In its 12th year, the NWI Comic-Con brought together revered artists, comic book creators, costume-making creatives and legions of Ghostbusters into the heart of the region.
More than 2,000 people gathered Saturday inside the Industrial Building at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point alongside 100 exhibitors, including local artists, collectible shops, comic book dealers and crafting entrepreneurs.
This year’s guests include comic book artists and writers Dan Dougherty, Frank Fosco, Gavin Smith, Hilary Barta, Jason Muhr, Maria Wolf, Stuart Sayger, Josh Blaylock and Doug Rice. The group’s work ranges from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and X-Men to Superman and Batman.
For founder Brian Grabinski, the NWI Comic-Con’s origins feel like a time and place far, far away.
“Well, when I started this in 2014, I didn’t have any gray hair,” Grabinski said. “Guardians of the Galaxy was playing in theaters. My kids were in elementary school, and they’ve now both graduated college. So it’s been a decade and two years for me. And to me, it’s an accomplishment of everyone here.”
On Sunday, Grabinski announced that this year’s event was the final NWI Comic-Con, stating, “The 2026 show was our series finale. This was the last NWI Comic-Con. All good things come to an end. We are eternally grateful for all of the friendships we made, the fan base we built, the memories we created and the great times we all had together. We had a good run. It’s now time for us to hang up our capes.”
Doug Rice, VIP NWI Comic-Con guest, discusses his work with visitors during NWI Comic-Con Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Crown Point. Rice is an Emmy-award-winning animator, writer and illustrator. (Anna Ortiz/for Post-Tribune)
The convention had outgrown multiple venues from its inception, with attendance and vendors expanding each year.
“I’ve watched it evolve over 12 years,” Grabinski said.”I’ve watched people come out of their shells and be more accepting of their fandom and find like-minded individuals to gather with. We’re not as big as the Chicago Comic-Cons, but we try to bring that same energy — a taste of everything. The importance of this event to me is seeing the community come together and have a good time. No matter if you’re 6 years old or 60, you’ll have a good time at the NWI Comic-Con.”
Cartoonist Hillary Barta, a VIP guest, began his career in the ‘70s at Marvel Comics and has since worked on franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons, Garbage Pail Kids, Heavy Metal, Creepy, Fear Agent, A-1 and The Goon. Barta said he has been a part of the NWI Comic-Con for a decade and appreciates that the event keeps artists and comic book culture at the center.
“It’s a chance to meet fans and meet people that are interested in your work and interact with people,” Barta said. “Otherwise, as an artist, you usually spend all your time alone at home working at a drawing board. And big shows, the big shows like in Chicago, they’ve just become really bloated affairs. A lot of it is about movie stars and things other than comic books. And, yes, people are selling all kinds of merchandise here, but the vast majority of this show, it seems to me, are comic book artists, people selling comic books and people selling artwork or crafts that they make themselves. And it’s more human, it’s more intimate.”
Barta still draws all of his work by hand. One of his favorite things is to do live drawing demonstrations for his work on The Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants.
“Sometimes the kids would want to come over and add to the background or do their own drawing, you know?” Barta said. “ And that was the most fun I’ve ever had, because I felt like one, it’s fun. Also, you feel like you’re an ambassador for comic books, saying, ‘Hey, this is a fun thing. You can draw it. It’s so simple. I just have a pencil like you use in school. You don’t have to know any secret language or anything. You can just sit down and draw something goofy and you can make a comic book.’”
John Avina, of Chicago, signs one of his comic books at his booth for Avina Comics during NWI Comic-Con Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Crown Point. (Anna Ortiz/for Post-Tribune)
On top of artists who have worked with DC Comics, Dark Horse, Image and Marvel, the NWI Comic-Con spotlighted local artists beginning their own fresh comic book franchises.
John Avina, of Chicago, tells the story of The Last Palatero, in which an ice cream man in the Pilsen neighborhood turns into a superhero to protect his neighborhood. Other Avina Comics characters include a mariachi man who fights monsters using a silver string guitar and a luchador wrestler on a mission.
“My mom is a mariachi singer, so I always wanted to do something that kind of incorporated that aspect of my childhood into book form,” Avina said. “So we went that way, and then we have the ‘Last Palatero on the Block,’ who fights monsters using weapons from his cart. I wanted to be able to pass down Latin mythology and stories to my own children. I wanted to be able to show them that it doesn’t matter where you come from or who you are – your legacy matters. So that’s why I created these kinds of stores.”
Avina uses his family’s Mexican restaurant as a backdrop for some of the action and draws inspiration from his childhood neighborhood. To him, the ringing of the ice cream man’s cart bell signaled the safety of his neighborhood when he was a boy.
“There was a brief moment where we saw the palateros being attacked in California and other places, and there was a bunch of people rallying behind the palatero and their local food vendors,” Avina said. “My family owns a torteria in Chicago. So for me, that was really important that we know to protect our food vendors. Proceeds from our comic book sales goes to The Immigration Project, so people who need legal aid can get it. My dad is an immigrant who came here from Mexico when he was 16 and then started his own business. He was also a soccer coach and stuff. He was able to bring his parents and his family here. So for me, that was really important because, without immigration, a lot of these smaller businesses wouldn’t have been started. So that’s a really key thing for me. It’s important that those people are protected.”
However, no superhero story is complete without a villain. Adam Farster, of Valparaiso, debuted his comic book “Beware the Rat King,” giving Northwest Indiana its own nemesis.
“The Rat King was created last year; it was sort of an ongoing joke that Northwest Indiana needed its own Godzilla,” Farster said. “So basically this is a creature that’s a giant rat, born of industrial waste and is fueled by Schoop’s hamburgers. He lives under U.S. Steel and some say he is the cause of the South Shore Line delays.”
