MoComCon will include a cosplay contest. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
A host of characters are expected to take over the Silver Spring Library Jan. 21 when the county’s library system hosts its first comic convention, MoComCon.
The free event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Registration for activities begins at 11 a.m.
“There’s tremendous interest in comic books, graphic novels, movies related to these characters, writing and publishing,” said Mary Ellen Icaza, public services administrator for community engagement, programs and learning for the library system.
“This type of event is happening at other libraries nationwide, too, and we decided we wanted to do one here in Montgomery County because our libraries are a community gathering space and this is a great opportunity to bring the community into the library and to highlight all of the resources, services and programs that we offer,” she continued.
“[We wanted] to create a family event that people of all ages can attend to learn more about graphic novels, about writing, to have fun, participate in activities, dress as their favorite characters and have a day celebrating comics and graphic novels and everything related to this,” Icaza added.
According to a press release, MoComCon will include:
- Dalek Drawbots with FutureMakers for children;
- Comic Drawing with William Jones for children and teens;
- Comic Critiques with Megan Lavey-Heaton for teens and adults;
- Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy and Getting Published with Don Sakers;
- Panels: Diversity in Comics and Graphic Novels, Gaming and Society and The Creative Process;
- Exhibitors; and
- Cosplay contest with prizes for children, teens, and adults. (Cosplay is a costume event where participants dress in character.)
- No weapons, including replicas, will be permitted in the library, in keeping with similar policies at other comic cons.
Planning and the date selection for the event started six months ago, Icaza said, addressing the coincidence of being on the same date as the Women’s March on Washington, which came together starting in November.
“It is unfortunate that they are the same day,” Icaza said, “because I do know that there are a fair number of people that are going to the march on Washington, but we were too deep into the planning and the preparation for this event, because it’s taken several months to put together, that we could not pull back from this date.”
In addition to the Jan. 21 activities, there will be a series of special events leading up to MoComCon at library branches around the county.
More details about the event, including schedules and contest rules, will be published on the MoComCon website.
The Silver Spring branch is located at 900 Wayne Ave. Free parking is available across the street.