{"id":1054,"date":"2008-06-18T21:43:06","date_gmt":"2008-06-19T01:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.benzilla.com\/?p=1054"},"modified":"2009-01-01T14:40:12","modified_gmt":"2009-01-01T18:40:12","slug":"heroes-khaaaaaaaan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benzilla.com\/?p=1054","title":{"rendered":"Heroes Khaaaaaaaan!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We’re at T-minus three days and counting from the opening of Heroes Con<\/a>, the biggest and best comics convention in the Southeast… and one of the very best anywhere in the country for us “indie” comics folk.\u00a0 So, here’s my official pre-con post\/roundup:<\/p>\n

WHAT I’M SELLING<\/u>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

This’ll be the first major convention I’ll be at with my most recent book from SLG, Midnight Sun<\/em>.\u00a0 The good folks at the Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find store in Charlotte have been stocking the book since it came out in December, so I reckon most folks in Charlotte who want it have already purchased it, but for any folks what don’t have it yet, I’ll have plenty of copies there for sale, signing, etc.\u00a0 Look for the handsome “mini-banner” mentioned in last post!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I’ll also have my usual spinner rack of mini-comics.\u00a0 Alas, with the personal time constraints of being a new dad (egads, “dad” still sounds weird!) and the two GNs I’m currently working on, I’m pretty much out of the mini-comics biz for a while… so get ’em while you can, folks–I likely won’t be edditioning more of most of these and what I’ll have at Heroes Con is the very last of what I’ve got printed!<\/p>\n

WHERE I’LL BE<\/u>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ll be in Indie Island, at booth AA-610.\u00a0 You can see my location highlighted on the map below.\u00a0 I’m easy to find.\u00a0 Unlike at any other mainstream-ish con the indie folks at Heroes are in a prime spot, dead center of the convention center floor!<\/p>\n

If you can’t<\/em> find me, though, it’s likely because I’m being obscured by crowds gathered to see the far, far more notable folks near me.\u00a0 To my right will be Brian Ralph Kazimir Strzepek, and on my left Dan Zettwoch and Kevin Huizenga. <\/strong>Yikes! I may hide my comics under a burlap sack out of shame.<\/p>\n

\"heroes_floor.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

PANELS I’M PARTICIPATING IN<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

First up, on Saturday from 3:00 until 5:00-ish, is the MAD\/E.C. Comics panel<\/strong> I’ve mentioned before.\u00a0 Craig and I are really pulling out all the stops for this one, so if you’re expecting the usual “guys sitting around talking” sort of panel, you’re going to be surprised.\u00a0 Original art! Handouts! Previews! Presentations!\u00a0 Cake! (Well, maybe cake…)<\/p>\n

[SAT., 3PM] – NOT THE USUAL GANG OF IDIOTS: EC COMICS PANEL
\nPart 1: Kurtzman for Beginners<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the first half of this look at two of EC Comics most important creators,
\nwe present a Harvey Kurtzman retrospective that\u2019s a veritable smorgasbord of
\npresentations and events, including an overview of Kurtzman\u2019s career by
\nThought Balloonist blogger Craig Fischer, and a close reading of
\n\u201c3-Dimensions!\u201d a MAD story by Kurtzman and Wally Wood, by MIDNIGHT SUN
\ncartoonist Ben Towle. Plus: a sneak peak at the new Kurtzman COMPLETE HUMBUG
\ncollection, forthcoming from Fantagraphics!<\/p>\n

[SAT., 4PM] NOT THE USUAL GANG OF IDIOTS: EC COMICS PANEL
\nPart 2: A Chat With Al Feldstein (and Friends)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Towle and Craig Fischer host an in-depth interview with Al Feldstein, EC
\nartist and writer and MAD MAGAZINE editor extraordinaire! Along for the ride
\nis a pair of celebrity funsters-FRED THE CLOWN and FIN FANG FOUR cartoonist
\nRoger Langridge and CUL DE SAC comic stripper Richard Thompson-ready to
\nroast and grill Feldstein about The Lighter Side of Editing America\u2019s #1
\nHumor Magazine!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"ec_mad_image.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Then, Sunday at 1:00 pm, I’ll be moderating a panel on minicomics<\/strong>.\u00a0 The minicomics panel is starting to become an institution in its own right at Heroes Con.\u00a0 It’s a tradition, I tell’s ya!\u00a0 Be there.\u00a0 Here’s the skinny:<\/p>\n

