Category: Librarycon

Founder Sydoney Banks on apachejunctionindependent.com

4/16/2017

UZA Founder Sydoney Banks was on apachejunctionindependent.com

Syd was interviewed why at Apache Junction Public Library 2017.
So cool to have UZA represented in Apache Junction! We love AJ!
The Library-Con was so much fun! UZA is looking forward to next year
and maybe even do more with them!

There is even rumors of a Zombie Pirates, and Mermaid event in the summer.

apachejunctionindependent.com

Have an idea for library programming like Library-Con?Apr 6th, 2017 · by R. Nicholas Evans, special to the Independent

Apache Junction Public Library held its annual Library-Con March 18 for comic book and super-hero fans and collectors gathering for cosplay. Arizona Ghostbusters, United Zombies of America and other booths, such as for Star Wars and Star Trek, were set-up for the enjoyment of kids and adults alike at the library, 1177 N. Idaho Road.

Anyone interested in planning and programming an event similar to Library-Con needs to contact Library Manager Tracie Curtis.
“E-mail me at [email protected] with an outline of the program, what you would like to do, what you would like to offer, including the time frame and the date. Also, the funding you have in mind. Then, we would start fleshing out the whole program by getting the rest of the staff involved,” she said.

Three patrons interviewed at the library already have ideas for a future event.

“I believe having an event to help support the homeless. The library could do a charity walk or run or some type of marathon to raise money for the homeless,” Lisa Zapta said.

“I would like to see local cooks from Apache Junction come out, where I could learn and try new recipes,” Susan Kampmueller said.

Stewart Penje said parents should be encouraged to bring their children and take advantage of all the educational amenities the Apache Junction Public Library has to offer.

“I am a great fan of the library. Instead of attracting children, I believe the library should have an event to attract parents to bring the children,” he said.

The Apache Junction Library-Con provided free activities to the community, such as face-painting and prizes for best costume for the categories of kids, teens and adults.

“Apache Junction Library-Con is a lot of fun and it’s open to all types of different ages. I’m here today with my zombies from United Zombies of America and we just love coming to this stuff because it makes a big difference, I believe, to the community. And it gives something for kids to do that’s free. So, it’s nice to do something like this,” Sydoney Banks of United Zombies of America said at the event.

“We are just happy to be out here supporting the Apache Junction Library-Con. This is, I believe, the third one, and it has grown tremendously. So I can’t wait to see how much bigger it gets each year,” Jeff Lewis of Arizona Ghostbusters said at the event.
“We’ve done multiple events through the library and we keep coming back because we love the atmosphere,” Skylar LeMans said.

Editor’s note: R. Nicholas Evans is a freelancer writer for the Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent newspaper.

AJ Public Library

What: Apache Junction Public Library.
Where: 1177 N. Idaho Road.
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Closed Sundays and all federal holidays.
Phone: 480-474-8555.
Website: www.ajpl.org.

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LibraryCON at Apache Junction Public Library

1/11/2017

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Join in the fun at this popular FREE event. Cosplay, activities, photo ops, characters, prizes, panels and more!

Saturday, March 18 at 10 AM - 4 PM

Apache Junction Public Library 1177 N Idaho Rd, Apache Junction, Arizona 85119

Facebook Event www.facebook.com/events/1804993523101660

www.facebook.com/LibraryCONAJ

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2017 Tempe Public Library Comicon

12/18/2016

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SAVE THE DATE!!
January 28, 2017!
FREE EVENT!

RSVP Now on Facebook
www.facebook.com/events

The Tempe Public Library 3rd Annual Comicon, Saturday, January 28, 2017 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE EVENT!

For more information visit www.tempe.gov/comicon

Saturday, January 28, 2017
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The Tempe Public Library Comicon is returning in 2017 with a new outdoor event space! The Library Comicon is an annual event featuring costume contests, artists & authors, shopping, and activities for children and adults alike. Fans of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Wholocks, Trekkies, and more are invited to gather at the Tempe Public Library in costume for a celebration of pop culture.

