Suit up for Phoenix Comicon

When the pop-culture gathering Phoenix Comicon returns to downtown this weekend, the streets will be flooded with more than 80,000 fans of science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, anime and other genres. Many will dress as favorite characters.

For some, it will be their first visit. For others, their participation is born of longtime passion, sparked by the first comic book they ever read, sci-fi show they watched or costume they crafted.

These are the fans who mark the event on their calendars each year, volunteer where they can and have found lifelong friends at these events. For these people, attending Comicon is an important form of self-expression

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We spoke to passionate fans about why they love Phoenix Comicon. They were happy to share their stories, as well as tips for fellow participants.

The cosplayer

Catherine Ayotte, 18, also goes by another name: Toki McKnight. It's her cosplay persona, and what most people in the Phoenix Comicon world know her as.

Ayotte lives in Gilbert. She started cosplaying five years ago, a year after she attended her first Comicon in middle school. She was drawn to Banzai! Productions, a group of four female cosplayers in the Valley.

"I was inspired by their work and started meeting people who were making costumes in groups, so I started working together with them and got more involved," she said. "All of the costumes I make are from scratch without a pattern. Some are thrifted, some I draft my own patterns. Cosplay has gotten more popular the past couple of years and there's a lot more resources to learn things."

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At Comicon, she'll wear three new costumes: Kaylee Frye from the TV show "Firefly," Rose Tyler from "Doctor Who" and Audrey Ramirez of the Disney animated film "Atlantis: The Lost Empire."

"My friends and I get together to sew, and it takes the place of parties," she said. "These people are really invested in the community, and it really becomes your social life. We have events throughout the year, stay in contact with each other and exhibit our work."

Ayotte shoots photos and writes for the Geek News Network and twistedmanga.com and is helping organize several panels. She advises people to pace themselves and "try not to do everything at once." She also encourages people to be friendly and open-minded.

"Don't be afraid to talk to people you don't know," she said. "If you see somebody wearing a costume or character you love, don't be afraid to make friends. The convention community is friendly and accepting no matter your background, and people want to be friends and accept people."

The exhibitors

You may have seen their work at events around town: whimsical, often humorous cartoon monsters displayed in prints, posters and books. Peoria-based Steamcrow was dreamed up by husband-wife team Daniel and Dawna Davis, who are illustrators.

In 2004, Daniel realized he needed a change. The couple went to Phoenix Comicon, and Dawna encouraged Daniel to create "Caught Creatures," a monster haiku book. In 2006, Daniel began exhibiting his work at pop-culture events across the country. Audiences loved it, and he developed a superfan following known as "Crow Scouts." His wife joined the business last year.

"(Phoenix Comicon) is sincerely one of the best shows around, and I've seen all of the shows in the West," Daniel said. "It's a lot of fun, and is magically exhausting. ... It's a reunion for us with a lot of friends. Every third person we'll know."

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Steamcrow will debut an exclusive print of the Mogollon Monster at the show. It depicts the mythical creature in the Grand Canyon and is designed to look like a travel poster. It will also have new badges for their Crow Scouts.

Daniel loves how popular and diverse Phoenix Comicon has become.

"I went to sci-fi cons in the '80s and there were just dudes. Now there's a mix of all ages, men and women, and it's terrific," he said.

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The fan-club founders

Matt Hinds and his wife, Jennifer, have long been fans of pop culture and attended their first Phoenix Comicon in 2009. They wanted to bring together local fans, so they created the Unofficial Phoenix Comicon Facebook fan page and the Blue Ribbon Army, a charity arm of the organization.

The club has more than 6,000 members, who identify themselves at conventions and events by wearing blue ribbons. The members share everything from costume ideas to selling memorabilia and meet up at the conventions.

"It's geek networking and helps people come out of their shell," Hinds said. "We started it so that people who are regulars at con could communicate with each other throughout the year, and it just blew up. Comicon is our Super Bowl. The growth has just been crazy over the past few years."

