On Friday, March 24th, Appalachia Bare loaded up the laptops, business cards, and tabling equipment, and headed to the Magnolia Campus of Pellissippi State Community College (PSCC) in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the second Mag Comic Expo. The Expo was organized by our own Science Guru, Grant Mincy, who invited us to join the event and spread the word about Appalachia Bare. Our long-time contributing photographer, Trent Eades, also attended and captured images of all the fun and entertainment. It’s always a treat to watch Trent in action, as he achieves the perfect shot. Our magazine has been given the honor of displaying his gallery below.
The event was family-friendly and promised a little something for everyone. A number of amusements were offered. As the event’s name states, mags and comics – both vintage and modern – were plentiful. Artists of all medias captivated event-goers as they displayed their talents and published work.
Action figures, collectibles, vinyl, and oddities seemed to summon attendees at every turn. The eye was drawn to science fiction, fantasy, and horror paraphernalia of all kinds. A number of writers attended with their books, heartily available for fan visits. Many interactive experiences were at the ready – a Kid’s Corner, Mad Lab, and gaming rooms/ libraries. Among the Expo’s many costumed attendees were Loki Mouse, Iron Man, Spiderman, and a Star Wars Stormtrooper.
Friday’s keynote speaker was a remarkable comic book artist named Max Currie. And that evening, we were treated to the sounds of the band Mal Nombre, who played their own unique style of psychedelic groove rock. They were a real treat and definitely worth a trip in downtown Knoxville to check out one of their shows. On Saturday, the Expo featured a costume contest, a panel discussion, and a good old-fashioned wrasslin’ match. The keynote speaker that day was East Tennessee’s Iron Man, Shawn Hatfield.
The atmosphere was like a fair, and it was clear everyone had a great time. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting folks from various communities, hearing stories, and taking in all the wonderful diversity in our little corner of Appalachia. How wonderful for PSCC at Magnolia to open its campus and provide an all-inclusive, fun, free community event, while fostering creativity, and an interest in reading. The hope is that the Mag Comic Expo will become an annual event and continue to grow in the future. Take a gander at Trent Eades’ photos of the event, followed by images and links (with hyperlinks) of some folks who tabled the event . . . and keep an eye on the calendar for next year’s Mag Comic Expo!
Trent Eades Gallery
CHARACTERS (not everyone named)
VENDORS AND GAMERS
MAL NOMBRE
Click each of the following images for information about other creative people at the Expo:
**Featured image by Trent Eades
What a great community event! I hope both the Mag Comic Expo and Appalachia Bare benefit from sharing this fun day together.
We had so much fun at this event. We met a lot of interesting people and made friends.