Best of the Day: Boston Comic Con 2015

This weekend, thousands of comics fans head to the Seaport for Boston Comic Con. Over the next three days, you can meet Stan Lee, take a cosplay cruise, and even chill with Iceman.

Welcome to Best of the Day, our daily recommendation for what to check out around town. If you do one thing in Boston today, consider this.


Winners from the 2014 Boston Comic Con costume contest

Costume contest winners from BCC 2014 / Photo by Olga Khvan for “Photos from Boston Comic Con 2014

How do superheroes cope with sweltering August temps? Do they wear summer-weight capes and ventilated Lycra? You can find out at this weekend’s Comic Con, when throngs of caped crusaders—and Louis Vuitton Stormtroopers, Mothers of Dragons, and pretty much any other pop-cultural characters you can think of—descend upon the Seaport World Trade Center for three days of geekery. Wend your way through the aisles and aisles of merch and artwork from your favorite comics artists, or get a little facetime (and autographs) from such luminaries as Stan Lee, Elvira, Billie Piper (Doctor Who), Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter), Robin Lord Taylor (The Walking Dead), Thomas Jane (The Punisher), and Anthrax’s Scott Ian.

And as if that weren’t enough for you, there are special Comic Con events going on all weekend. You can see the full events schedule at their site, but here are a few highlights both at the con and around town.

Iceman at Frost Ice Bar

Iceman at Frost Ice Bar / Courtesy photo

FRIDAY
Iceman at Frost Ice Loft

The Iceman cometh … to Faneuil Hall. Thanks to the master ice sculptor at Frost Ice Loft—the world’s largest ice bar, kept at a chilly 21 degrees at all times—you can beat the heat while checking out ice sculptures of Iceman, Captain America, and Wonder Woman. They’ll be on view Friday, July 31, to Sunday, August 2. While you’re there, sign up to enter their comic book giveaway contest: Winners will receive limited-edition Iceman Icons comics autographed by Stan Lee.

July 31-August 2, Frost Ice Loft, 200 State St., Boston, 617-307-7331, frosticeloft.com.

SATURDAY
BCC Cosplay Harbor Dinner Cruise

Back for a second year, co-hosts Ivy Doomkitty and LeeAnna Vamp are setting sail for a cosplay cruise in Boston Harbor. Open strictly to BCC attendees and cosplayers 21 years of age and older. Should you join the crew of the good ship cosplay, you’ll get a full dinner buffet, plus DJ-spun tunes.

$95, 21+, August 1, 7:30 p.m. boarding time. Boards at the Seaport World Trade Center. Tickets available through Eventbrite.

SUNDAY
Annual BCC Costume Contest

This weekend, you need only to stand on Seaport Boulevard to see more costumed characters than you can shake Thor’s hammer at, as cosplayers of all stripes wander by. But you can only achieve true cosplay nirvana at the annual Costume Contest, a sartorial scrum that pits Sailor Moons against Harley Quinns and Khal Drogos against Boba Fetts. Who will be victorious this year? Only one way to find out.

August 2, 2-5 p.m., Headhouse Concourse.


Boston Comic Con 2015: Friday, July 31, 12-8pm, Saturday, August 1, 10am-7pm, Sunday, August 2, 10am-6pm, Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, 617-385-5000, bostoncomiccon.com.