If it seems the demon hunters, superheroes and aliens linger past Halloween this year, don’t be confused. This weekend also sees the first-ever Comic Con put on in Pickens County – maybe a first outside a metro area.
The Ga. Mountain Charity Comic Con will be at Chattahoochee Tech on Friday, noon to 9 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Comics, Cards and Collectibles of Pickens County sponsors it. Their store at 4077A Camp Road will be closed for the weekend.
Suellen Reitz, an organizer, said they had been to some of the bigger Comic Cons and believe they can do better by going smaller. “The big ones, like Dragon Con, charge $40-$50 a day to enter, and they are huge. But there is too much of same things,” she said. “We tried to get a wide variety [of vendors and presenters].”
Among some of the offerings here:
• Programs and presenters with everything from a Lord of the Rings discussion to origami classes to tips from professionals on how to break into the comics industry.
• Food and drink sponsors, including two bars with specialty (non-alcoholic) drinks, including a Star Trek themed bar.
• Cosplay costume contest at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Reitz explained that cosplay costumes could be anything – from superheroes to fairy tale characters. She said there are no restrictions, but then added, “It is a family con, so no nudity.”
• Original Sci-Fi animated film screening throughout the day.
• There will also be regular craft vendors, like you would find at any festival.
• Trick or Treat Friday with candy being given away.
Organizers say they are only charging $15 a person, but everyone gets a free graphic novel (worth $15) plus a “galaxy coin” that can be spent as $5 at any vendor. “That should help the vendors,” organizers say. “So it’s basically like we are paying people to come.”
Reitz said they hope this Comic Con will offer “the same fun and excitement as the big ones without the big prices and traffic and going into a city.”
For more information and to buy tickets, see gamountaincharitycomiccon.com.
