Allison Denny
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24 2008 1:39 pm
From reading comic books at night under the sheets as a kid to swinging around a toy light saber a la Luke Skywalker, everyone has a little geek in them.
Geeks unite Jan. 25-27 at Phoenix Comicon, a convention bringing together fans, actors, comic- book artists, anime voice actors and authors.
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Convention director Matt Solberg said comicon is a catchall term to the comic-book community.
This year's comicon features a zombie beauty pageant, Jedi light saber training for kids, a fashion show of Japan's extreme street wear, an art auction, a costume contest and anime dodge ball.
Attendees also can meet their favorite authors, actors and artists, participate in how-to sessions with professors from Collins College and the Art Institute of Phoenix, sit in on question-and-answer panels and compete in gaming and art tournaments.
The favorite attractions vary among fans, Solberg said, but generally, meeting the film and TV stars of programs such as Star Wars and Star Trek is the most popular.
It's really about "being able to hang out with friends and others who share similar interests," he said.
Solberg grew up watching G.I. Joe and Transformers on TV. The animated series led him to comic books; the interest continued into his adult years.
When Solberg arrived in Arizona from Minnesota in October 2001, there hadn't been a comic book convention for about eight years.
The first comicon Solberg put together was in June 2002. It was a one-day event that lasted about six hours, a far cry from the three-day event held now. Last year, 3,200 enthusiasts showed up for the convention.
Lou Ferrigno of TV's Incredible Hulk will meet with fans and talk about the upcoming Hulk movie, in which he makes an appearance.
"Greeting the fans is something I really enjoy doing," he said. "The fans helped make me who I am today."
Ferrigno, 56, has been active in conventions for years and will attend one in Arizona for the first time. He's been to the state before but only for a short time.
"I'm looking forward to coming to the show, spending time in Phoenix and meeting my fans," he said.
Walter Koenig, 71, played the part of Lt. Chekov on Star Trek four decades ago. He'll also meet fans and sign autographs.
Koenig will introduce a screening of one of his latest projects, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, on Saturday with fellow Star Trek alum Tim Russ. The first part of the three-part movie will screen Saturday and Sunday. The first two parts of the series are available for download at www.renegade-studios.com.
Jonathan Figueroa, 22, is a film student at Arizona State University. This year's convention is his third in the state, though he has attended others in different states.
"I really enjoy conventions," he said. Phoenix Comicon "is just a smaller atmosphere (than the bigger conventions), more intimate."
Figueroa said his favorite part of the conventions is the screenings of short films. He also enjoys meeting writers and artists, such as George Perez, a comic book artist he had wanted to meet for years and finally did last year.
One of Figueroa's current favorite writers is Joseph "Jeph" Loeb, co-executive producer for the NBC show Heroes.
"I've been reading his comics more than any others for a long time," he said.
Phoenix Comicon
What: Multimedia convention focused on comic books, anime, gaming, music and film.
When: 6 p.m.-11:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25; 10 a.m.-11:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27
Where: Mesa Convention Center, 201 N. Center St.
Admission: $25 for all three days, $20 Saturday, $15 Sunday. Age 10 and younger free with a paid adult. Tickets available online and at local comic book stores.
Details: 602-697-4007, www.phoenixcomicon.com.
