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Me with Usagi Yojimbo designer Stan Sakai at the Friday night All-Star Reception.
by Roger Ash
As those who follow my blog articles may know by now, I’m on staff at the Baltimore Comic-Con. My main job is organizing the panels, which I’ve been doing for five years now. The convention was this past weekend, September 7 & 8, and I thought I’d share a look back with you. Granted, my version of the show may be different from what you may have read elsewhere as I spent a lot of of my time up at the panel rooms. I’m not going to go through all the panels that happened, but I’ll try and hit some highlights.
The 2013 Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook.
The convention actually began with a pre-show All-Star reception Friday night for fans who gotten a ticket to the event along with pros including Stan Sakai, George Perez, mark Waid, Neal Adams, mark Bagley, Paul Jenkins, and more. It was a very low crucial event with fans and creators sharing a pleasurable evening together. The fans, as part of the event, got a copy of the 2013 Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook featuring Usagi Yojimbo. I saw a number of people getting the books signed and artists doing quick sketches in them. It was a great way to kick off the convention.
Saturday, the convention was packed. The line to get tickets looped well around the block. If you intend to come next year, I highly recommend getting your ticket in development and getting there early. For me, Saturday was packed with panels, including a new track that was devoted to education, and making sure things were ready on my end for the Jay & silent Bob event with Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes at the end of the day.
The British invasion panel with (left to right) Mike Carey, moderator Robert Greenberger, Roger Langridge, and Paul Jenkins.
The panels on Saturday ranged from publisher panels (DC, Marvel, BOOM!, Valiant, Archie) to designer spotlights (George Perez, Joe Hill) to comic spotlight panels (Usagi Yojimbo, Strangers In Paradise, Fables) to the Comic book legal defense Fund presenting lectures on censorship to self publishing panels to the Comic book men panel and the Smith/Mewes event and more. While I would have loved to have sat in and listened to some of the panels, Saturday was such a busy day that I was only able to listen to bits and pieces here and there.
Here’s some of the news I gleaned from the day:
Marc Andreyko is the new writer of DC’s Batwoman.
Furious
Bryan J.L. Glass announced his new series from Dark Horse, Furious, which is coming your way in January.
George Perez announced his new book for BOOM!, She-Devils. You can read a lot more about it here.
A small selection of the creators on the Fables panel (left to right): bill Willingham, mark Buckingham, Barry Kitson, and Andrew Pepoy.
Bill Willingham and Barry Kitson are working on a project together. Kitson also pointed out that he and mark Waid have the rights to empire back.
Sal Buscema (left) & Ron Frenz. photo (c) Bruce Guthrie.
The day was capped with the Harvey Awards. bill Willingham was the first-time MC and he did a very great job. If you want to check out all the winners, you can see them here. For me, the highlight of the evening was getting to meet comics legend, Sal Buscema. Buscema received the lifetime achievement Award, which was presented to him by him long-time collaborator, Ron Frenz. Sal’s art has long been a part of my personal comics history from his work on Defenders to Spider-Man to Rom, and so lots of other titles. It was great to see his contribution to comics recognized. He certainly should have it.
Sunday felt much calmer to me, though things were still hopping with the big event of the day being the costume Contest. There were still plenty of panels going on with a lot more spotlights (Mike Mignola, Mike Carey, Brian Wood), the IDW panel, a color in Comics panel with award-winning colorists Jose Villarrubia and Laura Martin, a toy and statue design panel with sculptor Paul Harding and artist mark Buckingham, who worked with him on a couple Fables busts, and more.
Bob Greenberger & Ramona Fradon. photo (c) Bruce Guthrie.
I actually had time to sit in on a couple panels Sunday, and I’m glad I did. The first was a spotlight on legendary artist Ramona Fradon (Aquaman, Metamorpho, Plastic Man, incredibly Friends) moderated by Robert Greenberger. It was a fascinating look at her occupation in comics. next was a spotlight on Underground Comix legend Frank stack (AKA Foolbert Sturgeon), who was one of the originators of Underground Comix. The panel was hosted by Denis Kitchen, who has a long history with Underground Comix as well. Unfortunately, the panel was not well attended, but those of us who were there got a fascinating look at the early days of the Underground and Stack’s career, which includes such strips as The new Adventures of Jesus,work in Rip Off Comics, and he illustrated Our cancer Year by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner. during the panel, kitchen announced that an upcoming book from the kitchen Sink imprint at Dark horse will be a collection of maybe Stack’s a lot of popular comic, Dorman’s Doggie. stack also pointed out that a collection of some of his other strips is in the works at Fantagraphics.
Frank Stack. photo (c) Bruce Guthrie.
Sunday also afforded me a bit of time to check out some of the convention floor (I saw half of it at most), but it was great to chat with some of the creators I hadn’t had a chance to see yet, get a few things signed, and do a bit of shopping which included a new Huckleberry Hound book for my collection.
Huckleberry Hound #18
However, what really makes a convention memorable for me are the people, both creators and staff. It was good to catch up with the creators I’ve gotten to know over the years, and meet some people I’ve never met before. and then there’s the staff; Marc & Shelly, Brad, Andie, Tim & Kevin, Dustin, Matt, Todd, Tom, David, Sam, Chris, Randy, Steve, and all the lots of others I’ve gotten to know over the years. I’m honored to be part of this family and we all work our butts off to make the Baltimore Comic-Con a fantastic show. and next year, the 15th anniversary of the convention, the show is expanding to three days, September 5-7, 2014. Come join in the fun! You’ll be glad you did.
Now, go read a comic!
Special thanks to Bruce Guthrie for allowing me to use some of the photos he took at the convention.
Huckleberry Hound cover from the Grand Comics Database.