Stan Lee's LA Comic-Con 2016 Takes Over Los Angeles

Brand new name, same great show! The epic comic and pop culture convention birthed in the heart of downtown Los Angeles called Stan Lee’s Comikaze recently underwent a name change, making it officially Stan Lee’s LA Comic-Con.

For anyone afraid they might just become just like any another comic-con, you can put your mind at ease. Stan Lee’s LA Comic-Con still has the same unique format it’s always had. It’s just gotten bigger and more fun than ever before. Nestled into its home at the Los Angeles Convention Center once more, Stan Lee’s LA Comic-Con knows how to bring in the crowds and keep them bouncing to all corners of the massive hall. No matter your interests – cosplay, collecting, panels, gaming, or the infamous after parties – attendees didn’t run out of things to do this year. One of the most fun parts of the show is the panels that are held on stages right on the exhibition hall floor. No need to go stand in line for eight hours to see the biggest names at the show, including Stan the Man himself. Just join the crowd at the main stage at one end of the room, just beyond the exhibitors, vendors, and artist alley folks.

This year, we got to see Mike Coulter, star of Netflix and Marvel’s Luke Cage (and next year’s Defenders), sit down with a chat about what it’s like being Marvel’s newest, most indestructible star. Throughout the weekend other celebrities from the worlds of TV (Star Trek’s 50th anniversary!), movies (Cary Elwes!), comics (Gerard Way!), music (Gerard Way again!), and animation (Pinky and the Brain!) stepped on the Hot Topic main stage to chat with the crowd and reflect upon their impact on pop culture. Of course, not all the panels were in the main hall. There was too much going on that weekend to be contained in one room.

I personally was on a mission to find a new artist to depict one of my all-time favorite comic characters, Kitty Pryde, in their own inimiatable style. There are literally hundreds of artists to choose from, all with incredible talent, but the artist I chose came all the way from Japan to give me her take on Kitty (with Lockheed) in one of my favorite pieces of original art that I’ve ever commissioned.

Once the doors close to the main hall on Saturday evening, there’s only one place to finish off the night: the official after party held at the Novo, featuring the DJ Galactic Ray and the Flux Capacitors, the ultimate 80s cover band, dressed all in Back to the Future costumes. Hosted by Club Cosplay and Nerds Like Us, any party with them headlining the night is guaranteed fun, performing a massive set with lots of guest appearances on vocals, including Farscape’s Gigi Edgley who joined them on the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”. They even broke from tradition and slipped in a 90s medley for fun. Here’s hoping we’ll be seeing them again next year with even more surprises.

Back at the show, you can’t walk 5 feet without running into some of the most amazing cosplay on the planet. With competitions for adults and kids alike, it brings some of the most talented costume crafters out of the woodwork. Of course, considering that last week was also Halloween weekend, nobody had an excuse to not dress up a little bit. Here’s a selection of some of our favorites from the weekend.

Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic-Con will return next year in downtown LA. If you missed this year, be prepared to get tickets for next year the moment they become available.