A brand-new comic convention built around Black creators, fans and culture makes its debut in Norcross this Halloween weekend, with organizers billing it as the premier Black comic convention Atlanta has been missing. The Black Atlanta Comic Expo, known as B.A.C.E., sets up at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta NE with panels, cosplay, vendors and an Artist Alley aimed at celebrating what organizers call Blerd culture — the intersection of Black identity and nerd fandom.
The event was organized by Greg Burnham, co-creator of the comic series Tuskegee Heirs, who told WABE that Atlanta lacked a proper way to celebrate Blerd culture despite the city's role in shaping it. Burnham said he believes Atlanta helped start Black nerd culture in the first place, and that he wanted to use the expo to highlight talented creators working in comics. According to WABE, the expo will showcase Black comics, cosplay, film, writing and art, with attendees able to experience panels and meet special guests throughout the weekend.
The official B.A.C.E. website lists the event for October 31 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and November 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., describing it as October 31–November 1. Other listings, including one from Comics Beat, describe a two-day run spanning October 31 and November 1, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta NE, 6050 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Norcross. WABE's reporting similarly describes a Saturday-and-Sunday event at that same venue.
Who's Showing Up in Norcross
Comics Beat reports the expo's announced guest roster includes Stephanie Williams, Marcus Williams, Alitha Martinez, Joe Illidge, Keef Cross, Milton Davis and Robert Jeffrey. Burnham's own comics background runs through Tuskegee Heirs, the Atlanta-born series he created with Marcus Williams. As Georgia Public Broadcasting has reported, Tuskegee Heirs: Flames of Destiny weaves African-American history into an epic mission to save the planet.
The expo is designed to welcome fans of every age. Per the official site, organizers are encouraging cosplay from attendees of all ages and plan to hand out treat bags for younger kids attending over the holiday weekend. The Explore Gwinnett event listing describes B.A.C.E. as an organization dedicated to amplifying Black creators, fans and culture across comics, gaming, anime and sci-fi — a mission Comics Beat says is meant to highlight the talent, artistry and heritage within the community.
Part of a Bigger Wave of Black Fandom Events
B.A.C.E. isn't operating in a vacuum. Burnham told WABE he attends Dream Con in Houston every year, one of several Black-focused fan conventions that have grown rapidly in recent years. The Texas Tribune reports that Dream Con, founded in 2018 by a group of YouTubers who debuted the event in Waco, drew 45,000 attendees in 2026 — a roughly 56-fold jump from the roughly 800 people who showed up at its first gathering. That convention now features an Artist Alley, cosplay contests, gaming tournaments, concerts, panels and sporting events, according to the same report.
On the East Coast, BlerDCon in the Washington, D.C. area offers another comparison point. Founded in 2017 by Hilton George as a gathering space for Black fans of sci-fi, anime, comics, gaming and fantasy culture, the convention held its 2026 event at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, as Washingtonian reported. Ebony describes the gathering as a place where Black fans of anime, sci-fi and comics celebrate cosplay, community and the growing cultural power of Black fandom.
That cultural power shows up in the numbers, too. Ebony cites a 2024 Polygon/Vox survey indicating that Black people make up 17% of anime fans, compared with Black Americans' roughly 13% share of the overall U.S. population, and notes that Nielsen estimates Black consumers wield more than $1.6 trillion in buying power nationally. Against that backdrop, Burnham's pitch for B.A.C.E. — a dedicated space for Blerd culture in a city he says helped start the movement — joins a growing circuit of Black-led conventions stretching from Houston to the D.C. area, with Norcross now staking its own claim this Halloween weekend.
