FanX Salt Lake Pop Culture & Comic Convention is back at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Sept. 21–23. Guests include A-listers like Michael J. Fox, Matthew Lillard and Karen Gillan, along with local creators like novelist Kyle Shoop. During the second day, Friday, Sept. 22, we enjoyed the food trucks parked outside, met local comic book creators and took in some wrestling.
If you’re going, go hungry. Even if you’re not there for the convention itself, you can find a nosh from the many food trucks surrounding the Salt Palace, where cosplayers congregate. Take a selfie with Goku from Dragon Ball Z while you wait for your chicken katsu from DaKine Grindz, or ask Barbie about her outfit while dining on an artisan grilled cheese from The Mouse Trap.
Come thirsty, too. On the convention floor, visit Wild Bill’s for a FanX souvenir mug.
Buy a band to put around the handle, and you’ll get free refills for the remainder of the event. Bring it back next year for a new band. (I bought the mug pictured two or three years ago.)
Cartoonist Adrian Ropp, a respected figure in Utah’s fan community, recently received a life-saving kidney transplant. He learned none of his family members were compatible to donate to him, and an organ donor saved his life. Now, he says he’s living to spread joy and advocate for organ donation.
The joy he spreads includes his artwork from Disney, Archie and more.
From local artists to local wrestling. Take some time to enjoy in-ring action from Devotion Championship Wrestling throughout the day. If you’re not going to FanX, you can see Devotion at their next live show, Halloween Bash, on Oct. 6. Find tickets here.
Hellskate is the supernatural horror story of a roller derby skater who becomes possessed by a demon. Sounds good to us! The first issue of the comic book series from local creators Sahna Foley, Carl Joglar and Chris Bodily is on sale at FanX, where you can also talk to Foley about horror, comics and derby. A Hellskate live action film is in the works.
Parking near the convention center can be expensive. We lucked out with a garage at The Gateway. Taking TRAX, Uber or Lyft to FanX may be an even better option.
However you get there, hope to see you on day three.
