'Dukes of Hazzard' ride high at Motor City Comic Con

Fans of the TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard" have a lot to look forward to at this year's Motor City Comic Con. The famous blazing 1969 orange Dodge Charger, the General Lee, is on the guest list, along with a host of "Dukes" memorabilia and the author of a new fact book on the show.

The Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club, based in Ruscom Station, Ontario, Canada, will display the General Lee, along with two Hazzard County Sheriff's cars modeled after the vehicles used in the originial series, which ran from 1979 to 1985 on CBS, and in the 2005 motion picture. The fan club will also feature its traveling "Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Museum" at the Novi comic con, which is in a new location this year, the Rock Financial Showplace. The show runs May 19, 20 and 21.

Fans will get to see "Dukes" model kits, watches, autographed photos, action figures and more, says Paul Harrington, founder / president of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club and a lifelong "Dukes" fan. Harrington, who had a role as an extra in the 2005 "Dukes" film, has been displaying his "Dukes" collection since 1997.

"This year will be the largest 'Dukes of Hazzard' display that I have ever put together in one place, including props from the original TV series and the 2005 movie, and I'm pulling many friends into this with their TV and movie star cars," Harrington says. He purchased his own 1969 Charger in 1991 in Georgia, where the first five episodes of the show were filmed.

A hard-core "Dukes" fan through and through, Harrington is pals with Jerry Rushing, the actor, author and former moonshiner who was the inspiration behind the "Dukes," has met all of the "Dukes" stars over the years and even featured a "Dukes"-inspired car chase in the May 2000 wedding to his wife, Cheryl. Harrington is also founder and president of the Jerry Rushing Fan Club in which Rushing's daughter is an active member. Harrington works as a licensed mechanic in Essex, Ontario, at Elford & Stowe Ltd., where some of the display cars have been built.

Harrington's "Dukes" display also will feature author Billie Rae Bates, a former Detroit resident now living in Metro Atlanta not far from the original "Dukes" filming sites. Bates has written and compiled a fact book on the "Dukes," based on her own years of research and lifelong fascination with the TV show.

"Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" is a compendium that includes a cast list, character guide, episode guide, information on each of the show's stars, a tour of original Georgia filming sites, a guide to the show's extensive merchandise and more. Released in January of this year, the trade paperback sells for $15 on Amazon.com and other e-tailers. Bates will be signing copies for $15 on the Saturday of the show, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"When I was a teenager in the 1980s," Bates says, "I always wondered what it would be like to live in Hazzard County. Now I practically do! But I'm really looking forward to visiting Metro Detroit again. I miss it very much."

Bates, a veteran of the daily newspaper business, spent seven years of her career in Detroit, as an editor, writer and page designer for The Detroit News and as an editor at the corporate headquarters of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" is one of her foursome of reference books devoted to classic 1980s TV shows.

Besides the "Dukes" display, the Motor City Comic Con will feature a huge 40th anniversary celebration of the TV show "Batman," with appearances by several of the show's stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Yvonne Craig, Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether and Malachi Throne. An original Batmobile will be there, along with a Batcycle, Batcomputer and other goodies.

"We're the first convention to have this many 'Batman' cast members brought together at one time," says Gary Bishop, event organizer. "And we're the only show this year that's celebrating the show's 40th anniversary."

The Motor City Comic Con runs 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information about the show, visit www.motorcitycomiccon.com. For more information about the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club, visit www.canadiandukes.com, and check out www.brbtv.com to learn more about Bates and her work.

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