UZA
See UZA Ray Digger and join him in the costume parade.
We will have music, photos and fun at our booth.

for update and more on Tempe
Comicon Click Me.

PANELS & PRESENTATIONS

Lively discussion and presentations in the Friends of the Library Connections Café

DC vs. MARVEL
11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
The age old debate continues! Discussion led by Operation Supply Drop, a 501(c)(3) veteran service organization that helps combat active duty depression through deployment of video game care packages and much, much more.

International Understanding through Godzilla
Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Join the Dai Kaiju Crew as they talk giant monsters! This panel was also presented at Phoenix Comicon 2016. Discussion led by Ray Torres III, author of the Monster War series.

Antimatter, Matters!
1:15 - 2:10 p.m.
Lively interactive presentation for fans of sci-fi and fantasy. For high school age+. Discussion led by local author Creighton Thompson.

COSTUME CONTESTS & MORE

Costume Parades

The Arizona chapter of United Zombies of America will be leading two costume parades around the Library Campus. Meet at their booth space, and finish up at the Phoenix Comicon costume contest entrance and sign-up area.

10:30 a.m. - Kids Costume Walk

2:30 p.m. - Teen/Adults Costume Walk

Costume Contests

Phoenix Comicon will be hosting free, live costume contests! Winners will receive free Phoenix Comicon 2017 passes! Arrive early - entry is first come, first serve.

The Arizona chapter of United Zombies of America will be leading two costume parades around the Library Campus. Meet at their booth space, and finish up at the Phoenix Comicon costume contest entrance and sign-up area.

11:00 a.m. - Kids Costume Contest

3:00 p.m. - Teen/Adults Costume Contest

2017 EXHIBITORS
▸ AUTHOR'S CORNER▸ CAITLIN KAISER
▸ CANDLE COMICS▸ CHEESE, LOVE & HAPPINESS▸ COLETTE BLACK▸ COLLECTORS MARKETPLACE▸ CRUCIDEL PRODUCTIONS
▸ DANIELLE PAJAK ILLUSTRATIONS
▸ DARK EMPIRE COSPLAY
▸ DE MARCO’S ITALIAN ICE AND CREAMS
▸ DUNE SEA GARRISON - VADER'S 501ST
▸ GARETH VON KALLENBACH▸ HALF LIGHT PUBLISHING
*▸ JEFF PINA▸ JOANNA MARIE ART▸ JUSTICE LEAGUE COSPLAY▸ KORE 6 MEDIA▸ KYLYN MCCARTY▸ MONSTER WAR SERIES
▸ OPERATION SUPPLY DROP
▸ PAZ CANTINA▸ PHOENIX COMICON▸ RANDY LINDSAY
▸ ROCK STAR HOT DOGS▸ ROYAL MANTICORAN NAVY
▸ SERENDIPITY BUTTONS
▸ SHAW APPROVED COMICS AND COLLECTIBLES
▸ SINCERELY SAM
▸ SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM
▸ SOUTHWEST COSTUMERS GUILD
▸ THERMOCOSPLAY
▸ UNITED ZOMBIES OF AMERICA UZA LLC
▸ VODLINES
▸ T.M. WILLIAMS

WHY COMICS?

Some of you may be asking yourself, "Why would librarians be encouraging people to read comics? Don't they only like seriousbooks?" The truth is librarians love reading of all kinds!Comics and graphic novels can encourage literacy and boost reading skills in many ways.

