Comicpalooza With Stanford Carpenter

Today on Word Balloon, we welcome educator, writer, and pop culture historian Stanford Carpenter to talk about this year’s Comicpalooza happening Memorial Day weekend in Houston.Stanford gives us a preview of some of the convention’s standout programming, including an exciting panel on the history and cultural impact of Blaxploitation cinema featuring acclaimed writer David F. Walker and legendary film icon Pam Grier. From films like Coffy and Foxy Brown to the influence those movies still have on comics, action films, music, and modern genre storytelling, the discussion promises to be one of the weekend’s highlights.We also talk about Comicpalooza’s growing reputation as one of the country’s most eclectic fan conventions, blending comics, film, television, gaming, and academic pop culture discussion into one massive event. Stanford shares what makes the show unique and why these kinds of historical and cultural conversations matter just as much as the celebrity appearances and entertainment news.