I went to the very first Rhode Island Comic Con wayyyyy back in 2012, so it is my first true love. I have been every year since, and it usually doesn't disappoint. The merch is always excellent, the guests are top notch, and the cosplay is over the top. I went on Sunday (like I usually do) with three buddies of mine (one Marty McFly, one Randy, and one lame-o who didn't dress up) and we had a great time. With that being said, it was one of the weaker showings, with a lot less going on then there usually is. Here is the breakdown, with photos!
1) The Guests
Rhode Island Con has always put a ton of work into attracting big names to it's show, from Gal Gadot to Stan Lee. This year was no different, with a lot of big names attending, even on Sunday (something Boston Fan Expo lacked). The lines were short to meet celebrities, and we got to talk to Zachary Levi and Shameik Moore. Both were super down to earth and easy to talk to, here are the questions I asked them both!
Zachary Levi (Shazam, Chuck, Tangled, Alvin and the Chipmunks)
Q: What did you think of the Black Adam movie?
A: He told that he hadn't seen it, and probably isn't going to see it, due to his busy schedule and the mixed reviews the movie got. A bit surprising since he is the literal nemesis of Black Adam, but understandable, why waste two hours of your time watching a mediocre movie?
Q: Which movie was harder to prepare for, Shazam or Alvin and the Chipmunks?
A: We asked this as a joke, but Zach took it seriously and gave us a real answer. He said obviously physically Shazam of course, but Alvin and the Chipmunks was a "...fucking trip" to quote him directly. He described how he had to watch three stuffed animal chipmunks on long sticks be whisked around a room and he had to act essentially alone while watching the movements of the stuffed animals. He said the CGI was tough to work with, and he constantly had to think about where each chipmunk was supposed to be in the scene.
Shameik Moore
Q: Anything to say about the upcoming Spider-Verse movies?
A: He told me they are both a lot better than the first one, which is a crazy claim to make because the first one was damn near perfect.
Q: Who is your favorite Spider-Man (I meant character, but obviously in 2022 everyone thinks I mean the actor).
A: Tobey McGuire (the right choice). He then quickly told me Tom Holland does an excellent job as well as a modern Spider-Man.
I also got his autograph on my Spider-Verse copy!
2) The Cosplay
The cosplay is usually top notch at Rhode Island Comic Con. It was still pretty good this year, but definitely on the more disappointing end of the scale (quantity wise). Here are some of the best costumes I was able to see that day!
Which cosplay is your favorite?
Hellboy
Jack and Sally
Chainsaw Man
Vecna
3) The Merch
The merch is also usually excellent at Rhode Island Comic Con. There are two circular levels of the Dunkin Donuts center dedicated to just merch, and a lot of the convention hall itself is merch stands, so if you want to buy something awesome that speaks to you, odds are you'll find it at this Con. They had a ton ton of stands for prop weapons, toys, and comics. The art selection was a little lacking (especially compared to Terrificon and Boston Fan Expo) but I still managed to grab a few cool pieces. My friend bought a one hundred dollar Appa stuffed animal (understandable once you feel how soft it is), and my other friend (at his first comic con) bought a Jaws novelty sign for his mancave. Here are my contributions to the economy, not as much as usual but got so many things to save up for currently!
First appearance of Spider-Woman in full costume
Summary
Even though this year's con was a little disappointing, Rhode Island still remains the best one I've attended (Boston Fan Expo and Terrificon), with a perfectly balanced blend of cosplay, merch, and guests. Hopefully next year's con is well attended, well dressed, and has more art stands to pick from. Definitely check it out when it comes back next November!
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