COLUMBIA — Soda City Comic Con is back for its third year in Columbia. This Comic Con started in 2015 and has steadily grown ever since.
“This will be our third year. We had our first Comic Con the first weekend of October 2015, during the thousand year flood. We had about 3,000 people showing up during the flood on Saturday and Sunday. We knew we had a good thing when people were showing up during a natural disaster,” said Jennifer Epting, Soda City Comic Con partner. “Last year we had between 7,000 and 10,000 attendees.”
Three partners started Soda City Comic Con — Epting, Donald Brock Jr. and Steve Powell. Epting said Brock and Powell had the idea, as they are both comic book fans and they asked for her help because of her experience planning events and promotions.
“I own a small advertising agency, helping medium to small sized businesses (including some in Newberry) with their advertising. I have some special event experience, that is how I got involved,” she said.
This year’s convention will be Aug. 26 and Aug. 27 in the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia in the Vista. Tickets are $20 for both days, $15 for just Saturday and $10 for just Sunday. Children’s tickets (6-12) are $5.
This year Epting says they have over 70 artists and guests, as well as about 70 vendors and exhibitors. Some of the guest include Saviors from The Walking Dead, as well as traditional artist and comic book publishers.
At 6 p.m. on Saturday there will be an adult cosplay contest, with registration open now at sodacitycomiccon.com. There is also a children’s cosplay contest on Sunday at 3 p.m. for the first 100 children who register at the event ages 0-16.
“We have people coming from all over, people coming from Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, we are pulling into the market,” Epting said.
Other events during the weekend include, CBS will premiere three of their new fall shows, archery laser tag and Escape Plan (a room where you try and figure out puzzles and escape).
For more information on Soda City Comic Con visit their website at sodacitycomiccon.com