Choker Creators Coast-to-Coast Tour

Comic artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Fell) and writer Ben McCool are on tour to promote their new title, Choker. Templesmith writes on his blog, ”This year, you pretty much won’t be able to escape me. (Sorry.) In addition to all these dates for CHOKER #1 and #2, I’ll also be around Chicago for C2E2 as well as NYCC and Heroes Con down in North Carolina. And of course, the big one, SDCC.” He goes on to say that McCool will be on hand for several of the appearances as well. There’s a guarantee of at least one Ben per signing!

 Larry’s Comics in Lowell, MA commissioned an exclusive variant cover of the first issue (pictured at right). It has been delayed because of a printing error but New England fans should be on the lookout for it to get signed at Templesmith’s appearance at Boston Comic Con in April.

MA – Three Paths of Illustration Lecture

Joe Quinones announced on his blog that he is participating in an  artist discussion panel this coming Monday, March 1st. Also featured are fellow illustrators, James Yang and Mike Annear. The Art Institute of Boston (AIB) hosts the event, which is free and open to the public. It begins at 6:30pm in Room 215.

The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, 700 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02215

NYC – We Will Bury You Release Party

Brea Grant (Heroes, Halloween II) and Zane Austin Grant sign the first issue of their historical horror comic We Will Bury You at Desert Island Comics in Brooklyn on Friday, February 26th from 7-9pm. Brea said on her blog that she will only be there for the first hour so show up early.

Desert Island Comics, 540 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Cause for Con-cern in San Diego

Lori Weisberg of the San Diego Union-Tribune explores the possibility of Comic Con International leaving San Diego and the ramifications it would hold for the city. Read more at the link…

Michael Golden and Mark Texeira to Appear at NY Comic Book Marketplace

Golden and Texeira Hit the Mark at the “Comic Book Marketplace”
New Artbooks Available/ Visionaries Panel Planned

New York, NY– There is no venue quiet like the Big Apple, and with the weather getting a bit chilly out there, here’s the perfect chance to warm up, grab your own bite of what the city has to offer, and meet some of your favorite comic book creators in town for this unique one day event, all at the same time!

Mike Carbo’s New York Comic Book Marketplace is set for Saturday, February 27th, from 11am to 7pm, at the Penn Plaza Pavilion, 401 7th Ave at 33rd St, New York City! Admission is only $10 for the day, and the show is sure to feature lots of dealers selling comics, toys, DVD’s and more. We already hear that some of our favorites will be there, including Shelton Drum of Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find, and our friends at Motor City Comics as well!

The guest list is something any 3-day show would be proud to boast, with the likes of Michael Golden, Mark Texeira, Ilya Salkind, Matthew Clark, Herb Trimpe, David Roya, Steve Mannion, Gene Colan, Bob Wiacek, Rodney Ramos, Rick Parker, Rudy Nebres, Chris Claremont, Renee Witterstaetter, Bill Sienkiewicz, Khary Randolph, Danny Fingeroth, Trevor Von Eeden, Larry Hama, Cliff Chiang, Sean Chen, Jim Starlin, Dick Ayers, James H. Williams III, Irwin Hasen, Guy Dorian, Ian Dorian, Dan Slott, Billy Tucci, Jim Salicrup and Janet Jackson!

Michael Golden and Mark Texeira will also have copies of their respective art books from Vanguard Productions available, “Excess: The Art of Michael Golden” and “Tex: The Art of MarkTexeira” as well as their sketchbooks from Eva Ink Publishing, “Michael Golden’s Heroes and Villains, and “Tex: Babes and Brawn.” Also inquire about numerous prints, and limited sketching as the day allows–so get there EARLY!

In addition, Michael Golden, Bill Sienkiewicz and James H. Williams III will be on the “Visionaries” panel slated for 1:00-1:45, moderated by writer/publisher Renee Witterstaetter..

For more information on this and future shows, visit:  http://www.nycbm.com/

For more information on Michael Golden and Mark Texeira, visit: www.evaink.com

Scene on Video: Long Beach Comic Expo 2010

A nice compilation video of the recent one-day Long Beach Comic Expo 2010, featuring Mike Mignola, Dustin Nguyen and Livio Ramondelli sketching.

