The activity known as “comic-con” is now a local family activity, like going to the fair or the beach if this weekend’s crop of news stories is to be believed — and I do believe it.
§ In Orlando, it was Megacon — people had a good time and wore costumes!

So as fans raced from one end of the convention center to the other get close to Shatner or Lee, other fans found their way into small rooms for break out sessions. For example, during a discussion on “The Art of Storytelling”, comic artist Amanda Conner advised fans on how artist use “multiple panels to convey emotion.”

§ Meanwhile, over in Memphis, it was the MidSouthCon , where people ran around and met Kurt Busiek.

“I’m comfortably small-scale famous,” he said Sunday afternoon. “There are places where I can go and people will cluster around and want an autograph. The grocery store is not one of those.”


Dates and guests for 2012 have already been announced.

§ They were poring over long boxes in Rockford, IL.

“I think right now, were kind of in the golden age of the nerd culture, so I think it’s really kind of coming along,” said comic book collector and seller John Lindblade.

“Superman or Spiderman, like the first superman sold for over a million dollars, and that was pretty amazing,” said local comic book enthusiast Dain Kuss.

Comic book collectors say the convention is a great place to learn if they have any items that are worth a lot of money.

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§ In Chicago, fans had cookies and wine and celebrated DEMO with Becky Cloonan at Challenger’s Comics

The get-together started at 7 p.m., with only 15 people browsing Challenger’s Comics like it was a normal day at the comic shop. The attendees slowly moved from the comic shop to the red-and-white Rogue’s Gallery for some comic-gazing fun. As time went on, the number of attendees doubled and everyone was eager to loosen up and have a few drinks as they discussed Cloonan’s art. As promised on Cloonan’s blog, there were cookies to go along with the wine.


§ AND in Providence, RI they were talking about comics n the classroom:

Authors, publishers, professors, graduate students, teachers and artists who packed a conference at Rhode Island College Saturday said comic books are not only OK, they are often respectable, wise and useful for unlocking the creativity and reading abilities of young people and adults.

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§ YOW! Is that not enough? NO! Even in Kansas City at Planet Comicon, the rituals of dressing up and buying comics were taking place:

People at Planet Comicon lined up to get their picture taken with Boba, the bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” movies. Jeremy Bulloch, the British actor who played Boba, was a hot stop at the comic book, sci-fi and fantasy convention that drew about 4,000 over two days.

“He’s this awesome bounty hunter and I had to have my picture taken with him, and now I can’t believe I’m as tall as he is,” Emily Leveridge of Kansas City, Kan., said after scoring an autograph and photo.


Here’s a nice blog post with photos on the activities.

1 COMMENT

  1. Have to agree with Alex – it’s weird to see no mention of the Rob Granito story. I’d consider it to be a bigger deal than just your average “guy selling fake art” story.

  2. I grew up going to a comic con in Kansas City. My parents didn’t take me every year but when I did get to go it was pretty much the best thing I could think of on the planet,
    and,
    honestly,
    it was a crappy little Con, but to me, at 11 years old?
    heaven.