ConSpyer

Meta Con Announces Linkara and Possible Oscar

2012-07-24T19:21:36+00:00

Bloomington, MN - July 23, 2012 - Meta Con, Minneapolis's massively-multigenre fan convention, is pleased to announce that comic-book reviewer Linkara and comedy rock band Possible Oscar will be appearing at the upcoming 2012 convention. Possible Oscar and Linkara join other guests including musicians Rumgumption and YTCracker, television stars Nakia Burrise, Michael Copon, Jessica Rey and Jason Faunt, martial artist Samurai Dan, abridged series creator LittleKuriboh, and voice actor Todd Haberkorn. Over 2,000 fans will convergence on the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington, Minneapolis for Meta Con, from August 31 to September 2, 2012. The full guest list can be found at http://metaconvention.com/guests

Lewis "Linkara" Lovhaug has had the misfortune of being cursed to review comic books on the internet. Somehow this has made him popular on the website That Guy With the Glasses, though many suspect it’s more so people can stare and laugh at the weirdo. On his show, Atop the Fourth Wall, he regularly contends with the surreal, the stupid, and the senseless books that the comic industry has produced over the last eighty years. If that wasn’t sad enough, he also has done a retrospective on Power Rangers (released on the schedule of when a blue moon rises on the 13th hour of the 13th day of the 13th month), actually attempting to grant serious analysis to a series about guys in spandex punching rubber-suited monsters. It’s best not to make direct eye contact with him.

Possible Oscar is a Minneapolis, MN based comedy rock act that specializes in original and parody songs. Their musical topics range from video games to nerd love, with stops at comic books and notable Hollywood movie sound effects. Possible Oscar’s sound is two great tastes that taste great together; they usually play rock music, but sometimes a little hip hop is in order.

The Dr. Demento Show has played several Possible Oscar songs, including “Earn Hollywood Earn”, “Talk Nerdy to Me”, and "Get Our Geek On", and a few of them have made Dr. Demento's regular countdown. “Earn Hollywood Earn” was selected to appear on Dr. Demento’s Basement Tapes #15. In December of 2007, their song “That Calls for a Wilhelm Scream” landed at the No. 23 spot on Dr. Demento’s annual Funny 25 countdown. In 2007, Possible Oscar became a Core member of The Funny Music Project (The FuMP) which releases two songs every week for free under a Creative Commons license. Possible Oscar is currently writing and recording material for their third full-length album.

Meta Con is a three-day convention that will bring together over two thousand people to celebrate shared interest in popular culture and entertainment. Attendees interested in Meta Con can participate in and attend over 50 different panels and events, in addition to numerous video screenings, autograph signings, guest Q&A sessions, and an exhibit hall filled with dealers and artists. Registration can be found online at www.metaconvention.com and is only $25 per person in advance.

Baltimore Comic-Con Welcomes Jim Starlin

2012-07-04T19:08:27+00:00

Baltimore, Maryland - July 3, 2012 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce the addition of comic legend to the growing line-up of creators attending this year's show. The 13th annual show will be taking place September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center in the heart of downtown Baltimore.

Starlin began his illustrious career as a writer and artist in 1972 and made a name for himself in the industry with his universe-spanning cosmic tales and space operas at Marvel Comics. In addition to revamping Marvel's Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, he is also the creator of Marvel's Mad Titan, Thanos.

Aside from creating Thanos, Starlin also co-created Marvel's Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu along with Steve Englehart. His extensive resume includes on the DC Comics titles Detective Comics, Batman, and Legion of Super-Heroes, working on such notable story-arc as "Batman: A Death in the Family" and "Ten Nights of the Beast."

"With the amazing success of Marvel's The Avengers this summer, we couldn't be more thrilled to have the creator of one of the Avenger's most fearsome adversaries attending the show," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "With Thanos set to be the next major villain in the second phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jim Starlin is a guest that everyone is going to want to see at the show!"

Most recently, Stalin wrote and drew the seven-issue miniseries, Breed: Book of Revelation for Image Comics and The Art of Jim Starlin: A Life in Words and Images published by IDW, both in 2011.

This year's confirmed guests for the show including: Guest of Honor, Stan "The Man" Lee (Saturday only!); Ken Bald (Golden Age Timely/Marvel artist); Marty Baumann (Pixar artist); Brian Bolland (Dial H, Cover Story: The DC Comics Art of Brian Bolland); Greg Capullo (Batman, Spawn); Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (Avengers vs. X-Men, Liberty Meadows); Steve Conley (Bloop webcomic www.bloopstree.com); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); Lar deSouza (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Dan Didio (O.M.A.C.); Garth Ennis (The Shadow, Hellblazer, Preacher, The Boys); Rich Faber (Roboy Red); David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman); Keith Giffen (Superman, O.M.A.C., Green Arrow); Gene Ha (Justice League); Larry Hama (G.I. Joe, Wolverine, The 'Nam); Cully Hamner (Action Comics); Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, ACT-I-VATE, Trip City); Jamal Igle (KISS, Supergirl, The Ray); J.G. Jones (Wanted, Doc Savage); Barry Kitson (Captain America, Iron Man, Fantastic Four); Joe Kubert (Before Watchmen: Nightowl); Scott Kurtz (PvPonline.com); David Mack (Kabuki); Ron Marz (Artifacts, Voodoo); Bob McLeod (DC Comics Presents: Wonder Woman); Mark Morales (Avengers vs. X-Men); Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Frank Quitely (All Star Superman, Batman & Robin); John Romita, Jr. (Avengers Vs. X-Men); Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge); Stuart Sayger (Infestation 2: 30 Days of Night One-Shot); Walter Simonson (Thor, Legion of Super-Heroes, Avengers); Ryan Sohmer (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Scott Snyder (Batman, Severed, Swamp Thing); Brian Stelfreeze (ICE); Karl Story (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin); Billy Tucci (A Child Is Born, Shi); Matt Wagner (Tower Chronicles, Mage, Grendel); Mark Waid (Daredevil, Incorruptible, Irredeemable); Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein).

