Actor Jensen Ackles said he had no idea “Supernatural” would last 15 seasons.

“I didn’t think we’d last more than three seasons. I was excited by the success of that because if you get anything more than three seasons of a show, that’s a runaway success,” Ackles said. “The fact that we got to 15, nobody could’ve predicted that, never in a million years. I’m still very proud of every episode we did, very proud of every season we completed, and very proud of every story we told. I’m sure there were some that may not have hit as hard as some of the other storylines, but I’m proud nonetheless.”

Ackles (Dean Winchester), Misha Collins (Castiel), Richard Speight, Jr. (Loki and Gabriel), Samantha Smith (Mary Winchester), Alaina Huffman (Abaddon), Alexander Calvert (Jack), Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer), Mark Sheppard (Crowley), Rob Benedict (God/Chuck), and more will attend Creation Entertainment’s “The Road So Far … The Road Ahead: Celebrating 20 Years of SPN” at the Suburban Showplace Collection in Novi on Friday through Sunday, July 11-13. This is Michigan’s first convention dedicated solely to “Supernatural.”

“We’re super excited! Man, we’re a well-oiled machine. We’ve never been there and we’ve been doing this convention all over the United States and Europe for a long time. It’s always fun to bring it to a new market because we get to connect with a whole new group of people who love the show but haven’t been able to celebrate it with us in person, so it’s gonna be great!” Speight said. “As actors on the show, we don’t get to see the people who watch it and love it. We do our job in a vacuum on a soundstage and go about our business and hope the show connects with people. Conventions give us that opportunity to meet and bond with the people who kept the show on for (15) years. It’s a special time to be with the people who kept the show popular its entire run. You do live theater, you hear applause. You do standup comedy, you get laughter. You do a TV show, you don’t hear anything, you don’t see anything. With a convention, all that comes together and makes it really unique and special.”

“Supernatural” chronicles the adventures of the Winchester brothers, Dean and Sam (Jared Padalecki), who travel the country in their 1967 Chevy Impala, called Baby, to hunt monsters.

“‘Supernatural’ is not loved because it’s a show about monsters; it’s a show about brothers,” Ackles said. “It’s the love story of two brothers, to be honest.”

“The show is about the two brothers and their connection,” Huffman said. “In television, we always say the No. 1 sets the tone. In this case, it’s a shared title, it’s Jared and Jensen. … They’re just really solid guys. They learned early on their longevity and staying power would be based on their relationship and that transcends the show and also real life. We’ve just felt that we’ve been welcomed into this big, beautiful family. We can’t describe it; it’s lightning in a bottle and we’re so grateful for it.”

Created by Eric Kripke, “Supernatural” — a cross between “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “The X-Files” and “Route 66” — debuted Sept. 13, 2005, on The WB to modest ratings. Throughout its 15 years, “Supernatural” has survived two networks, three network presidents, five showrunners, multiple timeslots, a writers’ strike and COVID-19. It concluded Nov. 19, 2020, after 327 episodes. Its spinoff, “The Winchesters,” ran from 2022-23.

“‘Supernatural’ wasn’t just a show. It was an anchor in my life. From the moment it premiered, it walked beside me through motherhood, heartbreak, reinvention and healing. The Winchesters felt like family; their story stitched into mine. This fandom gave me purpose and friendship. It will forever be a part of who I am,” said Lindsay Warren of Royal Oak.

Warren has raised more than $100,000 via the show’s fanbase for various charities, including A Dog’s Life and St. Jude’s. Even the stars have used their celebrity status to raise awareness. Always Keep Fighting is Padalecki’s campaign to raise awareness against the stigma of mental illness. Collins co-founded Random Acts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding and inspiring acts of kindness worldwide.

“It’s fantastic how supportive the fans have been since the show started. For years, it would be on the bubble, meaning it wasn’t guaranteed a pickup, but it got it and the fans would stick with it. It would move nights and the fans would stick with it. It would move timeslots and the fans would stick with it,” Speight said. “It has, honestly, been the stuff of television history — how dedicated and loyal the fans have been and passionate they continue to be even with the show no longer being produced. They watch it on streamers, own the DVDs, come to conventions, and support the show like it’s still being shot, which is incredibly rare and remarkable. Being part of something that has that connection and support is really unique and amazing.”

Speight shared his insight on the show’s staying power.

“Kripke created an airtight universe with a specific mission and cast two outstanding actors (Padalecki and Ackles). Along the way, he picked up remarkable performer after remarkable performer,” he said. “You go down the list of the people who came into this show and went on to become stars in their own right — Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Odom Jr. It continued to pick up actors who are remarkably solid and contributed their talents to the show.”

