Baltimore Comic-Con 2012, September 8-9th Options

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A Baltimore Comic-Con Archive Hub will be posted on the site this weekend, check it for all your Baltimore Comic-Con news!

In the meantime, check the main site, and here are the latest updates:

The Adventures of Simone and Ajax Come to Baltimore Comic-Con 2012



"The Adventures of Simone & Ajax", the Harvey Award-nominated strip by Eisner-winner Andrew Pepoy, returns today as a weekly webstrip at www.simoneandajax.com, and this week he'll be attending the great Baltimore Comic-Con on the 8th and 9th. To celebrate both, Andrew is producing a new, limited-edition, signed-and-numbered Simone & Ajax print exclusive to the Baltimore Comic-Con. Limited to only 100 copies, be sure to stop by Andrew's table in Artists Alley to get this print. And if all 100 copies are sold at the convention, Andrew will donate 20% of the proceeds to The Hero Initiative.

Andrew's Simone & Ajax are also appearing in a pin-up alongside the Liberty Meadows gang in the limited-edition Liberty Meadows 15th Anniversary book that will be available at the Con. The original art for many of the pin-ups in this book will be auctioned off at the Con, and while Andrew has done Simone & Ajax sketches for fans, Andrew's pin-up is the first finished piece of Simone & Ajax art to ever be sold, so if you are a big fan of Simone & Ajax, this is a rare opportunity. Also, Andrew will donate his half of the sale price to The Hero Initiative, so the buyer will be supporting both the Baltimore Comic-Con and THI.

The Adventures of Simone & Ajax, the wacky adventures of a girl and her dinosaur pal, have appeared since 1994 in various indie anthologies and their own title, and have been serialized in chapter-form online and collected into book form by IDW. In 2010, they were honored to have been nominated for the Harvey Award for "Special Award for Humor in Comics." With this new, weekly webstrip, Andrew looks forward to bringing the dauntless duo back to their past readers and, hopefully, introduce them to many new readers.

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Brandon Peterson Comes to Baltimore!



"Marvel Remastered" will debut at the Baltimore Comic-Con, September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center. This beautiful, full color, oversized 48-page hardcover features the Marvel Comics artwork of Brandon "Brando" Peterson collected over his long comics career. The artist gives insight into his techniques, and each piece of artwork has been remastered to make every piece a new revelation. Limited copies will be available at the artist's table.

Brandon Peterson has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years, working primarily as a penciller and inker, but often as a colorist, writer, editor, and art director. He is currently working at Marvel Comics, as the artist on books like AvX, Avengers, The Ultimates, Ultimate Vision, Ultimate Extinction, Ultimate X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men. Brandon was also VP of Special Projects and Art Director of the now-defunct CrossGen Comics, where he created titles like Mystic and Chimera. He is also a veteran of Top Cow Productions, having worked on Codename: Strykeforce, Cyberforce, Ripclaw, Medieval Spawn/Witchblade, and his own book, Arcanum.

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Hero Initiative at Baltimore Comic-con
With John Romita Jr. and Marvel Comics’ Tom Brevoort!



Hero Initiative, the non-profit organization that aids comic creators in need, is travelling to Baltimore Comic-Con, September 8th and 9th at the Baltimore Convention Center. Famed artist John Romita Jr., one of he signature artists of Amazing Spider-Man, will anchor the Hero Initiative booth, #1705-1706.

In addition, don’t miss the Marvel Boot Camp Seminar, benefitting the Hero Initiative. This special ticketed seminar takes you behind the scenes into the inner philosophy of Marvel Publishing, as SVP – Executive Editor Tom Brevoort shares with the public for the first time the training indoctrination lecture he gives to the Marvel editorial staff. Revealing how Marvel editors think about the business of storytelling as well as inside secrets and tricks-of-the-trade, this lecture will be followed up as time permits with an open Q & A in which attendees can probe Tom’s mind on any and all questions relating to finding a career in the industry. And the proceeds all go to an excellent cause! Tickets will be available throughout the show at the Hero booth #1705-1706, at $10 per person. Be there!

Hero’s talent schedule at the booth is as follows:

Saturday, September 8 (con hours 10-6)

1000-1100: Chris Ivy

1100-100: John Romita Jr.

