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Arizona Fandom Groups

Welcome to our exploration of fandom groups in Arizona!

This is an early version of this page, which we expect to expand considerably over time.

To see which groups are active or inactive, please visit our Status page.

Please e-mail us details of any groups that we haven't added yet, active or not.

The Groups

	Across Plus (?, inactive) Across Plus was a social group based in north Phoenix that was focused on anime, manga, video games and cosplay. They seem to be inactive but used to meet weekly on Sunday evenings at Bookman's, where they may have held an Anime Fest event in 2006.
	Arizona Avengers (2009-present, active) The Arizona Avengers are a costuming group who cosplay Marvel characters for charity at schools, hospitals, shelters etc.
	Arizona Browncoats, Inc. (2006-present, active) The Arizona Browncoats are an Arizona non-profit devoted to the Whedonverse. They meet monthly and host Can't Stop the Serenity (in state) and other events.
	Arizona Ghostbusters (2007-present, active) The Arizona Ghostbusters are a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and costuming fan club which appears at events and raises money for charity.
	Arizona Judges (?-present, active) The Arizona Judges are a Judge Dredd cosplay group who often appear at conventions and other events.
	Arizona LANbashers League (1997-?, inactive) Arizona LANbashers league was a computer gaming group who threw quarterly LAN parties up to at least 2003. They seem to be inactive now and their website redirects to their Facebook page, which hasn't been updated since 2011.
	Arizona Legacy Rangers (?-present, active) The Arizona Legacy Rangers are a Power Rangers fandom group who mix cosplay with charity work.
	Arizona Penny Dreadfuls (2014-present, active) The Arizona Penny Dreadfuls are a fandom group focused on Victorian oddities, created because the Arizona Steampunk Society was family friendly. It organises low cost social events most months.
	Arizona Steampunk Society (2011-present, active) The Arizona Steampunk Society (AZSPS) is the largest steampunk group in Arizona. It used to meet monthly for dinner at restaurants around the valley, it sponsored the STEVE maker challenge for two years and it's very active on Facebook.
	The Away Team (?, inactive) The Away Team was a Tucson-based general science fiction appreciation group. They met monthly and organised social events. Their home online was the Lightspeed Space Station BBS.
	BASFA (?-present, active) BASFA (the Baja Arizona Science Fiction Association) is a 501(c)(4) corporation that runs the TusCon convention.
	Blue Ribbon Army (2013-present, active) The Blue Ribbon Army (or BRA) began as a Phoenix Comicon fan club but grew into its own identity. It runs its own events and is very active on Facebook, with a large collection of side groups.
	Cactus Brick (2008-present, active) Cactus Brick are a group of adult Lego fans who meet monthly and present at conventions and other events throughout the year.
	CASFS (1979-present, active) CASFS (the Central Arizona Speculative Fiction Society) is a 501(c)(3) organisation that runs the CopperCon convention, among others. It also ran the ConNotations newszine for two decades. It meets monthly in Phoenix and also runs a monthly book social.
	CROFT (?-present, active) CROFT (Celtic Re-enactment Organization for Fellowship and Trades) is a social group focused on the Celtic peoples from 400 BC to 1746 AD, with a heavy focus on crafting skills. They meet monthly in Phoenix at the Irish Cultural Center, with whom they're closely associated.
	The Dark Ones (1995-present, active) The Dark Ones are a social group who host the DarkCon convention. They are renowned for their parties, which they host quarterly.
	Daystar Holt (1981-present, active) Daystar Holt is an ElfQuest fanclub that 'may be the longest continuously-meeting face to face ElfQuest fan club'.
	Department of Zombie Defense (2009-, active) Department of Zombie Defense (the DOZD) are a cosplay and training group that focus on the zombie apocalypse.
	Desert Destroyers (?-present, active) The Desert Destroyers are a Predator clan who focus on costuming.
