RALEIGH, N.C. -- Comic book and superhero lovers in North Carolina have a place to celebrate for the weekend.

The Oak City ComiCon features memorabilia, art and comics from across the country at the Raleigh Convention Center. Hundreds came during the first day on Saturday, with many of them dressed up as their favorite comic book characters.

The event has grown every year and the organizers and attendees both say there's a reason why the popularity of cons like this is growing.

"You walk around and go into any of these aisles and you see people smiling and having a great time," said Brockton McKinney with the Oak City ComiCon. "Their introducing their kids to this stuff and bringing them in there. They're introducing grandmas to this stuff and bringing them in there. It's a fantastic community."

​"A lot of people before, to be into this stuff, you'd be called weird or something like that, but everybody nowadays has something that they nerd out about," added attendee Kim Galloway. "Something that they are excited about. Whether it's Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, DC, whatever. Here, everybody can come together and celebrate it."​

The convention features guests such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creator Kevin Eastman, former heavyweight boxer Buster Douglas, and actor Orlando Jones. There will be a sequel con, the Bull City ComiCon, taking place in November.

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