By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Pop culture is an immersive experience where fans can enjoy all their favorite genres of print and screen and share the same with other like-minded fans. And when a convention such as Lexington Comic and Toy Convention comes to town (in this case, Lexington, Kentucky) fans get the added benefit of meeting their favorite celebrities. With a broad range of guests from television and film, not to mention creators in the comic industry, there is sure to be something for everyone. And fans might even pick up new interests along the way.
“I think I’m most excited for the Arrow Reunion and Barbara Eden,” Convention runner Catrina Hencye said of the convention which kicks off on March 7 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. “We have almost 60 celebrities booked this year,” Hencye said. “And we have almost 30 comic creators booked as well.”
A full list of guests both celebrities and creators is available on the convention’s website, http://www.lexingtoncomiccon.com/, and Hencye urges people to check the regularly updated listings to make sure they have the best possible convention experience. The convention itself runs from March 7 through March 10, and many celebrities attend every day, but that is not always the case due to the individual celebrity’s schedule.
“If you only plan to attend one day, then you should probably focus on Saturday,” Hencye said. “Some celebrities are only available that day. Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards (from Arrow) are there on Saturday only. Priscila Presley will be there on Friday and Saturday, and Charisma Carpenter is also Friday and Saturday only,” she said to illustrate the individuality of scheduling.
That does not mean that Friday and Saturday are the best days to attend, Hencye said, because there will be lots of talent and creators there every day. Barbara Eden will be there Friday through Sunday and legendary animation icon Don Bluth will be there Saturday and Sunday. Many of the celebrities featured this year will be available Friday through Sunday, but Hencye urges everyone to check the schedule either on the convention website or their Facebook page to be certain of availability or any last-minute changes.
LCTC is known for its ‘reunions’ – of bringing together multiple celebrity guests from the same show or movie. This year’s convention will showcase an Arrow reunion, where Stephen Amell, Emily Bett Rickards, David Ramsey, and John Barrowman from the CW show Arrow will all be in attendance. A Charmed ‘reunion’ with Charisma Carpenter, Holly Marie Combs, Shannen Doherty, and Rose McGowan will also be showcased, but there are many individual celebrities appearing that have worked together such as Catherine Tate and John Barrowman who shared the screen on the phenomenally popular BBC show Doctor Who. A full list of celebrities is available on both the website and Facebook page.
On the comic creator side of the convention there are comic legends such as Jim Shooter and Jim Steranko, titans in the field of comics. Beau Smith, known for Guy Gardner Warrior, Wildcat, and as creator of Wynonna Earp (and West Virginia native) will be available for autographs and panels. Frank Fosco, known for Fantastic Four and Ninja Turtles will be at LCTC all weekend, as will Ken Nolan and Michael Watkins, just to name a few. And for independent creators, Justin Stewart, Shawn Pryor, and Tressina Bowling – who worked on Kentucky Kaiju together – have their own ‘reunion’ at the convention.
Hencye said that ticket sales are available at the door if they aren’t already sold out, but it would be best to order in advance. She also wanted to remind convention goers that the Central Bank Center itself is a completely cashless venue where all refreshments are purchased by debit or credit cards, and parking is credit or debit as well.
“Most convention vendors will take cash, and it is up to the individual celebrity whether they prefer cash or card,” Hencye said. “But I always encourage people to bring cash with them. There are numerous ATMs, but each charges a fee and they have been known to run out of money.”
The main goal is always to provide something that everyone will enjoy, Hencye said. And to that end there is a wide range of guests from wrestlers to cosplayers, and voice actors. Vendors set up all over the Central Bank Center offering options from handcrafted collectibles to digital art, vintage toys, and comics. There are photo ops, panels, or attendees can visit celebrities and creators at their booths for autographs, selfies, or simply to say hello.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
