I was at Silicon Valley Comic Con 2.0 last weekend and crossed paths with a lot of martial arts friends there. I went last year to meet Ray Park for our JULY+AUGUST 2016 cover story Ray Park: The Force of Wushu - work summons me to cons a lot for similar reasons. I started a small facebook album on cons for our KFTC page, which I anticipate will grow. I've been doing cons since I was a teen and lately, there's been a growing martial arts presence there, so I figured it was time to start a thread here.



I was even at this demo below.

Martial arts demo showcase ‘real-life little superheroes’ at Silicon Valley Comic Con
By Mariecar Mendoza April 24, 2017 Updated: April 24, 2017 12:22pm


Actor Ernie Reyes Jr. Silicon Valley Comic Con 2017 held at San Jose Convention Center on April 22, 2017 in San Jose, California. Photo: Albert L. Ortega, Getty Images
Photo: Albert L. Ortega, Getty Images

Superheroes-in-training showed off their skills when martial arts master Ernie Reyes Sr. brought out his team for the last day of this year’s Silicon Valley Comic Con.

On Sunday, April 23, dozens of fans cheered on his team from West Coast Martial Arts Association, which has programs all over the Bay Area, as they performed acrobatics, choreographed fight scenes and more during a short martial arts demonstration at the convention’s outdoor festival at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Some in the crowd even called the smallest of the talent group “real-life little superheroes.”

But as Reyes Sr.’s mantra goes, “true martial arts is more than kicking and punching. It’s a positive way of life” — a skill and ethic that has changed the lives of students like Sage Stephenson.

“When I started, I didn’t have that much self-confidence and it really helped me with that. I’ve improved a lot,” said the 12-year-old Santa Clara resident, who revealed her favorite superhero is Wonder Woman.


Ernie Reyes Sr. and Jr. were special guests during this year's Silicon Valley Comic Con in San Jose.

Media: Mariecar Mendoza / sfchronicle.com
At 70 years old, the Salinas native also showcased his moves as his son, actor Ernie Reyes Jr. emceed.

The younger Reyes, who was born and raised in San Jose, is best known for his martial arts skills in films like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze,” “Surf Ninjas” and “The Last Dragon.” More recently, he’s added acting credits to his resume for his roles in “NCIS: Los Angeles” and TNT’s “The Librarians” among other shows. He was among the three-day Silicon Valley Comic Con’s celebrity guests at the San Jose Convention Center.

“When I was a little kid doing martial arts, before I got into film and television, we were down here doing marital arts demonstrations and so it’s really cool to come back after 30-something years … and be able to meet my fans,” said 45-year-old Reyes Jr. “It’s awesome to see the Silicon Valley be able to have a comic con and have it grow so quickly. I’m happy to be a part of it.”


Mariecar Mendoza is The San Francisco Chronicle arts content editor. Email: mmendoza@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SFMarMendoza Instagram: @sfchronicle_scene