Saluki Comic Con 2018 scheduled in September

Samantha Newark is the voice of Jem and Jerica on the classic “Jem and the Holograms” cartoon and part of the “Transformers” guest-star cast. 

Trevor Von Eeden is co-creator of the first original black superhero to have his own title and both the first black artist and the youngest hired by DC.

Fans can meet both, as well as other stars of the comics industry at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Saluki Comic Con 2018.

SIU’s second annual Comic Con is scheduled Sept. 29-30. 

Organizers of the event note that those are the dates for SIU’s Family Weekend and hotels fill up fast, so plans to attend should be done early.

The inaugural SIU event, Eclipse Comic Con, was such a huge success in August 2017 that organizers decided to make it an annual happening.

The 2018 event takes place in the SIU Student Center ballrooms and will feature vendors, comic artists, a costume competition with cash prizes and trophies, a game room for board and video gamers, special guests and a variety of competitions and informational/educational panels.

In addition to guest-starring roles as "Ariel," "Elise Presser" and "The Zamajon Princess" on the Hasbro Transformers brand, Newark also can be heard on Stephen Spielberg's feature "Hook" as the sweet British voice of Peter Pan's mother.

A wide variety of regional stars and special guests, representing a cross-section of comic-con areas, will also be appearing and more are being added all the time.

To find out more about Saluki Comic Con 2018 and keep track of additional guest stars, special guests, exhibits, games and all the rest, visit https://studentcenter.siu.edu/activities/saluki-comic-con/, or email eclipsecon@siu.edu.