Holy Comic Books Batman!
Motor City Comic Con has come and gone. What does Carter Salley have to say about it?
Art inspired by favorite movies, books, T.V. shows and more -- such as this gallery by artist Tony Santiago -- is a common site at Motor City Comic Con.
Carter Salley
Are you a geek looking to express your geeky personality? Have you ever wanted to meet some of your favorite movie stars? Have you ever wished you had never sold those toys you had as a kid? Well look no further than Motor City Comic Con to fill these desires!
Motor City Comic Con is a convention held in Detroit Michigan for all fans of pop culture to unite and celebrate their love for all things geeky. If you're nervous for your first time, here are 5 tips to get you through.
5. The Artist Alley
At Comic Con, you can purchase artwork by local and famous artists from around the world! It’s always incredible to see what artists have been cooking since the last Comicon, and they always deliver one hell of a meal! Just this year, I came across one of my favorite artists from Etsy, called Brain Brain Studios. He paints and draws horror-related art from the most well-known to the most obscure movies. I was able to meet the artist and nab myself a few of his works for my wall at home. All the artists are extremely nice and full of energy, and it’s a wonderful vibe all around!
4. The Food
The options for food are always unique at Comic Con. From corndogs to jars of pickles, there’s no shortage of variety at the food stations. One delicious delicacy I came across was the powdered donuts they have near the back of the convention. I remember my brother snagging a basket; the way his face lit up when he took that first bite was magical! You also have your standard burgers, fries, and pizza, but while you're attending, remember to be adventurous and branch out to something that catches your eye!
3. The Cosplay
One part of the experience is seeing what and who people are going to dress up as! Most of the time I was there, I was going around to several cosplayers and taking pictures with them. I met this one guy who was cosplaying as Ant Man and was carrying around a giant inflatable joint that said "wait till the hive hears of this!" He was a very kind person and was fun to talk to about his cosplay ideas. It’s mind blowing the amount of detail and effort that goes into making the outfits and a craft that deserves more respect.
I, too, have dabbled in cosplay. For example, one year I cosplayed as Ghostface from the "Scream" franchise while my best friend went as a Ghostbuster. Seeing all the fellow geeks getting to embrace the characters they love in a completely different light is amazing and sweet, as those cosplays reflect who we are and whom we aspire to be. I find it inspiring and an inventive way to express yourself to others!
2. The Collectables
As someone who loves collecting action figures and certain knick-knacks from my favorite T.V. shows and movies, Comic Con is a gold mine and I always find something of interest at Comic Con. From comic books to mint condition rare collectables, it’s here at Comic Con! Do you regret throwing away that old transformers toy you had as a child? No worries! It’s probably here waiting for you to come reclaim it. Even better, it might be in its original packaging! Now you can relive those memories, while making new ones.
1. The Celebrities
As someone who keeps a database of all my favorite actresses and actors in my brain, I love getting to meet with them in person. I can’t guarantee they will all be pleasant, as I have had a rough meeting or two in the past, but most of them are usually in great spirits and love meeting and conversing with their fans!
Just this year I got to meet the voice cast for “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and I got to meet one of my favorite comic book writers, Andy Lanning, who wrote the "Guardians of the Galaxy" comics back in the early 2010s. All of them were great to talk to, and I loved each second of the time that I got to spend with them.
Those are all the highlights of Comic Con and I hope that these reasons are enough to peak your interest. I want to thank Central Michigan Life for this amazing opportunity to go as a staff reporter and hope to do it again later this fall!
I’m proud to release my interview with Andy Lanning alongside this article! Check out the "Raving Geeks" Summer Special on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, under the Central Michigan Life channel. I hope you all drop in and listen, it’s some of my best work yet!
The next Motor City Comic Con is taking place on Nov. 10-12. Hope to see you all there!
Carter Salley is a broadcast & cinematic arts major and host of the Central Michigan Life podcast "Raving Geeks."
