UK – The Life and Times Of Martha Washington In The 21st Century Signing

Dave Gibbons will be signing The Life and Times Of Martha Washington In The 21st Century at our London Megastore on Wednesday 7th June at 6:00pm.

Martha’s story begins in the squalid corridors of a maximum-security housing project, where a young girl will rise from the war-torn streets of Chicago to battle injustice in a world insane with corruption.

Her fight will take her far, from the frontlines of the second American Civil War to the cold, unforgiving reaches of space.

This edition collects remastered versions of every Martha Washington story, an extensive behind-the-scenes section, an introduction by Frank Miller, and a brand-new cover by Dave Gibbons!

Dave Gibbons is one of Britain’s finest comic artists, whose most famous work is the multi-award- winning Watchmen. Since then he has drawn series including Batman, Doctor Who, and Give Me Liberty, and has written Batman vs. Predator, Green Lantern, and World’s Finest, as well as his own graphic novel The Originals.

Forbidden Planet London Megastore
179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR
0207 420 3666

Motor City Comic Con Returns on May 19th-21st

Press Release:

Comic fans and pop culture enthusiasts from all over are gearing up for what is set to be one of the best Motor City Comic Con events yet with exciting panels and several recently added guests unveiled to the public today (follow this link to see the panel schedule). Stars from Weird Science, Guardians of the Galaxy, Arrow, Freaks and Geeks, American Pie, among others will be featured in panel discussions. Several media guests have also been added to this year’s lineup including Rob Schneider, Ron Perlman, Barbara Eden, Sean Astin, Herbert Jefferson Jr., Robin Lord Taylor, Ross Marquand, Kristy Swanson, James Remar, Marky Ramone, Ani-Mia and many more. For the first time at Motor City Comic Con, the Michigan premiere of a full-length feature film, The Space Between, by Amy Jo Johnson, who played the pink Power Ranger in the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, will be featured. This year’s Motor City Comic Con will take place Friday, May 19 (12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.), Saturday, May 20 (10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Sunday, May 21 (10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the Suburban Collection Showplace, located at 46100 Grand River Avenue in Novi. Complete information about the event, tickets, panels and VIP passes is available at www.motorcitycomiccon.com.

The weekend event features more than 300 creators, writers, illustrators and actors who will greet the fans, sign autographs, take pictures, and provide panels and Q & A discussions, while many super fans are dressed in their pop culture best. A popular event is Saturday’s cosplay contest where a mix of celebrity judges determine the best costume winners, presenting prizes and gift packages. Motor City Comic Con’s annual Saturday night bash celebrates comic con weekend with entertainment, refreshments, and light hors d’oeuvres for the public. Sunday is Kid’s Day featuring kid-friendly activities. In addition to the previously announced guests, newly added Motor City Comic Con guests feature:

Aly Michalka: Actor and musician known for her film appearances in Easy A, Bandslam, Sequoia, and Weepah Way for Now. Television appearances include: iZombie, Hellcats and Two and a Half Men.

Ani-Mia: An International Cosplayer who writes for Otaku USA Magazine – the premier anime and manga magazine in the U.S., makes appearances at conventions and judges costume contests.

Amy Dumas: An American professional wrestler and singer, better known as Lita, is currently a WWE analyst. She performed as a WWE wrestler from 2000 to 2006 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014.

Austin Amelio: An actor and writer best known as Dwight on The Walking Dead, Nesbit in Everybody Wants Some!!, Thomas in Putting the Dog to Sleep, and David in Over Again.

Billie Piper: The UK singer, dancer and television star is best known for her role as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who. Piper can also be seen on Penny Dreadful. Other television film roles include: The Ruby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North and Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Dennis Rodman: A retired NBA basketball star who played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Nicknamed “The Worm”, Rodman is recognized as a Detroit Pistons’ Bad Boy and as one of the best rebounding forwards in NBA history. Rodman was a New World Order wrestler in the 1990s and appeared in the television show The Rodman World Tour, and in the action films Double Team and Simon Sez.