Images provide the context necessary to help build vocabulary for ESL & reluctant readers
The slow pace of analyzing images and pausing in between panels encourages time to reflect and build reading comprehension
Colorful graphics and exciting story lines can captivate attention span & interest
Reinforces Common Core standards by reinforcing visual and verbal literacy
There are now graphic novels & comics that are creative, enjoyable pieces of literature for all ages

for update and more on Tempe
Comicon Click Me.

www.facebook.com/events/124804107920675

Advertising by United Zombies of America UZA LLC.
www.united-zombies-of-america.com
www.facebook.com/UZA13

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Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper with UZA

7/13/2016

Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper
Click Names below to see full article

Zombies and more at library

Zombies on the prowl

The madness of our 2nd Annual Comic-Con just keeps getting BIGGER and better! Mark your calendar's for Saturday, July 16th NOW because you just can't miss this kinda of awesomeness!
Saturday, July 16 at 1 PM - 4 PM

Vista Grande Public Library
1556 N Arizola Rd, Casa Grande, Arizona 85122

UZA will be doing a makeup and SFX class at 3:15pm called “Bruises, Blisters, and Gore!” This is a great beginner class for those interested in makeup for any kind of character or event. We even had someone from a group that does emergency drill events come to get more information on how to do makeup on accident participants.

UZA will have a booth with our information and some other UZA favorites as well. We will have UZA’s Ray Digger The Grave Digger wandering the comic con for free photos with any interested attendees. Sydoney will have her cameras ready to take the free photos/videos and she will put them on Facebook after the comic con is over and after Syd edits them, so this may take her a day or two. Be sure to get a flyer from Sydoney telling where you can retrieve your photo from and where
you can share your own photos with us.

Take a look at what Casa Grande library staff members did out of their excitement and made for Saturday's Comic Con for the UZA makeup tutorial. Some staff members created this AWESOME display to advertise our makeup tutorial at the Comic Con. You Wonderful folks did an outstanding job! You are Amazing and we can't wait to meet all of you and see all the colorful and costumed attendees!!

Zombies and more at library

Posted: Tuesday, July 12, 2016 9:11 am

By MELISSA ST. AUDE Staff Writer

CASA GRANDE

Casa Grande Comic Con runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It’s free and open to all ages.

The event is a chance for children and adults to don a superhero cape and mask and visit the library, said Youth Services Librarian and event organizer David Brown.

It’s expected to attract plenty of Deadpools, Batmans, Harry Potters and other characters.

Last year, more than 400 people attended the event and this year, with expanded offerings, organizers expect a greater turnout.

“This year’s event is going to be bigger and better,” Brown said.

Among the events this year are:

n Drawing demonstrations by comic book artists;

n Makeup tutorials by United Zombies of America;

n Interaction with Tucson’s Copper Queen Roller Derby Team;

n Information and giveaways by Casa Grande Paranormal Investigators;

n Professional cosplay costume workshops hosted by ThermoCosplay;

n Martial arts demonstrations; and

n Costume contests and raffles.

The event aims to celebrate all fictional characters from popular stories, not just comic book or graphic novel heroes.

“Libraries across America are becoming hubs for comic-con type gatherings for people interested in characters from graphic novels, comics, film, television and popular culture,” Brown said.

Some library patrons are fiction fans and travel to San Diego for large comic conventions or to Phoenix or Tucson for mid-sized events, but Brown said many don’t have the means to attend out-of-town gatherings.

“We wanted to provide them with a similar experience,” he said.

Casa Grande Comic Con is the library’s end-of-the-summer finale and signals the conclusion of its summer reading program, in which children earn prizes for reading for a specified amount of time every day.

Costumes are optional.

Vista Grande Library is at 1556 N. Arizola Road.

Zombies on the prowl

Posted: Tuesday, July 12, 2016 8:29 am

By MELISSA ST. AUDE Staff Writer

CASA GRANDE

Zombies will be on the prowl Saturday in Casa Grande.

Complete with blood and bruises, the living dead will take their place among the superheroes, ghost hunters, roller queens and popular comic book and sci-fi characters roaming about the Vista Grande Library Saturday as the second annual Casa Grande Comic Con gets underway.

United Zombies of America, a Phoenix-based professional entertainment group, plans to offer a “Bruises, Blisters and Gore” workshop during the event, teaching others how, with a bit of makeup, they too can transform into any type of eerie and spine-chilling — or cute and lovable — character.

