Peter Capaldi, Doctor Who's Current Doctor, to Appear at Florida Supercon

Calling all Doctor Who fans: The TARDIS is about to touch down in South Florida.

Florida Supercon announced yesterday that Peter Capaldi, who plays the 12th titular doctor in the long-running series, will make an appearance at this year's convention. Fans can pose for photos and get autographs from the actor, who's also known for his role as Malcolm Tucker, the hilariously vulgar government communications director of the TV series The Thick of It and its movie spinoff, In the Loop. Capaldi will also host a Q&A session.

Doctor Who, for the uninitiated, is the BBC series about an alien who explores the universe in his time-traveling TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), which is disguised as a British police box. The series has been broadcast in various forms since 1963, but the most recent version, launched in 2005, has gained a massive following among fans in both England and the United States.

Capaldi announced this year that the tenth season of Doctor Who would be his last, ending with the show's annual Christmas special this December, making his stop at Supercon something of a farewell for South Florida fans.

But devoted Whovians will have to shell out for the privilege of meeting the Doctor. Autographed photos of Capaldi will cost $90, photo ops will cost $100, and autographs on a personal item will cost $120, according to Florida Supercon's announcement. That's in addition to the price of admission, which starts at $21.25. The event also offers the "Peter Capaldi Gold VIP" package, combining four days of admission, autographs, and photo ops, ranging from $365 to $395. Current ticketholders have the option to upgrade to VIP status.

Pricey? Sure. But considering the fanatical love many viewers have for Doctor Who, it might just be worth the cost.

Florida Supercon
July 27 through 30 at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Admission starts at $21.25. Visit floridasupercon.com.