Speaking
I’m a frequent speaker at pop culture conventions around the country, presenting seminars about the craft of storytelling, entertainment careers, and ways to power-up your life using concepts from gaming. I also speak at universities, libraries, and social events.
I’ve appeared extensively at San Diego Comic-Con, and have been a main stage presenter and celebrity interviewer at Planet Comicon (Kansas City), Emerald City Comicon (Seattle), and Podcast Movement (Chicago).
My extensive experience as an interviewer through my work in podcasting and radio makes me a highly adept panel moderator. I’ve shared the stage and had phenomenal conversations with a wide array of personalities, including filmmakers, animation professionals, comic creators, authors, and more.
Previous Speaking Engagements
Below is a (probably not comprehensive) list of my previous speaking engagements.
*** Last updated July 2, 2021. ***
Edelweiss Bookfest 2021
June 2021 — Virtual Event
“Hope on the Edge of Catastrophe: Rising to Face a New Tomorrow”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Ryka Aoki (Light From Uncommon Stars), Jennifer Marie Brissett (Destroyer of Light), and Claire North (Notes from the Burning Age). Details here.
Anime St. Louis 2021
April 2021 — Virtual Event
“Griffin Burns Spotlight”
Interviewer. Featuring Griffin Burns, Voice Actor, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Devilman Crybaby, Genshin Impact, and Fire Emblem.
“Eric Roth Spotlight”
Interviewer. Featuring Eric Roth, Composer, conductor, and producer, Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds, Final Fantasy: A New World, and Undertale: Live.
New York Comic Con Metaverse 2020
October 2020 — Virtual Event
“Telling Tales Between the Stars: Writing Science Fiction”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Christopher Paolini (To Sleep in a Sea of Stars), Tochi Onyebuchi (Rebel Sisters), Elaine Mongeon and Glen Zipper (Devastation Class), Essa Hansen (Nophek Gloss), and Elizabeth Bear (Machine). Watch on YouTube.
Mainframe Comic Con 2020
August 2020 — Virtual Event
“Voices of DC featuring Jason Spisak”
Interviewer. Featuring Voice Actor Jason Spisak, Young Justice, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, Superman: Red Son, and Batman: Bad Blood.
“Mad Cave Presents: Stargazer“
Moderator. Featuring Stargazer comic creators Anthony Cleveland and Antonio Fuso.
“Mad Cave Presents: Dry Foot“
Moderator. Featuring Dry Foot comic creators Jarred Lujuan and Orlando Calcedo.
“Mad Cave Presents: Villainous“
Moderator. Featuring Villainous comic creators Stonie Williams and Giovanna T. Orozco.
St. Charles City-County Library 2019 How-To Festival
September 2019 — St. Charles, MO
“How to be a Lifelong Learner: Why Trying Something New Keeps You Excited, Social, and Relevant”
Keynote Speaker. Details here.
“Podcasting 101 & 102”
Seminar Speaker.
Comic Con International 2019
July 2019 — San Diego, CA
“Care & Nurturing of Someone Else’s Universe”
Moderator. Featuring panelists F.C. Yee, Matt Forbeck, Brenna Yovanoff, Adam Christopher, Kiersten White and Gary Phillips. Details here.
“10 Points to Slytherin: Why Good Fans Love Evil Characters”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Marissa Meyer, Renée Ahdieh, Keto Shimizu, Caitlin Starling, and Shaun Barger. Details here.
Planet Comicon 2019
March 2019 — Kansas City, MO — Details here.
“Video Game Voices: A Look at Overwatch”
Main Stage Interviewer. Featuring Josh Petersdorf, Lucie Pohl, and Chloe Hollings.
“My Hero Academia”
Main Stage Interviewer. Featuring Jamie Marchi (Mt.Lady), Justin Briner (Izuku), Monica Rial (Tsuyu), and Jason Liebrecht (Dabi).
“Here There Be Dragons: Creating Fresh Stories in Fantasy”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Brandon Sanderson, Keith R.A. DeCandido, J.R. Frontera, Tamara Hanks Grantham, and Brian McClennan.
“TMNT: The Live Art Hour”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Kevin Eastman and Freddie Williams II.
“The Real Life Power-Up: Leveling Up Personally & Professionally”
Seminar Speaker.
“Story Unlimited: Using Non-Traditional Methods & Media to Tell Your Story”
Moderator. Featuring panelists J.R Frontera, Stephanie Hansen, K Lynn Smith, Dayton Ward, and Jason Arnett.
“The Best Books For Artists and Art Lovers”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Tran Nguyen, Bill Carman, Cory Godbey, and Lauren Panepinto.
Emerald City Comic Con 2019
February 2019 — Seattle, WA — Details here.
