Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Retro Con returns to Oaks this weekend
Comic book and sci-fi event at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center this weekend
Retro Con is an event beloved by fans who travel for miles to be part of the ’70s-’80- and ’90s-inspired fun.
UPPER PROVIDENCE » Five years go by fast, even for the geek-chic set, who might seem to navigate a space time continuum all their own, much like the fictional superheroes they emulate and adore.
In the five years since the husband and wife production team of Rosemary and Anthony Tuski staged the first Retro Con on a wild lark, the now annual gathering of comic book and sci-fi memorabilia aficionados has surpassed even the Spring City couple’s most far-flung expectations.
Returning to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks Saturday and Sunday, the event dedicated to pop culture never seemed to Rosemary Tuski to be something that would turn into a perennial favorite, beloved by fans who travel for miles to be part of the ’70s-’80- and ’90s-inspired fun.
“My husband and I just did this for fun, because it’s something we love and it’s grown … enough that we keep having it again. I’m grateful for the friends we have that have always supported us and our convention. As I’ve said many times, we couldn’t have done it
“As I’ve said many times, we couldn’t have done it without our friends and the fans that keep returning.” — Rosemary Tuski, Retro Con cofounder
without our friends and the fans that keep returning.“
With a focus on the entertainment brands of the ‘80s such as Transformers, GI Joe – initially released in the ’60s but relaunched in the era of the Rubik’s Cube – He-Man, Star Wars and Ghostbuters, Retro Con is described by its creators as the “show for the retro fan in you.”
The massive Expo Center floor will be wall-to-wall with more than 200 vendor
tables of collectibles for sale, replica TV/movie cars such as the Back to the Future DeLorean time machine and Ghostbusters Ectomobile, arcade games set to free play, costume contests for both adults and children, karaoke and trivia contests, panels and raffle prizes.
Special guests this year include Alan Oppenheimer (voice of Skeletor and Falkor), Cam Clarke (voice of TMNT’s Leonardo and Rocksteady), Pat Fraley (voice of Krang), WWF’s The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, Cinema Insomnia host Mr. Lobo, pro cosplayer Eric “The Smoke” Moran, YouTuber
James Rolfe (a.k.a. The Angry Video Game Nerd) and Youtuber Andre Meadows of Black Nerd Comedy.
Many charities, from animal rescues to diabetes organizations, have benefited from the annual weekend of fun, which is an element that the couple was adamant about including in their labor of love from the outset, Rosemary said.
“From the first convention onward there’s always been something,” she said. “The first show was more towards Toys For Tots and animals. We lost a dear pet that year, a kitty I had for 17 years. So in honor of my
cat we donated to help other animals in need. We’ve continued to do something like that every year. Now it’s our fifth year and we’ve donated to Toys for Tots, C.H.O.P and animal charities each year. This year we plan to donate raised funds to Saint Jude and Shriner’s Hospital for Children.”
Retro Con returns to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks (Hall C), 100 Station Ave., Oaks Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At the door, tickets are $18 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday. Kids 12 and under admitted for free.