2022 Comicpalooza kicks off in downtown Houston

Downtown Houston will be buzzing over the weekend as Comicpalooza kicked off Friday with a bash.

Organizers say the event is expected to bring in 48,000 people over the weekend, covering everything from pop-culture form dueling robots, to decked out cars, and cosplay. 

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"I think Comicpalooza draws to everyone," says Norma Diaz with Comicpalooza.

There will be a variety of special attractions including new this year, Robotica: A Robotics Experience which will host intense battle bot tournaments in the U.S. Navy Battle Zone, featuring robots as big as 250 pounds and as small as 150 grams. 

Organizers also say, returning bigger this year, the Itasha Showdown, will display more amazing anime and pop-culture themed cars.

There will also be celebrity guest appearances by Terry Crews and Alice Cooper, just to name a few. And comic book creators Hailey Brown, Jock, Rags Morales, and Stephanie Phillips.

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The Cosplay Contest on Saturday will be a big draw, displaying unique, hand-crafted costumes and props based on favorite characters. The Kid’s Cosplay Contest will take place on Sunday, July 17. 

"I think 10 years ago, it was kind of a subculture. I think what you are beginning to see are becoming mainstream," says Eric Cambbel, Vendor.

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