Screaming Tiki promotes family-friendly pop culture con
NILES - Peter Smith is an illustrator, which takes him to a number of comic book conventions and the like. He also has eight kids.
The Screaming Tiki Comics, Toy & Pop Culture Convention at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles.
The Screaming Tiki Comics, Toy & Pop Culture Convention at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles.
Don Pedicini Jr. shows off some of his work at the Screaming Tiki Comics, Toy & Pop Culture Convention at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles.
A member of the Lake Erie Pirates talks to Don Pedicini Jr. at the Screaming Tiki Comics, Toy & Pop Culture Convention at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles.
The Screaming Tiki Comics, Toy & Pop Culture Convention at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles.
When he noticed there wasn't one that was family-friendly, and in this area, he took it upon himself to create the Screaming Tiki Comics, Toy & Pop Culture Convention.
The three-day event took place at the Eastwood Expo Center for the third year this weekend, featuring vendors, dealers, artists and celebrities.
This year's celebrity line-up included Glenn Shadix, John Westley Shipp, Aaron Smolinski, Dave Prowse, Steve Stanley, Mark McHaley, Martheus Wade, Janet Stone Wade and Kevin L. Williams.
Smith, a resident of Youngstown, says when he went to other conventions, some would bring in adult-oriented guests and material.
"I didn't feel comfortable taking kids there," he says.
He also says there "was nothing of this caliber in the area."
So Screaming Tiki was born.
"We try to keep it fan friendly and family friendly," he says.
It was the first show in the Mahoning Valley for colorist Andrew Harmon. Harmon says he primarily does color work for illustrations by other artists.
Harmon has a background in computer graphics, which he uses to create his work. He says he works primarily with Dan Schoening, a Canadian animator and illustrator.
Harmon has done shows in the Pittsburgh area, but was looking to expand and connected with Don Pedicini Jr.
Pedicini is a graphic designer for a magazine that's based in Poland, but in his free time, freelances as a sketch artist.
Pedicini's sketch cards using a style called "stipple," similar to pointillism. He's licensed to work with Lucas Arts, creating sketch cards for "Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and Topps.
"My favorite is 'Star Wars,' because I grew up on it," Pedicini says. "But I like doing baseball cards because baseball, is baseball."
He says last year he created 500 baseball sketch cards for Topps. So far this year, he's done 418.
Also at Screaming Tiki this weekend was the USS Renegade, a "Star Trek" fan organization that's based in Youngstown. It's part of Starfleet: The International Star Trek Fan Association, Inc.
According to Starfleet literature, "Starfleet is the oldest continuously operating Star Trek fan organization in the world. Founded back in 1974, when there were only 79 live-action Star Trek episodes and no movies yet, Starfleet has grown over the years to thousands of members. We're all about having fun, making friends, and keeping the ideals of Star Trek alive and healthy into the future."
Organizers say the group meets monthly and has been ongoing for 21 years.
There's officially 23 active members of USS Renegade, but Commanding Officer John Hoppa says they have 10 to 11 active members.
Yes, members of USS Renegade get "Star Trek" titles, like Recruiting Officer Ron Novak.
Novak notes that in addition to attending conventions and holding Sci-Fi trivia contests, they also work with Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.
USS Renegade meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Denny's in Liberty. For more information, e-mail ussrenegade2547@yahoo.com.
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