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held September 8-9, 2012. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, September 8th.

Please take a moment to help us spread this message using the social media links embedded, reposting, or retweeting!

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

About The Baltimore Comic-Con

The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 13th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held September 8-9, 2012. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards

The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 7 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

2012 Harvey Awards Nominees Announced!

2012-07-03T18:56:53+00:00

Baltimore, MD (July 2, 2012) -- The 2012 Harvey Awards Nominees have been announced with the release of the final ballot, presented by the Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con. Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. They will be presented September 8, 2012 in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.

ominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators - those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit, or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. Thank you to all that have already participated by submitting a nomination ballot.

Final ballots are due to the Harvey Awards by Friday, August 17, 2012. Full submission instructions can be found on the final ballot. Voting is open to anyone professionally involved in a creative capacity within the comics field. Final ballots are available for download at www.harveyawards.org. Those without Internet access may request that paper ballots be sent to them via mail or fax by calling the Baltimore Comic-Con (410-526-7410) or e-mailing baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com.

This will be the seventh year for the Harvey Awards in Baltimore, MD. Look for more details soon on how you can attend the Harvey Awards dinner.

This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held September 8-9, 2012. The ceremony and banquet for the 2012 Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, September 8th.

Without further delay, the 2012 Harvey Award Nominees:

BEST LETTERER

____   Chris Eliopoulos, FEAR ITSELF, Marvel Comics
____   Laura Lee Gulledge, PAGE BY PAIGE, Amulet Books
____   Todd Klein, S.H.I.E.L.D.: ARCHITECTS OF FOREVER, Marvel Comics
____   David Lanphear, SECRET AVENGERS, Marvel Comics
____   Jason Shiga, EMPIRE STATE: A LOVE STORY (OR NOT), Abrams ComicArts

BEST COLORIST

____   Elizabeth Breitweiser, CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY, Marvel Comics
____   Francesco Francavilla, BLACK PANTHER: THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR, Marvel Comics
____   Sunny Gho, ARTIFACTS, Top Cow
____   Dave McCaig, THE MAGDALENA, Top Cow
____   Dave Stewart, HELLBOY: THE FURY, Dark Horse

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP or PANEL

____   BIZARRO, Dan Piraro, syndicated by King Features Syndicate
____   CUL DE SAC, Richard Thompson, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate
____   DOONESBURY, Garry Trudeau, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate
____   MUTTS, Patrick McDonnell, syndicated by King Features Syndicate
____   PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, Stephen Pastis, syndicated by United Feature Syndicate

BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK

____   BATTLEPUG, Mike Norton, battlepug.com
____   BUCKO, Erika Moen and Jeff Parker, buckocomic.com
____   DELILAH DIRK AND THE TURKISH LIEUTENANT, Tony Cliff, delilahdirk.com
____   GRONK, Katie Cook, gronkcomic.com
____   HARK! A VAGRANT, Kate Beaton, harkavagrant.com

BEST AMERICAN EDITION of FOREIGN MATERIAL

____   ADVENTURES OF HERGE, Drawn & Quarterly
____   THE KILLER VOL. 3: MODUS VIVENDI!, Archaia Entertainment
____   THE MANARA LIBRARY VOL. 1: INDIAN SUMMER AND OTHER STORIES, Dark Horse
____   ONWARD TOWARD OUR NOBLE DEATHS, Drawn & Quarterly
____   SINGLE MATCH, Drawn & Quarterly

BEST INKER

____   Laura Lee Gulledge, PAGE BY PAIGE, Amulet Books
____   Mark Morales, THOR, Marvel Comics
____   Sal Regla, THE MAGDALENA, Top Cow
____   Joe Rivera, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   Jason Shiga, EMPIRE STATE: A LOVE STORY (OR NOT), Abrams ComicArts

BEST NEW SERIES

____   ANGEL & FAITH, Dark Horse
____   ANIMAL MAN, DC Comics
____   DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   LAST MORTAL, Top Cow
____   OZMA OF OZ, Marvel Comics
____   RACHEL RISING, Abstract Studio

