Motor City Comic Con Continues To Be Michigan’s Best

Another epic edition of the Motor City Comic Con is officially in the books. This year’s show was one of the biggest I can remember being a part of across all levels. The guest list was insanely robust, the cosplay was dope, and the atmosphere was electric. Even though I didn’t get to partake in the full show (more on that in a second), everything I heard and experienced proves Motor City Comic Con will be the premier comics and pop culture convention in Michigan for years to come.

The show ran from Friday, May 17th through Sunday, May 19th inside the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI. Comics and cosplay fans from around the region usually flock to the show to participate in Michigan’s largest comic con.

We arrived shortly after noon, and there was already a buzz in the air that perfectly encapsulated the excitement of the attendees. Everyone we initially interacted with was excited to be there, excited to nerd out for the weekend. That feeling was so contagious too. I geared up for what I anticipated to be an exhilarating weekend packed with exciting content.

I grabbed all my gear, ready for all the opportunities that would present themselves over the next few days. Little did I know, Friday would be my first and ONLY full day at the con this time around. See, there’s this thing called “Con Crud” and I caught a severe case of it last weekend. Con Crud is what determines how you remember your time at a Comic Con. It is the thief of joy, a harbinger of (metaphorical) death. The perfect cocktail of seasonal illnesses that is strong enough to demolish a healthy immune system completely. Con Crud would derail my whole plan for the weekend before I could fully flesh them out. Thankfully, I had extra eyes and ears with me to help piece together what was yet another awesome show.

The showrunners changed things up this year, and it definitely felt like a big positive. For starters, they flipped the layout, moving Artist Alley and most of the Exhibitors to the rear of the convention center, while moving the Celeb and Photo Opp area towards the front. I’m not particularly sure why, but this seemed to be a more efficient use of space. Especially when there were double the amount of celebrity and media guests as there usually are.

The location flip allowed for foot traffic to move a bit smoother between aisles, and from the few moments I got to experience on Saturday, there were definitely fewer people pile-ups than usual. The guest list was a virtual who’s who of pop culture and media megastars from all sorts of genres. William Shatner, Carla Gugino, Ernie Hudson, Amy Jo Johnson, and Tom Kenny were just a few of the celebs in attendance, and fans of their projects showed up in droves to support them.

Rolling through the program guide, there were a ridiculous amount of panels this year too. Although I was bummed that I didn’t get to attend a full sketch duel, there were still plenty of others to keep me busy. I did get to support a good friend as he participated in a panel about breaking into the comic industry and protecting your IP. There were a couple of panelists who let the bad part of the industry sour them, and maybe rightfully so, but hearing TJ steer it back into being informative and engaging brilliantly showcased why he’s seen the successes he has.

The highlight of Saturday was, of course, the cosplay contest. I’ve had mixed experiences in the past, but man, am I disappointed I missed this one. There were reportedly over 70 entries into the contest this year, which reminds me of when I first started going to cons. Sometimes the cosplay contest would take FOREVER as the host would struggle to get through all the applicants. My wife and son attended the show as I lay on my proverbial deathbed, and they were largely impressed with the quality and quantity of entrants in this year’s contest.

There were some stellar costumes this year, but in the end, originality and two established franchises took home the top prizes. In all, attendees were treated to a solid hour of stellar cosplay.

Sunday rolled around and we decided to throw in the towel. As my condition seemed to worsen, we made the executive decision to hit the road and head back home well before we’d planned to. Con Crud won… I returned home defeated by illness, consumed with disappointment, but also eager to get another chance to cover one of my favorite comic cons.

Looking back, even though I didn’t get to experience the full show this time around, I still had a great time (as usual) and was very pleased with the changes implemented during this go-round. Thankfully, there’s usually a Fall edition of Motor City Comic Con as well, and you can bet I’ll be fully prepared and immuno-boosted for that one…