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Portland is the comic book capital of the country, and never more so than during the annual Rose City Comic Con, which will once again fill the Oregon Convention Center with thousands dressed in their best Arcane and Zardoz cosplay next weekend, Sept. 11–13. But who are we kidding, most fans show up for a chance to chat with their favorite stars, whether that’s a science fiction author, comics artist or TV actor. If you think you’ll be the biggest nerd at the convention, think again. But you can start by brushing up on your trivia.
1: She first scored a breakout hit as the newly made vampire Jessica in a steamy HBO supernatural drama.
2: One of the biggest names at Marvel Comics, he penned over 100 issues of Spider-Man’s biggest reboot series.
3: This journalist and author co-hosts a Hugo Award–winning podcast about speculative media.
4: You might know him as a wannabe pirate, a spaceship pilot, or a squire. But if you have kids, you’ll best know his voice, as he’s had a role in every Walt Disney Animation Studios film since 2012.
5: His portrayal of a tormented military recruit in an iconic 1987 anti-war film helped make him a household name, but these days he’s known as a Marvel villain.
6: Born in Oregon, she was the longest-running female writer for a Wonder Woman title and also developed the 2014 Tomb Raider series by Dark Horse Comics.
7: Known for his warm and friendly personality—despite being typecast as a bruiser—he was first arrested at age 10 and spent his youth in and out of prisons.
8: His improvised, eight-minute filibuster in an episode of Parks & Recreation shockingly predicted the future of both the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes in many ways—sans the “Robot Chewbacca” idea (for now).
9: An Eisner Award–winning comics writer and novelist living in Portland, he’s best known for a historical supernatural comic and a retelling of an American classic.
GO: Rose City Comic Con at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 503-235-7575, rosecitycomiccon.com. 1–10 pm Friday, 10 am–10 pm Saturday, 10 am–5 pm Sunday, Sept. 11–13. $19.50–$342. All ages.
ANSWER KEY: 1E, 2A, 3I, 4B, 5G, 6C, 7D, 8H, 9F