For Sydoney Banks, founder of United Zombies of America, being a zombie isn’t all about blood and gore.

“We are not just a monster horror group,” she said. “We do many things and they may often involve monster-type characters and horror. We really do so many things — photography, makeup, videos, classes, panels, workshops, improvisation, security, volunteering, social media, advertising and more.”

The family-friendly group’s motto is “The family that scares together stays together.”

They’ll host a makeup class Saturday at 3:15 p.m. at the Vista Grande Library.

“This is a great beginner class for those interested in makeup for any character or event,” Banks said.

United Zombies of America will have a booth at Casa Grande Comic Con offering information about the group. UZA’s Ray Digger “The Grave Digger” will wander throughout the event, offering free photos with participants.

The group, which was founded in 2012, is no stranger to comic conventions. They’ve taken part in the Tempe, Apache Junction and Yuma Library comic con events as well as the Amazing Arizona Con, Mad Monster and various thespian festivals throughout the year.

This year is their first participating in Casa Grande’s Comic Con.

“UZA loves doing various types of cons, especially library cons, because we love giving back to the community,” she said. “We support anti-bullying and paying-it-forward.”

She said people love zombies for many reasons, including the realism and the feeling that “it is more apt to happen futuristically to humans.”

“Of all the monsters there are, zombies might be the most realistic because they tend to occur from diseases, viruses, toxic spills, mutations, science experiments, attempting to reanimate the dead and more,” she said.

With recent books, comics, movies, games, video games, cartoons, toys, clothing and television shows that portray zombies, the monsters are enjoying a surge in popularity.

And while some enjoy being frightened by the characters, others enjoy doing the scaring.

Banks fell in love with zombies after performing at the “Haunting Haunted House” in 2009 and 2010 with her family and friends, Jess Acridge, Casey Corbin, Kristen Cline and others. UZA was started by the group soon after to help Banks explore her dreams, help others with theirs and to provide entertainment and fun, she said.

Many of its members are performers who appreciate the lore, makeup and creepiness of the living dead and some have received theatrical training from various organizations such as Disney, Universal Studios and professional haunted house experiences.

The group performs at events throughout the year.

UZA specializes in makeup and special effects and has its own live interactive game, “Zombie Attack,” which travels throughout the state.

But as a child, Banks was never intrigued by monsters or horror and didn’t tend to watch horror movies.

“I did love Halloween, the costumes and decorations even more than the candy,” she said.

Banks was 15 when she was assigned as the lead zombie in her first haunted house acting roll. In that role, she learned about monsters, horror, haunted houses and other characters.

That year, she won the season’s top actress award for the haunted house and since then has participated in other professional haunted houses each year, including “Rob Zombies Great American Nightmare” in 2014.

Someday, she’d like to open her own haunted attraction that would be open throughout the entire year.

The group is family friendly and has members of all ages. For more information or to join, visit www.united-zombies-of-america.com or visit the booth at Casa Grande Comic Con.

Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper

7/13/2016

Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper
Click Names below to see full article

Zombies and more at library

Zombies on the prowl

2nd Annual Casa Grande Comic Con 2016

7/8/2016

the Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper an article about Casa Grande Comic Con.

Melissa St. Aude Staff Writer & Valley Life Editor
Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper Q & A UZA Founder Sydoney A.A. Banks.

Q. Tell me a little bit about United Zombies of America - what's it all
about and how did it start?

A. United Zombies of America (UZA) is a professional entertainment group that officially began in the spring of 2012. We are actors/performers, artists, educators, jacks of many trades, so to say. We are NOT just a monster/horror group, but we do many things and they may often involve monster-type characters and/or horror. We really do so many things: photography, makeup, videos, classes/panels/workshops, improvisation, security, volunteering, social media, advertising and even more. We support Anti-bulling and Paying It Forward. We are a family friendly (all ages) group and we believe that “Families that Scare together Stay together!” UZA began because Sydoney Banks, founder of UZA, fell in love with horror and zombies through performing at “The Haunting Haunted House” in 2009/2010 with her family, Jess Acridge, his family, Casey Corbin, Kristen Cline, her family and others. They all helped her find her passion and her purpose in life. UZA began so she could explore her dreams and to assist others with theirs and to provide entertainment and fun for all.

