Comics, Cosplay, and Creators…Oh My: A Day at the New Jersey Comic Expo

Last weekend I ventured out to the New Jersey Comic Expo, which was held at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, NJ. I got to the expo quite early, so the crowd was not overwhelming at all. The convention center was spacious and the vendors were well spread out.

There was room for everyone and everything. The first thing I saw were vendors wallpapered with Funko Pop! figurines. I honestly never saw so many in one place in my life. I am not complaining; I have an affinity for them. It was hard to resist hoarding them all. On top of that, there was a vast array of plush dolls, legos, and collectable figurines to tempt any toy collector, or just plain child at heart. Among other vendors there were those selling retro video games, 3D printers, posters, t-shirts, hand crafted geek paraphernalia, and of course those offering boxes upon boxes of comic books to rummage through.

The amount of cosplay I witnessed was relatively light. Although there was a section dedicated to showcasing professional cosplayers selling prints and photo ops for their fans. Some of them were also selling hand crafted items of their own. Among them I found Supergirl Smiles (www.supergirlsmile.storenvy.com) who was selling flannel shirts with graphics from t-shirts sewn to the back of them. They ranged from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to Nicktoons, and comic book characters like Deadpool (which is the one I ended up purchasing myself.) These caught my eye pretty quickly being a 90’s kid who loves flannel shirts. She also had bowties and headbands for sale.

There was a lineup of celebrity photo ops featuring Catherine Dyer (Stranger Things), Randy Havens (Archer), Lew Temple (Walking Dead), Steve Coulter (Insidious 2 & 3), Major Dodson (American Horror Story), and Ivy Doomkitty (renowned cosplayer and model.) Overall, it was an impressive lineup of meet and greets. I did not have an opportunity to meet them, unfortunately. But I am looking forward to see who will be guesting next year and pray I will be able to meet a few of them next time.

Then there was my favorite part of any comic book convention, The Artist’s Alley. The artists are the heart and soul behind all graphic novels and it is such an honor to make acquaintance with those who dedicate their lives to bringing characters to life through the illustrated page. There were artists who contribute to the well known sagas from Marvel and DC such as Reilly Brown (Cable & Deadpool, The Amazing Spiderman), Mark Bagely (Ultimate Spiderman, Amazing Spiderman), Kevin McGuire (Batman, Captain America), and many more. Everyone I spoke to was awesome and very happy to meet the admirers of their work.

The artists that always hold a special place in my heart, though, are the independent artists. I had the pleasure of meeting several local artists selling comic books, prints, and commissioned work. Each had a unique and intriguing style of their own. Among those I spoke to were Criss Madd of Gone Madd Studios (www.facebook.com/Criss.Madd) who’s artwork reflects a dark but also classic fashion.

I also met T.J Sterling of RAE Comics (www.RAEcomics.com) who started out working for Marvel but moved on to his own Indie, Sci-Fi comic Okemus, which dons beautiful illustration and coloring. There was truly so much talent that I can barely even scrape the surface. New Jersey truly is home to so many amazing artists, all of whom I hope to see tremendous success.

Final thoughts: The expo was a great day for me. Between swooning over nostalgic toys, taking home some original comic books and art work, and having the pleasure of meeting so many artists of all types, I was very pleased with what the folks of MAD Event Management arranged for us. The expo truly has something for almost anyone. Even if you are not a huge fan of comic books, they have stuff for film enthusiasts, people who like cartoons, and literature buffs.  In the future I hope to attend some of the panels and workshops the event has to offer.

Written by: Kristin Ausume

Kristin is a Jersey Native, born and raised in Bergen County. She studied art and theatre at Fairleigh Dickinson University, as well as a thrilling semester abroad in the U.K. She spends most of her free time drawing, taking photos, and cooking vegan cuisine at home.