The Motor City Comic Con kicked off yesterday. CBS Detroit noted how fans looking to register overwhelmed website servers in the lead up to Friday’s start time. This further proves that an event once relegated to the outcasts, nerds, and geeks of society has gone mainstream and continues to grow.
At this comic con, along with the numerous ones around the country, you’ll find comic fans dressed up as their favorite characters from comic books, movies, and TV. Expect to see tons of photos posted to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook of cosplayers of all shapes and sizes. A comic con is not too different from a huge Halloween party, with the emphasis on superheroes and supervillains, of course. The event organizers told USA Today they expect 50,000 guests before the weekend is over.
Besides for an inundation of costumed festival goers, there will be dozens of special invited guest legends of geekdom signing autographs. This year, expect to see The Incredible Hulk TV star Lou Ferrigno, Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund, Ralph Macchio and the cast of the Karate Kid movies, and even William Shatner, among others.
In an interview with AP , event organizer Michael Goldman accounted for this event’s success and changing landscape.
“Twenty years ago, you may have told people you were going to a comic book convention, and they thought you were a little weird or crazy. Now, it’s just become so much more accepted. Now, it’s cool to be a nerd. People can come here and dress up in costume and enjoy it and have fun around 50,000 other like-minded fans.”
The current reign of geek culture is due in no small part to the numerous movies based on comic book characters taking in millions. Such success served to prop up and then push forward comic book companies.
Fun first day @MotCityComicCon with @JayTowers getting our geek on! pic.twitter.com/tBqcnLghL7
— David Komer (@DavidKomer_Fox2) May 16, 2015
There are smaller conventions going on at the same time as this one, and there are conventions and comic book gatherings throughout the year to feed the social needs of an overabundance of comic fans. The party doesn’t end here; while waiting for the two largest comic conventions of the year, the Comic-Con International: San Diego, in July, and the New York Comic Con, in October, expect to also see a big turnout to Awesome Con , in Washington, D.C. later in May.
But until then, fans will be enjoying the convention in Novi, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, until doors close on Sunday evening. But as long as geek culture keeps its current popularity, another comic con is right around the corner.
[Image via Pat Lolka ]
