10 not-to-miss celebrities at Lexington Comic Con and the price for a pic with them
Now officially entering its teenage years as a go-to Kentucky pop culture convention, the 13th Lexington Comic & Toy Convention has developed a solid approach that keeps attendees coming back year after year, according to event organizer Catrina Hencye.
“New geeks. Old geeks. Kids. Adults….I want the whole family to come and know there is something for everybody,” she said.
Hencye knows one of the event’s biggest draws is the chance to meet some of the biggest stars and cast reunions from popular franchises and beloved cult classics and give them the best environment and hospitality to help encourage the best fan interactions.
“They say don’t meet your heroes, but I try to make sure when you get to meet your heroes, it’s worth it,” Hencye said.
Celebs coming to Lexington Comic Con
Here is a list and guide of 10 of the best celebrities coming and creating the most excitement for this year’s Comic Con.
Turtle Power! Comes to Lexington with a TMNT reunion
This year, fans will be screaming “Cowabunga!” when Cam Clarke (Leonardo), Townsend Coleman (Michelangelo), Barry Gordon (Donatello), Rob Paulsen (Raphael) and Renae Jacobs (April O’Neil) from the 1980s-90s animated cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles come to this year’s Lexington Comic Con.
“We have all four turtles,” Hencye said excitedly. “When they came up on our list that they were all four available, you know…it didn’t even cross my mind to say that we shouldn’t take them. It was an immediate ‘Yes, we want all four.’”
Group photo op price: $190 for all five
William Shatner: Captain James T. Kirk from ‘Star Trek’
At age 93, the final frontier of iconic actor William Shatner’s career seems to be making as many appearances at conventions and interacting with fans as his schedule allows when he’s not working on other projects. This will be Shatner’s first time returning to the Lexington convention in more than a decade, making it a rare treat for fans of the beloved sci-fi franchise.
“When you say ‘Star Trek,’ in your mind, you either see Leonard Nimoy or William Shatner,” Hencye said. “He’s somebody you can’t bring every year, so you work it out to where you bring him every few years.”
Photo op price: $150
Cast members of ‘Twilight’: Popular vampire romance franchise
A worldwide literary sensation by author Stephenie Meyer that turned into a blockbuster movie franchise, “Twilight” made stars out of actors Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan) and Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen) and their human-meets-vampire love story while also introducing a secret supernatural world with families of vampires and werewolves.
This year, several of the Cullen Clan will be in town to interact with fans, including Jackson Rathbone (Jasper), Maggie Grace (Irina), Kellan Lutz (Emmett), Ashley Greene (Alice) and Peter Facinelli (Carlisle).
Hencye expects die-hard fans and those who “hated it and loved it at the same time” to be equally thrilled.
“It’s still huge,” she said. “You announce the reunion is coming and people say, ‘Oh my gosh…I forgot how much I loved it.’”
Group photo op price: $440 for all five
Danny Trejo: star of ‘Machete’ and prolific actor
An actor whose combination of frequent on-screen appearances and an unforgettable voice and physical appearance, Danny Trejo has already pleased fans in the Central Bank Center previously as a celebrity guest for the annual ScareFest Horror and Paranormal Convention in Lexington. Now, as a guest for Comic Con, Hencye expects plenty of crossover for the popular actor.
“Danny Trejo is one of those universal guys,” she said. “He’s done so many projects that you would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know who he is and hasn’t seen and liked him in something.”
Photo op price: $90
David Boreanaz: star of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ ‘Angel’ and ‘Bones’
The WB television network (now the CW) was rarely as popular as it was when it had the hit TV show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” On that show, David Boreanaz played a vampiric private eye named Angel, and the character was so popular that he warranted his own spin-off (“Angel”).
Between his role in the Buffy universe and his long run as a homicide investigator on the popular FOX series “Bones,” there is plenty of buzz around the upcoming appearance of this crowd-pleasing TV actor.
