Rivaling cities like San Diego, Denver doesn’t hold back when it comes to the ultimate experience in pop culture. Denver Comic Con is a three-day, multi-genre convention featuring opportunities to meet celebrities, attend seminars and panel discussions and view the most exciting developments in the world of comics, books, games and movies. The event also offers Artist Valley — an opportunity for attendees to meet 400 cartoonists and comic book artists. Now in its sixth year, the convention draws thousands of fans from all over the country, each eager to express their love for all of the characters in the Con pantheon. Attendees like Damon Madlock even travel great distances for the experience. He and his family came all the way from Raleigh, North Carolina to participate. “My daughter is really into superheroes, so we thought this would be a great daddy-daughter experience,” said Madlock. “I’ve never been to an actual Comic Con either, so this was a Christmas present from my wife.”
Madlock and his family are not alone in their devotion. Some attendees we spoke with spent the better part of a year creating the perfect outfit to wear. “It took a few months to put my costume together, but it was totally worth it,” said Haley Rank, who dressed as X-Men character, Rogue. “I love Comic Con. I live for this day!”
“This is my first collaborative cosplay costume,” explained Carpenter. “I had a hairstylist make my beard and wig, and I have a couple of friends who happen to be cosplayers and have a 3D printer, so they made my staff and embroidery on my outfit.”
Denver Comic Con is presented by Pop Culture Classroom, a Denver-based nonprofit whose mission is to, “Inspire a love of learning, increase literacy, celebrate diversity and build community through the tools of popular culture and self-expression.” Proceeds from the convention support Pop Culture Classroom’s initiatives to provide educational materials to local school districts and community organizations and to improve incarcerated individuals’ literacy and art skills.
The magic surrounding Denver Comic Con was palpable the minute we walked in the front doors. We saw a vast array of characters, from Alice in Wonderland”s Tweedledee and Tweedledum, to The Dark Night Rises‘ Bane, and everything in between. We couldn’t help but daydream about who we may be when Denver pop culture’s most exciting day of the year comes around again.
All photography by Austin Cope.
