Are you ready to enroll for the next semester at Xavier Institute? Well, you’re in luck because The Uncanny Experience has revealed their programming of panels and classes for their sophomore year event happening September 28th-29th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Highlight programming includes an immersive lecture led by Chris Claremont about the Hellfire Club and its secret history, plus cast and creatives of the Emmy-nominated hit series X-Men ’97 discussing their legacy relaunch, plus a special Spotlight on comic book writer Gail Simone who currently writes the sold-out Uncanny X-Men series.
Photo by Loco F/X
Programming takes places throughout the historic venue primarily in the Lecture Hall on the 2nd floor and the Classroom on the 3rd floor. Additional programming will be available on the Front Lawn and inside the Student Hall common room. Programming runs Saturday 10:30am – 5:00pm and Sunday 9:30am – 5:00pm. Guest speakers include Claremont, Simone, Alison Sealy-Smith, George Buza, Gui Agustini, Tyler Kirkham, Leah Williams, Eric Lewald, Julia Lewald, Jerry Gaylord, and many more.
The Full Program can be seen below and on their official website: https://theuncannyexperience.com/schedule/
Photo by Loco F/X
SATURDAY – SEPTEMBER 28TH
10:30 AM – Welcoming Remarks
Sophomore Year kicks off with opening remarks from The Uncanny Experience founders Chandler Poling, Dylan Carter, and Chris Riley. Join us as they set the stage for another unforgettable year of mutant adventures! (Lecture Hall)
11:00 AM – Spotlight on Gail Simone
Hear from The Uncanny X-Men writer Gail Simone as she participates in a moderated Q&A about her career in comics and her hopes for mutantkind. (Lecture Hall)
11:00 AM – HIST 616: Sentinels
Purple death robots with glowing eyes, the Sentinels are the most consistent foes of the X-Men, serving madmen and government agendas as they work to kill mutants over and over. Chad Anderson has prepared a lecture that will teach you comprehensively about the Sentinels of every era! Come prepared to learn! (Classroom)
11:00 AM – Social Media Content Creation
Join cosplay artist Jordan Blaza Olsen (@thegirlwiththegreatsmile) as she guides you through ideas and suggestions for social media content creation on the beautiful front lawn of Xavier Institute (Front Lawn)
12:00 PM – Creating an X-Men Story: Idea to Screen
X-Men: The Animated Series showrunner Eric Lewald and series writer Julia Lewald help students learn the process of choosing an idea for an animated television show and building it to a completed episode. The class examines the steps it takes to craft a story from simple idea to full script and to the screen. (Lecture Hall)
12:00 PM – Romani Representation
Romani characters have been in Marvel since the early days…. Imperfectly, often retconned out, and whitewashed in casting calls. But from Scarlet Witch, Magneto, Doom and more, the cry of “Opre Roma” rings loudly, demanding better from Marvel. Join historian and educator Nerdcred Cosplay as they explore the past, present and future of the Romani people in Marvel. And maybe get some tips for your next fan project. (Classroom)
1:00 PM – The Hellfire Club: A Secret History
Delve into the dark realms of the history of The Hellfire Club with Professor Claremont. Learn about this elusive society and how it rose to power and influence in the world. Careful – there may be a quiz, so pay attention! (Lecture Hall)
1:00 PM – Mutant & Proud
Mutant and Proud is an informative, lively discussion of queer experience as portrayed through the X-men comics. Join speaker Art Dasilva and guest panelists as they share comic moments that have reflected their own journeys as queer people.(Classroom)
1:00 PM – Figure Drawing Class
Join local artist Brent Schoonover as he leads a figure drawing class with cosplayer Kola Bear Cosplay who will be modeling as Domino. Note pads and pencils will be provided. (Student Hall)
2:00 PM – Artistic Expression in Comics & Media
Artists Tyler Kirkham, Alé Garza, and Jerry Gaylord discuss how they got started in the comics industry and the many different areas one can explore an artistic career. (Lecture Hall)
