It’s hard to believe that the school year is already back in gear, but what better way to celebrate the first week of classes than with Columbia’s own Soda City Comic Con? This year’s convention will again be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Saturday, Aug. 26 and Sunday, Aug. 27.
While still not as popular as shows like HeroesCon in Charlotte or Dragon Con in Atlanta, Soda City Comic Con has firmly cemented itself as a celebration of pop culture fandom in Columbia after only a couple of years. The 2015 debut of the con was marred by the infamous flood that forced many Columbia residents and college students to leave the city. Thankfully, Soda City Comic Con doubled in size the next year, and now thousands are looking forward to attending this year’s event.
While comics are a significant focus of the show, the “exhibit hall will feature a plethora of vendors and artists with pop culture favorites to satisfy the diverse interests of all attendees,” according to founder Donald Brock, Jr.
As Brock told The Daily Gamecock last year, “There will be something at the show for every single person.”
Vendors from all around the Southeast, including Columbia comic shops like Cosmic Rays and Apocalypse Comics, will be on the showroom floor selling all sorts of nerdy goods, but Soda City Comic Con will also host a number of special guests that are sure to appeal to numerous people. From comics legends Roy William Thomas, Jr. (who served as Stan Lee’s first successor at Marvel Comics) and Vic Carrabotta, to WWE Hall of Famer Jim “Hacksaw” Duggan, fans will have the opportunity to meet pop culture icons along with local talent.
Some of the panels at the show include “101 Questions on 'The Walking Dead,'” featuring a couple of Negan’s Saviors, “John Woodard: Costume Making” and even an “Anti-Bullying Workshop.” Additionally, for those interested in showing off their costume-making abilities, Soda City Comic Con will host both an Adult and Children’s Cosplay Contest.
As students return to Columbia after summer break, Soda City Comic Con will provide a nice “welcome back” to the many of us who love “Batman,” “Star Wars” and “Game of Thrones” equally.
Before too long, Soda City Comic Con might be a three-day affair. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are available online or at the door.