Buckeye Comic Con returns to the Aladdin Shrine Event & Conference Center on Sunday, July 12, 2026 for its summer edition — one of central Ohio's longest-running comics, trading cards, and pop culture shows. Despite the name, Buckeye Comic Con is every bit as much a card show as a comic show, and the July edition regularly draws dozens of sports card and TCG dealers alongside comic book, toy, and collectibles vendors. It is a popular mid-summer stop for Columbus collectors who want a smaller, easier-to-walk show in between the two-day Franklin County Fairgrounds weekends.
The show floor features roughly 100 vendor tables arranged across one large hall. Sports card dealers bring MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, boxing, and soccer product covering vintage Topps and Bowman, 1970s and 1980s runs, junk-wax staples, and modern Panini Prizm, Donruss Optic, Select, Topps Chrome, Bowman Draft, and premium high-end hits. Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Ohio State Buckeyes inventory is well represented. TCG tables stock Pokémon singles and sealed product from vintage WOTC Base Set through Scarlet & Violet and Japanese imports, plus Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece TCG, Disney Lorcana, Dragon Ball Z Fusion World, Digimon, and Flesh and Blood. Comic vendors bring deep Silver Age, Bronze Age, and modern key-issue inventory covering Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, and independent publishers. Graded slabs from CGC, PSA, BGS, CBCS, and SGC fill locked cases, with additional tables covering Funko Pops, toys, trade paperbacks, and vintage magazines.
The show runs 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT. Admission is typically in the $5–$10 range at the door with kids 12 and under free — a family-friendly pricing model that has helped Buckeye Comic Con build a loyal local following. Check the promoter's website closer to the date for exact ticketing and any advance sale options. Free parking is available in the Aladdin Shrine lot.
The Aladdin Shrine Event & Conference Center is located at 3850 Stelzer Road, Columbus, OH 43219, just off I-270 on the east side of Columbus — easy to reach from Westerville, Gahanna, New Albany, and downtown. The venue is climate-controlled, fully ADA accessible, and equipped with restrooms and on-site concessions. Stelzer Road and Easton Town Center restaurants offer many post-show dining options.
This show is a perfect fit for mixed collectors who enjoy cards, comics, and pop culture under one roof. Comic collectors find key issues, slabs, and creator-signed books in quantities that pure card shows don't offer. Card collectors appreciate that the hybrid crowd means dealer pricing is often sharper than at pure card-only events. Families love the approachable scale — you can comfortably walk the whole floor in two hours without feeling rushed. First-timers will find the atmosphere relaxed and vendors willing to teach.
For the best experience, arrive right at 10:00 AM for first pick, bring cash in small bills for the sharpest pricing (Venmo and Zelle accepted at most tables), and carry a want list split by category — cards, comics, Funko. Pack penny sleeves, top loaders, bags and boards, and a sturdy carrying box. Save the last hour for deal-making; dealers often discount rather than repack. Follow Buckeye Comic Con on Facebook and Instagram for guest announcements and vendor previews.