With comic books’ immense rise in popularity in recent years, comic conventions are quickly becoming the place to be for those interested in seeing the biggest stars and meeting up-and-coming writers and artists. Wizard World’s annual Comic Con returns to the Crescent City this weekend, bringing with it a plethora of guests and exhibitors.
The convention promises to have another incredible year, with dozens of special guests and fun features.
Some of the celebrity guests include Doctor Who’s Matt Smith, the legendary Stan Lee, many of the stars of TV’s “The Walking Dead” and Freddy Krueger aka Robert Englund. On top of that, the show will include dozens of comic’s best artists and writers.
One of the show’s guests is Monty Stikkmann, a Metairie, La. native and comic book artist who attends the show as an exhibitor every year.
“It’s a nerdapalooza,” Stikkmann said. “There is a little bit of everything. You can nerd out over Doctor Who on one side and what is happening in the next issue of Spider-Man in the other corner.”
Stikkmann said the show is a great opportunity for people to check out some of the local talent Louisiana offers.
The elaborate costumes attendees put together keep drawing Stikkmann back to the show. He said the spectacle of the convention is something that simply should not be missed.
“It’s just a big party with people who are in to the same things that you are,” Stikkmann said.
Comics have always been a huge source of inspiration for Stikkmann, who said he was inspired to draw comics when he saw the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” TV show and when he read “X-Men” Vol 2 #5, which was drawn by Jim Lee and written by Chris Claremont, who will be attending the convention this year.
“When I saw that Jim Lee book, I didn’t know anything could look like that, and I immediately knew that was what I wanted to do,” Stikkmann said. “It just got me, I was in from that point on.
Stikkmann said New Orleans is a great place for a comic convention, and few other cities can hold an event like this one.
“There’s a lot of stuff that happens after the con, and New Orleans is a great place for something like that to spill out into the streets,” Stikkmann said.
Stikkmann also said the city’s abnormal identity is a perfect fit for the eccentric feeling the show brings.
Some of the events held around Comic Con include a Drink and Draw on Friday night and a Sci-Fi speed-dating event held throughout the weekend. These events are a good indicator of the wacky fun that can be had at the convention.
Stikkmann stressed that the convention is not something to be missed.
“Go, especially if you’re into anything nerd culture,” he said. “There’s something for everyone there.”
Stikkmann will attend the New Orleans Comic Con, selling commissions and original art and promoting his online webcomic “Flying Zombies.” Stikkmann is also the co-host of “Monty and the Mongoose,” an online radio show that can be heard at blogtalkradio.com/flyingzombies.
“It’s just a big party with people who are into the same things that you are.”

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