Eternal Con Returns July 1 And 2, This Time At The Nassau Coliseum

Eternal Con, Long Island’s largest comic book and cosplay convention, will return for its fifth year on July 1 and 2. In order to accommodate the event’s growth and increasing popularity, the convention is moving to the Exhibition Hall at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Eternal Con’s celebrity guests will include Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool 1 and 2), TV icon Lee Meriwether (Batman ’66, Star Trek, Time Tunnel), actors Paul Blake (Greedo in Star Wars), WWE and UFC Fighter CM Punk, Helen Slater (Supergirl, Legend of Billie Jean, Smallville), Maggie Geha (Poison Ivy in Gotham), WWE Hall of Famer and East Setauket native Mick Foley, former WWE and ECW Fighter Tommy Dreamer, and former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro.

"For 2017, we are creating an exciting and fun event that is bigger than ever before for comic aficionados, superhero TV and movie fans, dedicated cosplayers, and the Long Island community," said Eternal Con founder Frank Patz. "This year at the Coliseum, Eternal Con is going to be the event of the summer, and people will be talking about it for years to come."

Among the top names in the comic book industry attending are former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, Sean Chen (X-Men, Iron Man), Billy Tucci (Shi, Wonder Woman), Frank Tieri (Wolverine, Iron Man), Nik Virella (All-New Wolverine, IDW's G.I. Joe). More than 100 comic book professionals are expected to be in attendance.

Also returning will be Eternal Con’s Cosplay Contest, a unique costume-making event with a pre-judging session and walk-through display. Judges will closely consider the workmanship, design and inspiration of each costume. The contest will be open to groups and individuals, experts and novices, and entries can include mainstream or self-creative designs. All genres are welcome, including film, television, theater, comics, video games, sci-fi, anime, horror, and original creations. For more information, visit eternalcon.com/cosplay-contest.

On Sunday, July 2, Eternal Con will host Kids Day. Children 12 and under will receive half-off admission. The day will feature special events for children including “Youngling Training” where children are invited to join the NY-Jedi instructors in a supervised training session to learn basic light saber choreography and technique. Every child who participates will receive a free light saber. Also, children will have the chance to meet with artists, writers and other professionals in the comic book industry as well as many of the superheroes that attend Eternal Con. Other featured activities include watching live drawing and illustration demos and creating original works of art.

Throughout the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity for portfolio reviews, gaming tournaments, informative panels (such as the Women in Comics panel), the return of the "Planet of the Apes" movie prop gallery, a car show with iconic movie vehicles including the 2005 “Batman Begins” Batmobile, the 1966 Batmobile, “Mad Max’s” V8 Police Interceptor, the DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” a jeep from the original “Jurassic Park” and Supernatural’s Chevrolet Impala. There will also be an expanded art show, cosplay groups, special performances, and a vendor room with over 150 tables of toys, jewelry, clothing and collectibles.

Tickets for Eternal Con are currently on sale and range from $25 for one-day entry to $100 for VIP Access. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, nycblive.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting www.eternalcon.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Ticketmaster Box Office located at the Coliseum. Parking for Eternal Con will be $5 and can be purchased in advance at nycblive.com/parking.

For additional information about Eternal Con and guest appearance updates, visit www.eternalcon.com.

Photo: Eternal Con/Facebook