Steven Leitman's trip to the Cincinnati Comic Expo!
I had the distinct pleasure to experience this event from a fanboy’s standpoint, a member of the press, and from behind the booth helping out my local comic shoppe. And this was my experience for the weekend.
This was the show's 5th year, and with each successive year it has grown and matured. And this year it seemed that the growing pains were over as the space they got was utilized effectively. It was nice to see too because while some booths and creators or celebrities were naturally given to have long lines, the set up was such that these lines were not in the way of navigating the floor, making moving around easier than anticipated. So very good job to the person or persons in charge of setting up the floor plan in such a great manner.
The caliber of talent they were able to secure for the event was spectacular. With natural crowd pleaser George Perez in attendance next to Marv Wolfman, it really was a New Teen Titans fan's dream come true. While at such events you should expect to spend a good deal of money on your favorite artists, George being the consummate gentleman and appreciative of his fans did quick head sketches at forty dollars a pop, no wonder he had such long lines all weekend! Others are worth a little extra depending on what you’d like but it’s Cincinnati and the average prices for artists sketches were around the fifty dollar mark, and for an original one of a kind piece that’s extremely doable.
This was the show's 5th year, and with each successive year it has grown and matured. And this year it seemed that the growing pains were over as the space they got was utilized effectively. It was nice to see too because while some booths and creators or celebrities were naturally given to have long lines, the set up was such that these lines were not in the way of navigating the floor, making moving around easier than anticipated. So very good job to the person or persons in charge of setting up the floor plan in such a great manner.
The caliber of talent they were able to secure for the event was spectacular. With natural crowd pleaser George Perez in attendance next to Marv Wolfman, it really was a New Teen Titans fan's dream come true. While at such events you should expect to spend a good deal of money on your favorite artists, George being the consummate gentleman and appreciative of his fans did quick head sketches at forty dollars a pop, no wonder he had such long lines all weekend! Others are worth a little extra depending on what you’d like but it’s Cincinnati and the average prices for artists sketches were around the fifty dollar mark, and for an original one of a kind piece that’s extremely doable.
It was such an honour and pleasure to meet little known creators such as Chris Campana, who looks like he could be a breakout indie star in the near future, Sean Forney who will be working a lot with Marat Mychaels on several upcoming projects, the ever entertaining and extremely talented Ken Krekeler who’s work on Westward and Dryspell should be experienced by all were highlights for me to get to know better.
Of course some mid-level creators like Christopher Jones who worked a lot on all ages books, most prominently Young Justice and the currently on sale Parallel Man from Future Dude. Christopher should be a lot better known than what he currently is, as his talent is incredible and the diversity in what he does is amazing. Another artist whose work I greatly enjoy is Joe Corroney, his covers for IDW’s Star Trek are among my favorite stuff plus he was responsible for this year’s badge art which was a Star Wars theme. My Press Badge featured R2D2. Mark Kidwell, Image Comics' ’68 series, whose work always is always a hit with me and with con goers as well, plus he really is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Aspen was represented by Peter Steigerwald, be on the lookout for his newest series Zoo Hunters, V Ken Marion was along for the ride as well. And both men were pretty much constantly busy doing sketches, blank covers, and being their charming selves. Oh yes, they are both great people and I was truly impressed with these two! If you have the chance to have work done by either I suggest you jump on it!
Mike McKone is a very charming and fun person to talk to, very approachable, and extremely talented. I loved spending time at his table just talking to him and his assistant. Mark Bagley is another interesting character to talk to and again his work is very enjoyable. I give the artists free reign on choice of what they’d like to do and here’s a tip, the work is better that way because they really enjoy doing what they want instead of asking for something specific.
Of course some mid-level creators like Christopher Jones who worked a lot on all ages books, most prominently Young Justice and the currently on sale Parallel Man from Future Dude. Christopher should be a lot better known than what he currently is, as his talent is incredible and the diversity in what he does is amazing. Another artist whose work I greatly enjoy is Joe Corroney, his covers for IDW’s Star Trek are among my favorite stuff plus he was responsible for this year’s badge art which was a Star Wars theme. My Press Badge featured R2D2. Mark Kidwell, Image Comics' ’68 series, whose work always is always a hit with me and with con goers as well, plus he really is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Aspen was represented by Peter Steigerwald, be on the lookout for his newest series Zoo Hunters, V Ken Marion was along for the ride as well. And both men were pretty much constantly busy doing sketches, blank covers, and being their charming selves. Oh yes, they are both great people and I was truly impressed with these two! If you have the chance to have work done by either I suggest you jump on it!
Mike McKone is a very charming and fun person to talk to, very approachable, and extremely talented. I loved spending time at his table just talking to him and his assistant. Mark Bagley is another interesting character to talk to and again his work is very enjoyable. I give the artists free reign on choice of what they’d like to do and here’s a tip, the work is better that way because they really enjoy doing what they want instead of asking for something specific.
The Artists Alley is full of those who are independent self-publishers and those who work in the industry, or are trying to but don’t have that big name recognition yet. It’s nice that these kinds of artists get a chance to shine and get noticed by people at the con since sometimes their work can really surprise you in how good it is. Also people like Chris Charlton whose Binary Gray series is one of those rare gems that really stands out and makes you wonder why it hasn’t been picked up by a major distributor.
