Eugene Baldwin sifted through containers of G.I. Joe action figures on a mission.
“These are the same things I played with when I was 10 years old, and I’m 48,” said Baldwin of Blue Ridge, Ga., who was one of the people crowded around The Toy Department’s booth at the JoeFest: A Real Augusta Toy and Comic Show at the Augusta Convention Center June 25.
Baldwin had picked up several action figures, including one of Zarana – a redhaired Cobra villain in G.I. Joe. It was in decent condition.
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The Toy Department, based in Ohio, was one of the vendors at the event that will be held through Sunday, according to event coordinator Ed Schumacher.
Schumacher said the store’s owner only does a couple of conventions a year and saves his G.I. Joe merchandise for the JoeFest.
The Friday night event is open to the people who want best pick of merchandise, he said. Most of the crowds are expected on Saturday.
“Tomorrow is going to be a huge day,” he said, adding that presales of tickets were triple what they had been in previous events.
This is the fourth annual event. He’s anticipating about 4,000 people attending the event.
Vito Ferrara visited the JoeFest from New Mexico. He was another person at The Toy Department’s booth.
“It’s exciting to find some of the older toys,” said Ferrara, who picked up a few G.I. Joe action figures as well.
He looked at the smaller items because he didn’t have the space for anything bigger.
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Vendors filled about 20,000 square feet with a variety of collectibles including action figures, t-shirts and other toys related to G.I. Joe. Star Wars, Transformers and Pokemon.
One area had a string of tables with comic book artists who signed merchandise.
Bill Golliher has been a cartoonist for Archie comics.
“I grew up reading them,” he said. “My style went toward that.”
The Louisiana native went to art school in New Jersey. He now lives near Greenville, S.C. He had prints featuring the Archie gang as well as story panels and comic books he sold and signed.
The event features special guests including Warrington Gillette who played Jason Vorhees in “Friday The 13th Part 2,” former professional wrestler Ron Simmons, actor Mark Dodson, who was the voice of Mogwai in “The Gremlins” and appeared in “Return of the Jedi” and Justin Nimmo, who played the Silver Power Ranger in “Power Rangers In Space.”
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JoeFest will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $10; children under 12 are admitted free.
Also, Saturday is the gaming convention called WAAAGH Fest, said Schumacher. It will be in another room near the convention center floor.
To learn more, visit joefestusa.com or facebook.com/joefest7.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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