2:00 PM – Phys-Ed with Professor Logan
Train for your next battle against the Sentinels with Professor Logan who will run you through routines on our Front Lawn. (Front Lawn)
Taught by Dorkside Fitness
2:00 PM – X-MAS! A Merry Mutant Musical
X-MAS! A Merry Mutant Musical is a Broadway-style parody of the X-Men home for the holidays. After sold-out productions in NYC and Seattle, the creative team is x-cited to bring the story of the show – and more than a few songs – to The Uncanny Experience. Featuring Broadway’s Charissa Bertels as Jean Grey and The Uncanny Experience’s very own Cyclops, Kevin Gadz – plus others to be announced! (Student Hall)
2:00 PM – Forging New Technologies
You don’t need to have a mutant power to harness technology, let Forge show you how! This presentation will teach you about emerging new and accessible maker technologies like 3D printing, digital modeling, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Bluetooth, remote controls, LED light show programming, and more! There will be some X-Men artifacts on display for your perusal, just make sure you don’t accidentally step into that Siege Perilous or get absorbed into the M’kraan Crystal! (Classroom)
Presenter: Seán McArdle (Hero Props)
3:00 PM – X-Gaymes 3: The Last Stand
Homo Superior Podcast is back with their hit game show – The X-Gaymes! Will there be participation? Yes! Will there be special guests? Yes! Will there be prizes? You know it! Will audience members have the chance to vindicate their most fabulous opinions about the X-Men – I don’t know, does a mall babe eat chili fries?! See you there! (Lecture Hall)
3:00 PM – LIT 101: The Wit & Wisdom of Beast
Join George Buza (the voice of Beast) and creators Eric & Julia Lewald for a deep dive into the literary quotes that made Beast an icon in X-Men: The Animated Series. Relive those unforgettable lines as they guide you through the wisdom, wit, and power behind Beast’s words. (Classroom)
4: 00 PM – House Xavier Pep Rally (Student Hall)
4:00 PM – House Pryde Pep Rally (Lecture Hall)
4:00 PM – House Hellfire Pep Rally (Hellfire Room)
4:00 PM – House Morlock Pep Rally (Morlock Tunnel)
Photo by Loco F/X
SUNDAY – SEPTEMBER 29TH
9:30 AM – VIP Breakfast: Tea Time with the Lewalds
A VIP Exclusive! Get the day started on the right foot by spending it with Eric and Julia Lewald. Have the opportunity to connect with them while getting energized for the second day of The Uncanny Experience. Enjoy free donuts and spill the tea (or coffee) with them about the animated series and get the inside scoop on what it was like to run and write for the landmark television show. This is a casual hangout, so come and socialize with your fellow mutants and have an uncanny time! (Student Hall)
10:00 AM – Mutant Homelands
In the search for acceptance, mutants have built many homelands over the years. These places were meant to create safe havens for mutant kind but almost always resulted in disaster and loss. Join special guests of the X-Wife Podcast, Cyclops & Kitty Pryde, for an interactive conversation about the rise and fall of mutant homelands, and dream up a world where mutants can truly be free. (Classroom)
10:00 AM – X-Men Q&A with Chris Claremont
Do you have any burning questions about the X-Men and their stories by Claremont? Feel like you have a No-Prize and ready to collect nothing for your findings? Come to Chris Claremont’s Audience Q and A and get the answers you seek! (Lecture Hall)
11:00 AM – HIST 616: Alpha Flight’s Legacy
Greetings, Beta Flight! In this course, you will learn about Alpha Flight’s history (circa 1970s-1994) including past members of the roster, notable opponents, and landmark events in the team’s history. Members of the team will be present and may answer questions as time allows. Successful completion of this course fulfills the history requirement necessary for admission to the active duty Alpha Flight roster. (Classroom)
Guardian’s appearance is by special arrangement with the X-Factor Files Podcast.
