Heroes, villains and those who created them take over the Hawai‘i Convention Center this weekend, as Comic Con Honolulu returns to save the day.
The three-day event will be chock full of fun for fans of the fantastical, with artists, writers and editors from comics institutions like Marvel and DC, and actors from TV, film and online programming in town to visit, talk story, sign autographs and take photos, said Faisal Ahmed, the CEO of Comic Con Honolulu.
“It’s a full comic experience,” he said. “It’s a great chance for people to hear about all creation of their favorite characters and learn their stories.”
The convention will also include panel discussions, a vast array of gaming opportunities, costume contests and cosplay.
ARTISTS ALLEY has been one of the most popular events at Comic Con Honolulu. There, local and mainland artists display one-of-a-kind artwork. Visitors can also make requests to get something unique and memorable from their favorite artists.
Visitors can also get an audio memory, as several important voice actors will be on hand.
Want to share a laugh with Goofy, whose distinctive “hyuck hyuck” charmed kids for generations? Bill Farmer, who has voiced the Disney character since the late 1980s, will be on hand to share the joke. He’ll make a recording for $50. Dog and Disney lovers, note: He also does Pluto’s woof.
Tony Anselmo, who has both drawn and voiced Donald Duck, will be on hand to do the voice of the original angry bird. He’s been doing it since 1987, having gotten the blessing and support of the original creator, Clarence Nash.
“People will get their voicemail message done in Donald Duck’s voice, or make recordings with him using that voice,” Ahmed said.
Fans of the animated Netflix series “The Dragon Prince” can also get voice recordings from some of their favorite characters.
Seven of the main voice actors — Jack De Sena, Paula Burrows, Sasha Rojen, Jason Simpson, Adrian Petriw, Racquel Belmonte and Jesse Inocalla — will be available for autographs, photos and recordings and give a panel discussion on upcoming Season 3. The series, about two princes who join with an elf to bring peace, is known for its off-kilter dialogue, so bring your corniest line for them to say.
Prices vary for souvenir items, with most autographs $20 to $40; recordings $40 to $50; photos at a booth $10 to $30; and official photo ops $30 to $60.
CONVENTIONS DEVOTED to screened entertainment, whether on TV or screen or the monitor, got their start with the “Star Trek” conventions that started back in the 1960s. This year’s Comic Con has its own tie to “Star Trek” with the appearance of Wil Wheaton, star of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Wheaton gives a Q&A at 2 p.m. Saturday and will be at the convention to sign autographs on Saturday and Sunday. Fans will also recognize Wheaton from his recurring appearances in “The Big Bang Theory,” the award-winning show which ended its 12-year run earlier this year — in a nod to “Star Trek” geekdom, Wheaton played himself.
Other acting celebrities appearing include Ross Marquand, who appeared as Aaron on “The Walking Dead” and on the recent smash hit “Avengers: End Game,” as Red Skull Guardian of the Soul Stone; Mark Jackson of “Star Trek” spin-off “The Orville”; and Katrina Law of “Training Day.”
From the comics world, one of the biggest names will be Tom DeFalco. “He was the editor of Marvel Comics, so he was responsible for some of their biggest franchises over the years,” Ahmed said.
Artists Lucio Parrillo (Marvel Comics) and Tom Grummett (Marvel Comics and DC Comics) will be among the most accomplished artists to appear.
Gaming has become a big part of these kind of “Con”-events (Kawaii Kon and Comic Con offer similar activities, but Kawaii Kon historically has roots in Japanese anime and tends to feature more of that, Ahmed said).
This year’s Comic Con features a super-sized gaming setup, with more than 300 board games and a video game installation featuring “Overwatch,” one of the most popular multiplayer battle games around.
‘“Overwatch”actors Carolina Ravassa and Anjali Bhimani will be on hand — Bhimani has also appeared on several major TV shows, including “The Sopranos” and “Criminal Minds.”
Organized teams and individuals can take part, and even if you’re new to the game, you don’t need to worry about getting killed off easy. “There will be someone there to help and put you with players of similar abilities,” Ahmed said.
COMIC CON HONOLULU
>> Where: Hawa‘i Convention Center
>> When: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Sunday
>> Cost: $40 Friday and Sunday, $55 Saturday
>> Info: comicconhonolulu.com