Frank Cho: An American comic strip creator, writer and illustrator best known for his work on the professionally syndicated strip Liberty Meadows. Cho was also the writer and illustrator of the first story in the Marvel NOW! Savage Wolverine series.

Hannah Kasulak: Known as Casey Rance in FOX Network’s The Exorcist, Kasulak has appeared in Filthy Preppy Teens, The Fosters, How to Get Away with Murder, True Blood and Nashville.

James Remar: Known for his various film and television roles from over the last four decades, Remar has appeared in The Warriors, 48 Hours, The Cotton Club, Django Unchained, Dexter, Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Tales from the Darkside, Sex And the City, 2 Fast 2 Furious, among many others. He can also be seen in the upcoming second season of Hulu’s The Path.

Jason Douglas: Known for his role as Tobin in seasons five and six of The Walking Dead and for his recurring appearances on Breaking Bad, Nashville, and Revolution, among others. Douglas has voice lead nearly 200 characters like, Beerus in the Dragon Ball Z films as well as Krieg the Psycho in Borderlands 2.

John E.L. Tenney: A Michigan native, Tenney is an author and one of the most recognized investigators of UFO, paranormal and occult phenomena in the U.S. Tenney is co-host on the paranormal reality show Ghost Stalkers and has appeared in Unsolved Mysteries, Paranormal State: The New Class, Ghost Adventures and Paranormal Lockdown.

John Francis Daley: An actor, screenwriter, film director and musician best known for his role as Sam Weir on Freaks and Geeks and as Dr. Lance Sweets on Bones. Daley plays keyboards and sings for the band Dayplayer, and he co-wrote Horrible Bosses and will be a co-writer for the upcoming Spider Man: Homecoming film.

Jordan Trovillion: An actor, singer and Michigan native known as the host of the comic book and nerd culture TV show Comics Continuum. She has also appeared in Comedy Central’s Detroiters, Lifetime’s Secrets in the Walls, among others. Upcoming projects include The Life and Death of John Gotti and Mercy.

Joseph Gatt: A U.K. native known for his roles in Pulse, Chuck, Eagleheart, Game of Thrones, From Dusk Till Dawn, The 100, Banshee, Second Chance, Teen Wolf, True Detective, Star Trek Into Darkness and Thor. Gatt can currently be seen as The Man in Z Nation.

LeVar Burton: Best known as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Nemesis; host for PBS’s Reading Rainbow, and as Kunta Kinte in Roots. Burton is also an accomplished director and has directed episodes for Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise.

Martin Starr: Known for his role as Bill Haverchuck on Freaks and Geeks, Starr has appeared in Knocked Up, This is The End, King of The Hill, among others. He is currently reprising his roles as Gilfoyle on the third season of Silicon Valley.

Nicola Scott: An Australian comic book artist who has worked exclusively for DC Comics. Her work has appeared in titles such as Wonder Woman, Batman, Teen Titans, Superman, Birds of Prey and Secret Six, among others.

Ross Marquand: Known for his breakout roles as Aaron on The Walking Dead and as Paul Newman on Mad Men. He is also an accomplished voice over actor and has worked on productions such as Phineas & Ferb, Conan, among others.

Scott Wilson: An American actor known for his appearances in nearly 50 films such as Harvey Oberst in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night, and Dick Hickok in the 1967 adaptation of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, among many others. Wilson is also known for his role as Dr. Hershel Greene on The Walking Dead.

Tim Bradstreet: Known as Marvel’s go-to cover artist, Bradstreet is an Inkpot Award-Winning artist and is known for his work in Vampire: The Masquerade, The Punisher, The Punisher MAX, John Constantine: Hellblazer, among many others.

Tom Payne: A U.K. native known for his roles as Paul “Jesus” Rovia on The Walking Dead, Leon Micheaux in Luck, and Rob Cole in The Physician. Payne has also appeared in several U.K. television series such as Skins, Casualty and Waterloo Road.

Tony Todd: A horror and sci-fi film icon best known for his roles in The Candyman, Sleepwalk and Platoon as well as roles in the Hatchet and Final Destination franchises. Todd can also be seen in Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen, The Rock, The Crow, Lean on Me, Bird, Night of The Living Dead, and Star Trek: The Next Generation, among many others.

