Posted in: Comics, Conventions, WonderCon | Tagged: batgirl, Cecil Castellucci, female, female creators, gamergate, hope larson, Ms. Larson, Room 213, women, wondercon

WonderCon Sabotage – Hope Larson's Appearance Nearly Derailed By Idiot

Published Sun, 02 Apr 2017 11:00:26 -0500

by Eliot Cole

Comments

Seems like some folks will do anything to stop some women getting up on stage. An unknown guy convinced security that their guest, Hope Larson (Batgirl), wasn't going to make it.

Here's my Wondercon schedule. See you tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/BZgnVoiEZ3

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 30 March 2017

Hope was was due to be at Room 213 of the second day of Wondercon … and indeed Ms. Larson was actually there, but at no point did this actually play in to affairs as security listened to a complete stranger fabricate a story that Hope was not going to attend.

So, weird thing that happened yesterday. Some guy went to my panel room early, told security he knew me, that I'd called him —

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 2 April 2017

and I'd be a no-show. None of this was true, and it's creepy and weird. When @misscecil and I got to the panel, staff were concerned.

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 2 April 2017

.@misscecil They thought I'd bailed. Cecil and I had been sitting in the hall outside for 30 minutes.

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 2 April 2017

.@misscecil The guy I supposedly called was described as tall w/ dark hair. The guard said he seemed sketchy. I don't know what to make of all this.

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 2 April 2017

.@misscecil If this was an attempt at sabotaging my panel — LOL, for real? But I assume someone had a momentary break with reality. Idk. Just… weird.

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 2 April 2017

.@misscecil What I would like to say to shows is, don't listen to some rando guy who says he knows me. Call me! :)

— Hope Larson (@hopelarson) 2 April 2017

It's unclear to what end any of this was aimed at, or indeed (if a joke) how it's even funny. But it's wholly bizarre, and the main thing to take from this (from an organisational point of view) is to call the person or their representative about any irregularities.

One tweet suggested that it could even be some kind of gamergate style action, and that's not outside of the realms of possibility, given how the world is turning, currently.

@hopelarson @misscecil I'd treat it seriously. These types of things are almost always "gamergate" types trying to do harm.

— Rym (@schezar) 2 April 2017

@hopelarson @misscecil Like, if that happened at one of the cons I run/work professionally, we'd find, interview, and (likely) eject that person.

— Rym (@schezar) 2 April 2017

Either way, it's a wholly weird state of affairs, and I hope that everyone enjoyed the panel when it all went off without a hitch.

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