Wookiees walked the aisles alongside superheroes and video game characters this weekend as Oklahoma Comic Con returned to Tulsa, drawing fans, vendors and celebrity guests from across the region.
The convention runs through 5 p.m. Sunday and features guests including voice actors Tom Kenny and Troy Baker, along with actor Randy Quaid.
For many attendees, the costumes are the main event. Jack, who’s cosplaying as Capt. Ryland Grace from “Project Hail Mary” alongside a hand-built puppet of the character’s alien companion Rocky, said the pair have drawn a crowd of their own.
“There have been more pictures of him in my legs than actually me for this convention,” Jack said. “But you know what? He’s the star. I’m just the smart one. I’m just here to carry him around.”
Daelin Taylor, dressed as Wolverine from “Deadpool & Wolverine,” said the appeal of cosplay goes beyond the craftsmanship that goes into building a suit — it’s about the moment a costume creates for a young fan.
“They see these characters, they don’t see you, they see who you’re dressed as,” Taylor said. “I believe it is very important to portray that character in the best of your ability to really give them that great moment, that great memory, because they’re going to be thinking on that years down the line.”
A market for readers, not just collectors
Vendors said the show has been good for business, too. Gerardo Vega, who runs De la Vega Arts, Crafts and Collectibles out of Dallas, was making his first trip to an Oklahoma convention.
“I’m really enjoying the show,” Vega said. “The fans have been very fantastic. Not only are they buying, but they’re also talking, and they want to talk about the fandom.”
Scooby-Doo’s voice returns to Tulsa
Among the weekend’s biggest draws is Scott Innes, the longtime voice of Scooby-Doo, who said interacting with fans is what keeps him coming back to conventions like this one. Read the conversation below.
News On 6: This isn’t your first time at Oklahoma Comic Con. What’s it been like so far?
Innes: I love it. VXV puts on a great show.
News On 6: What’s it like being able to interact with the fans through things like photo ops?
Innes: We love that. People ask us why we truly come back, and I have to be honest with you — when you immerse yourself in the fan, in what these characters have done… I’m just a voice, you know, which brings those characters to life. But the guys that drew these characters — Hanna, Barbera, Tom Cook and all the artists that did them — they’re the ones who really brought those characters to life. I’m just happy to lend my voice to the animation.
News On 6: What do you think of the upcoming Scooby-Doo reboot?
Innes: I kind of like the idea, because it hasn’t really been done before. It’s going to be interesting to see how they put voice to that, or not, while he’s a pup — we don’t know. But I love everything Scooby-Doo. I’m wishing nothing but the best for the whole process. I’m working on some stuff right now with Warner Bros. and the Scooby-verse, so there’s enough of it to go around.
News On 6: Any final thoughts for fans?
Innes: As Casey Kasem — the original voice of Shaggy — would always say: put your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.
