Some timely additions have been made to next month’s Cottage CountryCon line-up.
Organizer Carmine De Santo was excited to announce Jim Starlin, creator of the Marvel villain Thanos, will be a featured guest at the June 23-24 event at Rotary Place in Orillia.
The Avengers is “a very hot topic” right now, De Santo said, especially with the recent release of Infinity War, which broke box office records.
Keeping current, De Santo also managed to book Jackson Bostwick, who played Captain Marvel in the 1970s TV series Shazam! It’s current because a new Shazam! movie is scheduled for release next year.
Leonard Kirk, an artist who can include Black Panther on his resume, will also be in attendance.
While these artists and movies are popular at this time, De Santo is also catering to the nostalgic.
Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on The Munsters, is coming to town, and the Munster Koach vehicle is coming with him.
“I’m trying to go after all generations,” De Santo said.
There has been an addition to the wrestling line-up, too. Joining former WWE stars Tito Santana and Brutus “the Barber” Beefcake will be Nikolai Volkoff, a wrestler fans loved to hate.
There will be live wrestling both days of the event.
There will be plenty of attractions for visitors, but a local charity will also benefit. Bob Camp, creator of Ren and Stimpy, has done a an illustration that shows those wacky title characters in Orillia. It will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
“I’m all about giving back to the community and I’m a huge animal lover,” said De Santo.
Some local businesses are also getting on board. Pet Valu will have a “pet super hero day” in advance of the event. Pizzaville is involved (think Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their penchant for the pie). And, the Mac Lang car dealership will show off some vehicles with super hero wrap.
“I’m happy the community is getting involved,” De Santo said.
He had previously announced a life-size Transformers truck would be on display, along with other popular vehicles. He has added to that attraction as well — a truck from Jurassic Park and a replica of “the Baby,” the car from Supernatural.
De Santo said this year’s event, compared to others, is like “night and day.”
“Last year, I only had two headliners. This year, I have a lot,” he said. “It’s going to be a good crowd.”
He is working on securing the attendance of another guest — “a big one” — but he can’t say who it is, other than he’s a TV actor.
Keep up with the latest news about Cottage CountryCon at cottagecountrycomiccon.com, where tickets can be purchased, and follow along on the event’s Facebook page.
