Retro Con 2023: Guest Announcements and Show Information

 

Retro Con 2023 is coming this September 9-10, 2023 at its regular venue, the Greater Philly Expo Center in Oaks' PA! We've got plenty of information to pass along as well as the announced guest list (so far.) First, weekend passes are already available and the show hours will be 10am-5:30pm on Saturday Sept 9 and 9am-4pm on Sunday Sept 10. Weekend passes are just $30 in advance with daily admission available at the door (kids 12 and under are free with paying adult.)

While we are still several months away, several guests have already been announced for the 2023 show which includes a Dukes of Hazzard reunion and once-in-a-lifetime concert performance you won't want to miss.

Catherine Bach

Catherine Bach is best known for playing Daisy Duke on the smash-hit 80’s tv show The Dukes of Hazzard. A feisty Southern Belle, Daisy could hold her own alongside cousins Bo and Luke, with experience in sharpshooting, horseback riding, bow and arrow, mechanics, and even fisticuffs!

The show quickly turned Catherine Bach into a household name and the character of Daisy Duke into a pop culture icon. Catherine famously posed as Daisy for a wall poster that sold 5 million copies, and she spawned a fashion craze in the early ’80s when cut-off denim short-shorts became known as “Daisy Dukes.”

Catherine has also enjoyed a long stay on the popular daytime drama The Young and the Restless, where she plays scheming con artist Anita Lawson.

Tom Wopat

Tom Wopat will forever be remembered as strapping, plaid shirt-wearing good ol’ boy Luke Duke on the smash hit 80’s action/comedy tv series The Dukes of Hazzard. Running from 1979 to 1985, the show was one of the very most popular series of the era, and still has a ridiculously large fanbase to this day. Considered to be the more cool-headed cousin, Luke was the one that usually got he and Bo out of hot water, and his signature “hood slide” across the General Lee was one of the show’s most memorable hallmarks!

After Dukes ended, Tom successfully refocused his talent as a recording artist, writing and performing music in the genres of country, rock and roll, and classic pop. He also became a leading man of Broadway, and continues to act in tv and movies to this day. Shows and movies you can find him in include Home Improvement, Smallville (reuniting with his Dukes co-star John Schneider), All My Children, Jonah Hex, Django Unchained, Longmire, The Blacklist, and many more,

Sam J. Jones

Sam Jones is best known for playing the title role in the awesomely over-the-top 80’s sci-fi classic Flash Gordon. While the movie failed to make a big splash at the box office in its original run, it has since gone on to celebrated cult status with its campy tone, eccentric characters, flamboyant costumes and sets, not to mention an immersive and hard-pumping soundtrack by legendary rock group Queen.

In the years following Flash Gordon, Sam also starred in the Glen A. Larson sci-fi series The Highwayman, The Spirit, and played bounty hunter Aris Boch on Stargate SG-1. Sam also had notable appearances as a spoofed version of himself in the offbeat Ted movies.

Sam was the subject of his very own documentary called Life After Flash in 2017. Partly chronicling the making of and staying power of the Flash Gordon movie, the doc mainly focuses on Sam’s life during the film’s production, and his struggles and successes in the decades that followed.

Greg Evigan

Greg Evigan is best known for his starring role in the endearing 70’s/80’s tv show B.J. and the Bear. Greg played Billie Joe McKay, freelance trucker traveling the highways in his red and white Kenworth K-100 Aerodyne with his chimpanzee sidekick and best friend ‘Bear’. A mix of action and comedy, the Glen A. Larson created show is still popular and fondly remembered to this day, despite the series never being released on official DVD or playing on streaming services/classic tv networks.

Greg moved on to another hit show in the late 80’s, playing Joey Harris for three seasons on the sitcom My Two Dads, co-starring Paul Reiser and Staci Keanan. He also starred as lead character Jake Cardigan in the 90’s sci-fi movie/tv series TekWar, based on the book series of the same name. The series was co-written by William Shatner, who was also featured on the show.

