Comic-Con Isn't Just for Comic Books Anymore

Comic-Con used to be the place to dig through boxes and boxes of comic books to find the edition you needed to fill out your collection, but nowadays it’s so much more than that. Once upon a time the cosplayers, fanboys and fan girls were called nerds for their love of all things pop culture. Fast forward 20 years and everyone lets their nerd flag fly high and proud. Every year the Baltimore Convention Center brings thousands of people together to celebrate Trekkies, Jedis, time travelers, and any and everything that is gracing our TVs, movie screens, and gaming systems. There are workshops, costume contests, meet-andgreets, cosplay meetups, and so much more. We found the most family-friendly fun items you can do October 18 to 20 at the Baltimore Comic-Con, and share them on the following page.

Friday, October 18 4pm: Let’s go LEGO! with John Gallagher Cartoonist John Gallagher teaches you how to draw LEGO versions of your favorite characters.

5pm: Paper Bag Puppets with Fusion Force Mark Mariano and Chris Giarrusso (Open to the first 30 kids so get there early!) We supply the paper bags and art supplies. You supply the imagination and voice when you create your own paper bag puppet!

Saturday, October 19 12pm: Scribble Scramble! with Mark Mariano It’s time for the most epic drawing competition you have ever seen! Everyone competes in a series of quick-thinking drawing quests for the ultimate prize: The Scribble Scramble Championship belt.

2pm: Original Character Design Contest Have you created the coolest character this side of the multi-universe? Come show them off during AWA’s Original Character Contest! Character should be your own creation and have a backstory.

3pm: Alien Art with Dawn Griffin The Kids Love Comics Workshop Area will be transformed into an alien factory when cartoonist Dawn Griffin shows you easy ways to draw wacky aliens.

Sunday, October 20 12pm: Superhero University with Chris Mariano and Jacob Chabot (Open to the first 30 kids) You won’t be able to fly and it won’t give you super powers, but you will learn all the ins and outs of superheroics from the industry’s top professors. PLUS you’ll have fun making your own cape and superhero mask! Come to this workshop as a kid, leave as a superhero!

1pm: How To Draw Star Wars The Jamie Way Learn to draw Darth Vader, Ewoks, Yoda, and BB-8 with Star Wars Insider cartoonist Jamie Cosley. These easy to follow steps will allow even the youngest Padawan to draw just like Jamie does for his comic strip The Light Side.

For a complete listing of kid-friendly workshops, costume contests, and meet-and greets visit baltimorecomiccon.com.