MOST PROMISING NEW TALENT

____   Nick Bradshaw, ASTONISHING X-MEN, Marvel Comics
____   Nathan Edmondson, WHO IS JAKE ELLIS?, Image Comics
____   Laura Lee Gulledge, PAGE BY PAIGE, Amulet Books
____   Justin Jordan, THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE, Image Comics
____   Sara Pichelli, ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, Marvel Comics

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS

____   Kate Beaton, HARK! A VAGRANT, harkavagrant.com; print edition by Drawn & Quarterly
____   Evan Dorkin, MILK AND CHEESE: DAIRY PRODUCTS GONE BAD, Dark Horse
____   Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: CABIN FEVER, Amulet Books
____   Roger Langridge, SNARKED, kaboom!
____   Lela Lee, FAIRY TALES FOR ANGRY LITTLE GIRLS, Abrams ComicArts

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS

____   ANYA'S GHOST, First Second
____   DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: CABIN FEVER, Amulet Books
____   FRAGGLE ROCK, IDW
____   MYSTIC, Marvel Comics
____   OZMA OF OZ, Marvel Comics
____   SNARKED, kaboom!

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

____   BIG QUESTIONS, Drawn & Quarterly
____   DARK TOWER OMNIBUS, Marvel Comics
____   THE DEATH RAY, Drawn & Quarterly
____   ECHOES, Top Cow
____   PS MAGAZINE: THE BEST OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE MONTHLY, Abrams ComicArts
____   S.H.I.E.L.D.: ARCHITECTS OF FOREVER, Marvel Comics

BEST ANTHOLOGY

____   DARK HORSE PRESENTS, edited by various, Dark Horse
____   FLIGHT #8, edited by Kazu Kibuishi, Villard Books
____   JIM HENSON'S THE STORYTELLER, edited by Nate Cosby, Archaia Entertainment
____   SHAME ITSELF, edited by Tom Brennan, Marvel Comics
____   SOMEDAY FUNNIES, edited by Michael Choquette, Abrams ComicArts

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT

____   BLACKJACKED AND PISTOL WHIPPED: A CRIME DOES NOT PAY PRIMER, Dark Horse
____   THE COMICS: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION, Abrams ComicArts
____   DEFINITIVE FLASH GORDON AND JUNGLE JIM, IDW
____   WALT DISNEY'S MICKEY MOUSE, Fantagraphics
____   WALT SIMONSON'S THE MIGHTY THOR ARTIST'S EDITION, IDW

BEST COVER ARTIST

____   John Tyler Christopher, ARTIFACTS, Top Cow
____   Marcos Martin, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   Paolo Rivera, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   Mark Simpson (Jock), DETECTIVE COMICS, DC Comics
____   J.H. Williams, BATWOMAN, DC Comics

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, or JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION

____   ALAN MOORE: STORYTELLER, Universe Books
____   THE COMICS JOURNAL, Fantagraphics
____   GENIUS ISOLATED: THE LIFE AND ART OF ALEX TOTH, IDW
____   GOVERNMENT ISSUE: COMICS FOR THE PEOPLE, 1940s-2000s, Abrams ComicArts
____   PS MAGAZINE: THE BEST OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE MONTHLY, Abrams ComicArts

SPECIAL AWARD for EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION

____   JIM HENSON'S TALE OF SAND, designed by Eric Skillman, Archaia Entertainment
____   PS MAGAZINE: THE BEST OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE MONTHLY,
             selected by Eddie Campbell, Abrams ComicArts
____   RICHARD STARK'S PARKER: THE MARTINI EDITION, designed by Darwyn Cooke, IDW
____   SOMEDAY FUNNIES, edited by Michael Choquette, Abrams ComicArts
____   WALT SIMONSON'S THE MIGHTY THOR ARTIST'S EDITION, edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM ORIGINAL

____   EMPIRE STATE: A LOVE STORY (OR NOT), Abrams ComicArts
____   HABIBI, Pantheon Books
____   INFINITE KUNG FU, Top Shelf Productions
____   JIM HENSON'S TALE OF SAND, Archaia Entertainment
____   ONE SOUL, Oni Press
____   PAGE BY PAIGE, Amulet Books

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES

____   ATOMIC ROBO AND THE GHOST OF STATION X, Red 5 Comics
____   DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: CABIN FEVER, Amulet Books
____   ECHOES, Top Cow
____   RACHEL RISING, Abstract Studio

BEST WRITER

____   Joshua Fialkov, ECHOES, Top Cow
____   Laura Lee Gulledge, PAGE BY PAIGE, Amulet Books
____   Jeff Lemire, ANIMAL MAN, DC Comics
____   Jason Shiga, EMPIRE STATE: A LOVE STORY (OR NOT), Abrams ComicArts
____   Mark Waid, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics

BEST ARTIST

____   Paolo Rivera, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   Chris Samnee, CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY, Marvel Comics
____   Jason Shiga, EMPIRE STATE: A LOVE STORY (OR NOT), Abrams ComicArts
____   Craig Thompson, HABIBI, Pantheon Books
____   J.H. Williams, BATWOMAN, DC Comics