Q. Why are you participating in Casa Grande's Comic Con?

Did you take part last year as well?

Do you do other comic conventions as well?

A. This is our first time to participate in Casa Grande’s Comic Con. Sydoney found it on Facebook and jumped at the chance to be involved with it. UZA loves doing various types of cons, especially library comic cons. UZA loves giving back to the community. We have done the Tempe, Apache Junction, and Yuma Library Comic Cons as well as Amazing Arizona Con, Mad Monster, YumaCon and more.

Q. What can people expect when they see your organization at Casa Grande's Comic Con? I understand you'll be doing makeup demonstrations?
Will zombies wander around the event as well?

A. UZA will be doing a makeup and SFX class at 3:15pm called “Bruises, Blisters, and Gore!” This is a great beginner class for those interested in makeup for any kind of character or event. We even had someone from a group that does emergency drill events come to get more information on how to do makeup on accident participants.

UZA will have a booth with our information and some other UZA favorites as well. We will have UZA’s Ray Digger The Grave Digger wandering the comic con for free photos with any interested attendees. Sydoney will have her cameras ready to take the free photos/videos and she will put them on Facebook after the comic con is over and after she edits them, so this may take her a day or two. Be sure to get a flyer from Sydoney telling where you can retrieve your photo from and where you can share your own photos with us.

Q. What is it about zombies that people find so entertaining?
Can you tell me a little bit about why you are interested in zombies?

A. Some of the reasons people may be interested in zombies could be that of all the monsters there are, they might be the most realistic, because they tend to occur from diseases, viruses, toxic spills, mutations, science experiments, attempting to reanimate the dead, and more. So maybe we feel that it is more apt to happen futuristically to humans. Haitian voodoo zombies have even been reported and written about. There are books, comics, movies, games, video games, cartoons, toys, clothing, and television shows that portray zombies for our entertainment. Some people enjoy being frightened while others enjoy frightening them. This year on July 4, AMC with Greg Nicotero opened, “The Walking Dead Experience” at Universal Studios in California. They created it so people could feel what it is like to face zombies at specific places from the show. Sydoney really wants to go and experience this attraction for herself.
Sydoney never really felt anything for any monsters or horror growing up and she did not know much about any of them either, because she did not grow up watching them. She did love Halloween, the costumes and decorations, even more than the candy.

During her first haunted house acting role she began learning more about monsters, horror, haunted houses, and cons and she continues to keep learning more about the entire industry to this day. She was only 15 years old and assigned as the lead zombie, graveyard lead and trainer for the graveyard and all the zombies. She even won “Actress of the Season” for 2009/2010. She has done other haunted houses each year since then including, “Rob Zombies Great American Nightmare” in 2014. She now loves zombies and working in haunted houses. She hopes to run her own haunted attraction. She would love for it to be open throughout the entire year.

Horror is great, but UZA is so much more!
Please come by and see us at Casa Grande’s Comic Con
on Saturday, July 19, 2016.

Thank you for interviewing UZA! We would love to meet all of you and get a photo with you and Ray Digger at the Comic Con.
To see and learn more about us visit us at
www.united-zombies-of-america.com

The madness of our 2nd Annual Comic-Con
just keeps getting BIGGER
and better! Mark your calendar's for Saturday, July 16th NOW
because you just can't miss this kinda of awesomeness!
Saturday, July 16 at 1 PM - 4 PM

Vista Grande Public Library
1556 N Arizola Rd, Casa Grande, Arizona 85122

UZA will be doing a makeup and SFX class at 3:15pm called “Bruises, Blisters, and Gore!” This is a great beginner class for those interested in makeup for any kind of character or event. We even had someone from a group that does emergency drill events come to get more information on how to do makeup on accident participants.