	Dune Sea Garrison (?-present, active) The Dune Sea Garrison is the Arizona chapter of the 501st Legion, an international Star Wars costuming club.
	Earthlink Sci-Fi Club (?, inactive?) Earthlink Sci-Fi Club was a general science fiction group who published a quarterly newsletter called Cosmic Wavelengths.
	Edgestow (1970-1972, inactive) Edgestow was an Arizona branch of the Mythopoeic Society, founded by Robert Prokop after attending Mythcon I in Claremont, CA in September 1970. The first Edgestow meeting was held that month in Scottsdale. It was gradually absorbed into OSFFA.
	The Endless (2005-present, active) The Endless are a social group in Phoenix who host themed events and parties.
	End of Days Entertainment (?-present, active) End of Days Entertainment is a post-apocalyptic pre-enactment social club who host a number of events each year.
	Fireteam Phoenix (?-present, active) Fireteam Phoenix is a video game cosplay group that mixes cosplay with charity work.
	Heroes United (?-present, active) Heroes United are a non-profit charity-based cosplay group that doesn't focus on a single fandom.
	HMS Claymore (?-present, active) HMS Claymore is the Tucson chapter of the the Royal Manticoran Navy (TRMN), a social fandom group dedicated to the Honor Harrington works of author David Weber. It used to be the Arizona chapter before it split into two (Phoenix is now HMS Broadsword). They meet socially and represent at conventions across the state.
	HMS Broadsword (?-present, active) HMS Broadsword is the Phoenix chapter of the the Royal Manticoran Navy (TRMN), a social fandom group dedicated to the Honor Harrington works of author David Weber. They meet socially and represent at conventions across the state.
	Jundland Wastes Squad (?-present, active) The Jundland Wastes Squad is the southern Arizona chapter of the Dune Sea Garrison.
	Justice League Arizona (?-present, active) The Justice League Arizona ('the JLAZ') are a DC universe-themed costuming group who mix cosplay with charity work.
	Kingdom of Galandor (1990-present, active) The Kingdom of Galandor is the Arizona territory of the Empire of Chivalry and Steel, Inc. (the ECS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational corporation that focuses on the European middle ages. They meet weekly for combat and archery practice.
	Kingdom of Umbria (?-present, active) The Kingdom of Umbria is an Arizona chapter of the Adrian Empire, a nationwide 501(c)(3) non-profit group dedicated to recreating the skills and activities of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
	LepreCon, Inc. (1983-present, active) LepreCon, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation that exists primarily to run the LepreCon convention, though it has sponsored many others. It meets quarterly.
	Moon Society of Phoenix (2007-, active) The Moon Society of Phoenix (MSP) is the Arizona chapter of the Moon Society, best known for their outreach at sf conventions and science events. They meet monthly in conjunction with the National Space Society (NSS).
	Mos Eisley Base (?-present, active) Mos Eisley Base is the official Arizona base of the Rebel Legion, a worldwide Star Wars costuming group.
	New Arizona Republic (?-present, active) The New Arizona Republic is a Fallout costuming and prop-making group.
	OSFFA (1972-1976, inactive) OSFFA (the Organized Science Fiction Fans of Arizona) was created after many fans left the Phoenix Science Fantasy Society. It met weekly, often at Bill Patterson's cottage in Phoenix. During the mid-1970s it was the more publication-oriented sf fandom group in Phoenix (compared with the more social-oriented Phoenix Cosmic Circle). It published a newsletter, OSFFA News, and maintained a club library. It also founded LepreCon.
	PAReX (?-2003?, inactive) ParEX (Phoenix Area Robotics eXperimenters) were a non-profit organisation in Phoenix dedicated to building and promoting autonomous robots. They had east and west side meetings each month. They ran events at least as far back as 1999 (BotBash 4 in Scottsdale) and recently as 2003.
	Phoenix Cosmic Circle (1972-1976?, inactive) The Phoenix Cosmic Circle was the Phoenix Science Fantasy Society, as renamed by Paula Ann Anthony in 1972. It met weekly, often at Anthony's grandmother's house in Phoenix. During the mid-1970s it was the more social-oriented sf fandom group in Phoenix (compared with the more publication-oriented OSFFA).
