Kids Love Comics at the 2014 Baltimore Comic Con!

Baltimore Comic-Con Offers Interactive Kids Comics Area with cartoonists, comic creation, capes, and light saber training!

 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 6, 2014 - Kids 10 and under get in free at the Baltimore Comic-Con September 5-7, 2014 at the Baltimore Convention Center -- and show organizers are once again presenting a kid-friendly comics area, full of all-ages comics, as well as the artists and writers who make them. Creators from such companies as Archie, Scholastic, Disney, Simon & Schuster, First Second, Marvel, and DC will be on hand to sketch, say hi, and help to teach young ones about the magic of comics through mini-How-Tos through the weekend, right at the Kids Comics Pavilion! Plus, kids can take part in comic crafts, game shows, and more!



 Activities in this super cool section of the show include:
 * Interactive Comics Talks from some of Kids Comics top creators, such as Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl), Andy Runton (Owly), Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space), and more!
* Design your own super hero cape and mask
* Doodle Scribble Draw! Kids Drawing Gameshow!
* Creator sketches and autographs
* Kid-Safe Star Wars Light Saber Training
* Puppet making with Chris O>Matic! 

"The Baltimore Comic-Con has always been a welcoming, family-friendly show, and every year, we aim to make the Kids Love Comics Pavilion inspiring to young comic fans. Not only do we want kids to read comics, we show them how they can create their own! I wish there was an event like this when I was a kid," said Mark Mariano, creator of the Happyloo graphic novel series, and co-organizer (with John Gallagher) of the kids section. "Its so cool that I bring my own family here every year," added Gallagher.

 Heres a rundown of the Kids Love Comics Pavilion Creators:

 Harold Buchholz - Archie Comics archiecomics.com

 Frank Cammuso - Salem Hyde, Ottos Backwards Day, Knights of the Lunch Table cammuso.com

 Jamie Cosley (Saturday only) - Cody the Cavalier, Zucchini
Tyler Cosley (Saturday only) - AlakaZach, Ninja Squirrel jamiecosley.com

 Franco (Appearing Saturday and Sunday) - Aw Yeah Comics!, Tiny Titans, Itty Bitty Hellboy awyeahcomics.com

 Jay Fosgitt - Bodie Troll jayfosgitt.com

 John Gallagher - Zoey and Ketchup, Buzzboy, Roboy Red
Katie Gallagher -Zoey and Ketchup skydogcomics.com

 SL Gallant - GI JOE slgallant.com

 Chris Giarrusso - G-Man, Mini-Marvels chrisgcomics.com

 Jimmy Gownley - The Dumbest Idea Ever!, Amelia Rules! jimmygownley.com

 Ben Hatke - Zita the Spacegirl, Julias House for Lost Creatures benhatke.com

 Jason Horn - Ninjasaur ninjasaur.com

 Jamal Igle - Molly Danger, Supergirl, Firestorm jamaligle.com 

 Lora Innes - The Dreamer thedreamercomic.com

 Mike Maihack - Cleopatra in Space cowshell.com 

 Mark Mariano - The Other Side of Hugless Hill, Happyloo, Flabbergast mypalmark.com

 Mark McKenna - Banana Tail, Star Wars, Marvel, DC markmckennaart.com Jamar Nicholas - Leon: Protector of the Playground jamarnicholas.com

