They’re Taking the Hobbits to Planet Comicon

April 2, 2026

Sean Astin and Elijah Wood at Planet Comicon in Kansas City. Photo by Josh Chaikin

What do Iron Maiden, Corey Taylor, the 1990’s Kansas City Chiefs, and the stars of Lord of the Rings have in common? Normally very little, unless you happened to be in Kansas City March 27th – 29th. Those were just some of the guests that Planet Comicon played host to in 2026.

Starting in 1999, filling a small section of the Overland Park International Trade Center, over the years Planet Comicon has grown to one of the nation’s largest and longest-running comic book and pop culture
events bringing in attendees from across the country, and it is easy to see why.

What started as an event where fans could browse for rare comic books, and hopefully find that one trading card they were missing in their collection has morphed into an event that truly celebrates all fandoms. Fan of Lord of the Rings? We have two Hobbits and a Dwarf. More of a heavy metal fan? Corey Taylor and Bruce Dickinson were there. Sports fan? Two former Kansas City Chiefs (Deron Cherry, and Neil Smith) were on-hand to take photos, sign autographs, and record an episode of The Chiefs Zone Podcast. What if you’re a fan of theatre? Well…Tony winner Christian Borle was on hand as well, along with several of his castmates from Hazbin Hotel.

Of course, there is so much more to conventions than meeting your favorite celebrities. There are plenty of opportunities to meet with Cosplayers dressed as your favorite characters, or maybe even dress up yourself. Walking around the floor, it is not uncommon to see one person in costume call out another in costume. The roleplay that follows is fun for all.

Are you a fan of tabletop gaming? There’s a room for that. eSports? There’s a competition. Plus talks on everything from applying makeup, to recording a podcast. And of course all the panel discussions from the celebrities in attendance.

There truly is something for everyone at Planet Comicon, it’s easy to see why people return year after year for a weekend of geekdom. Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes.