Los Angeles Comic Con 2024: A Hidden Gem of Pop Culture and Fandom
When it comes to pop-culture conventions, San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) often steals the spotlight. But if SDCC is the “Wu-Tang” of comic conventions, Los Angeles Comic Con (LACC) is the “Jurassic 5″—cool, underground, and oozing with style. Although LACC may not boast the same massive attendance as SDCC, it’s quickly establishing itself as a must-attend event for fangeeks, hobbyists, and pop-culture connoisseurs. With its intimate, uniquely curated experiences, Los Angeles Comic Con offers fans an equally thrilling convention—just with its own indie flair.
LA Comic Con: A Different Kind of Experience
Los Angeles Comic Con has never aimed to be a smaller “wannabe” copy of San Diego Comic Con. Instead, it forges its own identity with an underground appeal that’s growing in popularity year after year. Held right next to the home of L.A. Lakers’-Kings’-and Sparks’ team(s): Crypto.com Arena, LACC transforms the Los Angeles Convention Center into a haven for fans, creators, and artists across multiple genres. Its standout features include the massive West Hall, dedicated entirely to gamers, and the South Hall, which houses Artist Alley, Comic Books, Publishers, Art & Photography, Anime, Toys & Collectibles, Cosplay, and everything else pop-culture.
Unlike SDCC’s Hall H, which is notorious for its long lines and exclusive access, LACC’s Main Stage is set right in the heart of the action. Located in the South Hall, fans don’t have to fight for a spot to enjoy star-studded panels. You can stumble upon the Main Stage while browsing the convention floor, allowing you to catch incredible speakers and events, sometimes unexpectedly. This setup gives LACC a refreshing, laid-back vibe compared to SDCC’s more intense atmosphere where even one year, an attendee stabbed another attendee in the eye during a heated argument fighting over seats in Hall H.
Nostalgia Meets Underground Cool
While San Diego Comic Con is renowned for promoting new blockbuster films and TV shows, Los Angeles Comic Con taps into fans’ love for nostalgia. This year, panels weren’t just about hyping the latest releases—they were heartfelt celebrations of pop-culture classics. Case in point: the highly anticipated Back to the Future reunion, featuring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and Tom Wilson. Fans were treated to an insightful conversation covering everything from the actors’ initial reactions to the script to a behind-the-scenes look at filming stunts for the third installment.
Another fan-favorite was The Addams Family panel, where Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, and other cast members reflected on their iconic roles. The audience Q&A was full of delightful moments, with each actor sharing what they related to most about their characters. One audience member asked the cast, “What do you relate most to about the character you played?” To which each actor replied: Anjelica Houston (as Morticia Addams), “Morticia’s kindness, beauty and [jokingly quoting Morticia] wishing to have more time to seek out the dark forces and their hellish crusade;” Christopher Lloyd (as Uncle Fester Addams) “Nothing;” Christina Ricci (as Wednesday Addams) “She’s not a joiner. I’m not a joiner;” Jimmy Workman (as Pugsley Addams) “He was always getting into trouble. I was too and [jokes] still am;” and Carel Struycken (as Lurch) “People are scared of Lurch. People are scared of me. You should see how scared kids are when they knock on my door on Halloween…”
On Saturday, Ewan McGregor took center stage in a panel where he delved into his extensive career, from Trainspotting to Star Wars to his unscripted motorcycle docuseries Long Way Round. His quick wit and genuine charm kept the audience entertained as the actor also expressed his excitement of receiving a Hollywood Star on The Walk of Fame in which his star was placed next to Carrie Fisher’s.
Although the moderator did not take questions from the audience unlike every other panel at this year’s LA Comic Con, which allowed the audience to participate in a Q & A, Ewan McGregor still found ways in engaging with the audience as he responded to audience members as they yelled out comments where even at one point, McGregor thought an audience member booed only then to realize the audience member actually had a unique way of using the onomatopoetic word of “Wooohoooooo…” Ewan McGregor proved why he’s a fan favorite as he mentioned that when meeting fans, he aims to create a memorable moment in appreciation for all his fans’ support. McGregor also gave advice to actors saying, “Just do it. Make films with your friends…” Dressed biker chic, McGregor donned white pants with a light blue vintage-esque PowerPlant style racer inspired long sleeve over top.
