Comic Con Founder’s Genius Idea: How a Swing Set Injury Sparked a Superhero Empire

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State College interviewed a guy who founded the Happy Valley Comics & Collectibles convention:

Tom Range can trace back his affection for comic books to an incident on the playground, where he accidentally injured his younger sibling, causing them to have two fractured wrists.

At that time, I was in the fifth grade while Vince was in the third. One day during recess, he attempted to spin completely around on a swing set and ended up fracturing both his wrists. This incident, as Range recounts, left him unable to turn comic book pages himself due to his casted hands. To comfort him and help pass the time, his Aunt Sue sent over some comics. Since I had to assist him by turning the pages, we found ourselves becoming quite fond of these comic books.

Eventually, Range made his way to Penn State University, where he played the sousaphone in the Blue Band. He graduated in 1989 and then began a career as an educator in Bucks County and New Jersey. Throughout this time, his love for comic books remained strong. Together with his brother, they operated a comics store in Bucks County for a while, until his family expanded. Later on, Range became more actively involved in attending comic book conventions.

That gave him an idea: Penn State “would be a perfect place for a comic book convention.”

In time, inspired by their experiences, Range and his family turned that inspiration into reality. In the year 2023, they established the Happy Valley Comic & Collectibles Convention. This event, affectionately referred to as the Happy Valley comic con or HVC3 (Happy Valley Comics Cubed, according to Range), is now in its third year and will take place from March 1-2 at the Nittany Valley Sports Centre.

As they inquire about the means by which he established the convention and the influences from his childhood that sparked this endeavor, here are some insights:

1. He established the convention through a series of meetings, discussions, and careful planning with like-minded individuals who shared similar values and goals. The initial idea was conceived after extensive research and a deep understanding of the needs and challenges within the community.

2. His childhood inspirations stemmed from witnessing social injustices and observing the positive impact made by community leaders during his formative years. These experiences instilled in him a strong sense of empathy, determination, and a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, eventually leading him to create this convention as a platform for change.

At a tender age, you and your sibling began amassing comic books, eventually turning into a professional who trades these very same comic books. Which one do you cherish the most?

Difference: It’s intriguing to note that our preferences diverged significantly. He leans more towards DC Comics characters, while I am a Marvel fan. He is undoubtedly a Superman devotee, whereas my personal favorite and the first series I completed was a collective known as the Defenders. Interestingly, this group wasn’t formally established. Its membership fluctuated frequently. Initially, it consisted of Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner (Namor), the Hulk, and then Valkyrie joined in, leading to its expansion.

I’ve consistently admired Daredevil because he was blind but his other senses were incredibly sharp due to an accident involving radioactive material. As for Spider-Man, he’s a favorite among many. He seems to be the epitome of superheroes, though preference can swing between Marvel and DC fans. For Marvel enthusiasts, it’s Spider-Man; while DC fans typically favor Superman. Superman is known as the pioneer of the comics superhero genre.

In summary, it’s refreshing to find someone mentioning Superman as their preferred comic book character from DC, rather than Batman or Daredevil, especially in discussions about darker storylines. It’s puzzling that some media outlets have taken so long to specifically highlight Superman as a top favorite DC hero. I would be thrilled if more journalists started emphasizing characters like Superman, and Supergirl could also serve as an excellent example, provided the relevant material from before the early 2000s is referenced.

Why do you believe gatherings similar to yours garner such wide appeal? What is it about comics and superheroes that ignites the creativity and fascination of countless individuals across various age groups?

Range: I think there has always been a fascination with “super” people.

Sports celebrities might be likened to everyday superhumans, possessing abilities beyond those of ordinary individuals. Haven’t we all marveled at an extraordinary feat on the field and wished we could perform similarly? These superhumans represent the ideal selves we aspire to embody.

And we as a species have had superheroes from the beginning. What was Hercules if not a superhero?

In actuality, when we discuss Thor and Loki, many believe them to be modern-day superheroes or villains from the Marvel universe; however, these characters originate from ancient Norse mythology, having been present for centuries before their depiction in comics.

What was Beowulf if not an early superhero?

It’s quite natural for humans to desire the creation of powerful entities, as on some level, we aspire to possess their mighty abilities.

Currently, comic conventions are well-liked as they provide a platform for fans to revel in their beloved characters and honor them. These events offer a temporary respite where one can delve into a shared culture, interact with like-minded individuals, and expand their network.

At any convention, it’s likely that you’ll find someone who shares your fondness for an uncommon character.

In essence, Mark Gruenwald’s wisdom, which goes something like this: “every character is someone’s favorite, so it’s not wise to dismiss or harm them lightly or carelessly,” should be a topic of discussion at conventions. This sentiment is crucial because even supporting characters in superhero comics have been subjected to such treatment far too often, and it needs to stop. I would further emphasize that the quality of a character, like Tim Drake (the 3rd Robin), as written by Chuck Dixon doesn’t justify the questionable direction taken with Jason Todd (2nd Robin) in the “A Death in the Family” storyline from 1988’s Batman. Similarly, some might argue that the death of Jean deWulff in 1985’s Spider-Man was an unnecessary step. While self-contained stories can be forgiven for such events, the trend has worsened since the turn of the century, particularly in company-wide crossovers.

They also bring up certain fan clubs participating:

How important is the Penn State audience to your convention?

Emphasis: I consider it extremely significant. To clarify, if one of our key selling points is that Penn State has 46,000 students, does that mean 46,000 people will attend my convention? No. But if we manage to attract 10% of that, we’re looking at nearly 5,000 attendees. [A shuttle bus connects East Halls to the convention.] Moreover, Penn State has groups interested in what we’re focusing on. I recently spoke to the Yu-Gi-Oh! club. We also have the Magic the Gathering club, the Students of S.H.I.E.L.D (comic book enthusiasts), the Star Wars club, Disney club, anime club, and the Alliance of Heroic Hearts. This was our first alliance group. They are cosplayers who visit local hospitals and events for children. We provide them a booth, and they help us promote; they even marched in the homecoming parade, distributing flyers and such.

In this context, one might ponder if Magic: The Gathering, as popularly perceived at the convention, aligns with current progressive (or “woke”) standards, as evident in recent years? Similarly, one could question Star Wars’ adaptation, and for that matter, Marvel and DC Comics’ transformation, as portrayed by Wizards of the Coast, Disney, and Warner Bros. respectively during the Happy Valley convention. I truly hope attendees voice their opinions about these changes in the franchises, but the interview fails to delve into such controversial topics within pop culture. Regrettably, it does not provide substantial insights.

I hope the convention has good fortune ahead, but if it also adopts a PC stance when championing pop culture, then one could argue it’s another convention struggling to convincingly defend pop culture effectively. Having Superman as a hobby certainly adds credibility.

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2025-03-03 17:30