The Hindses started preparing in February for the convention, where they'll have an exhibitor table to recruit members. They will sell lanyards, T-shirts and buttons and donate proceeds to a local charity.

"It's electric," he said. "It's really comfortable, like home. You can jump into a circle of strangers talking about a topic, and no one thinks anything of it. You run into friends you've known a long time. It's a very friendly, fairly drama-free atmosphere."

Hinds said convention goers should wear comfortable shoes, drink lots of water and bring cash because not all vendors take credit cards. He also suggests visiting the Phoenix Comicon website to create a personalized schedule from the many events.

The con enthusiast

Mark Schweikert of Mesa has been an avid comic-book collector since he was 8. He's now 39, and his passion hasn't wavered. He began traveling to conventions in Las Vegas, Seattle and San Diego. Phoenix Comicon launched in 2002 in Glendale, and the next year moved to Mesa. Schweikert hasn't missed one.

"The neat thing about traveling to events is you meet so many amazing people from all over, and when Phoenix Comicon happens, you get to host your friends," Schweikert said. "Phoenix Comicon is like hosting a professional play-off game. I know the ins and outs of it, I know the venue, the places to eat. I take friends around and show them how welcoming Phoenix is."

Schweikert plans his schedule far in advance, sifting through the seemingly countless attractions and activities on the Comicon website. He keeps track of artist and actor announcements, pulls memorabilia he wants to get signed and is on the lookout for limited-edition comic books at the convention. He'll add his new treasures to a room dedicated to his collection at home.

"Comic-book collecting is like no other hobby around," he said. "If you're a sports-memorabilia collector, you're lucky to get a quick autograph or exchange a few words with an athlete. With comic-book artists and writers, you share an experience with them."

Schweikert suggests that fellow rabid fans bring a sturdy backpack to carry purchases and make a plan for where and when to eat.

The volunteer

When Neil Picard (no relation to Jean-Luc) attended his first Phoenix Comicon, he met a group of "smart and awesome" people involved with the event. He soon wanted to know how he could help.

"The convention was growing at the time, and I was lucky enough to get chosen to help out with volunteering," he said. "First I did things as a fan, and then I wondered, 'How do I get into this? This is so awesome.' The fulfillment I got from going and enjoying as a fan was great, but the enjoyment of con has never diminished as a volunteer. We are constantly improving and figuring out how to make it better. That's how I feel about it now."

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Picard began volunteering in 2012 and became sci-fi coordinator for Phoenix Comicon a year later. This year, he started preparing in January, organizing sci-fi panels and programming. He said the volunteer staff of more than 1,700 is very supportive, and those who complete their tasks jump in and help others.

"I work two four-hour shifts, which is not bad," he said. "Programming starts around 10 a.m. and ends at 11 p.m. There's parties at night and tons of things to do. Volunteers aren't working all the time, and we have time to hang out with friends and have fun, too."

The celebrity fan

For almost four years, 25-year old Nicolas Coffelt has driven nearly four hours from Springerville to attend Phoenix Comicon. Growing up in the small town in the White Mountains, Coffelt didn't know many people who had similar interests.

"I went and made a lot of friends, met authors, artists and actors, and people that were really inspiring and cool," he said. "It's great being around people with a common ground and are just like myself."

Coffelt's favorite thing is meeting TV and movie actors. This year is he going all out: He purchased the new Fast Pass, which gives holders priority access to celebrities.

"I love meeting actors, talking to them and getting their autographs," he said. "You realize how normal, and how not normal, they are, and they can be really cool. I didn't want to have to spend two hours waiting in line to meet a bigger actor this year and miss out on what else is going on and mingling with other people."

His favorite celebrity encounters have been Michael Rooker from "The Walking Dead" and Dina Meyer from "Starship Troopers," who he said were "the most fun to talk to, who wanted to talk to you and didn't rush you." This year, he's looking forward to meeting Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "How I Met Your Mother"), Jason Momoa ("Game of Thrones," "Stargate: Atlantis") and Ron Perlman ("Hellboy").