Not to disappoint folks, but SBC O’Shea recently got back from the Heroes Convention (Heroes Con) in Charlotte, North Carolina, which ran from June 13-15 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Timing was everything it appeared, as many folks were “this close” (as many put it) to announcing major projects. Unfortunately, with each of these fine folks they still felt it was too early to leak any major details.
That being said, SBC was able to garner commitments from many creators and industry participants to do e-interviews in the forthcoming weeks and months, as deals and projects become final or closer to fruition.
Here’s a list of some of the folks we’ll be talking to in the coming months (if everything goes as I hope, that is): Mike Bocianowski (creator of Chuck the Ugly American, Yets!); Pat Broderick (Future Comics’ The Peacekeeper); Steve Conley (Astounding Space Thrills, Comicon.com); Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts, Tellos, Impulse, Sensational Spider-Man); Michael Eury (Captain Action: The Original Super-Hero Action Figure and editor of the upcoming new TwoMorrows magazine, Back Issue); The fine folks of Jolly Roger Studios (too numerous to mention, until the e-interview of course!); G.W.Fisher (Weirdsville, Digital Webbing Presents, Flesh & Blood); Gene Gonzales (Tales of the Cherokee [this is just one of the folks that the kind and talented Johanna Draper Carlson introduced me to over the course of the con]); Randy Green (White Queen, Witchblade); Cully Hamner (Batman: Tenses, Red); Bruce Jones (Incredible Hulk, Kingpin); Jon Lewis (Robin, True Swamp); Jeff Parker (The Interman); Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts); Brian Stelfreeze (Domino); Jose Torres (Heirs of Eternity); Michael Wolff (Supercar, Fireball XL5, Starlog); and Chris Yambar (Bart Simpson Comics, Bongo Superheroes and much more). Now this is just some of the creators I had the pleasure of meeting.
Top Shelf’s Chris Staros got a lot of attention with hardback copies of Craig Thompson’s latest graphic novel, Blankets.
Long time comic fans were treated to appearances by such long-time favorites of the industry such as Sal Buscema (perfectly timed, considering the upcoming Hulk film), Nick Cardy, Frank Brunner and Dick Giordano.
But the booth that totally shocked and pleased me was courtesy of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. The librarians staffing the booth were enthusiastic about graphic novels and the opportunities they provide to get teens reading. Here’s hoping more libraries take the initiative like this, following the lead of last year’s American Library Association Teen Read Week “Get Graphic” push to get graphic novels in their libraries and to learn about the industry and its fans through cons like this one.
While this SBC reporter had to leave before the art auction was held, reports are from other sources that much like a majority of the weekend, the auction was a success.
The con, while bustling with activity, was also a great chance to get to talk to creators and learn more, roving from booth to booth, having almost mini-panels.
Check back in the coming months at SBC for the interviews that will hopefully result from attending this year’s con.
