The News Blog of Comics Culture
In all the ruckus we have forgotten to talk about the show that is probably, if pressed, my very favorite show of the year, or at least ONE of my very most favorite: HeroesCon, in Charlotte. As always Shelton Drum and his crew — now aided by the maestro, Rico Renzi — throw the best damn comic party you can imagine, a three day fest of art, comics, dinner, panels, sketches, strolling, grits and everything else enjoyable you can imagine.
From around the Twitterverse, an array of reactions to DC’s news that they are reboot their line in September and going to simultaneous digital release. New comics universes are a dime a dozen, but the digital news is really a game changer — it’s hard not to see every other publishers following suit quickly.
The next big announcement for this move would seem to be June 11, when Jim Lee and Geoff Johns are expected to “drop bombshells” at the Hero Complex Film Festival. Although HeroesCon, one of the bigger shows on the circuit, is this weekend, there are no official DC panels so no big announcements. Executive Editor Eddie Berganza is attending however, so catch him on the bar and hope he didn’t sign an NDA.
The excitement has already begun at the Emerald City Comicon, but in case you need more info, here you go.
This is the first time the show has run three days, but it has definitely joined HeroesCon, Baltimore Comics Con, WonderCon, and a few others as one of the premier “regional” shows of the year. If things were different we’d be there slurping oysters right this minute, but hopefully next year.
Here’s an interview with showrunner Jim Demonakos, and a guide to the show with ALL the info you need.
[Yesterday we chatted with one half of the Bonfire Agency, Ed Catto. Today we grill Steve Rotterdam on the nerd marketing equation, Bonfire's research and consulting activities, and whether Patton Oswalt was right about too much geek being a bad thing.
Steve Rotterdam served as partner and Chief Creative Officer at the East West Agency before joining DC Comics as Sr. VP Sales and Marketing for three years. His background gives his take on the comics industry and where it is going an informed and unique perspective.]
Is Wizard World trying to turn into TCAF? Of late, the convention tour has been reaching out to indie cartoonists, suggesting a rather unlikely team-up.
RED is yet another comic book movie coming out this summer, albeit one whose comics connections are a little less clear due to the vast changes from the original, a three issue mini- by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. The film stars Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren as aging CIA operatives who have to get together one! more! time! to clear their names. As expected, the trailer proves that the proof-of-concept of “Helen Mirren, Action Star” is just as awesome as you thought it would be Or, as Warren Ellis wrote of the film:.
Helen Mirren with a sniper rifle. I mean, if you don’t want to see a film with Helen Mirren with a sniper rifle, I’m not sure I want to know you.
Okay, we’ve restocked our load of piss and vinegar and we’ve loaded our shotgun for bear! UNTIL WE TELL IT, WE JUST CAN”T MOVE ON!
My first “Complaints” post drew a bit of private praise, especially from those who welcomed a return to more pointed commentary. To which I say, I’d love to do more of it but I was literally up until dawn writing that first one (I’m ssslllooowww) and this one will take just as long. Especially since this time I”m taking on everyone’s FAVORITE SUBJECTS: Race and gender. It’s a good thing comics never talk about religion or we’d be here all night and day! And if I can predict one thing with dead certainty it’s this: Gene PHillips will show up in the comments.
What is true, what is not? Who is a hack? WHo has dangling balls? What is Berkeley Breathed doing now? Answer await.
Although we’re probably the very last person to get our HeroesCon thoughts online, it was such a good time, it would be wrong not to enumerate a few of the ways it rocked. Although everyone knows that Shelton Drum, Dustin Harbin and the rest of the Heroes crew know how to extend Southern hospitality to convention guests in a relaxed, unassuming way, the show — the largest HeroesCon yet by all signs — also served as a near-perfect capsule of the comics industry, thanks to a wide ranging, well-deployed guest list showcased in diverse, entertaining programming. While Indie Island is Harbin’s baby and remains a hotbed of amazing talent, the rest of the show showed off other elements of the cartooning world — there was a wall of strip cartoonists, for instance, and the “mainstream mainland” included an amazing lineup of artists from Brian Bolland to Jill Thompson to Adam Hughes and Tony Harris.
This week: Marvel gets ready to shift serial business away from comics retailers; Comic-Salon Erlangen foto parade, with cocks and blue people; more conversations worth having from Tom Spurgeon; DC editor Ian Sattler calms the critics, ends debate; why translating from English is a challenge; and your new comics recommendation of the week, delicious like a bag of boogers.
Tweet Just a quickie from the lobby — great show, great people, and also a fantastic mix of comics and genres, from comic strips to superheroes to indies to webcomics. Above, Rice Boy — read it!
Tweet The internet and the floor at HeroesCon were both abuzz with the announcement of Marvel’s first simultaneous print and digital release with INVINCIBLE IRON MAN ANNUAL #1. People on the floor generally reacted with a shrug at the inevitability of the move. Online, Brigid Alverson has an excellent roundup of the pros and cons [...]
Tweet Using the lobby Wi-Fi, while everyone else is at the con, but everyone is having a great time. As Johanna Draper Carlson put it: This convention has been about taking it as it comes, stopping and enjoying the moment, with great conversations, paying attention to where I am instead of chasing the next thing. [...]
TweetAs usual, southern hospitality is keeping HeroesCon at the Charlotte Convention center a laid-back relax-a-con as opposed to some of the more frantic offerings on the con schedule. Heroes organizer Shelton Drum gave us the literal bird-eye view of the show last night — pre-reg was high, and the show floor is completely sold out, [...]
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund needs volunteers for HeroesCon You get free lunch so it’s a good deal.
They also need some volunteers in their New York headquarters as they recently moved and need help getting things sorted. YOU can contact them for either matter via Facebook.
Briefs & Boxers! 06/16/10