Vic Mignogna: Best known for his prolific voice over work in the anime industry involving Japanese anime characters and video games. Mignogna’s most notable character is Edward Elric from the Fullmetal Alchemist series, and he was the voice role of Broly in the Dragon Ball Z films.

Wil Wheaton: An actor, writer and voice actor known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Flubber, The Guild, Eureka, and The Big Bang Theory. He also appeared in Stand by Me, Toy Soldiers and Criminal Minds, among others.

Amy Jo Johnson: A film maker, musician and actor most known for her role as Kimberly Hart in the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Julie Emrick on the series Felicity, and Jules Callaghan on the award-winning series Flashpoint. Johnson recently launched her debut feature film The Space Between.

Anthony Michael Hall: Known for his roles as Farmer Ted in Sixteen Candles and Brian Johnson in The Breakfast Club, Hall went on to become the youngest cast member in history on Saturday Night Live.

Barbara Eden: Named one of America’s 200 Greatest Pop Icons of the 20th Century, Eden is best known for her role as Jeannie on NBC’s I Dream of Jeannie television series which ran for five seasons. Eden’s memoir Jeannie Out of The Bottle was recently published and debuted as No. 14 on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Big Van Vader: Known for his early wrestling career in Japan, Big Van Vader went on to also beat competitors throughout Europe and Mexico and eventually, leading him to three World Heavyweight Championships. Following his WWE career, Big Van Vader returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling to form a tag team with Stan Hansen.

Dave Gibbons: A British comic book drawer and writer who has worked with comic publishers around the world. Some of his work includes: Doctor Who, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Hulk, Predator and Aliens.

Herbert Jefferson Jr.: An American film, television and stage actor best known for his role as Lieutenant Boomer on the original Battlestar Galactica TV series. Jefferson also appeared as Roy Dwyer in Rich Man, Poor Man and its sequel Rich Man, Poor Man Book II, Maxwell Fall in Emmy Award winning series The Law, Muntzy in Knight Rider (1982), among others.

Ilan Mitchell Smith: An American academic and former actor best known as the co-star in Weird Science, Smith has also appeared in The Wild Life, The Chocolate War and Superboy. For the past 35 years, Smith has been a role-player/Dungeon Master, Miniatures gamer and Indie/Board gamer.

John Barrowman: Singer, dancer, host and actor best known for his role as Malcolm Merlyn in the series Arrow. Barrowman’s Malcolm Merlyn character has made guest appearances in The Flash as well as on the CW’s Reign. He has hosted ABC’s Sing Your Face Off, among other major events.

Josh McDermitt: Comedian and star of AMC’s The Walking Dead, McDermitt made his television debut on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2006. He was casted in TV movie Rehab for Rejects and as Brandon on Retired at 35. McDermitt can also be seen in Middle Man and Odious.

Karolyn Grimes: As a child actor, Grimes became best known for her role as Zuzu on the film It’s A Wonderful Life. Grimes currently serves as the unofficial ambassador for the film, traveling the world and speaking at screenings, benefits, conventions, etc.

Kelly Le Brock: An American actress and model known for her acting debut in The Woman in Red. She also appeared in Weird Science, Hard to Kill, Betrayal of the Dove, Tracks of a Killer and Hard Bounty.

Khary Payton: Known as King Ezekiel on AMC’s The Walking Dead and Aqualad in Young Justice. Payton has been a voice actor for characters such as DC comic book hero Cyborg, Specialist Wasabi from Big Hero 6: The Series, Grimlock from Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Azrael & Killer Croc in the Batman: Arkham franchise, among others.

Kristy Swanson: Known for her appearances in Pretty in Pink, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Big Daddy, Knots Landing (1987-1988), Nightingales (1989) and B.L. Stryker (1989), among others.

Lou Ferrigno: Ferrigno is most known as playing the “Hulk” in the CBS series The Incredible Hulk. He has also appeared in other television shows, such as the CBS series The King of Queens and the film I Love You, Man.