100-200: Gene Ha

200-330: Herb Trimpe

300-500: John Romita Jr.

400-500: Jeff Lemire

500-600: Mike Choi




Sunday, September 9 (con hours 10-5)

1000-1100: John Romita Jr.

1100-1200: Jeff Lemire

1200-100: Chris Ivy

100-200: Herb Trimpe

200-400: Chris Ivy

For more information, please visit us at www.heroinitiative.org.

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Show Map Revealed!

We are also ready to reveal our 2012 Show Map. You can find it in the 2012 Program Guide, now available at our website at http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/bcc-2012-program-web.pdf.

Need to get in Stan's line ASAP? Want to figure out where your favorite artist, writer, or retailer will be on the floor? Want to plan out your days, balancing panels, Costume Contest, auction, and other events with your browsing and shopping time? Now you can!

Keep your eye on our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages for last-minute up-to-the-minute announcements about the show, and We'll See You In Baltimore!

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Azure Multimedia and Supercast Network Team Up for Baltimore Comic-Con



Azure Multimedia Inc. and the Supercast Network will be teaming up to present at this year's Baltimore Comic-Con. Azure Multimedia is the publisher of such indie favorite titles as Ninjas vs., The Acolyte Chronicles, and Storm Rider. The Supercast Network produces such Internet podcasts as Nerd vs. Nerd, DrewTV, and Concessions. Together, they will be joining forces at Booth 1612 to provide unique experiences and products for the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con.

Acolyte Chronicles #2 - "Join the Militia Edition" - A Baltimore Comic-Con Exclusive! Azure Multimedia will be selling copies of the brand-new, never-before-seen Acolyte Chronicles #2, with a cover exclusive to the Baltimore Comic-Con. This book is strictly limited to only 500 copies, so don't wait!

Special 8-Page "Azure Previews"! Azure Multimedia will also be giving away copies of a special 8-page preview book, showcasing all the titles from the company.

Creator Signings! - Writer/Publisher Thomas Chillemi, Inker Rich Seetoo, and Art Director Bruce Dwayne will be on-hand at the Azure Multimedia booth to sign your favorite issues.

Thomas Chillemi - President, Writer
Beginning with Avengers and Spider-Man, Thomas Chillemi has been an avid collector of comics since the age of 9. He formed Azure Press at the age of 17, and his first published book was carried and spotlighted by Diamond Comics. In addition to running the company, he currently writes Ninjas vs., The Acolyte Chronicles, and Storm Rider.

Rich Seeto - Inker
Rich Seetoo started collecting comics at age 7. Inspired by his favorite artists (Perez, Byrne, Simonson, Austin, Kubert, etc.), Rich attended the Kubert School when it was just a decade old. Breaking into the industry as a letterer for Pioneer Comics, Rich began to get inking assignments for Crusade Comics (Thundergod), Dagger Comics (Mavericks, The Shock), and Blackout Comics (Death of Hari Kari). This trail of work eventually led to the Azure Press. Rich inked and lettered the original Acolyte Chronicles and Storm Rider. Rich's latest work has been inking Ninjas vs. Zombies starting with issue #6. Rich's dream job would be to ink George Perez.

Bruce Dwayne - Art Director, Letterer
After drawing in margins of homework assignments in school, Bruce Dwayne finally drew for his work as a student of the Kubert School. His artistic expressions span from graphic arts, photography, digital manipulations, & fight choreography. His drawing style is influenced by martial art & anime movements mixed with noir & spiritual themes. His first published work was the self owned Captain Liberty & Flame in the Champion newspaper for Liberty University. Other works include movie storyboards, company logo designs, and shirt and tattoo designs. Bruce's current works include editing and lettering for Azure Press and self-published webcomics, the martial art Cloud Eagle and survival humor D.E.A.D. Beat.

Nerd vs Nerd Broadcasting Live! Thomas Chillemi and Drew Crowder will be broadcasting their Nerd vs. Nerd podcast LIVE from the Baltimore Comic-Con. They will be giving away t-shirts, comics, posters, and more! There will even be a live trivia contest from the show!

