Comic book collectors enjoy the thrill of the hunt in St. Charles
As his fingers flipped quickly through boxes of comic books in protective bags Saturday, the titles went by in a blur - but Sam Hawkins knew what he was looking for.
And then he found it: an issue of Marvel Comics' "Fantastic Four" that was missing from his collection.
Hawkins, a Geneva resident, acknowledged he could've found the issue with little effort at an online store.
But like many of the comic book fans who attended the Cosmic Comic Con and Toy Extravaganza Saturday at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, the hunt matters as much as the acquisition.
"I find it more fun than going online," Hawkins said. "There's more of a thrill to it."
Running Saturday and Sunday, the show features rows of vendors selling comics, toys and other collectibles. A small number of artists and comic-book creators are exhibiting their wares, too.
The special guest of the show is actor Jackson Bostwick, who portrayed the superhero Captain Marvel on the live-action "Shazam!" TV show in the mid-1970s.
The 76-year-old Bostwick sat behind a table covered in glossy photos of himself in the Captain Marvel costume and in other roles. Fans could buy them autographed for $40.
Bostwick said he attends between eight and 12 comic book shows annually. He said he likes to meet fans and talk about the show.
Sometimes he meets police officers who say they were inspired by Captain Marvel's moral code.
"It's fun," Bostwick said of the convention circuit. "I never get tired of it."
Wisconsin resident Jorge Carvajal was among the vendors selling figurines made by a company called Funko. The large-headed dolls are vinyl versions of superheroes, supervillains, movie and TV characters and even real-life musicians.
And they're hot collectibles.
"You're always going to have people who want that (character)," Carvajal said.
The Cosmic Comic Con runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Pheasant Run, 4051 E. Main St.
Tickets are $6. Children 12 or younger get in free with a paid adult. Tickets can be purchased at the venue or online at cosmiccomiccon.com.