MarsCon 2027 Guests of Honor
Author Guest of Honor – Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards, all for best novel of the year (for Hominids, The Terminal Experiment, and Mindscan, respectively), as well as the Robert A. Heinlein Award, the Hal Clement Award, the E.E. “Doc” Smith Memorial Award (“the Skylark”), and a record-setting sixteen Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras”), plus the top SF awards in China, Japan, France, and Spain. The ABC TV series FlashForward was based on his novel of the same name and he was one of the scriptwriters for that series; he also wrote the two-part finale for the popular fan-film series Star Trek Continues. Rob’s latest novel — his twenty-sixth — is The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine. A member of the Order of Canada (the highest honor bestowed by the Canadian government), one of the initial inductees into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, a judge for Writers of the Future contest, a multiple TEDx speaker, and a guest of honor at the 2023 World Science Fiction Convention (the Worldcon), Rob lives near Toronto. Website: https://sfwriter.com.
Gaming Guest of Honor: Steve Jackson, creator of “Munchkin”
Steve Jackson, founder and editor-in-chief of Steve Jackson Games, is a longtime SF fan, and gets away to cons when he can. He writes filksongs (adequately) and sings (very badly). He is a confirmed net addict. His other hobbies include gardening, dinosaurs, Lego, trains, and Lego trains. In his copious free time, he reads, eats and sleeps.
Since starting his own company in 1980, he has created a number of hits, starting with Car Wars . . . followed shortly by Illuminati, and later by GURPS, the “Generic Universal Roleplaying System.” In 1983, he was elected to the Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame – the youngest person ever so honored. He has personally won 11 Origins Awards, not counting the others the company has received. Woo hoo.
He now spends a good deal of his time helping to manage Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, which at the moment employs about 20 people. But he continues to write, as well. His current hits are Munchkin, a very silly card game about killing monsters and taking their stuff, and Zombie Dice, in which you eat brains and try not to get shotgunned. His current projects include various new games, a variety of Munchkin follow-ups, and the continuing quest to get his games translated into digital
Media Guest of Honor: Jake Pauwels from “Roll for Sandwich”
Jacob “Jake” Pauwels has been many things: videographer, designer, touring musician, writer, dungeon master, husband, stay-at-home father, and now, the most unexpected thus far— TikTok sensation. Pauwels’ “Roll for Sandwich” video series blends the drama and suspense of high-stake TTRPG rolls with the fun of trying new foods. He has amassed a following of upwards of 2.4 million and has created something truly unique that has helped bring the excitement of TTRPGs to a brand-new audience.
** Featured Guests **
Featured Musical Guest – Mikey Mason
Mikey Mason spent more than a decade as a full-time standup comedian. He headlined on all four coasts, performed multiple times each on NBC, at the legendary House of Blues, and the Hard Rock Casino. He even headlined the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas. But it wasn’t enough.
In 2011, he released a song expressing his geekier side (She Don’t Like Firefly) that went viral on YouTube and got him featured on Nerdist online, SyFy, MTV Geek News, The Funny Music Project, Dr. Demento, and even Time magazine. Fourteen albums and 6 EPs later, his lifelong love for fantasy, science fiction, cats, video and role-playing games continues to inspire his music and help him evolve, not only personally, but musically and professionally.
Today his profession is creating art and music with geeky themes. His performances are fueled by his passions and sharpened by long years of experience as a stand-up comedian. He’s performed at theaters, bars, comedy clubs, casinos, colleges, festivals, and conventions across the US, recorded many albums, hosted podcasts, exhibited at art shows, created a coloring book, and more, continually expanding his horizons as to what his next project will be.
Featured Musical Guests – HipHopMcDougal
Hiphopmcdougal are many things. Time Travelers. Check. Space Adventurers. Check. Cryptid Hunters. Check. Pizza Lovers. You better believe it! For over 15 years Hiphopmcdougal has journeyed across the globe and the cosmos on countless missions and quests. Along the way, they’ve amassed not only regional recognition, but many tales of fortune and glory. Come listen as they recount these extraordinary deeds through music and song. Taking elements of pop, hip hop and punk and combining it with a whole lot of fun, a good time is guaranteed for all. Hiphopmcdougal is the musical duo of Charlie Hodgson and Julian Biggs. Together they have released four full length albums, four EPs, and numerous singles. All of their music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
Featured Costuming/Cosplay Guest – Katsumi Cosplay
Katsumi cosplay (they/she) is an award-winning East Coast cosplayer best known for their original designs. With over a decade of experience on the convention circuit, they found a passion not only for Pokemon cosplay but also for teaching. Some of their favorite panel topics include craftsmanship topics, game shows and photography panels. They have been a panelist at Anime Central, Nekocon, Cosplay America and more as well as a cosplay guest for Convivial VA. They also have helped run cosplay contests as the head of the masquerade department of Tineecon. Katsumi loves to give back to their cosplay community by sharing their extensive knowledge.
When not presenting panels or working on cosplays, you can find Kat rolling dice during D&D, researching new cosplay techniques, or generally finding cosplay inspiration through friends. If you see them around the con feel free to stop by and chat!
Featured Science Guest – Dr. Charles Liu 
Charles Liu is a professor of astrophysics at the City University of New York’s College of Staten Island, an associate with the Hayden Planetarium and Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History, and host of the podcast The LIUniverse with Dr. Charles Liu. His research focuses on colliding galaxies, starburst galaxies, quasars, and the star formation history of the universe, working with data from major facilities such as the Vera Rubin Observatory and (hopefully soon) the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Charles also writes for students and general audiences, including eleven books – most recently The Cosmos Explained (2022) and The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book (2024). Among his professional honors, Charles has received the 2001 American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award and the 2024 American Astronomical Society Education Prize. He currently serves as president of the Astronomical Society of New York and is a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. Charles and his wife, Dr. Amy Rabb-Liu, have three children.