Conventions

Once again, BookExpo America, “the leading North American publishing event” took place at the Javits Center in New York City. Just like various comic cons, attendees and journalists love to analyze the zeitgeists floating around the exhibition hall, while others prefer to ignore the elephants in the room. So, following in the grand tradition of industry analysts and bloggers (beware the Camel’s nose!), I will give you my opinions at what I experienced this year.

The Maine Comics Art Festival gains momentum with each passing year like the gentle fog we kept hoping would come visit this year. The Saturday night before the show started out just right with a stop off at Casablanca Comics.

The Maine Comics Arts Festival is in its third year of providing Portland, Maine - Yes, the other Portland - with a wide array of comics by East Coast cartoonists. Sitting on the beautiful waterfront, attendees and exhibitors will be graced by a fantastic view of the water and the perpetual fog that sleeps atop Portland.

For several years, those who feel that the San Diego Comic-Con has lost the comics part of the equation (even though it isn't true at all ) have been wondering if an alternative event -- a "Slamdance*" to CCI:SD's Sundance -- would spring up. And artist/animators Scott Morse and Ted Mathot (who both have Pixar as a day job) are making this "Slamcomic" come true with TR!CKSTER, an alternative venue for comics events that will be open to the public and located right across the tracks from the SD Convention Center.

In spite of the dramatic international intrigue Sparkplug Comic Books and its affiliates faced at the Canadian border on the way to TCAF last weekend, we managed to simultaneously invade a whole other continent at Stockholm Sweden’s 11^th Annual SPX Festival. Sparkplug was honored to be invited to the festival for the 3^rd year in a row along with many other hella distinguished international guests.

Since Tokyopop all but got wiped from the map, an informal "cadaver derby" for comics publishers has sprung up in chat rooms and bars of the comics biz. One name frequently heard: Wizard. So let's see what's going on in the Shamus Empire, shall we?

Speaking of con wars, this rather odd story from UGO goes on and on about how great this weekend's Anaheim Comic-Con is going to be, without ever mentioning of the fact that it is part of the Wizard World Tour:

Just when things looked all lovey dovey on the convention front, Kiel Phegley reports that Canadian convention organizer Hobby Star has filed a lawsuit against Reed Pop and Zuffa LLC, owner of the UFC over the use of the term "Fan Expo," which Hobby Star claims to have trademarked. Reed and the UFC, the hugely popular mixed martial arts organization, have been putting on a series of "UFC Fan Expo" events in conjunction with their fight shows. However, Hobby Star puts on the Fan Expo Canada every year, generally considered the third biggest comic-con-type show in North America. The suit probably only covers the Canadian use of the term Fan Expo, however:

Con is EVERYWHERE. Some recent reports and notes:

As promised, here are more photos of Stumptown: the comics festival and the parties that just won't quit!

BY JEN VAUGHN - This past weekend, The Beat left the wet and mountainous regions of the East Coast for the wet and mountainous regions of the West Coast to revel in the majestic small press show that is Stumptown Comics Festival. Having recently moved from the Doubletree Hotel to the Oregon Convention Center, more artists and cartoonists would be to showcase their work for eager audiences.

Just in case you wanted MORE evidence of how horrible a comic-con without the comcis would be, here is a VIDEO of that disastrous Reality Rocks Expo we told you abut that featured scores of reality TV stars milling around a bleak, deserted LA Convention Center. Current TV's Ben Hoffman files a hilarious report that reveals just how much reality stars revel in their vapidity. All that is missing is a little cannibalism and you'd have an outtake from THE ROAD.