Comic Con shatters attendance record

What on earth -- or any other planet, for that matter -- could be more fun than dressing up as a favorite superhero? Or ogling those carefully constructed alter egos while celebrating superhuman strength?

Not much, if attendance at last weekend's 10th Annual Cape Comic Con is any indication. The event, attended by extraterrestrials and mere mortals alike, was held at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau and attracted 2,700 visitors, said Ken Murphy, who founded the annual event in 2005.

That's a big leap from last year's more than 1,600 fans and a giant bound from the 300 hardy souls who showed their support for that first expo a decade ago.

In addition to costume displays and merchandise from far-flung vendors, the growing event gave attendees the chance to interact with artists and other comic industry insiders.

But the icing on the cake clearly was an exclusive variant poster design by Marvel Comics artist Greg Land, titled "The Avengers: Ultron Forever." Made possible with help from rustmedia, the poster depicts famous superheroes battling it out with the super villain under Cape's own Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

How cool is that? Pretty darn cool, as one fan pointed out on Cape Comic Con's Facebook page.

"I have two heroes (Billy Tucci and Greg Land) in the world of comic artists, and you all have made it possible to bring them to Cape and experience Comic Con with them. Thank you so much."