Having A Blast At Long Island's Eternal Con (Comic Con)

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Eternal Con 2017 brought comic book fans, science fiction lovers, collectors, cosplayers, artists, celebrities, and families together at Nassau Coliseum for one of Long Island’s most entertaining pop culture events. From the 1966 Batmobile to celebrity guests and packed vendor tables, the convention showed why comic cons have become such an exciting experience for fans of all ages.

On Sunday, July 1, 2017, I took my teenage son to New York’s Nassau Coliseum to experience a comic book convention called Eternal Con. Whether or not you’re a fan of comic books or science fiction movies, spending a few hours at a major comic book convention will simply rock your world. At almost any comic con, the fun begins while waiting in line to get inside. Comic book and science fiction fans can be very interesting and entertaining to mingle with. Listening to fans recite movie lines, tell stories, dress up, and do some really strange things is what comic book conventions are all about.

As with most comic book conventions, there are multiple ticket prices and packages available for purchase. The basic admission fee for Eternal Con was 25 dollars per ticket. That is actually a pretty fair price compared to New York City’s Comic Con, which charges 50 dollars a ticket. While many fans have been complaining about parking prices at Nassau Coliseum in the wake of the Billy Joel concert, which charged $ 40 per ticket, the parking fee for Eternal Con was only $ 5 per car. If you do not wish to wait in line, Eternal Con also offers VIP ticket pricing at around $ 100 that will rocket you to the front of all lines. Their VIP ticket is sort of like the Disney FastPass, but with a few more perks.

Once inside the newly renovated Nassau Coliseum, fans were directed downstairs into a very large exhibition hall. Inside the hall were hundreds of tables lined with comic book artists and hundreds of vendors selling science fiction movies, posters, comic books, toys, autographs, and many various collectible items. The sheer number of vendors selling collectible items was worth the price of admission alone. However, the fun had only just begun.

Featured Guests

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For many fans, the highlight of comic book conventions centers around the panel of featured guests who attend events like Eternal Con. The producers of the 2017 Eternal Con did a wonderful job inviting some A-list celebrities to attend the event. The entire back wall was lined with tables where celebrities signed autographs and posed for pictures. Most celebrities charged a modest 20-dollar fee to pose for a picture. Some of them charged more. Many of them were selling pictures and other autographed items. All of them were very friendly even as they were being asked the same questions they had probably heard thousands of times.

The 2017 featured guests at Eternal Con included Lee Meriwether, known for Batman, The Time Tunnel, and Barnaby Jones.

Edward James Olmos appeared in the guest lineup, known for Blade Runner, Battlestar Galactica, and Miami Vice.

Brianna Hildebrand, known for Deadpool and Deadpool 2, also appeared at the convention.

Maggie Geha, known for Gotham and Ted 2, was part of the guest list.

Helen Slater, known for Supergirl, The Legend of Billie Jean, and Smallville, also attended.

Jason Faunt was incredibly friendly to the kids. The kids loved him. Erin Cahill, Deborah Estelle Philips, Kevin Kleinberg, and Michael Copon from Power Rangers Time Force were also among the guests.

Paul Blake from Star Wars appeared at the convention.

David Harris, Terry Michos, and Thomas G. Waites from The Warriors were also part of the guest lineup.

The show also presented fans with many famous personalities from the WWE. There was also a section of famous cosplay personalities. The Artist Alley section featured about 60 famous comic book artists, including Billy Tucci, Frank Tieri, and Ken Bald.

Stage Shows and Panels

One of the most entertaining aspects of comic cons is the stage shows and panels that are presented to fans. The 2017 Eternal Con featured question-and-answer sessions with most of the big movie stars in attendance. Saturday’s events featured Q&As with Brianna Hildebrand, Edward James Olmos, Mick Foley, and Star Wars actor Paul Blake. Sunday’s Q&As featured Lee Meriwether and the cast of Power Rangers Time Force. The stage shows also presented fans with discussions on the history of Star Trek, “Loving Captain Marvel,” the history of monsters like Godzilla, and many other topics. There were even discussions on self-publishing, which made the event even more special, as Eternal Con promotes fans bringing in their own artwork in hopes of being discovered.

One of the stage shows that my son and I witnessed was a lesson in Jedi training. Actors portraying Jedi invited young kids onto the stage and gave them lessons in lightsaber combat. The kids on stage seemed almost in shock at being immersed in learning Jedi moves and battle techniques.

One of the most anticipated guests of the Sunday afternoon Q&A was Lee Meriwether. The wonderful actress spoke about her career and answered questions from fans. While most fans knew Lee Meriwether from her work as Catwoman in the 1960s Batman television series, she spoke at length about her work on the television series The Time Tunnel. Many people under the age of forty have never heard of the television show The Time Tunnel. However, as a kid growing up in the sixties, it was one of my favorite shows alongside Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. It was a great show that does not get the credit it deserves, as it was way ahead of its time in its production and storylines.

Lee Meriwether. Photo: Brian Kachejian

The Vehicles

Everyone has their reasons for attending comic cons. Some go to find the ultimate collectibles, some attend to meet comic book artists, and others love meeting celebrities. However, one of the greatest joys movie fans will experience at comic cons is seeing the legendary cars that have graced the silver screen across generations. Eternal Con 2017 did not disappoint in its presentation of famous movie and television vehicles. The highlight of the show for many was the appearance of the 1966 Batmobile. Not only did the event feature the legendary Batmobile from the 1960s television series Batman, but it also featured the 1989 Michael Keaton Batmobile and the Christian Bale Tank Batmobile.

It’s not tough to guess which of the three fans flocked to the most. The 1966 Batmobile is simply jaw-dropping. The car looks as if it’s brand new. As my son and I were staring in disbelief at the car, an attendant, or maybe the owner of the car, asked if we would like to sit in the Batmobile and have our picture taken. He didn’t have to ask twice. For only 20 dollars, my son and I jumped into the Batmobile and posed for a picture. For myself, it was like jumping into my TV set in the 1960s. I could not believe it. I was sitting in the Batmobile!

There were other vehicles outside of the Batman universe that appeared at Eternal Con. There was a jeep from Jurassic Park in the opposite corner of the exhibition hall. There was a Ghostbusters vehicle that looked different from the ones I have seen in the movies. However, the Ghostbusters exhibit featured a cast of characters dressed in Ghostbusters uniforms with backpacks, who seemed to really enjoy representing the Ghostbusters. The kids were having a wonderful time posing for pictures with the very friendly cast. And in my book, that’s what it is all about.

My son and I had such a great time at Eternal Con that, once I got home, I immediately started searching for other area comic cons. I bought tickets for the legendary New York Comic Con in October and Walker Stalker in New Jersey for mid-December of this year. Eternal Con got me hooked. These events are fun, and taking your sons or daughters along will make it a memorable experience.