“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.

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At 1PM on Friday, Dragon*Con began with a full capacity crowd. Nearly a quarter of the powerhouse panel’s time was spent introducing panelists Jamie Bamber, Aaron Douglas, Jonathan Frakes, Kevin R. Grazier, Richard Hatch, Gates McFadden, Carlos Pedraza, Charles Root, Mark A. Sheppard, Brent Spiner, and Lee Stringer.

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And the winners are:

Best in Show: "Kata Mari" by Carey Cauther, Shannon Pochrom, Madalyn Ayer, & Amanda Ayer
Most Popular Man: "Monkey of Steel" by Jonathan Carroll
Most Popular Woman: "Miss Kitty" by Mandy Cowart
Best Group, Heroes & Villains: "Pirates Group" by Pete Simpson

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by Geoff Termorshuizen and Claire Greiner

Jennie Breeden is the genius behind the web comic, The Devil’s Panties. She is a native of Atlanta, and can often be found after-hours roaming Dragon*Con with a leaf blower, hunting unsuspecting kilt-wearers.

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by Suzanne Church and Matt Schafer

On Saturday at 11:30, the actors from Battlestar Galactica took center stage in the Regency Ballroom for a lively discussion typical of the GQ’s from BSG. Aaron Douglas, Richard Hatch, and Jamie Bamber fired innuendos and complements like ordinance out of a viper.

Douglas confirmed that his last-minute visit to Dragon*Con had been influenced by his fans’ email campaign to get him to Atlanta after Katee Sackhoff cancelled.

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Thursday is traditionally “get settled” day at Dragon*Con as people flood into the hotels and map out must-see events. To warm up attendees, first night programming focuses on music.

Mississippi based trio Cemetery Surfers played Centennial II-III at 9:30PM. Their odd mix of blues and beach music produced by guitar, bass, and synth/drum machine framed their horror-themed stage show. As the singer lamented, “This is the body of the one I love,” out came a corpse draped in cloth. An electric chair sat center stage awaiting its spotlight; however, this reporter didn’t stay for the gruesome finale. A few dedicated fans braved the dance floor, though the music was unreliably danceable.

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