Comic-Con San Diego 2010

I'm so happy to be returning to San Diego for Comic-Con July 22-25. The event as a whole is, as Galinda from Wicked said, "altogether quite impossible to describe." I've called it a gathering of 130,000 of my closest friends, and while that might speak to the sheer magnitude of the con, I don't want it to overshadow the amazing array of creative people that I look forward to visiting with each year.

Everywhere you turn, you're surrounded by an eclectic collection of creative minds. Whether nor not a particular booth strikes your fancy, you can't help but be inspired by the creative output. It's a recharge of the inspirational batteries and a kick in the butt to pursue your own endeavors.

I'm covering the con for Comics Buyer's Guide magazine. If you collect comics, are into comics history, or are looking for news and reviews you should definitely check out this magazine. You won't find it on a newsstand so ask for it at your local comics shop or stop by booth #1419 during the con, and I'll get you a copy. My column, "The O'Brien Factor," includes a round up of indie-small press comics reviews, news from the small presses, and other non-mainstream topics like podcasts, tidbits from cons, noir/pulp fiction news and events, and interviews with creators. I'm always looking for interesting topics for my column, so drop me a line if you have a book coming out, a con coming up, or can recommend a newsy story.

I'll be posting my con experiences on the CBG site and using my Twitter account @leaveittokaren, so check back often for updates!

Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention, April 23-25

The 10th Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention takes place April 23-25 at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center Hotel. Fans of paperbacks, original art, movie memorabilia, old time radio, science fiction, pop culture, mystery, noir, and pulp culture are sure to love this show. After hearing some wonderful comments about Windy City, I'm looking forward to making my first trip to the con.

I'll try to update here and I'll definitely include a complete write-up for my column in Comics Buyer's Guide magazine. Looking forward to meeting Steve Haffner of Haffner Press. I reviewed The Collected Captain Future: Volume One from Haffner Press for CBG a few issues ago (if you love space pulp, you'll love this collection of Edmond Hamilton adventures) and I can't wait to see what else is in the works.

Here's the con info:
Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention
April 23-25, 2010
Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
70 Yorktown Shopping Center
Lombard, Il 60148
630-719-8000

Click on the link above for the show schedule.

S.P.A.C.E. April 24-25

This weekend, the midwest's largest gathering of independent and small press publishers happens in Columbus, Ohio, with the 11th annual Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo (S.P.A.C.E). This show is all about the comics and includes everything from mini-comics to sketchbooks. It's a grand collection of writers and artists who publish their own stuff. If you've ever wanted to take that leap and jump in to the world of comics, then this is the show you can't miss.

The S.P.A.C.E. website is a place you'll want to visit, as well. Contact info for all of the creators is available, so if you can't reach the show, you can still get their comics. And don't miss the free S.P.A.C.E. Anthology 2010. What a terrific idea! I hope they do this every year -- it's 113 pages of comics contributed by the show's exhibitors as an introduction to their work and the kinds of comics you'll discover at the show. The Anthology is available through a free download on the S.P.A.C.E. site.

Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo
April 24-25, 2010
Ramada Plaze Hotel & Conference Center
4900 Sinclair Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43229
Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Contact: Bob Corby via email, bpc13@earthlink.net

C2E2 April 16-18, 2010

It's a great weekend to be in Chicago, the weather will be in the 60s (which is fabulous for the Windy City this time of the year), the Cubs will take on the Houston Astros for a three-game set at historic Wrigley Field and the coolest event in comics is coming to McCormick Place -- C2E2.

Check out the link above for more information, but there is definitely something for everyone at this convention. From the A-list guest stars like Neil Gaiman, Alex Ross, Peter David, Geoff Johns and many more to the special Dr. Who screening on Friday night, C2E2 is an event not to be missed.

And you can count on the con food in Chicago to be a whole lot better than in San Diego (where the pizza is dreadful and don't get me started on the hot dogs).

Dallas Comic Con January 30-31

Thanks to Matthew Warlick of Space-Gun Studios for reminding me that the Dallas Comic Con happens this weekend, January 30-31, 2010. For those of you in the Dallas/Ft. Worth region, here's the con info:

Richardson Civic Center
411 W. Arapaho Rd.
Richardson, TX
Saturday: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday: Noon to 5:00 pm
Admission: See HERE

Artist's Alley, special guests from film and television (Adam West, Sean Patrick Flanery, Charisma Carpenter), and a full schedule of Q&As, and an original art auction are just some of the featured attractions.
Featured artist include Tim Sale, Adam Hughes, Michael Golden, Jim Mahfood, Terry Moore, Mark Brooks, Matt Sturges, and many more. Check out the link above for a complete listing.

If you attend the show, take some pictures and I'll get them posted to the Comics Buyer's Guide site. Enjoy the con!

S.P.A.C.E., April 24-25, 2010

Three comics events on my personal list of Comics-Shows-I-Must-Attend-Someday are (in no particular order) the Baltimore Comic-Con, Mid-Ohio Con, and S.P.A.C.E.

With a little luck and careful scheduling on my part, I have a real chance at attending S.P.A.C.E. because it has moved from the usual March date to April 24-25 this year. It has also changed venues and will be held here:

Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center
4900 Sinclair Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43229
Toll free: (877) 609-6086
Until April 2, the hotel has a block of rooms at a special convention rate of $79 per night, mention the con.

One of the most unique aspects of this show is that it focuses entirely on small and independent publishers. This is a creator-driven show with absolutely no interest in pop culture -- this show is all about the comics. In addition to the wide variety of exhibitors, S.P.A.C.E. will have special guests and workshops -- the announcements regarding these and schedules for them will be updated to the show site, so become a frequent visitor to stay up on the latest happenings. Check out the S.P.A.C.E. site for the great lineup of exhibitors already comitted to the show because you're bound to find several people whose work you admire and several more that you'll enjoy. Show hours are Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is $8 for the weekend pass or $5 daily.

I had the opportunity to talk with S.P.A.C.E. founder Bob Corby, and he was kind enough to share his insights for my next column in Comics Buyer's Guide magazine (issue #1665). It should hit newsstands and your favorite comic shop at the end of February. (If your local comics shop doesn't get CBG, ask them to order it for your pull list -- there's great stuff in every issue.)