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OCEAN CITY — America’s Greatest Family Resort played host to two days of comic books, collectibles and cosplay during OC Con 2024 on April 6-7.
The public was offered free admission to the events at the Music Pier, where the Batmobile from the 1989 film starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson was resting under the loggia alongside a replica of the DeLorean time machine from “Back to the Future.” Out on the boardwalk was ECTO-1 from “Ghostbusters.”
Tuckerton auto service technician Jon Miller, owner of the time machine, said he enjoys traveling up and down the East Coast to display his DeLorean, built in 1981 like 90 percent of the iconic vehicles with gull wing doors.
He said while the vehicles look old, they are fully modernized beneath the exterior. Talking about the “Ghostbusters” vehicle he transported from Florida for the owner, he said, “It looks old but it’s all new underneath, with disc brakes, a new axel. The old Cadillac stuff is rare and you can’t get the parts. You need to have it reliable. You’ve got to do events and other things and you’ve got to have the car start and run and stop.”
He said it’s an expensive hobby and the payment for appearances goes back into maintaining the vehicles and traveling from place to place.
Miller said the DeLorean evolved over time. He bought it in 2013 and completely restored it as a stock vehicle, but in 2015 when his son Evan discovered “Back to the Future,” “he inspired me to turn it into a time machine but I only did it if he would help me.”
The owner of Jon Miller Car Care Center, he said he had “the facility and the means and the skills.”
“I found that as an opportunity to teach my son how to weld, how to wire, how to paint, and he did. I got dirt under his fingernails at age 6,” Miller said. “It was a great bonding experience.”
Now the car makes appearances on television and in major parades, as well as at comic book conventions.
“Every part is real aircraft parts. Everything that is on this car is the correct thing that is supposed to be on this car,” he said, showing a reporter the plutonium chamber and flux capacitors.
He said he “consulted with the nerds” about using the proper parts.
“There is a small community of people that are really passionate about this car and have researched to the Nth degree every inch of it,” Miller said.
The event kicked off at 9 a.m. Saturday with the fan favorite Super Hero Run and Super Hero Obstacle Course on the boardwalk and beach by the Music Pier, followed by anime Mad Libs inside the solarium, where vendors were set up on both levels.
Artists in attendance were Bob Petrecca, Luke Petrecca, Neil Vokes, Tony DiGerolamo, Christian Espiritusanto, Galica Graphics, Jude Martys, Niko Lopez, Momo, Madamsketchbook, Choodles, LaSara Kinser and Count Chocoola.
Vendors included Jackowick Toys, Bear Man Comics, Christian Chin, Memories by Morgan Leigh, Govetoys, Ultimate Comics Group, Marlton Collectibles, Cosmic Jester Creations and Little Miss Cosplay.
Mays Landing resident John Tudor of John’s Comics was selling raw and graded comics, figures and posters, mostly from the “Star Wars” franchise.
The 73-year-old said he enjoys the camaraderie of getting together with like-minded individuals.
“It’s fun and that’s what I like about it,” Tudor said.
Louis Centanni of Willa’s Collectibles was selling movie and television memorabilia.
“If it has anything to do with movies or television, I absolutely love it,” he said, noting he had items from “The Munsters,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Happy Days,” “Cheers” and more.
The 2003 Ocean City High School graduate named the company after his mother, who died of kidney disease just 14 months ago.
“She always was supportive of my hobby,” he said.
Centanni said he always has been interested in entertainment, and landed his first job for MTV at 16. He later got into stand-up comedy and appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” was a regular on “The Opie & Anthony Show” and “The Howard Stern Show.”
“It just blew up after my first MTV series,” he said, noting he was in 12 different series over 10 years with MTV, including “True Life: I have Tourette’s.”
Centanni became known as the voice of Tourette’s for raising awareness and advocating for those living with the syndrome, which is characterized by facial and body twitches as well as repeating words and involuntary swearing.
He arranged to have two actresses who played characters in the 1982 film version of “Annie” appear with him at OC Con.
Toni Ann Gisondi, a Holy Spirit High School graduate from nearby Egg Harbor Township, portrayed orphan Molly and Rosanne Sorrentino of New York City played Pepper.
During his early years of acting, he met Gisondi at Weist-Barron-Ryan casting agency in Atlantic City.
The singer and actress started dancing when she was 3, singing when she was 4 and landed her role in the movie at age 6.
“Everything snowballed from there,” Gisondi said, noting they make appearances about every other month more than 40 years after the film’s release.
She said the appearances help her keep her experience alive into adulthood. Now she sings at weddings and funerals, in local theater and during Mass on Sundays in Longport.
“This is a great part of it, I love it,” Gisondi said of appearing at conventions.
Shedding his business suit for a baseball cap and sweatshirt, Ted Pugliese, the new superintendent of Somers Point School District, was checking out the comics and collectibles while his wife, Gisondi, talked with fans.
Pugliese said he has been involved with comics for more than 40 years.
“I started collecting comics in 1982,” he said, noting it was G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero that got him involved.
He said G.I. Joe “was probably one of the top three reasons I joined the Army.” Serving a year in Korea, he said he and his friends bought whatever comics they could find but most were outdated.
“When I went to the Army, comics became a treat. In the early 1990s, comics were my connection to civilian life,” he said.
After his service, he attended Stockton University and continued collecting.
“That’s when I started to go to conventions and started to meet the artists,” he said, noting a lot of the old-timers have broken away from the publishing houses and are creating their own work and publishing it independently.
“I like to think that when I’m retired, comics will be my thing,” he said, noting crowd funding is now a large part of the industry.
Also making appearances were Kevin D Cosplay, Dawnchu, Lady J Nerdy Enterprises, Shannon Noelle Cosplay and House Skirata Veterans Covert.
Accompanying music was provided by the Ocean City Pops Orchestra.
Fans got the chance to meet Groot and Starlord from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” have their faces painted and make their own lightsaber, courtesy of the Ocean City Free Public Library. Also in attendance was the 501st Legion: Northeast Remnant Garrison and the Saber Guild Corellia Temple.
Emily Dee, 21, of Hammonton, Jayne Gradel, 30, of Point Pleasant, and Scott Kope were with the Saber Guild Corellia Temple, which held lightsaber training each day.
On Saturday, Scarlett Towe, 12, of Northfield, was sporting fairy ears and a costume to portray Amity Blight from “The Owl House” animated children’s show on Disney+. On Sunday, the show wrapped up with a cosplay contest for all ages.
– Story by CRAIG D. SCHENCK, Photos by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
