Be fantastic, super, a hero, at Garden State Comic Fest

MORRIS TWP. There was no clashing of the titans or avenging of evil deeds Saturday at Mennen Arena -- just mobs of people, some dressed as their favorite superheroes, seeking collectible items, drawing tips or a chance to speak to accomplished artists and cartoonists at the third annual Garden State Comic Fest.

“What I tell students is ‘Look, whatever you do, give it 1,000 percent of your enthusiasm and your ability. Don’t ever stint, don’t ever cheat, because you never know what’s going to come out of it,” said internationally-known artist Greg Hildebrandt, a notable vendor at the festival run by Comic Fest founder Dave O’Hare and organizer Sal Zurzolo.

Hildebrandt, a Hopatcong resident, shot to fame in the 1970s when he and his twin brother, now deceased, had the incredible fortune of working for a small advertising company commissioned to create a poster for the release of Star Wars. The Hildebrandt brothers created a poster promoting the film that is still among the most recognized icons of popular culture today.

Hildebrandt, who has drawn for Marvel Comics and the “Lord of the Rings” films, enthusiastically chatted with festival patrons who lined up to get his autograph and a photograph taken with him, including Liz Sann of Kenvil, who has idolized the artist since the 1970s.

“I love his art and he’s evolved. He’s very creative,” said Sann, who as a library worker encourages children to read comic books to develop an appreciation for words and art.

The festival opened at 10 a.m. with a line of several hundred people waiting to roam the Mennen Arena aisles for superhero comic books from across the decades featuring the adventures of Wonder Woman, Captain America, Thor, The Fantastic Four, and the Astonishing Ant-Man. Statues, illustrations and thousands of other types of comic books were on display for sale, including Archie, horror and romance comic books.

Cynthia and Scott Hughes operate Highlander Games & Comics in Boonton and Fat Moose in Whippany and have followed the evolution of board games from simple themes to living card games that challenge the intellect and are upgraded with changes so that the game can be altered, but not the rules. Customers are invited throughout the week to meet and play at their businesses.

“It’s social sitting together, unplugging from the computer. I see board games indicative of people wanting to be social,” said Scott Hughes.

Dozens of people got into cosplay for the occasion, dressing as their favorite fantasy or comic book characters, including Chelsea Knutson of Morristown, who dressed as “Spider Gwen,” a friend of Spiderman who was bitten by a spider and now is hyper-agile and slings a mean web. Knutson is engaged to SuperHeroes Unlimited owner Derrick Nova, whose business creates superhero outfits.

Tony Ojeda gave patrons a view of his talents as he sketched scenes from a story he is writing about a man who lost his true love, only to be visited by a being with the lost love’s physical form but lacking a soul. Ojeda is a student at the Kubert School in Dover.

“I do love superheroes and I grew up being influenced by the horror genre. I was always interested in drawing and then I realized that people can make a living this way,” Ojeda said.

Instead of using paper and a mechanical pencil, Jackie Stier of Hillsborough uses a burnisher, impresser and a ruler to draw on very thin sheets of copper. Stier, who owns Jackie Stier Copper, pours a solution on her drawing and rubs it with steel wool. She can draw virtually anything on the copper but selected some superhero and fantasy characters to display Saturday, including Terminator, Batman, and the Star Wars logo.

Festival organizers were anticipating a heavy turnout of between 3,000 and 5,000 attendees for the two-day event that concludes Sunday. Go to http://www.gardenstatecomicfest.com  or Garden State Comic Fest on Facebook for more information.

Zurzolo, the organizer, said he has loved comic books since he was a small child. He was thrilled by the turnout, saying there was a strong surge in pre-sale tickets as word got out that the festival was in town.

“I saw Superman on TV when I was a tiny little kid. The cartoons, comic books in stores, on the racks just intrigued me. Pure escapism, fun, and dreaming about being a superhero,” Zurzolo said.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; Pwright@GannettNJ.com.