Baltimore Non-Sports Card Convention Reveals Free Green Hornet Card

BALTIMORE NON-SPORTS CARD CONVENTION REVEALS FREE LIMITED EDITION GREEN HORNET CARD

King Of The Sketch Brian Kong Confirms Appearance At March 21 2010 Non-Sports Card Show

HERSHEY, PA – USA Theatres, organizers of the up-coming Baltimore Non-Sports Card Convention, recently revealed a limited edition Green Hornet promo card, designed exclusively for the convention, in conjunction with Martin Grams’ and Terry Salomonsons’ up-coming Green Hornet book due for publication March 2010.

The card will be issued with each paid admission, while supplies last (only 1,000 will be printed).

The convention will feature numerous tables of exhibitors from the non-sports hobby, including artists, authors, manufacturers, publishers, and dealers.

Newly added guests appearing at the convention include Brian Kong (a full-time Sketch Card Artist, who has created over 10,000 original sketch cards from some of the most prolific properties including: MLB, X-Men, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Heroes, NBA, Dexter, Marvel Masterpieces, Iron Man Movie, Lord of the Rings, Spiderman 3, Star Trek, Marilyn Monroe, Wizard of Oz, The Complete Avengers, DC: Legacy, and Frankenstein) and Manny Mederos (Cartoonist/Illustrator and Sketch Card Artist, whose recent projects include sketch card sets such as Voltron, Defender of the Universe, Moonstone Comics Maximum, 5finite’s Zombies VS Cheerleaders, and the Archie Comics/March of Dimes sketch card series).

“It is a great honor to host such extraordinary talent,” said Ronald M. Vastola, Outreach Coordinator of USA Theatres.

Other highlights of the convention will include a unique exhibition by Geppi’s Entertainment Museum and trading card manufacturer Rittenhouse Archives.

The convention is set to debut’ on March 21, 2010, from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. at the Towson Place Hotel & Suites (Formerly the Holiday Inn Baltimore-Towson), 1100 Cromwell Bridge Road, Towson, Maryland.

Admission into the event is $5 for adults, and free admission for children under 12.

For a complete line-up of guests appearing at the convention, visit www.usatheatres.com/conventions.html

C2E2 Gets Creative with Their Guests

C2E2 ANNOUNCES SIX NEW GUESTS FROM SIX NEW AREAS OF COMICS CULTURE

Art Baltazar, Dash Shaw, And More Come To Chicago

Norwalk, CT, February 18, 2010:  Organizers of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) have added six more creators to their growing list of special guests who will be appearing at the new pop culture convention which is being launched April 16-18, 2010 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center — Art Baltazar, Michael Capps, Chip Kidd, J.J. Sedelmaier, Dash Shaw, and Mark Waid.  C2E2′s guest list currently includes such comics greats as Alex Ross, Geoff Johns, Gail Simone, and Adam Hughes, and today’s additions not only mark more industry talent participating in the event, but very different industry talent.

C2E2 aims to shine a spotlight on the far-reaching realms of the graphic arts beyond tights-and-capes comics, and today’s announcement is illustrative of this scope.  Dash Shaw, with works including Bottomless Belly Button, is a rock star in the indie comics world; J.J. Sedelmaier is responsible for many of the most talked about animated projects in recent history including Beavis and Butt-Head and SNL’s Saturday TV Funhouse; designer, author, and editor Chip Kidd’s fingerprints are on Eisner-winning works with subjects ranging from Peanuts to Batman: The Animated Series; native Chicagoian Art Baltazar is the force behind the kid-and-family-friendly Tiny Titans; Mark Waid serves as Editor in Chief of rising powerhouse publisher Boom! Studios; and Michael Capps isn’t from the comics world entirely, instead the President of Epic Games, creators of the widely-heralded Gears of War video game series and Unreal technology.

“None of today’s guests are necessarily the typical creator you’d expect at a comic book convention, and that fact only makes them all the more important,” C2E2 Show Manager Lance Fensterman said.  “We’re honored by the pantheon of greats who’ll be joining us from the main stream comics industry, and we’re humbled by these new names, each bringing new perspectives and representing new landscapes in the larger comics and entertainment world.”

Art Baltazar, Michael Capps, Chip Kidd, J.J. Sedelmaier, Dash Shaw, and Mark Waid will be appearing at C2E2 in a variety of panels, signings, and special events.  They join previously-announced alternative, independent guests including Colleen Doran, Jeff Smith, and Chris Ware.

