By Juan Calvillo
Increasing in size with each passing year, the Los Angeles Comic Con offered entertainment fans more ways than ever to access all things pop culture. Fans and die hard followers were treated to television reunions, advanced information on upcoming films, and of course the chance to meet and interact with the artists and writers of their favorite comic books and novels.
Stan Lee died late last year on Nov. 12, weeks after the 2018 Conic Con had occurred. The convention was once named after him, “Stan Lee’s Comikaze” was originally it’s namesake. On Saturday Oct. 12 of the convention Rob Liefeld, creator of Deadpool, had a chance to remember Lee on the main stage. The event was a somber moment during the weekend.
At previous Comic Con’s, there have been stars from various outlets, but this year, a majority of the cast from “The Office” TV show managed to be brought together. Chris DeMoulin the Chief Executive Officer of Comikaze Entertainment, the company that puts the convention on year after year, said, “We started working on it months ago, and as each cast member said ‘yes,’ it made it a little easier to get the next one. Their agents were a big help as well.”
That wasn’t the only reunion at the convention this year. Ron Pearlman and Doug Jones from the “Hellboy” movies directed by Guillermo Del Torowere also together for photo opportunities and a brief meet and greet. If there were any fans of Spongebob Squarepants or the Kim Possible animated shows cast members were on the main stage Saturday as well.
DeMoulin explained the diverse reunions, “We have an incredibly loyal local fanbase of over 200,000 people, and we talk with them all year long on social media. What they love, what they want to see, new and old.”
COMIC CON: Panels branch beyond comics
The media swelling didn’t stop there as Gabriel Iglesias was on the main stage Friday night. Iglesias has a new comedy sitcom on Netflix called “Mr. Iglesias.”
The show follows Iglesias and a group of teachers as they teach students about life, while learning about life from their students at the same time.
The convention was not just main stage stars. Multiple panels with a variety of topics ruled the meeting room areas.
The panels covered everything from fashion, diversity in pop culture, mental health and fun creative topics like cosplay. Lead by industry leaders and influencers, each panel had information and networking options, making the LA Comic Con more than just a fan event, to the point that it seems like a spectacular hodgepodge of fun, work and information.
The 2018 LA Comic Con had an attendance of over 100,000 fans, and the number of attendees has risen in 2019 to 123,400.
DeMoulin is already looking forward to next year’s event. “We are looking to expand the amount of space we use within the Convention Center, as we were essentially sold out of booth and exhibit and interaction space this year! Our dates next year are a little earlier, Sept. 25-27, 2020,” DeMoulin said.
With the dates set for next years LA Comic Con, the countdown has begun for another weekend of excitement. DeMoulin said that the message to the fans remained clear for next year. “Just know that everything we do is “By fans, for fans.” So whatever they love, they’ll find it at L.A. Comic Con,” DeMoulin said.