Makeup artist Sarah Johnson does face painting at one of the vendor booths at a past Columbus Comic Con at University Library.
The Republic file photo
At a gathering celebrating superheroes, Sarah Johnson will display her own superpower — transforming folks from students and everyday adults into the silly or the scary.
For free.
All courtesy of her detailed, Whiteland-based special-effect business called Beauties and Beasts, where her face paint and makeup create some of the most way-cool ghouls and bloodiest buddies you’ll ever see.
Johnson, an eight-year veteran of such work and an enthusiastic cosplayer who sometimes sports blue or purple hair, will be among a record 22 vendors amid the fanfare at the free University Library Comic Con from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 7 at the Columbus Learning Center, 4555 Central Ave. The event was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was virtual last year.
The last in-person event attracted more than 200 people, according to organizers.
“I had a man a few years ago who asked, ‘Can you make it look like I have a gash in my head to scare the wife?” Johnson said. “And the younger boys often will ask, ‘Can you make it look like I got scratched by Wolverine?”
Coordinator Abby Hilyard would love to see the event expand a few years from now to an entire weekend, and an overall crowd of maybe 500 people. But for now she’s working with a minimal budget of about $2,000 and as a solo planner.
“The feedback always has been overwhelmingly positive,” Hilyard said. “The only things people have told me they wanted were for it to be longer, and later in the day. And one student suggested we have live music, which we currently can’t do in the building because classes are going on.”
This year’s entertainment includes a Bloomington belly dance troupe performing as various characters, a panel discussion and a cosplay showcase.
“I think this one is really nice for all the people around here who aren’t able to go to the Comic Con in downtown Indianapolis,” Johnson said, referring to the large Indiana Comic Con event April 15-17 at the Indiana Convention Center. “We all know how crazy that one can be.
“So it’s nice to see a local, smaller version of it.”
