at conventions. So this past WonderCon, I spent quite a bit of my weekend just walking around and talking to people. It was the social exercise of the year for me because I’m a verified introvert, and this is by no means an all-inclusive list, because of course there will be people who fit into none or multiple categories.

By the Collected Canadian

“Find what you’re afraid of most and go live there.”
Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

The Collective had the fortunate opportunity of attending “A Legacy of Evil: Creating DC Villains” panel at this year’s WonderCon, moderated by John Kourounis (DC Daily Co-Host) and featuring masterminds Scott Snyder (Justice League, Dark Nights: Metal, Batman), Josh Williamson (Nailbiter, Justice League vs. Suicide Squad), Cecil Castellucci (Female Furies, The Changing Girl), Joëlle Jones (Lady Killer, Catwoman), and Adam Glass (Suicide Squad, Teen Titans). Are villains as villainous as they seem? Here are some things we learned about crafting these vile-but-valuable characters.