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.
Comic-Con International 2010 Hotel Reservations Open March 18th
March 15, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under California, Comic Books, Comic-Con International, Convention News, Top Stories
Via Comic-Con:
Given the number of hotel rooms available for the number of participants attending, we know how challenging booking a room for Comic-Con can be. For this reason, we have implemented a new process that we hope will streamline the reservations process.
Comic-Con 2010 Hotel Reservations
- A User’s Guide
Our goals for this year’s Comic-Con hotel reservations system are to ensure simultaneous accessibility for all, while maintaining genuine first-come, first-served service — down to the millisecond. In the past 12 months we’ve worked hard to develop a system to achieve these goals. Thus, we’ve made changes to the process for this year and we wanted to give all of you an advanced heads up on how to have the best possible reservations experience.
The hotel reservations service will open on March 18th, at exactly 9:00am Pacific Time. Look for the hotel link to be posted on the Comic-Con website at that time. When you click through, you’ll be taken to a reservation preference information page. You’ll need to enter 12 hotel choices, in order of preference, so please preview the list of hotels and have your choices picked out in advance. Other information needed includes occupant names, arrival & departure dates, and your contact information, including email. When you hit submit, your information will be time stamped and logged into our database.
Within 3-5 hours from the time you hit submit, an email will arrive from “res@tphousing.com” confirming which hotel was available and reserved for you. The email will include instructions on how to provide your credit card deposit to confirm the reservation. For reservations of 10 or more rooms, please allow 3 business days for the email to arrive.
Additional Considerations:
* You’ll need to provide a deposit equal to one night’s room charge plus tax within 5 business days of receiving your confirmation.
* Reservations without deposit payment information on file after this time will automatically be cancelled.
* This deposit is fully refundable if your reservation is canceled by May 14, 2010.
* Reservations canceled May 15th through June 17th will incur a $75 cancel fee.
* The entire deposit becomes non-refundable if reservations are canceled on or after June 18, 2010.
Thank you
- Travel Planners
Image Comics Announces Its Lineup for Emerald City ComiCon 2010
March 12, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Top Stories, Washington
Via Image Comics:
EVERYTHING COMES UP EMERALDS FOR IMAGE IN SEATTLE
Image Comics announces its lineup for Emerald City ComiCon 2010
You can join Image Comics at Emerald City ComiCon, March 13-14, 2010! We’ll have creators galore, convention exclusives and more at booth #306!
In addition to the abundance of artists and writers appearing at booth #306, Image is offering a convention exclusive version of the currently sold out CHOKER #1 by superstar Ben Templesmith and writer Ben McCool. On Saturday, Image will be making some big announcements during our ever-popular panel, THE IMAGE COMICS SHOW.
Choker #1 ECCC Variant
The following talented folks will be appearing at the Image Booth throughout the weekend: Nathan Edmondson (Olympus, The Light), Rob Liefeld (Image United, Youngblood), Jay Faerber (Dynamo 5), Kieron Gillen (Phonogram), Brandon Graham (King City), John Layman (Chew), Ben McCool (Choker), Jamie McKelvie (Phonogram), B. Clay Moore (Hawaiian Dick), Ryan Ottley (Invincible), Nick Spencer (Forgetless,Shuddertown), Brett Weldele (The Light).
Other Image creators exhibiting at ECCC include: Mike & Laura Allred (Madman, Red Rocket 7), Eric Basaldua (The Darkness, Witchblade), Michael Broussard (The Darkness), Joe Casey (Godland), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants), Scott Kurtz (PVP), Moritat (Elephantmen), Ron Marz (Angelus, Magdalena, Witchblade), Mike Oeming (Mice Templar, God Complex), Whilce Portacio (Image United, Spawn), Duncan Rouleau (Great Unknown), Jim Rugg (One Model Nation), Steven T. Seagle (Soul Kiss), Tim Seeley (Loaded Bible), Richard Starkings (Elephantmen), Jim Valentino (ShadowHawk).
Saturday, at 2:00 PM in the Arcane Comics Panel Room (4C3-4):
THE IMAGE COMICS SHOW: The world’s greatest creator-owned comics publisher returns to Seattle with a flurry of announcements and a discussion on creating creator owned comics with panelists Ben Templesmith (Choker, Fell), John Layman (Chew), Jim Valentino (Shadowhawk) and Brandon Graham (King City). PLUS: You cannot miss the huge announcement coming from Loaded Bible’s Tim Seeley! Will this be your chance to win some free exclusive comics? Oh, yes; it will!
