The American Polish Club in Greenacre, Florida, was host on Saturday, September 22, to the second annual PalmCon, a one-day comic book and collectibles show that was started by Martin Pierro of West Palm Beach. He and his organizers no doubt used poster printing and flyer printing to announce the return of the event to enthusiasts of old comic book characters and their creators.
More than 600 people attended the event, which had 68 tables with 49 artists and vendors. Pierro said that he started the show as a way to revive the comic book culture to which he would escape as a child. As a kid, there were shows at the mall on a regular basis but, as he grew up, he saw this culture slowly shrink in his home town area. He thought up PalmCon as a way to revive the culture and get kids back into reading the comics he so much loved as a kid.
One of the featured events at PalmCon is a costume contest. The winner of this year’s contest was Aaron Smith, a 28-year-old from West Palm Beach. After last year’s event, he started making a green and silver costume, impressively crafted and resembling Fantastic Four villain Dr. Doom, of Marvel Comics. Smith said it had taken him a year to make.
Another featured event was the showcase of the work done by area artists to new audiences. A graphic artist and illustrator from Miami, Manual Aguilera, featured his artwork to a community that, according to him, he knows best and which has more of a family atmosphere.