 Chris O>Matic - The Chris O>Matic Show! omatics.net 

 Chris Otto and Ben Taylor - A Dogs Life adogslifecomic.com 

 Dan Parent - Archie, Kevin Keller danparent.com 

 Andy Runton - Owly owly.com

 Gregg Schigiel - Spongebob Squarepants Comics, Pix hatterentertainment.com 

 Jeff Schultz - Archie Comics archiecomics.com 


 Kids Love Comics joins our previously announced guests, including: Eddy Barrows (Earth 2); Marty Baumann (Pixar artist); Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl); Marguerite Bennett (Batgirl); Christina Blanch (The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood); Mark Buckingham (Fables); Dave Bullock (Batman Black and White); Jim Calafiore (Leaving Megalapolis); Darrenn Canton (Tunnels & Trolls); Greg Capullo (Batman); Richard Case (Sandman); John Cassaday (Doc Savage); Bernard Chang (Green Lantern Corps); Jo Chen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Sean Chen (Amazing Spider-Man); Jimmy Cheung (Infinity); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (X-Men: Battle of the Atom); Amy Chu (Girls Night Out); Richard Clark (House of Gold & Bones); Steve Conley (Bloop); Mike Curtis (Dick Tracy); Jeremy Dale (Skyward); Alan Davis (Wolverine); Rachel Deering (In the Dark); Todd Dezago (Tellos); Tommy Lee Edwards (Star Wars); Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys); Ray Fawkes (Constantine); Tom Feister (G.I. Joe); David Finch (Forever Evil); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (All-Star Western); Gerhard (Cerebus the Aardvark); Dave Gibbons (Watchmen); Keith Giffen (The New 52: Futures End); Bryan JL Glass (Mice Templar); Michael Golden (The Ravagers); Allan Gross (Road Song); Cully Hamner (Animal Man); Dean Haspiel (The Fox); Fred Hembeck (Garfield); Marc Hempel (Sandman: The Kindly Ones); Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan); Justin Jordan (Luther Strode, Green Lantern: New Guardians); Dan Jurgens (The New 52: Futures End); Chris Kemple (Red Vengeance); Denis Kitchen (Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary); Barry Kitson (Empire); Aaron Kuder (Action Comics); Norman Lee (Iron Man Special); David Mack (Shadowman); Kevin Maguire (Guardians of the Galaxy); Pop Mhan (All New X-Factor); Alex Maleev (Moon Knight); Billy Martin (Vitriol, The Hunter); Ron Marz (Witchblade); Mike McKone (Ultimate FF); Bob McLeod (X-Men: Gold); Tradd Moore (Deadpool Annual); Mark Morales (New Avengers); Dan Parent (Archie, Veronica, Kevin Keller); David Peterson (Mouse Guard); Joe Prado (Justice League); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Ron Randall (Trekker in Dark Horse Presents); Tom Raney (Incredible Hulk); Ivan Reis (Aquaman and The Others); Budd Root (Cavewoman); Don Rosa (Donald Duck); Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts); Joe Rubinstein (The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe); Andy Runton (Owly); Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man); Louise Simonson (Power Pack); Walter Simonson (Thor); Andy Smith (Superman #23.1: Bizarro); Allison Sohn (sketch card artist); Charles Soule (Thunderbolts); Jim Starlin (Thanos: The Infinity Revelation); Joe Staton (Dick Tracy); Paul D. Storrie (Sheena, Queen of the Jungle); Ben Templesmith (The Memory Collectors); Robert Tinnell (The Wicked West); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Two-Face); John Totleben (Swamp Thing); Herb Trimpe (GI Joe: A Real American Hero); Billy Tucci (Shi); Rick Veitch (Saga of the Swamp Thing); Mike Vosburg (Lori Lovecraft); Mark Waid (Daredevil); Lee Weeks (Daredevil); Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster); Bill Willingham (Fables); Renee Witterstaetter (Joe Jusko: Maelstrom); Rich Woodall (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms); Thom Zahler (My Little Pony); and Mike Zeck (Secret Wars).

 Tickets General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now! In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Read More..

Zenkaikon 2012

The Zenkaikon Convention returned to the Philadelphia area for their 6th year providing all the wonders and fun of the anime world. This was my fourth time attending the event and I can honestly say that each year it gets better (and the crowds get bigger). In 2011 over three thousand attendees were present. Clearly this is a show that is in high demand. This year the two day event was held on May 11th and 12th at the Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, Pa.  