Drew Crowder
Executive producer and founder of The Supercast Network, Drew has been in film finance for nearly a decade. He is also a lifelong nerd; everything went downhill after he went to computer camp at age 10. He's an X-Men guy, yet frequently dressed up as Iron Man for events -- a true enigma. Drew is a VC with ventures that traverse multiple industries, but like a clove of garlic, he also vanquishes demons. Say hello to Drew.

For more about Azure Multimedia or the Supercast Network, please visit their websites:
Azure Multimedia: http://azure-press.com/
Supercast Network: http://supercast.virb.com/nerd-vs-nerd

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Baltimore Comic-Con's First Annual Yearbook!



The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce the first Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook, celebrating the creators appearing at the show. This book of art features some of our guests interpreting the Liberty Meadows characters, sometimes in conjunction with their own creations, in a celebration of creator-owned properties.

As a bonus, we have a scavenger hunt of sorts. When you buy the book, you'll get a list of our 36 contributors and their table numbers. Get 15 of them to sign it, and come back to the booth for your choice of an added print by either Joseph Michael Linsner or Barry Kitson. Get 20 signatures and receive BOTH prints!

Liberty Meadows was created by Frank Cho and first published in 1997, launching in newspapers internationally. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Liberty Meadows, having seen print in book, comic strip, and digital formats. "Frank has always been a fan and a friend of the Baltimore Comic-Con," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "We are very thankful to Frank for his willingness to trust his characters with our other guests and friends, as well as his continued support of the Baltimore Comic-Con."

The art created for the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook celebrating 15 years of Frank Cho's Liberty Meadows will be auctioned at this special event! Don't miss this opportunity to own original art featuring Frank's characters as depicted by artists including Frank Quitely, Brandon Peterson, Gene Ha, David Petersen, Bernard Chang, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Tom Raney, Billy Tucci, Steve Conley, Thom Zahler, Craig Rousseau, Frank Cho, and many others!

The book will be sold, and the art auction will be held in our Main hall, in Booths #2505-2507. The auction will commence following the Stan Lee/John Romita panel, at approximately 5:45pm. The book will be available at the Baltimore Comic-Con for $20.

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Baltimore Comic-Con Adds Jimmy Cheung and Paul Pope

The Baltimore Comic-Con is happy to announce the addition of artists Jimmy Cheung and Paul Pope to the sensational line-up of creators for this year's show, taking place on September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center.


Avengers vs. X-Men Poster by Jimmy Cheung

Joining the British Invasion of comic creators in Baltimore (including Brian Bolland, Barry Kitson, and Mark Buckingham), artist Jimmy Cheung began his career in the mid-1990s at Marvel Comics working on such titles as X-Force, Force Works, and Spider-Man Unlimited. In 2000, he left Marvel to join the team at CrossGen Comics, helming the art duties on one of their flagship titles, Scion.

In 2005, Cheung returned to Marvel and became one of their "Young Guns," a group of artists that, according to Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada, had the qualities that make "a future superstar penciller." Most recently, Cheung finished illustrating Avengers: The Children's Crusade, a mini-series which ran from 2010 through 2012.

Paul Pope is an American comic artist whose work has ranged from manga to American-style comics. Throughout his career, Pope has worked for such companies as Dark Horse, DC, and Marvel Comics, Dargaud in France, and Kodansha in Japan. His book Batman:Year 100 won Eisners for Best Limited Series and Best Writer/Artist in 2007. Since 2011, he has been a sitting board member of the American Council of the Arts. He is currently finishing work on his latest graphic novel, Battling Boy, to be released soon through First Second.

"We're delighted to be adding both of these talented creators to our line-up this close to the show," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Both Jimmy and Paul are fan favorites, and bring such eclectic bodies of work along with them that they both truly enrich the pool of talent already assembled for this year's show."

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Extended Saturday Hours! More Costume Contest Details!

This weekend, September 8-9, 2012, is the Baltimore Comic-Con at the Baltimore Convention Center -- do you have your tickets yet?

For the first time, we are expanding our Saturday hours, allowing you more time to squeeze panels, comics and comics-related products shopping, the Costume Contest, the auction, and collecting autographs and commissioning sketches from your favorite comics pros and newfound rising talent. We will be open from 10am to 7pm on Saturday (and the same 10am to 5pm on Sunday that we've had in years past).

