EIU Comic Fest

 

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EIU Comic Fest 2025 logo designed by logo contest winner Enoch Narh-Korley

Thank You Everyone for a fantastic event! We had 1,300 attendees throughout the day! We hope you had a fantastic time, and we're looking forward to seeing you in 2026!


10 AM to 4 PM, Saturday, September 27, 2025


Booth Library at Eastern Illinois University is hosting the EIU Comic Fest 2025! This event is FREE and open to the public. See the schedule below and click on event titles for more information. There is also additional information on the Featured Speakers, Artists Alley, Exhibits, Sponsors and Directions and Parking pages.The first 200 attendees get a FREE complimentary tote bag full of goodies!

We are very excited to have as our special guests two EIU alums, Hollywood Screenwriter Craig Titley and Mortal Kombat Artist Paul Niemeyer! We are also featuring multiple breakout sessions on the history of comics, graphic novels, cosplaying, and several Kahoot trivia games!

Additionally, we are hosting several tournaments and a cosplay costume contest! For more information and to register to participate in these FREE events, see the Costume Guidelines & Cosplay Contest, Magic: The Gathering Tournament, and E-Sport Tournament pages.

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Schedule
2025
Saturday, September 27th
9:55 AM

Information and Welcome Table

EIU Comic Fest

Marvin Foyer

9:55 AM - 4:00 PM

10:00 AM

Anime Lounge: SPIRITED AWAY (2 hours, 5 minutes)

EIU Comic Fest

East Bridge Lounge

10:00 AM - 12:05 PM

10:00 AM

Artists Alley

EIU Comic Fest

West Reading Room, South

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

10:00 AM

Breakout Session: 3D Printing: Make Fantasy a Reality

R J. Vanderwerf

Center for Student Innovation (CSI)

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

10:00 AM

Breakout Session: Great Caesar's Ghost: Superhero Comics in Historical Perspective

Dan Hagen

Witter's Conference Room (4440 Booth Library)

10:00 AM - 10:55 AM

10:00 AM

Cosplay Central: Disney Meetups

Lea Houpt

Atrium, East End

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

10:00 AM

Cosplay Costume Contest (Registrants): Meet the Judges

Becky Castillo, CIL-CON
Star, Experienced Cosplayer
Megan Wells, Director of Procurement

Room 1116

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

10:00 AM

Decompression Chamber

EIU Comic Fest

West Bridge Lounge

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

10:00 AM

Escape Room

Kirstin Duffin, Spirit Guide
Heather Wohltman, Oracle

The Lair of Dr. Chaos in the Edgar Room

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

10:00 AM

For Kids! Make It and Take It Activities

EIU Comic Fest

Ballenger Teacher Center

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

10:00 AM

Jill's Pop-Up Portraits

Jill Boeser

Collaboration Commons

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

10:00 AM

Kahoot Trivia: Marvel Comics & Movies

Jedi Master Patterson
Sith Lord Darth Bruns

West Reading Room, North

10:00 AM - 10:25 AM

10:00 AM

Magic: The Gathering Tournament - Registration & Setup

Bryce Eubanks, Cosmic Games
Riley Eubanks, Cosmic Games

Gamers Guild Hall - Atrium West End

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

10:00 AM

Student Challenge: SMASH BROS E-Sport Tournament (Registration)

Austin Perez Ackerman, E-Sport RSO
Ian McCormack, E-Sport RSO Advisor

Champion's Den in the E-Classroom (Rm 4450)

10:00 AM - 10:55 AM

10:30 AM

Keynote: The Art and Science of Storytelling: How to Shape Your Ideas to Stand Out in the Modern Age of Mass Media and Entertainment

Craig Titley

West Reading Room, North

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

11:00 AM

Artists Alley

EIU Comic Fest

West Reading Room, South

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11:00 AM

Breakout Session: Transforming Feminist Motherhood through Graphic Imagery

Jeannie Ludlow

Witter's Conference Room (4440 Booth Library)

11:00 AM - 11:55 AM

11:00 AM

Breakout Session: Using Comic Books In The ELA Classroom

Allison Nichols

Center for Student Innovation (CSI)

11:00 AM - 11:55 AM

11:00 AM

Cosplay Central: Anime/Manga Meetup

Lea Houpt

Atrium, East End

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

11:00 AM

Escape Room

Kirstin Duffin, Spirit Guide
Heather Wohltman, Oracle

The Lair of Dr. Chaos in the Edgar Room

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

11:00 AM

For Kids! Make It and Take It Activities

EIU Comic Fest

Ballenger Teacher Center

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

11:00 AM

Magic: The Gathering Tournament (Round 1)

