Fallcon in the Minneapolis area.

[Aaron King]

In case no one knows, there's a comic book convention on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds this weekend (the seventh and eighth). People like Ernie Chan, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Dan Jurgens, and Steve Englehart will be there, along with modern artists ranging from Gene Ha to Adam Hughes to Patrick Gleason. I've set aside almost an entire week to travel up there and hang out. Last year, Pat Gleason and Adam Hughes were very kind, setting aside their con sketching to take ten or fifteen minutes to just sit and converse with me about art styles and storytelling. Phil Hester, Shawn Moll, and Zander Cannon will also be in attendence.

Basically, there's something for everyone. Anyone in the tri-state area would do well to attend since admission supports the Midwest Comic Book Association. Looking for a place to stay or for more information? PM me. I swear, I will find free lodging for anyone that would like to visit the Twin Cities for our Midwest response to all the WizardWorld cons.

[Aaron Kashtan]

This was the first comic convention I ever attended and I have very fond memories of it. I haven't been to Fallcon since it moved from the Thunderbird Hotel, but I assume it's still an enjoyable experience, and I recommend it highly. I wish I could go this year if only to meet JLGL.

[Shellhead]

Once again, I will be missing FallCon, even though I live three miles from the fairgrounds. This time, some relatives from Rome are visiting, plus my mom will be in town. No, none of them are interested in attending FallCon.

[Reptisaurus!]

Awesome! Did he bring Redwing?

[pesmerga316]

Id like to go, Im friends with Tom Ngyuen and I know he's gotta be there...maybe Ill make it

[InfoBroker]

Awesome! Did he bring Redwing?

Noppers, Redwing is afraid of "Heights". (You have to look at a map of the Twin Cities, focusing on the suburbs north of St. Paul to get that joke.

My son Justin, his girlfriend Sara, and I managed to squeeze some time out of our busy schedules and spent Sunday afternoon hangin' at the Minnie-sew-tah State Fairgrounds, doing a bit of hobnobbing and comic buying at the Fallcon.

It is a nice sized convention, not too big, not too small and a lot of fun.

We parted with fifty washingtons for the honor of filling one long box with 300 comics and carting them out to the car. We also bought a ton of trades at half price or better. My best catch was grabbing the Tales to Astonish Masterwork and a couple of Sandman Mystery Theaters. I also found two copies of a Marvel trade that reprinted some of Steve Englehart's best Dr. Strange work from 1974. The real kicker was while I was paying for them Steve tapped on my shoulder and introduced himself to me.

I was planning to stop at his table and chat with him, but the couple of times I walked by, he wasn't there. Seems I was very lucky, as Sara spotted him at the table and noticed he was gathering his material so he could get to the airport in time to catch his flight. She very wonderfully guided him in my direction. We spent about ten minutes talking about his early days at Marvel, most especially his very first scripts on the Beast in Amazing Adventures. Just so happens I had copies of Amazing Adventures #11 and #12 in my bag which he most graciously signed. It was probably the high point for me at the convention.

My high point after the convention (besides fighting with Justin over who gets to keep the two hardcover volumes of Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) was coming across and reading a much too brief collection of The Smashy Adventures of the Hulk written and drawn by Katie Cook. Sara had spent some time chatting with Katie, and I'm sorry to say I was busy elsewhere. Probably sorting comics and filling that long box mentioned above.

Katie has a wonderful design eye and a wacky sense of humor. Smashy had me smiling, giggling and gaffawing with glee. This particular installment really tickled my funny bone. It still makes me laugh whenever I look at it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/katiecookie/ART/HULK_the_temp.jpg

Katie has a cute and endearing website (http://216.197.116.251/about.html), guranteed to lift spirits and sprites.

I'm gonna she if I can commision her to do a drawing of Honor Guard that I can send to Kurt Busiek. Only danger will be that I will like it lots and lots and not want to part with it. Maybe if I gift her with that Art of the Incredibles book and/or the DVD of Watership Downs, she will grant him a one time printing right or something fun like that. Now that would be cool.

Next year for sure, I will make time to spend both days soaking in the fun of all the artists and writers that bless the Twin Cities with their visit to Fallcon.

-jb the green-skinned ib-