“Something for everybody”: Atlanta Comic Con brings fandom and fun to Georgia World Congress Center
WSBTV.com News Staff
·5 min read
Atlanta has been the home to multiple fan-focused conventions for several years. From Dragon Con to Momo Con, Anime Weekend Atlanta, and more, there’s been a growth of opportunities to nerd out, cut loose and fly your fan flags.
Starting Friday, another convention is bringing in fans, talents and fun to Atlanta, with the Atlanta Comic Con at the Georgia World Congress Center.
A Channel 2 Action News photographer was at the convention, showing a diverse crowd of adults, children and everything between, some dressed as their favorite characters. People showed up as characters from Marvel, Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Demon Slayer and dozens of other series and fandoms.
Those who came to the con were there for a way to get rare merchandise, meet the stars of their favorite movies and shows, and be among like-minded friends and fans, as well as show off their tributes to favorite characters in costume.
One attendee, Shelley Carlisle, said for her, it’s about the atmosphere. Her husband, Guy Carlisle, came dressed as Indiana Jones.
“Meeting like-minded people who are just here to have a good time, and enjoy the atmosphere and celebrities, see the vendors, it’s overall a great atmosphere,” Shelley Carlisle said.
Shelley Carlisle came dressed up as “Barbie Beetlejuice,” combining her love of the two different series into one unique outfit.
Still, getting into a costume isn’t a requirement to be there. Others weren’t dressed up, but were having just as much fun.
Speaking to Channel 2 Action News, another attendee shared what made him the most excited to come to the state capital and join in on the festivities.
“I’m here for Atlanta Comic Con. Here to meet some celebrities, see some panels, checking out the awesome cosplays here. I’m a big fan of anime and comic books, it’s just the perfect place to be with people who have the same interests, a great community of people,” Conrad Sims told Channel 2 Action News.
“Honestly, I never thought I would get the chance to meet Robert Englund, you know I’ve been to so many conventions, and I’d just never gotten to see him before, the guest roster here is incredible,” Sims added.
He said the excitement for the convention tied into what he grew up watching and engaging with as a kid, and explained how the various movies, shows and their talented stars had impacted his life.
“I grew up with, watching my whole life, movies and shows. They really influenced my tastes in movies and I’m big into film, that’s what I like to do, I’m also involved in theater and acting and they’re a big inspiration to me,” Sims said.
At the convention, Sims also said that if they’ve never been, people should take the chance to go experience conventions for their welcome and variety.
“If you have never been to a convention before, I just really encourage you to go out and give it a try. There’s something for everybody here, and if you haven’t been, you really are missing out and you should give it a chance,” he said.
It's almost time for the 2024 ATL Comic Convention.
It's back in Atlanta Feb. 9-11 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="667" width="1000"/>
In addition to comics, there are plenty of celebrity guests who will sign autographs and take photos with fans. “We’re pulling out all the stops and have something for fans of all interests and ages,” said Dan Farr, ATL Comic Convention Show Producer. “Not only will this be our largest celebrity guest lineup, but we have an amazing cosplay contest, panels where fans can hear about their favorite celebrities careers, current projects, photo ops and vendors with all the latest and greatest pop culture merchandise and products.”
Guest appearances are subject to change or cancellation.
Norman Reedus is an American actor and former fashion model best known for his role as Daryl Dixon in the hit AMC horror drama series The Walking Dead (2010–2022). Regarded as one of the show’s most popular characters, he began starring in the spin-off series The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, in 2023. Reedus is the host of the AMC show Ride with Norman Reedus (2016–present). He made his acting debut in the 1990s and was featured in the successful box office films 8MM, Blade 2, and American Gangster. Reedus also landed roles in the television series Law & Order and Hawaii Five-O and ventured into voice acting, appearing in video games and voicing lead character Sam Porter in the video game Death Stranding. Reedus played Murphy MacManus in the 1999 film The Boondock Saints. He reprised the role in the 2009 sequel The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. He has also starred in music videos for Lady Gaga, Keith Richards, Radiohead, R.E.M., and Orville Peck. He has modeled for various fashion designers, including Prada.
Anthony Daniels is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing C-3PO in 11 Star Wars films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series and has been involved in many of their spin-offs, including television series, video games, and radio serials. Daniels was the voice of Legolas in the Ralph Bakshi animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. He has appeared intermittently on British television in various dramas, including playing a pathologist in Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren. Daniels is currently an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center.