Spotlight on Independent Artists and Brands
Beyond the big-name panels, what really sets Los Angeles Comic Con apart is its support for independent artists and creators. It’s a treasure trove for those who seek the latest trends in underground art and pop culture. From the streetwear-inspired art toys of Superplastic to the retro-cool video games from Interabang Entertainment to the oldschool underground following of Homies toys, LACC shines a spotlight on innovative creators that might get overshadowed at a larger event like SDCC.
One of this year’s biggest highlights was the discussion between Kevin Smith and Justin Woodward about the upcoming Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch game. The panel showcased the indie spirit that permeates LACC, with Smith, as always, sharing entertaining yet motivational stories. Kevin Smith and Justin Woodward went into detail about how they got together to collaborate on the game revealing how multi-talented genius artist/engineer Trevor Fehrman (aka Elias in Clerks 2 & 3) had helped with writing the story & dialogue of the game. As always, Kevin Smith had brought an entertaining discussion that went from one topic such as how “dead technology” is a playground for any artist and that there’s no such thing as “dead art” or “dead technology” because there will always be an artist out there that can put life back into what some may consider “dead;” to a tangent story on how he and Jason Mewes were able to find a way in owning the rights to their characters “Jay & Silent Bob.”
Kevin Smith is truly the Tony Robbins of geek culture, always motivating & inspiring fans who dream to one day fulfill their life goal in becoming an artist themselves. At the end of the panel during the audience Q & A portion, Kevin Smith jumped off the stage to greet a fan face to face giving her a hug as the fan mentioned going through a tough time in life and Kevin Smith films giving her hope in the world. Kevin Smith makes for the perfect “cherry on top” as the final panelist for this year’s convention as he truly is the captain sailing the sea of what’s to come in pop-culture.
LA Comic Con: A Future Icon in the Making
LACC is more than just a smaller version of San Diego Comic Con—it’s a full-fledged celebration of creativity, nostalgia, and innovation. Whether you’re an artist, a fan, or simply someone who loves discovering the next big thing in pop culture, Los Angeles Comic Con offers a refreshing alternative to the larger, more commercialized conventions.
As this underground event continues to grow, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes as iconic as its San Diego counterpart. So, if you’re looking for a convention with heart, creativity, and a whole lot of cool, Los Angeles Comic Con is the place to be.
Stay tuned for next year’s lineup, and be sure to explore the gems from this year’s event!
Stay up-to-date with Los Angeles Comic Con by visiting their website and check out FRANK151’s question & answers from Superplastic’s Chief Strategy Officer, Zack Sugarman and Co-Founder/Creative Director of Interabang Entertainment, Justin Woodward, below.
“If you were to have a character live in your shoes for a day to help you out in your personal day-to-day, who would it be and why?
One Live-Action Character -and- One-Animated.”
***
ZACK SUGARMAN of SUPERPLASTIC:
“Animated = Genie from Aladdin. I would love to grant wishes to my closest friends and family. That would be an amazing experience for a day. Live Action = Batman. Who wouldn’t want to be a billionaire playboy for a day playing with tons of toys and new tech, all while taking down criminals and bad guys in the evening.”
Follow & Connect w/ SUPERPLASTIC @
JUSTIN WOODWARD of INTERABANG ENTERTAINMENT:
J.W. – “ANY character?! Wow this question caught me off guard [laughs]. Animated?!…”
F151 – “Yeah it could be any. Even like a video game…”
J.W. – “I mean, this may seem so generic but I would want to be (Animated) Wolverine for a day because I would just toss myself & run into things just because of the healing factor. Then just to be able to slice through stuff…that would be really interesting and cool…”
F151 – “It’d almost be like a ‘Goundhog’s Day’ for a day {referring to the Bill Murray Film Groundhog’s Day}.”
J.W. – “I know right [laughs], but then again, I don’t know if I could handle it though. It took Wolverine sometime. There would be some psychotic breaks [laughs]…”
F151 – “And then an animated character…or wait that is the animated?!..–“
J.W. – “–Yeah (Wolverine) that’d be my animated.”
F151 – “What about a live action or maybe a real person?”
J.W. – “Like a ‘real person’?!”
F151 – “It can be a real person, but it can be a fictional one too…”
J.W. – “I mean again…this would be an action-type situation, but John Wick would be dope. If he were in my shoes, he’d be extremely tactical. And that world {John Wick’s character lives in} is pretty cool…’
Follow & Connect w/ INTERABANG ENTERTAINMENT @
Follow & Connect w/ KEVIN SMITH @