I decided to do a set of mini interviews with people I’ve interacted with and have extraordinary backgrounds. Many I’ve met via Facebook and many I’ll meet when I attend SDCC for the first time this July. Next up is founder of one of the biggest conventions in California, Comikaze Expo, Regina Carpinelli!
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Name: Regina Carpinelli
Age: 30
Online Handle: @ComikazeExpo
Sites: www.comikazeexpo.com and www.facebook/comikazeexpo
Favorite Game: Magic the Gathering, Call of Duty, Street Fighter, and I love me some Tony Hawk.
Favorite Superhero: Everyone
who made Comikaze possible. Family, Friends, Fans. I also love Batman a whole lot.
Favorite Comic Series: The Preacher, Hellboy, X-men, Moon Lake.
Favorite Anime: Sailor Moon!
Favorite Author: RH Stavis, Anais Nin, John Steinback, CS Lewis, and Roald Dahl.
Favorite Artist: Camilla D’Errico
Favorite TV Show: Doctor Who
Personal Quote: If you stand in my way, I will walk through you for the rest of my life.
L: You started Comikaze Expo with your siblings (no small feat). How daunting was it to take on that task?
RC: First off, I need to thank all the fans and supporters who, absolutely made Comikaze Expo happen. We could NOT have done it without them.
The show was by fans, for fans-and I think we got the message through. I am one of those maniacs with that “Do or Die” mentality-or even the Green Lantern way of life. When I work on a project, it’s no fear all the way. No fear of failure, just blood, sweat, and tears. Zero sleep. I’m pretty damn lucky to be working with my little brothers-and my best friends. Yes, we fight and bicker, like anyone else, but then we work it out. We’re a family business. It happens. Passion counts. No first-year show has ever had the numbers that we did. It was insanity, but my team is amazing. We pulled it off! In fact, we did so well that Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) invested in the company. Then…Stan Lee did the same with his company, Pow! Entertainment.
We are now Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo presented by Pow! Entertainment. Talk about nerd dreams coming true.
L: I vow to one day attend your marvelous convention!! You live an incredible life, if the pictures you post are any indicator! Riding in a limo with Stan Lee, to having your very own Delorean….it’s amazing. How often do you get star struck doing what you do?
RC: First off- I was riding in a Honda with Stan Lee.. So So SO glamorous! Second- Life is not worth living unless you are having fun. I’ve never been one to turn down a cool opportunity; because of that, I find myself in interesting situations. Like, I live on a boat. Yes, I am totally ridiculous. But, to run a comic convention, I think it’s necessary to be a little bit of a kook. I don’t have time to get starstruck! I mean, I am learning from the Master (Stan Lee). I mean sometimes I realize that WAIT I am sitting next to Stan on a plane, going somewhere with him…or Elvira just called me asking me to be her date to Showgirls the Drag version. Not to say that I never have fan moments! Hanging out with Camilla D’Errico has been awesome, really stoked to have her at the show I have been a fan of her art for a long time. I FREAKED when I met Tish and Snooky (creators of Manic Panic hair dye), growing up with pink hair, pissing my mom off and the whole nine yards. Cat totally had my tongue when I met the creator of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, dorked out on C. Martin Croker. He drew me a business card with Zorak on it. Obviously, I had it framed! This all sounds crazy, but it gets weird when now people (not just Lisa Foiles) stop ME and ask me for a photo, autograph, handshake. I always ask, “are you SURE?” I mean, I’m a fan kid just like they are. Just another geek! It does feel great to hear that people had a blast, or have been inspired by the Comikaze monster.
L: Since you seem constantly doing something amazingly cool, what kind of projects do you have in the works? Professionally?
RC: So many. It never seems to end. I’d like Stan Lee’s Comikaze to be a new kind of convention. I’m not looking to do another annual weekend thing, What I want to do is keep the fans interested year-round. Geeks aren’t just geeks once a year. We’re launching a webseries with Elvira and Peaches Christ called Elvira and Peaches Christ’s Horror Hunt. Basically, it’s like Mystery Science Theater 3000 meets American Idol. We’re asking for submissions from new horror/gore-makers…Elvira and Peaches will review them (make fun of them or love them). The winner will be brought to LA and given the star treatment with a Red Carpet Movie Premier at the Vista Theater the night before Comikaze. Their movie will also be screened at Comikaze and reviewed by a panel of heavy hitters in the Horror world. I also created Stan Lee’s Comikaze Army. These enlisted fans will get dog tags, a intro letter from Stan, arm band, a weekend pass to Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo. The military ID gets you discounts from certain vendors and tickets for friends, as well as a stack of posters and stickers. The cool thing is you can move up in rank and get the Stan Lee medal of honor if you put the posters and stickers in cool places and take photos of them . Its gonna be rad, I have so much great programing and guest I have yet to announce. Our Tag line this year is SHOCK AND AWESOME and it will for sure hold true! Stan Lee’s Comikaze 2012 is going to be amazing and affordable!
L: Everyone has a science fiction property that means the world to them, be it Star Wars, Back to the Future, or even E.T. What’s yours?
RC: Geez thats like a life or death question.
I love Star Wars, but anyone who doesn’t love it, I can not look ’em in the eye. Obviously, I love Back to the Future as well, I do drive a Delorean (which break down perpetually, BTW.). I’m a huge Doctor Who Fan-who’s to say my bedroom isn’t a TARDIS?
Showgirls doesn’t count as science fiction, but it should. If I had to pick just one, it would be Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Beautiful, and way ahead of its time. Almost 100 years old, and still outshines most of what’s out there in 2012. Such an inspiration.
L: What’s your next upcoming event where people could meet the lady behind Comikaze Expo?
RC: Stan Lee’s Comikaze will be held this year Sept 15-16 at the LA Convention Center, get your tickets NOW. When it’s not “game day”, I can be found at Dream World Comics in Culver City… whether I’m getting my pull, or just kicking it in their batcave.(They’ve got a Doctor Fries bathroom. GO). You can also find me playing Friday Night Magic All Star Cards, or the Comic Bug, I am often found wandering the floor at Frank and Sons in city of industry. We post all of our goings-on via our Facebook-keep an eye out, we have some rad pre-events happening!
We’re fun, funny, charming, and JUST FOR YOU, YOU NERDS!
L: Lastly, I ask this question of everyone, so be honest: If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what position would you want? I know I’d crap my pants.
RC: I go for the moon, so I would ask to be Supreme Ruler. My qualifications are pretty solid…just call me the Alien Ambassador/Overlord.
Then again, Jupiter has 66 moons-THE MORE, THE BETTER.
[slideshow]
Lots of love for Regina so be sure to check out Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo 2012 if you happen to be visiting California!
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