Don’t miss Image Comics at Emerald City ComiCon, booth #306!
DC Comics at Emerald City ComiCon
March 11, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Top Stories, Washington
Via The Source:
In addition to Ian Sattler and Group Editor Eddie Berganza, DC guests for the Emerald City ComiCon include: Brian Azzarello, Kurt Busiek, Sterling Gates, Patrick Gleason, Brandon Jerwa, Geoff Johns, Aaron Lopresti, Kevin Maguire, Doug Mahnke, Dustin Nguyen, Mike Norton, James Robinson, Greg Rucka, Philip Tan, Pete Tomasi, Eric Trautmann, Jen Van Meter, Len Wein, JH Williams III and Pete Woods.
DC Panels:
DC NATION!
Saturday, 1-2pm
GREEN LANTERN: THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Saturday, 3-4pm
SUNDAY CONVERSATION
Sunday, 12-1pm
SUPERMAN GOES TO WAR
Sunday, 2-3pm
Comic Art Con Set for Sunday, March 21st
March 10, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, New Jersey, Top Stories
Press Release:
COMIC ART CON, the first exclusive comic art convention, is scheduled for Sunday, March 21, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Secaucus, NJ. COMIC ART CON is a gathering of comic art collectors in a friendly venue to buy, sell, trade, network, and talk about COMIC ART and ONLY comic art! Featuring a dynamic mix from both the dealer and collector ranks, there is probably more comic art in the room then any other show except San Diego. If you collect comic art then this show is for you! Parking is free and admission is only $5.
If you are interested in setting up, whether a dealer, collector, or professional, 6 foot tables are $100, two for $175. Every show we have a new crop of people who don’t fancy themselves dealers set up. They create an interesting dynamic that you just can’t find at bigger cons. Whether you want to buy, sell, trade, show off some of your collection, or just hang out perhaps this is the show that you decide to be on the other side of the table. Please let us know ASAP if you plan on setting up. Room space is very limited and the last con was completely sold out.
See you at the con!
Dan & Joe
Ps For more information check out http://www.comicartshowcase.com or email us with any questions at comicartcon@aol.com
Pps Check out some pictures from our last convention!
Golden and Texeira Featured in ECCC’s “Monsters & Dames”
March 10, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Top Stories, Washington
ECCC “Monsters & Dames is Golden from Cover to Cover
Seattle– That’s right! One page of DOES feature a fantastic monster piece by artist Michael Golden, while the other pages are illustrated by some of the other greatest names in the sequential arts business, including painter supreme, Mark Texeira.
This year, the annual charity art book “Monsters and Dames,” measures 9×12, 48 pages, full color, hardcover, and limited to only 850 copies, individually numbered copies and features contributions from guests appearing at the 2010 show. This great book is available at the ECCC show booth, #604.
Art by Michael Golden
Part of the proceeds from “Monsters and Dames,” benefits the Seattle Children’s Hospital, a premier child health care and pediatric center and recognized as one of the leading US hospitals for children. What a great idea to buy on of these volumes and get it signed by all the creators involved!
In addition, Michael Golden will be in Artists Alley both days of the show to debut his own new sketchbook, “Michael Golden: MORE Heroes and Villains,” limited to 580 copies!
While Mark Texeira and Renee Witterstaetter will be signing the new book from Vanguard Productions, “Tex: The Art of Mark Texeira.” Renee is the writer as well as the designer of this great new edition, available in hardcover, softcover and deluxe editions.
Art by Mark Texeira
Other folks joining Golden, Texeira and Witterstaetter at the Emerald City Comic Con include: Leonard Nimoy, Stan Lee, Thomas Jane, Whil Wheaton, Lou Ferrigno, Matt Allred, Brian Michael Bendis, Tim Bradstreet, Kurt Busiek, Matt Fraction. Francesco Francavilla, Barry Kitson, David Mack, Kevin Maguire, Alex Maleev, Ron Marz, Terry Moore, Chris Moreno, Mike Oeming, Jason Pearson, Whilce Portacio, Joe Quesada, Rick Remember, Tone Rodriguez, Tim Sale, Stuart Sayger, Taki Soma, Richard Starkings, Philip Tan, Jill Thompson, Jim Valentino, Mark Waid, Len Wein, Dan Wickline, J.H. Williams III, and many more!
________
The ECCC will be held March 13th and 14th at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. Go to: http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com for more details.
