MORGANTOWN — If you’re harboring an intrepid host of dwarves and a homesick hobbit, take notice.
Azog The Defiler is coming to town.
So are Lex Luthor, attitudinal turtle Raphael and Power Rangers of all stripes, as part of the inaugural Mountaineer Comic-Con, to be held Sept. 24-26 in Mylan Park’s Hazel and J.W. Ruby Community Center.
The above are a few of the celebrity guests representing television and film favorites from titles including “Smallville,” “The Hobbit” films, “The Walking Dead,” “Blue Mountain State,” “Power Rangers” and “Malcolm in the Middle.”
Promoter David Plavi, who’s spent the last few years organizing events in and around the Atlanta and Orlando areas, is putting the show together.
“I’ve felt like there needed to be one in this area for a while,” Plavi said. “I do know there’s already one existing that is held annually, but to have one on this level and be able to have everything here in Morgantown, as opposed to having to travel to Hagerstown or Harrisburg or Pittsburgh or Columbus or even Washington D.C., is so much better.”
Plavi said the event will feature 209 artist and vendor spaces, one of which will be filled by Four Horsemen Comics and Gaming, in the Morgantown Mall.
Four Horsemen Owner Ron Davis said he’s looking forward to having a gathering of this size here in Monongalia County. He said the store is a regular at conventions like Steel City Con, in Monroeville, Pa.
“This is the kind of thing we do. It’s just a really good way to get out and create community engagement,” Davis said. “I’m really excited to attend this one. I think they’re bringing some bigger names to the area and some better attractions. I’m just really excited to see what they can pull off.”
Plavi said all artist spaces are filled, but there are still vendor openings available. He added that with more than three months until show time, tickets have been purchased in Arizona, New York and states across the region.
“I’m just really looking forward to it,” he said. “I feel like it’ll be a welcome back to normalcy. Everybody is scratching to get out.”
Information on tickets, celebrity guests, panels and more can be found at mountaineercomiccon.com
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