“Story Unlimited: Using Non-Traditional Methods & Media to Tell YOUR Story”
Moderator. Featuring panelists David Accampo (Lost Angels; Wormwood: A Serialized Mystery), Gwenda Bond (Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds; Dead Air), Rob Hart (The Warehouse; publisher, MysteriousPress.com), and Brian McClellan (Powder Mage trilogy; Powder Mage RPG).
“10 Points to Slytherin: Why Good Fans Love Evil Characters”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jaimie Cordero (CEO of Espionage Cosmetics), Delilah S. Dawson (Kill the Farm Boy; Star Wars: Phasma), April Henry (The Lonely Dead; Girl, Stolen), and Sam Sykes (Bring Down Heaven trilogy; Seven Blades in Black).
RollaCon 2018 — Missouri University of Science & Technology
October 2018 — Raleigh, MO
“The Torn Identity: Deciding Who We Are, in a World that Wants to Decide for Us”
Keynote Speaker.
Missouri University of Science & Technology
August 2018 — Raleigh, MO
“Inclusion & Community Development”
Keynote Speaker. A Seminar for incoming resident advisors and student body government
Comic-Con International 2018
July 2018 — San Diego, CA
“Finding Comfort in the Apocalypse”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Cory Doctorow, Elizabeth Hand, Douglas Holgate, Andrew Smith, Emily Suvada, and Scott Westerfeld.
“Here There Be Dragons: Creating Fresh Stories in Fantasy”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Tomi Adeyemi, Jason Denzel, R.F. Kuang, Robert Jackson Bennett, and Mary E. Pearson.
C2E2 2018
April 2018 — Chicago, IL
“Podcasting with Travis McElroy and Friends”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Travis McElroy (My Brother, My Brother, and Me; Adventure Zone), Teresa McElroy (Shmanners), Symphony Sanders (Welcome to Night Vale), and Arnie Niekamp, Adal Rifai, & Matt Young (Hello From the Magic Tavern).
Emerald City Comic Con 2018
March 2018 — Seattle, WA
“Storytelling Spotlight with Jonathon Coulton”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Jonathan Coulton, Molly Lewis, Patrick Rothfuss, and Anne Wheaton.
“Marketing (Isn’t) Magic: How to Promote Your Art (and Yourself) Without Selling Your Soul”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Rob Boffard, Jaimie Cordero, Danielle Davis, Jordan Dené Ellis, Ashlie Hammond, and Fonda Lee.
“10 Points to Slytherin: Why Good Fans Love Evil Characters”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists David Accampo, Erica Harrell, Alex Marshall (aka Jesse Bullington), Annalee Newitz, and Desirée Proctor.
“How to be a Nerd for a Living: Discovering Careers in Pop-Culture”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Mike Collins, Jaimie Cordero, Jordan Dené Ellis, Adam P. Knave, Fonda Lee
Planet Comicon 2018
February 2018 — Kansas City, MO
“Let’s Get Dangerous with Jim Cummings”
Main Stage Interviewer. Featuring “Winnie the Pooh” and “Darkwing Duck” voice actor Jim Cummings. Watch a clip on YouTube.
“Water Tower Talk with the Animaniacs”
Main Stage Interviewer. Featuring Animanaics & Pinky & The Brain voice actors Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, and Maurice LaMarche.
“The World of Remnant Q&A With the Cast of RWBY”
Mainstage Interviewer. Featuring RWBY voice actors Lindsay Jones, Kara Eberle, Arryn Zech, Barbara Dunkelman, Elizabeth Maxwell, and Michael Jones.
“The Steven Universe Hour with Zach Callison”
Main Stage Interviewer. Featuring Stephen Universe star Zach Callison
“Something Something Danger Zone! Behind the scenes of Archer”
Panel Moderator. Featuring panelists Kevin Mellon and Trinity Animation.
“Podcast Peptalk: How to Produce Your Own Show”
Seminar Speaker.
“Real Life Power-Up: Leveling Up Personally & Professionally”
Seminar Speaker.
Wizard World 2018
February 2018 — St. Louis, MO
“The High Cost of Resurrection: The Ramifications of Bringing Characters Back to Life”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Ryan Dalton, J.R. Frontera, Kristin Helling, and Melody Meiners.
RollaCon 2017 – Missouri University of Science and Technology
November 2017 — Raleigh, MO
“Character Class: Discovering Your Vocational Identity”
Featured Seminar Speaker.
PixelPop Festival 2017
August 2017 — St. Louis, MO
“Life Balance (for Video Game Creators)”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Rebekah Saltsman, Mary McKenzie, and Monique Parasram.
Comic Con International 2017
July 2017 — San Diego, CA
“The Animated Life: A Peek Behind the Cels”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Mike Collins, Andrea Fernandez, Marie Lum, Shadi Petosky, and Rachel Vine.
