Hudson Valley Comic Con revels in diverse appeal
Carolyn Tornatore has been many things: a gray-skinned troll, a demon, even a dragon.
At Hudson Valley Comic Con, she will become an assassin of the French Revolution.
Tornatore, 28, of Wappingers Falls, is a cosplayer, a passionate fan who mixes costume and performance to emulate his or her favorite characters from comics, anime, video games and other media. And, the inaugural comic convention at Gold's Gym in Poughkeepsie is the perfect place for Tornatore to show her skills.
"For a cosplayer, going to a 'con' is like breathing," Tornatore said. Cosplay is equal parts appearance and performance. "You're going to a place where people understand you."
And, these days, it seems the appeal of superheroes and science fiction has grown broader than ever before. This weekend, "Captain America: Civil War" is expected by industry experts to debut by earning in $200 million at the U.S. box office.
The growing popularity of comics has led to increased diversity in the characters, creators and types of stories that can be told through the medium. While women and underrepresented groups have always played a part in the comics industry, it has started to open up and become more welcoming.
In creating Hudson Valley Comic Con, Kayla Smith, production manager for the event, said she wanted to create an experience similar to a larger comic convention, such as New York Comic Con, but in a smaller, local setting.
"As a 'con' grows, it becomes more and more crowded and gets too busy," Smith said. "With a local 'con,' it's not as packed and you have more time to talk and take pictures with guests."
The convention will feature a variety of special guests, including Ernie Hudson, of "Ghostbusters" fame, Gigi Edgley, known for her role as Chiana in the sci-fi show "Farscape," and several actors from "The Walking Dead." Hudson Valley Comic Con will also feature a gamer's lounge, cosplay contests, panels and replica vehicles.
For Hudson, perhaps best known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the 1984 comedy, "Ghostbusters," it's the love of convention fans that makes these events exciting.
"We don't get tons of appreciation from Hollywood, but the fans remind you of why it matters," Hudson said.
With the upcoming reboot of the original "Ghostbusters," Hudson has high hopes for the movie. The film, slated to be released July 15, stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, and Hudson believes it can inspire a whole new generation of fans.
"I'm happy that the studio took a different direction on it, now that the Ghostbusters are all women," Hudson said. "The fact that girls will be able to see them in their Ghostbuster outfits will be empowering."
As a regular guest at comic conventions across the country, Hudson is familiar with the passion fans bring to the table. In many ways, it was the dedication of fans that kept "Ghostbusters" alive over the years, and it was also that passion that led to the upcoming reboot of the franchise, Hudson said.
Shifting audiences
Comics sales have likewise been boosted by Hollywood blockbusters, such as the recently released "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," which brought in more than $863 million worldwide. "Deadpool," an R-rated film based on the Marvel Comics anti-hero, earned more than $761 million worldwide.
In North America, Maryland-based Diamond Comic Distributors sold $579.12 million in comic books, trade paperbacks and magazines to comic book stores in 2015, compared to $419 million in 2010.
Though David Steltenkamp, owner of Dragon's Den comic shop in Poughkeepsie, said that the rise of comic movies hasn't directly benefited local shops, he has seen a more diverse readership, particularly with younger female readers.
Steltenkamp said a shift in comics to include more diverse characters and creators has garnered interest among young women.
A prime example of this is Batgirl, a classic DC character named Barbara Gordon whose comic got a cultural overhaul in 2014 as the character moved out of infamously dark Gotham City to Burnside, a vibrant, fictional neighborhood analogous to Brooklyn.
"Batgirl's been around for a long time, but with this comic they got rid of the more traditional costume and went with a more — and I hate this word — but more of a hipster look," Steltenkamp said. "Batgirl ends up recruiting a team outside of Batman and Robin, and it's a female team."
Diverse characters like Ms. Marvel, a Pakistani-American and Muslim teen with shape-shifting abilities named Kamala Khan, and Silk, a Korean-American woman with powers comparable to Spider-Man named Cindy Moon, have drawn in new readers, Steltenkamp said.
And more than just the characters, female comic creators such as Babs Tarr, artist for "Batgirl," and Amanda Conner, artist for "Power Girl" and "Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre."
"The rise of female authors, characters and artists hasn't gone unnoticed by female readers," Steltenkamp said.
Becoming the hero
Though, female fandom is not an entirely new concept, as Tornatore can attest.
Taking the role Arno Dorian, protagonist of Ubisoft's video game "Assassin's Creed Unity," Tornatore hopes to channel the acrobatic assassin in both appearance and action at Hudson Valley Comic Con.
"It's not just costuming," Tornatore said of cosplay. "You're showing an appreciation of the character."
Many cosplayers emulate the characters they dress as, adopting their mannerisms, repeating their most memorable lines and striking their iconic poses.
Creating the costume is a true test of passion for the cosplayer.
Purchasing the necessary materials can cost hundreds of dollars depending on the costume, and editing the materials and crafting accessories can require countless hours. Tornatore recounted spending 50 hours just making the helmet for one of her cosplays.
The details can be daunting. How many belts does the character wear? Will this makeup last through eight hours at a convention? Will the heat be too much wearing this many layers?
But the trade-off of interacting with like-minded fans is priceless, Tornatore said.
"You're going to a place where you can dress, act and talk however you want and not be judged," Tornatore said.
Hudson Valley Comic Con runs from Saturday to Sunday at Gold's Gym, 258 Titusville Road in Poughkeepsie. Tickets can be purchased online at hvcomiccon.com or at the door.
Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW
If you go
What: Hudson Valley Comic Con
When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
Where: Gold's Gym and Exhibition Center, 258 Titusville Road, Poughkeepsie
Price: Two-day pass: $35 for adults, $20 for children ages 5-12; Saturday pass: $25 for adults, $15 for children ages 5-12; Sunday pass: $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 5-12; $15 for senior, military and veteran one-day pass; tickets are $5 more at the door
Information: Visit hvcomiccon.com.
Free Comic Book Day
Saturday also marks Free Comic Book Day. Customers can pick up free issues of select comics and certain stores. For more information, visit www.freecomicbookday.com. The following stores in Dutchess and Ulster counties will participate in Free Comic Book Day.
- Dragon's Den, 2600 South Road, Poughkeepsie
- Alterniverse, 1164 Route 9G, Hyde Park
- October Country Comics, 246 Main St., New Paltz
Movie release dates
From the Marvel Cinematic Universe to DC laying the groundwork for the Justice League, blockbusters based on comics, as well as video games, science fiction and fantasy, have dominated the movie theater. Numerous movies based on these stories and characters are scheduled to premier throughout 2016, according to IMDb.
- May 6 - Captain America: Civil War
- May 27 - X-Men: Apocalypse
- June 3 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
- June 10 - Warcraft
- June 24 - Independence Day: Resurgence
- July 15 - Ghostbusters
- July 22 - Star Trek Beyond
- Aug. 5 - Suicide Squad
- Nov. 4 - Doctor Strange
- Nov. 18 - Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
- Dec. 16 - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Dec. 21 - Assassin’s Creed