Greg has enjoyed success as a singer, songwriter, and musician as well. You can even hear his voice as the male vocals on the BJ and the Bear theme song. “New dreams and better scenes, and best of all I don’t pay property tax!”

Kathy Garver

Kathy is beloved for her portrayal of Firestar, one of Spider-Man’s amazing friends on the 1980’s animated hit Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. The show ran for three seasons as part of NBC’s Saturday morning line-up, making its indelible mark on pop culture. The show still holds up today through its charming animation, energetic music, and first-rate voice acting.

An original character created for the series, Firestar/Angelica Jones proved so popular that she turned up in her own comic mini-series, quickly becoming a full-fledged character in the Marvel comics universe. She’s been a member of both the X-Men and the Avengers, has had a wide assortment of action figures and other merchandise based on her, and has even made appearances in modern cartoons and video games.

Kathy is also very well known for her on-screen work, and we would be remiss not to mention her iconic role as Cissy Davis on the classic 1960’s sitcom Family Affair. The series centered on bachelor & engineer Bill Davis who is given custody of his late brother’s three children: Cissy, Jody & Buffy, raising them with the help of his traditional English butler, Mr. French. The show ran for 5 seasons, and has been in reruns ever since, drawing in new fans with each generation that discovers it! It’s also the show that Zed was getting emotional over in Police Academy 2.

Stan Bush

Stan Bush is best known for his iconic song “The Touch,” heard prominently during Optimus Prime’s epic last stand in the classic 1986 animated film Transformers: The Movie. An anthem for Transformers fans around the world, "The Touch"/ has been used in several TF productions over the years, and also featured on ABC’s The Goldbergs, NBC’s Chuck, FOX’s American Dad, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Saints Row IV, Shadow Warrior 2, the movie Boogie Nights, and more.

Stan also collaborated with Vince DiCola for the song “Dare”, another standout track from Transformers: The Movie. You can also hear Stan’s song “Hearts vs. Heads” in the turbocharged film The Wraith, “Never Surrender” in the Jean-Claude Van Damme cult classic Kickboxer, “Warrior” in the video game Shadow Warrior 2, “She’s Got the Power” in DiC Entertainment’s english dub of Sailor Moon, and his song “Capture the Dream” was used as the official anthem of the US Swim Team at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Stan will be a featured guest at Retro Con both Saturday and Sunday, so stop by his table in the guest section to say hi. Bring along your copy of the Transformers movie soundtrack on LP, cassette, or CD to get signed! Stan will also be taking the stage with the Cybertronic Spree for the Saturday night concert! Being held at Arnold’s at the Factory in Oaks, Stan will be singing "Dare" and "The Touch" with the band as back-up, as well as one or two more surprises! Concert tickets are SOLD OUT!!

Mark Watts

Mark Watts is the man responsible for the brilliant artwork used on the boxes of the original G1 Transformers toy line. He created over 45 commissioned paintings for Hasbro between the mid '80s and early '90s, most used directly on the packaging of the product. His dynamic art style set the trend that other artists would emulate for other characters in the line.

He also did several paintings used for Transformers mail-away offers, such as Reflector, the “Time Warrior” Autobot watch, and the Omnibots. He’s also produced art for other toys such as Tyco’s Crash Test Dummies, and Matchbox’s “Cargantua” robotic car carrier.

Check out Mark’s booth in the guest section where he’ll be displaying his artwork and offering prints for sale. He had a great time meeting attendees in past years. He loved hearing stories of how fans would cut his artwork out of the toy packaging as kids and tape it to their walls as room decoration!

Retro Con 2023 will also feature a raffle drawing which will include the coveted Ghostbusters Haslab Proton Pack and many other great prizes. The Game is Afoot retro arcade will also return with several cabinet machine to satisfy your retrogaming desires. And of course, there will be over 200 vendor tables with wall-to-wall nostalgia for sale!

We will pass along more announcements as we approach the show. Stay tuned to RD80s and follow the official Retro Con 2023 Event Page on Facebook for all the latest information. RD80s contributors and podcast team Jason and Wyatt are tentatively planning to be at the show for both days this year so we hope to see you in September!