C2E2 Announces Initial Programming Schedule
March 17, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Anime, Collectibles, Comic Books, Convention News, Illinois, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Top Stories
Via C2E2:
Events – Panels & Screenings
170. What’s that? That’s the number of panels, screenings, and special events taking place at C2E2. We’ve got close to a dozen theaters, conference spaces, stages, and workshop rooms running all three days with some amazing content. Want to hear the latest from Marvel and DC? Check? Want to meet some of Chicago’s comic book hometown heroes? Check. Want to learn, change, and grow with talks from Reading With Pictures, Diamond, the Comics Studies Conference, and ICv2? Check. Want to see some weird, wonderful, and eclectic performances? Check. Want premiere screenings? Check. C2E2’s got them all, and you can delve into all three days of programming right here.
Note, though, that most of the schedule is now online, but much of our Hollywood and TV programming will be coming out later, and there are a few other events, too, that will be added to this list in the coming weeks.
Chicagoland Expo and The Action Figure Show Spring Fling (March 2010)
March 17, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Collectibles, Comic Books, Convention Profiles, Illinois, Science Fiction and Fantasy
| Event Details:
| Convention | Chicagoland Expo & The Action Figure Show Spring Fling |
| Convention Website | http://www.chicagolandexpo.com |
| Start Date | 03/20/2010 |
| About This Convention: | The CECE & Toy Con Toy shows present the Spring Fling! Combining forces to bring you a fantastic one day event! |
| Convention Guests | Artists Mark McHaley, Corbett Vanoni, Darla Ecklund, Chris Eliopoulos & Gabriel Bautista. |
| Venue Name | Holiday Inn |
| Venue Address | 150 S Gary Ave 4 miles west of I 355 expressway Carol Stream, IL 60188 United States |
| Number of Dealer/Exhibitor Tables | 48 |
| Projected Attendance | 500 |
| What category best describes your convention? | Collectibles |
| What other categories might be appropriate for your convention? | - Comic Books - Science Fiction and Fantasy - Other |
Avatar Press Plans Major Presence at C2E2 2010
March 16, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Horror, Illinois, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Top Stories
Press Release:
AVATAR PRESS TO HAVE MAJOR PRESENCE AT C2E2
Garth Ennis, George R.R. Martin, and Max Brooks are Among Many Guests of Publisher!
“Avatar Friday Night” event to feature special presentations and mingling opportunity
Norwalk, CT, March 10, 2010: Officials at C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) have announced that Avatar Press will play a huge role at the new pop culture convention where the renowned independent publisher will not only have a significant presence on the show floor but will be bringing many notable writers and creators including Garth Ennis, George R.R. Martin and Max Brooks. Other leading Avatar guests who will be on hand at the convention will include: Jacen Burrows, William Christensen, Christos Gage, Matt Martin, Gianluca Pagliarani, Brian Pulido, and Mike Wolfer. All of these personalities will be at the Avatar Press booth, and will be participating in a variety of activities ranging from panel discussions to autographings.
Notably, Avatar Press will play host to the “Avatar Friday Night”, a special event from 8pm – 10pm, Friday April 16 which will feature Max Brooks and George R.R. Martin in their first ever joint appearance. Brooks, whose Zombie Survival lectures are a world-wide hit, will provide his own unique form of humor and entertainment while George R.R. Martin, one of the most acclaimed wordsmiths of the day, will provide a reading from one of his favorite works. Other Avatar Press guests and creators will be on hand to meet and greet fans.
“I am blown away by everything that Avatar Press is doing at our show,” notes Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President for the Reed Pop Culture Group and Show Manager for C2E2. “The quality of these guests is absolutely incredible and I am hugely grateful and pleased to see that Avatar finds such value in our event. Our show is going to be massive AND fun and it is in no small measure because of exhibitors like Avatar Press who build excitement and anticipation on our show floor and throughout the convention by making talented personalities and creators available to meet and greet the thousands of fans who will be on hand at C2E2. I am sure the ‘Avatar Friday Night’ event will be packed and I encourage people to buy their tickets fast!”
Other Avatar Press events that will take place during C2E2 are three panels, including a Max Brooks Q & A, as well as numerous autographings with all the Avatar guests at the Avatar Press booth. For ticket purchases and more information about the “Avatar Friday Night” event, fans should go to http://www.avatarpress.com/conventions/c2e2.
Organizers for C2E2 also note that tickets for the convention itself are selling fast and so all fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance. For more information on guests, tickets, or C2E2 in general, visit http://www.C2E2.com or check out the show’s official blog, MediumAtLarge at http://www.mediumatlarge.net, or follow C2E2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/c2e2.
