North Carolina Comicon photo by Chrystal Kelly
This year was the sixth annual North Carolina Comicon. Posted up at the Durham Convention Center and The Armory, it took over downtown on the weekend of November 10th.
N.C. Comicon photo by Chrystal Kelly
Several huge, national names in comics were there, including Rob Liefeld, who is the creator of Deadpool, part of the Marvel Universe (which has reached feature film levels of acclaim).
Also in attendance was Deedee Magno Hall, who is the voice of Pearl on the widely popular Steven Universe.
Darryl “D.M.C.” Matthews McDaniels of Run-D.M.C. was in the Bull City. McDaniels is not only a musician many of us know, but also a comic creator. He has written a graphic novel that is set in the dirty, gritty New York of the 1980’s where he grew up. It features McDaniels as DMC, a hero who cleans up the city streets, thwarting criminals, as well as other superheroes whose callous disregard threatens innocents.
Darryl “D.M.C.” Matthews McDaniels photos by Chrystal Kelly
North Carolina Comicon fits right in the heart of the Bull City
photos by: Chrystal Kelly
article by : Chrystal Kelly, with contributor Aaron Mandel
The highlight of the event was of all the people that turned out in cosplay and costumes looking completely amazing. [Ed. note: The milieu represented by Comicon is participatory and inclusive, thus a natural fit with Durham’s way.]
Durhamites and folks from surrounding cities came out young and old to showcase amazing costumes.
They were totally in character and excited to be there.
On Sunday locals took center stage for the costume contest.
Not even on Halloween did I see as much enthusiasm for creating and playing characters from comics to video games to cartoon animation. Such style.
Everyone participating put in real effort of becoming a character, not just dressing up.
photo by Chrystal Kelly
It’s not every day or every place you get to walk down an aisle and bump into the Predator or Wonder Woman or a pint sized, but very serious Joker. [Ed. note: Is that the Joker channeling Michael Jackson?]
I can’t wait to go back to Comicon next year to enjoy the community participating in such an authentic and excited way. It truly was an escape from daily life, the grind and stresses that we all commonly face. Comics, cartoons, and video games provide that visual and imaginative escape for many people and that is part of what fuels the enthusiasm of the fans. It is quite beautiful.
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Chrystal Kelly is a Durham based, concept driven, photographer. She specializes in creative portraiture and fine art photography. See more of her work at Shattering Light Photography.
Photographer Chrystal Kelly with Darryl “D.M.C.” Matthews McDaniels of RUN-D.M.C. fame
