COSMIC EVENTS
Comic Conventions, Events, and Appearances in 2026
Central Florida Comic Con | January 17-18
Shadow Con | March 14
Collective Con | March 27-29
Tampa Bay Toy & Comic Expo | May 16
Mandel Fan Fest | May 23
Heroes Convention | June 12-14
Infinity Con | July 11-12
Tanoshii con | August 22-23
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HEROES CONVENTION
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 12-14, 2026
Heroes Convention was founded in 1982 by Shelton Drum, owner of Charlotte’s Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find comics shop. Since then the convention has become famous for its comics-first and family-friendly atmosphere, where fans can mingle directly with professionals and exhibitors. Boasting an incredible guest list built mainly on reputation and goodwill, HeroesCon is known nationwide as a “must” on the summer schedule, drawing fans, exhibitors, and creators from every region of the country to the Charlotte Convention Center.
Unlike many modern conventions that focus heavily on TV and film celebrities, HeroesCon maintains a strict “comics-first” philosophy, emphasizing artists, writers, and the comic book medium itself. Guests this year include – Roy Thomas, Jeff Dekal, Mark Bagley, Don Rosa, Jeff Lemire, Chris Claremont, Ann Nocenti, Michael Golden, Stephanie Williams, and so many more!
Location:
CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER
501 S. College St. Charlotte, NC 28202
Booth & Panel Information:
Cosmic Times Publisher Martin T. Pierro can be found at AA-1487 all weekend.
Additional Information:
Titles Available at Heroes Con
Arthur: The Legend Continues Volume I & II
From Blood
Takedown
Turbocharged Teenager
and
Void of Heroes
CHECK OUT PREVIOUS HEROES CON PHOTOS
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INFINITY CON
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - JULY 11-12, 2026
Infinity Con focuses on artists and creators of major and independent comic books, video & tabletop gaming, anime, with events & entertainment for all ages scheduled throughout the weekend. Infinity Con creates a place where attendees can shop, learn, be entertained, and come together to celebrate the pop culture they love. Their goal is to entertain & inspire dreamers and creators of all ages!
We have been attending Infinity Con since 2016 and look forward to this multifaceted convention every year. Show promoter David Heringer works hard behind the scenes year round to create an event that checks all the boxes and still goes for more. He is looking to evolve Infinity Con into more of an interactive experience as opposed to a passive one. We are beyond excited to see what this year has to offer.
Location:
DONALD L TUCKER CIVIC CENTER
505 W Pensacola St, Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Booth & Panel Information:
COMING SOON
Additional Information:
COMING SOON
CHECK OUT PREVIOUS INFINITY CON PHOTOS
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TANOSHII CON
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22-23, 2026
Tanoshii Con is the ultimate All-Fandom convention! Whether you’re a fan of anime, comics, horror, steampunk, fantasy, sci-fi, or anything in between, Tanoshii Con has something for you.
Tanoshii Con is designed to be affordable, inclusive, and exciting, offering attendees the opportunity to meet celebrity guests, actors, voice actors, artists, and vendors while celebrating their favorite fandoms in one place. Tanoshii Con is a full-scale convention experience. They prioritize supporting small businesses, artists, and vendors, while keeping pricing accessible for both participants and attendees. Backed by years of successful event planning, Tanoshii Con delivers a professional, high-quality convention that truly stands apart.
Location:
OCEAN CENTER
101 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, Florida 32118
Booth & Panel Information:
COMING SOON
Additional Information:
COMING SOON
CHECK OUT PREVIOUS TANOSHII CON PHOTOS
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PREVIOUS 2026 EVENTS
CENTRAL FLORIDA COMIC CON
LAKELAND, FLORIDA - JANUARY 17-18, 2026
The 2026 Central Florida Comic Con was nothing short of phenomenal, the perfect way to kick off the convention season. We met so many awesome people and reconnected with some incredible cosmic-fans who have been following us for years. Every interaction and conversation reminded us why we do what we do. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, picked up a book, shared kind words, or simply took a moment to connect – you … you are truly COSMIC!