This convention also saw a lot of standout cosplayers in attendance this year. It’s absolutely fantastic that all these people come out and feel comfortable enough to even come out in costume and have a place that is free of judgment and they are frequently, see constantly, stopped by people to take their pictures. It’s a true testament to the area that we embrace these folks and what they do regardless of gender, weight, or skill level.
The media guests this year were also a huge success with the likes of Henry Winkler, aka the Fonz, who was just one of the nicest fellas you’ll ever meet, so humble and thankful for all his fans. Paul McGann the 8th Doctor was a delight to meet as well, and John Rys Davies was a huge hit with fans. Julie Newmar was looking as sensational as ever and overall all the media guests were just great to see and meet to the pleasure of their fans. My most memorable moment was seeing Jason David Frank in the bathroom at the urinal, jeans opened incredibly wide texting while doing his business, oh what you see at conventions!
Retailers also seemed to be doing extremely well this year and with such a wide variety of books from the dollar bins to high grade back issues, not to mention the tower of t-shirts, there was no shortage for places to look for what you need. There really were plenty of toys, action figures, statues, and comics there for the fans including a spectacular Dr. Who Booth for all things Doctor Who. The kids area had some great games as well as the Lego section, which is really for us big kids and the stuff people can do with Lego's is utterly amazing. This really was an event for fans of all ages.
This convention also saw a lot of standout cosplayers in attendance this year. It’s absolutely fantastic that all these people come out and feel comfortable enough to even come out in costume and have a place that is free of judgment and they are frequently, see constantly, stopped by people to take their pictures. It’s a true testament to the area that we embrace these folks and what they do regardless of gender, weight, or skill level.
The media guests this year were also a huge success with the likes of Henry Winkler, aka the Fonz, who was just one of the nicest fellas you’ll ever meet, so humble and thankful for all his fans. Paul McGann the 8th Doctor was a delight to meet as well, and John Rys Davies was a huge hit with fans. Julie Newmar was looking as sensational as ever and overall all the media guests were just great to see and meet to the pleasure of their fans. My most memorable moment was seeing Jason David Frank in the bathroom at the urinal, jeans opened incredibly wide texting while doing his business, oh what you see at conventions!
Retailers also seemed to be doing extremely well this year and with such a wide variety of books from the dollar bins to high grade back issues, not to mention the tower of t-shirts, there was no shortage for places to look for what you need. There really were plenty of toys, action figures, statues, and comics there for the fans including a spectacular Dr. Who Booth for all things Doctor Who. The kids area had some great games as well as the Lego section, which is really for us big kids and the stuff people can do with Lego's is utterly amazing. This really was an event for fans of all ages.
As far as food goes this is a convention and unfortunately this means higher prices for something to eat there. Spending all day at the show means you’ll pay a little extra for the food, though I do think another vendor or two serving food would have been beneficial to eliminate some of the long lines and extreme waiting time to get something to eat or drink. Tom + Chee, a sponsor of the event might have done better to have two stands, one on either side of the convention floor to serve more folks, just a thought. Saturday, the Fire Marshall halted people from entering the con for a period of time due to reaching maximum capacity so with that many people I don’t think there were enough food outlets.
With Cincinnati being located pretty centrally to places like Louisville, Lexington, Indianapolis, Columbus, Dayton, and close enough to West Virginia, Detroit, and Cleveland it’s easy to see why the Expo’s growth has been so strong. It doesn’t hurt that the folks running this show, Andrew Satterfield and his crew, keep striving for a bigger and better show. And if this year’s turn out is any indication of what we can expect from the future I think Cincinnati could end up with one of the larger shows in the country. The price of admission, single day or weekend passes, VIP badges, and such are reasonably priced and their use of using local shoppes to help sell them ensures that the turn out from various stores in the area keeps growing.
I really am impressed with the quality of this show, their ability to learn from year to year making adjustments appropriately and managing to get some awesome talent. I’m hoping as the show grows that more “bigger” names in the industry will be invited to attend, and of course accept, it would be nice to see the likes of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Dan Slott or Phil Jimenez make the scene here not to mention Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner! In the meantime they’ve got some incredible talent already who are incredibly nice folks.
I’ve been to my fair share of conventions and I’ve got to say this ranks among the best in terms of moving around and the caliber of guests they managed to get. I look forward to seeing this Expo continue to grow and shine like the star it is.
With Cincinnati being located pretty centrally to places like Louisville, Lexington, Indianapolis, Columbus, Dayton, and close enough to West Virginia, Detroit, and Cleveland it’s easy to see why the Expo’s growth has been so strong. It doesn’t hurt that the folks running this show, Andrew Satterfield and his crew, keep striving for a bigger and better show. And if this year’s turn out is any indication of what we can expect from the future I think Cincinnati could end up with one of the larger shows in the country. The price of admission, single day or weekend passes, VIP badges, and such are reasonably priced and their use of using local shoppes to help sell them ensures that the turn out from various stores in the area keeps growing.
I really am impressed with the quality of this show, their ability to learn from year to year making adjustments appropriately and managing to get some awesome talent. I’m hoping as the show grows that more “bigger” names in the industry will be invited to attend, and of course accept, it would be nice to see the likes of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Dan Slott or Phil Jimenez make the scene here not to mention Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner! In the meantime they’ve got some incredible talent already who are incredibly nice folks.
I’ve been to my fair share of conventions and I’ve got to say this ranks among the best in terms of moving around and the caliber of guests they managed to get. I look forward to seeing this Expo continue to grow and shine like the star it is.