Zapp Con 3 – Wayne, NJ (March 30, 2019)

Bigger & better than ever, Zapp Con is back!

For their third convention, comic book shop Zapp Comics hosted nearly 50 special guests, hundreds of comic book long boxes, multiple panels, retro arcade challenges, mystery boxes, collectibles, cosplay, and more!

Although con hours were from 9am to 7pm, there were a limited number of Early Bird passes available allowing 8am entry! This gave hardcore collectors just enough time to track down their highly sought-after books before the General Admission crowds.

And at Zapp Con, it’s always all about the comics! Over 300 boxes of back issues as low as $1 each, and even trade paper backs for $5 can be found. So if you’ve got a list of books itching to be minimized, bring it on down to Zapp Con…

But let’s take a look at what else Zapp Con had to offer this year – and be sure to stick around for the video overview at the end of this article too!

Tournaments for Mario Kart & Super Smash Bros. Ultimate were being held all day, and this year the fan-favorite Retro Arcade Challenge was back, inviting players to put their skills to the test & earn tickets for prize redemption: tickets could earn you a Funko Pop, comic books, gift certificates, and more!

Also happening all day were amazing panels ranging from collecting, podcasts, and even comic book trivia where winners could score tickets to this summer’s Garden State Comic Fest!

I got to sit in a couple including panels hosted by The Nerdy Basement and Alchemss, too:

It was pretty incredible how much Zapp could fit into a single day.

But once you have a minute to catch your breath, hopefully you’ll be able to score some sweet deals! We’re talking about Funko Pops, Pokemon Cards, Marvel Select figures, and even the famous Zapp Comics Mystery Box: for $25 you’ll get a set of comic books, trade paperbacks, toys, and an autographed card from a comic book creator – over a $100 value!

And speaking of comic book creators, Zapp Con really knocked it out of the park with the special guests this year.

Tom Mandrake, Gary Fields, Scott Hanna, Fernando Ruiz, Chris Campana, Nick Justus, Dave Fowler, Len Danovich, Catalina Alejo… the artist list just goes on and on!

Most had spots open for commissions, where they could complete a brand new art piece for you at the show, whether it’s a comic book sketch cover, a trading card, or maybe even a canvas painting! Here’s Christian Masot’s Pennywise (IT) painting done live at the show:

And though commissions may not be for everyone, you might be surprised! Walking around Artist Alley, you might come across already completed art that’ll win you over. Here’s Christian Espiritusanto and a recently finished Detective Comics #1000 cover he sketched in B&W:

There were even opportunities for sketches/pages by Zapp’s very own Isabella Brown, $1 sketches by The Nerdy Basement’s graphic designer Alain Miranda, or free quick sketches by Daniel Perez!

With aisles and aisles of artists, there’s definitely a diverse selection of very talented creators at Zapp Con every year. Personally, I was able to walk away with some fantastic sketches from Kubert School’s Catalina Alejo:

Catalina is an aspiring cartoonist and had a beautiful display of her art at Zapp Con. (I couldn’t resist asking for a Porg!)

I also swung by Joe Caramagna’s booth where he once again was accepting donations to the Ronald McDonald House. With many successful titles in his repertoire, Joe was offering 2 signed books with every $5 donation at the show! I was able to pick up Agent Venom & Guardians of the Galaxy books from the Disney XD series.

And lastly, I finally got my Chris Campana sketch cover of Deadpool colored & completed. At his booth, Chris was raising money towards Tania’s Reef Foundation. Click the link for more information.

But what’s a comic con without some cosplay?

There was some stellar cosplay going on all day – the 501st Legion was trooping, Hip Hop Spider-Man was grooving, and Ryan Voigt & Kelcium Chloride were snapping: