Strap on your superhero cape, polish your tiara, grab your 20-sided dice and sort your collector cards. Roxana Comic Con is making its debut at the Roxana Volunteer Fire Company on Saturday Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The free family-friendly event is being presented by Comics and Gaming, a local shop that recently moved from downtown Bethany Beach to Route 54, west of Fenwick Island.
A comic convention atmosphere can be one like no other, with colorful comics, costumes and collectibles.
“We want it to be a fun community day,” said Mandy Chillemi of Comics and Gaming. “It’s fun to walk around, see the different products that are there. It’s very family-friendly. There’s certainly high-end collectables, but there’s affordable toys. For someone who’s just starting out, there are options to talk to different comic collectors and sellers, things that are just fun for kids to read. … It’s just a lot of fun.”
Comic books, collectibles, trading cards, toys, games, comics, superheroes, sci-fi, Pokémon, Dungeons & Dragons — that’s just the tip of the iceberg for Roxana Comic Con.
Mandy and Dom Chillemi of Comics & Gaming talk to Monica Urbaniak, 10, of Frankford, during the Frankford Public Library’s Summer Reading Program kick-off event in 2021.
Guests can also meet the creators of several teen and preteen book series: Jason Shaw, creator of Snow Monkey comics; and Jay Veloso Batista, Viking enthusiast and Forerunner book series author.
Cosplay can be a fun part of conventions, so it’ll be warmly welcomed and encouraged. Cosplay just means dressing up as a character from a book, movie, video game or other fandom.
“So many cosplayers are so friendly and open to having pictures taken with them,” Chillemi said. People should always ask for consent before taking photos with a stranger, she added, “But most people are so open to it! They want to show off their hard work.”
Whether a person just throws on a blond wig and a Thor hammer from Halloween, or hand-crafts special gear to resemble some character from the third book of a niche fantasy series, it’s all welcome at conventions.
Whatever a person’s level of fandom, cosplay and comics can spark curiosity.
“That princess [cosplayer] might start learning about history or about the technology that might be used … and then they get into the love of reading and want to learn more about those things.”
These fandom conventions have become more mainstream, but the heart remains: to bring people together to share a love of whatever brings them joy and makes them geek out a little.
“This is kind of our inaugural event, and we’re hoping it goes well and continues in the future!” Chillemi said.
“As a store, many of our customers know that, seven or eight times a year, we’re gone … for two-day conventions in big convention centers. But they all started small!” Chillemi said of the events. “We love being at the shows. So, as much as we love Ocean City,” she said of Ocean City Comic Con, which takes place each winter, “we wanted to have an event here in Sussex County.”
On a summer weekend, Route 20, being farther inland, could also be more accessible for travelers headed to the event at the Roxana fire hall.
“We wanted to put a family fun event out there, make it about community, and let them know we’re still here.” As for the fire company, she said, “We want them to feel supported, too.”
Admission is free for everyone. Donations will also be collected for the Roxana Volunteer Fire Company — both cash gifts and proceeds from gift-basket raffle drawings.
Cash is being encouraged for vendor shopping and raffle drawings. Some vendors may accept credit cards.
Parking is free. The Roxana fire hall is located at 35943 Zion Church Road, Frankford.