COLORADO SPRINGS — Heroes and villains from across the country came together this past weekend to meet at Colorado Springs' Broadmoor World Arena for the annual Colorado Springs Comic Convention.
For some eventgoers, Comic-Con is simply a great way to flex their creative muscles.
"I think it's honestly a great experience to kind of show who you really are, what you like, and just have fun, I guess," said Sage Medina, who came dressed as Spider-Man.
Other attendees said Comic-Con is a way to remain connected to a larger community.
"I like to give back to the community. It's my way of giving back. I like to keep the old school creativity alive, hopefully, to encourage young kids and adults alike, to get into cosplay," said Marko Stoyanof, a professional cosplayer with the A-Team Van of New Mexico.
Stoyanof said his work on cosplay costumes and props can take as long as six months to a year to put together.
The event was host to vendors, comic book trade shows, and meet and greets with comic book icons.
One Marvel colorist, Jason Keith, who worked on comic names like "X-Men," "Wolverine," and the first appearance of Red Hulk, said comic books have provided him with more than just a career.
"I was raised as an only child to a single mother. I spent a lot of time alone. For me, comics were a great escape, a lot of entertainment, and a great way to spend time," said Keith.
Keith was not the only colorful character sharing his thoughts on the significance of comic book media.
Actor from "Star Wars, Book of Boba Fett," Dorian Kingi said comic books can expand the way we see the world. He said it's life-changing for anyone who is interested in the sci-fi series.
"The fact that all these different species, across the world, can actually come together and be friends? I think that is such a bigger concept than people realize," said Kingi, who played series antagonist Cad Bane.
He said the message behind stories like "Star Wars" comes at a time when they are most needed.
"Heroes to look up to, that's huge. That's a big thing, I think, because there's so much now, that people need [those heroes] now more than ever. They need to be inspired and know what's right and wrong, or if they had done wrong, how they can right it. How can you fix your past? You can't escape your past, but you can overcome it," said Kingi.
For some Comic-Con fans, the significance behind the heroes they look up to does not lie in their crime-fighting or stopping a galactic empire. Instead, their importance can be found in matters like representation.
"I like [Luke Cage] because, for the era when he came out, there weren't a lot of Black or African American superheroes at that time. He's one of the ones that kind of lasted. He's one of the original ones that was actually like, in America, where Black Panther was from Wakanda, a fictional place," said Steven Floyd, who was dressed as Marvel's Defender, Luke Cage.
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