I have had unique experiences when attending this show. The first two times I participated as a fan who was excited that there was finally a local anime convention. Last year I was a guest on  behalf of actor Vic Mignoga who insisted I enjoy all the festivities after hosting a dinner party for him and his fans. This year I attended as a member of the press with my Blog photographer Brian and my gal pal Alisha. First Id like to say how impressed I was with the staff. They were very pleasant and helpful and also did a wonderful job with crowd control. As many of us know, the anime crowds can become a  bit too hyper. That wasnt the case at all. It was a very pleasant and safe environment. The room reserved for LARPING was especially a stroke of genius (Im not a fan of it and felt relieved I wouldnt have to worry about someone invading my personal space).

Many vendors sold imported items from Japan as well as talented artist selling their original work. Guest in attendance including voice actors Sonny Strait and Michele Knotz, comedian Uncle Yo, bands Platform One, The Asterplace and my personal favorite, a performace by Kyo Daiko. I attended the show as my original "Hatsune Loves Rainbow Dash" cosplay while Alisha was Shutterfly from "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic". I met up with other friends and we had a great time shopping (my splurge was an original Rainbow Dash hat). In closing here are my favorite pictures from the show featuring cosplayers and items on display. My thanks to the staff at the Zenkaikon convention. I look forward to next years show! 

Read More..

Fundraiser for Katsucons late Director of Japanese Cultural

On February 28th, it was reported that Christine Larson, Katsucons Director of Japanese Culture was hospitalized with a a chronic case of the H1N1 virus (aka Swine Flu) and pneumonia. Christines condition was so bad that she was put in a medically induced coma. Mrs. Larson, whom is a mother, is married to Katsucon co-chairman Grig Larson. A Go Fund Me page was created by Cat Hillberry to help pay for Christines medical bills. Sadly, on March 2nd, just 16 days after the 2014 Katsucon show, Christine passed away at 3:45pm.

The family is still in need of donations to cover medical bills. The Go Fund Me Pages goal is $25,000 and has currently raised $10,818. Every little bit helps for this family who is mourning the sudden loss of a wife and mother. I have never attended a Katsucon convention nor do I know the Larson family however in times like these, that is irreverent. You dont have to know someone to lend a helping hand when they are in need.

Please send all donations to the Go Fund Me Page at: http://www.gofundme.com/779x2s

Read More..

Why I Decided to Get Involved in Shows

"Egotism is the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself, and generally features an inflated opinion of ones personal features and importance."

I think its safe to say that we have all known someone who was an egotist. Sadly, in the world of costuming more and more egotists are popping up. Some people believe that they are better than others, certain costumers are competing with each other and many are caught up in racking up the most "likes" on Facebook as if their very lives depended on it. Ive personally known people who got involved with conventions for one reason and one reason only; to see their names on the Guest List and brag about it to high hell. It has nothing to do with helping the show as a member of the staff or meeting with people interested in our craft. Its to be a "Cosplay Celebrity" or a "Professional Cosplayer." Because of the behavior Ive personally seen live and in person, I had sworn off getting involved with shows in an effort not to be like the Cosplay Egotists but all of that changed at the 2013 Pittsburgh Comic Con.

Im going to be blunt; there is no such thing as a "cosplay celebrity" or a "professional cosplayer". Every time I see or hear that term, I laugh myself silly. I truly believe that that is the most idiotic term I have ever heard. Cosplay is a hobby, not a profession. If you make and sell your own costumes and props, then you are a costume maker/seamstress/designer or a prop maker. Would you put "Professional Cosplayer" on a job application? If you did, Im sure you would be laughed out of the office or they would look at you like you had three heads. And what makes a person a "professional or expert cosplayer"? If you have experience then you can just as easily say "veteran cosplayer". Throwing in "professional" or "expert" is just a BS way of making someone appear glamorous and important. Now comes the title of "cosplay celebrity". True, there are certain costumers who are more well known than others but that doesnt necessarily mean that they are the best or celebrities.