Huge thanks as well to the incredible Central Florida Comic Con staff and organizers (especially Ben, Katie, & Lan) for running such a professional, welcoming, and creator-friendly event. We’re honored to have been part of such an outstanding show for these last few yeas and can’t wait to come back in 2027!
CENTRAL FLORIDA COMIC CON 2026 PHOTO GALLERY
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CENTRAL FLORIDA COMIC CON 2026 SHORTS
SHADOW CON
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 14, 2026
Shadow Con in Orlando was hosted by Tom “The ConFather” Raupp, who understands comics and what makes a great show. He put together a true comic convention, one focused squarely on comic books.
The room was packed with incredible vendors offering comics from every era, and the guest list was stacked with some of the best indie creators working today – including Steve Conley, John Beatty, Pat Broderick, Kyle Willis, Roland Mann, Thomas Florimonte, Javier Lugo, Marcus Roberts, Bill Black, and many more. The atmosphere had a great buzz all day long, with plenty of fun conversations about comics and the industry.
What made Shadow Con especially enjoyable was how relaxed everything felt. It wasn’t a high-stress convention—things ran smoothly and the overall vibe was low-key. It was a fantastic experience, and our Publisher Martin T. Pierro was truly honored to be invited.
SHADOW CON 2026 PHOTO GALLERY
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SHADOW CON 2026 SHORTS
COLLECTIVE CON
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - MARCH 27-29, 2026
The amazing Collective Con in Jacksonville is always a favorite stop on our convention tour! We met so many awesome comic book fans, it was a fantastic event filled with excitement and inspiration. Guests this year were top-notch and included Peter Raymundo (Disney Animator), Larry Watts (Turbocharged Teenager), Ivanna Sakhno (Star Wars), Clay Mann (Absolute Batman), Alan Tudyk (Firefly), Graham Nolan (Bane), Matthew Wood (LucasFilm), Troy Baker (Naruto), Andrew Robinson (Absolute Martian Manhunter) Noel Wells (Star Trek), and many more! We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the Cosmic Booth. We’re already looking forward to next year and can’t wait to see you all again!
COLLECTIVE CON 2026 PHOTO GALLERY
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COLLECTIVE CON 2026 SHORTS
TAMPA BAY TOY & COMIC EXPO
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MAY 16, 2026
The Tampa Bay Toy & Comic Expo was a one day shindig in Tampa, Florida. It was a tight room packed with vendors, cosplayers, and guests … along with a pretty cool Transformers display. The show had a decent turnout (especially early in the day), show runner Barry Mazzoni felt good about the numbers. Next to us was a fellow who we often find ourselves partnered with at these shows – Roland Mann (representing SilverLine). Around us were fellow creators Marcus Roberts & good buddy Javier Lugo. Other notable names were Jeff Whiting, Pat Broderick, Joe Doyle, and Maria DeVivo. Of course no convention would be complete without seeing the Confather (Tom Raupp) who finally tracked down an elusive comic for Martin … the Marvel comics adaption of the musical Xanadu.
TAMPA BAY TOY & COMIC EXPO 2026 PHOTO GALLERY
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TAMPA BAY TOY & COMIC EXPO 2026 SHORTS
MANDEL FAN FEST
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MAY 23, 2026
This past May 23rd, we had the pleasure of attending a locally focused community driven event – The Mandel Fan Fest! This was a single day event hosted by longtime friend (and mega talented artist) Erick Marquez at his home base the beautiful Mandel Public Library in downtown West Palm Beach, FL. He pulled together an amazing gathering of vendors, guests, presenters, and fan groups that touched on every aspect of nerdom. After a fun day of fandom a group of guests gathered at a local restaurant called Grease, Cosmic Times publisher Martin Pierro, author Heidi Hess, along with comic creators Matt Knowles and Andrea Molinari worked to solve the problems with the comic industry.
Did they? Time will tell.
