Cape Comic Con returns with comics, celebrity guests, contests, tournaments, wrestling

This weekend, thousands of local fans are expected to turn out for the eleventh annual Cape Comic Con at the Osage Centre.

Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on the television show "The Munsters," will appear at this year's Cape Comic Con.Submitted

Principal organizer Ken Murphy said this year, however, things are expanding.

"We're really excited," he said. "What we're trying to do with Comic Con is to take it to other parts of the community."

That means WWE wrestling at the Arena Building on Saturday and an after-party celebration at Port Cape Girardeau.

But today, Saturday and Sunday at the Osage Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway, aficionados across fandoms will be able to find something to geek out over, Murphy said.

Destiny Matysik hunts for a Superwoman comic book during Cape Comic Con on April 17, 2015, at the Osage Centre.Glenn Landberg

"There's going to be 125 tables of merchandise and crafts," he said.

In addition, there will be several gaming tournaments, including Magic: the Gathering, Pathfinder and HeroClix. Videogamers also will be able to partake in a Super Smash Brothers competition.

"CCC is an event for the whole family," Murphy said.

This year, the St. Louis R2 Builders' club will be bringing full-scale functional replicas of the iconic R2-D2 droid of Star Wars fame.

Life-sized R2 droids should go well with what Murphy expects to be the presiding cosplay theme: Star Wars.

Craig Shipman, left, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and Tyler Lutes of Jackson play a game of Magic: The Gathering at Cape Comic Con on March 22, 2014, at the Arena Building.Fred Lynch

Perhaps the most popular attraction, the costume contest, will be returning, and also coming this year are special celebrity guests.

Santiago Cirilo, from season 3 of "The Walking Dead," will attend, as well as Lorenzo Linzana of Lion Force Comics and Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on the popular TV series "The Munsters."

Patrick said he's used to attending car shows or tattoo conventions, but he's excited to see the pop-culture fandom on display.

"'The Munsters' falls right smack in the middle of the pop-culture decade," he said.

Patrick said that, while on the set of "The Munsters," his favorite part was exploring, wandering around to see the different stars and costumes and props.

Incidentally, that's precisely what he'll be doing Saturday and Sunday at the Osage Centre.

"It's fun to watch people dress up and have fun," he said.

Last year 2,800 people attended the Comic Con. This year, Murphy said organizers expect 3,500.

"This has been kind of my goal for the last six or seven years," Murphy said. "To have an event in Cape Girardeau that's on everybody's calendar and everyone knows is coming."

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri also will be hosting its Caped character art contest, in which young artists can showcase artwork of an original character.

"We wanted to be able to show comic book art in an approachable way," said Liz Montgomery of the Arts Council. "We bring in a lot of artists who don't typically participate in other types of artistic exhibition."

The entries will be adjudicated by Linzana.

Tickets are $10 for Friday and Saturday and $5 for Sunday; weekend passes are available. For more information, visit www.cape-con.com.

"It's about coming and sharing and connecting with people who also love this stuff," Murphy said.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573)388-3627

Pertinent address:

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Arena Building, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

19 N. Water St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.