Every year, there's something new to see, and 2023 seems no different. Comics and celebs, movies and podcasts, vendors selling all sorts of wonderful stuff, artists and authors showing off their talents. So what's all-new and all-different this time around? Here's just a starter list of ten super-cool surprises:
A Doc Brown and Governor Polis Team-Up
Denver's Pop Culture Classroom offered not just a free Educator's Day on Friday, but also brought in a couple of very special guests: first, Governor Jared Polis came to the stage, talking up not only the event but also the educators present. "I've incorporated lessons from Star Trek into my State of the State speeches," the governor said (he's also included Spider-man and Yoda). "It's a way to connect with people of all ages and use that powerful imagery of our pop culture as a way to draw people in." After a short presentation, Polis got to meet one of his own favorites: actor Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, Taxi, etc.) — and even got to take a selfie. Fans, right?
Hall of Justice: Possibly the Last Local Comic Store Standing
For a convention that is at least in part devoted to comic books, the creative teams that make them possible and the characters we all love, it might seem strange that the number of local comic shops that participate has been dropping over the years. In 2023, the only metro Denver comic shop we could find was Parker's Hall of Justice. So if you're looking for comics at FAN EXPO Denver this year, there's one place where you can support your local economy at the same time.
Wizard's Chest Steps Up
Speaking of local businesses, the Wizard's Chest has staked out almost a whole row this year, showcasing all the pop-culture stuff you might want. Costumes, props, toys, collectibles — you name it, and there's a considerable staff on hand to help you find it. (You can tell who's working here, because they're the ones with name tags on their wizard robes.)
You can really show your fandom with these candles from Austin, Texas, designer Illuminidol.
Teague Bohlen
Austin-based Illuminidol doesn't just offer pop-culture character votive candles, but really, shouldn't that be enough? You didn't know you needed a Rocket Raccoon candle, but here we are. It's best not to question what strikes us as necessary at conventions like these.
A Cosplay Repair Station, and a Good Idea
Sure, it's great that Ryobi has sent a team to FAN EXPO Denver to help unfortunate cosplayers whose rivets have come loose. But more important, it's a way to reach out to a group of tool-users who aren't often given their due. Did you know that over half of all users of power tools are doing so for nerd-adjacent reasons? It's a shocking statistic that we just now made up. But still: shocking.
What Does Your Lightsaber Color Say About You?
Ultra Sabers calls itself "the combat lightsaber specialists," and from the look of its Jedi/Sith rainbow of options, that's likely correct. But as children from all over since 1977 can attest: Everything is a combat lightsaber if your imagination is good enough.
Blockbuster Lives!
Well, sorta. In a blast from the past (for those of us who can still remember renting VHS tapes), the Reel Nerds Podcast offers a booth that will take you back. From the QuikDrop slot in the vertical brick facade to the look of its logo and the poster adorning that familiar window color scheme, it'll make you want to be kind and rewind back to the ’90s.
The U.S. Navy Wants YOU...to Play Video Games
No, really. Consider it a sort of Last Starfighter deal, only instead of saving the galaxy, you'll train to swab the poop deck and play video games against some of America's naval troops, which is actually pretty cool.
Ewoks not only murdered trooper after trooper...but also ate their remains and used their still-helmeted heads as drums.
Teague Bohlen
From the Empire's perspective, the Battle of Endor sucked in a lot of ways: losing the second Death Star along with both Darth Vader and the emperor, all that. But the story that must have gone down in the holocrons as the most awful had to have been the way the savage Ewoks not only murdered trooper after trooper, but also ate their remains and used their still-helmeted heads as drums. Oh, the horror. The 501st Legion, an international costuming organization dedicated to celebrating both Star Wars and charitable causes, remembers.
All About the Merch
As always, the merch line for the convention itself is one of the longest at the event. That makes sense: There are a lot of Denver-specific exclusives to snap up, from comic books to glass tumblers to lanyards to toys and other collectibles. It's a way to remember the fun of FAN EXPO Denver 2023, and also a way to celebrate that it comes every summer.
FAN EXPO Denver continues at the Colorado Convention Center through Sunday, July 2. Tickets for Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday are still available at the FAN EXPO Denver website.