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, a pioneer, icon, and founding member of the legendary rap group RUN DMC, brought his love for comics full circle with the creation of his very own independent publishing house called Darryl Makes Comics. Already a hero to his millions of fans around the world, DMC’s accomplishments read like a laundry list of musical and cultural accolades: GRAMMY-nominated musician, Emmy-winning life story, multiplatinum recording artist, 2009 Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 2017 GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and rap/rock pioneer who influenced music the first time he touched a mic. But before co-founding Run-DMC, DMC grew up reading comics and developed a passion for them. “When I started with Run-DMC, I was a nervous little nerdy kid,” says DMC. “I didn’t want to get up in front of a crowd and rhyme; but what gave me confidence, out there on stage was pretending that I was the Hulk on the microphone.”
Alexander Baldwin is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He is best known for roles as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, Adam on Beetlejuice, the narrator on Thomas and Friends, and as the voice of Boss Baby. Recently, he was involved in a shooting on the set of Rust. Baldwin pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter last week.
Lana Parrilla is an American actress known for her role as The Evil Queen / Regina Mills in the ABC fantasy drama series Once Upon a Time (2011–2018). She was a regular cast member in the fifth season of the ABC sitcom Spin City (2000–2001) and in the fourth season of 24 (2005), and starred in Boomtown (2002–2003), Windfall (2006), Swingtown (2008), and as Dr. Eva Zambrano in the short-lived medical drama Miami Medical (2010). She also played the role of Rita Castillo in the second season of Why Women Kill.
Randy Quaid is an American actor known for his roles of Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies and Russell Casse in Independence Day (1996). He voiced Alameda Slim in the animated feature Home on the Range (2004). He was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award for his role in The Last Detail in 1973. In 1978 he co-starred as a prisoner in Midnight Express. Quaid also won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his portrayal of U.S. President Lyndon Johnson in LBJ: The Early Years (1987). He also received Emmy nominations for his roles in A Streetcar Named Desire (1984) and Elvis (2005).
Margaret Cassidy Lawson is an American actress who is best known for her role as Detective Juliet “Jules” O’Hara in the TV show Psych. From 2018 to 2019, she held the recurring role of Natalie Flynn on Fox’s Lethal Weapon’s third and final season.
Thomas Cavanagh is a Canadian actor known for his role as Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash and the various versions of Harrison Wells on The CW television series The Flash; Cavanagh also directed several episodes of The Flash. In 2023, he became the host of Hey Yahoo on GSN. He’s starred in a variety of roles on American television, including Ed (2000–2004), Love Monkey (2006), and Trust Me (2009), and recurring roles in Providence and Scrubs.
Sonequa Martin-Green is an American actress best known for her television roles as Michael Burnham, the main character in the streaming television series Star Trek: Discovery, and as Sasha Williams on The Walking Dead. Before that, Martin-Green starred in several independent films before gaining her first recurring role, as Courtney Wells on The Good Wife. Later, she had recurring roles as Tamara in Once Upon a Time and Rhonda in New Girl.
Quinton Aaron is an American actor known for his role as Michael Oher in The Blind Side. He made his film debut in Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind. He was also in Sanity, To Die For, Clew, Hybristophilia, Money is King, Mummy Dearest, Summertime Dropouts, Halfway, Paranormal Movie, The Appearing, 1982, Nameless, The Baby Pact, and Rebel, with appearances in One Tree Hill, Mercy, Law & Order, Drop Dead Diva, Let’s Fall Out, and Unsubscribe.
Jack Stephen Burton is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Jason Morgan on General Hospital from 1991 to 2012 and from 2017 to 2021, and Dylan McAvoy on The Young and the Restless from 2013 to 2017. He also voiced the character Cloud Strife in a wide range of Square Enix products, including Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and the Kingdom Hearts series. In 2017, Burton returned to General Hospital in the role of Jason Morgan using the alias of “Patient 6.” In 2019, he also briefly stepped into the role of Jason’s twin brother, Drew Cain (Billy Miller) in various flashbacks with Shiloh Archer (Coby Ryan McLaughlin).