11:00 AM – X-Men ‘97: Relaunching a Legacy
Join cast members Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm), George Buza (Beast), and; Gui Agustini (Sunspot) and creatives of the wildly popular animated series X-Men ‘97 as they go behind the scenes on how they took the beloved series and revived it into the cultural smash it is. (Lecture Hall)
11:00 AM – Cosplay Contest Pre-Judging
Do you feel you created the winning look for the Cosplay Championship? Use this opportunity for the judges to get a closer look at your craft and allow them to see the details up-close before you hit the stage to impress them with your presence. (Hellfire Club)
12:00 PM – FREE TO JUST BE: A Retrospective Study of Mutant Life, Culture, and Society in Krakoa
This comprehensive lecture explains all things Krakoan—from the way mutant circuits operated, to island infrastructure, mutant art movements, and more! (Lecture Hall)
Presented by comic book writer, Leah Williams.
12:00 PM – X-Men Family Feud
Welcome all mutants to a special edition of the Feud! Like the popular game show, the questions are based on what your fellow fans answered about our merry mutants! Compete for a chance to win comic prizes! (Classroom)
Presented by Chicagoland Cosplay Group.
12:00 PM – House Photo Call
12:00pm – House Xavier
12:30pm – House Pryde
1:00pm – House Hellfire
1:30pm – House Morlock
Gather with fellow members of your House for a group House Photo alongside your House Founder and Head of House member. (Student Hall)
1:00 PM – Phys-Ed with Professor Logan
Train for your next battle against the Sentinels with Professor Logan who will run you through routines on our Front Lawn. (Front Lawn)
Presented by Dorkside Fitness
1:00 PM – Mutant Fashion Review
Pointy headgear. Expansive shoulder pads. Chonky thigh-high boots with spiked heels. We love a super-hero costume. And on one does fashion like the X-Men! Come celebrate some surprising X-looks from over the years as Chad Anderson (of the Graymalkin Lane Podcast) and a panel of judges gives each look a ‘snikt’ or a ‘kikt’. (This might be the most fun convention panel you ever attend, no joke). (Lecture Hall)
1:00 PM – Mutants of Color: A POC Perspective
The popular panel returns for its second year to offer insight and opportunity to discuss the POC Perspective on the X-Men and the mutant metaphor. (Classroom)
2:00 PM – Theological Studies of the Phoenix Force
Experience fire and life incarnate! Explore the complex and layered history of one of Marvel’s most enigmatic entities. From its introduction in the pages of Chris Claremont’s seminal run on Uncanny X-Men to the landmark revelations in this year’s Rise of the Powers of X, all the way to the real world spiritual traditions that inspired it, delve into multifaceted history of the Phoenix Force. (Classroom)
2:00 PM – Marvelous Mutant Cosplay Championship
Attention students of the Xavier Institute! Get ready to showcase your mutant powers at the Marvelous Mutant Cosplay Championship, MC’d by the fabulous Julian Jetson, host of Q Con the Podcast! (Lecture Hall)
3:00 PM – Armor Making
Looking to suit up as your favorite hero or villain? We will talk about tools and techniques from 3D printing, foam armor, sourced, and store purchased modifications. We will have examples to share and hope to demystify and show how you too can make amazing costumes! (Classroom)
Presented by Costumers for a Cause Founder and President Rick Rietow and Board Member Jonathan Palmer.
3:00 PM – Debate Club
Think Magneto was right? Is Wolverine overused? Are there too many telepaths? It’s all up for debate in Debate Club, where you have a chance to let us know your thoughts on different topics through the X-Universe, whether for or against. Diverse voices coming together for spirited discussions and prizes, what could be better? (Student Hall)
4:00 PM – Graduation Ceremony
Congratulations! Your hard work and dedication have paid off and Professor Chris Claremont is ready to hand you your Mutant Diploma! (Lecture Hall)
Photo by Loco F/X
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