BEST CARTOONIST

____   Kate Beaton, HARK! A VAGRANT, harkavagrant.com; print edition by Drawn & Quarterly
____   Jeremy Haun, PILOT SEASON: THE BEAUTY #1, Image Comics
____   Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: CABIN FEVER, Amulet Books
____   Roger Langridge, SNARKED, kaboom!
____   Comfort Love & Adam Withers, RAINBOW IN THE DARK, uniquescomic.com/rainbowinthedark
____   Craig Thompson, HABIBI, Pantheon Books

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY

____   DAREDEVIL #7, Marvel Comics
____   ECHOES #5, Top Cow
____   GANGES #4, Fantagraphics
____   THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE, Top Shelf Productions
____   JIM HENSON'S TALE OF SAND, Archaia Entertainment
____   OPTIC NERVE #12, Drawn & Quarterly
____   ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #1, Dynamite Comics

Congratulations to all of the nominees! If you know a nominee, please pass on the good news using email, Facebook, and Twitter.

Please submit any corrections to baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com. We try our best to get these right, and want to know if there is an error.

The Harvey Committee and the Baltimore Comic-Con will make every effort to contact all nominees. If you are a nominee and do not hear from us by July 9th, please contact us at baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com. We would love to discuss your involvement in the ceremony and the Baltimore Comic-Con.

For additional information about Harvey Kurtzman and the Harvey Awards, visit www.harveyawards.org or harveyawards.blogspot.com.

Stephanie Young and David Brehm returning to Anime NebrasKon

2012-06-20T06:32:01+00:00

OMAHA, NE- June 15, 2012 Anime NebrasKon is pleased to announce Stephanie Young and David Brehm as returning guests for 2012.

Stephanie Young is a voice actress working with Funimation. She voices Clare in Claymore, Nico Robin in One Piece, Junko in Desert Punk, Elfriede in Moonphase, Sophia in Aquarion, Kagero in Basilisk, Oruha in Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, Yahagi in Mushi-shi, Mana in Negima, Dr. Kozuki in Rumbling Hearts, Itoko Osakabe in School Rumble, Mireille in Trinity Blood, Aki Abe in Hell Girl, Reika Tachibana in Balder Force Exe Resolution, Xavier Tatum in Shuffle, Mrs. Tomita in Kodocha, Hanahana in XXXholic, and Shika in Samurai 7. Stephanie can also be heard singing theme songs for Dragon Ball GT, Negima, and Tsubasa.

David Brehm is the President, Co-Founder, and Creative Director for Blue Logic LLC, a digital production company. It produces online and theatrical media properties.David's 2D and 3D animator credits include several major film and TV properties such as Jimmy Neutron, Olive The Other Reindeer, The Ant Bully, and BOZ. He has also worked as a cinematographer, scriptwriter, done effects and scoring. Throughout the country David and his voice actor wife (Stephanie Young Brehm) regularly perform their original music as the songwriting duo THE BREHMS, and on occasion perform with their full 6 piece band.

Stephanie Young and David Brehm join Steve Blum and Keith Silverstein for 2012. Keith Silverstein is a voice actor known primarily for his video games and animation. Steve Blum is currently voicing Amon in Legend of Korra and has been awarded by Guiness World Records as “the most prolific videogame actor” in the world with 261 credited appearances.

Anime NebrasKon is November 2-4, 2012 at the Ramada Plaza at 72nd and Grover in Omaha Nebraska. Early Preregistration runs through August 5th and is $32 for the weekend. Regular Registrations runs through October 19th and is $41 for the weekend. The At Door Price is $50. For more information, please visit www.animenebraskon.com.

Baltimore Comic-Con welcomes Pixar’s Marty Baumann in 2012!

2012-06-20T06:19:31+00:00

Baltimore, Maryland - June 19, 2012 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce the addition of Pixar's Marty Baumann as a guest at this year's show, taking place September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center in downtown Baltimore.

Marty Baumann is an artist at Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, an illustrator, graphic artist and production designer on such films as Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Mater's Tall Tales, Planes, and many others. He also helped develop theme park installations, toy packaging, and Pixar corporate branding.

Beyond Pixar, Marty has rendered illustrations and developed characters for toy manufacturers, magazines and newspapers, illustrated children's books, created logos, info-graphics, Web sites, broadcast promotions, and presentation art for Hasbro, McDonald's, HarperCollins, Chronicle Books, National Geographic, Scholastic Books, Universal Studios, Weekly Reader, Nickelodeon, and many others.

Recent Marty has worked on projects including the Carsland pavilion at Disneyland, a redesign of the classic game Monopoly, and a redesign of the Cheetos mascot, Chester the Cheetah.

Marty has created "Robot Rodeo," a portfolio of recent work, especially for the Baltimore Comic-Con.

"Marty is such a great guest, and brings a great pedigree to the show," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "I'm so pleased to be able to provide access to such a talent to our guests. Marty was also a guest at the first Baltimore Comic-Con so it's great to have him back!"