Ronald Perlman is an American actor known for his roles as Amoukar in Quest for Fire (1981), Salvatore in The Name of the Rose (1986), and Vincent in the television series Beauty and the Beast (1987–1990), for which he won a Golden Globe Award. He was also One in The City of Lost Children (1995), Johner in Alien Resurrection (1997), Hellboy in both Hellboy (2004) and its sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), Clay Morrow in the television series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2013), Nino in Drive (2011) and Benedict Drask in Don’t Look Up (2021). Perlman is also known as a collaborator of Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro, having roles in the del Toro films Cronos (1993), Blade II (2002), Pacific Rim (2013), Nightmare Alley (2021), and Pinocchio (2022). His voice-over work includes the narrator of the post-apocalyptic game series Fallout (1997–present), Clayface in the DC Animated Universe, Slade in Teen Titans (2003–2006), Mr. Lancer in Danny Phantom (2004–2007), Lord Hood in the video games Halo 2 (2004) and Halo 3 (2007), the Stabbington brothers in Tangled (2010), The Lich in Adventure Time (2011–2017) and its spinoff Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake (2023), Xibalba in The Book of Life (2014) and Optimus Primal in both the Transformers: Power of the Primes (2018) animated series, and the film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023).
Charles Hunnam is an English actor and screenwriter known for his role as Jackson “Jax” Teller on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. Hunnam also portrayed the title role in Nicholas Nickleby, Pete Dunham in Green Street, Raleigh Becket in Pacific Rim, Alan McMichael in Crimson Peak, Percy Fawcett in The Lost City of Z, the title role in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, William “Ironhead” Miller in Triple Frontier, Raymond Smith in The Gentlemen, and Detective Charlie Waldo in Last Looks. His other notable television roles include Nathan Maloney in the Channel 4 drama Queer as Folk and Lloyd Haythe on the Fox series Undeclared.
Richard Karn is an American actor, author, and former game show host known for his roles as Al Borland in the ABC series Home Improvement and as Fred Peters in the Hulu series Pen15. He was also the fourth host of Family Feud, hosting the show from 2002 to 2006.
Debra Dunning is an American actress, model, television host, spokesperson, and comedian, best known for playing Heidi on Home Improvement (1993–1999). Dunning played Heidi Keppert, the “Tool Time girl”, on the ABC sitcom Home Improvement from season 3 to season 8, having guest-starred in an earlier season. She appeared in Dangerous Curves (1988) and the American Gladiators Celebrity Challenge (1989).
Andy Serkis is an English actor and filmmaker best known for his motion-capture roles of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), King Kong in the eponymous 2005 film, Caesar in the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy (2011–2017), Captain Haddock / Sir Francis Haddock in Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin (2011), Baloo in his self-directed film Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018) and Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy films The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), also portraying Kino Loy in the Star Wars Disney+ series Andor (2022). Serkis’s film work in motion capture has been critically acclaimed. He has received an Empire Award and two Saturn Awards for his motion-capture acting. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of serial killer Ian Brady in the British television film Longford (2006) and was nominated for a BAFTA for his portrayal of new wave and punk rock musician Ian Dury in the biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010). In 2020, Serkis received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema. In 2021, he won a Daytime Emmy Award for the series The Letter for the King (2020). Serkis portrayed Ulysses Klaue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Black Panther (2018), as well as the Disney+ series What If…? (2021). He has played Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman (2022). Serkis has his own production company and motion capture workshop, The Imaginarium in London, which he used for Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. He made his directorial debut with Imaginarium’s 2017 film Breathe. He directed Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), which is set in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU).
Stephanie Young is an American voice actress primarily known for her voice-over work in English-language dubs for Japanese anime. Her best-known roles include Nico Robin in the Funimation dub of One Piece, Arachne in Soul Eater, Towa in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Nana Shimura in My Hero Academia, Clare in Claymore, and Olivier Armstrong in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Young graduated from Baylor University with a degree in theatre performance and was nominated twice for the Dallas Theatre League’s Leon Rabin Award. She has also appeared in various TV and film projects, including the Lifetime film and web series Inspector Mom.
Henry Thomas is an American actor best known for his roles in the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), the horror series Midnight Mass, and as one of the Usher siblings in The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) Thomas also had roles in other films, including Cloak & Dagger (1984), Fire in the Sky (1993), Legends of the Fall (1994), Suicide Kings (1997), All the Pretty Horses (2000), Gangs of New York (2002), 11:14 (2003), and Dear John (2010). Thomas was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for his role in the television film Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1997).
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="778" width="778"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
The Atlanta Comic Convention is scheduled for Feb. 9-11. Check out
atlcomicconvention.com for more info." height="1080" width="1080"/>
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