What better way to get ready for this summer’s highly anticipated Garden State Comic Fest at Codey Arena than by kicking the year off with GSCF’s Winter Fest! At the Sussex County Fairgrounds on January 25 & 26, fans were able to meet celebrity guests, shop for collectibles, connect with professional artists, and get their hands on all sorts of comic books… all while escaping the cold of winter!
Inside not one but two buildings at the Fairgrounds were nearly 100 vendors, creators, and special guests like Lisa Raggio (voice of Zarana from GI Joe: A Real American Hero) and actress Michelle Santiago. Hunt for comic grails, bargain books, and slabbed treasures, with even The Collectible Conservancy on-site as Winter Fest’s official CGC Facilitator. That means they’ll assist in grading submissions, comic book pressing, and yes, Signature Series witnessing for any books you get signed while at Garden State Comic Fest’s amazing Artist Alley:
Featured creators this year included names such as Bob Wiacek, Tom Raney, Scott Hanna, Tom Mandrake, Jan Duursema, Keith Williams, Reilly Brown, George Vega, and many other artists & writers. Whether you’re looking to get comics signed or pick up original art, this is the place for you. Not only can you meet the people responsible behind your favorite mainstream comics but you’ll be discovering self-published titles and even up & coming artists from The Kubert School, too.
And we can’t forget about the wide assortment of collectibles available thanks to vendors like Fester’s Funhouse, Nemesis Comics & Games, Collectors Crate, Hooked On Sabers, NJ Toys & Collectibles, and Gotcha Capsules. We’re talking about Funko Pops, LEGO, lightsabers, action figures, anime merchandise, novelty cards & coins, plushies, Transformers, model kits, and so much more… even free gaming offered by Animei Gamer Zone! And, as always, there were food truck options to keep you going all weekend long. Winter Fest had it all!
GSCF Winter Fest is just one of the shows part of the fantastic GS Convention roster. Later this year you can look forward to Garden State Anime Fest in the spring as well as Garden State Comic Fest in the summer, all perfect for the whole family to suit up & enjoy! For tickets and more information on upcoming Garden State Comic Fest events, visit their official website. Be sure to also check out our photo gallery & video recap below:
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