Heroes and villains to take the stage at OKC Pop Culture Show
Power Rangers and a Star Wars villain will make appearances at this weekend’s OKC Pop Culture Show, one of the first comic conventions to start back up after COVID-19 disrupted the circuit last year.
Ray Park, who played Darth Maul in “Star Wars Episode I — The Phantom Menace” and silent ninja Snake Eyes in “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” is set to appear at the show on Saturday.
Also slated to appear are Power Rangers Walter Jones, Catherine Sutherland and Nakia Burrise.
Fan-favorites of the 1990s kid films Aaron Schwartz and Shaun Weiss of “The Mighty Ducks,” and Marty York of “The Sandlot” are on the con schedule, as is Natanya Ross from “The Secret World of Alex Mack.”
Nichole Brown of “Cobra Kai” is also set to appear.
Comic creators set to be on hand include McLain McGuire, Chris Hays, Cole Hays, Ken Salinas, and Mike Hinson.
Oklahoma City artist Michael Garrett will be attending the show as an exhibitor. He said this is the first actual comic convention he’s attended this year, as opposed to craft and trade shows.
He said he attempted a couple of shows in 2020, and attendance and sales were about 60 percent of normal. This show, he said, “will be a good test of the population’s willingness to get out again.”
The showrunner has worked with guests and exhibitors with safety and CDC guidelines in mind, Garrett said.
One big draw will be the Saturday appearance of Park, with excitement continuing to build around all things “Star Wars,” including the upcoming Disney+ show “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
Garrett, who will debut some of his own art featuring Darth Maul and Snake Eyes at the show, said Park, who he has met at previous conventions, is “fan-friendly … I’ve never heard anything bad spoken of him from a fan perspective.”
Park also appeared as Darth Maul in 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
The convention is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Oklahoma City’s Wyndham Garden Hotel, 2101 S. Meridian Ave.
For tickets and information, go to okcpop.com. A weekend pass is $30. VIP weekend passes are sold out. Saturday-only admission is $20 and Sunday-only admission is $15. Kids 12-under are free.