Fanning out

Wizard World Comic Con descends on Tulsa, beckoning the culture-obsessed masses

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In a “Saturday Night Live” sketch from the ’80s, William Shatner famously told a roomful of Star Trek enthusiasts—decked out in all manner of clichéd “nerd” attire—that they should “get a life” and move out of their parents’ basements. Such was the prevailing popular opinion at the time about fan conventions and the people who visited them—bunch of weirdos.

How times have changed. These days a “nerd” label is a badge of honor. Obsessive fandom has become so commonplace that if you’re not nerding out over something, you’re the weirdo. And now that nerdiness has entered (or taken over?) mainstream culture, the fan convention—once an obscure phenomenon—has become an institution.

San Diego’s Comic Con International began in 1970 with 145 comic book enthusiasts gathered in a hotel conference room. Nowadays the event routinely draws nearly 150,000 attendees and has expanded to include pop culture fandom of all kinds. 

Wizard Entertainment, formerly Wizard Press, which began as a small monthly comics-related magazine, took the reins of Chicago’s Comic Con in the late ’90s and grew it into one of the largest fan conventions in the nation. The company eventually devised a way to take the show on the road and has hosted Comic Con events in cities such as Portland, Austin, New Orleans—and this year, for the first time, in Tulsa.

“It has become a bit of a running mystery with our team—what is happening in Tulsa?” said Peter Katz, senior vice president of business affairs and development with Wizard World. “Ever since we announced the event, the interest level has been incredible. It can sometimes take a while for the event to catch on in a new city, but even in this first year, the response has been amazing.” 

Organizers say they expect more than 30,000 attendees over the three-day event, which will take over the Cox Business Center Nov. 7-9 with celebrity guests, discussion panels, Q&A sessions, artist and vendor booths—encompassing pretty much any aspect of pop culture, from movies and TV to comics, gaming, anime and more. 

Wizard World Comic Con
Where: Cox Business Center, 100 Civic Center
When: Friday, Nov. 7: 3-8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 8: 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 9: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tickets: Three-day passes are sold out, but single-day tickets can be purchased starting at $35. VIP packages offer special goodies and heightened access to panels and celebrity autograph and photo op sessions. If you have your heart set on seeing one celebrity in particular, several special celebrity-centric VIP packages are available.  

PANELS AND TALKS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

Friday, Nov. 7

Charlie Christmas: Journey of an Oklahoma Super Hero // Cast and crew discuss the making of an independent superhero movie shot entirely in Oklahoma. // 4:30-5:15 p.m., Conference C

Psychology of “The Walking Dead” // A couple of psychology professors from SMU discuss human nature, ethics and other existential conundrums through the prism of everyone’s favorite zombie apocalypse drama. // 6-6:45 p.m., Conference B 

Saturday, Nov. 8

Jon Bernthal and Scott Willson of “The Walking Dead”  // Spoiler coming stop reading spoiler coming seriously stop reading Find out what the portrayers of Shane and Hershel have been up to since having their zombified heads impaled. // Noon-12:45 p.m., Ballroom A

One-on-one with Corey Feldman // He might care more about his music career than acting these days, but he’ll always be Mouth to me. He’ll answer audience questions—and I hope someone asks him why he read the treasure map with a weird accent in “The Goonies.” // 1:30-2:15 p.m., Assembly Hall

Boldly Going with William Shatner // The captain himself. Whatever you do, don’t ask him about “Star Trek.” On second thought, do. // 2-2:45 p.m., Ballroom A 

“The Karate Kid” 30th  Anniversary with Ralph Macchio // This might be the first time in Ralph Macchio’s life that he gets more questions about “The Outsiders” than “The Karate Kid.” // 3:30-4:15, Assembly Hall

Michael Rooker vs. the Audience // He’s gruff. He’s funny. He shoots from the hip. This could sneakily be the best panel of the bunch.  // 4-4:30 p.m., Ballroom A

Back to Hogwarts with Tom Felton // Felton (aka Draco Malfoy) is shooting a documentary about fandom while he’s here, but for at least this 45-minute session, he will answer your burning Harry Potter questions. // 5:30-6:15 p.m., Assembly Hall

Wizard World Costume Contest // The title of Tulsa’s Best Cosplayer is up for grabs. Don’t let it go to an out-of-towner. // 7-9 p.m., Ballroom A

Sunday, Nov. 9

The Man of Steel: Dean Cain // Quick—besides Christopher Reeve, who comes to mind when you think of Superman? It’s Dean Cain. Given how many people have donned the cape, that’s oddly impressive.  // Noon-12:45 p.m., Assembly Hall

Keeping the Faith with Eliza Dushku // The “Buffy” veteran will take your questions and tell you that, no, she has not heard of any new developments on a long-rumored “Buffy” movie reboot. Sorry. // 1:45-2:30 p.m., Assembly Hall

PHOTOS AND AUTOGRAPHS You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get autographs and photos with the celebrity guests, but you’ll be lighter in the wallet afterward. Autograph prices range from $20 (Ari Lehman, better known as the man behind the Jason Voorhees hockey mask) to $80 (Norman Reedus of “The Walking Dead” and fan convention veteran William Shatner). Photos with the celebrities get even pricier. You can get your picture snapped with actor David Della Rocco for $35. But if you want his “Boondock Saints” co-stars Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery in the shot as well, that price jumps to $165. (Surprisingly—confusingly, even—William Shatner will say cheese for $80, the same price you’ll pay for his signature. Maybe he hates writing.)
The autograph and photo opportunities are scheduled in special areas throughout the weekend and are available on a first-come basis. Visit wizardworld.com for schedules, rules and other info.