Saratoga Comic Con 2018

This past weekend I attended the Saratoga Comic Con which is held at the 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY.

The comic con, or comic book convention, can be traced back to 1962 with the formation of the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC).  This group was formed to recognize outstanding writing and artwork done in comic books, this genre was ignored and considered by other artists as being low brow.

The first comic con would be held in Detroit in 1963. It was organized to recognize and award those who contributed to comic books for their outstanding work.

Later, in the year in New York was held what we would consider a Comic Book Convention. It attracted over 100 attendees.

The comic con had relative success through the 1970’s and 80’s, at which time it exploded.  Numerous comic cons opened in different cities throughout the country. Comic books soon became mainstream, and now the comic con is recognized and accepted by the mainstream. In the 2000’s these comic cons were considered big business, and again they expanded to more cities.

Today many comic cons have expanded beyond comic books and now include television shows, movies, wrestlers, actors, authors, toys, board and card games, and Cosplay are all represented at these conventions.

Let us get back to the Saratoga Comic Con.

There were many numerous attractions, events and celebrities at the Saratoga Comic Con, below is just a partial list.  I wish I had more time and space to mention more of them.

I sometimes mention, that even though I enjoyed an entire event, someone there stands out at that event.  At the Saratoga Comic Con, it would have to be Bill Diamond.

Bill Diamond showing his Emmys to a fan

Bill Diamond is an incredible, imaginative puppeteer. He started his professional career in puppetry at the age of 19 working for Jim Henson on Sesame Street.  He opened his own production house in 1976 and has worked on numerous movies and TV shows, and has won 2 Emmys. I could write a dozen blog posts about this artist and puppeteer, I encourage you to investigate more about him.

C. L. Schneider- A very talented author. It was great to speak to another writer of fantasy. She is the author of “The Crown of Stones” and “Nite Fire” series. I encourage you to seek out her award-winning novels. Her work is very exceptional.

At conventions like these you may find Cosplay Groups. They often dress in attire of a famous collection of characters with a similar theme.  Many of these groups participate in this performance art to support charitable organizations. If you get a chance, check them out and support their charities.

Montreal X-Men- I have seen them at this event in the past. One of my favorites. They are a dedicated group who main purpose is to support charitable causes. Do not miss an opportunity to see them.

They even took a picture with Audrey 2 (at Bill Diamond’s booth) from the Broadway version of “A Little Shop of Horrors").

Umbrella Group (Springfield Hive)- For those of you who might not know them. In the world of "Resident Evil" (both video game and movie franchise), this is a large pharmaceutical corporation that also dealt in biological weaponry.  

Who are you going to call?  The Ghost Busters, actually the Hudson Valley Ghostbusters Inc.  Another great cosplay group. It was really great to meet them. Check out their Face Book page.

Tepee Shop- Those who read my post regularly know they have been present at many medieval/renaissance faires I attend. The physical store (shaped like a tepee) is located  in Cherry Valley, NY.

Eternally Thirsty- Creator of some wonderful horns, clothing and other items.  Check out a previous post about the Watertown Faery and Earth Festival where I first met her.

The Costumer- Another store I often mention in my posts, particularly around Halloween.  They sell costumes and accessories throughout the year. This is a wonderful place I frequently purchase from. Check out my recent post about using their inflatable mannequins for Halloween decorations.

Here are some more photos of the convention:

Wrestling legends Tatanka and Jimmy Hart were there.

A Hulk Bouncy Bounce

The Batmobile

Cooper’s Caves Games and Pinball had a Magic the Gathering Tournament

Some Pics of the Crowds 

Arcway Gaming has a video game tournament and virtual reality display.

Even Freddy and Jason showed up!

There was so much more, check out their website to read about the other vendors, artists and attractions they had.  If you go to their Face Book page you can even see videos of the event and some panel discussions.

The Saratoga Comic Convention is truly enjoyable. There are attractions, events, celebrities and panels to entertain and educate the entire family.  There is also the Chase Con Saratoga Comic Con in April of each year, make your plans to visit it next you, you will not be disappointed.

W.A. Rusho is an author, professional wrestler and historian. You can reach him via his website, or email

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