This year's confirmed guests for the show including: Guest of Honor, Stan "The Man" Lee (Saturday only!); Laura & Michael Allred (Madman, iZombie); Ken Bald (Golden Age Timely/Marvel artist); Brian Bolland (Dial H, Cover Story: The DC Comics Art of Brian Bolland); Greg Capullo (Batman, Spawn); Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (Avengers vs. X-Men, Liberty Meadows); Steve Conley (Bloop webcomic www.bloopstree.com); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); Lar deSouza (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Dan Didio (O.M.A.C.); Garth Ennis (The Shadow, Hellblazer, Preacher, The Boys); Rich Faber (Roboy Red); David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman); Keith Giffen (Superman, O.M.A.C., Green Arrow); Gene Ha (Justice League); Larry Hama (G.I. Joe, Wolverine, The 'Nam); Cully Hamner (Action Comics); Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, ACT-I-VATE, Trip City); Jamal Igle (KISS, Supergirl, The Ray); J.G. Jones (Wanted, Doc Savage); Barry Kitson (Captain America, Iron Man, Fantastic Four); Joe Kubert (Before Watchmen: Nightowl); Scott Kurtz (PvPonline.com); David Mack (Kabuki); Ron Marz (Artifacts, Voodoo); Bob McLeod (DC Comics Presents: Wonder Woman); Mark Morales (Avengers vs. X-Men); Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Frank Quitely (All Star Superman, Batman & Robin); John Romita, Jr. (Avengers Vs. X-Men); Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge); Stuart Sayger (Infestation 2: 30 Days of Night One-Shot); Walter Simonson (Thor, Legion of Super-Heroes, Avengers); Ryan Sohmer (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Scott Snyder (Batman, Severed, Swamp Thing); Brian Stelfreeze (ICE); Karl Story (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin); Billy Tucci (A Child Is Born, Shi); Matt Wagner (Tower Chronicles, Mage, Grendel); Mark Waid (Daredevil, Incorruptible, Irredeemable); Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein).

Tickets

Tickets are now on sale at baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets. Please see the website for information about General Admission tickets for Saturday and Sunday, as well as Single-Day admission for both days; Stan Lee VIP Experience Tickets for Saturday only; and tickets for photo and autograph sessions with Stan Lee for Saturday only.

With Stan Lee returning as Guest of Honor this year, tickets are sure to sell fast, so please visit baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets for more information about our VIP packages and to purchase your tickets online!

Please take a moment to help us spread this message using the social media links embedded, reposting, or retweeting!

Contact Information

About The Baltimore Comic-Con

About The Harvey Awards

Meta Con Announces Internet Star LittleKuriboh

2012-06-13T17:16:14+00:00

Bloomington, Minnesota - June 9, 2012 - Meta Con, the largest massively multi-media pop culture convention to come to Minneapolis, is excited to announce that Martin Billany, more famously known as Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged creator LittleKuriboh, will be appearing at the 2012 Meta Con convention in Bloomington, Minnesota. Meta Con will be held from August 31 to September 2nd, 2012, at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel. The three-day event lasts from 10am to 2am each day, with events that include autograph signings, Q&A sessions, screenings, an exhibit hall, and much more.

LittleKuriboh (AKA Martin Billany) is the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged series and the godfather of the abridged age. He has thus far produced no less than 52 episodes, a spinoff, a prequel, a christmas special and two movies, creating a cultural phenomenon in the anime world. In addition to playing nearly every character in his own series, he has made cameos in the Death Note, Naruto, Sonic X, Trinity Blood, Pokemon, Fullmetal Alchemist and Sailor Moon abridged series. With a mission to revitalize interest in the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise and make it more accessible to Joe Public, LittleKuriboh will continue the original abridged series providing us with priceless entertainment for many years to come. All-round nice guy and community fan-favourite, he is also associated with TeamFourStar (the group behind Dragon Ball Z Abridged, for which he also supplies voices) and has made guest appearances on comic-book video review series Atop the Fourth Wall.

LittleKuriboh joins several previously-announced stars, including stars from hit shows like Power Rangers, Fullmetal Alchemist, One Tree Hill, and beyond. Meta Con is a multi-genre Comic Con that includes everything from Anime and Steampunk to Video Games and Movies. Guests will be available throughout the weekend for Q&A sessions and autograph signings. A full list of guests can be found online at http://www.metaconvention.com/guests and more are still to be announced.

Attendees can get hotel rooms at the Doubletree hotel for only $89 per night. Information on rooms can be found at http://www.metaconvention.com/location

MetaCon brings together every fan culture for an exciting weekend filled with autograph sessions, costume contests, tournaments, and events. Fans of anime will be treated with signings and panels from voice actors, while fans of music can enjoy concerts and DJs. Steampunk fans can get tips from professional costumers, and technophiles can talk about the gadgets they love. All types of geeks will come together for one of the largest three-day conventions to ever draw people to Minneapolis. Registration for MetaCon is just $25 in advance for attendees, and can be found online at http://www.metaconvention.com/

Golden Age/Timely-Marvel Artist Ken Bald Comes to Baltimore Comic-Con 2012

2012-06-07T16:52:09+00:00

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - June 6, 2012 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is honored to officially announce that Golden Age artist Ken Bald will be making his first appearance at this year's convention. The show will be taking place at the Baltimore Convention Center the weekend of September 8-9, 2012.

