HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — You may have noticed some of your favorite video game or movie characters like Mario or Joker downtown this weekend. That's because Huntsville's Annual Comic and Pop Culture Expo featuring cosplay contests, special celebrity guests, and more is back .
Andre Cook, dressed as a Star Trek officer, explained that this expo is an event he takes time to enjoy with his family. "There's not a lot of people that actually do cosplay basically sometimes because of the fear to do it. That being, that we may not fit in and like, I urge people, you know, no matter who you are, what color your skin is to try to get out, try it, do it, have fun."
Andre's daughter Justice came dressed as Freddy Fazbear from "Five Night's at Freddy's." "So I started to make my hat when I was nine," said the 11-year-old. "I use, like, newspaper and then I use a bunch of tissue. And what you do is you combine that together. It made me feel inspired. I feel like I want to cosplay more and explore more."
River Traweek is dressed in his own custom rendition of a character from the Assassin's Creed video game series. "He is the first member of his family to actually take up the remnants of the creed."
For Traweek this expo is all about having a like minded tribe and community. "My friend over there, he's another assassin. I don't know the dude very personally. I met him at an anime fest last year, and here we are, riding to Huntsville, Alabama. It's just one big happy family - who doesn't love being part of a family?"
Special guests like actors George Takei from "Star Trek" and Oscar Nunez from "The Office" were also in attendance. "Home Improvement" co-star Richard Karn and "Courage the Cowardly Dog" voice actor Marty Grabstein, along with returning guest Mark-Paul Gosselaar from "Saved by the Bell," also mark this weekend's lineup.