We are also announcing further details about the 2012 Costume Contest: Registration will be taking place in booth #2606, and will cost $5 for adults 18 and older (children 17 and younger are free!). There are 10 categories with prizes for each, and $1,000 up for grabs to the person with the best overall costume! The Costume Contest, presented by StylinOnline.com, will be held on Sunday, September 9th in Room 307-310 upstairs from the convention center floor. Don't miss it!

Keep your eye on our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages for last-minute up-to-the-minute announcements about the show, and We'll See You In Baltimore!

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ComicWow! to Debut at Baltimore Comic-Con
Launch of New Social Media Site Designed With Comic Fans in Mind



Premiering at this year's Baltimore Comic-Con is ComicWow! This brand new social media site has been created specifically for comic book collectors and enthusiasts. With direct links to industry experts, ComicWow! will provide its users with up-to-the-minute comic news and reviews. Additionally, ComicWow! will feature original content, such as weekly webisodes and exclusive interviews by ComicWow!'s John Qatsha (John Q) with comic artists, writers, and creators.

Signing up is simple and information will be available at the Baltimore Comic-Con exhibit booth. The process begins with creating your own profile page and then connecting with additional users to create your own personal network. With Facebook interfaces, ComicWow! allows its users to share links, videos, and photos with the click of a button. ComicWow! content is uncensored and allows users to sound off their opinions via their own posts, videos, and blogs.

"This is our hometown, so Baltimore Comic-Con is the perfect place to launch ComicWow!. We are thankful to Marc Nathan and his staff for putting on such a great event," says CEO & Founder Josh Geppi. "As comic lovers ourselves, we have put great thought into exactly the type of fan forum that the industry needs and wants."

With over 3,000 fans on their Facebook page even prior to the official launch, ComicWow! is gaining momentum rapidly with industry professionals already offering their support.

"This was an idea years in the making but now is the perfect time for it to happen," says co-founder Michael Kacala. "And we are really excited to be a Silver Sponsor for this year's Harvey Awards."
ComicWow!'s exhibit at Baltimore Comic Con will allow visitors the opportunity to sign up and be among the first to explore the site.

Launching later is year will be ComicWow! Marketplace where users can buy and sell items.

For more information visit ComicWow!'s booth #1909 at Baltimore Comic Con and Like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ComicWow.

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The British Embassy Joins Forces with the Baltimore Comic-Con to Celebrate 'The British Invasion'



Ever wondered where the genius behind many of the favourite comic books in the 1980s came from? Captain America and many other of your favourite comic books were actually enhanced by 'The British Invasion' of the comic book world. The British Embassy in Washington will be celebrating this theme at Baltimore Comic-Con, this weekend, showcasing what is great about the comic book, science-fiction, and creative industries in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The team from the British Embassy will be exhibiting in the lobby of the Baltimore Comic-Con, and its booth will feature images of characters portrayed during the long history of creativity in the UK - from the early days of Doctor Who to the present, to Game of Thrones and British contributions to American creative arts. Come experience why Creativity is GREAT in the UK and to take a fresh look at the longstanding British Invasion of American comics.

James Barbour, Press Secretary, British Embassy, says:

"Comic books have long been a part of our culture. We are thrilled that a "British Invasion" theme was chosen for this year's Baltimore Comic-Con, adding to the excitement that the Queen's Jubilee and the London Olympics have brought to the UK this year. Spider-Man, which was one of my favourite comics growing up, is currently and has previously been drawn by British artists, adding to the celebration of American and British comics this weekend."

In the 1980s, a number of British writers and artists started producing work for American comics and brought a fresh take that appealed to fans and critics alike. This has been coined the 'British Invasion'. British creativity in the industry is kept alive today by creators including Brian Bolland, Mark Buckingham, and Barry Kitson. All three will speak on a panel themed around the 'British Invasion.'

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Exclusive Show T-Shirts Available at the Baltimore Comic-Con



The Baltimore Comic-Con is excited to announce the exclusive show t-shits that will be available at this year's show, taking place the weekend of September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center. This year marks the first time that show-exclusive shirts have been made for the Baltimore Comic-Con!

With stunning artwork by David Petersen, screen-printed on a khaki colored shirt, the t-shirts will be available for $20 each at the Show Exclusives booth (#2507). Petersen, who will also be appearing at the show, is a cartoonist and children's book illustrator best known for his work on Mouse Guard, a series of mini-series published by Archaia Studios. The t-shirt design features characters from the Eisner-Award winning series along with the logo for the Baltimore Comic-Con..