Ken Bald is one of the all-time greats, having illustrated Timely heroes including Captain America, the Sub-Mariner, Blonde Phantom, Destroyer and Miss America. Ken co-created Timely super-hero Sun Girl who had her own series in 1948, penciled the very first appearance of Namora in "The Coming of Namora" in Marvel Mystery Comics #82 (1947), and drew the sole issue featuring The Witness (1948) now featured in The Twelve.

At Fawcett, Ken penciled and/or inked Captain Marvel, Captain Midnight, Bulletman & Bulletgirl, and Spy Smasher. For Street & Smith, Ken did fabulous work on Mandrake the Magician and Doc Savage. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Ken did numerous horror/suspense stories for American Comics Group's Adventures into the Unknown, The Clutching Hand, Forbidden Worlds, and Out of the Night.

In 1957, Ken left comics and moved to syndicated comic strips starting with the King Features detective strip Judd Saxon. Ken is probably best known for his work on the Dr. Kildare comic strip which he drew for over 25 years, and for Dark Shadows, a strip Ken drew based on the popular television series.

"I am thrilled to have a legend like Ken Bald at the Baltimore Comic-Con," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the convention. "Our fans are in for a real treat - it is not often that you get a chance to see and talk to one of the folks who were there almost from the beginning."

For more information on Ken Bald, feel free to visit his website at: www.kenbald.com.

In addition to Ken Bald and Guest of Honor Stan Lee, other confirmed guests for the show include: Laura & Michael Allred (Madman, iZombie); Brian Bolland (Dial H, Cover Story: The DC Comics Art of Brian Bolland); Greg Capullo (Batman, Spawn); Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (Avengers vs. X-Men, Liberty Meadows); Steve Conley (Bloop webcomic www.bloopstree.com); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); Lar deSouza (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Dan Didio (O.M.A.C.); Garth Ennis (The Shadow, Hellblazer, Preacher, The Boys); Rich Faber (Roboy Red); David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman); Keith Giffen (Superman, O.M.A.C., Green Arrow); Gene Ha (Justice League); Larry Hama (G.I. Joe, Wolverine, The 'Nam); Cully Hamner (Action Comics); Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, ACT-I-VATE, Trip City); Jamal Igle (KISS, Supergirl, The Ray); J.G. Jones (Wanted, Doc Savage); Barry Kitson (Captain America, Iron Man, Fantastic Four); Joe Kubert (Before Watchmen: Nightowl); Scott Kurtz (PvPonline.com); David Mack (Kabuki); Ron Marz (Artifacts, Voodoo); Bob McLeod (DC Comics Presents: Wonder Woman); Mark Morales (Avengers vs. X-Men); Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Frank Quitely (All Star Superman, Batman & Robin); John Romita, Jr. (Avengers Vs. X-Men); Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge); Stuart Sayger (Infestation 2: 30 Days of Night One-Shot); Walter Simonson (Thor, Legion of Super-Heroes, Avengers); Ryan Sohmer (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Scott Snyder (Batman, Severed, Swamp Thing); Brian Stelfreeze (ICE); Karl Story (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin); Billy Tucci (A Child Is Born, Shi); Matt Wagner (Tower Chronicles, Mage, Grendel); Mark Waid (Daredevil, Incorruptible, Irredeemable); and Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein)

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Stan “The Man” Returns to Baltimore as 2012 Guest of Honor!

2012-05-30T19:58:53+00:00

Baltimore, Maryland - May 30, 2012 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is honored to officially announce that Stan "The Man" Lee will be the returning as the Guest of Honor for the second year in a row at this year's convention. The show will be taking place at the Baltimore Convention Center the weekend of September 8-9, 2012.

Lee will only be making public appearances on Saturday, September 8, 2012, signing autographs and posing for photographs with guests in attendance of the show.

"Stan's first appearance at the Baltimore Comic-Con was an unmitigated success last year," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Having him return for a second go-around is simply amazing and a great opportunity for those who missed him last year to meet a living legend in the comic industry!"

Known the world over as the architect of the Marvel Universe, Lee-along with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko-co-created some of the most iconic characters of the Silver Age, including the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Daredevil, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange.

Lee began his career in comics in 1939 at the age of 16, working for Martin Goodman at Timely Comics. He made his writing debut in 1941 with a text filler story in Captain America Comics #3 and wrote his first back-up story for the title two issues later. Lee continued to write for the publisher and, at the age of 19, was installed as interim editor. With a head for business and an eye for comics, Lee graduated to become editor-in-chief and art director of the comics division.

Throughout his illustrious career, which has spanned more than 70 years, Lee has been a writer, editor, publisher, President, and Chairman at Marvel Comics. He's made cameo appearances in 15 films based on his creations-including this summer's record-breaking blockbuster, The Avengers.

In October of 2011, Lee joined with 1821 Comics to the start "Stan Lee's Kids Universe," a multimedia comic imprint whose purpose is to produce new kids material. Most recently, he co-wrote the graphic novel, Romeo and Juliet: The War - a reimagining of the classic Shakespeare tale with a sci-fi twist-which debuted at No. 7 on the New York Times best-seller list for both the hardcover and trade paperback.

