Virginia Comicon will return to the Richmond Raceway on November 22-23. After being started 28 years ago under the name “Chester Comic Collector” by Guy Rose, the convention has grown to be one of the largest and best in the state.
Virginia Comicon will return to the Richmond Raceway on November 22-23. After being started 28 years ago under the name “Chester Comic Collector” by Guy Rose, the convention has grown to be one of the largest and best in the state.
Taking place in the exhibition hall of the Richmond International Raceway, this con is significantly larger than the one-day cons run by VA Comicon quarterly. The 5000 sq.ft. hall will house over 100 artists and creators, vendors, many cosplay enthusiasts, and will boast the first east coast appearance of graphic artist Jae Lee in seven years.
Jae Lee is a graphic artist best known for his work with his creator-owned Image series, Hellshock, as well as his 1998 Marvel Knights series, Inhumans.
If you recognize the name Inhumans, then you might also know that Marvel recently announced a Inhumans film slated for November 2, 2018–a film which I’d be willing to bet will borrow heavily from Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee’s series.
Most recently, Lee has also provided illustrations for the DC ongoing title Batman/Superman, and the popular Dark Tower series. This guy’s the real deal, and his art isn’t something you’ll easily forget.
The convention will also feature such guests as Larry Hama, who helped create most of the G.I. Joe characters; Flash artist Greg LaRocque; and Herb Trimpe, co-creator of the recently deceased character Wolverine.
Loads of independent creators and artists will also be featured, giving you the chance to check out something new you may not have heard of before. Many of these artists will be local, and checking out their work is a great way to help Richmond’s burgeoning comic scene.
As always, Virginia Comicon will be a cosplayer’s paradise. Already well known in the convention circuit for cosplaying, this year looks to be bigger than ever thanks appearances by professional cosplayers Ivy Doomkitty and Patrick Ian Moore, as well as the return of the annual costume contest which offers a $1000 grand prize, the largest in the convention’s history.
In addition, the members of White Tiger Filmz will be filming for their webseries, Viva La Cosplay, a show about what cosplayers go through. The show has already aired its first five episodes, and will air Mondays on CW Richmond from 1-2am for the remainder of the month. If you’ve ever been curious about all the ups and downs that accompany cosplaying, or just wonder what cosplaying is in general, then this is the series you’ve been looking for.
If none of this is up your alley and you just want to look at some cars, then you’re in luck, because Virginia Comicon will showcase a variety of film and comic-inspired vehicles, including the eternally classic DeLorean, as seen in those time traveling movies that possessed so much of our childhoods.
This is the biggest comic event of the year and certainly the best, so hit up the bank, slap on a costume, practice your best superhero one-liners, and I expect to see you nerds there.