Bryce Eubanks, Cosmic Games
Riley Eubanks, Cosmic Games

Gamers Guild Hall - Atrium West End

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

11:00 AM

Student Challenge: SMASH BROS E-Sport Tournament

Austin Perez, E-Sport RSO
Ian McCormack, E-Sport RSO Advisor

Champion's Den in the E-Classroom (Rm 4450)

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

12:00 PM

Artists Alley

EIU Comic Fest

West Reading Room, South

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

12:00 PM

Breakout Session: A Beginners Guide To Independent Feature Filmmaking In 2025

Damien LeVeck

Witter's Conference Room (4440 Booth Library)

12:00 PM - 12:55 PM

12:00 PM

Cosplay Central: Video Games Meetup

Lea Houpt

Atrium, East End

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

12:00 PM

Escape Room

Kirstin Duffin, Spirit Guide
Heather Wohltman, Oracle

The Lair of Dr. Chaos in the Edgar Room

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

12:00 PM

For Kids! Make It and Take It Activities

EIU Comic Fest

Ballenger Teacher Center

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

12:00 PM

SciFi 3-Person Team Kahoot Trivia!

Jedi Master Patterson
Sith Lord Darth Bruns

West Reading Room, North

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

12:15 PM

Anime Lounge: YOUR NAME (2 hours. 2 minutes)

EIU Comic Fest

East Bridge Lounge

12:15 PM - 2:20 PM

12:30 PM

Cosplay Costume Contest (Registrants): Pre-Contest Line-Up

Lea Houpt

Microfilms Space, North of CSI

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

1:00 PM

Cosplay Costume Contest

Lea Houpt, MC
Becky Castillo, CIL-CON and Contest Judge
Star, Experienced Cosplayer and Contest Judge
Megan Wells, EIU Administrator and Contest Judge

Cosplay Central, Atrium East End

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

2:00 PM

Artists Alley

EIU Comic Fest

West Reading Room, South

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

2:00 PM

Breakout Session: A Brief History (and Future) of Insanity: How The Entertainment Business Works

Luke Ryan

Witter's Conference Room (4440 Booth Library)

2:00 PM - 2:55 PM

2:00 PM

Breakout Session: Mugiwara Mayhem: The Strawhat Podcast Experience

dweeb.cos, Lea Houpt
fawnberry.cos, Kai Zamora
strawberry.cos7, Nina Zamora
king_d_pirates56, Luke
strokeofstarlight, Star
macncheeseycosplay, Mac

Center for Student Innovation (CSI)

2:00 PM - 2:55 PM

2:00 PM

Escape Room

Kirstin Duffin, Spirit Guide
Heather Wohltman, Oracle

The Lair of Dr. Chaos in the Edgar Room

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

2:00 PM

For Kids! Make It and Take It Activities

EIU Comic Fest

Ballenger Teacher Center

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

2:00 PM

Kahoot Trivia: DC Comics & Movies

Jedi Master Patterson
Sith Lord Darth Bruns

West Reading Room, North

2:00 PM - 2:25 PM

2:00 PM

Magic: The Gathering Tournament (Round 2)

Bryce Eubanks, Cosmic Games
Riley Eubanks, Cosmic Games

Gamers Guild Hall - Atrium West End

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

2:25 PM

Super Hero Raffle!

Todd Bruns

West Reading Room, North

2:25 PM - 2:35 PM

2:30 PM

Anime Lounge: MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1 hour, 26 minutes)

EIU Comic Fest

East Bridge Lounge

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

2:30 PM

Keynote: "A long, long time ago, at a video game company not far, far away..."

Paul Niemeyer

West Reading Room, North

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

3:00 PM

Artists Alley

EIU Comic Fest

West Reading Room, South

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

3:00 PM

Breakout Session: From the Star Wars Galaxy to the Marvel Universe: Writing (and Playing) in the Big Franchise Sandboxes.

Craig Titley

Witter's Conference Room (4440 Booth Library)

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

3:00 PM

Breakout Session: Wanna Play Right Now? Dungeons and Dragons (and other Tabletop Role-Playing Games)

Jon Coit, Eastern Illinois University

Center for Student Innovation (CSI)

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

3:00 PM

Cosplay Central: DC/Marvel/SciFi Meetup

Lea Houpt

Atrium, East End

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

3:00 PM

Escape Room

Kirstin Duffin, Spirit Guide
Heather Wohltman, Oracle

The Lair of Dr. Chaos in the Edgar Room

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

3:00 PM

For Kids! Make It and Take It Stations

EIU Comic Fest

Ballenger Teacher Center

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

4:00 PM

Frisbee Melee (weather permitting)

Residence Hall Association
Alexandra Bradley, RHA
Jack Burton, RHA
Mikey Hanania, RHA

Library Quad

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM