• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2017
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas 2018
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas

    Fantasies come true

    Fantasy Fair makes long-awaited return for Dallas comic book fans

    Brett Weiss
    Nov 21, 2018 | 9:37 am
    Jim Steranko
    The guest of honor is Jim Steranko, who is known for his stylized art and snappy attire.
    Photo courtesy of Dallas Fantasy Fair

    Local comic book fans have big plans for the long Thanksgiving weekend. The Dallas Fantasy Fair is returning after a more than 20-year hiatus, occurring Nov. 24-25 at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas.

    For those not in the know, the original Dallas Fantasy Fair, hosted by the late Larry Lankford, was THE comic book convention in North Texas from 1982 to 1995. In an era when "geek culture" was far less mainstream than it is now, patrons could shop a large vendor’s room filled with comic books, toys, T-shirts, action figures, and more. In addition, there were panels, seminars, movie previews, and costume contests.

    Perhaps the biggest draw to the DFF were its guests, including such legendary comic book creators as Alex Toth, Frank Miller, John Byrne, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Jack Kirby, and industry icon Stan Lee, the Marvel Comics creator, who just died November 12.

    “Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created what is known as the Marvel Universe, the bulk of the Marvel characters, and I met them both at Larry’s shows in Dallas,” says J. David Spurlock, organizer of the resurrected Dallas Fantasy Fair. “I became friends with them and many other legendary talents I met at the Fantasy Fair conventions.”

    Spurlock’s ties with the original Dallas Fantasy Fair are far and wide. He never missed a show, but it goes much deeper than that.

    “DFF founder Larry Lankford and I met when we were 13 at D-Con ’73,” he says, referring to an early comic con in Dallas. “We stayed close from then on and a few people even thought we were brothers. I was at every Dallas Fantasy Fair, often as a guest artist but I was also involved behind the scenes as a close friend of Larry’s.”

    Spurlock left the Dallas/Fort Worth area in 1996, just as Lankford shut down the original DFF, but he returned recently to be near family.

    “Inevitably, when I began reconnecting with old friends, our great times at the old DFF come up,” he says. “People say the new shows are great but that there was something special about the old DFF shows. So we’re bringing it back.”

    Spurlock promises to re-create the vibe, atmosphere, and fun of the old comic cons, which were more intimate, less commercial, and more comic book-focused than the bigger, glitzier shows of today.

    “Many of the conventions now are mostly Hollywood autograph shows,” he says. “Though it’s great to meet the actors who play the characters, I feel it is priceless to meet the talents that actually created these pop-culture characters before we lose them, as we just lost Stan Lee.”

    Guests at this weekend’s Dallas Fantasy Fair include an array of talented artists, such as Michael Golden (The Micronauts), Simon Bisley (Lobo), Frank Brunner (Doctor Strange), and Benbrook resident Kerry Gammill (Superman).

    The guest of honor is Jim Steranko, who is known for his stylized art and snappy attire.

    “Steranko was a revolutionary talent at Marvel in the ‘60s,” Spurlock says. “He co-created Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and went on to work in film with Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg. Steranko helped create Indiana Jones. Steranko is a unique personality who could have walked out of a Mickey Spillane novel.”

    In addition to comic book creator meet and greets, the DFF is hosting an eclectic array of other guests.

    “We have George Lowe, the voice of Space Ghost,” Spurlock says. “Imagine carrying on a conversation with Space Ghost! We have Bob Camp, the co-creator of Ren and Stimpy — he also does voices and conducts sing-alongs of ‘Happy Happy Joy Joy’ and all the Ren and Stimpy songs he wrote.”

    Frank Frazetta Jr., son of the late fantasy artist, will also be there.

    “Google Frank Frazetta,” Spurlock says. “His paintings sell for over $1 million. Frank, Jr. is making his first-ever Dallas appearance in support of the Frazetta Museum.”

    Want to know how much your collection is worth? Dallas-based Heritage Auctions will offer free appraisals on your art, music, movie, and comics-related items. Dressing as favorite characters is encouraged, too.

    The Dallas Fantasy Fair takes place 10 am-6 pm November 24-25 at Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Tickets are $20 Saturday, $15 Sunday, and a two-day pass is $30. Kids ages 10 and younger get in free with a paid adult admission.

    celebritiesfamiliesfestivals
    news/entertainment

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Exotic ice cream shop sweetens this week's most popular Dallas stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Jun 21, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Kwality Ice Cream
    Kwality
    Kwality Ice Cream

    Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week is all about food, from innovative Indian concepts to a high-profile steakhouse. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then visit our event planner for the best things to do in Dallas this weekend.

    1. Kwality Ice Cream shop to bring creamy exotic desserts to Frisco. An ice cream chain with an Indian flair is dipping into Dallas-Fort Worth. Called Kwality Ice Cream, it's a concept founded in New Jersey that specializes in traditional Indian ice cream and cold drinks, and it's opening a location in Frisco.

    2. High-profile Palladino's Steak & Seafood heads to Preston-Royal Dallas. A high-profile new steakhouse is coming to North Dallas. Palladino’s Steak & Seafood, an eponymous concept from Dallas restaurateur Joseph Palladino, will open at 5959 Royal Ln., in the former Spec's space.

    3. Veteran Dallas restaurant team to open innovative Indian to-go spot. A Dallas restaurant team versed in Indian food is opening an innovative new to-go spot. Called Elephant Indian Grill, it’s a to-go-only restaurant opening in the Park Cities, in the former Granny’s Cajun Cooking, where it’s set to launch in late June.

    4. Dallas chef nominated for James Beard award parts ways with restaurant. Dallas chef RJ Yoakum, who has earned scads of acclaim in Dallas in his role as executive chef at Georgie, the high-profile restaurant in the Knox Street district, is no longer its executive chef.

    5. Savvy team to open expansive Indian restaurant Silk Road in Coppell. An Indian restaurant from a team of hospitality veterans is coming to Coppell. Called Silk Road Indian Cuisine and Bar, it will open soon at 160 W Sandy Lake Rd. in the former JC’s Burger Bar space, where it will feature flavors from northern and southern India.

    openingssteakhousechefsindian foodfriscocoppelltop stories
    news/entertainment
    Loading...