Pro wrestling, comic books, celebrity artists and collectibles will come together at C3 Sports and Event Center next month during Smackdown and Sketches, a two-day fundraiser designed to bring affordable family fun to State College while supporting children facing difficult days in hospitals
The event, presented by Comic Cove, begins Friday, Oct. 23, with professional wrestling and continues Saturday, Oct. 24, with a comic and collectibles show. Proceeds will benefit Panels of Hope, a nonprofit founded by Comic Cove owner Justin Behrens that provides comic-themed newspapers and personal visits from artists to children in hospitals.
“We tried to do something different than most Comic Cons in that we wanted to make this more family friendly,” Behrens said.
Friday’s wrestling event will feature performers from 3 Legacy Wrestling (3LW), with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the show beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Behrens said former WWE wrestler Gene Snitsky and Jesús Rodriguez, a former WWE manager and wrestler also known as Ricardo Rodriguez, are expected to take part.
Saturday’s comic and collectibles show will cost $5 per person, a price Behrens said was deliberately set so families could enjoy a day out without a major financial hurdle.
More than 35 vendors are expected, bringing comics, trading cards, 3D-printed items, plush toys, gifts and collectibles. Comic artists Keith Williams, Glenn Whitmore and Richard Maurizio are also expected to attend.
Williams has worked on Marvel titles, including the “Nomad” series, while Whitmore worked on “Superman.” Maurizio is known for his work on “Animaniacs.”
“There’s something for all ages, meaning old and new, or old and young,” Behrens said.
For Behrens, though, the weekend is about more than a packed vendor floor or a wrestling card. It is a fundraiser for Panels of Hope, which grew out of his family’s experience when his son spent time in the hospital.
Panels of Hope distributes comic-themed newspapers to children in hospitals, giving them something colorful and entertaining during what can be a frightening, lonely or simply boring time. Behrens said the organization partnered with Kids in a Comic to produce the newspapers, which include work by major artists.
The organization’s goal is to raise $40,000 through Smackdown and Sketches to help produce four newspaper issues next year. Each issue would have a print run of 50,000 copies and be distributed to more than 11 hospitals.
Those newspapers are already reaching children in Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Minnesota and Texas, with organizers hoping to expand further.
Panels of Hope also brings artists directly into hospitals to draw sketches of children’s favorite characters, giving young patients a personal moment of joy during their stays.
“While they’re here on the 23rd, they’re going to be coming to a hospital and doing sketches for kids’ characters, all that different stuff for them to kind of make their days a little better,” Behrens said.
The weekend will also mark the debut of Panels of Hope’s first comic book. The story follows the organization’s mascot teaming with Atomic Mouse to stop aliens attempting to take over State College.
Maurizio and Mike Glassy wrote and illustrated the book, which will be available Oct. 23.
Behrens said Panels of Hope hopes to create six comic books next year that tackle difficult subjects in ways children can understand. Possible themes include bullying, addiction and suicide prevention, with stories meant to reinforce hope and show young readers they are not alone.
“We’re hoping that it’s more of a way to touch the kids in a way that they can feel inspired,” Behrens said. “There’s ways that you can learn from this.”
For families, wrestling fans and anyone who still gets a little thrill from flipping through a long box of comics, Smackdown and Sketches offers a weekend of entertainment with a purpose. It is a chance to meet artists, browse collectibles, cheer at the ring and help send a little hope into hospital rooms across the country.
For tickets and more information, visit comiccovesc.com/smackdown-and-sketches.
