Organizers of Rogue Comic Con anticipate upwards up 10,000 attendees to come to the event, hosted primarily at Pear Blossom Park in Medford. 

Whether it’s getting to take photos with superheroes, exploring the Artists Alley with notable and upcoming local artists or meeting one or all of the special guest celebrities in attendance, Rogue Comic Con will bring characters to life for an activity-filled day in Medford.

The free event is set from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at Pear Blossom Park and other areas and shops around Medford.

“It’s been really heartening to see support from the community; everybody’s excited,” said Lanessa Pierce, executive director of Rogue Comic Con.

In its first year as a new nonprofit, the event — previously known as Medford Comic Con, held at the Medford library — is intended to break the high cost typically associated with such events.

“It’s a free event for our community,” Pierce said, “and our whole aim is to keep it as a free event because we want all of the community to attend.”

Additionally, Rogue Comic Con is tailored to cover a variety of budgets with all activities and workshops being free and vendors offering a wide range of products and prices.

Some of those activities include costume contests; the Kid’s Zone with plenty of entertainment from the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon’s “Become a Superhero” activity; ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum’s “Jedi Academy” and Curt Evans Art’s program on learning to draw cartoons; book, artist and comic signings; a fan art contest; the video game premiere of “World Reborn” from Medford-based Wicked Saints Studios and much more from the expected 110-plus vendors.

For more details on the contests and activities, visit roguecomiccon.com.

Rogue Comic Con will also have approximately 10 food trucks at Pear Blossom Park for hungry comic book fans, with organizers anticipating up to 10,000 attendees.

Assembling and organizing Rogue Comic Con involved a team effort with the event’s board, consisting of Pierce, Astral Games co-owner Tyler Hill, Retro Wormhole owner Nick DeAngelis and others.

“We’re just putting a lot of time and effort into this and we’re excited to have it at Pear Blossom and extending through the downtown area,” DeAngelis said. “We’re doing all the stickers for (Rogue) Comic Con, doing some advertising and marketing through social media channels.”

“It does allow for a lot more space and things to happen at the event; the parking is more spacious over there, we already did layout for trucks and vendors and there’s more space for vendors,” Hill said.

The board members are also getting into the Rogue Comic Con spirit with costumes of their own they plan on wearing to the event.

“I’ll be dressed as a Ghostbuster,” DeAngelis said.

“I want to dress up as Anakin before Order 66,” Hill said of the “Star Wars” character.

The vendors and booths will include much more than merchandise, with one providing a demonstration of the sword-using Japanese martial art of Laido, a live podcasting booth, a Geocaching station and more.

Rogue Comic Con will also include multiple special guests and celebrities in the comic book, superhero, TV and movie world.

Actress and artist Adrienne King — best known for playing Alice Hardy in the “Friday the 13th” movie franchise — will be in attendance.

“She’s going to have (an art) booth … geared towards ‘Friday the 13th,’” Pierce said.

Comic Book writer and filmmaker Kevin VanHook will sign autographs at his booth and speak on the event stage in Pear Blossom Park.

Rogue City Comics will host two celebrities as well; one at its store in downtown Medford and the other at its booth in Pear Blossom Park.

“A San Diego Comic Con favorite, artist Mike Royer, will be here for a signing from noon to 3 p.m. (May 4),” said Jamie Ronda, owner of the comic book store with husband Steven Ronda. “He’s a legend in the world of comic books and worked with Jack Kirby, who was Stan Lee’s co-creator of many of our favorite heroes.”

At Rogue City Comics’ booth at the park will be artist and illustrator Jeff Johnson.

“He’s worked on “Wonder Man,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Green Lantern” comics to name a few, as well as animated series like “Spectacular Spider-Man,” “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Transformers Prime,” and “Young Justice,” Ronda said. “He’s also just a great guy.”

Beyond celebrating pop-culture and providing an event for fans, the intent beyond Rogue Comic Con’s goals is to also provide a space for the Rogue Valley’s youth.

“It speaks to everybody, and especially the teens; they’re our future and are often pushed aside or discarded,” Pierce said. “Come out and dress and have fun and be you.”

A portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to local organizations focused on literacy, at-risk families and at-risk teens, according to organizers.

“We want to be an evergreen event and a comic con destination,” Pierce said.