“The biggest show in the smallest state,” is expecting a dramatic uptick this year, as Boston FanCon happened months earlier than usual. The biggest indoor event of the year will once again take over the AMP, Convention Center, and parts of the Omni hotel with a horde of cosplayers and super fans numbering in the 100,000s. From serious to whimsical, expect a lovebomb of pop-culture.
The proceedings will include the usual spectrum from esteemed, “What is she doing here” actors, to niche, “Who the heck is that?” performers, and hopefully your favorite, “I never thought I’d meet them,” star is nestled in the mix.
The guest list, available at ricomiccon.com, usually changes right before the event, but it’s a pretty good prediction of what will be on offer. There will be sections of voice artists you’ve heard of but never seen, comic artists you’ve seen but never heard from, vendors from the deepest obscurity, tattoo artists and sci-fi / fantasy collectibles specialists. Stop by the National Cartoonists Society to visit local funnies folks like Sour Grapes author (from Motif’s own pages) Tim Jones. To support a good cause, visit the zombie zone in rm 558, where Team Zombie Leader has Jason, Michael Myers, the Cryptkeeper, Leatherface, and An American Werewolf in London actors dropping by to raise money to combat pancreatic cancer through the Lustgarten Foundation; or visit the 501st, a legion of Star Wars fans sporting exquisite costumes in the convention’s skyzone, raising funds for charity.
One of their go-tos are cast reunions and this year has more than its share with guests like Jason Lee, Susan Sarandon, Chevy Chase, Gina Davis tentpoling reunions of: Thelma & Louise, A League of their Own, Fletch, Pretty in Pink, Psych, Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, My Name is Earl, Grandma’s Boy, Daredevil (the TV show), Flash (the TV show). Two of my favorites are also reuning: Supernatural, which across 20 episodic years had guest stars from pretty much everywhere, so they could really get some together every year; and Starship Troopers, a solid war film / satire whose once-silly social media and fascism predictions should can really be looked at in a new light today.
For collectors, there will also be plenty of appraisers, validators and verifiers to assess your collectible investments.
November 7 – 9 at the RI Convention Center. If you drive by, drive slowly – some of those cosplays don’t cross the street very fast. Park at the mall, and cross over by skybridge.