Get your ass to Denver Comic Con, you damned dirty apes!
It’s that time of year again–comic con season! Denver Comic Con is just around the corner, and Colorado’s now-iconic convention has shaped itself into one of the country’s finest. Do you have your passes? Eying a few celebrity guests and planning photograph/autograph moments that’ll be etched into your being for the rest of your life? Three-day passes are sold out, but you can still snag tickets for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday (1-day passes) if you get them quick. We’re still a month out from con day, so secure your spot on the con floor while you still can!
Take a peek at some photos from last year’s Denver Comic Con, browse the celebrity guest list, sign up to help out as a volunteer, and read a little info about Pop Culture Classroom (the organization behind Denver Comic Con) after the jump.
Cosplay Enthusiasts Galore
Comic Con wouldn’t be Comic Con without countless cosplay enthusiasts packing the floor and posing for photographs. Denver Comic Con attracts the best like the rest, and you’re sure to spot iterations of your favorite characters from across the popular culture spectrum. From gender-bent comic book icons to film and fiction look-alikes, Denver’s con promises a glimpse of some whacky, wonderful, and out-of-this-world cosplay. I remember a 20-foot Galactus (complete with a small planet in his hand) stomping around the grounds a few years ago, so anything’s possible.
Plus, cosplay and comic con enthusiasm is fun for the whole family. You’re bound to spot groups of troopers walking around either with complementary parent costumes or as part of a group ensemble. From Whovians to DC and Marvel teams, comic con sees young and old alike donning their capes and having a blast as a family.
Celebrity Guest Appearances
There are currently more than 150 celebrity/author/publisher/content creator guests listed as attending, with well-known faces including (but not limited to) “Weird Al” Yankovic, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day, Stanley Tucci, Jon Heder, Billie Piper, Bonnie Wright, Wallace Shawn, Millie Bobby Brown, Eliza Dushku, Phil Lamar, and so many, many more. If we’ve learned anything about Denver Comic Con’s guest line-up, and cons in general, there’s always a chance celebrity guests could cancel last-minute if scheduling conflicts arise. Denver’s con in-particular has always tried to find surprise replacements whenever possible. When Stan Lee cancelled a few years back to film a Marvel cameo, William Shatner was quickly beamed in. What this means is, take the current guest appearance list at face value, try not to get your hopes up too much, and don’t be terribly surprised if one or two more faces drop out or pop up before June 30th. The DCC Facebook page continues to announce new guests, so like the page and keep your ear to the ground up until con day to make sure you know what’s going on and who’s going to be there.
Pop Culture Classroom
Believe it or not, Denver Comic Con is only a small part of what Pop Culture Classroom does for and with the Denver/Colorado community. Since 2010, the organization has been cultivating literacy and a love of comics, diversity, and visual storytelling (as Comic Book Classroom), and it wasn’t until 2012 that the organization dipped its toes into the world of con-stravaganza with the very first Denver Comic Con. The con was a success and also a learning experience, helping shape cons to come by exciting new and existing fans of everything geek-tastic both young and old. Pop Culture Classroom operates under the umbrella of simple-yet-invaluable mission and vision statements:
MISSION: Pop Culture Classroom inspires a love of learning, increases literacy, celebrates diversity and builds community through the tools of popular culture and the power of self-expression.
VISION: Pop Culture Classroom envisions individuals transformed by the educational power of popular culture who create diverse, inclusive and engaged communities.
Make sure to swing by the Pop Culture Classroom Kids’ Lab and 8-Bit Lounge while browsing the floor to get a glimpse of what they do and why they do it. Outside of Denver Comic Con, Pop Culture Classroom shares the spotlight with its younger audience through a number of workshops, curriculum, and resources aimed at educating and entertaining.
The need for innovative literacy education in Colorado inspired Pop Culture Classroom and its education programs. As teachers, artists, writers, parents, and all around pop culture activists, each of us has personal experience with the transformational power of comics and other pop culture media. We believe that literacy, creativity and creative thinking are essential abilities for our children as they prepare to navigate both the successes and challenges of life.
Volunteer Opportunities Still Open
Love everything Denver Comic Con is and does? There’s still time to volunteer to lend a hand (but just barely). The last day for new volunteer registration is June 5th, so sign up right now to help out! Not only will you be continuing the tradition behind the scenes, but you’ll be front and center guiding new con-goers and seasoned veterans as they navigate the floor and find what excites them most. What’s better than lighting that spark for a toddler Robin or crossing lightsabers with a little Rey? Doing it all as a Denver Comic Con/Pop Culture Classroom volunteer year after year!
Midroad Movie Review will be roaming Denver Comic Con’s many attractions the weekend of June 30th, and I’ll be snapping photos and having a blast with the rest of the attendees. Hope to see you there!