AVATAR GUESTS:
MAX BROOKS: New York Times bestselling author Max Brooks has become one of the world’s leading authorities on zombies with his Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z titles. He has also written the graphic novel Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks which was produced in cooperation with Avatar Press. Brooks was a member of the Saturday Night Live writing team from 2001 to 2003, for which he won an Emmy. He also has a number of acting credits, including appearances on Roseanne and 7th Heaven, and voice work for Batman Beyond and Justice League. Paramount Pictures has acquired the film rights for World War Z.
JACEN BURROWS: A 1996 graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1996, Burrows has worked with several comic companies over the years including Caliber Press and London Night Studios, and is currently working under an exclusive contract with Avatar Press. Outside of comics, his work as included contributions to Rockstar Games’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and TSR’s Dungeons & Dragons.
At Avatar, Burrows has worked with the best writers in the industry, praised for his detail and free-flowing story-telling, he has just finished CROSSED with writer Garth Ennis and is currently working on NEONOMICON with Alan Moore. Previously he has illustrated graphic novels by Warren Ellis (SCARS, BAD WORLD, DARK BLUE), Alan Moore (COURTYARD, YUGGOTH CULTURES) and Garth Ennis (303, CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD).
WILLIAM CHRISTENSEN: Avatar Press editor-in-chief William Christensen’s 20-year career in the comics has included contributions in publishing, writing, and comic industry journalism. Christensen was a prolific freelancer for Wizard during the magazine’s formative years in the early 90’s, and went on to work with 90’s indy powerhouse Chaos! Comics in various capacities. His first comic book writing credit was in the 1995 series Chaos! Quarterly. After founding Avatar in 1996, Christensen became the architect of much of the early company line, including Pandora and The Ravening. As Editor-in-Chief of Avatar, he has become known for establishing Avatar’s famous policy of creative freedom as well as his knack for working with the industry’s best writers, including Warren Ellis, Alan Moore, and Garth Ennis.
GARTH ENNIS: Comic Book writer Garth Ennis is the creator of Crossed, Preacher, and the Boys. Among his numerous writing credits, he is also known for his work on Marvel’s Punisher and DC’s Hellblazer. Ennis has won Eisner and Eagle awards for his work on Preacher. After getting his start in comics in legendary UK anthology 2000AD in 1988, Ennis took on long-running DC/Vertigo title Hellblazer in 1991 and under his tenure the comic stood alongside Gaiman’s Sandman as DC/Vertigo’s best series. But his 1996 launch Preacher was to prove an even better showcase for Ennis’ unique talent. A compelling cast of characters in an eyes-wide-open drama unafraid to explore any subject quickly made Preacher one of the most important and controversial titles of the 1990’s. Ennis’ work on The Punisher subsequently became a cornerstone of Marvel’s direction in the Quesada era. At Avatar, Ennis has written 303, Dicks, Chronicles of Wormwood, and Crossed.
CHRISTOS GAGE: Christos Gage has written numerous screeplays and was a writer for the TV show Law & Order: SVU before he added comics to his impressive resume. He’s done several top -selling series like World War Hulk: X-Men, Thunderbolts, Iron Man, Avengers: The Initiative for Marvel and co-wrote GI Joe: Cobra for IDW. He created a whole new universe for his acclaimed series Absolution at Avatar and he is current working on the sequel to that series.
GEORGE R.R. MARTIN: Award-winning author George R.R. Martin is the creator of the epic fantasy series A Song of Fire and Ice and A Game of Thrones. Martin has written a number of other books and short stories in genres as diverse as horror, science fiction, and military fiction. As an editor, he was the creator and primary architect of the Wild Cards shared super-hero universe. Martin was active in early comics fandom and credits the attention he received from a letter to the editor in Fantastic Four #20 (1963) and fanzine activities with his interest in writing. His television writing credits include The New Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. His lengthy list of awards includes Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards. Martin’s A Game of Thrones is now in production at HBO. His Fevre Dream is about to begin at Avatar Press and The Skin Trade is also in production at Avatar.
MATT MARTIN: Writer/Artist Matt Martin is best known for his creator-owned title Snowman, a supernatural tale of revenge in the form of a creature of ice and snow. Martin has also written and drawn The Coven: Dark Sister for Avatar and drew a story for the Yuggoth Creatures collection of Lovecraft-inspired tales. Martin is a prolific cover artist at Avatar, with work on titles such as Lady Death, Alan Moore’s Glory, Warren Ellis’ Anna Mercury, and much more. He is currently working on an upcoming title written by Garth Ennis.
