Biggest show in smallest state: RIComicCon geeks, Oscar winners, and a Genie – Ann Clanton

by Ann Clanton, contributing writer

Photo: Tim Jones, “Sour Grapes” cartoonist, of Rhode Island, busy at work at RI Comic Con

The Biggest Show in the smallest state! Comic Con Rhode Island touched down Friday afternoon stretching across the Amica Mutual Pavilion, Rhode Island Convention Center, and the Omni Hotel.

Comic Con VIP badge holders allowed access an hour before the festivities started, assembled in a 3rd floor lounge at the Rhode Island Convention Center to ready themselves for three days of meeting the actors of their cartoon, television, and films of current and classics, of decades before.

Coventry, Rhode Island mother of three, Leah, and her husband, are returning for a second year. “My husband is a big Star Wars fan and I like the Netflix series “Supernatural”.

United States postal worker, Josh Hodges, of Norwood, Massachusetts plans to wear his work uniform to meet John Ratzenberger, who played the famous postal worker, Cliff, on the iconic Cheers sitcom.

Rhode Island Comic Con 2023 is the last stop for the year-long tour of Altered Reality Entertainment – and one of the most anticipated versions of the show in a long while—with the long shadow of Hollywood’s summer of labor reckonings and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike making for some wondering if the Celebrity laden event would be the same. Fans need not worry as many of your favorite movie and television show cast members are here. Our 1960s Genie, Barbara Eden is among the celebrities promoted by Altered States and the media is expected to attract long lines of fans waiting for a photo and an autograph.

Stars of 1980’s and 1990’s movie and television coming-of-age comedies and drama were in abundance Friday evening. 1980 teen stars Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, and Anthony Michael Hall of the John Hughes’ film, “The Breakfast Club”, signed autographs and took photos with fans who waited patiently to have their copies of their posters and film memorabilia bought and signed.

I had an opportunity to speak briefly with Anthony Michael Hall, known for playing dweebish, unpopular teens (Brian in the Breakfast Club, the Geek in Sixteen Candles) who is currently working on the Trigger series said that ComicCon was the first time he has seen the other Breakfast Club cast members in a long time.

Nostalgia for the 1970’s was in abundance with the panels held in the Omni Hotel. Oscar and Grammy Award winning songwriter and Hall of Famer, Paul Williams, known to Comic Con fans as Penguin in the Batman animated series and Little Enos in the Smokey and the Bandit franchise was among the Friday evening panels. Once known for his 70’s music, “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” Paul Williams talked about being known as the character Phantom of the Paradise, The Planet of the Apes franchise, and playing himself in many of Jim Henson’s The Muppet Movies.

Stop by and say “hi” to Tim Jones, Rhode Island cartoonist – he’s at the National Cartoonists Society Booth, right in front of Artists Alley on an endcap. Come on by and meet some great cartoonists. Booth # 521

Comic Con Rhode Island is off and running, let’s hope the Biggest Show in the Smallest State lives up to all that regulars like Heather and Joshua are expecting.

RINewsToday.com will be reporting from ComicConRI all weekend long. Everything you need to know, here: RIComicCon

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Ann-Allison Clanton was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. As principal of Ann Clanton Communications, Ann has more than two decades of experience as a communications and public affairs consultant. She has written features and profiles articles for the Providence American Newspaper and Ethnic Online Magazine.

Among the notable persons interviewed include former U. S. Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Cornell West, former Florida Congressman Allen West (R-FL) and Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus first African American Ringmaster, Johnathan Lee Iverson.

Ann is the founder of the Rhode Island Black Film Festival and a founding member of the Southern New England Association of Black Journalists.