Clay HS alum returns to Elkhart’s Hall of Heroes Comic Con as celebrity guest

ELKHART, Ind. (WNDU) - Whether you like comic books or cosplay, Marvel or D.C., catching a celebrity guest at Elkhart’s Comic Con is always a fan favorite.

“We bring in Hollywood celebrities in to town that normally wouldn’t be in this area. So people get a chance to meet these Hollywood celebrities face-to-face,” Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum Director Allen Stewart.

It is especially nice when one of the celebrity guests is a high school best friend. Just ask South Bend resident Lew Soens who stopped by Comic Con on Sunday.

“I never would have thought somebody I would know would achieve such a level of fame but it’s amazing,” Soens says.

That ‘somebody’ Soens is talking about is Hollywood actor, podcaster, Marvel-like webmaster, and Clay High School graduate, Ming Chen.

“I grew up in nearby South Bend. I went to elementary school, middle school. I’m a Clay High School alumni I guess and now I’m back,” Chen told 16 News Now.

For Chen, seeing Leu, one of his childhood friends, was surreal.

“I literally just saw my old high school best friend who just stopped by with his kids. It’s mind-blowing because I haven’t seen him in 30 years,” Chen said.

However, being able to stand side-by-side with some of the biggest names like Indiana native and Star Trek’s own Doug Jones, WandaVision’s Emma Caulfield, and Napoleon Dynamite himself...Jon Heder.

“Never in a million years I think I would be standing at a event held in Elkhart, or Mishawaka or South Bend where people are like, ‘Man, that guy is cool because he is from here.’ Maybe someone of note, but I never would have imagined,” Chen says.

And while some fans had reservations to ask Chen about some his favorite Hollywood moments, “My biggest star-struck moment probably meeting Mark Hammel from Star Wars. He’s Luke Skywalker!”

It was time to bring him back home for one last hard hitting question of my own.

“Who is your favorite news station in Michiana,” I asked.

“Oh, WNDU for sure! I mean it has been like that for all of my life certainly. But there is no doubt, WNDU for life man.”