For their fifth year in New Jersey, “Heroes & Villains” and “Walker Stalker Con” combined for one weekend under one roof as Fan Fest. Returning to the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Fan Fest brought in a mix of media guests from both their Heroes & Villains and Walker Stalker rosters like Ross Marquand, Michael Rooker, David Mazouz, Robin Lord Taylor, Kirk Acevedo, and Dan Fogler.
This year’s Fan Fest was a two day event complete with panels (above: CW’s Arrow panel with Juliana Harkavy, Rick Gonzalez & Katrina Law), autographs & photo ops, and even a Blood Drive!
Fan Fest is a great way to meet your favorite actors from across the many superhero & Walking Dead shows, as well as discovering some unique vendors & artists who bring your favorite fandoms to life! Artists like Christian Masot, Will Torres, and Fat Guy Inc’s Peter Vazquez were sketching up special pieces for fans all weekend.
Featured artist Rob Prior was also back again, live painting a beautiful portrait of New Jersey’s own Ol’ Blue Eyes himself: Frank Sinatra.
Seeing him work live like this is always a treat and there’s always a lucky crowd gathered to see it firsthand:
More than just a meet & greet for celebrities, Fan Fest also provides means for fans to be immersed in amazing ways. Whether it’s snapping a pic with Star Wars charity costuming group The 501st Legion or getting a geeky tattoo on-site, you’re bound to find something interesting for you.
I got to stop by a few vendor booths to check out what they had to offer and was not disappointed!
3D Printing by Muckychris specializes in custom designed sculptures and miniatures based on pop culture icons. This year’s special was a Mount Rushmore replica of The Golden Girls!
Meanwhile, Jackie’s Copper Creations featured hand drawn copper artwork which could be framed, displayed, or turned into hooks, plaques, or signs. She had some new items including some steampunk designs! She can also customize an order to suit your needs. Logos… quotes… you name it!
But whether it’s art or comics, or just geeky souvenir shopping, Fan Fest is all-age appropriate. We saw tons of younger fans on the lines to meet their favorite stars – from Matt Ryan to Tala Ashe, and some kids were even cosplaying as their favorite superheroes!
And the Lego vendors seemed to be a big hit as well. Minifigure enthusiasts can rejoice as they score some excellent deals on Legos ranging from comic book heroes to Star Wars… they seemed to have them all:
So if Fan Fest is coming to a city near you, be sure to check who’s swinging by! I’ve always had a pleasant time with the celebrities, artists, and vendors, and you never know what you’ll find! For more information on Fan Fest, be sure to visit their website and check out their Facebook page for regular announcements.
LesDudis 