Heroes and villains land in Atlanta for annual Comic Con

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Considering the top-grossing movies every year are always based on comic books — and most of those box-office blockbusters are filmed right here in Georgia — it's safe to say the comic industry has a major impact on those of us who live in the Peach State.

And this weekend, fans are encouraged to "embrace their nerdiness" at a convention that celebrates all things Marvel, DC, and beyond!

Atlanta Comic Con takes over the Georgia World Congress Center's Hall C1 Friday, July 12th through Sunday, July 14th, bringing celebrity guests, cosplayers, gamers, and comic book experts together for three days of shopping, autograph signings, workshops, and panels. 

Celebrity guests this year include actor Val Kilmer, whose place in superhero history was cemented by his appearance as Bruce Wayne/Batman in 1995's "Batman Forever," and British actress Bonnie Wright, known to Harry Potter fans as Ginny Weasley.

Also appearing over the weekend will be puppetry legend Caroll Spinney, whose groundbreaking work as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on "Sesame Street" has been seen by countless children around the world.     

Hours for Atlanta Comic Con are noon to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 

The exhibitor hall will close at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. An updated event schedule is available by downloading the free Atlanta Comic Con app.

The Good Day feature team couldn't wait to do some shopping at the exhibitor hall, which is filled with comic books, toys, games, clothing, and more. So we spent the morning at the Georgia World Congress Center, getting a first look at this year's big event!