Intergalactic Comics: MegaCon Tampa Bay 2017 Preview: A Con with a Cause

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

MegaCon Tampa Bay 2017 Preview: A Con with a Cause

By: Scott Muller

It seems like every month brings a new comic, anime, or pop culture convention to Florida. But really, who can blame folks for wanting to hold a convention in a state that’s almost perpetually sunny and has plenty to do, from theme parks to beaches to sporting events?

This year’s MegaCon Tampa Bay, which happens from September 29 through October 1 at the Tampa Convention Center, means a little bit more to some people.
Feeding Florida, Florida’s food bank network. Since many people and businesses lost power for days and food was harder to get due to dangerous conditions, food banks have been hit especially hard. To help them, MegaCon has made a huge guest announcement.

The following text appeared in a press release from MegaCon Tampa Bay:

Comic book legend Stan Lee will appear at MegaCon Tampa Bay to meet his fans and support Hurricane Irma relief in Florida.

“The generous support of the MegaCon Tampa Bay community will allow Feeding Florida to provide necessary supplies to our families directly impacted by Hurricane Irma,” said Robin Safley, Executive Director of the Feeding Florida. “Partnerships like this allow our statewide network of food banks to continue to support every community and provide many of the front-line services required during response and recovery efforts.”

“Florida is in need of some cheering up and what better person to do that than the one and only Stan Lee! We are excited to be bringing Stan to Tampa Bay for the first time and to work with him to support those communities impacted by Hurricane Irma.” says Andrew Moyes, Vice President of FanExpo HQ.

In light of the recent natural disaster, Stan Lee will auction off experiences and items that money cannot buy, including a one-on-one meal with Stan The Man himself, and artwork from his personal collection. The auction will happen on Friday, September 29 during his panel at MegaCon Tampa Bay. You have to be in the room to bid!

Stan Lee’s personal auction contributions, combined with the funds raised from the ticket drive, ensure MegaCon Tampa Bay and their fans will donate an estimated $20,000 to Feeding Florida’s hurricane relief efforts.

Three-day passes, as well as single day tickets starting at just $25, are available at www.megacontampabay.com/tickets.

Some of the Stan Lee packages are pretty amazing, including experiences like breakfast with Stan Lee and collector’s items like signed Stan Lee merchandise. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can see some of the experiences and items by clicking the link for tickets above.

In addition to Stan Lee, big-time guests like Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob), William Shatner (Captain Kirk of Star Trek fame), and Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) will be signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans. For a full list of celebrities that will be attending, click here.

Celebrities won’t be the only reason to attend MegaCon this year. Dozens of comic book artists and writers will also be in attendance. Artists and writers such as Mark Bagley, Neal Adams, Chuck Dixon, and Joel Adams will be signing autographs and sketching for fans.

Lastly, there will be tons of merch to buy, panels to attend, cosplayers to take pictures with, and events to entertain you. Check out the convention’s website for more information. You can also get information on MegaCon Tampa Bay’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. Staying informed is key to getting the most out of your convention experience.

Tickets are going fast! If you’re in Tampa or Orlando area or were thinking of visiting, this is a great time of year to do it! Come down and help get our economy going after a rough couple of weeks! We would really appreciate it!