Speight continued: “It just kept running along when you went from Kripke showrunning to Sera Gamble showrunning to Jeremy Carver showrunning to Andrew Dabb showrunning to Robert Singer showrunning, the show never lost a step. It kept reinventing itself. It kept staying true to the characters that launched it. It kept tapping into the talents of the cast and crew. Honestly, the show could’ve still continued if Jared and Jensen wanted it to. That’s a remarkable testament to the power of a well-thought-out plan and a well-executed TV program.”

Laura Conner of Auburn is rendezvousing in Novi with Angie Stillson of Mishawaka, Indiana, and Barbara Jones of Covington, Louisiana. The three met at “Supernatural” conventions and became lifelong friends.

“I started watching ‘Supernatural’ in the 11th season,” Conner said. “I was a little late to the party. I was newly divorced and in a bad mental state at the time. I binged all 11 seasons in less than four months. I learned about the conventions and have met some of my bestest friends through them. Now it’s coming to Novi, I get to see my friends again. I met Angie in Chicago in 2016. I met Barbara in Nashville in 2018. We all met up in Indianapolis later that year. We haven’t been together at a convention since 2018, so I am very excited about this. The lifetime of friendships ‘Supernatural’ conventions has brought me has made each day brighter. I can’t wait to see everyone!”

According to Speight, a “Supernatural” convention is an experience unlike any other.

“We’re not just a parade of actors from the show; we are an experience,” he said.  “We are funny, intimate, musical. It is a party from the moment Friday kicks off to the last acoustic, post-concert notes Sunday night. In any capacity you want to go — be it all three days, one day, just for the concert — you’re gonna have a great time because it’s a celebration of a show at a level you have yet to experience. We’re thrilled to be able to bring it to you and hope you’re there to enjoy it with us.”

If you go

Creation Entertainment’s “The Road So Far … The Road Ahead: Celebrating 20 Years of SPN” will be at the Suburban Showplace Collection, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi, from Friday through Sunday, July 11-13.

The convention schedule is posted the week of the convention to accommodate flight itineraries and filming schedules. All guests and scheduling are tentative and subject to change. Ticket packages range between $60-$1099. For more information, visit creationent.com/cal/ce_novi or email customer.service@creationent.com.

‘Supernatural: Then and Now’ Podcast

Can’t get enough “Supernatural”? Well, “Supernatural” stars Richard Speight Jr. and Rob Benedict host the podcast “Supernatural: Then and Now.”

“It’s such a cool experience,” Speight said. “Though Rob and I were involved in the show … I didn’t watch every episode. It’s forced me to do exactly that and in order. Now, like a fan, I’m going step by step throughout the entire storyline of each character … giving it a real close look. It’s been fantastically educating, entertaining and illuminating because I can see the show through the eyes of a fan. Plus, we have a great time talking about it. Any time I work with Rob is a good time because nobody makes me laugh like that guy.”

When seeing himself on these episodes, Speight doesn’t second-guess his performances.

“Look, those things are frozen in a vacuum: You do ‘em, they’re on film, they’re captured, you’re not gonna change ‘em. It’s fun to go back and look at it like it’s a home movie,” he said. “There are a couple episodes where I had a lot of sympathy weight because my wife was pregnant, so that wasn’t my favorite thing to revisit, but it happens to the best of us. … You have to come to a zen place in your mind and heart about the work you’ve done in the past.”

Speight played Gabriel and Loki in the 13th season episode, “Unfinished Business,” which he also directed.

“Very few times does an actor get to direct himself kicking his own butt,” he recalled. “It was such an awesome experience and a challenge. I directed myself playing two characters who were dramatically different from each other. They had to interact and physically confront each other; it was amazing. That challenge was unique and special.”

Speight explained why podcasts hosted by a show’s cast are so popular.

“I think people love to hear from the people who made the show, be they crew or cast,” he said. “It’s just like how I used to watch the DVD commentary and listen to a director or writer talk about the experience of making a show or a movie. DVDs aren’t popular anymore, but podcasts are and can serve the same purpose. They can be a peak behind the curtain to some of your favorite shows and movies as discussed by (the people) who were there to see it all come together. It brings a unique perspective to it. For fans who love the show, you get to do a deep dive with the people who made the show, which makes it super unique and educational, aside from just entertaining.”

Jeffrey Petryczkowycz, general manager of Time Travelers: Comics, Cards, & Collectibles in Berkley, is hosting three special guests with ties to metropolitan Detroit during Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 3.

This year’s FCBD festivities are the first at his store’s new location.

“The old store obviously had a lot of history within those walls, and so many of our customers — and our owner, Michael Morgan— grew up going to that location, creating memories,” Petryczkowycz said. “This is the beginning of creating new Time Travelers memories that are very much a part of that history, but also celebrating the new direction we have taken the store!”

