Pop into Pop ConLocal companies come collectively to have fun popular culture

By Kira Doman
Correspondent

GREEN BAY – After a short hiatus because of COVID-19, the Brown County Library is as soon as once more teaming up with Powers Comics, Gnome Video games and Lion’s Mouth Bookstore to placed on the 4th annual Pop Con from 10 a.m.-Four p.m. Saturday on the Brown County Central Library to have fun comics, costumes and role-playing video games.

Previously introduced as Comedian Con, the occasion was broadened to incorporate a greater variety of popular culture and renamed Pop Con, based on Andrea West, grownup providers supervisor of the Brown County Library.

“We actually simply wished to painting that the occasion is about popular culture and bringing folks collectively for no matter they’re a fan of,” West stated. “And what’s so beautiful in regards to the occasion is we actually see friendships solid one 12 months, and those self same youngsters come the subsequent 12 months collectively in a gaggle.”

West and Gillian Dawson, teen providers librarian on the Central Library, sit up for planning Pop Con yearly.

They have been dissatisfied when COVID introduced issues to a halt in 2020, however after staying aside for about two years, West and Gillain stated this occasion is all about bringing folks collectively.
Whereas this 12 months’s occasion would be the similar measurement as previous Comedian Con productions, West stated they plan to broaden fairly a bit subsequent 12 months.

“We’ve a lower-level area (on the Brown County Central Library) that’s being renovated within the subsequent couple of months,” West stated. “And that’s going to open up this entire huge space that we will broaden our Artist Alley and make it even larger than it has been prior to now.”

The artists and native companies concerned in Pop Con assist to raise the occasion to a stage West and Dawson might have solely dreamed of.

“We’re actually dependent upon the unimaginable native partnerships we’ve got with artists,” Dawson stated. “We’ve artists that come to Artist Alley, however loads of our art work has been donated, together with the unimaginable donation of time and expertise from some native artists for our posters and our emblem. Carolyn Paplum, who’s an artist from De Pere, has finished our emblem and is on board for no matter we have to do.”

The artwork that’s displayed on the occasion not solely comes from the comics and posters for the occasion, but additionally from the devoted and excited members in attendance every year.

“Youngsters and youths are available in with their very own authentic characters they’ve made into costumes, and we’ve bought a robust neighborhood of RPG (role-playing video games) LARPers (live-action function gamers) with the amp guard, who can even be right here for the occasion,” Dawson stated. “They’ll be doing a preventing demo, which is all the time one among my favourite components.”

For these spectacular cosplayers, there are 5 totally different costume contests they will enter for an opportunity to win an Amazon reward card.

The classes embody grownup, teen, baby, group costumes and first-time cosplayers.

“This occasion actually ranges the taking part in discipline for individuals who perhaps have by no means been to a form of Comics Conference earlier than,” Dawson stated. “There’s no value of entry, every part is all the time free. So this simply actually permits folks to form of dip their toes in if perhaps they are going to by no means make it to one of many large metropolis conventions. They’ll form of discover their native connections right here and do it at a spot the place they will simply meet the folks they wish to meet.”