Defiance 5th Annual ComicCon
If you’re interested in pop culture, art, and dressing up in costumes, check out the Defiance ComicCon
The 5th annual “DefCom5”, presented by the Defiance Public Library, is being held at the Defiance Northtowne Mall on Saturday, April 13th from 10 am- 2 pm.
This free, family-friendly event welcomes people of all ages. Cara Richards, a librarian at Defiance Public Library, said, “We will have some horror artists, anime artists, and also a ‘geeky’ bakery. There will be face painting and crafts for kids. People can also sign up the day of to participate in a Doctor Who escape room.”
An event like this allows students to experience local artists and join in on a community event. Richards explained “It’s a nice chance to see art in the local area. If you’re a college student that’s into the arts, it’s a great chance to talk to local artists to get a feel on art after college.”
Wanting to participate further than the crafts and the escape room, sign up for the cosplay competition. “Students can register or just show up in your cosplay the day of to sign up.” Be prepared to see plenty of people dressed up. Richards stated, “We are pretty heavy on cosplayers this year, so we will have a lot of people walking around in costumes, as well as some professional cosplayers.”
Participating in the cosplay competition, there will be many prizes offered as a reward. Richards added, “We’ve received tons of donation from many local shops as well as ones in Toledo and Fort Wayne too. We’ll be giving away pop vinyl figures, posters, and other pop culture-themed prizes.”
Anyone needing some assistance with their cosplay costume, there’s a space available to use at the Defiance Library. Richards said, “The maker space is free for anyone who has a library card. You can use the 3D printer, sewing machine and the silhouette that cuts out paper and vinyl. This space is available upon appointment to make sure I am here to help.”
Richards also stressed this event, saying “You can’t always make it to Chicago or even the Toledo to a big ComicCon, and this one doesn’t cost you $60 just to get in the door.”
Richards and her coworkers started this event five years ago. “It all started with all of our love for comics. We had around 300 people attend, so we decided we would bring this event back. It’s a big event for the library.”
The Defiance Public Library, located on 320 Fort Street, is a free space that anyone in the community can use by signing up for a library card. “The library cards are free for students to sign up for, and there is a college student card too if they are not an Ohio resident.” Stopping in to sign up for a library card will give someone access to help create their costume, but also many more opportunities.
Written by Kenzie Hall
