By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The return of Del Rio Comic-Con to the Del Rio Civic Center brought in one of the event’s biggest crowds in recent years.
Del Rio Comic-Con 2022, held Saturday and Sunday at the civic center, was a two-day event dedicated to bringing together people who love pop-culture and other popular movies and shows. The convention included games and cosplay contests as well as host of vendors from Del Rio and surrounding areas.
The event began in 2011 and has grown each year with more attendees, vendors and special guests. Paul Mancha, executive director, said the convention first started with a small version in the Casa de la Cultura and has grown more once it took place at the Del Rio Civic Center. He said Saturday was a huge turnout with the number of attendees reaching 3,000.
“Saturday was really booming with people,” Mancha said. “(Sunday) is more calm and collective but we are still getting a good crowd.”
The convention is also an opportunity for local artists to showcase their talents and sell prints of their work. Del Rio’s Javier Espinoza said this year is his third time attending DRCC to sell prints of his artwork. He said the convention is great because more people discover his art and follow him on social media.
Artists from out of town also attended the event. Diego Diaz, an art teacher, said he traveled from Eagle Pass to sell lino prints of his work.
One of the biggest guests this weekend was Stephanie Nadolny, a voice actor from the popular anime Dragon Ball Z. Nadolny said the convention is great for families to attend without traveling to a big city.
The event brought together fans of various franchises and mediums. Guests could play video games and other titles including the popular role playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Nathan Villarreal, a Del Rio local, hosted a board-game session with people who’d never played Dungeons & Dragons before.
Leno Hernandez, Del Rio Civic Center facilities director, said it was his first time being invited to join an event as a vendor and showcase his art. He said this type of event exceeded his expectations.
“I didn’t realize how big this kind of community was in a small town like Del Rio and it is awesome to see that here,” Hernandez said.
The second day of the convention included two cosplay contests and a raffle to win a Star Wars lightsaber. Mancha said the next convention is planned for December at the Ramada by Wyndham Del Rio with a Christmas theme focus.
