THUNDER BAY — Organizers of ThunderCon, billed as the city's premiere fan convention, expect to announce replacements in the near future for two high-profile guests who recently cancelled their appearances.
Jim Starlin, an artist both for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, pulled out for personal reasons.
Nana Visitor, the actress known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has cancelled because of filming commitments.
Organizers of the Oct. 27 and 28 event at the Valhalla Inn said both stars have expressed their regrets.
Unexpected lineup changes "happen to all 'cons' but when you're small, you just feel it a little bit more" than larger fan conventions, said spokesperson Heather Dickson.
However, the two stars' respective agents have worked to arrange replacements.
"We actually have some other guests lined up. We're just waiting for the contracts to be finalized," Dickson said.
She expects fans will welcome the substitutes, but believes that for many attendees, ThunderCon is "more about the experience. I mean, the guests are gravy. They're so much fun to meet. For us, it's just the community coming together and having a great weekend."
Attendance at last year's event surpassed 4,600.
Ticket sales have doubled every year since the inception of ThunderCon in 2015.
They can be purchased online at www.thundercon.org. Weekend passes, single-day tickets, and children's and family rates are available.
According to Dickson, ticket sales are strong.
"I'm really impressed with our fan community. They've been really supportive of us this year. It's really encouraging," she said.
