Story by Katelyn Sheneman, Reporter
Photo courtesy GRcomiccon

The Grand Rapids Comic-Con is a comic (and associated entertainment) convention which took place November 8-10 this year.

Having attended the Grand Rapids Comic-Con for over five years now, I have seen many of the changes that trends bring; new shows, films, games and so on. While there’s always a place for new trends, older games such as those for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) are always classics.

Every year I have had the three-day pass and have gone consistently to all three days. The first time I went to the convention was the second-to-last year that the con was held at the Deltaplex, which was my first experience in terms of going to conventions.

In the past, guests have ranged from celebrities of the comic world, such as Gail Simone, known for writing DC’s “Birds of Prey” (along with a few other titles), William Messner-Loebs, a writer for many DC series (such as the “Flash” and “Wonder Woman”), Graham Nolan, the creator of Bane (yes, the character that broke Batman’s back and rendered him unable to perform his heroic duties for quite some time) and Jim Shooter, and the writer for multiple Marvel and DC series. Other notable guests who have appeared at previous cons are Kevin Eastman (the co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), as well as YouTube celebrities TheOdd1sOut and SomeThingElseYT (both known for their animations). 

The GR Comic-Con is a family-friendly convention where you can find merchandise about your favorite films, comic books, anime/manga, video games, and more. They have sections for playing video games and for tuning in to watch an episode of a show, a movie, or anime. There are many attendees who cosplay their favorite characters and often hold their own small meetings, or gatherings, so even if you attend alone, you can find others with similar interests and make some new friends along the way. 

The guest that brought the most attention to the convention this year was no doubt Patrick Warbuton, known for his roles in “The Emperor’s New Groove” as Kronk, “Family Guy” as Joe Swanson, “The Tick” as The Tick, and various other roles. 

Personally, the aspect of the Grand Rapids Comic-Con that has always been the most intriguing is the vendor hall and being able to see all of the various items for sale, as well as seeing cosplayers walking around. Some vendor stalls exhibit their merchandise via latticed shelving (more so in the artist alley), and some have been known to advertise their products on metal trees lit up with LED lights.

Finding other people who share similar interests, including cosplayers, is always one of the highlights of going to the convention.

The Grand Rapids Comic-Con is something I look forward to every year, and I consider it to be an essential convention in Michigan for fans of practically anything.