Comic Con comes to Salt Lake City

September 2, 2014

Hundreds of people attend the 2013 Comic Con event while mingling with fellow cosplayers. The 2014 Salt Lake Comic Con is expected to bring in over 100,000 attendees. (Photo Source: Tyler Brown).

There are conventions, and then there’s Comic Con.

Comic Con is coming to Salt Lake this week, bringing together thousands of people who like nothing better than to dress up as fantasy characters and express their love for all things geek.

Whether you’re a Twi-Hard, a Trekkie or yes, even Batman, this is the place to expose your inner fan while mingling with people from all areas of pop culture.

From comic books to TV shows to quirky costumes, it’s all here at the convention. And there’s plenty to see.

For those of you who are new to the Comic Con experience, let me give you a quick rundown of what goes on at these conventions.

Comic Con is an annual convention that originated in San Diego California 40 years ago.

Since the beginning, numerous Comic Cons have popped up all over the country.

Some are general, while other Cons specialize.

Bringing together thousands of special guests, such as comic creators, science fiction/fantasy writers, film directors, producers and artists, Comic Con has become the focal point for all aspects of popular arts and culture.

Over its four-decade history, Comic Con celebrates all the latest rage through various booths, celebrity panels, comedy shows and costume contests.

For most, casting off the shackles of reality and donning a new identity is how they bring fictional characters to life at Comic Con.

Attendees viewing promotional materials from "The Hobbit" at the 2013 Salt Lake Comic Con. Every year, people flock to celebrate their favorite parts of popular culture at the Comic Con convention. (Photo Source: Tyler Brown) — Attendees viewing promotional materials from “The Hobbit” at the 2013 Salt Lake Comic Con. Every year, people flock to celebrate their favorite parts of popular culture at the Comic Con convention. (Photo Source: Tyler Brown)

Whether going for the mask-only look or the all-out costume, nothing stops cosplayers from enjoying every aspect of their favorite character.

Along with all the fantasy characters and aspiring superheroes, Comic Con hosts some of the biggest and hottest Hollywood celebrities.

Although they may be trapped behind interview frenzies and camera flashes, here are a few of the 2014 Salt Lake Comic Con’s exclusive stars.

Simon Helberg: American-actor and voice actor, Helberg is best known as Howard Wolowitz, the eccentric wannabe “ladies man” who is one of the geeky foursome on the popular sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.”

Stephen Amell: A fresh face to the superhero scene, Stephen Amell is the lead actor in the hit series “Arrow” where he plays Green Arrow, a crime-fighting archer. Drawing over 4 million viewers nightly to the show, Amell is a newcomer to Comic Con.

Stan Lee: One of the most iconic figures in comic book history, Stan “The Man” Lee is coming back to the 2014 Salt Lake Comic Con. Famous mostly for his Marvel franchise, Lee will no doubt be the highlight guest celebrity on the circuit.

Other pop idols that will be attending the Salt Lake Comic Con include Colin Baker, Paul McGann, Patrick Warburton, Michael Rosenbaum, Ron Perlman, Giancarlo Esposito and many other famous stars.

Whether you’re a stormtrooper or an onscreen celeb, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Comic Con.

With over 100,000 attendees expected to participate, the Salt Lake Comic Con opens to the public Sep. 4-6 at the Salt Palace Convention Center.