The Motor City Comic Con has a special place in West Bloomfield artist Dave Acosta’s heart.

“It was my local con growing up. I remember standing in huge lines to get signatures from the original Image Comics creators (the group of popular Marvel Comics artists who left Marvel to form their own comic book company) back in 1992 or 1993. That was the first time I was able to meet the people behind the comics that I loved. It showed me that this was a job that people could actually have. My mom would volunteer at the con to get me a free pass. My parents were always supportive, which was a big part of me having my career today. And Motor City is a big part of that too.”

Acosta — who illustrated and co-created “TerrorWar” for Image Comics with Oakland County resident/writer Saladin Ahmed and is the cover artist for Dynamite Entertainment’s “Elvira” series — will be one of the guest artists at this year’s MC3, which runs the weekend of May 17-19 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

“I’ve tabled at this con probably 10 times, starting in 2009,” he said. “Things sure were different in those pre-‘Walking Dead’ days.”

Acosta is but one of many comic book creators attending. Other creators include Lee Weeks (“Daredevil”), Billy Tucci (“Shi”), Bart Sears (“Captain America and the Falcon”), Tom King (“Vision,” “Batman”), Dan Parent (“Archie”), Josef Rubinstein (“Wolverine,” “The Infinity Gauntlet”), Claudia Gray (“Star Wars”), Jim Calafiore (“Batman”), Maiko Sozo (“Vampirella”), local artist Jay Fosgitt (“Rocket Racoon and Groot”) and local horror novelist Jonathan Rand (the “Michigan Chillers” series).

A who’s who of celebrity guests will also be attending. Oscar winner Helen Hunt (“Twister”), William Shatner (“Star Trek”), Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”), Carla Gugino (“Spy Kids”), Wayne State University alumnus Ernie Hudson (“Ghostbusters”), Jennifer Morrison (“Once Upon a Time”), Karen Allen (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Tom Wilson (“Back to the Future”), George Wendt (“Cheers”), John Ratzenberger (“Cheers”), Zachary Levi (“Shazam”), Heather Graham (“Scream 2”), Gates McFadden (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), Felicia Day (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Detroit native Christian Keyes (“Supernatural”), Bruce Greenwood (“The Fall of the House of Usher”), Katee Sackhoff (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”).

“I’m excited to be coming to Motor City,” Hudson said. “Michigan is home and Detroit is where my career began. Looking forward to seeing family, friends and fans, who I owe so much. Please come by Motor City Con and say hello. Can’t wait to see you.”

Lifelong “Trek” fans Charlie Carden and his wife April will co-host the panel “Star Trek Tech: Fantasy is Reality” at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 18. The couple heads up the U.S.S. Grand Petoskey, a Grand Rapids-based chapter of the Starfleet International Fan Club. Carden also co-hosts the podcast called Secret Fans Unite.

“This panel will discuss how so much everyday technology owes itself to the fiction of the ‘Star Trek’ universe,” he said.

Carden’s is one of many panels that will occur at MC3. Members of the 501st Legion — Great Lakes Garrison, a “Star Wars” cosplay group, and “Ghostbusters Detroit,” another cosplay group, will be present. There also will be photo ops with the celebrities. Some special highlights include photo ops with Wilson in the DeLorean time-machine from “Future” and Hudson with the Ecto-1 from “Ghostbusters.” There also will be cosplay contests for both adults and kids.

For Acosta, the best part about attending cons is connecting with fans.

“There are lots of great folks out there who appreciate your work but who might not be on social media,” Acosta said. “It’s a great reminder that there are real people out there enjoying these stories. And connecting in real life, as opposed to an app, is always preferable.”

Con Etiquette 101

A comic con is open to everyone, no matter what walk of life they’re from or their age. To make your experience at Motor City Comic Con enjoyable for all, follow these rules and tips:

• Wear sensible, comfortable shoes. The floors of the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi are concrete, so plan on doing a lot of walking and expect to be standing in some long lines. Wear sensible, comfortable shoes and take frequent breaks to give your legs and feet a rest. This goes double for cosplayers who wear high heels as part of their costume (carry a change of shoes in a bag). People have removed their high heels and walked around in their bare feet or stocking feet, which poses another problem: Stepping on something sharp.

• Bring provisions. Stock up on water, snacks (granola bars, power bars), aspirin and other medications. There are food vendors on the premises, as well.

• Practice good hygiene habits. As should always be done when you’re going out in public, practice good hygiene habits (i.e., bathing, putting on deodorant, etc.) Stock up on gum and breath mints, especially if you plan to have conversations with people.

• Be considerate of other people’s time. When you visit your favorite celebrity guest, it’s OK to geek out, but within reason. Limit the time of your conversation to a few minutes and do not grill them with questions about a particular episode from 25 years ago. Odds are they won’t remember it at that moment. They also have a big line and plenty of fans to greet. Also, watch for social cues, both verbal and nonverbal. Be considerate of social distancing when possible and be respectful of other people’s boundaries.

• Cosplayers. Understand the fact that MC3 is a family-friendly show, so be mindful of the kind of costume you’ll be wearing. Make sure it’s not provocative or offensive.

• Props and weapons. Cosplayers must present all props and weapons for inspection before entering MC3. There will be a dedicated prop and weapons check table near the entrance. Here is a complete list of protocols: motorcitycomiccon.com/legal/weapons-policy.

• “Cosplay is not consent.” This is a popular phrase in the con community, meaning attendees have to realize cosplay is not consent. Just because someone may dress up like a fictional character does not mean you can treat them as such and harass them.

• Come with a plan. It’s easy to get overwhelmed at a con and buy everything in sight. Make a list of what you plan to buy, who you plan to see (some celebrity guests will not attend all three days), and what panel(s) you plan to attend. Understand you may not be able to fit it all in and there may be some cancellations. Have a budget and also make room in your budget for any impulse buys. This way you won’t spend all your money within the first 15 minutes, especially if you plan on attending all three days.

• Are wheelchairs and scooters available? A limited number of wheelchairs and scooters are available for free use from the convention center. These are given out on a first-come/first-serve basis and cannot be reserved ahead of time. ADA bracelets are available for attendees who are disabled.