Motor City Comic Con Issues Apology for Overcrowding at 2013 Show

For more on Motor City Comic Con’s overcrowding issue, check out our latest Scene on the Web Weekly.

Via Motor City Comic Con’s Facebook page:

Dear Motor City Comic Con fans,

Thank you so much for making the 2013 Motor City Comic Con our largest and most successful to date. Over 30,000+ fans came through the doors over the three-day period and we appreciate each and every one of you for attending.

With that said, we would also like to take this opportunity to apologize for the long wait times at our convention, particularly on Saturday. We just never expected 18,000+ people to attend that day, which was the same amount of people we had over the entire three days last year. We were literally hit with a “Humanity Bomb” and were not prepared for the sheer number of people attending, even with a large increase in our staff. The entire MCCC staff worked non-stop to move everyone in as fast as possible, which we realize wasn’t fast enough.

Given that we had every one of our employees and volunteers working diligently to get attendees in quickly, we were unable to respond to the multiple e-mails and social media messages alerting us of the issues you were having. Next year we will plan to have one person dedicated to e-mail and social media communication to better serve attendee’s needs.

We learned some valuable lessons this year and are already working hard to prevent these issues from happening again. We have already been in talks with Showplace management to begin working on solutions for 2014, which will be the 25th anniversary of the Motor City Comic Con. We truly hope you will accept our sincere apologies for any delays or inconveniences you may have experienced and will come back next year, as it will be better than ever. Sincerely,

Michael Goldman,
Founder of the Motor City Comic Con

Scene on the Web Weekly: May 20-26, 2013

The Motor City Comic Con has massive overcrowding with 30,000 fans, the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival calls it quits, “Chew” goes Tarantino for SDCC, ComiXpress shuts down, Yahoo! buys Tumblr, cats living with dogs (okay, we’re kidding about that last part), but it’s all here in the latest Scene on the Web.

Scene on the Web Weekly: May 13-19, 2013

Jonathan Hickman is added for NYCC 2013, folks get excited about Motor City Comic Con and Dallas Comic Con, some looks back at the Long Beach Comic Expo, and more.

Head Smash Graphic Novel to Get a Sneak Peak at Motor City Comic Con, Debut at SDCC 2013

Press Release:

Head Smash is coming to Detroit

The Biggest Graphic Novel release of 2013 will make a stop in Detroit May 17 – 19

NEW YORK, May 16, 2013  – The Vladar Company is coming to Detroit’s Motor City Comic Con to promote the highly anticipated graphic novel HEAD SMASH, created by Vlad Yudin . Head Smash is slated for a July 31st release and is already being called – “The biggest graphic novel release of 2013.” The cover is created by a renowned comics artist and illustrator Tim Bradstreet (BLADE, THE PUNISHER, TRUE BLOOD). As the winner of multiple Eisner awards for Best Cover Artist, Bradstreet has created over 70 classic covers, including the 2006 Iron Maiden album cover ”A Matter of Life and Death.”

In collaboration with Arcana Comics, HEAD SMASH is a sci-fi, thriller, action story set in a fantasy filled, lurid city of Ares and centers on an orphan named ‘Smash’ who finds a safe haven with a brutal syndicate – The Horde. The thrilling graphic novel shares the ultimate story of betrayal, love, and loyalty.

Detroit Fans will be treated to an exclusive sneak peak of HEAD SMASH at this year’s Motor City Comic Con on May 17th – 19th at Suburban Collection Showplace.
Vlad Yudin and his partner Edwin Mejia will be present at the venue and host a panel on Saturday at 3pm. The final debut of the novel will be at this year’s San Diego Comic Con International 2013 (July 17-21).

About The Vladar Company:
Yudin, who founded The Vladar Company in 2008 along with partner Edwin Mejia , directed, produced and penned the script for LAST DAY OF SUMMER (2009), starring DJ Qualls (Hustle & Flow) and actress Nikki Reed (Twilight). The Vladar Company is a premiere media and entertainment company, that caters to the market’s growing need for entertainment content across multiple platforms and focuses on developing, financing and packaging a library of intellectual properties with its producing partners at leading Hollywood production studios. The company is becoming a leading producer of many genres and multiple mediums in domestic and international markets (www.VLADAR.com).

