How Tucson Comic-Con celebrates its 15th anniversary

Tucson Comic-Con will be held this year from August 30 to September 1 at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. The three-day event will feature more than 200 vendors and more than 50 guests, including “Cheers” and Pixar actor John Ratzenberger, “ET” and “Critters” actress Dee Wallace, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart, “The Shape of Water” and “Hellboy” actor Doug Jones and Marvel writer and editor Roy Thomas.

“This is going to be a big year for us,” said Tucson Comic-Con spokeswoman Carrie Eutizi. “(Thomas) hardly ever performs, so I know he has a huge fan base that is totally excited.”

The event was first held in 2008 and attracted about 500 attendees at the time. Eutizi says that at the time, guests and vendors were mostly comic book fans, but over the years more and more pop culture subgenres have been included.

“It was a small gathering, and over the years it has grown exponentially,” Eutizi said. In 2016, she said, there were about 11,000 attendees. Last year, that number doubled to about 22,000.

Longtime guest and award-winning cartoonist Jay Fotos says he enjoys returning to Tucson each year for the annual event.

“Tucson is incredible, it has a rawness to it,” said Fotos. “Tucson Comic-Con gets pretty big, but it still has that hometown feel.”

Photos, who has worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Locke & Key, Transformers and more, is looking forward to spending his birthday on August 30th surrounded by fans at this year’s convention.

“I always recommend artists or other creatives to do the show,” said Fotos. “The people are just amazing, they’re more into it.”

Eutizi says there were so many exhibitor applications for this year’s conference that there are over 200 people on the waiting list. “We want to accommodate everyone, but there’s just not enough space.”

From comic books and themed water bottles to collectibles and themed dog collars, vendors will sell a little bit of everything. Spark Project Collective will also be doing flash tattoos designed specifically for Tucson Comic-Con, and Goodwill will be bringing comic and pop culture-related clothing for resale.

“Nobody came here and said, ‘There’s nothing here for me,'” said Eutizi. “There’s something here for everyone.”

According to Eutizi, Tucson Comic-Con has become one of the most inclusive and family-oriented conventions in all of Arizona.

“We do our best to make sure we’re inclusive of everyone, so we have high ADA accessibility, have quiet spaces, prayer rooms, breastfeeding rooms,” Eutizi said. “We also have so many opportunities for families to come and spend a whole day. They can come together and paint and play games, they can check out the booths or take photos with superheroes.”

Before the event opens on Saturday, the annual “Little Heroes” program will be held, where children with developmental disabilities from Davis-Monthan and children with cancer from Tucson Medical Center can meet costumed superheroes and receive a package of comic books and convention merchandise.

“You can take photos with all the superheroes before the convention even starts,” said Eutizi. “It’s really awesome. It brings tears to my eyes every time I watch.”

This year, Eutizi says, downtown venues including Hotel Congress and Cobra Arcade will host after-parties with music and dancing to celebrate 15 years of Comic-Con.

Exhibits are open Friday from 2-7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the convention or at tucne.ws/tcctix. Day admission starts at $10 for children and $20 for adults. Weekend passes are also available. Bring money for food and vendors.

This year’s Tucson Comic-Con will feature several celebrities and local artists. Here’s a look at the attendees.

Roy Thomas: After seeing Hugh Jackman reprise his role as Wolverine in the new episode “Deadpool and Wolverine,” you might want to meet the character’s co-creator. Roy Thomas, Stan Lee’s first successor at Marvel Comics, was also involved in the creation of Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel), Vision, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Ultron. Thomas will hold panels on Saturday, August 31 at 11 a.m. and Sunday, September 1 at 10 a.m.

Doug Jones: While you may not recognize the actor, who wears heavy makeup and is often computer-animated for his roles, you may have seen one of Doug Jones’ monstrous characters on screen — Abe Sapien in “Hellboy,” the Faun in “Pan’s Labyrinth” or Saru in “Star Trek: Discover.” Tucson residents can meet their favorite monster in human form in a panel Saturday, Aug. 31, at 1:15 p.m.

John Ratzenberger: Your parents may remember him as Cliff Clavin, the barman in “Cheers,” but Ratzenberger has become a familiar Pixar voice for younger generations as well. Hear the voice of Mack in “Cars,” Hamm in the “Toy Story” series and the Yeti in “Monsters, Inc.” in a panel on Saturday, August 31, at 2:15 p.m.

Jimmy Hart: WWE fans from the ’80s and ’90s are familiar with the ever-aggressive wrestling manager Jimmy Hart. The 2005 Hall of Famer is best known for his trademark megaphone and his crazy antics to help his clients, including the Honky Tonk Man, the Nasty Boys, King Kong Bundy and Hulk Hogan. Hear the “Mouth of the South” in a panel discussion on Saturday, August 31 at 4:15 p.m.

Dee Wallace: ’80s film fans will know Wallace from her roles as Mary in ET and Helen in Critters. A successful Hollywood actress, Wallace has appeared in nearly 200 films and five television series. Hear Wallace in a panel discussion on Saturday, August 31 at 3:10 p.m.

Jon Proudstar: Born and raised in Tucson, Proudstar has appeared in over 47 films and is best known for his role as Leon in the Hulu series “Reservation Dogs.” Proudstar is also the creator of Tribal Force, America’s first superhero comic book centered entirely on Native Americans.

You can count on cosplay groups to liven up the event, paying tribute to Ghostbusters, Avengers, Star Wars, Star Trek, Justice League, Steam Punk, and more.

You can also meet Sapphire Nova, a prominent cosplay guest at over 150 conventions and who has been featured on the cover of 15 comic books. The 20-year cosplay veteran creates most of her cosplay costumes herself and is happy to give costume tips to attendees.

Cosplayer and model Cara Nicole has been featured in the pages of Heavy Metal Magazine, Kotaku, Forbes, and Bleeding Cool. According to her convention bio, she enjoys hosting panels about cosplay, making music, and being a stand-up comedian.

Visitors can also join in and dress up as their favorite characters, but must adhere to the convention’s costume guidelines. All costume props and weapons must be inspected and “peace bonded” prior to entry. Guidelines can be found on the event website.

Visit tucsoncomic-con.com for a full schedule, appearances and more.