Imperial Valley Entertainment Convention promises bigger and better
EL CENTRO – Actors, costumes, panels, music, vendors, mini-museums with props and Cowabunga cars promise to grace the Martin Luther King Jr. Pavilion at the fourth annual Imperial Valley Entertainment Convention (IVEC) here on Saturday, September 30.
“We’re back; we haven’t done the show since 2020,” event Founder Ruben Najera said. “The last show we did, a week after the show is when COVID hit, it was like one last big hurrah before everything went into lockdown.”
This year, the fourth annual IVEC – formerly known as Imperial Valley Comic-Con – promises to be “the biggest show we’ve ever done, that’s for sure,” Najera said. The event brings together various vendors, cosplayers, actors and more together for a mix of showcase, purchase and general enjoyment for all ages for the fandoms of the various franchises in TV, movies, comics, anime, video games and more represented by the various facets.
“It’s a unique mix of opportunities, fun for the whole family, there’s food and music throughout the day,” Najera said. “The fact that we have all of this here in the Valley for a day is a blessing.”
With guests like Francois Chau (the actor who portrayed The Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies of the 1990s), martial artist extraordinaire and Mortal Kombat live action movie actor Keith Cooke (Reptile and Sub Zero), WWE Hall of Famer Honky Tonk Man, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers actor Jason Ybarra (MMPR’s “Baboo”) and his radical, life-sized bright yellow TMNT van, and others from TV, film, anime voice acting, and the comics world there are plenty of actors and artists available at the IVE-Con to tantalize those interested in pictures, autographs or the various panels that will be held locally, bringing a good amount of what is available at larger Cons to the Imperial Valley.
Najera said a mini-TV and film prop pop-up “museum” of sorts will be on display, with many items from his own personal collection. Some include the head from the TV show “The Dinosaurs” Baby Sinclair (made by Jim Henson), a TMNT movie Donatello head, prop baton weapons used by stunning actress Adrianne Palicki’s as “Mockingbird” in the Marvel show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Ybarra’s Ninja Turtles’ van.
“If you look at the past shows, we’ve never really had anything like that: the museum, art show, a fullsized car … this show (this year) has become an enhancement of everything,” Najera said. “Before it was come, hang out, meet the celebrities but now there are there sideshow things that just add value to your ticket, its double for threetimes more than before.
Najera said due to the SAG AFTRA strike, there are some other guests who will be in attendance that were not able to advertise that they would be attending, which will make for some special surprises on the day of the event.
“There are more guests,” he said. “It’s just a better, bigger show. I even added more panels.”
The five panels for the event, to be held on the main stage, will be as follows: Noon to 12:45 p.m. the Imperial Valley Cosplayers Group will hold their official panel on all things cosplay. From 1-1:45 p.m. deputy publish John Yuan and a comics series created Jared Sams will host a “Hold to Break into Comics” panel.
A panel of editors, publishers and writer/artists will “provide a thoughtful conversation about their process for and knowledge of condensing complex characters, worlds, themes and stories into the comic panels” for the “Condensing an Idea” panel from 2-2:45 p.m.
Next from 3-3:45 p.m., the Imperial Valley Film Commissioner, Brawley’s own Charla Teeters-Stewart, will “dive into the vast history of film and television projects that have taken place in our own Imperial Valley” for the “History of Film & Television in Imperial Valley” panel. And finally, the official IVEC “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Panel” will include the aforementioned Chau (Shredder), Ybarra (fan and van owner), and TMNT animated series voice of April O’Neil, voice actress Renae Jacobs in a special question and answer panel.
“It’s all about continuing to get better and continuing to grow,” Najera said.
Another, and possibly once in a lifetime in the Imperial Valley, happening at the IVEC is official comics grading service CGC Comics will be on-hand to verify comics-related signatures and encapsulate comics, giving them an official grading value – a must for serious collectors.
“This is a very unique opportunity for comic book fans ... it was pretty expensive to get them here and usually this is only available at the massive shows; so the fact that we have them here is incredible,” Najera said. “It is very difficult to get them and they are here for one day.”
In additions to the multiple vendors, live music by local band More Than Circles, and a bevy of professional cosplayers (Darth Lexii, Ali Williams, Lisa Pinelli, Tony Stark Mex and others) being out and about the event and IVEC’s yearly Cosplay Contest (with cash prizes), the event is also hosting its first Silent Auction and Youth Art Contest.
Youth ages 17 years old and under can draw their favorite superhero or cartoon character and judges will pick the Top 3 winners. Winners will receive a cash prize, according to the contest’s flyer. According to the flyer, today, Friday, September 29, is the cutoff date for submission for the Youth Art Contest. A submission form must be filled out and entries can be dropped off at Metahuman Comics, located at 444 N. Imperial Avenue in El Centro.
“What I hope is after this year other people will see how it works and want to contribute to the cause. I want there to be something else for the community like that that local artists look forward to,” Najera said.
“I think it’s important for people to support because we’re trying to keep it going,” he said. “It adds value to the Valley because it’s something cool; I hearken it to something like ‘Coachella.’
“I think people need to realize to support local events, festivals, carnivals,” Najera said. “If it’s (a certain price for a ticket) you have a whole year to save up for that. Now the convenience is here... it’s all here for you, so people should really embrace it and back it more because it’s here for them.
“It’s a fun event and something you don’t want to miss because it’s only one day a year that takes place in the Valley. You don’t want to miss it,” he said.
Ages 9 and under get in for free with one paid adult. For more information, visit imperialvalleye. com or find “imperialvalleycon” on Facebook or Instagram.