Photo by Reonna Ulmer
Atlantic Comic Con founder Derron Flood said he created the convention with Black fans in mind.
Costumes filled the convention floor at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel as fans stepped into the worlds of their favorite characters, from superheroes and comic book icons to anime and video game favorites.
For two days, Atlantic Comic Con brought fans together in Downtown Norfolk to celebrate their interests.
But for Black fans, the convention represented more than a weekend of cosplay, gaming and comics. It offered a space to see themselves reflected in a community built with them in mind.
The Black-owned convention returned to Norfolk for its third year last weekend, bringing together comic book fans, cosplayers, gamers, artists, creators and vendors. Founder Derron Flood created the convention to give Black fans a place where they could openly embrace their interests.
“I wanted to be the first and only person that really created a convention in the Hampton Roads area that just had Black people in mind,” Flood said.
Before founding Atlantic Comic Con, Flood was an All-American track athlete and gym owner. His background in athletics gave him a different experience navigating the stigma often associated with being a comic book fan.
“I’ve always lived, like, this duality. So I was shielded by something that was very popular, and that’s athletics,” Flood said.
“I also felt like a lot of times I was the liaison between both cultures,” Flood said.
For Carlene Mott, who attended the convention dressed as Jessie from “Toy Story,” the event represented something she did not always experience growing up. She said her love for “nerdy” interests was something she eventually kept quiet because it wasn’talways accepted.
“I used to have T-shirts that said ‘I love nerds’ and things like that, but I grew silent because nerds weren’t cool,” Mott said. “Growing up, we thought we were alone, isolated and things like that, but to see that other people are out there with the same struggles … now it’s on the forefront.”
Comic book creator Chuck Brown, who has written for Marvel, DC and Image Comics, said he has also seen a shift in representation at conventions.
“When I first started going to cons, you know, I was the only Black person at the con. It was like me and six other people,” Brown said. “I’ve seen things evolve where there are entire conventions surrounding and celebrating us.”
For Brown, Atlantic Comic Con represents that evolution.
“It feels great. I feel validated. Things are evolving, so I’m happy,” he said.
Throughout the weekend, attendees participated in gaming tournaments, explored artwork and merchandise, shopped with vendors and attended panels and workshops. The event also highlighted Black creators and small businesses.
Flood described the convention as a “cookout,” where attendees could embrace both their interests and their culture.
“I want people to see us at our happiest and at our safest,” Flood said.
