In years past, lovers of comics, video games, and anime closeted their interests in fear of being labeled geeks. Nowadays, those years are long gone thanks to the rising acceptance and celebration of “geeky” interests in popular culture. A group of people once called “niche” and “eclectic” has now grown into a collection of millions – millions of people across countries, across cultures, and across generations. Every year, many out of these millions gather together at perhaps the most popular celebration of all things geek, the comic convention. Comic conventions exist in every state across the country, but until recent years comic loving natives of Huntsville had to travel to Birmingham to catch their nearest convention. That was until 2016 when comic vendor Jeremy Long launched the Huntsville Comic & Pop Culture Expo. What was then a relatively small gathering of vendors, food trucks, and comic fans in the Jaycee Community Building has now grown to a 3-day event at the Von Braun Center (VBC) that hosts over 200 vendors, over 60 celebrity guests, and an estimated over 20,000 attendees in this, their 9th year. The 2024 convention took place the weekend of April 12-14 in the south hall of the VBC, providing convention goers with the same incredible experience they have come to expect and hinting at the big changes coming in 2025 for the convention’s 10th anniversary.

One thing has stayed consistent at the Huntsville Comic & Pop Culture Expo from that very first inaugural year to now: the incredible network of vendors. This year, over 200 vendors spanned the length of the convention floor, offering everything from comics, art prints, and collectibles to toys, costume pieces, and blind bags. In addition to a concession stand and pizza pop-up, vendors also offered international snacks and drinks, Belgian chocolates, and gourmet fudge. Nerdy artists were featured near the center of it all in Artist Alley, proudly displaying not only their original art prints, but also their leatherworking, 3-D printing, and woodburning, as well as fiber arts in the form of crocheted plushies and sewn bags and purses. A few brave artists even took commissions for custom pieces, practicing their art on the spot for passersby to observe.  A collection of independent authors also made Artist Alley their home, introducing their exciting new novels and series of almost every genre to passing convention goers.

Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the comic convention, and certainly one that attracts the most attendees, is the lineup of celebrity guests. The Walk of Fame in past years set a precedent with big names like Lou Ferrigno and William Shatner, and this year’s lineup certainly lived up to expectations. The principal guest this year was the face of many a ‘90s and ‘00s kid’s childhood, Blue’s Clues’ own Steve Burns. Following the theme of childhood voices, this year’s convention also welcomed the voice of Beauty and the Beast’s Belle, Paige O’Hara, and Bluey voice actors Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack. Fans of Star Trek were thrilled to meet George Takei and Jonathan Frakes on the convention floor, and DC Comic fans met Superman actors in both Brandon Routh and Dean Cain. Along with these big names were over 60 appearances from wrestlers, comic artists, actors from TV shows like The Office and The 100, and voice actors from video games, cartoons, and anime. Guests made themselves available for meet and greets, autographs, and selfies, and professional photo ops were available for early purchase along with the convention tickets. The convention also made use of the VBC’s conference rooms to host panels with the guests, allowing attendees to ask their burning questions and opening up discussions about the creative process, personal experiences, and behind-the-scenes moments. The panel for principal guest Steve Burns was particularly well attended, with attendees showing their gratitude for Burns’ impact on their childhoods, sparking a heartfelt comment from Burns, stating, “I am no more qualified to spread positivity to the world than you are . . . YOU can DO that.”

When not browsing the vendor hall or meeting with celebrity guests, attendees of the Huntsville Comic & Pop Culture Expo were invited to participate in a number of activities. If signed up for in advance, aspiring filmmakers could compete in the 72 hour film competition hosted by the Alabama Filmmakers Co-op, and convention attendees could view the top films at Friday’s Film Festival Finals. Attendees with a love of crafting and cosplay competed in Saturday’s Cosplay Competition, featuring costumes handmade by all ages and skill sets. This year’s competitors went all out with impressive cosplays of Miss Minutes from Loki, the Witch-king of Angmar from The Lord of the Rings, Jester from Critical Role, the Wiggles, and so much more. Outside of these scheduled competitions, attendees were also invited to take advantage of several different gaming rooms hosting tabletop games in genres ranging from role-playing and miniature strategies to classic board and card games. Along with pre-scheduled games hosted by game masters, the convention also provided an extensive game library that attendees could freely check out games from, courtesy of local gamer, Craig Goodrick. New this year was the Ribbon Chasers competition hosted by Golden Lasso Comics and Collectibles in which convention attendees collected and traded decorative ribbons in a collect-them-all style scavenger hunt among various vendors and booths in the convention hall. Prizes were awarded to the most ribbons collected in both adult and junior categories, with this year’s winners collecting 118 and 41 ribbons respectively. This new competition was met with great enthusiasm, and Golden Lasso expects to bring it back for a second year at the next convention.

Not only is the Huntsville Comic & Pop Culture Expo continuously providing a safe and fun environment for Huntsville’s best geeks and nerds to celebrate their interests and connect as a community, it is also doing great work for charities in the area. Since its inception, the convention has allocated a portion of its proceeds in support of Kids to Love, a North Alabama based charity that focuses on meeting the needs of children in the local foster system. In addition to this, the convention hosted a tabletop gaming silent auction with gaming products donated by the convention’s sponsors. All proceeds from this auction went to the benefit of Kids to Love, as well as the donations gathered by the Huntsville garrison of the 501st Legion, a Star Wars cosplay organization that organized a free costumed photoshoot for convention attendees in exchange for charitable donations. In addition to their support for Kids to Love, the convention has also featured an on-site blood drive with LifeSouth since 2021.

The Huntsville Comic & Pop Culture Expo of 2024 was the biggest and brightest yet, but it is not done growing by any means. As the convention closed for the year on Sunday, April 14, convention founder Jeremy Long announced the exciting changes that are to come with the impressive 10-year milestone. As the convention continues to grow in popularity, the space must grow with it, so the 2025 convention will expand from the south hall of the VBC, including now the east hall as well. With this additional 30,000 square feet of space, Long expressed his excitement at being able to offer more panels, more time slots, and more celebrity guests. Additionally, we are invited to expect even bigger names next year. The convention has already confirmed two impressive contracts for the 2025 guestlist, the names of whom to be announced in the coming months. The dates of next year’s convention are set for the weekend of April 25-27, and we can’t wait to see how these changes play out for the perpetuation of the comic community in Huntsville and the surrounding areas.