Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Wizard World Comic Con’s 2019 celebrity guest list included the likes of Jason Momoa, known for “Game of Thrones” and “Aquaman”, Melissa Benoist, star of “Supergirl”, and many others. The Comic Con was held on the weekend of Feb. 22-24 in the Oregon Convention Center.

Wizard World is a comic convention that provides fans and cosplayers an opportunity to socialize and meet their favorite superhero and sci-fi celebrities. The convention also allows artists and other vendors a chance to increase their visibility within the community.

The Convention Center was teeming with cosplayers and vendors on Feb. 22, the first night of the convention. Many characters made appearances in many different iterations thanks to dedicated fans that took the time to create their own costumes. Among the characters present were Jack Sparrow, Professor Snape and Mad-Eye Moody, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy and many others. Even Darth Vader was there — wearing a kilt, riding a unicycle, and playing the bagpipes.

While attendees milled about the ballroom waiting to meet and greet with different celebrities, there were many vendors to keep them company. Typical t-shirt and collectible booths that attend every street fair and convention were there, but there was also a plethora of artist booths present. Most any movie or show imaginable was represented: there was fan art, comic books (both originals and collectibles) and most everything else.

“I actually do comic conventions and fandom conventions once every two or three weeks, like, all year round,” commented Misty Figs, an artist at the convention. Figs makes stickers, pins and online art through mistyfigsgiftshop.com.

“I get to meet a lot of the people that I interact with online, that buy my art or give me ideas for art. So getting to put a face to a twitter or instagram username is really cool, and I’ve met a lot of artists that way as well,” said Figs.

Aside from art vendors, there were also sections with computers for gaming and a virtual reality booth in which volunteers could try a VR game. Several tattoo booths were in attendance, one of which was called “Ink Bus”: that was a old bus turned studio. Another booth was born out of a partnership between Wizard World and Transition Project, a Portland-based company, to put comic books and other reading materials into the hands of people transitioning out of homelessness.

The Wizard World convention brought together many people from different walks of life that were able to bond over a similar love of movies and art. It has not yet been revealed if the convention will return in 2020.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Chrys Weedon