jclaus
09-25-2006, 01:02 PM
Man, time can really slip by once you get in your 30's. I typed up a quick review a couple of weeks ago had computer related problems and then never got back to it.
Anyway, I had attended the Baltimore Comic Con back on 9/9. First time there. I took the two-hour train ride down from NJ. I got to the show just about the time the doors opened at 11am. It was in stark contrast to San Diego which has lines stretching around the convention center hours before opening. Hardly anybody was in the main lobby and NO lines. I was able to quickly walk to the front booth and grab the con exclusives including Cassaday's variant Lone Ranger # 1, Coipel's sketch New Avengers # 23 cover and the ACTOR Benefit book with the Romitas cover. Nice swag start to the show.
After walking into the main hall and again seeing space in the aisles to walk in, I had just started to use the map to figure out where the creators, etc. were when the fire alarms went off. This has since been covered elsewhere on the internet, but was a little disconcerting at first being so close to the 9/11 anniversary. The wait outside was fine since the weather was beautiful and we were let back in about 30 minutes later. The con is set up very well. Comic retailers were set up on the left as you walked in with other toy related dealers on the close right wall. Most of the creators were set up on the right half of the hall with the indy comics companies, etc. on the outside of that section.
Baltimore organzied the creators in such a great way to ease autograph hounds like myself. Marv Wolfman and George Perez were together. Mark Waid and Barry Kitson were together. John Ostrander and Tim Truman were together. The Image guys had their booth as well. Lines were not too bad either compared to San Diego except for John Cassaday's which remained long for the 3 hours he signed. I got my JLA/Avengers and COIE HCs signed along with the Crisis novel by Wolfman. Waid and Kitson signed my Empire books. Bill Willingham signed a nice run of Fables. What a great guy to talk to? We talked about the evolution of the Prince Charming character who was only supposed to be a one trick pony, but started writing himself. The change of the Adversary from Peter Pan to Gepetto because of public domain issues in the UK was interesting.
I picked up 3 Owly books, 2 Amelia rules books, a Buzzboy book and WJHC (kids start their own radio station) for my nephews. They loved them! My younger nephew has read the Owly books multiple times. I picked up two Liberty Meadows volumes for myself.
The panels were light for a Saturday show with DC and Marvel each having a "main" one. The Marvel trivia at the end of the show was fun.
This is a great show for anyone on the East Coast. It definitely is about the COMICS. I cannot recommend it enough. Sorry for the lateness in the review. I have some pictures if I ever find the time to export them out of my digital camera.
Anyway, I had attended the Baltimore Comic Con back on 9/9. First time there. I took the two-hour train ride down from NJ. I got to the show just about the time the doors opened at 11am. It was in stark contrast to San Diego which has lines stretching around the convention center hours before opening. Hardly anybody was in the main lobby and NO lines. I was able to quickly walk to the front booth and grab the con exclusives including Cassaday's variant Lone Ranger # 1, Coipel's sketch New Avengers # 23 cover and the ACTOR Benefit book with the Romitas cover. Nice swag start to the show.
After walking into the main hall and again seeing space in the aisles to walk in, I had just started to use the map to figure out where the creators, etc. were when the fire alarms went off. This has since been covered elsewhere on the internet, but was a little disconcerting at first being so close to the 9/11 anniversary. The wait outside was fine since the weather was beautiful and we were let back in about 30 minutes later. The con is set up very well. Comic retailers were set up on the left as you walked in with other toy related dealers on the close right wall. Most of the creators were set up on the right half of the hall with the indy comics companies, etc. on the outside of that section.
Baltimore organzied the creators in such a great way to ease autograph hounds like myself. Marv Wolfman and George Perez were together. Mark Waid and Barry Kitson were together. John Ostrander and Tim Truman were together. The Image guys had their booth as well. Lines were not too bad either compared to San Diego except for John Cassaday's which remained long for the 3 hours he signed. I got my JLA/Avengers and COIE HCs signed along with the Crisis novel by Wolfman. Waid and Kitson signed my Empire books. Bill Willingham signed a nice run of Fables. What a great guy to talk to? We talked about the evolution of the Prince Charming character who was only supposed to be a one trick pony, but started writing himself. The change of the Adversary from Peter Pan to Gepetto because of public domain issues in the UK was interesting.
I picked up 3 Owly books, 2 Amelia rules books, a Buzzboy book and WJHC (kids start their own radio station) for my nephews. They loved them! My younger nephew has read the Owly books multiple times. I picked up two Liberty Meadows volumes for myself.
The panels were light for a Saturday show with DC and Marvel each having a "main" one. The Marvel trivia at the end of the show was fun.
This is a great show for anyone on the East Coast. It definitely is about the COMICS. I cannot recommend it enough. Sorry for the lateness in the review. I have some pictures if I ever find the time to export them out of my digital camera.