To the joy of its fans, Comicpalooza is rolling out the red carpet as it begins unveiling its anticipated 2024 lineup. Houston’s annual pop-culture festival has just welcomed Napoleon Dynamite duo, Jonathan “Jon” Heder and Efren Ramirez as they celebrate the films 20thanniversary. They join Disney +’s Obi-Wan Kenobi rising star Vivien Lyra Blair, renowned comic book authors, Chip Zdarsky and Clay McLeod Chapman, and fantasy and sci-fi writer, Jim Butcher and Martha Wells.
Comicpalooza returns May 24-26 to the George R. Brown Convention Center bringing together fans for an unforgettable weekend brimming with entertainment, shopping, special attractions, programming and more.
“We’re kicking things off with stars from Napoleon Dynamite, one of the most beloved films of the 2000s, along with a young, rising star featured in the Star Wars universe. These two, completely different worlds showcase the expanse of pop culture storytelling,” said Aimée McCurtain, Chief Strategy Officer for Comicpalooza and Vice President of Enterprise Strategy for Houston First Corporation, “Year after year our line up represents various fandoms that people love and introduces attendees to everything from industry legends to breakout stars. We look forward to unveiling the full lineup as well as other new features planned for this year’s event.”
Jonathan “Jon” Heder and Efren Ramirez both rose to fame through their roles playing the iconic duo Napoleon and Pedro in Napoleon Dynamite. The film went on to win an MTV Movie Award for Best Movie and a Teen Choice Award. Heder’s credits include, The Benchwarmers, School for Scoundrels, Blades of Glory, Mama's Boy and When in Rome, along with voice talents in several well-known animated films. Ramirez is recognizable from several acting roles on E.R., American Dad, Scrubs and more. Most recently, he starred on FOX’s Television hit The Griner, Deadbeat, and Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life based on the James Patterson best seller.
Disney +’s Obi-Wan Kenobi star Vivien Lyra Blair portrays the young Princess Leia opposite Kenobi. Blair is also known as Girl in Sandra Bullock’s Bird Box and has credits in the Netflix hit movie, We Can Be Heroes and Stephen King’s Boogeyman. She is set to star in the upcoming comedy drama Goodrich alongside Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis.
Chip Zdarsky is the highly acclaimed writer behind Batman for DC Comics, Newburn for Image Comics, and the writer/illustrator of award-winning Public Domain. Previous work includes lauded Daredevil and Spider-Man: Life Story for Marvel and the Eisner-winning and New York Times best seller, Sex Criminals. Joining Zdarsky, Clay McLeod Chapman writes a variety of books for all ages including Marvel series comics Scream: Curse of Carnage, Absolute Carnage: Separation Anxiety, Edge of Spider-Verse, Venomverse, and more. In addition to comics, he writes horror novels such as What Kind of Mother, Ghost Eaters, Whisper Down the Lane, and The Remaking.
Jim Butcher is well-known for his book series Dresden Files, Codex Alera, and the new steampunk series, The Cinder Spires. Butcher goes by the moniker Longshot in several online locales, as he came by this name when he decided to become a published author. Rounding out the group, Martha Wells is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for her New York Times bestselling series, The Murderbot Diaries. Her work also includes The Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, and her newest fantasy novel, Witch King (Tordotcom, 2023), along with short fiction, non-fiction, and media tie-ins for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: The Gathering.
Starting Friday and rolling throughout the weekend, attendees can shop this year’s merchants, including returning favorites Ramos Renditions, Shrunk 3D, and Ultra Sabers; engage in programming panels covering a multitude of fandoms and topics; and be entertained by special attractions like Full Steel Combat, and Itasha Showdown: A Car Runway Experience. Fans will also be able to participate in friendly tabletop games, bring on the nostalgia with retro gaming, and cheer on as dance performances echo throughout the halls.
In addition to the continuous entertainment, each day will bring unique special events. On Friday, the dance party, Friday Night Bash, returns along with stars from Texas All Star Wrestling who will have everyone on the edge of their seats. Saturday, aspiring and pro cosplayers will take the stage in the annual Cosplay Contest. Saturday and Sunday will feature this year’s celebrities with guest panels as well as photo and autograph opportunities. To learn more about this year’s event visit: www.comicpalooza.com.
Photos by: Crissy Ball, Kevin Ventura, Darrell Williams and Lee Beckmann - Courtesy Comicpalooza