GIANLUCA PAGLIARANI: An artist on several Warren Ellis titles, Gianluca Pagliarani’s precise, detailed linework and retro sci-fi/fantasy influences have won him acclaim on Avatar books such as Ignition City, Aetheric Mechanics, and Wolfskin: Hundredth Dream.
BRIAN PULIDO: Brian Pulido has created and written hundreds of comic books including Lady Death and Evil Ernie, and licensed comic such as A Nightmare on Elm St. and Friday the 13th. As the founder and president of Chaos! Comics, Pulido was the leading independent comic publisher of the 1990’s
He is on The Hero Initiative’s fundraising board, has received the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Defender of Liberty Award and is the Chief Creative Officer for Mischief Maker Studios. Pulido also wrote and directed the feature film “The Graves”, starring Tony Todd (Candy Man) and Bill Mosley (The Devil’s Rejects). He is the co-writer, with Mike Wolfer, of the upcoming Lady Death monthly series, slated to debut in fall 2010.
MIKE WOLFER: With the self-publication of DAIKAZU #1 in 1987, Mike Wolfer began a comic book career which has spanned over 20 years. After creating and publishing 14 issues of WIDOW for his own Ground Zero Comics, Wolfer moved on to work on various series such as Dark Horse Comics’ GODZILLA, Chaos! Comics LADY DEATH, and many others. Wolfer’s largest body of published work has been for Avatar Press, where his unique brand of graphically illustrated horror and violence has been on display in Warren Ellis’ STRANGE KISS/STRANGE KILLINGS, Alan Moore’s YUGGOTH CREATURES and Garth Ennis’ STREETS OF GLORY. In addition, Wolfer has contributed to several licensed comic series, serving as both writer and illustrator on such well-known properties as George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, New Line Cinema’s FRIDAY THE 13TH and John Russo’s ESCAPE OF THE LIVING DEAD. Wolfer is currently serving as co-writer with Warren Ellis on Avatar’s GRAVEL and WOLFSKIN, and with Brian Pulido on the new LADY DEATH series.
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.
IL – The Dark Signing
March 14, 2010 by Colin
Filed under Comic Books, Directory, Illinois, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Wednesday April 7th, 2010
Meet series artist Rick Lundeen as Markosia releases it’s newest graphic novel THE DARK.
Rick will sign copies/autographs at GRAHAM CRACKERS COMICS DOWNERS GROVE from 3pm – 7pm
Rick is bringing samples of his art and discussing the work required to create a full graphic novel as opposed to a monthly comic, stop by check out the book, his art and get an autograph!
C2E2 Announces “An Evening with Neil Gaiman”
March 5, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Illinois, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Top Stories
C2E2 ANNOUNCES “AN EVENING WITH NEIL GAIMAN”
Celebrated Author and Industry Icon to Appear on Behalf of Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo
New York, NY, March 5, 2010: Neil Gaiman, the award winning author of novels, film, and comics including the epoch changing graphic novel series The Sandman will take the stage for a benefit appearance on behalf of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2). An “Evening with Neil Gaiman”, a paid ticketed event, will happen on Saturday night, April 17, with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
The last time Gaiman performed theatrical readings was ten years ago when he did the “Last Angel Tour.” On that tour, he criss-crossed the country doing sold-out evenings reading stories and poems, new material and beloved tales in order to draw attention to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The “Last Angel Tour” was meant to have been the last ever such tour, and it produced the long-since sold out LIVE AT THE ALADDIN film. Even the posters from that tour now sell for hundreds of dollars.
That was ten years ago. A generation has grown up who have not seen an evening with Neil Gaiman. In these ten years he’s published such books as American Gods, Coraline and The Graveyard Book. He’s made movies and operas. He even started keeping a blog.
“Neil Gaiman is an enormous personality and it is a genuine privilege to have him perform at the inaugural C2E2 to bring attention to the important work that is carried out by the CBLDF,” states Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President for the Reed Pop Culture Group and Show Manager for C2E2.
“The Reed Pop Culture Group’s commitment to the CBLDF is tremendous, and we’re honored to work with them to create this unforgettable evening of storytelling to raise funds for the CBLDF’s important work,” says Charles Brownstein, the CBLDF’s Executive Director.
