Grand Rapids to host annual Comic Con

Marisa McElrath, Reporter
October 15, 2015

Forget Halloween. Some people are dressing up early this October.

Grand Rapids is hosting their third annual Comic Con from Friday, October 15th to Sunday, October 17. This year’s featured guests include Once Upon a Time actor, Tony Amendola, Arrow actress, Katrina Law, and the voice actor for Attack on Titan’s Mikasa Ackerman.

When you think of Comic Con, you probably imagine lots of people in costume. The act of dressing up as your favorite comic book or anime character is typically referred to as cosplaying. There’s a stigma that only geeks take up this hobby to waste time, but for some, cosplay and conventions have brought along many opportunities. For example, Logan McLaren, a young pre-med student, was introduced to several famous voice actors and has gotten the opportunity to work alongside them.

“Cosplay has not only given me the chance to become my favorite characters, but has given me many friends all over the country,” McLaren said. “I now work for conventions too, which helps me to learn leadership and teamwork. I’m becoming friends with the voice actors and that will help me to become one in the future myself.”

Now, McLaren works closely with Funimation, and guides well-known voice actors from panel to panel at conventions much like Comic Con.

Closer to home, freshman Kensley Schenkel is working on her third cosplay costume for Comic Con.

“I am dressing as Ash Ketchum from the original “Pokémon” series,” Schenkel said. “ I was pretty much obsessed with collecting Pokémon cards as a kid, and I recently binge watched the entire first season in about 2 days.”

Previously, Schenkel made her own Link (Legend of Zelda) costume, and was a Ravenclaw student from Harry Potter. She speaks avidly about her convention experience, as well as the social interactions that come with it.

“Sometimes it’s just fun to be able to set your inner geek free,” Schenkel said. “If you go to school dressed like an anime character, people are guaranteed to look at you like you’re crazy. But at a con, you can be whoever you want to be, surrounded by people who like to do the same things.”