The first Comicpalooza was held on July 19, 2008, in the lobby of the Alamo Drafthouse Theater in Katy, Texas. It wasn’t a comic convention; it was a simple signing event set to coincide with the release of “The Dark Knight.” Comicpalooza was conceived as a means of helping local comic creators reach the media and the public. The event drew 500 people with next to no advertising or promotion. It was apparent that Houston was ready for a major comic convention.
The following year Comicpalooza was re-imagined as a two-day comic book festival set in a local mall, again with a strong emphasis on promoting creators, connecting with the media, and fostering new growth in the fan base. Comicpalooza featured guests like David Mack, Terry Moore, Steve Scott, Tom Hodges, Mat Johnson, Andy Kuhn, and others, and added special screenings, Q&A sessions, and the charity Live Art benefit. The event was so successful, it drew more fans than any other Houston comic convention had in 15 years.
In 2010 Comicpalooza re-invented yet again, this time hosted at the George R. Brown Convention Center as a multi-format convention celebrating not just comics, but also sci-fi, anime, cosplay, literature, fantasy, horror, films, and gaming of all types.
The show has become one of the largest conventions in Houston offering its thousands of annual attendees diverse programming and 1.1 million square feet of space featuring exhibits, panel discussions, cosplay, literature, anime, gaming, and much more.
Today, Comicpalooza is Texas’ foremost comic and pop-culture event. We invite you to join us at next year’s show!
During Comicpalooza 2023, doors to the exhibition floor opened on Friday allowing shoppers to peruse the exhibition floor while programming panels, special attractions, and other lively activations took place throughout the venue. In 2023, with their super-suits and cosplays on, friends and families enjoyed hours of electrifying programming starting off with the inaugural Friday Night Launch featuring a neon-themed dance party, wrestling matches from Texas All-Star Wrestling, and retro gaming tournaments. Saturday and Sunday fans were immersed in the pop-culture festivities the moment they arrived with live entertainment and engaging activities outdoors. Once indoors, the vast show floor featured new and returning special attractions, insightful panels and amazing art and pop culture finds from various vendors. Meanwhile, on the second floor, fans watched K-pop performances. On the third floor, gaming continued along with programming, and celebrity panels featuring this 2023's guests including William Shatner, Antony Starr, Christopher Judge, Jack Quaid, Alaqua Cox, Ian Somerhalder, Dominique Thorne, and many more.
Event History
- July 19, 2008
- May 2-3, 2009
- March 26-28, 2010
- May 27–29, 2011
- May 25–27, 2012
- May 24–26, 2013
- May 23–26, 2014
- May 22–25, 2015
- June 17–19, 2016
- May 12-14, 2017
- May 25-27, 2018
- May 10-12, 2019
- May 22-24, 2020 - The Lost Year
- July 17-18, 2021
- July 15-17, 2022
- May 26-28, 2023
- May 24-26, 2024