An “Evening with Neil Gaiman” will be Mr. Gaiman’s only public appearance at C2E2. Tickets for the event will be available at http://www.C2E2.com beginning Monday, March 8th at 12pm Central Time. You do not need a ticket to C2E2 to attend. Tickets for the general public start at $30 and C2E2 VIP Ticket Holders can attend for as low as $12. Ticket prices will increase at the door. Visit http://www.C2E2.com now for full details and ticket pricing.
For One Night Only. On the 17th of April 2010, at 7pm in the Arie Crown / IGN Theater at McCormick Place in Chicago. In support of the First Amendment. Neil Gaiman. You don’t want to miss this.
Curb Your Enthusiasm Star Tour
February 28, 2010 by Colin
Filed under California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Other, Signing and Appearance Profiles, Television, Washington
Jeff Garlin, star of Curb Your Enthusiasm and WALL-E, signs copies of My Footprint
March 2 - BORDERS 150 North State St, Chicago, IL – Talk & Booksigning – 12:30 PM
March 2 - TEMPLE JEREMIAH 937 Happ Road, Northfield, IL - Talk & Booksigning – 7:30 PM CST
March 3 – THE BOOK STALL 811 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL – Talk & Booksigning - 7:00pm CST
March 4 - PARK WEST Chicago, IL – SHOW & Booksigning – 8:00pm
March 5 - HELIUM COMEDY CLUB Philadelphia, PA – SHOW & Booksigning – 8:00pm
March 6 - BORDERS #330 BACK BAY 511 Boylston Street, Boston, MA – Talk & Booksigning – 2:00pm
March 6 - WILBUR THEATRE Boston, MA – SHOW & Booksigning – 7:00pm
March 6 - HARVARD (IGP) OF THE YEAR Cambridge, MA – 11:00pm
March 7 - LEVENTHAL-SIDMAN JCC 333 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA – Talk & Booksigning – 4:00pm
March 8 - BOOKS & BOOKS 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL – Talk & Booksigning - 8:00pm
March 10 - CONGREGATION B’NAI ISRAEL 2200 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, FL – Talk & Booksigning – 7:30pm
March 11 - IMPROV WEST PALM BEACH, FL – SHOW & Booksigning – 8:00pm
March 12 - A CAPPELLA BOOKS 484-C Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA – Booksigning – 6:00-8:00pm
March 12 - 14TH STREET PLAYHOUSE 173 14th Street, Atlanta, GA – SHOW & Booksigning – 8:00pm
March 13 - ATLANTA JCC 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, GA - Talk & Booksigning – 7:30pm
March 14 - PALEY CENTER W/ “CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM” CAST Los Angeles, CA – PANEL DISCUSSION
March 16 - BOOK SOUP 8818 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA – Talk & Booksigning – 7:00pm
March 17 – ELLIOTT BAY BOOKSTORE 101 South Main Street, Seattle, WA – Talk & Booksigning – 7:00pm
March 18 - PARLOR LIVE Bellevue, WA – SHOW & Booksigning – 7:30pm
March 19 - ALADDIN THEATRE Portland, OR – SHOW & Booksigning - 8:00pm
March 20 - POWELL’S 1005 West Burnside, Portland, OR - Talk & Booksigning – 2:00pm
March 21 - BOOKS INC 2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA – Talk & Booksigning – 3:00pm
March 21 - CONGREGATION BETH AM 26790 Arastradero Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA – Talk & Booksigning – 7:00pm
March 24 – BARNES & NOBLE # 2743 7881 Edinger Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA – Talk & Booksigning - 7:00pm
March 25 - SKYLIGHT BOOKS 1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA - Talk & Booksigning – 7:30 PM
March 26 - THE COMEDY STORE HOLLYWOOD, CA - SHOW & Booksigning
House Rules Tour
February 26, 2010 by Colin
Filed under Arizona, California, Canada, Colorado, Comic Books, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Other, Signing and Appearance Profiles, Washington, Wisconsin
Best-selling novelist Jodi Picoult (Wonder Woman) is embarking on month-long signing tour for her new novel House Rules.
:: Upcoming appearances ::
Tuesday March 2 NORWICH, VERMONT/HANOVER, NH 9 AM Breakfast event sponsored by Norwich Bookstore. Hanover Inn, 2 Main St. Hanover, call 802-649-1114 to book tickets. $35 includes event, book, coffee, juice and pastries.
Tuesday March 2 FRAMINGHAM MA 7 PM event with B&N Framingham at Framingham High School Auditorium, 115A St. Contact 508-626-2823. FREE, no tickets needed.
Wednesday March 3 BOSTON, MA Noon signing only Prudential Center B&N, 800 Boylston St. FREE, no tickets needed.
