From July 30 to August 1, Terrificon made its huge comeback at the Mohegan Sun’s Earth Expo & Convention Center! Three action-packed days with everything you love about Connecticut’s number one and biggest comic con: comic book creators, celebrities, original art, gaming, amazing vendors, and an unforgettable experience (so be sure to stick around for a video at the end of this article, as well as a full photo gallery here)!
Each day was buzzing with the energy and excitement of finally being back, from both attendees & guests. And this year’s roster boasted a wide range of stardom ranging from the pages we read to the screens we watch. Among the movie & television stars were Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy / The Walking Dead), Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead / Avengers), Steve Cardenas (Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers), as well as DC Animation voice actors (Maria Canals-Barrera, George Newbern, Loren Lester, Diane Pershing, Robert Costanzo) and a mini Land of the Lost reunion.
While many fans lined up to meet these guests for autographs & photographs, there were also tons of opportunities to hear from them at amazing panels scheduled all weekend long. Here, away from the busyness of the show floor, you could sit back & relax while listening to your favorite creators share, interact, and even answer some of your questions! Above, Donny Cates & Megan Hutchinson-Cates are talking about their creative processes in comics, which was a real exclusive treat because at Terrificon, comic book creators are celebrities too!
Along with the Cates’, you could find long lines of eager fans waiting to meet legends like Tim Sale, Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palimotti, Sean Murphy, John Cassaday, and a rare appearance from the oldest living Batman artist: Joe Giella (above)! Fortunately, Early Bird ticketholders had the benefit of entering 30 minutes early each day to stand in line as soon as possible. This proves to be advantageous if you’re aiming to score a Terrificon exclusive (like this year’s Moon Knight #1 variant by Ken Lashley) or landing a spot on a hard-to-get sketch commission list:
Or maybe you simply want to be one of the first to pick up the coolest in collectibles, whether it’s to score a booster box of rare Pokemon cards, Joe Rubinstein’s latest sketches, awesome figures & statues, or being *that* guy and buying the incredibly massive 4-foot HasLab Star Wars Sail Barge by Hasbro (yes, it sold!). There’s a little bit of something for every fan! For example, take a look at Jackie’s Copper Creations whose handmade copper artwork attracted a constant crowd all weekend:
And no, your eyes do not deceive you! Matching the copper/black motif here is a Deathstroke cosplayer! At Terrificon, there’s never a shortage of fantastic cosplay! You’ll see cosplayers roaming the con just like you, or snapping pics with fellow fans, topping it off with a show-stopping costume contest on Sunday afternoon. Kudos to the winner and all the contestants!
If you’ve ever attended a Terrificon, you already know that owner Mitch Hallock loves to put together a wing of iconic vehicles like a Batmobile or two. But this year, he’s kicked it up a notch and included the Indiana Jones Ark of the Covenant, the Mad Titan Thanos himself, a Back to the Future DeLorean, a 1966 Batmobile, Herbie, and a couple Jurassic Park Jeeps:
Honorable mentions go to food trucks Beef Octane with their jerky and Silver City Mugs with their unlimited soda refills! They may not be Pop Culture icons (yet) but they certainly saved the day for some hungry fans! And it goes without saying that the Mohegan Sun is a fun place to venture out for good eats & shopping when not at Terrificon. But the whole weekend felt open & roomy, everybody was being conscious of personal space (and masked when necessary), and the con even went ahead with planting hand sanitizers everywhere! It made meeting the guests and shopping the vendors feel that much safer.
Terrificon was also one of the first in-person conventions to bring back Signature Series grading with CBCS and a multitude of CGC Facilitators, which was handy for those who were having their key issues signed by creators or sketch covers done by artists. And even if you forgot to bring your own book, not to worry because there were dozens of vendors specializing in comics you’ve been looking for! Just to name a few: Absolute Comics (above), Sword of Truth Comics, The Undisputed Comics King, and so many more.
And, as always, Terrificon is terrific for fans of all ages! Many vendors had activities perfect for kids (or kids at heart): free coloring pages, tons of toys for sale, Pokemon pack rips, and even free video game play. But until their next event (July 29-31, 2022), here’s a look back at Terrificon 2021 below, along with a full photo gallery!
LesDudis 