Special Guest: Beau Smith

Beau Smith has been writing comic books since 1985, and they haven't found a way to stop him yet. He has worked for all of the major publishers including DC, Image, Marvel, Chaos, Dark Horse, Knight Press, AC Comics, Wildstorm, Top Cow, and Axis on many of the leading characters and titles in the world of comics. In addition to writing comics, Beau has also done significant video game and film work. In the late 1970s, Beau was personally deemed president for life of the Sgt. Rock fan club by Sgt. Rock creator Robert Kanigher. Basically, if it's manly, Beau has had a hand or two in it, and his passion for writing rivals that of his lust for cold beer and pretty women. Beau's most recent and upcoming work includes Green Lantern Corps. Annual, DC Holiday Special 2009, Wynonna Earp: The Yeti Wars, and Captain Action. Make sure to visit Beau online at The Flying Fist Ranch and check out his column Beauology 101 at Westfield Comics to learn more about the man and his fantastic body of work.

Special Guest: Wayne Osborne

Wayne Osborne burst onto the comics scene in 2008 with the launch of his creator-owned title FX from IDW Publishing, featuring cover and interior pencils and inks by the legendary artist John Byrne. FX initially started as a one-issue commission by Byrne and developed into a six-part limited series by Osborne and Byrne. FX tells the tale of Tom Talbot, a boy struck down by a mysterious accident, who awakens to find that childhood play has suddenly become all too real, as he now has power limited only by his imagination. This superheroic coming-of-age series offers action, adventure, drama, intrigue, and romance as Tom comes to grips with his new powers and enters an amazing world of heroes, villains, and more. Look for FX Vol. 2 from IDW Publishing with art by Uko Smith in 2010 and a special ashcan edition of Vol. 2 as a Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 exclusive.

Special Guest: Sean Forney

Sean Forney is a professional illustrator and comic book artist whose early work was for Twisted Gate Entertainment which included drawing two short Scarlet Huntress stories for the anthology books The Portal nos. 1 2, and covers for various titles. He has worked for various comic book companies including Sundragon Comics, Funky Ninja Comics, Stormchaser Comics, Camp Comics, Paper Dragon Ink, Fusion Studios, and more. Recently he created Star Wars promotional material including the official t-shirt and patch design in conjunction with LucasFilm/Disney/ Blue Planet Gear for the 2009 Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios. He also works with The Artifact Group coloring Bakugan illustrations for the national toy line. Learn more about Sean and his work online at smcomics.com.

Special Guest: Joshua Warner

Joshua Warner is a professional illustrator whose credits include such titles as penciling and inking on Sundragon comics’ The Mighty 1, Arrow Comics’ Wild Planet, Fun Publications’ GI Joe vs. Cobra, and Transformers: Wings of Honor. Josh is also the creator, artist, and self-publisher of MOOS MIHT: The Adventures of Mighty Moose as well as his anthology series Incessant Yarns. MOOS MIHT: The Adventures of Mighty Moose #6, now continued through issue 8, has been critically acclaimed with 3 ½ out of 4 stars by The Comics Buyers Guide. The first trade paperback debuted at Wizard World Chicago and issue #9 will debut this fall, along with new animations featuring the voice of Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica) and new original art from the book. For more information about Joshua and his projects go to HangingChadEntertainment.com.

Special Media Guest: Robyn Griggs

Robyn Griggs started acting at the age of three and has been working in television and film ever since. Her first prominent TV role was on ABC's soap opera One Life to Live, and she later starred in ABC's Another World. Since 2001 Robin has appeared in independent horror and thriller films, such as Abattoir and Ghost Tour for Deepkut productions. She has also appeared in Minds of Terror, Zombiegeddon, Project 187, The Urn, Demon Hunters, Aberration Boulevard, Severe Injuries, Dead Clowns, The Absence of Light, and Dead Planet. Robyn most recently appeared in Demon Divas and the Lanes of Damnation and Murder Is Like Sex, both released in 2009. She currently tours with various horror film conventions and produces and promotes indie horror films. Check out Robyn's filmography at IMDB.com and learn more about her and her work at RobynGriggs.net.

Why Kirby Is King: Comic Book Creators Celebrate Jack Kirby, King of Comics

Today would have been Jack Kirby's 92nd birthday. To honor the day, we once again asked comic book creators from the Mid-Ohio-Con family and beyond to answer the question "Why is Kirby King?" Their responses appear below, along with some of our favorite panels of Kirby's art.