“10 Points to Slytherin: Why Good Fans Love Evil Characters”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jane Espenson, Rebecca Zanetti, Christine Boylan, Tomi Adeyemi, Erica Schultz, and Kendall Ashley.
Planet Comicon 2017
April 2017 — Kansas City, MO
“Real Life Power-Up: Leveling Up Personally & Professionally”
Seminar Speaker.
“Comic Book Storytellers: Artists who write and writers who draw!”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Amanda Conner, Shannon Eric Denton, Ande Parks, Phil Hester, and Colleen Doran.
“The World of RWBY Planet Comicon Q&A”
Main Stage Interviewer. Featuring Arryn Zech, Elizabeth Maxwell, Kara Eberle, and Jessica Nigri.
“Be More Animated: The Secrets of Animation”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Shannon Eric Denton, Kevin Mellon, and Joel Adams.
“Something Something Dangerzone: How To Make Archer”
Moderator. Featuring panelist Kevin Mellon.
“Making Comics: How Comic Book Artists Tell Visual Stories”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Greg Smallwood, Chad Hardin, Jeremy Haun, Kyle Strahm, and Megan Levens.
“How to Be a Nerd For A Living: Discovering Careers in Pop-Culture”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Sarah Andersen, Shannon Eric Denton, Kara Eberle, Julia Kaye, and Jeffrey Moy.
Emerald City Comicon 2017
March 2017 — Seattle, WA
“Marketing (Isn’t) Magic – Promoting Your Art Without Selling Your Soul”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jaimie Cordero, Jordan Dené Ellis, Amanda Nuckolls, and Tara Theoharis.
“The Animated Life – A Peek Behind the Cels”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Victoria Ying, Mike Collins, and Steph Laberis.
“Real Life Power-Up – Leveling Up Personally & Professionally”
Seminar Speaker.
PixelPop Fetstival 2016
October 2016 — St. Louis, MO
“Voice Acting for Games”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jenny Gibbons, Carol Mertz, and Ryan Winzen.
“Play in Public: Video Game Installations”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Stuart Keating, Kristina Goodwin, and Ben Triola.
“Game Artists”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Anita Tung, TJ Hughes, and Anthony Amato.
“Game Concepting”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Gene Kelly, Matthew Seniour, and Liz Gattra.
“Life Before Going Indie”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Samantha Kalman, Mary McKenzie, Jenny Gibbons, and Ryan Winzen.
Comic Con International 2016
July 2016 — San Diego, CA
“Death & the High Cost of Resurrection”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Seanan McGuire, Andy Schmidt, Anthony Ferrante, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Paul Cornell.
Podcast Movement 2016
July 2016 — Chicago, IL
Stage Presenter for Aaron Mahnke, creator of Lore
Planet Comicon 2016
May 2016 — Kansas City, MO
“How to be a Nerd for a Living: Discovering Careers in Pop-Culture”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Ming Chen, Holly Messinger, and Freddie Williams II.
“Secrets of Visual Story: Drawing Comics”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Freddie Williams II, Mark Texeira, Brian Hurtt, and Jeremy Haun.
“Image Comics: Creator Owned Everything”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jason Hurley, Jeremy Haun, Howard Chaykin, and Rick Burchett.
“The Making of Archer”
Moderator. Featuring panelist Kevin Mellon.
“Star Wars Universe: Beyond Film”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Kevin J. Anderson, Jeffrey Moy, Todd Aaron Smith, and Darryl Woods.
So You Want to Start a Podcast? A St. Louis on the Air Event
June 2016 — St. Louis, MO
“So You Want to Start a Podcast?”
Panelist. Live St. Louis Public Radio Event and Recorded Broadcast for St. Louis on the Air. Featuring panelists Kameel Stanley, Alex Ihnen, Dustin Bryson, and Wendy Buske.
Emerald City Comicon 2016
April 2016 — Seattle, WA
“Marketing (Isn’t) Magic: Promoting Your Art Without Selling Your Soul”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jaimie Cordero, Danielle Davis, and Jen Vaughn.
Wizard World Comic Con 2016
April 2016 — St. Louis, MO
“How to Be a Nerd For A Living: Finding Your Career in Pop Culture”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Rachael Stott, Rick Burchett, Ellie Ann, and Carol Mertz.
Project Comic Con 2015
October 2015 — St. Louis, MO
“Achievement Unlocked! Promoting and Profiting from Your Passion”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Carol Mertz, Carolyn Noe, Rori!, and Em Piro.
PixelPop Festival 2015
September 2015 — St. Louis, MO
“Nerd For A Living Presents: Be Your Own Hero”
Seminar Speaker
Super Heroines Etc. presents “SHE in the Pub”
August 2015 — St. Louis, MO
“Be Your Own Hero: Leveling Up Personally & Professionally”
Featured Seminar Speaker.
