New Kansas City fan event to be built around indie comic & cosplay creators
Kansas City’s comic and fandom community is preparing for a new kind of event, one that shifts the focus away from large convention halls, and toward local creators and accessible experiences.
Heartland Mini Con, organized by Brandon Calloway, will take place May 30 at Equal Minded Cafe, 4327 Troost Ave. The free, one-day event centers on independent comic creators, cosplay, and beginner-friendly Dungeons and Dragons, offering a smaller, more focused alternative to traditional conventions.
Calloway, creator of Black Spartans Manga, said the concept came from what he observed while attending comic conventions across the country, where independent creators often compete for attention.
“The main thing about Heartland Mini Con is focusing on indie comic creators,” he said. “You see a lot of indie comic creators in Artist Alley, but it feels like that can get lost in all of the other stuff, all the celebrities, all of the panels and breakout sessions.”
He said that dynamic has contributed to a lack of visibility for local creators, even as a broader community has developed in Kansas City.
“When I’m doing comics with Blerd Manga, people are surprised that there is an indie comic publisher here in Kansas City,” Calloway said. “And I’m not the only one. There are a bunch of us.”
For Calloway, everything is tied to his work with Blerd Manga. In addition to publishing, he has organized workshops aimed at helping aspiring creators develop their own comics from concept to completion.
“I just want to continue to bring more of those types of events to Kansas City,” he said. “People are showing that they have interest.”
The event narrows its programming to three areas: comics, Dungeons and Dragons, and cosplay. Calloway said the decision was intentional, aimed at making the experience easier to navigate.
“The more stuff that happens at a Comic-Con, you also get paralysis by analysis,” he said. “By shrinking it down, it helps the value be more clearly communicated.”
Free event aims to uplift indie creators
Calloway also emphasized accessibility, noting that the event is free and designed to encourage participation from people who may not typically attend conventions.
“More people coming means they are able to meet each other, have fun and have complementary experiences with each other, he said.
The format also creates opportunities for direct engagement between attendees and creators. In addition to browsing comics and meeting artists, visitors will be able to participate in tabletop gaming sessions designed for beginners.
“We have two people there running beginner-friendly games,” Calloway said. “I’m a firm believer that if more people just sat down and tried a Dungeons and Dragons game, there would be a lot more fans.”
Among the creators participating is Ed Lavallee, founder of Crash Comics. His work spans multiple genres, including titles such as “Revere,” “Pop Star Assassin,” “Archeon,” and the graphic novel “Evolution Cop,” created with local artist Rudy Garcia.
Lavallee described Kansas City’s comics scene as established but often underrecognized.
“Kansas City really has a vibrant independent comics community,” he said. “We’ve all come up together and celebrate each other’s successes and wins.”
He said events like Heartland Mini Con provide an opportunity to bring that community into view while also offering a different experience for attendees.
“It’s going to be the opposite of the big show in town,” Lavallee said. “This is more focused on creators in a small, intimate environment.”
Heartland Mini Con aims to be ‘entry point’
Lavallee said the scale of the event makes it more accessible, particularly for people who may not attend larger conventions.
“I think it will be a good change for fans who may not have had the opportunity to make it to a big show like that,” he said. “It will be kind of an entry point for people.”
The smaller setting also allows for more direct interaction, which Lavallee said is critical for independent creators working to build an audience.
“A lot of times as a creator, I feel like I work in a vacuum,” he said. “The more I can get out there and be front-facing in front of people, the better.”
He added that events centered on creators provide opportunities to connect with new readers and share work with audiences who may not be familiar with the local scene.
“It’s a chance to get some new fans and spread the word of the local comics scene,” Lavallee said.
‘A space made for them’
Whether Heartland Mini Con becomes a recurring event remains uncertain. Calloway said future plans will depend on turnout and how the first event is received.
“This is the first time we’ve done it,” he said. “Depending on the response, I’m already thinking about what it looks like to do it again.”
For now, both organizers and participants point to a straightforward goal: creating a space where fans can connect with creators and engage with the culture in a more accessible setting.
“I want them to feel like they found a space that is made for them,” Calloway said. “I want them to feel like they stumbled upon a treasure trove of stories that have been sitting right under their nose in Kansas City that they didn’t even know about.”
This story was originally published April 11, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
