Va. – What started as a dream for J.D. Sutphin has grown into one of the region’s most popular events of the year. Now in its ninth year, Big Lick Comic Con is back and bigger than ever
“It’s really crazy to see that we have folks coming from over 400 zip codes into Roanoke for the weekend,” Sutphin said. “Literally hundreds and hundreds of hotel rooms that get sold for this event.”
This year’s event will feature a reunion from the Amazon Prime Video hit series “The Boys.” Actors Jessie T. Usher and Laz Alonso, who play characters A-Train and Mother’s Milk in the show, will be in town for a reunion, as well as several other guests from well-known shows.
“We have a reunion from ‘The Good Witch,’ with Catherine Bell and Chris Potter,” Sutphin said. “We have Thomas Ian Nicholas, who people know from ‘Rookie of the Year’ and the ‘American Pie’ movies. We have the lightning sorcerer himself, James Pax, for the 40th anniversary of ‘Big Trouble in Little China.’”
Cosplay will also be on full display. This year’s event will even feature a cosplay competition.
“It’s the exact same thing of when you see someone go to a great sporting event and they are decked out, in braves or dodgers or painting their chest. It’s the same thing. You wanna be a part of that team. That team might be the Avengers. It doesn’t have to be a sports team to be able to feel like part of something that is bigger than you,” Sutphin said.
But perhaps the most important part of the event are the connections it fosters, connections Sutphin enjoys with his own family.
“I see that with my 10-year-old son, be able to go to a place like the Berglund Center, this beautiful, with great parking and great staff, wonderful folks from the city of Roanoke, and be able to have a weekend that feels like you’re at a theme park for about a tenth of the price,” Sutphin said.
The event run Aug. 8-9 at the Berglund Center. You can find a full list of events and speakers as well as where to buy tickets here.
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