Special Guests | Saluki Con | SIU

 Zac Atkinson is a comic creator, cartoonist and designer. He has worked as a colorist on Bruce Lee the Dragon Rises, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, Justice Society, Young Justice (cartoon adaption), Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans Go, Legion of Superheros 31st Century, Transformers, Star Trek, GI Joe, We Will Bury You, Ben 10, Amory Wars, Irredeemable, Farscape...and many others. He's also designed popular tshirts that's been featured on sites like Ript, Teefury and Once upon a Tee. Zac is currently working on his creator owned comic out of his studio in Decatur, Illinois.

 Tracee Lee Cocco is an actress, model and stuntwoman who worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. She was most visibly seen as Lieutenant Jae, a regular background character on The Next Generation, between the fourth and seventh season. She was one of the background performers who also appeared in the three Next Generation feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, and Star Trek: Insurrection. Cocco also worked as stand-in for Alice Krige (“Borg Queen”) in Star Trek: First Contact.

In “Descent” she played one of the Borg drones mentally damaged by Lore’s experimentation. On Deep Space 9, she could sometimes be seen in alien make-up in Quark’s and played several aliens such as an Antican. Cocco was one of several regular background performers from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager who participated in the filming of the interactive movie Star Trek: Borg; she is most notably seen as a Starfleet science officer visible in the corridor aboard the USS Cheyenne at the start of the movie. She also appeared as an alien bar character in the 1996 video game Star Trek: Klingon.

Sean Dulaney is an writer/artist/editor and broadcaster from Southern Illinois. In the comics field, his work includes 51 Delta (Arcana Studios), the "IT" Girl Murders (Markosia), F. Stein, Consulting Detective, Dreah, Queen Of Thieves And The Recent Kickstarter Funded Miss Vicky & Her Cutie Commandos. As an editor, he has overseen the revived Fantastic Adventures title which mixes reprint material from the Ace Comics archives with new material related to the issues' themes. In recent years, Sean has spearheaded the annual radio show recreation during Metropolis, IL's Superman Celebration.

Cathy Jackson is a midwestern christian mother of three teenagers and a precocious eleven-year-old. Reading is a passion of hers, but she adores writing. It is Cathy's goal as an author to write scenes that uplift and encourage along with making one feel the experience. She wants readers to finish the books feeling hope, love, and happiness. To date, the books she has published are inspirational (christian) romances, but they have a contemporary romance feel to them.

Camron Johnson is an illustrator whose work can be seen in comics, novels and children's books. Credits include creator-owned titles like Thy Neighbor and Bonecheck, as well as cover design for the acclaimed horror series- Rabbit In Red by Joe Chianakas. Titles for young readers include Light The Night by author Zach Williams and I've Lost My Special Power! by author Molly Whalen.

The Midwest Garrison is the Illinois chapter of The 501st Legion, a Star Wars Imperial costuming club. The 501st is dedicated to the movie-quality costumes of the "villains" of the Star Wars universe. The MWG provides a means for Star Wars fans to meet and network with each other to engage in the hobby of building and improving Imperial costumes from the Star Wars movies. All of our costumes are scratch-built or "fan-made," whether through the arduous process of building molds and vacuum-forming, or assembling costumes from found objects.

Brad Moore is a dedicated surrealist painter, who creates artwork for underground, heavy metal, and alternative record companies. perhaps his most brilliant feat, however, was, on the day of his birth, to be delivered by none other than Dr. Chas. Cavaness, the man who brutally murdered his two sons, and the book; "Murder in Little Egypt" tells the tale. That book leaves out all the details featuring Brad Moore, however, and his years as a horror/gore comic book artist, his trials and tribulations with designs and art for film, and his now current employment as an illustrator for the heavy metal/psychedelic recording industry. When asked what he considers his greatest achievement, Moore often cites the exhibit he did, in 2006, with none other than H.R.Giger, the Swiss Surrealist who created the Xenomorph horrors for the ALIEN film series. That Exhibit was held in Switzerland, at Giger's own castle, and is now a matter of record. To date, Brad Moore's work has been published, world-wide, over 500 times, and he sees absolutely no end to this ghastly adventure into his own mind, delving into arcane worlds of highly eccentric artistry.

Brian K. Morris is an independent publisher with his Rising Tide Publications imprint, freelance writer, novelist, "award winning" playwright, actor, editor-in-chief for Silver Phoenix Entertainment, and former morticians assistant. A frequent convention guest, Brian's newest releases include WAITING FOR THE SPACE GODS, THE HAUNTING SCRIPTS OF BACHELORS GROVE and VULCANA: THE PROMETHEUS COVER-UP. He lives in Central Indiana with his wife, no children, no pets, and too many comic books. His blog can be found at risingtide.pub.

St. Louis R2 Builders Group - Southern Illinois University alumnus (class of 2004), James Chaklos, is a local R2-D2 builder and a member of the non-profit, St. Louis R2 Builders Group. James works to promote his love for science and “Star Wars” by taking his hand-built R2-D2 model to local schools, hospitals, and other charity events in the Southern Illinois Region. Visit his booth for a special surprise this year – a half-sized BB-8 Model.