Costumes, comics and literacy at South Texas Comic Con

McALLEN — This year, South Texas Comic Con is not just about cosplay.

Ramsey Ramirez, event coordinator, said though it began as a way to bring together a few of the things he loves, like comics, movies and TV, it’s now also focused on increasing children’s literacy in the Valley.

“It’s really important for kids to read,” he said. “I grew up reading comics, and I think it’s a great gateway to getting kids interested in reading.”

Ramirez said he aimed to get a comic book in the hands of every child who attends the event, though they would have to participate in an activity in order to get it. With an event that’s expected to bring in 13,000 to 15,000 attendees over the course of the weekend, Ramirez fears not every child will be catered to.

“That’s obviously a big problem down here,” he said. “We try to get a free comic into every kid’s hands as much as we can, but we don’t always succeed.”

Apart from featuring a section dedicated to comics and a kid’s zone, the convention hosted hundreds of vendors, 5,000 square feet of video games, two stages, workshops, celebrity panels and meet-and-greets.

Victoria Gomez walked around South Texas Comic Con on Friday with a staff that completed her costume as Rey, the female protagonist from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

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