This past weekend, the Nickel City Comic Con delighted sci-fi, wrestling, comic, superhero, and classic television fans in Buffalo, NY. Many celebrities joined the party, including the original Captain Kirk himself—William Shatner! I headed down to see what this local comic con offers Star Trek fans like myself, and I was not disappointed.
While the big comic con events, like New York Comic Con and San Diego Comic-Con, attract large crowds, it is often the smaller events like this that allow for more personal connections with stars like Mr Shatner. Originally, Star Trek actress Gates McFadden was going to attend, but sadly, she did have to cancel. Still, it was a fantastic event for fans of all ages!
Captain’s Log, Stardate -299782.72
Did Captain James T. Kirk break the temporal prime directive with yet another time warp, arriving 299 years before the first logged Stardate? (We’ll bypass the court martial this time and not contact Starfleet’s Department of Temporal Affairs.)
After briefly sitting in celebrity row signing autographs, William Shatner’s panel discussion was the first of the day on Sunday. Fans filled the meeting room quickly, bleeding out into the adjoining hallway and stairs. With a grand entrance, the sea of fans erupted into loud applause to greet Mr. Shatner.
“What should we talk about?” started Shatner, allowing the audience to lead the discussion. Several fans stood, sparking conversations ranging from life and death to Shatner’s time on Rescue 911. Shatner was then prompted to talk about his time in space and what led to it. See the conversation here:
“BOldy go! Go Out there into life and say Yes to life! Go out there with new ideas, and new friends – just get out of the house and walk. Say yes to the adventure of life!” – William Shatner.
As Shatner began explaining the events leading up to his launch into space, the conversation turned purely inspirational. Delivering raw comedy at times, he drew fond laughter from the crowd at least a dozen times. At 93 years old, his visit truly was a joy and honour.
Trek the Convention Hall!
Many other celebrities attended this event. Deep Roy played characters in many popular movies, including Star Wars as Yoda and Star Trek as Keenzer. We also spoke with Tom Morga, who has many recognizable roles from Star Trek: The Motion Picture and beyond. He spoke of the countless hours spent in the make-up chair as he played Klingons, Borg, Jem Hadar, and the Kradin in Star Trek: Voyager. He also acted as stunt doubles for Leonard Nimoy, Michael Dorn, Jonathon Frakes, and René Auberjonois.
Check out more images we captured:
A vendor at Nickel City Comic Con shows off his vintage collection of Star Trek video games from the early 2000s.
A vendor shows off incredible Star Trek laser etched wood work!
High-end autographed plaques are displayed and sold at Nickel City Con!
Over 10,000 SF of entertainment at Nickel City Con!
A fan sports her ST: TNG uniform!
The man who built a real-captain's chair, shows it to fans and allows them to sit in the center seat!
A vendor shows off incredible Star Trek laser etched wood work!
A humorous creation from Buffalo's Lego Club!
The Promenade: Latinum, Cash or Credit?
Dozens of vendors set up shop, showcasing unique and rare collectables for every genre. One of the most notable was Lynxpack Laser, who creates immaculate three dimension wooden plaques featuring starships. BuffaLug, a local Lego club was also there, who showcased a lego-portrait of Captain Kirk.
Prop builder Charles Ritche showcased a life-sized Captain’s chair aboard the original Enterprise, allowing fans to sit and take photos. He’s also known for his full-length Bat Boat from Batman.
We saw many rare collectables – including Playmate’s original release of the Star Trek: The Next Generation bridge playset, the Enterprise-D air glider, action figures and previously released props by Diamond Select toys. The nostalgia hit home when we saw a collection of “vintage” Star Trek video games such as Starship Creator, Elite Force and Bridge Commander among others.
Wings and Trek: A Perfect Combo
On a cold, rainy Sunday, the only thing left to do in Buffalo, NY after such an event is pizza and Buffalo chicken wings! This is a must for anyone who visits in the future (and do not ask for ranch dressing to dip those wings—this is blue cheese territory!).
Nickel City Comic Con’s Fall Edition was a wonderful gathering of fans, vendors, and celebrities. Adding Star Trek to the mix this year resulted in many coming together to share their common passion. Western New York is ripe with Star Trek fans who enjoyed this event. We look forward to conventions and appearances by Star Trek stars in the near future!
Save the Dates! Nickel City Comic Con returns June 27th – 29th, 2025, at the Buffalo Convention Center! See you there, Trekkies!
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