By: Charity Meier | Novi Note | Published April 22, 2026
NOVI — There is something for everyone and then some at the Motor City Comic Con.
The show offers opportunities and experiences for fans of pop culture — so much so that there is always a hidden gem that one has yet to partake in.
The biannual convention is best known for bringing in top-tier celebrities and comic creators, and the spring show scheduled for May 15-17 at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave. in Novi, will not disappoint.
Comic fans have a special treat this year, as two major comic writers will be making an appearance at the show. Scott Snyder, best known for Batman and Absolute Batman, and Stephanie Phillips, best known for Daredevil, will be at MC3.
“Scott Snyder is perhaps the biggest one. He’s doing what’s called Absolute Batman, which people are so excited about that they can’t get enough,” said show manager Beth Burland.
Fans of the two writers will have the opportunity to attend a special premium panel from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 16. The premium panel will run fans an additional $100 to attend the panel discussion and Q&A segment, but they will receive three autographs of their choosing, a selfie with the writers, and two exclusive posters — one from Absolute Batman and the other from Daredevil.
“If you went up to (Snyder’s) table and have him sign something, it’s $50, so basically you’re getting three signatures for $100. Where if you were to get those three signatures at his table, it would be $150, plus you’re getting the posters and you’re getting the selfie, so you’re getting quite a bit for your $100,” said Burland.
The con will also bring celebrity pairings back in droves.
“We try to do a variety of genres,” Burland said. “So, you can see we have a couple people who are voice actors, some people who are anime, some people who are from different universes, ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Star Trek.’”
A trio of leaders of the U.S.S. Enterprise will land at the convention this year; Capt. Kirk (William Shatner), Cmdr. William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner) will be making appearances along with some other Star Trek friends.
Show manager Abby Globke said that group appearances are really liked by the fans, as they are a win-win.
“I’ve noticed too that when we announce somebody that we’ll get comments like … ‘Oh, you can add another name to your shield,’” said Globke. “So, when you bring in a group like that, they can knock out several people in one show instead of having to pay to get to all these conventions.”
Stars of the hit show “Dallas” will also reunite at MC3, including Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray.
“We want our show to be something that all ages will come to,” said Burland, “not just one specific age bracket.”
Some of the other fandoms represented at the May show include “Teen Wolf,” “iCarly,” and “The Boys.”
The show will also offer some new attractions for fans, including a wrestling tournament. Wrestlers from Pure Pro Wrestling will be battling it out live in five shows throughout the weekend.
“So, they’ll have a ring and the fancy lights and they’ll actually be wrestling in the ring,” Globke said.
Burland said that they are really hoping fans take advantage of the shows.
“We have always brought wrestling celebrities into the show, because the fans really do like the wrestlers, and so we thought let’s expand on that. Let’s not just bring some wrestlers in to do autographs and photographs. Let’s actually bring some wrestling in,” Burland said.
Tickets to the wrestling shows are in addition to general MC3 admission. The cost varies depending on the time of day. Wrestling shows will take place once on Friday evening, three times on Saturday, and twice on Sunday.
Globke said that she feels the upstairs area maybe doesn’t get as much attention, but it also has a lot to offer fans.
One of the things that is located upstairs is the kids room, which will have a variety of activities for children throughout the weekend. This year, the Therapeutic Lego Users group will be making a Lego version of Pinewood Derby cars with the kids. The kids will each be given a chassis and Legos to build a car and then race them against each other. The children can then purchase their cars for $10. The Lego group will also be available on the main floor building Lego displays focused on the celebrities who are attending the event.
Burland said that she feels Rough Magic games, which made its debut last spring and will be returning for this event, is another hidden gem. The organization does a variety of tabletop gaming such as Dungeons & Dragons. Attendees can play games from early in the morning until late at night throughout the show.
“I wouldn’t say that any of these things are overlooked. They are just off of the main show floor path,” Burland said.
The kids room is upstairs, and the gaming takes place in a separate room off to the side of the main floor.
Another group that is a little farther away from the main show floor is a group called “You are a Voice Actor.” The group brings a sound booth. Show attendees can record a couple of lines of a script in the booth and have it edited with music by the group for a fee of $5 per line up to two lines.
“Then we have a booth called New Dawn Kyber Squad, and they do shows showing you different moves that you do with your LED saber, and you can join a class to learn how to do moves with the sabers,” Burland said.
Daily passes for the show range from $38 to $53 for adults, depending on the day and method of purchase. Tickets for children ages 6-12 run $5 to $20. Weekend and VIP passes are also available. Children 5 and under are free, and all kids 12 and under are free on Sunday.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to motorcitycomiccon.com.