Dr. Phil Plait, astronomer, lecturer, and author, was a popular guest of the Dragon*Con Space and Skeptic tracks in 2008, and he’s back with us for 2009! At the end of last year’s convention, he snuck with us into the Hilton’s VIP lounge for some questions and fawning. Phil talked to us about his new book, Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End…, astronomy both bad and awesome, his blog, and his new role at the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Read on.

Why I love Dragon*Con: 67 beautiful women (and one man) onstage in costumes ranging from elaborate to barely existent where, as contestant Athena said, “Attitude is more important than the costume.”

Snapshot impressions of the costumes in the 10th Annual Dawn Look-ALike Contest include “Best Armor” winner Gayle Klar’s carbon dioxide powered wings that opened and flapped at the push of buttons, cleverly concealed in her palm; the Yaya Hahn-designed black feather wings of contest winner Ruby Rocket that floated and swirled in seeming defiance of gravity; a stunning multitude of snaps, velcro, and Goddess magic that allowed Aurora Celeste’s dress to tear away on stage to reveal the Goddess within; as well as Dawn brought to the world of Chinese opera by Jamila Sisco, the forest by Jennifer Ofunne, the speakeasies of Prohibition-era America by Sarah, and a Dawn of the Dead worthy of George Romero by Gayle Grant.

“If you call him Shrek, he’ll beat you senseless.” —Bryan Thompson, King of the Trolls (as quoted by Grant Imahara)

The Masquerade is a bittersweet moment at Dragon*Con. It’s always a fantastic show, arguably the best at Dragon*Con, and this year was no different. Masters of Ceremony Grant Imahara and Kari Byron from the Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters were among the best that have ever served in that position, with quips and reactions that will be long remembered in the annals of the convention. The costumes themselves were, as always, incredible, and the 501st evictions few.

Director Marilee Coughlin and her crack staff have once again put on a good show.

And yet, the Masquerade marks the climax of the convention. Every concert or panel brings us that much closer to the moment where we must leave the Paradiso Geek and return to our lives beyond.

Two easels, two brushes, two artists, but only one can claim the title Iron Artist. The art world trembled and quaked on Sunday as two giants—Bill Stout and Ted Naifeh—met in the Regency Ballroom at 10:00AM for head-to-head art combat.

The rules were simple: The painting had to contain badgers, the required style was that of Salvador Dali, the secret ingredient was duality! The winner would be determined by a charity auction held at the end …

Dateline: Montreal/Vancouver Room, Hyatt Regency, Dragon*Con.

Sources who attended the “Wishes, Mysteries, and Fallen Angels: The Crüxshadows” panel on Saturday report that the most famous hairstyle in all of Dragon*Con, that of the Crüxshadows’s front man, founding member, and visionary, Rogue, may be …

“Ready, get set… talk!” And so began the most interesting entry I’ve ever seen in the schedule grid: “Buffy/Angel Speed Dating.”

More than 50 voices fill the room with the cacophony of more than 25 separate conversations. Each person talks to the person across from them. It’s a way to overcome the inevitable impersonalization that has occurred as Dragon*Con became larger and larger. Nothing suggests more that using the speed dating concept has worked to break …

If you are a fellow fan of the show Firefly, you are already familiar with Nathan Fillion, Jewel Staite, and Adam Baldwin. If you’re not familiar with the show (in which case, go now, rent, borrow, or purchase the DVD set, and watch it), they …

Daggi Helling, Hogne Rundberg, Espen Høgmo, and Bjørnar Flaa are Hangface, a Norwegian hard rock band, newly returned to the U.S. They have teamed with legendary rock producer Eddie Kramer (who has worked with such greats as Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, The Beatles, and David Bowie) to take the American music scene by storm. They dropped by to …

OK, so, what do Catholic schoolgirls and hell-spawn have in common? Well, besides plaid skirts?  Why, Thursday night at Dragon*Con, of course!

Where else in the world (or beyond it) could you listen to classic Van Halen wail from the Catholic schoolgirl-dressed guitarist of the …