PLAYING A ROLE

By Denise Dick

Convention draws fans of comic and pop culture

The convention continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Eastwood Expo Center.

1A steady stream of costume-clad people filed into the Eastwood Expo Center Saturday for the Screaming Tiki Comic and Pop Culture Convention.

Troy Maynus of Cincinnati dressed as False Face from the “Batman” series. Will Reeb of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, donned the costume of the “caped crusader,” and Chris Chaisson of Long Island, N.Y., portrayed the Mad Hatter.

What brought them all this way?

“Adam, Julie, Lee,” Reeb said, pointing over his shoulder to where the superhero celebrities were signing autographs.

Adam is Adam West, or “Batman” from the original television series. Julie is Julie Newmar, or Catwoman from the same show, and Lee is Lee Meriwether, who portrayed the feline villain in the 1966 “Batman” movie.

The celebrities don’t often appear together in one place.

The three men also are members of a Batman Internet message board where participants discuss how to acquire pieces of costumes.

Maynus said they travel all over to conventions similar to Screaming Tiki, to Detroit, California and parts between.

Reeb’s costume depicts a particular episode in the Batman comic book series, “The Contaminated Cowl.” His mask is pink.

Reeb explained that in the story, the Mad Hatter, who is obsessed with hats, wants Batman’s cowl and sprays radioactive material on it to try to get Batman to take it off. The cowl turns pink, but Batman, who previously took an anti-radiation pill, keeps the cowl in place.

The event continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Expo Center.

Youngstown residents Gayle Gettemy, John Haddle and John Haldie painted their faces and dressed in black like Japanese Kabuki actors for the convention.

Haddle has traveled to similar events throughout Ohio, but it’s a first for Haldie and Gettemy.

“It’s really convenient having it here in our backyard,” Haddle said.

They were checking out the weapons on display and for sale, particularly swords that they use in martial arts. The three also belong to the American Karate Studio in Boardman.

Gil Guemes of Buffalo, N.Y, dressed as Jek “Red Six” Porkins, a Rebel starfighter pilot from “Star Wars.” He’s a member of the Rebel Legion Echo Base, a group of people who dress as the “good guys” from the “Star Wars” movies and appear at comic conventions and charity events.

“I look just like the action figure,” Guemes said of how he got involved in the group.

Geoff Krickhan of Cleveland is the captain of the Midwest Base of Rebel Legion. The group appears at various charity events, helping to raise money for autism organizations, Make A Wish and other agencies, he said.

It includes about 150 members, one of the largest chapters, and formed in 1999. It was an answer to the 500 First, a similar group whose members portray the bad guys from the “Star Wars” films.

The two groups appear together at some events and act out their respective parts, Krickhan said.

There are other chapters nationwide and around the world.

Maria Standing Rock of Franklin, Tenn., wore a Wonder Woman costume as part of the Society of Secret Identities, whose members dress as superheroes. Her group travels to charity and other events.

“Everyone loves superheroes, and they’re fun to wear,” she said.

Standing Rock has been to similar comic book conventions and gives high marks to Screaming Tiki.

“This is great, especially for a first-year convention,” she said.