San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Pop culture is on display at Alamo City Comic Con.
Visitor gets gift from ‘Jurassic Park’ star
If you’re going to attend your first-ever Alamo City Comic Con, what better way to start it than with the charmingly odd actor Jeff Goldblum handing you a shower curtain featuring his oceanographer character from “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou” inexplicably holding a monkey?
The Goldblum-ian moment was as much a first for Jaycie Hubbard of San Antonio as it was for the star famous for his quirky turns in blockbusters such as “Jurassic Park,” “Independence Day,” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” After all, this was Goldblum’s first Alamo City Comic Con, too.
“People are so charming and I’m absolutely thrilled to be here,” said Goldblum ahead of a jam-packed panel at the Alamodome, where he regaled Hubbard and many others with stories of his film work and forthcoming debut jazz album, not to mention the occasional pillowcase and shower curtain bearing his likeness.
Goldblum was one of many superstars at the Alamodome on Saturday for Alamo City Comic Con, San Antonio’s big pop culture and comic book convention. The geeky showcase of celebrities, superheroes and so many fans in and out of costume concludes today.
Hubbard arrived at the event Saturday less than two hours before the Goldblum panel, and somehow managed to score a front row seat and a most unforgettable memento.
“My favorite movie that he’s in is ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’” Hubbard said. “And then after I watched that I just started loving him so much. He’s one of my favorite people ever.”
This year’s Alamo City Comic Con hosted more than its share of fan favorites from the big and small screen.
“Ghostbusters” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” star Rick Moranis made a rare convention appearance, while “Star Trek” luminary William Shatner was just a tribble’s throw away from “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s” Jonathan Frakes, who all were within screaming distance of “Scream” star Neve Campbell and pro wrestling legend Ric Flair.
Not far off loomed the living embodiments of Marvel superheroes the Hulk and Luke Cage, better known to fans as Lou Ferrigno, the titular titan of “The Incredible Hulk” TV series from the late ’70s and early ’80s, and Michael Colter, title star of Netflix’s “Luke Cage.”
Alamo City Comic Con even hosted a global star who grew up local with San Antonio native and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” actor Henry Thomas, who these days encounters a whole other world of strange in the Netflix horror series, “The Haunting of Hill House.”
But the biggest name by far had to be the one and only Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The action film star and former governor of California returned to San Antonio for a Saturday-only appearance, which came with a $1,250 VIP access package.
“We came especially for Arnold,” said Jennifer Torres, who bought her husband a VIP pass for their anniversary to meet Schwarzenegger and get a photo with him. “We’re really ex- cited.”
An Alamo City Comic Con regular, Torres said she also loves coming to the annual event for the fun of dressing up, a sentiment best expressed by her daughters, Genesis, 13, and Heaven, 5. Genesis cosplayed, or costume played, as the pink Cuddle Team Leader from the hit video game “Fortnite,” while little sister Heaven zipped around as a frilly purple Llama Piñata from the game.
Of course, Alamo City Comic Con doesn’t just specialize in hosting famous faces. Since its 2013 launch, the San Antonio event has lived up to its namesake with numerous professional comic book artists and illustrators.
This year’s most notable artistic talent was Jim Lee, the DC Entertainment copublisher whose detailed drawing style has fueled the comic adventures of Batman, Superman, and other members of the Justice League, as well as the XMen and the Fantastic Four.
Naturally, many of those characters filled the Alamodome floor, with plenty of attendees sporting their best Spider-Man and Wonder Woman outfits as they milled about the main floor’s cramped aisles between artists and vendors, bumping costumed elbows with the likes of “Star Wars” Jedi toting lightsabers and “Halloween” slasher Michael Myers carrying a knife.
Because to paraphrase Goldblum’s famous line from “Jurassic Park,” cosplay, uh, finds a way.