Daily, Weekend, and VIP Tickets to C2E2 are available now at www.C2E2.com.  C2E2′s sister show — The New York Comic Con — regularly sells out, and fans interested in attending are urged to order their tickets in advance.  For more information on tickets, guests, or C2E2 in general, beyond the official show site, fans are encouraged to visit C2E2′s official blog, www.mediumatlarge.net, and follow C2E2 on Twitter at www.twitter.com/c2e2.

ABOUT ART BALTAZAR:

Art is a super-cartoonist machine from the heart of Chicago! He’s all about the peace, love, and joy. He defines cartoons and comics not only as an art style, but as a way of life. Art started his funky secret art studio in 1994 with the his self-published comic book, The Cray-Baby Adventures. Since then, he created other comics such as Gyro-Man, Captain Camel and The Space Chicken, Jimmy Dydo, Lunar Lizard, Meteor Mite, and the famous Patrick the Wolf Boy. Artie has also had a few gigs with Warner Bros. and had a monthly comic strip in Disney Adventures Magazine called GORILLA GORILLA!  Art has some cool character design skills and has recently completed the Big Amoeba graphic novel for Platinum Studios. Currently, Art is the creative force behind The New York Times Best Selling Eisner Award Winning DC Comics’ Tiny Titans. From small press to mainstream in a heartbeat!  Art is living the dream! He stays home and draws comics and never has to leave the house! He lives with his lovely wife, Rose, big boy Sonny, little boy Gordon, and baby girl Audrey! Right On!

ABOUT MICHAEL CAPPS:

Dr. Michael Capps is the president of Epic Games, Inc. based in Cary, NC. Epic has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its Unreal series, as well as the 2006 Game of the Year, Gears of War, which has sold over 4.7 million copies. Epic is also responsible for the Unreal Engine, which is the underlying technology for a wide range of games including 2K Games’ 2007 Game of the Year, BioShock, and BioWare’s 2007 RPG of the Year, Mass Effect. Michael serves on the board of directors of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), the world’s largest nonprofit membership organization for game developers. He also serves on the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS), which is charged with recognition of outstanding achievement in the entertainment software community. Prior to entering the game industry, Michael served as a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He specialized in defense and entertainment collaboration, virtual reality and computer graphics. For his work in these areas, he was one of 50 graphics pioneers interviewed for the ACM SIGGRAPH documentary, The Story of Computer Graphics. He holds master’s degrees in computer science and electrical engineering from the UNC-Chapel Hill and MIT, and a doctorate in computer science from the Naval Postgraduate School.

ABOUT CHIP KIDD:

Chip Kidd is the four-time Eisner Award–winning designer and author of Batman: Animated, Peanuts: The Art of Charles M. Schulz, and Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross. As an editor of graphic novels for Pantheon Books, he has worked with some of the very best talents in the medium, including Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Art Spiegelman, Charles Burns, and David Mazzucchelli. Kidd is also the recipient of the 2007 National Design Award for Communications, the design industry’s highest honor.

ABOUT J.J. SEDELMAIER:

J.J. Sedelmaier, president of J.J. Sedelmaier Productions, Inc. (www.jjsedelmaier.com), is responsible for many of the most talked about animated projects of the past 17 years — the launch season of MTV’s Beavis and Butt-Head, SNL’s Saturday TV Funhouse, The Ambiguously Gay Duo, The X-Presidents, the pilot for Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, the Tek Jansen/Alpha Squad Seven series for The Colbert Report, and over 400 TV commercials, print and design projects.  His studio, which he runs with his wife Patrice, also lends its services to architectural preservation/restoration (like the Dempster Street Skokie Swift terminal in north suburban Skokie), corporate branding for companies like The Chicago Tribune, and contributing archival reference material to publications on everything from animation history to urban mass transportation. If you Google him, prepare to be very confused.

ABOUT DASH SHAW:

Dash Shaw made numerous comics and zines while a BFA student at the School of Visual Arts, Manhattan.  Since graduating, he’s done the surreal family comedy Bottomless Belly Button, published by Fantagraphics Books in 2008, and the telepathy comedy webcomic BodyWorld, published in book form from Pantheon Books.  He is also a regular contributor to the quarterly comics anthology Mome and the animator/director of IFC’s The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D.  He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he’s working on another comic book and an animated feature.