A cosplayer is a cosplayer. Plain and simple. The fancy titles are smoke and mirrors.

I never wanted to become a costumer who sought the spotlight. I got into costuming to express my fandom, not to seek fame. Ive seen people change in their search for cosplay stardom and I was afraid I would be following down the path of egotism if I got involved with shows. But then I was asked last minute to be one of the judges at the Costume Contest at the 2013 Pittsburgh Comic-Con along side Freddie Nova. Although I was bewildered, I accepted. It was truly a learning lesson for me and completely changed my perspective. A lot of that has to do with the gracious Freddie Nova. Freddie is beautiful and very talented. Her liquid latex Venom photos went viral and she has an enormous fan base. Everyone from comic creators to comic fans and cosplayers knows who she is and yet she is very humble. She treats everyone with respect and was incredibly encouraging to every person who took the stage. I saw for the first time someone use their position to spread positivity and it was beautiful. I learned from her shining example and was sure to smile at all of the contestants, encourage them and even spoke to a few of them afterwards and online. Many were first timers in costuming who had many questions. It felt wonderful to help others and I want to continue that.



Im currently scheduled for 2 more local shows. Im not doing it to see my name in lights and I actually make it clear that I do not want to be credited as a professional cosplay celebrity". Im simply a cosplayer who wants to reach out and support the community. So think of me as a Goodwill Ambassador of Cosplay, if you will. But never a professional cosplayer. *laughs*

Read More..

Man of Steel and Trinity Set

Photo by Future Photography by M3 with edit by
SII Posters

Planning a photo shoot with a large team of artists takes time and patience. It took several months to plan a Man of Steel themed photo shoot which included costumers Jason of JET Cosplay, Kevin D Cosplay and photographers Miguel of Future Photography by M3, Marvin of Hero Hotties, Brian of Green House Photography and Piera of Photos and Designs by Piera. The shoot took place in my home thus proving that having a creepy large basement can in fact be good for something. Many people drove a long distance to make the shoot a possibility and when they all arrived, I was dressed up as Queen Elsa from Disneys Frozen (having just returned from entertaining children at a birthday party).  It was exciting that this was finally coming together. I loved the Man of Steel movie and we had an amazing cast of costumers and photographers. We also decided to take things a step further; since Kevin cosplays Batman and I cosplay Wonder Woman, this was a great opportunity to get some Trinity shots.

Two costume changes were required for me for the Man of Steel set; Lois Lane and Faora. After washing off my Elsa makeup and slipping off the blue sparkly gown, I changed into Lois Lane (which requires less makeup than Faora). Superman and Lois shots were taken as well as Superman, Lois and General Zod. 

Have I ever mentioned how much it irritates me that they kept Amy Adams red hair for the role of Lois? I wouldnt have to wear a wig for this if Zack Snyder remained accurate to Lois appearance. Amy Adams doesnt look like Lois Lane in Man of Steel; she just looks like Amy Adams. It took me forever to find a wig this shade of red. Lucky for me I found it at a wig shop local to a relatives house. It was the only orange based red wig in the store priced at $25. It was literally collecting dust on display. It is quite beautiful however and it will be used for Anna from Frozen for parties. 

Next up is Faora which is a costume I have only worn once for a brief shoot earlier this year. Unfortunately with all of the chaos of the day, I forgot to put my belt on and didnt realize it until I saw the photos. Costume fail. The short wig is made of human hair. I tend to feel quite self conscious in it but it photographs well.

After a pizza break, it was time for Zod and Faora to change into Batman and Wonder Woman for some epic Trinity shots and one romantic shot with Superman.

Great times were had behind the camera and a lot of laughs. For some, it was the first time meeting and working with one another and it was an absolute blast. New friendships were made, fond memories and some stunning art. My thanks to all of the artists involved with the shoot whom I am honored to call friends. 