Wednesday March 3 CAMBRIDGE, MA 6 PM event with the Harvard Coop, at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., for information/tickets contact 617-499-2012. Tickets $5, ticket can only be used as a coupon for $5 off book.
Thursday March 4 NYC 7 PM, B&N Union Square, 33 E 17th St, 212-253-0810. FREE, no tickets needed.
Friday, March 5 HUNTINGTON, NY 7 PM event with the Book Revue, at Huntington High School, Oakwood & McKay Roads, contact 631-271-1442 for tickets/ info. Tickets $30.42 includes a copy of HOUSE RULES. Discounted seats are available (without the book) for students and people with disabilities.
Sunday, March 7 WYCKOFF, NJ Afternoon event with Bookends 3:30pm at the Wyckoff YMCA, 691 Wyckoff Avenue. Contact 201-445-0726 or 201-891-2081.
Monday March 8 RALEIGH, NC 7:30 PM event with Quail Ridge Books, at Meredith College, Jones auditorium, 3800 Hillsborough St. Call 919-828-1588 Purchase a book instore, get a ticket.
Tuesday March 9 OAK BROOK/CHICAGO, IL 7PM event with Borders Oak Brook at James B. Conant High School, 700 East Cougar Trail, Hoffman Estates, IL Call 847-330-0031. FREE, no tickets required.
Wednesday March 10 LAKE FOREST, IL 1PM event with Lake Forest Books, Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Rd, 847-234-4420 for tickets, $30 includes copy of HOUSE RULES.
Wednesday March 10 MILWAUKEE, WI Evening event with Books & Co, Oconomowoc Arts Center, 641 E. Forest St., 262-567-0106. Tickets required, $25 includes copy of HOUSE RULES.
Thursday, March 11 TORONTO, CANADA 7 PM Indigo, Manulife Center, 55 Bloor Street West, 416-923-9525
Friday March 12 EDINA/MINNEAPOLIS, MN 7 PM event with B&N Edina, at South View Middle School, 4725 South View Lane, 952-920-0633. FREE, no tickets needed.
Saturday, March 13 KANSAS CITY, MO 1:30 PM event with Rainy Day Books, at Unity Temple at the Plaza, 707 West 47th St., 913-384-3126, tickets required, $28 includes copy of HOUSE RULES, ticket, and a guest ticket.
Monday March 15 SAN DIEGO, CA 7 PM event with Borders San Diego at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Tickets/info 619-295-2201. Ticket price: approximately $30 includes copy of HOUSE RULES.
Tuesday March 16 PASADENA, CA 7 PM event with Vroman’s/Book Soup at All Saints Church, 132 N. Euclid Avenue, call 626-449-5320, ticket required. Buy a book instore, get a ticket.
Thursday March 18 SACRAMENTO, CA 7 PM event with Borders/Sacramento Bee, at Mosaic Law Congregation, 2300 Sierra Blvd, call 916-564-0168. Tickets required, buy a book instore, get a ticket (approximately $25)
Friday March 19 SEATTLE, WA 6:30 PM, Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 206-366-3316, FREE event, purchase of book gets you a “line signing” ticket.
Saturday March 20 SEATTLE WA 2PM event with Elliott Bay Books, at Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, 206-624-6600, FREE, no ticket required.
Monday March 22, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 6:30 PM event with B&N Scottsdale, at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 East Second Street, contact 480-391-0048. FREE event, tickets handed out at door for book signing line.
Wednesday, March 24 DENVER, CO 7:30 PM event with the Denver Post, at Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E Iliff Ave. SOLD OUT.
Wednesday March 31, PORTSMOUTH, NH 7:30 PM “Writers on a New England Stage” event with NH Public Radio & RiverRun bookstore, tickets available at http://www.themusichall.org or 603-436-2400.
IL – The Big Bad Book Signing
February 26, 2010 by Colin
Filed under Comic Books, Illinois, Signing and Appearance Profiles
Writer Nik Jajic & artist Michael Czerniawski sign copies of their newest graphic novel THE BIG BAD BOOK on Wednesday March 3rd from 3pm – 7pm.
Graham Crackers Comics, 1550 Ogden Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515
Choker Creators Coast-to-Coast Tour
February 24, 2010 by Colin
Filed under Arizona, California, Convention News, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Washington
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.
C2E2 Gets Creative with Their Guests
February 23, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Gaming, Illinois, Top Stories
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 http://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, http://www.mediumatlarge.net, and follow C2E2 on Twitter at http://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. (http://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.