ABOUT MARK WAID:

Mark Waid has been a comics professional for over twenty-five years, having written and edited a wider range of popular characters than most anyone, including Flash, X-Men, Superman, Spider-Man, Archie, Fantastic Four, JLA and Captain America. In 1996, he and artist Alex Ross created Kingdom Come for DC Comics. Currently, Waid is the Editor-In-Chief of Boom! Studios.  In addition to overseeing Boom!’s successful line of comics, Waid writes their breakaway hits Irredeemable, Incorruptible, and The Incredibles.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS POP CULTURE GROUP:

The Pop Culture Group at Reed Exhibitions owns and operates the New York Comic Con (NYCC), the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), and the New York Anime Festival (NYAF).  New York Comic Con was launched in 2006 and quickly became a dominant presence in the pop culture world of public events.  In 2009, 452 companies exhibited at NYCC for a total of 84,000 square feet of paid exhibit space, and it has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as the second-largest annual event in NYC.  C2E2, which will debut April 16 – 18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center, is modeled after NYCC and will provide fans the opportunity to meet and greet their favorite writers, creators, and artists, as well as to see, hear and learn about the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. The Pop Culture Group also operates the recently-launched Star Wars Celebration in partnership with the Lucasfilm Ltd. and UFC Fan Expo.  Additionally, it holds a strategic partnership with Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2008 and will work closely with PAX on the launch of PAX East in Boston in 2010.

East Hanover NJ Comic Book Expo Adds Fan Favorite Dealers to Next Show

Press Release:

The East Hanover NJ Comic Book Expo at the Ramada Inn Conference Center Hotel (130 RT 10 West, East Hanover, NJ) takes place just one day after the NY Comic Book Marketplace! So… Many of the those dealers will be at our show as well! If you can’t make it to NYC, take advantage of our $2 admission & free parking to shop with dealers such as: Gary Platt, Motor City Comics, Bob Storms, Superworld, Chris Wertz, Nostalgia Zone & more!

Of course, all our regular dealers will be on hand as well!

For additional show info, check out our website at www.njcomicbookshows.com

Nashville Newest Tour Stop for Wizard World Comic Con

GAREB SHAMUS, WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT CEO, ACQUIRES NASHVILLE’S COMIC & HORROR FESTIVAL

Nashville is newest tour stop of Wizard World Comic Con

New York, NY (February 22, 2010) – CEO of New York based Wizard Entertainment, Gareb Shamus, announces his latest convention acquisition. Nashville’s Comic & Horror Festival is now Nashville Comic Con Wizard World Convention.

“The fans in Tennessee have supported and have grown this show into what it is today,” said Shamus.  “We will continue to bring our fans more of what they love about comics and pop-culture.”

The 10 year old Comic & Horror Festival was previously managed by Marc Ballard, owner of ComicCityTN. Ballard will act as an advisor and consultant to maintain the local feel of the show.

“It’s an honor that Wizard took note of this show. The new Nashville Comic Con will broaden the fan base and bring an exciting presence to comic conventions in Tennessee,” said Ballard.

New dates, venues and ticket on-sales will be announced soon.

For information on all Wizard World Comic Con Tour stops visit www.wizardworld.com.

About Gareb Shamus:
Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Wizard Entertainment publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare, and numerous books about pop-culture’s top talent, comic books and toys. Gareb also produces a North American Comic Con tour.

Wizard World Comic Con Tour:

March 26-28, 2010, Toronto Comic Con, Direct Energy Centre

April 16-18, 2010, Anaheim Comic Con, Anaheim Convention Center

June 11-13, 2010, Philadelphia Comic Con, Pennsylvania Convention Center

August 19-22, 2010, Chicago Comic Con, Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center

October 1-3, 2010, New England Comic Con, John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center

October 7-10, 2010, Big Apple Comic Con, Pier 94

October 15-17, 2010, New Jersey Comic Con, New Jersey Convention and Expo Center

November 12-14, 2010, Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center

Atlanta Comic Con, TBD

Cincinnati Comic Con, TBD

Cleveland Comic Con, TBD

Nashville Comic Con, TBD

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