Photo op price: $140 (almost sold-out)
Felicia Day: Actress and host of ‘Critical Role’
Felicia Day initially got widespread attention on screen in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (Vi), “Supernatural” (Charlie Bradbury) and in the cheerleading film franchise entry “Bring It On Again” (Penelope Hope). However, it’s been her contributions on much smaller screens that have gotten her the most adoration in the world of geek and gamer culture, whether it’s as the creator and star of the “Dungeons & Dragons” web series “The Guild” and as the founder of the Geek & Sundry online media company where she hosted the show “Critical Role.”
In April 2017, she began appearing as Kinga Forrester in the cult favorite, “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”
“Before Felicia, people didn’t see women as nerds in a good way,” Hencye said. “She really opened a lot of people’s eyes to that.”
Photo op price: $70
The Hardy Boyz: Legendary WWE/TNA Tag Team Wrestlers
Lexington Comic Con regularly brings celebrities from the screen and the ring to Central Kentucky, and this year is no exception. Known for their high-flying and often extremely risky reputation, Matt and Jeff Hardy a.k.a. The Hardy Boyz are not only among the biggest draws for wrestling fans and are still active in the ring today (they recently appeared on both TNA and WWE’s NXT), they are doing something extra for fans.
In addition to doing the usual meet-and-greet with fans, the Hardy Boyz will have what they have dubbed a Hardy Party at 8 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the Patterson Ballroom in the Hyatt Regency ($60). There, fans will get to sit on a one-hour live podcast from Jeff, followed by a 60-minute musical performance from Matt.
Group photo op price: $155 for both
Jason Isaacs: Lucious Malfoy from the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise
Even though he is arguably most recognizable as the villainous Lucious Malfoy from the “Harry Potter” franchise, British actor Jason Isaacs has spell-bound viewers for decades in a variety of roles, whether he was acting opposite Mel Gibson in the Revolutionary War drama “The Patriot” as Colonel William Tavington or piloting the Star Trek: Discovery as Captain Gabriel Lorca.
Currently, he can be seen as a lead character in the popular Max original series “White Lotus” and, according to Hencye, he is catching an overnight flight just to make his appearance.
“He’s someone who is very appreciative of his fans, and that’s an amazing quality,” she said.
Photo op price: $105 (almost sold-out)
Garrett Dilahunt: Versatile actor and star of ‘Raising Hope’
The only thing more wide-ranging than Garrett Dillahunt’s IMDb page is the roles he has taken on over the course of his career. He’s appeared in Academy Award-winning films like “No Country for Old Men” and “12 Years a Slave.” He has roamed the Wild West in the prestigious HBO drama “Deadwood” (Francis Wilcott) and braved a zombie apocalypse in “Fear The Walking Dead” (John Dorie).
However, most of people may recognize Dillahunt from arguably his silliest role as Burt Chance on the FOX sitcom “Raising Hope.“
Photo op price: $70
Dermot Mulroney: Heartthrob actor, current star of NBC’s ‘Chicago Med/Fire/P.D.’
It’s safe to say that actor Dermot Mulroney has the biggest chance of attracting the female demographic to Lexington Comic Con.
“I think all the ladies on our fanbase lost it when they saw him,” Hencye said.
After bursting onto the radar as Dirty Steve Stephens in 1988’s “Young Guns,” Mulroney has stayed busy throughout an almost four-decade career, including memorable rom-coms like 1997’s “My Best Friend’s Wedding” opposite Julia Roberts or in horror franchises like 2015’s “Insidious: Chapter 3.”
More recently, Mulroney appeared in “Scream VI” (2023) and is now a part of NBC’s popular “Chicago” dramas (“Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.”) as Battalion Chief Dominick “Dom” Pascal.
Photo op price: $75
Lexington Comic and Toy Convention 2025
When: 6-10 p.m. Thursday, March 6; Noon-8 p.m. Friday, March 7; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, March 8; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, March 9.
Where: Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St.
Tickets: $24.99-$275; Kids 10 and under are free for all days
Online: lexingtoncomiccon.com