Olympian, Power Ranger headline Lodi Comic Con

Sep. 19—Guests at comic book conventions typically include artists, voice actors and television and movie stars, and not Olympic gold medalists.

But Lodi Comic Con attendees will get to meet one Sept. 30, as Kurt Angle will be the event's headlining guest.

"He's been at the Stockton Con several years ago," StocktonCon Events president Mike Millerick said. "He's just an awesome individual. I mean, he's a gold medalist, and he did it with a broken neck. How amazing is that?"

Angle won gold in the 1996 Olympic games, as well as at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships for freestyle wrestling. Both events were held in Atlanta.

He is one of four people to win the junior nationals, NCAA, world championships, and the Olympics, known as the amateur grand slam.

Four years after winning Olympic gold, Angle debuted in the World Wrestling Federation — now known as World Wrestling Entertainment — and was its champion four times until he left in 2006.

He then wrestled in TNA Impact Wrestling until his retirement in 2019.

Angle has won 21 Professional wrestling championships and overall is a 13-time world champion. He is the only professional wrestler to have won the WWE Championship, WWE's World Heavyweight Championship, the WCW Championship, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Another guest sure to please crowds at the Comic Con is Austin St. John, whose career took off in 1993 when he took on the role of the original Red Ranger, Jason Lee Scott, in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers television series.

Like his character, St. John has a background in martial arts, having practiced since the age of 5. He holds multiple black belts and has been practicing martial arts for more than 40 years.

He published his first book, "Karate Warrior: A Beginner's Guide to Martial Arts" in 1996 to inspire kids with his love of martial arts, and reprised the role of Jason several times throughout the Power Rangers franchise. Then, with three seasons under his Morpher, Austin left Hollywood.

After a 20-year hiatus, a career working with real-life heroes at the fire department, four years as a medic in the Middle East, and three kids, Austin traded in his time overseas for time in front of the camera.

Since his return to acting, Austin has starred in the television series "Fireball Run Big Country" and the films "Monsters at Large," "A Walk with Grace," and "Tres Leches."

In addition to acting, Austin runs his own ecommerce site to better connect with fans from all stages of his career, provide personalized memorabilia, and post updates on his various projects.

In 2022, he launched his own post-apocalyptic comic book series, REDempt1on, inspired by his time in the Middle East, and headlines Comic-Con events worldwide.

Kellen Goff, David Kaye and Gigi Edgely were other guests Millerick was excited to have on the roster this fall.

"Kellen was supposed to come in May, but he had to cancel at the last minute for personal reasons," Millerick said. "But he's back and he's excited and ready to go."

Though he is known for his work as Funtime Freddy, Molten Freddy, and Fredbear in the "Five Nights at Freddy's" series, Goff has also played Overhaul in "My Hero Academia," Rekka in "Fire Force," and Black Clover in "Warframe."

Kaye is a renowned voice actor, playing both Optimus Prime and Megatron in the "Transformers" television series; Superman and Hawkman for DC Comics; and Iron Man, Captain America and Professor X for Marvel, among other roles.

Edgley is an internationally renowned actress originally from Australia who has starred in countless film and television series, including FX's "Feud," USA's "The Starter Wife," "Farscape," "Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge," "Secret Life Of Us," "Beastmaster," and Star Trek Continues, among others. One thing Comic Con fans might notice about the fall event is the day it is being held.

Typically Comic Con is held on a Sunday, but this will be the first of the Lodi and Stockton events held on a Saturday.

"We wanted to make sure we didn't conflict with the Street Faire this year," Millerick said.

Tickets are $5 and are available at Cominc Graprevine, 920 S. Cherokee Lane, Suite K; The Launchpad, 712 W. Lodi Ave.; Smack Pie Pizza, 121 S. School St.; and Rabbit Hole Trading Co., 100 W. Pine St.

Tickets are also available online at lodicomiccon.com/fall-tickets.