For information on Michael Golden and Mark Texeira, contact: evaink@aol.com
Hero Initiative’s MegaCon Schedule
March 7, 2010 by Colin
Filed under Comic Books, Convention News, Florida, Top Stories
Hero Initiative travels to MegaCon, the southeast’s largest comic book, science fiction/fantasy, anime, toys and gaming convention. The event takes place March 12-14 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. You can purchase tickets directly by clicking here!
First up, traveling along with us from Los Angeles is artist Joe Benitez, known for The Darkness, Batman, and Justice League of America! Stop by the booth and pick up an original sketch by Benitez. All proceeds benefit Hero Initiative.
Make sure you come back, because George Pérez, one of the most influential artists of all time, will be at the Hero booth. He’ll be sketching as well, and this is one you don’t want to pass up.
On Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., a special 11-man signing of Hero’s The Wolverine 100 Project will take place! Contributors Joe Benitez, Jim Calafiore, Mike Choi, Darwyn Cooke, Joe Jusko, Andy Smith, Bill Tucci, Mike McKone, Jimmy Palmiotti, Mike Perkins, and Brandon Peterson will be at the booth exclusively signing Hero’s recent release. Get them while they are available, and get them signed by our team!
And that’s not all! Florida resident and acclaimed writer Steve Perry will be visiting the Hero booth as well. Perry is best known as one of the original writers of the Thundercats and Silverhawks TV shows, and Timespirits comics. Perry was diagnosed with cancer in February, 2009, and being the single father of a 9-year-old son, he struggled to make ends meet while battling his severe illness. After being homeless, having no work, and living in his car with his son, Hero Initiative is proud to help Perry pull him through this difficult time. He wants to say “thanks” by stopping by. Thank you, Steve!
Lastly, Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia has generously donated approximately 40 items that will be available through a silent auction. Items include a Hugh Jackman autographed Wolverine 8×10 Photo, Johnny Depp autographed 8×10 Photo, Elijah Wood autographed Frodo 8×10 Photo, Robert Downey Jr. & Jeff Bridges Dual Signed Iron Man 8×10 Photo and a Spider-Man limited edition lithograph with actual film cel, to name a few. The items will be on display in the lobby and at the Hero booth. Part of the proceeds will go to Hero Initiative.
Our Schedule is as follows:
Fri., 12 MAR, con hours 1-7
1:30-3:30: George Pérez
2:00-3:00: 100 Wolverines: Joe Benitez, Jim Calafiore, Mike Choi, Darwyn Cooke, Joe Jusko, Andy Smith, Bill Tucci, Mike McKone, Jimmy Palmiotti, Mike Perkins, Brandon Peterson
4:00-5:30: Joe Benitez
5:30-7:00: George Pérez
Sat., 13 MAR; con hours 10-6
10:00-12:00: George Pérez
12:00-2:00: Joe Benitez
2:00-4:00: George Pérez
4:00-6:00: Joe Benitez
Sun., 14 MAR; con hours 10-5
10:00-12:00: George Pérez
12:00-1:00: Joe Benitez
1:00-3:00: George Pérez
3:00-5:00: Joe Benitez
About Grandstand Sports and Memorabilia:
Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia Inc. is a domestic and international provider of hand signed authentic sports memorabilia. Since it’s inception the company has held a domestic and international presence in both retail and wholesale markets. The corporate office is located in New York City. Aside from our charity and retail presence, Grandstand works with numerous corporations including: top sports internet sites such as espn.com and major financial companies. Grandstand also provides exclusive memorabilia to both Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s by mail catalogs. Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia, 148 Madison Ave14th Floor New York, NY 10016, 212-532-8900, 888-78-GRAND
About The Hero Initiative:
The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strict to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit the website or call 626-676-6354.
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.
“Adams Family” Tops List of 18 New Special Guests for Comic-Con International
March 5, 2010 by Brian Pate
Filed under California, Collectibles, Comic Books, Comic-Con International, Convention News, Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Top Stories
We’re announcing another 18 AMAZING Special Guests scheduled to appear at Comic-Con 2010, and we hope you’re just as excited as we are about them: Peter Bagge, Howard Cruse, Vanessa Davis, Dave Dorman, Charlaine Harris, Tanya Huff, Milo Manara, Dennis O’Neill, Tom Palmer, Sean Phillips, Jerry Robinson, Steve Rude, Drew Struzan, and Jillian Tamaki! AND, we have a special GROUP of guests — “The Adams Family!” Legendary comics creator Neal Adams is a special guest at Comic-Con 2010 and he’s bringing his talented trio of sons — Jason, Joel, and Josh — with him! The entire “Adams Family” will be a part of this year’s big event.
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.