UZA will have a booth with our information and some other UZA favorites as well. We will have UZA’s Ray Digger The Grave Digger wandering the comic con for free photos with any interested attendees. Sydoney will have her cameras ready to take the free photos/videos and she will put them on Facebook after the comic con is over and after Syd edits them, so this may take her a day or two. Be sure to get a flyer from Sydoney telling where you can retrieve your photo from and where
you can share your own photos with us.

LibraryCON Saturday, March 19, 2016

3/15/2016

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Saturday, March 19, 2016
Noon-4:30 pm, events for the whole family.

Panels/Workshops
12:15-12:45 pm – Harry Potter Panel

1:00-1:30 pm – UZA Zombies, Bruises, Blisters and Gore: Makeup Workshop

1:45-2:30 pm – Arizona Ghostbusters, Who Ya Gonna Call Again?

3:00-4:00 pm - Tone Rodriguez: How to Make a Comic Book

4:00-4:30 pm – Alpaca Party! – Zombie Parade, buttons, I survived LibraryCON 2016, raffle prizes

Ongoing Activities – Noon-4:30 pm

Artist Alley – Meet artists like Tone Rodriguez
Phoenix Comicon Street Team Photo Spot
Cactus Brick LEGO Group – LEGO Display
Card Games – Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering
Green Screen Photo Booth
Craft & Game Station
Character Frenzy!
Star Wars Bad Guys from the Dune Sea Garrison
Arizona Ghostbusters
Heroes United
UZA Zombies

Like our LibraryCON Facebook page!
www.facebook.com/LibraryCONAJ

UZA Zombie Attack Live Game - Blackout

Yes it is true UZA Zombie Attack Live Game -Blackout is coming to LibraryCON!
We are so very excite to be Re Re Opening it at LibraryCON 2016! Unfortunately we can not do the ALL NEW Blackout because it has to be at night in the dark. We will have Light's, Music, Fog, Zombies and Fun! We might even have dancing zombies! Make sure to bring your dancing shoes and zombie stabilizing skills! I hope you are all ready for UZA Zombie Attack!

www.facebook.com/UnitedZombiesofAmericaZombieAttackGame

We also created our own “ZOMBIE ATTACK” game also known as “Plants VS Zombies” at Comicon 2012 and 2013. UZA Zombie Attack is a game that travels throughout Arizona. It can be scary or “family friendly” for kids or scaredy cats. Game description: Zombie Attack is an interactive game. Outside of a big tent you stand behind caution tape. Zombies come at you from inside the tent. You have to "Stabilize" the Zombies by throwing balls at them, before they get to you. We can make the game as easy or as hard as you want it to be. Depending on the time of day and the location played at there can be lights and fog inside the tent. The lights go to music that is used for the game and for the time waiting between games. The entire game has music you play to and it comes with a soundtrack made for the game and its own DJ.

Going with UZA and Sponsoring

Please support all of our friends and sponsors who help make this possible. It take a lot of blood, sweat and tears to put any kind of event on. Please thank them and support them
Thanks you also much!

Click the photo's below to like them on Facebook!

Founder Sydoney Banks on apachejunctionindependent.com

apachejunctionindependent.com

LibraryCON at Apache Junction Public Library

2017 Tempe Public Library Comicon

Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper with UZA

Casa Grande Dispatch Newspaper

2nd Annual Casa Grande Comic Con 2016

LibraryCON Saturday, March 19, 2016

Going with UZA and Sponsoring

www.facebook.com/UZA13

www.facebook.com/UnitedZombiesofAmerica

www.facebook.com/UZASynysterSynPhotographyandVideo

www.facebook.com/UnitedZombiesofAmericaZombieAttackGame

www.facebook.com/UZAMakeupandFX

www.facebook.com/ActingImprovMakeupUZA

Dates

Categories

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