	The Phoenix Fantasy Film Society (1974?-present, active) The Phoenix Fantasy Film Society, amazingly enough, is a film society in Phoenix that's dedicated to sf and fantasy films. It maintains a library of projectors and films for rental and has hosted many events over the decades. It was founded by Terry Ballard.
	Phoenix Japanimation Society (1980s?, inactive) Phoenix Japanimation Society was an anime group in Phoenix created before it became known as anime. It's still remembered in the anime scene for its work subtitling tapes and it had its own .pjs file format. It met monthly and published a monthly newsletter.
	Phoenix Science-Fantasy Club (1968-1969, inactive) The Phoenix Science-Fantasy Club (PSFC) was the first known fandom group in Arizona. It was founded by Terry Ballard, a Phoenix librarian, and first met in September 1968 in the 'penthouse' meeting room of the main branch of the Phoenix Public Library at Central & McDowell. It met monthly.
	Phoenix Science Fantasy Society (1969-1972, inactive) The Phoenix Science Fantasy Society (PSFS) was the sf fandom group that continued out of what had been the Phoenix Science-Fantasy Club. It met weekly at members' houses, initially and eventually Terry Ballard's. It was eventually renamed to the Phoenix Cosmic Circle.
	PhringeCon, Inc. (1980?-1981?, inactive) PhringeCon, Inc. was the group which hosted the first two PhringeCon conventions in the early eighties.
	Southwest Costumers Guild (1994-present, active) The Southwest Costumers Guild (SWCG) is central Arizona's chapter of the International Costume Guild. It's a costuming group with a focus on historical and fantasy and a presence at reenactment events and sf conventions. They meet monthly.
	Space Access Society (1992-present, active) The Space Access Society is an educational organisation that has promoted radically cheaper access to space for decades. It was founded by Henry Vanderbilt and has hosted two decades worth of Space Access Conferences.
	Star Trek Tucson (?-present, active) Star Trek Tucson is, surprisingly enough, a Star Trek fandom group in Tucson, who mix cosplay with charity work. They meet monthly.
	El Tardis de Tucson (?-present, active) El Tardis de Tucson is a Doctor Who cosplay group in Tucson with a focus on STEM education.
	Team Rocket AZ (?-present, active) Team Rocket AZ is a Pokémon costuming group.
	THEM (1993-, active) THEM are an Arizona State University group for fans of science fiction and fantasy. They meet monthly.
	Tucson Steampunk Society (2011-present, active) The Tucson Steampunk Society is the most active steampunk group in Arizona, with a host of side groups. It runs the annual Dickens Tea in Tucson, maong other events.
	Tucson Zombies (?-present, active) Tucson Zombies is a make-up/effects club for artists and actors that does charity work. They also provide cast/crew to indie film productions.
	Twin Suns Spire (?-present, active) The Twin Suns Spire is part of the Dark Empire, an international Star Wars costuming club that focuses on the dark side. They mix cosplay with charity work.
	Umbrella Corporation Arizona Hive (2012-present, active) The Umbrella Corporation Arizona Hive is a Resident Evil-themed costuming and prop-making group that also does charity work.
	United Federation of Phoenix (1975-present, active) The United Federation of Phoenix (UFP) is the longest running Star Trek fan group in Arizona. It meets monthly and often sponsors Star Trek guests at local sf conventions.
	United Zombies of America (2012-present, active) The United Zombies of America (UZA) is a horror themed group which runs a haunted attraction and appears at many conventions.
	Voodoo Regent (?-present, active) Voodoo Regent is a horror cosplay group that raises money to help victims of domestic violence seek better lives.
	WesternSFA (?-present, active) The WesternSFA (for Western Science Fiction Association) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation that meets quarterly and runs a monthly open house. It has sponsored various conventions including the 2004 Westercon and runs an e-zine called The Nameless Zine which updates monthly.