"We couldn't be happier to welcome back the biggest star in all of comics," said Nathan. "Not only is this a real treat for us, but one for the fans planning to attend the show as well!"

In addition to his Baltimore Comic-Con appearance on Saturday, Stan will participate in the Harvey Awards on Saturday evening. Details regarding ticket pricing for autographs, photographs, and VIP packages will be released over the next few weeks. To receive the latest information about Stan Lee and all of the Baltimore Comic-Con news, sign up for our mailing list at baltimorecomiccom.com!

In addition to Guest of Honor Stan Lee, other confirmed guests for the show including: Laura & Michael Allred (Madman, iZombie); Brian Bolland (Dial H, Cover Story: The DC Comics Art of Brian Bolland); Greg Capullo (Batman, Spawn); Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (Avengers vs. X-Men, Liberty Meadows); Steve Conley (Bloop webcomic www.bloopstree.com); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); Lar deSouza (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Dan Didio (O.M.A.C.); Garth Ennis (The Shadow, Hellblazer, Preacher, The Boys); Rich Faber (Roboy Red); David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman); Keith Giffen (Superman, O.M.A.C., Green Arrow); Gene Ha (Justice League); Larry Hama (G.I. Joe, Wolverine, The 'Nam); Cully Hamner (Action Comics); Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, ACT-I-VATE, Trip City); Jamal Igle (KISS, Supergirl, The Ray); J.G. Jones (Wanted, Doc Savage); Barry Kitson (Captain America, Iron Man, Fantastic Four); Joe Kubert (Before Watchmen: Nightowl); Scott Kurtz (PvPonline.com); David Mack (Kabuki); Ron Marz (Artifacts, Voodoo); Bob McLeod (DC Comics Presents: Wonder Woman); Mark Morales (Avengers vs. X-Men); Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Frank Quitely (All Star Superman, Batman & Robin); John Romita, Jr. (Avengers Vs. X-Men); Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge); Stuart Sayger (Infestation 2: 30 Days of Night One-Shot); Walter Simonson (Thor, Legion of Super-Heroes, Avengers); Ryan Sohmer (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Scott Snyder (Batman, Severed, Swamp Thing); Brian Stelfreeze (ICE); Karl Story (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin); Billy Tucci (A Child Is Born, Shi); Matt Wagner (Tower Chronicles, Mage, Grendel); Mark Waid (Daredevil, Incorruptible, Irredeemable); and Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein).

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JordanCon 2012, the Wheel of Time convention recap

2012-05-29T19:12:06+00:00

For those who have been reading Wheel of Time since its inception in 1989 or people who started late (1999 for me), it has been a very long journey. And for those that call themselves dedicated fans, there is no better place to go than JordanCon in Atlanta, GA. Started by two incredible WoT fans, Jennifer and Jimmy Liang, JordanCon is a celebration of all things Wheel of Time: panels, discussions, costumes, and even a Blade Master Tournament. But it also offers a variety of things for people unfamiliar or just getting into the series, including great talks with other attendees, a Dealer’s Hall, Art Show, Consuite, and more. And if you like parties and having a good time, then stick around after dark, the room parties and the Saturday night dance are lots of fun.

Dealer’s Hall:

While relatively small, the dealer’s hall offered a variety of vendors, including a Henna artist, book vendor, 2 costuming vendors, and a few artists, sorry if I left anyone out. There was also a big showing from Ta’veren Tees, the official Wheel of Time t-shirt vendor.

This year marked the first year that JordanCon had an Art Show. The Dealer’s Hall was divided in half, half for vendors, half for the Art Show. There were approximately 10 artists participating this year, including Artist Guest of Honor, Sam Weber, who is a very nice and laid back guy. As an artist myself, it is always nice to be able to meet and pick the brains of amazing artists at conventions.

Panels:

Unfortunately working in the Dealer’s Hall, I am never able to get away to sit in on any panels. But considering how many times the Dealer’s Hall emptied out, there were some really exciting things being discussed. The convention works hard to ensure slots between all the panels, so that people get a chance to grab a bite to eat, check out the other parts of the con, and otherwise rest without fear of missing the next exciting panel. One of the biggest panels this year was a sneak peek at Memory of Light, the final book in the Wheel of Time series coming out next January. It was read by Harriet McDougal, the wife of the late Robert Jordan.

Con Suite:

A new addition this year was a great con suite. It reminded me of LibertyCon’s ConSuite. There was always real food available, not the typical salty snacks that you find at most shows. On Friday night they ordered a ton of pizzas, and during the days there was chili, hot dogs, salad, and more. For drinks they had all the soft drinks you could want, and bottled water. Sure they didn’t have beer in the con quite this year… but maybe next year. I’ll do my best to suggest it, though for those that wanted alcohol, that is what the room parties were for.

After Dark:

The late night scene this year was a lot of fun on both Friday and Saturday. Friday night there was a selection of room parties to attend, each with a selection of beverages (i.e. liquor) and food. I apologize to the other parties, but I do remember LibertyCon’s party… and it was good. We also wandered down to a huge Rock Band session in one of the ballrooms. There were plenty of poor choices in songs, that were sang with much gusto.

