Cast of thousands
Many-splendored masqueraders meet in multitudes at RI Comic Con
PROVIDENCE – Anyone who toured downtown Providence in the area of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and Rhode Island Convention Center last weekend was likely to have double-checked their calendar.
Look over there, it’s Spider-Man! Hey, that’s Batman! Look out, Batman, because not too far from you is your nemesis, The Joker!
Yes, Halloween already happened. But for the three days that followed the holiday, Providence was still filled with costumed characters of all ages dressed to resemble their favorite stars of pop culture, as tens of thousands of fans of movies, television, comic books, and video games descended upon the annual Rhode Island Comic Con to celebrate all things entertainment.
North Providence resident Nicholas Simonin arrived in downtown Providence at 8 a.m., having just worked an overnight shift at his job. Fortunately for him, he had an ally in line who was willing to hold a spot for him, ensuring he’d be among the first to see the sights inside the 2019 edition of Comic Con when the doors opened at 10 a.m.
“I wanted to see some of the celebrities, today especially,” Simonin said. “I have a lot of signatures I have to get for friends who can’t make it, so I really wanted to be here so I could get first in line, get those signatures, and then go to some panels.”
While this year was Simonin’s fifth visit to Comic Con in Providence, he still had the excitement and exuberance of a first-timer. That was largely because it was a trip down memory lane for him.
“This year, I’m going to meet a bunch of Power Rangers from my childhood … It was nostalgia from growing up. These are the guys I watched on TV fight monsters every Saturday morning and just to see them, be like ‘I used to watch you when I was a kid, you guys are awesome.’ It’s just that experience,” he said.
“The energy is high-pitched, there’s