KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) 鈥 Celebrities, artists and tens of thousands of fans proud to call themselves nerds are converging in Kansas City for the Missouri city's 25th annual Planet Comicon this weekend.
Devotees ranging from 鈥淧otterheads鈥 鈥 lovers of the popular Harry Potter series 鈥 to 鈥渇urries鈥 鈥 people dressed as cartoonish animals 鈥 can test niche trivia skills, compete in Pok茅mon battles and show off intricate, handmade outfits in homage to their fictional heroes.
Top guests include Ian McDiarmid, who CEO and founder Chris Jackson described as the 鈥渜uintessential villain" in his portrayal of Star Wars' Emperor Palpatine, infamous for luring Darth Vader to the dark side.
Organizers expect record-breaking attendance this year at the three-day event, which began Friday and typically draws about 60,000 fans, Jackson said.
Spokesman Chris Phelan said 鈥淢idwestern hospitality鈥 contributes to the convention's welcoming nature.
鈥淲hether you wear a costume or you don鈥檛 wear a costume, this is your place to be who you are,鈥 he said.
ORIGIN STORY
Jackson started out buying and selling comics at the now-famous San Diego Comic Convention in the 1980s. He tried to recreate those experiences in the first Planet Comicon in suburban Kansas City.
鈥淚 really wanted to bring in the creators so the fans could meet the people who created their comic books,鈥 Jackson said.
Roughly 1,200 people attended the first Planet Comicon, Jackson said, and the only celebrity guest was Star Wars' R2-D2 actor Kenny Baker.
Phelan said it's unique that Jackson continues to run Planet Comicon Kansas City compared to other large cons, which he said are typically run by corporations.
鈥淜ansas City kept its hometown roots while still becoming one of the largest and longest-running comic book pop culture events in the entire country,鈥 he said.
HALLOWEEN FOR ADULTS
Guests on Friday cosplayed as characters including Star Wars stormtroopers (who stayed in character and directed fans to 鈥渕ove along"), Darth Vader, Batman, Harley Quinn, Spider-Man and creepy, larger-than-life animatronics from 鈥淔ive Nights at Freddy's.鈥
鈥淪cream鈥 lovers wore the iconic Ghostface mask to honor the actors who played the killers in the original horror film, who also are at the fest.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been nice, having been the nerd who was weird in the beginning now be the person who鈥檚 cool for doing the same weird stuff I did in high school,鈥 said Kori Couldry, who wore pointed ear prosthetics and horns to cosplay as a demon from the video game 鈥淏aldur鈥檚 Gate 3.鈥
Jackson said the rise in cosplay at the event also led to more women participating.
鈥淭he comic shows were kind of a little boys club for many years, let鈥檚 face it,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut now, as you can see, when you wander the floor, you鈥檙e going to see a much more broad base of people here. And I think that鈥檚 really great.鈥
Humorously, this year's gathering coincides with the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship at Kansas City's nearby T-Mobile Center.
鈥淭here are people that are going to be wondering why is everybody dressed up?鈥 Phelan said. 鈥淏ecause they have no clue what what might be happening just down the street.鈥
ICONS IRL
Attendees must pay for autographs or photographs with celebrities, although Q&A sessions with celebrities are mostly free.
Marvel鈥檚 Chris Claremont 鈥 who created characters including Dark Phoenix, Rogue and Legion 鈥 is among a slate of comic writers at the fest.
Actors available for meet-and-greets include:
1. Paul Bettany, who played Vision in 鈥淲andaVision鈥 and 鈥淭he Avengers: Infinity War"
2. 鈥淪cream鈥 actors Matthew Lillard (who also starred in 鈥淔ive Nights at Freddy鈥檚鈥) and Skeet Ulrich
3. Stars of 鈥淏oy Meets World,鈥 including Topanga actor Danielle Fishel
4. Henry Winkler, who played The Fonz in the sitcom 鈥淗appy Days鈥
5. 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥 star John Rhys-Davies
6. The voice actors behind the beloved 鈥淎vatar: The Last Airbender鈥 characters of Toph, Prince Zuko and Uncle Iroh
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Ballentine contributed to this report from Columbia, Missouri.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that the Big 12 Women鈥檚 Basketball Championship, not the men鈥檚 championship, is this weekend in Kansas City, and also that Chris Phelan is a spokesman for the event.
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