A celebration of the Whedonverse and beyond.
Joss Whedon has been at the helm of a lot of very loved TV shows and films and at Nine Worlds we like to take full advantage of this. From shows like Buffy and Firefly to the hugely popular (and still in the cinema) Avengers films. Whether your idea of a good time is listening to some deep discussion on the finer points of vampires and cheerleaders, crafting something special to show off your loyalty or just singing your heart out; you can come and do it with us!
Friday
Why Whedon Matters: a self-indulgent analysis to validate our obsession - 10.00am - 11.15am, Royal C&D
We’ll be kicking off first thing again this year with a talk about the finer details of the Whedonverse. Always a discussion starter, and a favourite of the Whedon track, so start the weekend off right!
Talk by Shane Davis
Female Weapons in the Whedonverse - 1.30pm - 2.45pm, Royal C&D
The Whedonverse is full of young women who were turned into human weapons, often without their consent by sinister patriarchal forces. In this respect, they form part of a wider trend within contemporary American television and beyond, which also encompasses characters such as Max from Dark Angel, Jaime from Bionic Woman, and Olivia from Fringe. This session will examine to what extent these women succeed in escaping from or subverting the roles set out by the men who ‘weaponised’ them. Are those characters created by the openly feminist (or rather ‘genderist’) Joss Whedon more likely to successfully rebel than their counterparts in non-Whedon works?
Talk by Eve Bennett
Sing-A-Long: you will sing! - 6.00pm - 8.00pm, Commonwealth East
The ever-popular sing-a-long is back. We'll work our way through ‘Once More With Feeling’ and ‘Dr.Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog’. Lyric books will be provided.
Saturday
Listen Well: sound, silence, and superheroes in the Whedonverse - 10.00am - 11.15am, Royal C&D
Acoustic phenomena are still often treated as a prop to the visual image. Such relegation of sound to the role of second-class citizen overlooks the multi-sensory nature of the textual medium and the recognized capacity for sound to resonate with its audience more intimately than any other sensory experience.
This session will map the importance of soundscapes in Whedon's multiverse. Focussing particularly on the ways non-synchronic unmusical sounds shape our perceptions of his superheroes, Scooby gangs, and time-bomb teams.
Talk by Briony Frost.
Self-defence 101: S.H.I.E.L.D field training for female agents (SOLD OUT) - 1.30pm - 3.30pm, Room 38
Not all of us can be as good as Agent May when in the field, this session provides you with the skills needed to stay safe when on a mission. It’s vital that agents are alert to potential threats, can diffuse risky situations and, when called for, swiftly neutralise enemy targets.
This session is taught by experienced martial artists and designed to give women the tools and confidence needed to defend themselves. This session is open to anyone who experiences misogyny and we'd explicitly like to include trans women, as well as non-binary people.
Please note this session is physical, so please bring comfortable clothes. Spaces in this session are limited; please register for the session by emailing Whedon@nineworlds.co.uk
Workshop with Amy Breedon-Jones and Simon Proctor
Craft your geekery - 5.00pm - 6.15pm, room 31
Write it, shoot it, publish it, crochet it, sauté it, whatever: make it! A relaxed session with a range of crafts to show your love of Whedon and geekery in general.
Workshop with Katherine Ford
The Great Whedon Quiz: as seen in SFX magazine! - 8.30pm - 9.45pm, Royal C&D
Assemble a team of six and pit your wits against questions spanning the entire Whedonverse; from Buffy all the way through to Age of Ultron. Have you got the knowledge to win our prize bag? Now with easier questions!
Quizmaster: Mark Madeley
Sunday
Shindig: Sunday wind-down - 1.30pm - 2.45pm, Royal C&D
A chance to wrap up the 2015 Whedon track with a little bit of socialising. Join us for the results of our silent auction and scavenger hunt, fan film viewing of ‘The Verse’, and a last chance to snag some free Whedon goodies.