Comics, collectibles, toys, and more will be on display at the Middle Georgia Comic Convention on June 5. It’s Macon’s version of Comic-Con, an event that invites collectors and fans of everything from superheroes to anime to meet and enjoy comic book culture. 

Saturday’s convention will be open from 10 a.m to 4 p.m at the Holiday Inn Macon North and feature a variety of vendors, collectors, and artists from around Georgia and the Southeast.

The convention, hosted by Macon comic shop owners Michael and Monique Huffman, will be returning following a successful appearance on January 2 earlier this year.

“Everybody was so happy to have something to do, and I think that’s the biggest thing about what we’re doing,” Michael said. “People are just itching for something to do, and I just want everyone to be happy and have a good time. That’s the goal.”

The convention will feature 12 total vendors along with four regional artists and authors, all with their own booths of memorabilia and art of all kinds. As for who can attend, the event is open to all ages. Kids under 12 get free admission, while visitors over that age cost $5 per person. Regardless of price, all ages are welcome.

“I see kids from the ages of 10 to 15 collect comic books and then I see guys that are older than my dad collecting comics,” Michael said with a smile. 

“We also get a lot of families in addition to regular customers at the convention,” Monique said.

Some vendors include Tokyo Toybox and Borderlands Comics, both coming from outside the state of Georgia, as well as the Huffmans’ own Fanboy Comics and Collectibles. Some of the artists featured at the event include Kelly Latham and Matthew W. Quinn, two Atlanta-based artists.

“There’s enough variety so that everyone has something to look at,” Monique said. “That’s what we’re aiming for, for everybody to have a good time coming out on a Saturday.”

Saturday’s event is a result of conventions that have slowly been rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Michael. While larger conventions were canceled and have not yet been rescheduled, smaller shows began opening for one-day conventions last year.

“San Diego Comic-Con and DragonCon, stuff like that, none of that happened,” Michael said. “But I went to several little shows in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee.”

The resurgence in small-scale conventions opened the door for the Huffmans to kickstart their own convention here in Macon. The January appearance of the convention garnered over 300 visitors according to the Huffmans and could draw more this time around thanks to the increased interest. 

“It’s been building for a while because people wanted something to do,” Michael said. “I think for the most part people are going to start coming out to conventions more.”

The convention takes place this Saturday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m at the Holiday Inn Macon North. Masks are optional and spacing will be monitored if the venue reaches capacity.