The t-shirts were produced by StylinOnline, the exclusive vendor of licensed t-shirts at this year's convention. In addition to the Baltimore Comic-Con t-shirts, there will be a very limited number of Stan Lee VIP t-shirts, which features art celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Spider-Man, available at the StylinOnline booth (#1509).

"We are so excited to be able to offer the fans these beautifully designed t-shirts at this year's show," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "David and StylinOnline did such an amazing job that we couldn't be happier with our first-ever convention t-shirts!"

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DC Entertainment Creators Flock to Charm City for the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con



he Baltimore Comic-Con is happy to announce top creators from DC Entertainment who will be attending this year's show, taking place the weekend of September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Guests to the show include: Bernard Chang (DC Universe Presents); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Mike Choi (Demon Knights); Dan DiDio (O.M.A.C., Phantom Stranger); Joshua Hale Fialkov (I, Vampire); Jamal Igle (The Ray); Paul Levitz (Legion of Super-Heroes, World's Finest); and Kevin Maguire (World's Finest).

Bernard Chang began his career in comics in the early-1990s at Valiant Comics. Throughout his career, he has penciled such titles as X-Men, New Mutants, Cable, Deadpool, Superman, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman. Most recently, he finished the first arc on DC Universe Presents.

Cliff Chiang began his career as an assistant editor at DC before moving over to the creative side. He is best known for his work on Human Target, Beware the Creeper, and Green Arrow/Black Canary. He is currently the penciler on Wonder Woman.

Mike Choi broke into comics in 2003 at Image Comics' Top Cow imprint working on such titles as Witchblade, The Magdalena, and Tomb Raider. In 2007, he was named to Wizard Magazine's "Hot 10 Artists" list for his work on Marvel's X-23: Target X. Currently, he handling art duties for Demon Knights.

During his tenure at DC, Co-Publisher Dan DiDio has written several books, including The Outsiders and the weekly Metal Men feature in Wednesday Comics. Since the relauch of DC last year, DiDio has written the O.M.A.C. series and the Challengers of the Unknown storyline in DC Universe Presents. He is currently working on Phantom Stanger, which will debut in September of this year.

Joshua Hale Fialkov, who has been nominated for Harvey Awards in 2006 (Best Writer and Best New Talent) and in 2011 (Best New Series, Best Graphic Album Previously Published, Best Writer, and Best Single Issue or Story), is best now for his work on Echoes, Elk's Run, and The Last of the Greats. He is currently writing the horror series, I, Vampire, at DC.

Jamal Igle began his career in comics at the early age of 17, working as intern at DC while attending the High School of Art and Design. He began penciling full-time in 1993 and his body of work includes lengthy runs on Firestorm, Nightwing, and Supergirl at DC. Most recently, he wrapped up the 4-issue mini-series, The Ray.

Paul Levitz has been a mainstay at DC since 1972, serving as a writer, editor, and President (2002 - 2009) over the tenure of his career. His name is synonymous with the Legion of Super-Heroes, which he wrote from 1977-1979 and 1981-1989, and he created such notable characters as the Stalker, the Earth-2 Huntress, and Lucien the Librarian. Levitz has since returned to writing the Legion of Super-Heroes for the New 52, as well as the Earth-2 centric book, World's Finest.

Kevin Maguire, who broke into comics in 1987, is a writer, penciller, and inker best known for his work on series such as Justice League, Batman Confidential, Captain America, and X-Men. Before the relaunch, he worked on the latest volume of Doom Patrol and is currently working with Paul Levitz on World's Finest for DC's New 52.

"We're thrilled to have such a talented group of creators joining us in Baltimore this year," said Marc Nathan, show promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Each of these folk is a mainstay here at the show and it's a real treat for all the fans to be able to meet the men and women that are shaping the comics at DC!"

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WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR Strikes BALTIMORE COMIC-CON!



Join Valiant this Saturday, September 8th at 2 PM at Baltimore Comic-Con for "The Future of Valiant" panel to witness a legendary return - with help from some special surprise guests.

Get the full details on the show and panel location here.