Sometimes it takes a team to put together a comic, someone to write a story, someone to make the art and someone to handle marketing. To throw a Comicon in Spokane and Coeur D’ Alene it only takes one person.
“It’s strictly myself, everything for both shows, booking and coordinating guest relations, coordinating vendors and artists, renting the facility and everything that comes with it I do 100 percent from start to finish,” said Nathan O’Brien, the founder and coordinator for Spokane’s Lilac City Comicon.
O’ Brien will bring his popular Spokane event to Coeur D’ Alene to start the first of what is planned to be an annual event: Lake City Comicon, that will be held Saturday, Oct. 20. The convention, held in the Jacklin Event Building 25 at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, will feature 100 vendors selling art, video games, collectibles, comics and more.
O’Brien said he started planning to organize the show in November of last year due to the positive response to Spokane’s Lilac City event.
“Fans and vendors are always asking me to do another show,” O’Brien said. “I know what it takes to put on a show and it’s frustrating to me when I see other people put on a show and it’s a flop [because] I don’t want vendors or attendees to come to this region and leave with a negative impression.”
The convention will feature numerous special guests and events including a cosplay contest, Funko Pop Swap, The Force Academy and enamel pin trading, the last of which O’Brien said he is especially looking forward to.
“It’s something I’m into and my daughter is into,” O’Brien said. “We’re excited to start cultivating the community with more enamel pin trading and we hope to continue that [at Spokane’s Lilac City Comicon] in June.”
Staff members will have enamel pins that attendees can buy or trade for at the convention.
Parking at the event is free and admission will be $5 at the door for ages 13 and up, while children 12 and under can attend for free.
“Our goal ultimately is to have an affordable show,” O’Brien said. “As long as people are having a good time that’s what we would deem [a successful show].”
For more information on the event, visit the Lake City Comicon website.