Saturday was no different, with a few room parties to choose from and the third annual Saturday Dance hosted by Aradani Studios (full disclosure, I am part of Aradani Studios). It always impresses me that even though JordanCon may be smaller than some other shows that we attend, the people here always fills the dance floor and dance til they shut us down. And thankfully after we stopped the music, the room parties were still in full swing upstairs. I didn’t go to sleep until about 5 am on Saturday, a good sign for a convention’s night life.

The Masquerade:

Do you like Wheel of Time costuming, well this is the place to be. This year’s costumes included a slew of Trollocs, a whitecloak, a legendary hero reborn, and more than I can name. I also was wearing a huge costume with a full mask, so all of the costumes are in a bit of a haze for me. JordanCon awards the top three costumes based on worksmanship, accuracy, and presentation, and the medals they award are quite nice, and worth competing for.

The Hotel:

This year JordanCon moved into a new hotel, from the Crowne Plaza in Ravinna up to the Doubletree in Roswell. The hotel has a very nice set-up, with a restaurant and bar, and plenty of large ballrooms for activities. There were some problems with slow service at the restaurant, but that shouldn’t be a big deal since there were some good restaurants a short drive away, plus the well-stocked con suite.

The rooms were very nice, with a fridge and microwave, always a plus at a con. The rooms were spacious, the beds comfortable, and free wi-fi.

Our JordanCon 2012 photos are here!

The Good:

The consuite, exciting and interesting panels, great room parties, Dance Party

The Crud:

Tickets are a bit pricey for a smaller convention, but JordanCon does donate a chunk to the Mayo Clinic's Amyloidosis research fund, raising over $7,000 this year. The hotel needs to iron out some kinks in hosting a convention.

Baltimore Comic-Con Welcomes Back Joe Kubert!

2012-05-29T18:30:39+00:00

Baltimore, Maryland - May 26, 2012 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce the addition of comic legend Joe Kubert to the growing line-up of creators attending this year's show, taking place September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Kubert began his career in 1939 at the age of 13, working as an unofficial apprentice at MLJ Studios (what would eventually become Archie Comics). Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, he made a name for himself at DC Comics working on such characters as Hawkman and Sgt. Rock. Aside from his art duties on several books at DC, Kubert also served as the company's Director of Publications from 1967-1976.

In addition to being one of the most influential creators who began his career during the Golden Age of Comics, Kubert is also the founder of The Kubert School - a school dedicated to teaching the principles of sequential art and storytelling. Since its opening in 1976, Kubert has taught hundreds of students who have gone on to have successful careers in the comic industry, including his two sons, Andy and Adam.

Recently, Kubert contributed a new Sgt. Rock story to the highly-lauded Wednesday Comics (DC Comics) in 2009, as well as drawing the lenticular cover to Craig Yoe'sAmazing 3-D Comics in 2011. Along with Andy Kubert, Joe is currently working on DC Comics' highly anticipated Before Watchmen: Nite Owl.

Kubert was inducted into the Harvey Awards' Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1997 and received the Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album or Original Work and an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New for Fax from Sarajevo the same year. In addition, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998. He also received the Harvey Awards' Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

"We are absolutely delighted have the legendary Joe Kubert attending our show again this year," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "His inspiration and impact on the industry continues to be felt through not only his work, but the work of those who were trained through the Kubert School."

In addition to Kubert, other confirmed guests for the show including: Laura & Michael Allred (Madman, iZombie); Brian Bolland (Dial H, Cover Story: The DC Comics Art of Brian Bolland); Greg Capullo(Batman, Spawn); Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho(Avengers vs. X-Men, Liberty Meadows) Steve Conley (Bloop webcomic www.bloopstree.com); Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre); Lar deSouza (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Dan Didio(O.M.A.C.); Garth Ennis (The Shadow, Hellblazer, Preacher, The Boys); Rich Faber (Roboy Red); David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman); Keith Giffen (Superman, O.M.A.C., Green Arrow); Gene Ha (Justice League); Larry Hama(G.I. Joe, Wolverine, The 'Nam); Cully Hamner (Action Comics); Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, ACT-I-VATE, Trip City); Jamal Igl (KISS, Supergirl, The Ray); J.G. Jones (Wanted, Doc Savage); Barry Kitson (Captain America, Iron Man, Fantastic Four); Scott Kurtz (PvPonline.com); David Mack (Kabuki); Ron Marz(Artifacts, Voodoo); Bob McLeod (DC Comics Presents: Wonder Woman); Mark Morales (Avengers vs. X-Men); Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Frank Quitely (All Star Superman, Batman & Robin); John Romita, Jr. (Avengers vs. X-Men); Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge); Stuart Sayger (Infestation 2: 30 Days of Night One-Shot); Walter Simonson (Thor, Legion of Super-Heroes, Avengers); Ryan Sohmer (Looking For Group, Least I Could Do); Scott Snyder (Batman, Severed, Swamp Thing); Brian Stelfreeze (ICE); Karl Story (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin); Billy Tucci (A Child Is Born, Shi); Matt Wagner (Tower Chronicles, Mage, Grendel); Mark Waid (Daredevil, Incorruptible, Irredeemable); and Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein).

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