Salt Lake’s biggest party returns September 1, 2, 3, as Salt Lake Comic Con opens at the Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 South West Temple. The anticipation grows with today’s big announcement that Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, will be in attendance on September 1.
Hamill will take photo ops with fans and provide autographs. He’ll also be at a panel with 4,500 excited attendees. For more information about registering, click here.
Dan Farr, Salt Lake Comic Con Founder and Show Producers says, “Star Wars is one of our fans’ favorites and the fact that Mark is making his only U.S. comic con appearance in 2016 at our show is huge for us. For fans that felt a disturbance in the Force, it was Salt Lake Comic Con fans catching their breath when they heard Luke Skywalker is coming to Salt Lake City.”
Bryan Brandenburg, Salt Lake Comic Con Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, is also feeling the excitement. “We promised our fans that there were more guests to come and we’re delivering on that promise in a big way. It says a lot about our attendees and the reputation we’ve built amongst celebrities that a star as big as Mark Hamill would make Salt Lake Comic Con his only United States comic con appearance in 2016. To bring in the movie’s top star of a film so successful is a tribute to how far we’ve come in a few short years.” (From Salt Lake Comic Con Press Release.)
But Hamill and other celebrity guests aren’t the only reasons to be excited. Each year Salt Lake Comic Con features an outstanding Artist Alley, where local artists and near local artists come to show their talent. Utah Stories has written about some of the artists they found at Comic Con.
Beth Trott brought her fantasy art, populated by fairies, unicorns, fair maidens, brave warriors, and of course, dragons to the first Salt Lake Comic Con in September 2013. She is a freelance illustrator and did a great cover for Utah Stories.
We also met Tyler Kirkham at Comic Con. Tyler is a local artist who is able to work from home on comics for DC and Marvel, as well as other comic publishers. He also created his own series, Screwed, for Zenescope. When starting out he took his work around to various conventions to get feedback from established artists. He is now happy to be on the other side of the table to help new artists.
Billy Wells, a local machinist, was also at the first Comic Con and brought along his custom designed robots that he builds from old parts he collects. He said that he found he core audience; “People who fondly remember robots from The Jetsons and Lost in Space.”
Another favorite down the Alley is artist Ben Byrd, who sells whimsical illustrations of Disney characters, comic book heroes, Harry Potter characters and dragons. His booth is always crowded as attendees lineup to see his new creations and purchase a piece of art to take home. He will be at the Salt Lake Comic Con this September.
So, it is great to come for the big name celebrities and try to catch a glimpse of your favorite Power Ranger, but take time this year and explore the hall. You may just find a new favorite artist and take home some art to remember your experience.
