SCRANTON — Get your cosplay ready — it’s almost time for Scranton Comic Book Convention, and this year will feature artists, writers and even a professional wrestler or two.
The annual convention has been calling the Electric City home for more than 25 years, according to promoter Joseph Figured, and will be back again from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel in downtown Scranton.
According to Figured, part of what’s made the convention thrive has been the continued support of local comic book shops.
The show is put on by Isle of Comics, a South Williamsport-based comic book shop, but Figured said Comics on the Green in Scranton and Rubber Mallet Comics in West Pittston have both been invaluable in their continued support of the convention.
“And we’ve had a little help from the community and help from the industry,” Figured said, before adding that a huge part of the success comes from the explosion of popularity comic book characters have seen over the past few years.
This year, the convention will feature special guests by way of professional wrestlers Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, a WWF and WWE wrestler, and Andrew “The Reinforcer” Anderson, who’s also acted in Fox’s “Gotham” and Darren Aronofsky’s 2008 film “The Wrestler.”
Other guests will include numerous artists and writers who worked on series like Spider-Man 2099, The Uncanny X-Men, Star Wars Adventures and even Rocko’s Modern Life. Figured said there will be opportunities for fans to meet these artists and even purchase original artwork.
“It’s a pretty neat thing,” he said.
Figured said that, obviously, this convention is great for longtime collectors and hobbyists, but he also said there’s plenty of fun to be had for newcomers.
“For the new collector, for the new person interested in the hobby, it gives you the opportunity to explore another facet of pop culture where you can actually come in and meet the people who write and draw the books,” he said.
If you’re interested in coming to the convention and trying to scoop up something for your collection — or even trying to start your collection — admission costs only $5, and children under 12 get in for free.