Crowded in the Manhattan Conference Center at the Hilton Garden Inn, two thousand heroes, villains, monsters and nerds met as conversation and excitement buzzed throughout the air. Citizens all over Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri made their way to attend the very first comic book convention in Manhattan.

Announced in mid-October, Boom Comics’ owner Matthew Kreger worked with his employees to set up the Little Apple Comic Con.

“Manhattan has never had a comic con and I figured it would be just a blast,” Kreger said. “It was a lot of hard work, but the great thing is that the people of Manhattan came together and supported us really well.”

To help out Kreger with the convention, Anime Club members eagerly volunteered to help as a form of security and helpers.

“Anime Club, here at Comic Con, are helping out the lovely con people, to make sure this is the best con that Manhattan has ever seen,” club president Erin Heller, junior, said. “To help out our own, like, little home town to make it, like, more of a driving force in the convention scene, I’m like ‘sure why not?’”

With different people and activities, members of the public as well as students were able to find an outlet for fun.

“There’s, like, a cool sense of, ‘we’re all here for the same reason and we got each other’,” sophomore Rylee Stos said.

Along with ordinary people, the con brought in published comic writers, artists, cosplayers and novelists for people to talk to and get signatures from in a calmer manner.

“I like coming to the small shows,” graphic artist and novelist Jeremy Haun said. “I go to a lot of really, really, big, crazy shows where I’m constantly signing so much I really can’t stop and have these kind of conversations. And it’s really nice to be able to talk to people and … enjoy the conversations along the way.”

With rows of booths ranging from mini comic stores to decorative wear to meet and greets with authors, there was lots for the attendees to do.

“I think it turned out pretty great,” Heller said. “I just talked to a really cool author [Susanne Lambdin], and yeah. I think it’s turning out great.”

As well as the main convention area, there were also panels hosted on the hour starting at 10, where conventioneers could have a question and answer session with a variety of people on what they do.

“I went to Planet Comic Con in Kansas City and, this is obviously smaller but, it’s still fun,” sophomore Alex Ring said. “And I’m planning on cosplaying as Khaleesi so [the panel Cosplay 101] was pretty informational.”

To give the con a final flair, Wamego junior Jacob Disberger hosted a Cosplay contest for all ages to compete in.

“It felt like a whole bunch of paparazzi,” freshman Autumn Lopez said. “I probably won, like, sixteenth place or something, because there were some pretty badass costumes out there.”

Although appearing to be nerve-wracking, the contest was a friendly way to show off the contestants’ creativity.

“You basically go up there, answer a few questions, pose and you’re over with,” sophomore Trenton Lopez said. “You pose and play your character and explain why you chose it, and it’s actually pretty neat to see all the different people.”

The Little Apple Comic Con also marked as a “birthing” moment for many Manhattan citizens.

“I feel, like, I think it’s incredible that my first comic con was the first one they hosted so, it’s like the birth of both of us,” senior Olivia Groninger said. “I will be here every time.”

The turnout for Manhattan’s first comic con was huge among people of varying ages and places and shocked many.

“Honestly I’m surprised at the turnout; this is really refreshing. It’s good to see, like, so many people here,” 33-year-old cosplayer Joshua Caito said.

In the end, Boom Comics has started a tradition they plan to continue on into future years.

“I’m just really happy to be here and everyone’s been great,” Kreger said. “[And] next year it’s going to be on K-State campus.”