Mainstream Nerds

We are living in a time where Nerd Culture is the mainstream. Jokes that were made in days gone past about comic book collectors, gamers, and Star Wars fans now fall flat because it seems that everyone has their own favorite fandom. Love it or hate it, The Big Bang Theory has consistently been one of the highest ranked television shows around, Pokemon Go is still being played on a regular basis, and movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe have some of the biggest box office numbers. For members of any group of devoted fans, the Comic Con is the mecca for all things nerd and pop culture. Alaska has never had its own Con, until now.

On Saturday and Sunday, Arctic Comic Con will happen at the Dena'ina Center. This will be a family friendly event with something for everyone. In addition to the standard fare of vendors, cosplay, panels, and even a retro gaming lounge, masterminds Mike Lajoie and Brad Erickson will be featuring some nightlife options for the adult crowd.

In the 90s, Mike Lajoie produced some one day shows for collectibles at the Hilton downtown. Buyers and sellers of comic books, baseball cards, and more would come to show and purchase items. These events were never about making money; they were more a place where Lajoie could enjoy a passion that he has had since he was six years old and starting collecting his own comics. These shows came to a screeching halt the year that, on the day of the show, Anchorage got two feet of snow, and from there the money was gone and it was not a feasible option any longer. This did not sway his passion for the culture, but he did not have the option to have an event at the scale that Arctic Comic Con will be at.

For Lajoie, comic books are a part of his childhood that has continued to shape who he has become as an adult. “I have been a nerd, a geek, my entire life. Ever since I was six I have collected comics. It's been a formative aspect of my life. It increased my vocabulary, it increased my reading one hundred fold. You could say I learned about money, investing, taking care of my assets. As a kid, that was one of the conditions of me getting to go to the comic shop, I had to take care of my comics. I had to show that they had value to me,” he said. He would sit while his father read the Sunday paper and read the Sunday Funnies from front to back. Now, with a son of his own, he is continuing the tradition of father and son pop culture bonding. At the last Senshi Con, where his son was dressed as Itachi from Naruto, they got to enjoy meeting and talking to other Cosplayers. He did have to ask his son if he was having a good time more than once, but he was informed that the little Itachi was merely “in character.”

Erickson and Lajoie have spoken with the folks that put on Senshi Con and are excited to have them hold space at Arctic Comic Con as well. This continues with the ideal of creating a space for all. As Lajoie says, “the vibe [at a Comic Con] is so positive. If you are out of place in other spaces, you have a place at a con.” For Erickson, this is also because he is a fan of so many different things in nerd and pop culture that he is excited to be able to have it all under one roof. “I love Star Wars, but I am a little bit of everything. I like comic books, but I am not a collector. I am the middle-of-the-road guy who likes a little bit of everything, but not heavy into just one.”

Both men have a background in nightlife and radio, and that has helped tremendously with getting the celebrities that will be appearing at ACC in April. Brian Posehn, who first came to Alaska to do stand-up at Koots, has been a voice talent on Steven Universe and has written many Deadpool comics, and he has wanted to come back to Alaska. Erickson's connections in the country music world led to the appearance of John Schneider, whose acting credits include Bo Duke from Dukes of Hazzard and Jonathan Kent from Smallville. Schneider will perform a country concert and Randy Couture is probably known best as an MMA fighter, but his appearances in all three Expendables movies are what are bringing him to this event. A chance meeting between Erickson and Kristen Renton from the FX show Sons of Anarchy in Vegas turned into her appearance at ACC because of her desire to visit Alaska.

Erickson and Lajoie are looking to create an annual event for Anchorage. They hope to build on the success and learn from what happens at this inaugural convention, while providing a space for all. Like Erickson says, “There is no demographic. It's for everybody. It's really an event that anyone can go to.”

For more information and updates visit www.arcticcomiccon.com

Arctic Comic-Con Schedule

April 28-29

Saturday

COMIC CREATOR PANEL

12:30pm - 1:15pm

CHAVO GUERRERO

1:30pm - 2:15pm

RANDY COUTURE

2:30pm - 3:15pm

JOHN SCHNEIDER

3:30pm - 4:15pm

Janeshia Adams-Ginyard

4:30pm - 5:15pm

COSPLAY CONTEST

Starts 5:30pm

Sunday

COMICS CREATOR PANEL

12:30 pm - 1:15 pm

BRIAN POSEHN

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm

SAM JONES

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm

FAMILY COSPLAY

WALK-ON

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm

KIRSTIN RENTON

& MINDY ROBINSON

4:30 pm - 5:15 pm

IAN ZIERING

5:30 pm - 6:15 pm

*PROGRAMMING SUBJECT TO CHANGE