Happy Birthday, Jack. Long Live the King!


Mike Allred: Kirby drew the sword from the stone. He conquered every genre. He set and reset the stage. The two biggest comic book companies in the world have built their foundations on his creations. His influence is so widespread that no one can accurately measure how vast it is. For these reasons and countless more, Kirby is King.


Mark Evanier: The story that I think best summarizes Jack was the time I or someone showed him a fanzine that said some new writer or artist (I forget which) was about to take over a comic Jack had started. I think it was Captain America, but it may have been Fantastic Four. In any case, the writer or artist said, "I want to do stories in the Kirby tradition." And Jack said, "The kid doesn't get it. The Kirby tradition is to create a new comic." That was Kirby: Always something new. Always something exciting. Even when he looked back, he looked ahead.



Matt Fraction: Why is Kirby King? Because kings lead instead of follow, and almost all of us have been following in Jack Kirby's footsteps ever since he first put pen to page. Kirby threw away more ideas than some people have in an lifetime, for good or for ill, and worked in the domain of raw creation and pure ideas better than anyone. He created the way children create: with complete fearlessness and utter, wild abandon of the imagination. Honoring the king means honoring that legacy and creating new domains, new realms, and new ideas rather than spending a life solely toiling in fields he first plowed.


Chris Claremont: What Kirby offered to me as a reader was both his tremendous visual imagination and his ability to integrate incredible superheroics into the most quotidian of urban settings. As a kid I was raised on English comics, and Kirby is the one who showed me what American comics could do, and opened the door to this amazing universe. He never lost sight of the people within the story, something I have strived to emulate throughout my career. Favorite moments include Thor climbing into a taxi cab and chatting with the driver, and Jack spending a half page showing normal folk on the street—cops, kids, etc.—reacting to Galactus on top of the Baxter Building. His world was very much our world, and his superheroes were very much a part of it. We all owe him greatly.



Kurt Busiek: Kirby virtually defined a language of American comics storytelling—a language used today by many artists, whether they're aware of it tracking back to Kirby or not. His work and influence permeate and inform not just a generation, not just a "school," but probably the largest current in American mainstream comics, for decades, and with no end in sight. Are there any artists in American comics who've had a larger influence?


John Romita Jr.: Jack Kirby's stylistic power, to me, is the reason for all his accolades. I can't think of a more appropriate word to describe his work than "powerful." This is where the word "King" is comes into play. I think his style, and the power in it, make him King.

My favorite Kirby page is from Fantastic Four. The page number and issue elude me, but the scene is the moment when Doctor Doom first steals the Power Cosmic from the Silver Surfer. That full-page splash, I believe, is a prototypical Kirby image and possibly his greatest.



JG Jones: Kirby is King because no one ever did Epic as well. He carved away the dead wood and detritus to give us comic art and storytelling in their purest forms. In this twilight world where heroes are forgotten and passed over for the latest fad, the beacon of Kirby's genius flashes on through the darkness.


Josef Rubinstein: Kirby is King because until recently, with movies now having $400 million budgets for special effects, the only place that could begin to approach the concepts that came out of that man's mind was comic books. And of course they had to be drawn by him.


Fred Hembeck: Kirby is King for so very many reasons, but here's one you may not've heard before: When he put a faux mop top on the head of Benjamin J. Grimm inside the pages of Fantastic Four #34, he truly had me believing that the Thing WAS the fifth Beatle! Well, almost, anyway. It's a great image, one I'll never forget.



Barry Kitson: There can be very few people who don’t already know that Jack’s energy and unbounded imagination single-handedly changed the comics industry, influencing an entire generation of comic writers and artists. For the longest time there was no one who could match the awe and wonder embodied in Kirby’s artwork. It’s also very unlikely that any artist will ever match the sheer volume of pages packed with fresh ideas that Jack produced. But what for me cements the fact that Jack will always be King is that not only did he inspire and amaze with his artwork, but everything I’ve ever read or heard of his life suggests he was as fine a man as any hero could be. Despite a lot of setbacks in his life and being treated pretty shabbily at times, he always behaved with grace and honour and courage. I met Jack just once, and then only for a very brief chat, but it was probably one of the most memorable days in my life and something I will never tire of boasting about. Jack was always my hero from when I could first read comics, he changed my life substantially and fired the imaginations of millions over the years—and I can’t think of anyone who could have been a better role model or more deserving of the title “King.”