Marky Ramone: Best known as the drummer (and last living member) of the legendary punk rock band the Ramones. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and since then has been featured in the comic book TV series Killogy and appears in Killogy: The Animated Series.

Mena Suvari: Dubbed by People Weekly as an “All-American Girl,” Suvari is known for her film debuts in Nowhere, the American Pie film series and American Beauty. She also appeared in Loser, Spun, Rumor Has It, Domino, American Horror Story (2011), among others.

Michael Rooker: Best known as the blue-skinned alien Yondu Udonta in Guardians of the Galaxy, a role he will reprise in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; and his role as Merle Dixon on The Walking Dead.

Rob Schneider: An American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director known for his sketch comedy series on Saturday Night Live as well as his starring comedy roles in Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, The Hot Chick, The Benchwarmers and Grown Ups, among many others.

Robin Lord Taylor: Dubbed as “favorite breakout star of television,” Taylor is best known as Oswald Cobblepot or The Penguin on Gotham. Known for his role as Sam on The Walking Dead, and as Abernathy Darwin Dunlap in Accepted.

Ron Perlman: With a career spanning over three decades, Perlman has worked alongside diverse actors like Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Dominique Pinon, Brad Dourif, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Jude Law, Christina Ricci, Federico Luppi, Sigourney Weaver, Michael Wincott and Elijah Wood. He is also known for his roles in Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army; biker chief Clarence Morrow on Sons of Anarchy, Norman Arbuthnot in The Last Supper and vampire leader Reinhardt in Blade II, among others.

Sean Astin: An actor and author known for his film debut as Mikey in The Goonies, Astin held the title role in the Rudy film and as Sam Gamgee in the Academy Award winning trilogy The Lord of the Rings.

Sean Gunn: Best known for his role on Gilmore Girls as Kirk Gleason, Gunn can also be found reprising his role as Kraglin (Yondu’s right hand man) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Shannon Elizabeth: An American actress and former fashion model who is known for her comedy roles in American Pie, Scary Movie and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. She appeared in the horror films such as Thirteen Ghosts, Cursed and Night of the Demons.

STING: An American retired professional wrestler, actor, author, former bodybuilder and WWE Hall of Famer, he is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Sting earned 25 championships during his 30+ year career, including 21 between WCE and TNA.

Thomas Ian Nicholas: An American film actor, singer, musician, producer, director and writer best known for playing Kevin Myers in the American Pie series, Henry Rowengartner in Rookie of the Year and Walt Disney in Walt Before Mickey.

Zack McGowan: Known for his role as Roan on the CW’s The 100 and as Captain Charles Vane in the Black Sails series. McGowan’s character is planned to recur on Agents of Shield and as Shkelgim in Universal’s Dracula Untold.

For more information regarding Motor City Comic Con guests and events, visit the website.

UK – Brighton’s Graphic War Signing

Comic creator Dave Gibbons, best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story “For the Man Who Has Everything,” appears at Dave’s Comics on Saturday 12th November from 11am-1pm to launch QueenSpark Books’ new Graphic Novel Brighton’s Graphic War.

RSVP on Facebook!

Dave’s Comics
5 Sydney Street, Brighton, BN1 4EN
Tel: 01273 691012

UK – Watchmen: Noir Signing

Artist Dave Gibbons will be signing two new editions of the classic Watchmen at our London Megastore on Friday 25th November at 6:00pm.

Watchmen: Noir Collects the original 12-issue Watchmen series – in black and white for the first time, highlighting Dave Gibbons dark, moody artwork as never before!

Watchmen: Collector’s Edition Box Set reprints the bestselling graphic novel of all time is back in a new, 12-volume box set collector’s edition, just in time for the series’ 30th anniversary!

Watchmen: Artefact Edition will also be available.

Dave Gibbons is one of Britain’s finest comic artists, whose most famous work is the multi-award- winning Watchmen. Since then he has drawn series including Batman, Doctor Who, and Give Me Liberty, and has written Batman vs. Predator, Green Lantern and World’s Finest, as well as his own graphic novel The Originals.

