Comic Heroes vs. the Westboro Baptist Church

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church may have met their match. Earlier this week, it was reported that the controversial, anti-gay rights congregation was planning on protesting the San Diego comic book convention, Comic-Con. Turns out, the event's science-fiction fanboys were ready.

As the Kansas-based church held its incendiary signs, dozens of comic book fans mounted a counter-protest with futuristic robots and absurdist signboards reading "God Hates Jedi" and "Kill All Humans":

For the most part, commentators found the light-hearted counter-protest a refreshing antidote to the Church's provocative rabble-rousing. Matthew Sheffield at the Washington Examiner writes:

Normally the protests of Fred Phelps and his band of anti-gay church congregation members are met with indignant letters and discussions on the nature of free speech. That makes sense given that the Westboro Baptist Church typically protests such somber things as funerals of American soldiers and presidential speeches.

This week, however...attendees came prepared in their own way to challenge Phelps with protest signs of their own...Counter-protesting has never been so entertaining.