Quad Con returns to Fort Frenzy
-Messenger file photo <br> The 2021 Quad Con at Fort Frenzy was an opportunity for guests to dress like their favorite characters from movies, shows or video games. Pictured from left to right: Jada Yates, then 12, of Iowa Falls; Skylar Warmbier, then 19, of Indianola; and Rian Dau, also of Indianola. Yates is dressed as Sonia Nevermind from the video game “Danganrongpa.” Warmbier is Fiona Gilman from the video game “Identity V.” Dau is L Lawliet from the anime series “Death Note.”
-Messenger file photo <br> Kevin Ehrhardt, of Dakota City, front right, gets a comic book signed by Camron Johnson, an artist based out of Central Illinois, during a Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021. Hundreds of people attended the event. Johnson drew some original artwork for Ehrhardt.
-Messenger file photo <br> Bethany McKenny, of rural Pocahontas County, makes her way around the shopping area in her Chompette costume during the QuadCon Cosplay Parade at the 2022 Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show in Fort Frenzy. Chompette is a “Mario” video game character.
-Messenger file photo <br> Lydia Verschoor, center, as Froppy from “My Hero Academic” takes care of the selfie chores along with Bailey Martin, then 12, of Manson, who’s dressed as Eri from “My Hero Academic” and Owen Recker, of Fort Dodge, who sported Steam Punk welding goggles at the 2022 QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy.
-Messenger file photo <br> Chad “Darth” O’Connor, of Fort Dodge, gets a little help getting into his costume from Lindsey Ferguson, at left, while Matthew O’Connor, 13, and Lena Howard, right, hold onto a few critical costume components at the 2022 QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy.
-Messenger file photo <br> Some of the participants in the Cosplay Costume Parade at the 2022 QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy line up, sort of, for their brush with fame.
-Messenger file photo <br> Rachael Smith, of Eagle Grove, in costume as Alice from “The Madness Returns,” looks over some of the merchandise during the 2022QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy.
-Messenger file photo <br> Robert Beebe, of Jefferson, went with the steampunk look for the Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021.
-Messenger file photo <br> Tanner Gehling, dressed as Batman, left, and Cody Cornelius, dressed as Thor, pose during the Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021. The two men from Carroll try to attend as many conventions as possible. Their first one was six years previously at the Midwest Con in Des Moines.
-Messenger file photo <br> Dylan Westrum, of Otho, left, and Austin Schafer, of Fort Dodge, pose in their costumes during the Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021. Westrum is dressed as Hellboy. Schafer is Ghost Rider.
-Messenger file photo <br> The 2021 Quad Con at Fort Frenzy was an opportunity for guests to dress like their favorite characters from movies, shows or video games. Pictured from left to right: Jada Yates, then 12, of Iowa Falls; Skylar Warmbier, then 19, of Indianola; and Rian Dau, also of Indianola. Yates is dressed as Sonia Nevermind from the video game “Danganrongpa.” Warmbier is Fiona Gilman from the video game “Identity V.” Dau is L Lawliet from the anime series “Death Note.”
-Messenger file photo <br> Kevin Ehrhardt, of Dakota City, front right, gets a comic book signed by Camron Johnson, an artist based out of Central Illinois, during a Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021. Hundreds of people attended the event. Johnson drew some original artwork for Ehrhardt.
-Messenger file photo <br> Bethany McKenny, of rural Pocahontas County, makes her way around the shopping area in her Chompette costume during the QuadCon Cosplay Parade at the 2022 Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show in Fort Frenzy. Chompette is a “Mario” video game character.
-Messenger file photo <br> Lydia Verschoor, center, as Froppy from “My Hero Academic” takes care of the selfie chores along with Bailey Martin, then 12, of Manson, who’s dressed as Eri from “My Hero Academic” and Owen Recker, of Fort Dodge, who sported Steam Punk welding goggles at the 2022 QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy.
-Messenger file photo <br> Chad “Darth” O’Connor, of Fort Dodge, gets a little help getting into his costume from Lindsey Ferguson, at left, while Matthew O’Connor, 13, and Lena Howard, right, hold onto a few critical costume components at the 2022 QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy.
-Messenger file photo <br> Some of the participants in the Cosplay Costume Parade at the 2022 QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy line up, sort of, for their brush with fame.
-Messenger file photo <br> Rachael Smith, of Eagle Grove, in costume as Alice from “The Madness Returns,” looks over some of the merchandise during the 2022QuadCon Fort Dodge Comics & Toy Show at Fort Frenzy.
-Messenger file photo <br> Robert Beebe, of Jefferson, went with the steampunk look for the Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021.
-Messenger file photo <br> Tanner Gehling, dressed as Batman, left, and Cody Cornelius, dressed as Thor, pose during the Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021. The two men from Carroll try to attend as many conventions as possible. Their first one was six years previously at the Midwest Con in Des Moines.
-Messenger file photo <br> Dylan Westrum, of Otho, left, and Austin Schafer, of Fort Dodge, pose in their costumes during the Quad Con at Fort Frenzy in 2021. Westrum is dressed as Hellboy. Schafer is Ghost Rider.
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Area pop culture fanatics will be welcomed to Fort Frenzy on July 29 for a day of geeky goodness at Quad Con Fort Dodge Comic and Toy Show.
This is the third year of this free event with games, comics, toys and cosplay. Organized by John Wells, of Quad City Con, the family-friendly event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"This is a way for nerds to get together and it's celebrating basically all things pop culture," Wells said. "From anime to 'Star Wars' to classic movies. We've got a video game tournament and a costume contest so that way whatever people are in to, they can come out and show it."
The video game tournament will kick off at 11 a.m. with "Super Smash Bros" on the Nintendo Switch, followed by a "Mario Kart" tournament. A cosplay contest will start at 1:30 p.m. One of the entries will be randomly selected to win a $50 certificate to spend with any of the vendors at the show.
Wells hosts Quad Con events throughout the Midwest, he said.
Ethan Becker, owner of Dungeons and Dodgers, 1018 Central Ave., was instrumental in bringing this event to Fort Dodge, Wells said. Wells said Becker had been a vendor at another Quad Con event in another city and had urged Wells bring Quad Con to Fort Dodge.
"He was just relentless," Wells said.
Fort Frenzy, Wells said, has also been a great partner in organizing and hosting this event over the last three years.
Vendors from all over will be set up at the show, Wells said. There will be artists bringing their original art.
"Some of these guys are published artists," he said. "Other guys are really kind of big on the internet with viral images."
There will also be vintage toy dealers, comic book sellers, craft vendors and more.
"All together, I think we have about 40 different vendors in that room," Wells said.
Last year's Quad Con brought in about 700 visitors, Wells said, and this year is expecting a similar turnout. Some visitors stay all day, and some just pop in for a little while, he said.