Abilene Comic Con 2023 to have retro gaming, Bluey, special guests and collectibles
Pop culture fanatics, sci-fi and fantasy enthusiasts and comic collectors are invited to Abilene Comic Con.
Chris Slatosch, director of Abilene Comic Con, stated the organization’s mission is to bring people together to an event where they can share their common interests and have fun for a weekend.
The event, sponsored by ConLive, will be Dec. 2-3 at Abilene Convention Center, 1100 North 6th Street.
Activities and things to do at Comic Con
The two-day convention has a variety of events for guests of all ages to enjoy.
One of the most popular activities at the convention is taking a photograph with the fan-favorite Australian-animated heeler puppy Bluey.
A new addition to Abilene Comic Con this year is its partnering with Retro World Series. The company will bring classic and modern gaming systems like Atari, Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 4 for guests to play all day for free.
“Everything they are doing is absolutely free. It’ll be massive, and we’ve never done this before so we are trying to figure out logistics. I think the people who come out will be pleasantly surprised,” Slatosch said.
Other activities guests can engage in is roaming the vendors’ and collectors’ booths, attending special guests’ signing stations and Q&A panels and creating with some fun, easy Christmas crafts.
Special guests
Several voice actors and cosplayers will be in attendance at the event throughout the weekend. They will be signing autographs and participating in celebrity panels where the crowd can ask questions.
“The celebrity panels throughout the weekend are free to attend. They typically come in and speak on their roles, characters or shows that they’ve been in,” Slatosch said. “Oftentimes when engaging with the crowd, the special guests will share crazy industry stories and answer questions on how to get into what they’re doing.”
Actors and voice actors Kevin McNally, Brian Donovan, Joe Gaudet, James McCaffrey, Ian James Corlett, Alejandro Saab, Marisa Duran and Tara Sands will be in attendance.
Cosplayers 3D Nerd Armory and Chief Glitz and Glam will be there as part of the all ages cosplay contest.
Ticket information
“For the longest time, special interest conventions including comic cons were not available in these areas of Texas. The goal of ConLive and Abilene Comic Con was to create an affordable event for families and working-class people who cannot afford a $60 ticket plus parking, hotel stays and food for the weekend in big cities that take a long time to travel to,” Slatosch said. “We are wanting to give people the dose of pop culture experience in their own backyard.”
Tickets are required for entry to the event and prices vary. Pre-sale tickets are available online at conliveevents.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the door at an increased price. One child, aged 8 and under, is provided free admission to the event with the purchase of a general admission pass.
There are additional packages for purchase including a family fast pass which includes line priority to see Bluey and other VIP perks.
For information about schedules, guests, tickets and more, check out Abilene Comic Con's website.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Comic Con, expect retro gaming, Bluey and collectibles