About Arcana
Arcana, founded by Sean Patrick O’Reilly in 2004, owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels and comics, with over 200 original intellectual properties, 300 graphic novels, thousands of comic issues and an ever-growing character list. Arcana has begun to adapt this library into live action feature films, animated features and episodic television series. Taking a transmedia approach to brand building and the development of intellectual properties, Arcana publishes graphic novels for North America in print, and now digitally as well. Arcana has been published and distributed in dozens different countries and translated into just as many languages across the globe.

MI – FCBD: Mouse Guard Signing

David Petersen, Joe Foo, Jay Fosgitt, Jesse Hughes, and more sign at Green Brain Comics on Saturday May 4, 2013 for Free Comic Book Day!

RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release

We throw the biggest FCBD party in the area and this year will be no exception!

Plans are already in the works for great local creator and fun surprises!

Mark your calendar!! More details coming soon!!

Confirmed guests include:
David Petersen (1pm)
Joe Foo
Jay Fosgitt
Jesse Hughes
Jay Jacot
Mark Rudolph
Scott Ewen
Jennifer & Audra Rose
Marty Hirchak
James Anderson

What to expect:
– 3 “Free Comic Book Day” books just for showing up!
– Bring a non-perishable food item for Gleaners Food Bank for an extra FCBD book!
– Donate to Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter for an extra FCBD book!

Green Brain Comics
13210 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
313-582-9444

Animator Robert Pope to Appear at the 2013 Grand Rapids Comic-Con

Press Release:

Well Known DC Comics, Cartoon Network Animator Robert Pope to Appear at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con

We are pleased to announce that well known animator Robert Pope will be a guest at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con on October 12.

Atlanta-based Robert Pope is the go-to guy for DC Comics when it comes to their comics based on animated properties. Robert has been the lead artist for Scooby-Doo for well over a decade and has also worked on comics for the Looney Tunes and Cartoon Network franchises, including “Daffy Duck”, “The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy”, “Space Ghost”, “Batman: The Brave And The Bold”, and “Johnny Bravo”.

Robert is also the lead artist for Toyfare magazine and has contributed many memorable covers and interior spreads.

Robert also was an artist for the “Animaniacs” franchise back in the 1990′s under Steven Spielberg.

“This is an ultra rare appearance,” said event coordinator Mark Hodges, “as Robert attends only shows in his general area. From what we understand this will be Robert’s first Midwest appearance, and we are thrilled that he has decided to join us.”

The Grand Rapids Comic-Con will be held on October 12, 2013, at the Home School Building, 5625 Burlingame Ave. SW, in Wyoming, Michigan. The show will feature appearances from several nationally known comic book artists as well as seminars, programming for families, and lots of fun. Tickets for the show will be $5 at the door only. For more information please go to www.grcomcicon.com or www.facebook.com/grandrapidscomiccon.

Golden Age Artist Allen Bellman to Appear at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con 2013

Press Release:

Golden Age Artist Allen Bellman to Appear at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con

We are pleased to announce that Golden Age animator Allen Bellman will be a guest at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con on October 12.

Allen is best known for his background artwork during the Golden Age of comic books, particularly around World War II. Allen eventually became a staff artist at Timely Comics (later renamed Marvel) during the Golden Age of comics. While still a teenager, Allen did the backgrounds for Syd Shores’ Captain America in 1942, and eventually worked on titles such as The Patriot, The Destroyer, The Human Torch, Jap Buster Johnson and Jet Dixon of the Space Squadron, All Winners Comics, Marvel Mystery, Sub Mariner Comics, Young Allies and so much more. Allen also contributed to pre-Code horror, crime, war and western tales for Atlas Comics.

He won the Inkpot Award for lifetime achievements at the 2007 Comic-Con show in San Diego, California, as well as the Shel Dorf Award at Detroit Fanfare in 2012.

Allen will be giving a seminar at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con while working in the comics industry during World War II as well as working with Stan Lee at Marvel in the early days.

“Allen is one of the very few Golden Age comic artists left, and it is a pleasure to have him as a guest at the show,” said event coordinator Mark Hodges. “I feel that his seminar at the show will be one of the ‘must attend’ events at the show, plus meeting these guys who were there in the beginning are getting harder and harder as time passes. We welcome the opportunity to bring Allen into the show to give the fans an opportunity to meet a literal living legend in the field.”

