Comicpalooza returns to the George R Brown Convention Center

It’s May 2024, which means the return of Texas’ biggest pop culture festival, Comicpalooza. The three-day event, May 24-26, took place Friday at the George R Brown Convention Center, bringing together fans of comic books, anime, wrestling, cosplay, esports and more. more under one roof in the city center.

This year’s guest list consisted of some heavy hitters, including John Cena, Shannen Doherty, Robert Englund, Creed Bratton, Oscar Nunez, Rebecca Romijn, Kimiko Glenn, Rose McGowan and many more. Two of the biggest draws this year were, of course, Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd of Back to the future.

Comicpalooza is celebrating its 16th anniversary since its humble beginnings in the lobby of a Katy Alamo Drafthouse theater in 2008. The event has grown from 500 people in that lobby for a daylong meet-up to 50,000 people scattered across the 1.1 million places by George R Brown. feet. And every year, the convention makes sure to use every square inch of space on the three floors that this iconic building has to offer. This means that a first viewing of the showcase can be a little intimidating, with pop culture opportunities at every turn.

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The George R Brown was filled with everything from NASA to custom cars.

Photo by DeVaughn Douglas

“It’s not a small thing. Most of the time when you attend events at the George R Brown, half the building is blocked off. (Comicpalooza) has all three floors, completely open, and there’s always something happening. It’s amazing,” says Jihad Powell as he takes a break from the events to grab a bite to eat. “I’ve been coming here since 2014 because I love cosplay. I like the atmosphere of joking around with like-minded people, where everyone is there just to have a good time. There is no ego. Everyone is here just for the love of pop culture.

It’s the love of pop culture that is the convention’s specialty, bringing together multiple media areas and placing them all under one roof. Comicpalooza always manages to organize everything in its own way. Guests have the opportunity to watch knights in battle, take photos in front of a life-size Appa statue of Avatar: The Last Airbender, view the many themed vehicles in the showroom, participate in an RC car show, purchase products from numerous sellers, watch live recordings of podcasts, dance at raves or participate in cosplay contests. Even this recap of events barely scratches the surface of everything Comicpalooza has to offer. From panel discussions to board games, if it’s a pop culture staple, there’s room for it at the convention.

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Jihad Powell shows off his cosplay.

Photo by DeVaughn Douglas

It’s not just the attendees who benefit from the annual event, as vendors also look forward to the convention not only to sell to regular customers but also to introduce themselves to new fans. For Chris Gunnz of White Cup Entertainment, who sells a variety of clothing, posters and memorabilia based on hip-hop and comic book mash-ups, Comicpalooza has become a can’t-miss event.

“I’ve been coming here as a patron for years, but I finally started coming as a vendor in 2015. I love coming here. I am a big comic book enthusiast. I learned to read comics when I was younger and I still enjoy it today. I just love being in this environment, having the opportunity to experience the culture and showcase my art.

For anyone who missed Friday or Saturday, there is still time to take part in the events, with the convention ending on Sunday. Doors will open at 10 a.m. with autograph and photo opportunities until closing at 4 p.m.