A pop of culture: Comic Con to keep Columbus costumed, entertained

Maria Martello
Fri, 31 Oct 2014 04:57:22 +0000
Events, breaking bad, Columbus, comic con, convention center, norman reedus, walking dead, wizard world, wizard world ohio comic con

Superheroes at Comic Con
Credit: Courtesy of Wizard World

Halloween walkers, roamers, lurkers or biters would be best off sticking in the University District this weekend.

After all, the man who portrays Daryl Dixon — highly skilled hunter and tracker in “The Walking Dead” — will be present downtown.

Not to mention, Freddy Krueger will be lurking.?

Ohio’s annual Comic Con ?is set to fill the Greater Columbus Convention Center with art, merchandise, costumes, vendors and more than 60 celebrity panels Friday through Sunday.

Actors from hit television shows, including Norman Reedus (aka Daryl Dixon), Andrew J. West and Steven Yeun from AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” “Charmed” actresses Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs, as well as Giancarlo Esposito of “Breaking Bad” fame, are all set to make appearances. Sean Astin — Sam Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings, Verne Troyer — best known as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films and Robert Englund — the actor who played Freddy Krueger — are also set to attend.?

Click to enlarge.

The convention will include its signature, variant display of costuming — called cosplay — which, coincidentally, will also be present in the local nightlife.

“People always dress up as if it were Halloween, but this year it just happens to be Halloween,” said Jerry Milani, a spokesman for Wizard World.

Wizard World — Ohio Comic Cons’ facilitator — is a touring series of pop culture conventions. This is the company’s fourth year holding the Columbus convention. Previously, the event was named Mid-Ohio Comic Con under different management. The Ohio convention will be the 14th of 16 events in Wizard World’s 2014 series, according to a press release.

The bright costumes and photo-ops are only a small part of what Ohio Comic Con has to offer this year. There will also be historical and literary panels, as well as multiple resources for people aspiring to work in this section of pop culture.?

Many of these panels and exhibits at Wizard World conventions are organized and moderated by Danny Fingeroth, who was formerly the group editor of Marvel’s Spider-Man comics and has taught collegiate comic writing and history classes at The New School, New York University and the MiMaster art institute in Milan.

Fingeroth is responsible for coming up with ideas, deciding questions, coordinating speakers, organizing and moderating many panels at Wizard World conventions, Fingeroth said.

“The panels are entertaining and informational. I give everyone a chance to speak,” Fingeroth said.?

Although Comic Con is traditionally known for individuals that “express their fandom for their favorite show,” as Milani said, fans of all kinds are welcome.

“Anything in the world of pop culture is involved in our show. Expect the unexpected. Don’t have a preset notion,” Milani said.

Ohio Comic Con will be admitting audiences on Friday from 3-8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Greater Columbus Convention Center is located at 400 N. High St. Admissions and general information, including special guests, photo opportunity times, vendors and exhibits, can be found on Ohio Comic Con’s website. Tickets range from $44.95 to $90.00.