Hoovland attributes the growing interest in comic books and graphics novels due to their wide appeal.

“They have comic books about all sorts of things now; it’s not just superheroes — the graphic novels are their own kind of literature,” Hoovland said.

Several costumed participants are expected to make an appearance Saturday. Rick Carman, a member of the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club, said he and other members will be at Bismarck's Comic Con.

The Mandalorian Mercs is a group with more than 1,200 members and more than 50 chapters worldwide, according to its website. Members wear customized Mandalorian armor, designed from the "Star Wars" comic books. The group is a registered nonprofit in the United States that does various fundraising and volunteer events.

Carman has been a member of the Mandalorian Mercs for about two years. He came across the group while researching how to make his own costume, a mixture of metal and plastic which took him more than a year to construct.

Carman said there are nine official members in the North Dakota and South Dakota chapter, and the group is "steadily growing."