Superheroes, comic fans rule at All AmeriCon

By BOB JACKSON

news@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Comic Con

Gallery

For Dan Eiler, once was definitely not enough.

That’s why he’ll be back at the Covelli Centre today for Day 2 of the All-AmeriCon comic book, toy and art show.

“I’ve been reading comics since I was 11 years old,” said Eiler, who is now 69 and lives in Newton Falls. Though he’s been an aficionado for more than a half-century, Eiler said this weekend’s event downtown is his first time attending a convention of comic book collectors and artists. He went because of a friend who owns a couple local comic-book stores.

More than 125 vendors had tables and booths on the Covelli Centre floor, hawking comics, toys and artwork. Thousands of people filled the downtown facility for the event, now in its eighth year. Eiler, though, bought a two-day pass because he knew one day wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his interest. He said his first comic book featured Batman, who remains his favorite comic character. He still reads comics regularly, although he’s not as keen on the newer generation of characters.

“They’re not as much fun as they used to be,” said Eiler, who answers phones for the Youngstown Police Department’s vice squad. “I like the older stuff. Heroes were special back then. They weren’t just a bunch of people in costumes running into each other like you have now.”

Eiler said his lifelong connection to comics “hooks into something primal for me.” As a child, the colorful pages of comics provided escape and entertainment.

“When I was growing up in Newton Falls, I think I was the only kid around there who was reading them. I felt like an oddball,” he said. Then, gesturing toward the crowd of costumed comic fans who surrounded him Saturday, he added, “Most of the people here make me look normal. It’s like the movement passed me by.”

Indeed, there were hundreds of folks at All-AmeriCon wearing costumes reflective of their favorite comic characters. Spiderman was a heavy favorite, although Batman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, X-Men, zombies and Star Wars characters were also plentiful.

Not all the costumes, though, were inspired by existing characters. Jeremiah Kornspan of Poland sported a costume of his own creation, which he said was inspired by a literary and fashion genre known as steampunk. “It’s retro-futurism, inspired by Victorian culture,” he said.

Kornspan, 35, said he was drawn to the event by the artwork, which he finds intriguing. Seeing other people’s costumes is interesting.

“Seeing other people’s interpretations of the characters is always fun,” he said.

Kornspan, who works as manager of Outback Steak House in Boardman, said he didn’t bring any expectations to the Covelli Centre.

“The best kind of adventure is when you find something new or unexpected,” he said.

Melissa Barahona, 34, of Poland, took in the sights Saturday with her 5-year-old daughter, Alaina. She’d always wanted to attend a comic convention, but most of them were too far away. When the All-AmeriCon moved downtown this year, she wasn’t going to miss it.

“It’s huge,” she said of the show. “I love the options. There is so much to explore. You could come for both days and still not see the entire thing.”

Among the vendors at the show was Jeff Patrick, owner of World’s Greatest Comics in Westerville, Ohio, who sells new and vintage comics, including a 1966 edition of the Fantastic Four, which sported a $1,950 price tag.

Patrick, who left his job working at Columbus Public Library in 2011 to open his shop, said he’s seen a resurgence of interest in comics.

“People are coming back to comics as an investment, because comics hold their value,” he said. Buying comics is much like the stock market, in that people often “speculate” about which comics they’ll be able to buy at a low price, and ultimately sell for a large profit.

Most people are in the market for Marvel comics from the early 1960s, he said.