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Sylvester Stallone is the first major guest announced for Philly Keystone Comic Con

Keystone Comic Con is coming back to Philly for its second iteration, and it’s bringing the Italian Stallion himself to town too.

Actor Sylvester Stallone waves to fans while visiting the Rocky statue outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday, April 6, 2018. Stallone, who is in town filming Creed 2, visited the statue to dedicate a new plaque at its base.
Actor Sylvester Stallone waves to fans while visiting the Rocky statue outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday, April 6, 2018. Stallone, who is in town filming Creed 2, visited the statue to dedicate a new plaque at its base.Read moreTim Tai / Staff Photographer

Keystone Comic Con is coming back to Philly for its second iteration, and it’s bringing the Italian Stallion to town.

Sylvester Stallone is the first official guest at this year’s event, to be held Aug. 23-25 at the Convention Center. Stallone will participate in autograph sessions and photo ops, as well as a panel, throughout the weekend.

“We are working to make Keystone Comic Con a show that truly embodies the spirit of Philadelphia, and [one] that provides fans the ultimate destination to come together for a celebration of all this comics and pop culture,” event producer ReedPOP head Lance Fensterman said. “And who better to kick things off than Rocky himself?”

Launched last year, Keystone Comic Con featured guests including the casts of NBC’s The Office and HBO’s True Blood, as well as voice artist Rob Paulsen of Pinky and the Brain. Announcements regarding other guests for this year’s event are forthcoming.

The event will be held about two months after the Wizard World Philadelphia convention, which runs June 13-16 at the Convention Center. So far, guests for that event include Charmed stars Holly Marie Combs, Brian Krause, and Drew Fuller, plus hosting work by Kato Kaelin. The comic con with be a little more Philadelphia-specific.

“We know that the second annual Keystone Comic Con will have something that every passionate Philadelphia comic and pop culture fan will get excited about,” Fensterman said.

Tickets, available now, run from $35 for adult Sunday passes to $299 for adult three-day VIP passes (general admission three-day passes are $80 for adults). Kids’ passes are $15 for one day and $25 for three days.

Stallone has been something of a regular figure in Philadelphia over the last year or so, thanks to the filming of Creed II around the city last spring. He even popped into a Rocky-focused art show, Rocky (re)Runs, at the Da Vinci Art Alliance in South Philly last April, organizers said.

“It’s like I never left here,” Stallone said last year at a surprise appearance at the Rocky statue. “I am Philly, Philly is me. My life began here, you know?”