The Grand Rapids Comic-Con will be held on October 12, 2013, at the Home School Building, 5625 Burlingame Ave. SW, in Wyoming, Michigan. The show will feature appearances from several nationally known comic book artists as well as seminars, programming for families, and lots of fun. Tickets for the show will be $5 at the door only. For more information please go to www.grcomcicon.com or www.facebook.com/grandrapidscomiccon.

MI – Star Wars Reads Day

Chris Trevas, John Ostrander, and Chris Scalf sign on Saturday October 6, 2012 at 2:00 PM for Star Wars Reads Day!

Book Group
Authors, artists and storm troopers — WOW! This day is packed full of fun for Star Wars enthusiasts, young and old. Art on display, panel presentation of authors and more. Do not miss this event.

Barnes & Noble – Ann Arbor
Huron Village, 3235 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-973-0846

MI – Green Lantern Presentation

Geoff Johns appears at the Arab American National Museum on Saturday, September 8, 2012 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Press Release:

When the identity of the latest person to wear the Green Lantern ring is officially unveiled Sept. 5, comic book fans will meet Baz, their first major Arab American comic book superhero.

On Sept. 7-8, fans may meet Baz’s creator, Geoff Johns (left) – a Lebanese American who grew up in metro Detroit, studied at Michigan State University, and is now chief creative officer of DC Entertainment – at a pair of public events in Dearborn. The events are presented by the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in partnership with its East Downtown Dearborn neighbor, Green Brain Comics.

On Saturday, Sept. 8, Johns will meet with area youth to discuss the creation of superhero characters during an invitation-only workshop being held at the AANM, 13624 Michigan Ave. Then, from 4-6 p.m. Johns delivers a presentation on his career and characters in the Lower Level Auditorium at the AANM.

The presentation is free; seating is first come, first served. There will be no opportunity for autographs at this event.

From 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, Johns will appear at Green Brain Comics, 13210 Michigan Ave., for a special signing to commemorate the release of Green Lantern #0 featuring Baz, who is expected to be a key figure in the upcoming Green Lantern crossover Rise of the Third Army.

Purchase of Green Lantern #0 from Green Brain Comics is required for attendance at the Green Brain event. There is a limit of two items signed per person.

Geoff Johns is one of the most prolific and popular contemporary comic book writers. He has written highly acclaimed stories starring Superman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Teen Titans, and Justice Society of America. He is the author of The New York Times best-selling graphic novels Green Lantern: Rage of the Red Lanterns, Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War, Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Superman: Brainiac, and Blackest Night.

Johns was born in Detroit, raised in Grosse Pointe and studied media arts, screenwriting, film production and film theory at Michigan State University. After moving to Los Angeles, he worked as an intern and later an assistant for film director Richard Donner, whose credits include Superman: The Movie, Lethal Weapon 4, and Conspiracy Theory.

Johns began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and creating Stargirl for DC Comics. He received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 through 2005 and 2007 and 2008, and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 through 2005.

After acclaimed runs on The Flash, Teen Titans, and the best-selling Infinite Crisis miniseries, Johns co-wrote a run on Action Comics with his mentor Donner. In 2006, he co-wrote 52, an ambitious weekly comic book series set in real time, with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Johns has also written for various other media, including the acclaimed “Legion” episode of Smallville and the fourth season of Robot Chicken. He is writing the story of the DC Universe Online massive multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment LLC and joined DC Entertainment as its Chief Creative Officer in 2010.

Arab American National Museum
13624 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126

MI – Green Lantern Signing

Writer Geoff Johns signs at Green Brain Comics on Friday, September 7, 2012 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm!

RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

In conjunction with the Arab American National Museum, Green Brain Comics is proud to welcome DC’s top writer, Geoff Johns, for a special comic book signing to celebrate the first Arab American Green Lantern, featured in Green Lantern #0 on sale Sept. 5.

Purchase of Green Lantern #0 from Green Brain Comics is required for attendance. There will be a limit of two items to be signed, per person. 

Green Brain Comics
13210 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
313-582-9444

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