Custom-made lightsabers are for sale at an NWI Comic-Con booth Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Crown Point. (Anna Ortiz/for Post-Tribune)
Beyond comic book creators, a plethora of crafters and creative entrepreneurs filled every aisle.
James Wulfgar has armoured intergalactic bounty hunters and armed jedis and comic book fans alike, with his shop being the largest prop shop at the event. His company, Wulfgar Props, based out of Lafayette, has supplied props for major science fiction productions and independent films. From 3-D printing, to casting, molds and sculpting work, Wulfgar’s warehouse designs replicas of helmets, armoury, weaponry and more from TV, movies, comics and fandoms.
“We’ve contributed to Ahsoka and the Mandalorian,” Wulfgar said. “We made an armour back-piece for Mandalorian and a droid blaster for Ahsoka. We’ve sold to places like Jimmy Kimmel for his prop shop. He bought a Han Solo blaster, so I assume if Harrison Ford’s ever on there, he might do some type of skit with that. We also do a lot of work with indie films from Indiana and all over the Midwest.”
Mark Hagan, president and founder of South Shore Ghostbusters, said that, like the NWI Comic-Con’s uptick in attendees, the number of area Ghostbusters has also multiplied. When they began 12 years ago, there were only five members; now there are 37 proton-pack-wielding teammates.
“Nerd culture is strong,” Hagan said. “Everyone’s enjoying the culture and just being nerdy. We all need something to have a good time with; we’re among like-minded people. (NWI Comic-Con) is the best and biggest local show, and it brings together all of NWI in a special way. ”
The South Shore Ghostbusters’ latest member, Tomas Feher, completed the team with a working replica of the Ecto-1, the famed Ghostbusters vehicle. This past year, he bought a converted 1962 Cadillac Hearse and now drives it to SouthShore Ghostbusters events and charity fundraisers.
“The way that I see it, to be honest, I’ve given this some thought,” Feher said. “This used to be a car that when it drove up to somebody’s house, it brought nothing but immense sadness. And now, when I take it out, and we go to events, like Halloween events and trunk-or-treats, it brings such joy to people to see what looks like the Ghostbusters car. And that seems like just a deeply poetic mechanism I can bring to the group.”
From left, Louis Marquez and Lori Stasinski host the cosplay contest at NWI Comic-Con Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Crown Point. (Anna Ortiz/for Post-Tribune)
Princesses, villains and superheroes alike took to the stage in cosplay contests for kids, teens and adults, in which contestants were graded on their designs, craftsmanship and showmanship.
Micah Finfrock, of Cedar Lake, performed a choreographed dance as her cosplay character, the Dalek Emperor, which won her an award for showmanship. Finrock has entered into many cosplay contests, creating costumes of Doctor Who characters, the Muppets and other fandoms.
“I love how this community celebrates cosplay for people on the spectrum,” Finrock said. “They can be themselves and have fun. That’s how I got into cosplay. This convention is my happy place, where I can really be myself, as I am a cosplayer on the autism spectrum. It felt really good to be on stage. I came up with the dance myself and practiced every day.”
Hannah Mae Speaker, of Portage, twirled on stage as Glinda from The Wizard of Oz. Speaker is a party princess for Enchanted Tales NWI, a company of performers for family events.
“I think in today’s world, there’s so much going on that we lose the magic we had as kids,” Speaker said. “This is a way of bringing some of that magic back into the world. Especially when it’s for the kids, seeing the smiles on their faces and how they light up, because to them, it’s real.”
Hayle Ray poses on stage as Harley Quinn during NWI Comic-Con Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Crown Point. Ray was chosen as one of the judges’ top three costumes. (Anna Ortiz/for Post-Tribune)
While the NWI Comic-Con has turned its final page, participants agreed it has left a lasting mark in Northwest Indiana.
“Back in 2014, I had a vision,” Grabinski said. “I wanted to bring a family-friendly, affordable comic book convention to Northwest Indiana, and I did just that. But just like that favorite comic book series you looked forward to reading every other week or that TV show you really loved to binge, the NWI Comic-Con lasted as a 12-issue run, or for 12 fantastic seasons. Thank you to everyone who supported us behind the scenes. Onward and upward as we write new chapters in our book of life.”
Anna Ortiz is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
And the winners are:
Teen Cosplay Results
Judge’s Choice:
Presley Roberts as “Rogue the Bat”
Jackson as “Peak”
Maggie McClay as “Hornet”
Showmanship – Ellie Chote as “Pomni O”
Craftsmanship – Aurora Miller as “The Marionette”
Design – Victoria Townsend as “Fizzarelli”
1st Place – Shattered Cosplays as Springtrap
2nd Place – Julie Strand as “Taph”
Best Group – Cam & Jacob as “Beavis & Butthead”
Adult Cosplay Results
Judge’s choice
Molly Silver as Keyleth of “Air Ashari”
Hayle Ray as “Harley Quinn”
Hallie as “Kokoshibo”
Showmanship – Micah Finfrock as “Dalek Emperor”
Craftsmanship – Lindsay Parpart as “Orym”
Design – Jo as “Sailor Chicago”
1st Place – Maggie Schepmann as “Kleya Marki”
2nd Place – Knitwit18 as “American Dragon”
Best Group – Lee, Rachel, Snow, and Victoria as the “Tim Burton Group”
Best in Con
Best in Convention Individual – Anna Nichols as “Monkie King”
Best in Convention Runner Up – Skunk Boi as “Isabelle”
Best in Convention Group – Gaby, Lexie and Quinn as “Mighty Nein”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/nwi-comic-con-ends-tradition-after-12-years/