MINICOMICS: The Best Little Comics In the World | Room 219A
\n<\/strong>Join cartoonist and educator Ben Towle<\/strong> for a minicomics panel featuring the awesome might of Dan Zettwoch<\/strong> (IRONCLAD), Alec Longstreth<\/strong> (PHASE 7), Rob Ullman<\/strong> (GRAND GESTURES), Liz Baillie<\/strong> (MY BRAIN HURTS), and Joe Lambert<\/strong> (BAIT & SWITCH). Who better to ask what the deal is with these little handmade comics? Learn the answers to this and other questions in this informative panel!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO?<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

Well, first and foremost–and this is what makes Heroes the bestest con ever in my opinion–I’m looking forward to hanging out with the ever-evolving gang of folks that have been attending Heroes con for years and yucking it up on the floor, and of course at the Westin bar after-hours.\u00a0 Just a few of those folks and where to find them:<\/p>\n

Duane Ballenger<\/strong> | AA-510<\/p>\n

J. Chris Campbell<\/strong> | AA-510<\/p>\n

Craig Hamilton<\/strong> | AA-1013<\/p>\n

Josh Latta<\/strong> | AA-508<\/p>\n

Brad McGinty<\/strong> | AA-508<\/p>\n

Chris Pitzer<\/strong> | BOOTH 623<\/p>\n

Chris Schweizer<\/strong> | AA-506<\/p>\n

Rob Ullman<\/strong> | AA-503<\/p>\n

…and most likely, a few members of the usual crew that I’m forgetting.<\/p>\n

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO BUYING<\/em>?<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

Heroes is one of those rare conventions at which I actually usually make<\/em> money, so, yeah, I buy stuff! (Oh, who am I kidding?\u00a0 I buy stuff even at conventions where I lose money…)\u00a0 Here’re a few things that’ve caught my eye that I’m definitely going to seek out:<\/p>\n

Fred the Clown # 5 1\/2 – Roger Langridge<\/strong>, one of the absolute, 100%, best cartoonists living and working today (do you get what I’m saying to you?) is going to have a new mini of Fred the Clown stuff available.\u00a0 It’s all stuff, I think, that’s been serialized online, but I’m all about the treeware.<\/p>\n

\"fred_5_and_a_half.gif\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m also really hoping to get a hold of one of Roger’s famed “Muppets minis.”\u00a0 I mentioned the existence of such a thing to a friend at SPX last year and he promptly went to Roger’s table and got the last copy for himself.\u00a0 For this, he will die.<\/p>\n

Superior Showcase #3 – Adhouse Books<\/strong> –\u00a0 OK, I actually already have this.\u00a0 I saw it at the local comics shop and couldn’t resist, but if I hadn’t<\/em>, this’d be on my to-get list for sure. This issue is of special significance since one of the contributors is none other than Heroes Con “creative director”\/grand poobah Dustin Harbin.\u00a0 Dustin is a fantastic cartoonist and it’s awesome to see his work getting some exposure here.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

(Note the Langridge cover.\u00a0 Boo-ya!)<\/p>\n

Smokers of the Marvel Universe – Chris Schweizer<\/strong> – The title says it all.\u00a0 Chris’s minis are always great, and I’m sure this’ll be no exception.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Like any red-blooded heterosexual male, I’m looking forward to Rob Ullman’s Teeny Bikini #4<\/strong>.\u00a0 Suddenly I’m in the mood for a piece of cheesecake… I don’t know why.<\/p>\n

\"tb4.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Just re-read the entry above, but substitute the book mentioned for this one: Bird-Doggin’ –<\/strong> A Collection of Girly Drawings by Brad McGinty<\/strong>. I’ve never actually seen any “girly drawings” by Brad, but his comics—be they about my personal favorite, Millionaire Hobo, or the spraypaint-huffing rape-happy “Starchie”—never disappoint.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Local illustrator (and my occasional racquetball partner) Kyle Webster <\/strong>will have freshly-minted copies of the book he’s been hard at work illustrating: Light Children<\/strong>.\u00a0 These first pictures of the finished book look great:<\/p>\n

\"lchildren.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

That’s a rhetorical question.\u00a0 The answer would be “nothing.”\u00a0 Get to Heroes Con!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We’re at T-minus three days and counting from the opening of Heroes Con, the biggest and best comics convention in the Southeast… and one of the very best anywhere in the country for us “indie” comics folk.\u00a0 So, here’s my official pre-con post\/roundup: WHAT I’M SELLING This’ll be the first major convention I’ll be at … <\/p>\n

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