On a recent Saturday, the downstairs of the Tempe Public Library looked like it was packed not only with readers but with characters from the shelves. Superheroes, aliens, sword-wielding warriors and zombie hunters prowled the , seeing and being seen. The occasion was not some interdimensional warp which deposited dozens of denizens of comics and sci-fi yarns and role-playing games in one place at one time. It was, rather, a preview of Phoenix Comicon, which hits the Phoenix Convention Center later this year. “Discover Your Inner Geek” trumpet the promos for the Con, but many of the visitors at Tempe’s mini-Con looked like they were already very well in touch with said Geek, and that said Geek was by no means just Inner. Once one had passed the “Prop Check Station” near the entrance— presumably to ensure that none of the props were more dangerous reality than thrilling fantasy—it was possible, in any given circuit or two through the festivities, to see “cosplay” revelers spectacularly decked out as Alice, of Wonderland fame; as Merida, the heroine of Disney’s Brave; and as Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. There were Jedi Knights from the Star Wars universe and scarily convincing anti-zombie commandos from Resident Evil. I was also particularly intrigued to see a guy dressed as The Flash, in a re-creation of the DC Comics hero’s original costume from the ‘40s, complete with winged metal helmet. Manning tables were recruiters from the Royal Manticoran Navy, an entity which exists in the “Honor Harrington” sci-fi books of David Weber, but apparently not only there. Not far away were medieval re-enactors demonstrating their chops on the spinning wheel ,and other skills. Improbable group photos of all of these heroes and villains were being taken in front of a Comicon backdrop, and weaving his way in, around and among all of the above was none other than Darth Vader himself. Somehow, in this setting, the Dark Lord gave off a friendly, avuncular vibe. Go to phoenixcomicon.com for details on the coming event downtown. Go to tempe.gov for library information.
