The cost of Comicon: How much money do guests spend at the Kansas City fan convention?
Being a part of a fandom can get expensive. Just ask many of the patrons who paid a visit to Planet Comicon Kansas City this weekend.
The three-day convention welcomed stars from popular television shows and movies, comic book writers and illustrators, cosplayers, and vendors to celebrate their favorite stories. Thousands of fans of all genres packed Bartle Hall inside the Kansas City Convention Center, and Saturday drew the biggest crowd.
Planet Comicon knows this, which is why the ticket price for Saturday is more expensive than Friday and Sunday; prices were $41 for Friday and Sunday and $58 for Saturday as of March 19, but the weekend of, Saturday prices jumped to $80 and Sunday prices to $55.
That’s a large price tag for one ticket, and a single ticket doesn’t other items people may purchase while inside, like foods, drinks, paintings, toys and other accessories. It also doesn’t include meet-and-greets with the celebrity guests, whom all price their autographs and photos differently. Not to mention the elaborate costumes many attendees created or bought.
So how much does it cost to attend Planet Comicon? We asked a few guests in attendance for their out-of-pocket costs.
The cost of Planet Comicon Kansas City
The Star asked seven groups of visitors to Planet Comicon Kansas City to share how much they’ve spent at the event so far. Items that count toward the cost include travel if they aren’t from Kansas City, tickets and anything they bought associated with the convention.
Some opted not to share prices of every item they purchased, and many said they were going to continue to look around and purchase more if something catches their eye.
Here’s what they said as of Saturday afternoon:
Chris and Alec Collins, Olathe: $500 total
- Tickets: Free. The father-son duo said they won tickets to Planet Comicon Kansas City on a radio contest.
- Parking: Free. They had someone drop them off so they wouldn’t have to pay for parking. The rideshare service did cost, but they didn’t say how much.
- Add-ons: David Tennant VIP packages. The Star could not confirm the price of the VIP package. They also bought a $15 locker at Bartle Hall to store items.
Rachel and Leanne Pace, north of Kansas City: $1,150 total
- Tickets: Three-day pass was $98 per person before this weekend.
- Items: Rachel Pace said she bought tons of books, swords and lightsabers from vendors, while Leanne Pace was in charge of buying food.
- Parking: Free. Rachel Pace’s dad dropped them off and will pick them up.
- Add-ons: David Tennant photo op for $130.
Warren Peery, Blue Springs: $486 total
- Costume: $250. He dressed as Elsa, the princess from the Disney hit film, “Frozen.”
- Tickets: $116 for two tickets. He’s here with his niece. He may buy a Sunday ticket.
- Add-ons: $120 for a Tennant autograph for his niece.
Richard Harper, Kansas City: $0
- Tickets: Free. You may know Harper as the Teal Man, the superfan for the Kansas City Current. The NWSL team has a booth inside the convention.
- Parking: Free. He was on the clock with the Current.
- Items: Nothing. He hadn’t been able to look around since he was working.
Levi Palmer and Sarah West, Kansas City: $550 total
- Tickets: $200 total.
- Costumes: Palmer estimates around $180 to dress as Flynn Rider from the Disney movie “Tangled.” West was dressed as Rapunzel.
- Items: Palmer and West said they haven’t started buying artwork yet, but will soon.
- Add-ons: West spent $140 on an autograph and selfie for Matthew Lillard. Palmer spent $30 on a weekend drink pass and $10 on food.
Christopher Brooks and Adriana Chapman; Tulsa, Oklahoma: $800-1,000
- Travel: $100 for gas.
- Costumes: Brooks spent around $300 on his costume, comic book superhero Gambit based on his look from the Disney+ animated series, “X-Men ‘97.” Chapman spent $130 on her costume, Arctic Batman.
- Tickets: $196 for two three-day passes.
- Items: Brooks purchased a $5 action figure of Cyclops, an X-Men character. Chapman plans to spend $200 and is looking for a figure of DC Comics character Starfire.
Brooke Edwards, Wichita: $30
- Tickets: Free. She’s a social media influencer with more than 47,000 followers on Instagram as @ochibawolf, specializing in all things Sailor Moon, the iconic 90s anime.
- Travel: Free. She’s here on a business trip, so any gas and hotel prices are business expenses.
- Item: A $10 Sailor Moon item for a friend.
- Food: $20.
Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City: $142
- Tickets: Free. Media pass for all three days.
- Parking: Free. Found free street parking and walked to the convention center.
- Items: Action figures costing $10 and $112, respectively, and a $20 blind box centered around WWE. Journalists collect things, too.
This story was originally published March 22, 2025 at 8:05 PM.
