Last weekend Power Rangers, Star Trek, Star Wars, and several other popular science fiction, comics, and fantasy series saved the day at The Great Philadelphia Comic Con. Held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, it hosted comics readers, toy collectors, and devout fans from across many fandoms.

This was the second Great Philadelphia Comic Con which compiled an impressive list of guests from comics, art, and literature to movies and TV. The show also grew in size with a larger group of vendors offering a lot more comics, trades, and graphic novels than last year. Vendors had shelves of action figures with new offerings from DC, Marvel, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Funko as well as ’80s and ’90s collectibles from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, among others.

The artist alley housed many talented artists from the big names in comics to local talents. Writer and artist guests were Andrew Harmon (The New Ghostbusters), Bill McKay (Night of the 80s Undead), Brendon and Brian Fraim (Knights of the Dinner Table), Carol Kilbanks (Rocko’s Modern Life), Chris Campana (Kantara), Chris Flick (Capes & Babes), Dave Ebersole (The Casket Girls), Dan Nokes (The Teddy Bear Tales Saga), Dave Perillo (The Caped Crusader), Dawn Griffin (Dawn Griffin Studios all-ages comics), Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern: Rebirth), Guy Dorian (COR), Jay Fosgitt (My Little Pony), Jeff Shultz (Betty and Veronica), Joe Carmagna (Deadpool), Joel Adams (The Hulk: Animated Series), Joseph Berenato (Star Trek), Neal Adams (Superman), Neil Vokes (Doctor Strange), Paris Cullins (Blue Beetle), Sean Von Gorman (Occupy Comics), Scott Bachmann (The Paragon of Animals), and plenty of others.

Comic-related guests had a successful and entertaining weekend amid the convention buzz. “The convention has been really good. It’s a different crowd and a rhythm with little slow moments and then they start pouring in. In terms of people there are lots that have never been here and they are very interested,” Paris Cullins said.

Media guests were Amy Jo Johnson, Austin St. John, Johnny Yong Bosch (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), James Frain and Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham), Bruce Boxleitner (TRON), Caroll Spinney (puppeteer Sesame Street), David Newell (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood), Deep Roy, Julian Glover, Ray Park, and Tim Rose (Star Wars), Jon Paragon (Pee-wee’s Playhouse), Denise Crosby (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Erin Cahill and Jason Faunt (Power Rangers Time Force), Garrett Wang and Robert Duncan McNeill (Star Trek: Voyager), Matthew Wood and Tom Kane (voice actor Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Glenn Morshower (Supergirl), Kel Mitchell (Kenan & Kel), Robin Atkin Downes (The Strain), Roger R. Cross (Continuum), Zoie Palmer (Lost Girl), Robert Bruce (Comic Book Men), and Brimstone (actor, radio host, author, pro wrestler).

Not only did fans enjoy meeting their favorite actors, the celebrity guests themselves were caught up in the positive energy. “It has been great. Everybody has been smiles, warm hugs, handshakes, friendly and outgoing,” Austin St. John said.

He went on to praise the cosplay crowd. “I have seen some pretty interesting cosplays – some of it, I’m sure, should not be legal. Some of it, I have to avert my eyes because there’s a lot out there,” St. John said. “Others you just wonder how many decades it took them to make the suits. It’s pretty cool.”

The events and panel schedule was packed all day each day. There were gaming competitions, events, and tutorials on Pokémon, Shadows Over Innistrad, and Magic the Gathering. Q&As with John Paragon, Austin St. John, Deep Roy, Tim Rose, Kel Mitchell, Robin Atkin Downes, Amy Jo Johnson, Johnny Yong Bosch, Denise Crosby, and Ray Park. Panels on cosplay design, PBS Hour, Gotham, Journey Through Pop Culture, and Mighty Morpin Power Rangers. They also had Geek Speed Dating.

Costume contests for adults and kids were held and cosplayers definitely brought their A-game. “The cosplay crowd is at the height of what it could be,” Cullins said. “I’ve seen a ton of Supergirl and Wonder Woman – it’s been a girl power day. There’s even an Astro Girl, one of my favorites was Velma from Scooby-Doo. It’s like going to a party while being able to go to everyone else’s party at the same time.”