Conventions

In the run-up to San Diego 2012, Marvel have released two teasers for an upcoming story called 'War'

Not much to report -- bar con was packed and buzzing last night. We got to hang out and talk about storytelling with old Beat pal Jaime Hernandez -- surely a convention year highlight. It's pretty incredible that this show has been running for 30 years! We're hoping to sit down with owner Shelton Drum at some point and get his thoughts on that. This year's convention booklet has a picture from the very first show -- with a bunch of bearded guys including Wolfman and Miek Zeck -- who are both back.

This weekend it's the 30th annual HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC. Wow 30 years! Not too many shows have that kind of heritage, but Shelton Drum's show has now settled down into the so-much-fun I-can't-wait-to-see-everyone good time con experience. We'll be quite busy with THREE panels as follows:

Even comics news is coming out in advance of Comic-Con—in this case, new HEROIC SCALED booth art for Image (#2729). As past con-goers may be aware, Image's booth is anchored by a huge 16' x 32' "Wall of Art" which now features more of the new mega-creator themed stuff like SAGA, MIND THE GAP, AMERICA'S GOT POWERS, and something called THE WALKING DEAD.

This past weekend's CAKE show in Chicago was important for a few reasons, but mostly because CHicago has a rich vibrant indie/mainstream comics scene, and having an event to take advantage of it is a boon to the entire Midwest. The show had a stellar guest list, so we've been eagerly awaiting word on how it did. So, from reading a few reports the word seems to be: great show, so-so sales but awesome atmosphere.

San Diego Comic Con is arguably the mecca of all comicons. It features the most robust programming schedule that any comicon can create. Comics, movies, kids, television, games, books and much, much more pack every minute of its crowded programming grid. It's what many, if not most of the comicon attendees look forward to each year. Attendees plan their schedules to the minute to make sure they get a chance to get a seat at their favorite panels. Some will go so far as to camp out in a panel room from early in the day, moving up as each panel lets out to ensure they have the best seat they can possibly get. Obviously this is the extreme case when it comes to comicon programming. The likelihood of having a programming schedule as massive as SDCC's is slim to none. Even New York Comic Con, one of the largest shows in North America after SDCC, doesn't feature a programming grid as vast. So what does this mean for your own comicon programming schedule? Probably, it means very little when it comes down to the details and content; however, overall it there are certainly some things you can look at and put to good use at your own show.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, while everyone is loin girding for The Big One in a few weeks, New York Comic Con, the other Big One, is also gearing up, and like San Diego Comic-Con, they are beginning to tighten things up. Press registration has just opened, but it's a far more arduous process than before and NO on-site registration this year.

You know how you're always reading about how great the first Comic-Con in San Diego was with everyone sitting around the pool at the El Cortez while throwing rubber duckies at Jack Kirby and Ray Bradbury? Well some of the surviving founders of SDCC have gotten together to put on an old-timey show called The San Diego Comic Fest, to be held October 19-21 at the San Diego Town & Country Resort and Convention Center. The guest list consists of some people who were actually at the first cons in the '70s, including George Clayton Johnson, Jackie Estrada, Mark Evanier, Murphy Anderson, Ron Turner, and Tim Powers.

If you've been reading Mike Scigliano's Comic-Conversations columns you get some really good insights on what's involved in producing a major comic con. Thanks to an invite from Heidi, I get to share the experience of a different kind of con. When it comes to making the decision to produce a con, this is not something for the weak at heart more like it's a challenge for the mildly insane...and worth every ounce of effort.

With only a few weeks until this year's Comic-Con extravaganza, the big studios are rolling out their panel plans, and as we suspected, film studios are not going in pedal to the metal this year. Variety reports that Paramount, Fox and Relativity are definitely sitting things out, while Universal is iffy. Disney/Marvel sat out last year—they went to their own purpose built D23 show instead—but will be back. (Perhaps to announce the mystery 2014 movie?) WB is also expected to attend with Superman and (we pray) THE HOBBIT. Elsewhere, it's all a little sketchy:

Speak of the devil! Only hours ago we were making jokes about Chris Ware joining the Cirque du Soleil and now there is nows of an actual Cirque du Soleil comic! Sadly it is not from Ware—we can just imagine his version of Limber 12-year-old Chinese Acrobats Stories—instead, it's from Marvel, in a custom comic that ties in with the Vegas spectacle Kà which you will be able to get at this year's Comic-Con.

Angoulême. San Diego. Tokyo. Barcelona. New York. Erlangen? A comics show... in Germany? In a small city most people haven't heard of? Held every other year since 1984? It can't be worthy of a post, can it? Ah... read on and discover!