Forbidden Planet London Megastore
179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR
0207 420 3666

Hero Initiative Heads to Big WOW! ComicFest 2015

Press Release:

Hero Initiative, the non-profit organization that helps comic creators in medical and financial need, will be attending San Jose’s Big WOW! ComicFest on April 18-19th at the San Jose Convention Center, 150 West San Carlos St. in San Jose.

Hero will be at booth #300 on the convention floor, and Hero Initiative Ambassadors on the con floor will collecting for Hero include: Brent Anderson, Dan Brereton, Dave Gibbons, Mick Gray, Rich Koslowski, Joseph Michael Linsner, John Livesay, Bill Morrison, Marat Mychaels, Paolo Rivera, and Chrissie Zullo. Make sure you stop by and do the right thing!

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 $700,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

CA – Kingsman Signing

Award-winning and best-selling artist Dave Gibbons, co-creator of Watchmen and Kingsman: The Secret Service, appears at Flying Colors Comics on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM! This event is co-hosted by Madefire.

RSVP on Facebook!

Flying Colors Comics
2980 Treat Blvd (at Oak Grove Rd), Concord, CA 94518
(925) 825-5410

Big Wow! ComicFest Returns to San Jose

Press Release:

Big Wow Comic Fest arrives to the San Jose Convention Center on April 18-19, 2015, bringing two days of comic books, art, collectable toys, sci-fi, fantasy, and celebrity FUN! Many of the nation’s best vendors of all things cool and collectible will tempt your wallets with the perfect gifts for geeks, nerds, fans and true collectors, everywhere!

As the original comic-friendly show, we have fantastic comic book creator guests spanning all decades and genres! This year we are pleased to welcome as our Featured Guests:

Jim Steranko (Legendary artist of Captain America & Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD)
Neal Adams (Legendary Illustrator of Superman, Batman, Avengers, X-Men, and lots more)
Dave Gibbons (Co-Creator of the classic comic “Watchman” made into a major Motion Picture)

Fan-Favorites: Art Adams (X-Men, Godzilla, and more), Bill Morrison (The Simpsons, Futurama, Disney Poster Artist), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Herb Trimpe (Co-Creator of Wolverine) and over 75 more confirmed and added to our website!

Meet, get autographs, and learn the secrets of Show Biz from our spectacular CELEBRITY GUESTS:

Tom Felton (Harry Potter’s “Draco Malfoy” and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes)
Daniel Cudmore (X-Men’s “Colossus”, and Twilight’s “Felix”)
Jake Lloyd (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’s “Anakin Skywalker” and Jingle All The Way)

Also appearing will be Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica), Gary Graham (Alien Nation, Star Trek: Enterprise), George “The Giant” (Big Fish), John Stanley (Creature Features) and more.

Admission is only:

•  1 Day Adult (15 and older) $25.00 and 2 Day Adult $35.00

• 1 Day Child (8-14) $10.00 and 2 Day Child $15.00 Children under 8 are Free!

Save $5.00 off tickets by purchasing them online at www.bigwowcomicfest.com or at participating comic book retailers.

 

NYC – Kingsman: The Secret Service Signing

Artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) appears at JHU Comic Books on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at noon for a special signing event of the smash hit comic Kingsman (The Secret Service). 

 

Press Release:

To celebrate the February 13th release of the Fox film, “Kingsman,” JHU Comic Books will be hosting a fantastic signing event! Come meet these two fan-favorite talents and get your books signed!

There will be a limit of 5 items to get signed, per customer, on a first come first serve basis.

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
Release: February 13, 2015
Action-Thriller
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Screenplay: Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn, based upon the comic book “The Secret Service” by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons
Producers: Matthew Vaughn, David Reid, Adam Bohling
Cast: Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Taron Egerton, and Michael Caine

Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass, X-Men First Class), Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

RSVP on Facebook!

JHU Comic Books MANHATTAN
32 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016
(212) 268-7088

UK – Kingsman: The Secret Service Signing

Writer Mark Millar and artist Dave Gibbons will be celebrating the cinema release of Kingsman: The Secret Service with signing of the original Graphic Novel at the Forbidden Planet London Megastore on Saturday 31st January at 1:00pm.

Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Mark Millar is the award-winning writer/ creator of Wanted and Kick-Ass and worked as an executive producer on their subsequent movie adaptations. He is also the Creative Consultant for Twentieth Century Fox in Los Angeles, overseeing their upcoming Marvel movies. His ten years at Marvel produced Civil War, the biggest-selling series of the decade, and The Ultimates, credited by screen-writer Zak Penn as his inspiration for The Avengers movie. His Millarworld company has expanded in the last few years to include Kick-Ass 2, Hit-Girl, The Secret Service, Nemesis, War Heroes, American Jesus, Supercrooks and Superior. In 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Glasgow Caledonia University for his services to film and literature.

Dave Gibbons is one of Britain’s finest comic artists, whose most famous work is the multi-award- winning Watchmen. Since then he has drawn series including Batman, Doctor Who and Give Me Liberty, and has written Batman vs. Predator, Green Lantern and World’s Finest, as well as his own graphic novel The Originals.

Due to time restraints, Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons will only be signing copies of Kingsman: The Secret Service graphic novels.

Forbidden Planet London Megastore
179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR

Baltimore Comic-Con Report!

Who watches the Watchmen? A few hundred people at least, all of whom were in line ahead of me at last month’s Baltimore Comic-Con (Sept. 5-7) for Dave Gibbons’s autograph.

Gibbons is, of course, the artist behind Watchmen, the 12-issue miniseries published by DC in the mid-80s. The accolades heaped on Watchmen are as legendary as the series itself. It was the only graphic novel to appear on Time‘s 2005 “100 Greatest Novels” list, and it appeared again in 2009 on the magazine’s “Top 10 Graphic Novels” list. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly ranked Watchmen thirteenth on its list of the best 50 novels printed in the last 25 years, calling it “the greatest superhero story ever told and proof that comics are capable of smart, emotionally resonant narratives.”

I have loved Watchmen since it came out, and when I saw that Gibbons, who lives in the UK, would be in Baltimore, I booked my flight immediately. By “flight,” I mean I got up at 5:00am and drove the six hours from Raleigh, NC, passing through Washington just miles from the White House and getting stuck in horrendous construction-related traffic that even President Obama is, apparently, powerless to prevent. Other great artists and writers were there, including Steve Leialoha, Walter and Louise Simonson, Greg Capullo, David Finch, and Al Milgrom, who does few conventions these days. Denny O’Neil left early due to a family emergency, and the wait for George Perez was four hours (!), according to one woman who endured it.

But Gibbons was, for me, the star of the show. I waited about an hour in his line, and when I got to the table, I found him to be gracious, funny, and down-to-earth. He was impressed by my Graphitti edition Watchmen hardcover (the first graphic novel version of the series) and my Marvel Comics Doctor Who #1 (for the wife, a consecrated Whovian). But he oohed and ahhed—actually, we all did—over something another guy had: the 1994 computer game Beneath a Steel Sky, still in the box. Gibbons did the background art for this game, and he said he had never signed a copy before. Get it on eBay, young man!

The Baltimore Comic-Con has long been a two-day affair. This was its first year spanning a third day, and everyone I talked to thought it a success. Vendors especially were pumped-up because their rate stayed roughly the same despite the extra day. They also praised the convention staff for being responsive and professional. Sales were good, too: one dealer sold an Action Comics #252 (first appearance of Supergirl) for $900.

Dr. Chilton, the captor/tormentor of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, says that Baltimore “can be quite a fun town, if you have the right guide.” The only guide I needed was the folks at this year’s Comic-Con. As you are planning your convention schedule for next year, mark down September 25-27 in Baltimore. It won’t be a baaa-d decision.

They don’t look like minions, but I’ll take their word for it.

Deadpool doing what Deadpool does.

Hello, Walter Simonson!

Hello, Louise Simonson!

Don’t blink. Or wink. Or think about blinking or winking. Especially when drinking.

The line to see Dave Gibbons.

And, finally, Dave Gibbons, holding my newly-signed Watchmen hardcover (which, if it were shirt, I would never wash again).

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