Billy Dee Williams, Lee Meriwether set for Smallville ComicCon in Hutchinson

Smallville ComicCon is just that – small – by design.

Last year, about 2,500 people attended the inaugural two-day comic book and pop culture convention in Hutchinson. Promoter Jon Robinson expects more this year, but he’s fine if the event never reaches the size of Kansas City’s Planet Comicon, which drew an estimated 40,000 people this spring.

“I don’t want to be that big,” he said. “I went to the one in Kansas City and spent four hours in line to meet one guy. You don’t get to see everyone, and there’s so many (parts), you don’t get to see everything.”

By contrast, he said, Smallville ComicCon “is the way comic book conventions used to be before they got all commercialized. It’s not too big.”

Small doesn’t mean dull, he emphasized. Leading the lineup of celebrities at this year’s event are Billy Dee Williams of “Star Wars” fame, Katrina Law from “Arrow” and “Spartacus,” and 1960s-era Catwoman and “Barnaby Jones” actress Lee Meriwether. Fans can get autographs or photographs taken with the actors for a price, ranging from $60 for a photo op with Williams to $30 for a shot with another actor, “Star Trek: Voyager” alum Manu Intiraymi. The actors will also take part in question-and-answer sessions.

The actors aren’t the only celebrities making an appearance. Two dozens writers and artists from the worlds of comic books, film and animation will be on hand to sell and sign work, chat with fans and have their photos taken.

The festival will also feature gaming, cosplay, films and vendors. For a full schedule, visit smallvillecomiccon.com.

Smallville ComicCom grew out of Robinson’s love for comics and the fact that, starting in 2013, Hutchinson has renamed itself “Smallville” each summer in honor of the fictional home of Superman (where the young Superman crash-landed and was raised by the Kents after being sent away from planet Krypton, in case you’ve forgotten). Several Superman-themed events will take place in downtown Hutchinson on Friday and Saturday, in addition to the convention, which is held at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

“The whole town plays along with it,” Robinson said.

And nobody more than Robinson.

“My son’s name is actually Kal-El – Superman’s birth name,” he said.

Robinson said the convention celebrates pop culture in general, not just comics. Many attendees come dressed as their favorite fictional or fantasy characters, which is encouraged up to a point.

“We want it to be tasteful because it is a family show,” he said.

A house painter by trade, Robinson said he had never attempted anything like organizing Smallville ComicCon before. Many of the volunteers and others who helped out were family members. He said they learned numerous lessons and planned to implement many of the suggestions made by those who came last year.

Mostly, he said, those people said they appreciated being able to come to an affordable convention that wasn’t overwhelming in size.

“We heard there’s not another convention like it in the whole United States,” he said. “I just want people to enjoy themselves.”

This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 8:20 PM with the headline "Billy Dee Williams, Lee Meriwether set for Smallville ComicCon in Hutchinson."