Nerdy Networking — A Super Heroines, Etc. / Nerd For A Living Event
July 2015 — St. Louis, MO
“The Power of Pivot”
Featured Speaker.
Planet Comicon 2015
March 2015 — Kansas City, MO
“The Business of Self-Promotion: Marketing Your Art or Small Business Online”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Victoria Gedvillas and Alexi Vandenberg.
“How to be a Nerd For A Living”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Ande Parks, Monika Lee, Dayton Ward, and Kevin Mellon.
“The Making of Archer”
Moderator. Featuring panelist Kevin Mellon.
Wizard World Comic Con 2014
August 2014 — Chicago, IL
“What’s the Story? Creating Stories that Captivate”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Jon Schnepp and Allen Turner. Moderated by Adam Simon.
“How to Be a Nerd For a Living: Career Paths Within Nerd Culture”
Moderator. Featuring panelists Jenny Frison, Jon Schnepp, Josh Blaylock, and Kurt Lehner.
“Building your Creative Platform: Everything You Need to Know About Self Promotion”
Panelist. Featuring panelist Ryan Morrow.
Wizard World Comic Con 2014
April 2014 — St. Louis, MO
“The Hero’s Journey: Exploring Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and More”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Rhiannon Paille, Jeffrey Johnson, and Christopher Boll. Moderated by Genese Davis.
“Turning Your Art Into an Online Business: Branding & Marketing for Creators”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Ashley Schonberg, Rhiannon Paille, and Amanda Nuckolls. Moderated by Wendy Buske.
Wizard World Comic Con 2013
August 2013 — Chicago, IL
“Online Marketing for Artists & Creators”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Wendy Buske and Kelly Stephenson.
C2E2 2013
April 2013 — Chicago, IL
“Art as Business Online”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Amanda Nuckolls and Kelly Stephenson. Moderated by Wendy Buske.
Wizard World Comic Con 2013
March 2013 — St. Louis, MO
“Creating and Marketing Web-Comics”
Panelist. Featuring panelists Rick Burchett, Yale Stewart, Gene Kelly and Matthew Seniour.
Signature Seminar & Presentation Topics
The Real Life Power-Up
Leveling Up Personally & Professionally
Want to take your life to the next level? This fun and nerdy goal-setting workshop uses familiar RPG gaming concepts to track your skills and personal attributes as you quest for self improvement. It includes a motivational “character sheet” you can use long after the seminar. Highlight your super powers and overthrow your weaknesses on the path to career and personal growth.
The Real Life Power-Up, presented by Adron Buske, helps you design the person you want to become, and creates a roadmap for you to achieve that goal. Because your Quest is about more than accomplishments — it’s about crafting your own Story.
How to be a Lifelong Learner
Why Trying Something New Keeps You Excited, Social, and Relevant
Life-long learning isn’t just about workplace longevity. It is expanding who we are through personally rewarding pursuits, meeting new people, and sharing new experiences. Adron will explore how continually trying new things keeps us sharp, excited, relevant, and more adaptable for whatever life throws at us.
10 Points to Slytherin
Why Good Fans Love Evil Characters
Get in touch with your Dark Side! Forget the boring heroes – fandom loves its villains. Loki, Harley Quinn, Darth Vader, The Joker – with their fascinating backstories, dangerous aesthetics, and devil-may-care attitudes, it’s easy to see why many fans identify with the bad guys. But what does it say about you when you proudly claim allegiance to Slytherin House, the 501st, or Hydra? Adron Buske (host, FICTITIOUS) and a group of writers and creators will explore fan fascination with fictional antagonists.
Here There Be Dragons
Creating Fresh Stories in Fantasy
Every genre has its tropes, and Fantasy has many: swords and sorcerers, castles and cavalries, dungeon crawls and dazzling dragons. But with more than a century of fantastical storytelling behind us, how does a writer deliver fresh, exciting ideas while giving readers what they want and expect? Adron Buske (host, FICTITIOUS) talks with a group of professional genre authors about writing to market, how to subvert cliches and expectations, and blazing new trails on the well-trod map of Fantasy.
Story Unlimited
Using Non-Traditional Methods to Tell YOUR Story
Do you have a story to tell, but struggle writing that traditional novel, comic, or screenplay? Modern media presents you with extraordinary new options to tell your tale and win an audience. Whether it’s a podcast, video series, webcomic, chat & text story, indie game, serialized mobile fiction, mystery subscription, or something completely new, your potential fans are waiting! And why limit yourself to just one platform? FICTITIOUS host Adron Buske talks with a panel of creators and industry professionals about the evolving world of multimedia entertainment – and how you can break in with your own stories.
