Northeast Comic Con: A place for nerds galore!

The annual Northeast Comic Con is a place for artwork and comics with themes gravitating toward fantasy and the superhero universe. It is a place for people to meet other fans — and hopefully even meet famous people they love.

The NECC is again being held at the Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington, 20 minutes out of Boston, and an easy place to reach. The last day of this year’s NECC is Sunday, Dec. 4.

Author Blake Renworth, who wrote “The Exiled Seven,” a twist of the plot of Snow White, is one of the dozens of exhibitors who will be at NECC all weekend.

“I’ve been to, I guess, probably around 30 [conventions] in the past year and a half. So, I’ve seen it all, I’ve seen everything, definitely,” she said. “You see a lot of different artists, a lot of different writers, crafters, and I think it’s a great way [to get your work noticed].”

The main area of the Shriners Auditorium was packed with exhibitors showing off their artwork and creativity with paintings, jewelry, and original comic books. Earlier in the day, It wasn’t as full of guests yet, which was a surprise, considering how popular the NECC usually is.

Everywhere we looked, there were at least a couple people in every area wearing costumes that ranged from Harley Quinn and Ghostbusters to Star Wars and Doctor Who.

There was even a costume contest for original designs! People went on a stage placed toward the back corner of the main room and presented their original costume design and told the story behind their character(s). A panel of judges voted on their top choice and the winner received the feeling of triumph of creating a costume of their own choosing (and bragging rights).

In an adjoining room, there was a seating area where you were able to relax, eat, and listen to an original script reading. It was a way to get away from the excitement and loud chatter of the crowd next door.

Among the free events included in the admission was a gaming competition and celebrity meet-and-greets with a chance for photo-ops and autograph signings. A couple of the celebrities who arrived at the scene Saturday were Sean Gunn from “Gilmore Girls” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Lew Temple from “The Walking Dead” and “The Lone Ranger,” and Dean Cain, who was Superman on the TV series “Lois and Clark” and is now on “Supergirl.”

We spoke to Lew Temple and Sean Gunn and asked them what inspired them to become actors.

“I, uh, followed a girl into an acting class,” Lew answered. “She was attractive and I wanted to chat her up for a date, and when I saw what they were doing down on stage I became enamored with it and said ‘That’s what I must do.’ ’”

Sean, being the youngest of six, loved being the center of attention and wanted to be an actor from the start. He said he loves it as an adult because it brings him closer to people and helps him have a better understanding of the people around him.

We also asked what is harder, voice acting or on-screen acting? They both answered that on-screen was more difficult because, as Lew said, “You have to express your intentions, while also keeping a secret [of your character].”

All in all, Comic-Con was an extremely fun experience. We would highly suggest attending the last day of NECC on Sunday. Tickets range from $10 to $40. Bring some extra cash too, because you will regret not buying a cool souvenir like a mask, originally designed necklace, or a replica of Batman’s throwable daggers! Just be sure you bring enough, since some items that exhibitors are selling can be a bit pricey.

(The Northeast Comic Con is Dec. 3-4, 2016, at Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington, Mass., from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. http://www.necomiccon.net/.)

–Dec. 3, 2016–