The halls of Gloucester County Public Library will soon see heroes and villains come together for the venue’s third annual Comix Con.

A partnership between GCPL, Jersey’s Cards and Comics of Hayes, and Conquest Comics spawned the event with the hopes of drawing a crowd of 500. Last year’s convention saw 2,700 people attend.

This year’s event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the library’s Main Street Center branch.

Guests will be greeted by representatives from both Jersey’s Cards and Comics and Conquest Comics, who will be guarded by the Empire’s 501st Legion of Stormtroopers, known to fans as “Vader’s Fist.”

The library’s study rooms will serve as the battlefield for games of the table-top miniature wargame Warhammer 40k as well as Heroclix.

The Community Room will host a series of panels beginning with “How to Make Comics” at 10 a.m. Other topics include “Darkon: Realm of Orcs,” “Cosplay Against Humanity,” and “Magic Duel,” all culminating in the costume contest and crowning of winners in both individual and the new “group costume” category.

There will also be exhibits on Retro Games, NWA Fusion Wrestling, Weeboo United and animé, Steampunk, Geek Girl Brunch, and a selfie booth, among others.

Food will be available for sale from Papa John’s, The Knights of Columbus, and Kona Ice. There will also be an obstacle course and children’s area with face-painting, a magic demonstration by Flabbergast the Wizard, and a Harry Potter-themed space where kids can be sorted into their Hogwarts houses.

Sisi Mise, who is a library specialist and helped plan the event, said she is expecting a crowd of 3,000 this year.

“We want to recognize the literary beginnings of comic books and superhero movies,” she said of the library’s involvement as host of the event.

Mise reported that prior Comix Cons have brought attendees from as far away as South Carolina and New York, as many fans reportedly travel to Gloucester specifically for this event.

John Millington of Jersey’s Cards and Comics has gotten support from multiple New York City comic shops who are promoting the event with their customers. 

Several businesses on the Main Street corridor are promoting the event as well, with Mise saying many of them see increases in customers after the conclusion of the convention.

“This is a family-friendly event with raffles, panels, and workshops, all free,” Mise concluded.