Petryczkowycz referred to the store’s new location at 3116 12 Mile Road. Time Travelers moved to that location in 2024.

FBBD festivities kick off at 11 a.m. and go until 7 p.m. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Time Travelers will host three local special guest artists.

• Keith Pollard, of Lincoln Park, is a veteran Marvel Comics artist from the 1970s and 1980s. He’s best known for his artistry on “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Thor,” and “Fantastic Four.” Pollard co-created Spider-Man’s one-time love interest and enemy-turned-ally, the Black Cat.

• Dave Acosta, of West Bloomfield, has recently completed his run on Image Comics’ “TerrorWar,” a creator-owned project he collaborated on with Oakland County resident and writer Saladin Ahmed. He has also illustrated Dynamite Entertainment’s “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark,” “Vampirella,” and “Red Sonja.”

• Bill Morrison, of St. Clair Shores, has served as editor-in-chief of MAD Magazine. He’s done work for Disney, illustrating posters for blockbuster animated movies “Cinderella” and “The Little Mermaid.” Morrison has also illustrated “The Simpsons” for Bongo Comics.

“Doing signing appearances on (FCBD) has become like a holiday tradition for me and I’m very excited to be coming to Time Travelers this year,” Morrison said. “It’s a shame that Bongo no longer exists to provide free ‘Simpsons’ comics, but I am going to be giving free signatures and free sketches to kids.”

Added Acosta: “I’ve been a Time Travelers customer for over 30 years. I’m very excited to hang out and see the new digs. There is a great community around the shop, so it should be a lot of fun. It’s always great to get face time with fans, rather than just online interactions. Comic book culture is first and foremost in the comic shops. We owe everything to the loyal customers that come in every week, as well as the shop owners and workers who recommend our books. The industry depends on them, so I hope people come and check it out, get some free comics, and buy some stuff, too.”

A committee of comic shop retailers chose 46 titles to be available on FCBD that gives fans an opportunity to discover new titles and genres. This year’s selection of comics includes popular franchises such as “Star Wars,” “Transformers” and “Mega Man.” There will also be old favorites, such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and X-Men, as well as Titan Comics’ “Conan the Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent” and titles from Dynamite, Archie Comics, Valiant Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Fantagraphics Books, Papercutz, IDW Publishing, Dark Horse Comics and more.

“There is always a ‘Conan’ book coming out from some publisher,” Petryczkowycz said.

FCBD began in 2022 and occurs on the first Saturday of May. It has become an official Children’s Book Week event and inspired similar events in other countries. Historically, FCBD has been cross-promoted with the release of a superhero film. This year, “Thunderbolts,” which is a group of antiheroes led by Bucky Barnes, alias the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), will be released on Friday, May 2. It is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the final film in its Phase Five era.

“Each year, we aim to deliver a memorable (FCBD) experience for fans everywhere,” FCBD spokesperson Ashton Greenwood said. “We know comic book retailers are looking forward to treating their communities to a fun-filled day celebrating comic books and we think this year’s title selection truly captures that spirit. There’s something for every kind of fan — from long-time readers to the comic book curious.”

According to Petryczkowycz, Time Travelers will do a FCBD event called All You Can Read, where anyone can have one copy of any of the FCBD titles — no limit on how many titles they select.

“We just ask they only take what they will actually read, so that all guests have an opportunity to find something fun,” he said. “We want everyone to have the opportunity to leave with some great comics.”

Petryczkowycz expects hundreds of guests, so he recommends people get there early in order to get the best selections.

Time Travelers also will host a kid’s costume contest. With parental consent, Time Travelers employees will take photos of all the kids in costume. People will vote online for the best. Three winners will be chosen, with $20 gift cards given to the second-place and third-place winners. A $50 gift card will be given to the first-place winner.

With everything planned — and some stuff still in the planning stages — Petryczkowycz said FCBD is going to be a great day.

“A lot of planning goes into a day like this, a lot of work and expenses blah blah blah … but you forget all about it when the doors open and the smiling faces show up,” Petryczkowycz said. “It’s a special day for sure, and we hope it turns into new visits from people who may have made their first visit ever to a comic book shop. That part is really fun. Seeing those first-time visitors who take in the event, but also walk around the store and see the latest collectibles, as well as things that transport them back to their childhoods. There is so much history to be found in the vintage items.

“My first visit to a comic shop was over 40 years ago, and it was life-changing — for real. My imagination was enriched and encouraged. I found a community that wanted nothing more than to find enjoyment, an escape. To this day, I can leave a stress-filled day behind me and enter a safe space to decompress.”

For questions or more information about FCBD, contact Time Travelers at 248-548-7213 or follow the company’s social media pages.