Visit me on my Official Facebook Page

Read More..

Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con 2012 coverage

The Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con rolled back into the city of brotherly love with a new twist. The three day event was extended with its first ever Preview Night with hours operating from 5pm until 9pm. Preview Night is no stranger to shows such as the San Diego Comic Con and New York Comic Con but the additional half day was a welcomed treat to Philadelphians. The show took place May 30th, 31st, June 1st and 2nd and featured an impressive roster with celebrities from both the comic book world and Hollywood.

Comic Book legends Stan Lee and George Perez were in attendance as well as Avengers superstar Chris Hemsworth, Superman Dean Cain and cast members from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Spartacus. Private photo sessions were offered with numerous celebrities, the most popular being the "5 Captains" session where you could be photographed with Star Treks William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew and Scott Bakula. A full list of guests can be seen on Wizards website. Vendors from all over the country were present selling everything from comics to vintage toys.

I attended the show all three and a half days. The show room floor appeared much larger this year which was a welcomed change. There was more space  for fans to walk around and more options in shops and allies featuring artists and celebrities. The show was very well organized in terms of space and the employees were knowledgeable and helpful. The larger guest list meant that there was more people to meet and see than previous Wizard World Philly shows. Although the crowds were small on Preview Night, I was still impressed with the amount of people who showed up. Die hard cosplayers including myself, embraced the opportunity to strut the convention floor an extra half day. Ive always said that the best part of these shows is being with your friends and Preview Night was no exception. I saw some impressive costumes and also got a bit of shopping done. For Preview Night I attended the show as Wonder Girl (Cassie) with my friends in tow as American McGees Alice, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy (Arkham inmates variant).

?

On Friday I had the pleasure of working with Superhero Photography and Superhero Stuff at their booth as Elektra with famed photographer Adam Jay. The Elektra costume was on loan and made by Ally Cat. Fans were invited to take a picture in front of a green screen with cosplayers. Carlos Blanchard, the infamous "Midevil Batman" was also working at the booth along with stunning model Alexia who wowed the crowd as Poison Ivy. For a small fee, your photo was edited with a background and printed on the spot as a keep sake (a digital copy was also emailed to costumers). A screening for the fan film "Legion of  Injustice" by Together Brother Productions (in which I star in as Supergirl) was held later that evening. After the movie screening we headed back to the convention floor for a Marvel photo shoot with Stan Lee.

Saturday was the day to debut an original cosplay months in the making. I was honored when Han Pan and Lucid asked me to be part of their 1950s Gotham Girls group as Catwoman. The dresses were designed and made by both Han and Lucid. Months of sewing  as well as research into the style of the times, hair and makeup were needed to pull this off. Our cosplay was met with praise from con goers, friends and celebrities alike and we took home second place aka Honorary Mention in the costume contest later that evening. DC Comics George Perez (whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Megacon during my Lois Lane/Superman shoot) stopped us as we passed his table for a photo. I attended a DC shoot where Mr. Perez was our guest of honor. I also met actors Dean Cain and Amber Benson that day and was pleasantantly surprised to see Bryan Nguyen at the show, one of my favorite cosplayers.

The final day of the show was a bit more relaxing for me. I had no obligations and was able to stroll the convention floor at my own pace with my companion. I decided on Zatanna since I have not worn that outfit for over a year and purchased new pieces such as a hat and bottoms. I completely forgot that I never replaced the bow tie and decided to search for one at the show. I purchased a red one which wasnt my first choice of color but is one of the variants Zatanna wears. I was quite pleased after adding it to my ensemble. The final day was filled with friends, meeting Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, artist Eric Basaldua, Ken Haeser of The Living Corpse and ended with friends over Philly cheese steaks. Id like to thank everyone at the Wizard World organization for a superb and well organized show this year. As always, I am very much looking forward to next years event. A complete photo gallery can be seen on my official Facebook Fan Page.

       

Read More..