Jimmy Palmiotti: Jack is king because his work broke ground in dynamic visual storytelling. Jack constantly challenged himself and the work, and it seemed more than anyone out there, his imagination was limitless. He has influenced generations of creators after him and will continue to do so as long as the medium exists. No one comes close or ever will.



David Mack: Jack Kirby created and co-created some of the most enduring comic book characters, and he opened up people's minds about what could be accomplished in the format of a comic book. The landscape of today’s most popular comic book heroes (and now some of the largest films) is a world that is populated with the very characters that Jack created or co-created. He had a very distinct and personal approach that set the stage for tales in book and film format for the following century. The leaps that he made in storytelling format are a lot of the basic storytelling grammar that we still use and build on today.


Gene Colan: Kirby had a style that I had never seen before in comics. It was very different, very sharp, very clear. Not linear in any way, but sort of blocked in, and it all came to life. That was the first depiction in comics that I can remember where characters thrust themselves out of the panel, glass broken, bricks flying, and you wanted duck! And THAT is something I took away with me and wanted to emulate. Kirby started me going.



Michael Golden: Jack Kirby is the King of superheroic action comics. Before him, superheroes were folks dressed in their underwear or some other kind of silly costume doing things that the reader was told were heroic and it was up to them to accept that premise or not. Jack Kirby gave the reader no choice. Square-jawed, godlike in their proportions, always dynamic in their actions, Kirby's bombastic drawing left no doubt to his heroes' intent and the power of their resolution. His villains were unmistakably and irredeemably evil. No ambiguities here. And it was all done in the drawing.

A master storyteller, Kirby covered all the bases; spoon-feeding the who, what, when, where, and why to the reader. And he never made anyone guess as to how. As simple a style as he evolved, it was almost impossible to spot any compromise made for expediency; never for laziness. His relentless, in-your-face presentation left the reader gasping for air, but always wanting more.

Many have come down the pike since; both influenced and imitator. Some might even claim in their own way to be equal to his craft and brilliance, but never, better. And Jack Kirby did it FIRST.


Todd Nauck: Why is Kirby King? He’s responsible for influencing generations of comic book artists with his dynamic poses, strong storytelling, and wild backgrounds and machinery. And kicking off the Marvel Universe with Stan Lee on Fantastic Four created a world that has major impact on today’s popular culture.



Steve Rude: First, Jack Kirby had a gift. That's what people call it when a person has something in his brain that becomes evident as time and maturity move forward. Also, having the ability to draw fast by processing images in his brain at an accelerated speed, and to see things on paper that almost moved. That's where Jack's dynamic postures came in. Also, he never seemed to stop progressing. By the mid-1960s, when Jack was in his fifties, he seemed to reach his creative apex. All the years of work exploded in a single burst. The machinery, the body language, the sheer human emotion of his characters all seem to come together at exactly the right time, along with a renewed interest in comics and the birth of fandom.


Sean McKeever: I was at a convention recently where the 'Toon Tumblers guy was set up. He makes these licensed Marvel and DC pint glasses, emblazoned mostly with classic artwork. Fun stuff, like collecting fast-food chain glasses back when I was a kid. Anyway, I thought I'd pick up one, maybe two at the most . . . but then I saw a Kirby Doctor Doom glass. And then a Silver Surfer glass. And then Captain America . . . Before I knew what had happened, I'd scooped up six glasses. That's the power of Jack Kirby's brilliantly iconic artwork, even today.



Bryan J. L. Glass: Kirby is King because if you are a comic fan today, then you are either following the ongoing adventures of something Jack created, or following an artist or writer who was inspired by something Jack created.


Ivan Brandon: Kirby is king because even in death, no one has what it takes to dethrone him.



Al Milgrom: Why not? Who better should be King?

But seriously—there never has been and (I feel it's safe to say) never will be a creative force in comics to match Jack. He was there very near the beginning of the industry, and for 50 years he produced more quality artwork on a regular basis than any other creator. And he didn't just draw them, he often wrote and certainly helped plot and create a mind-boggling number of the most innovative and commercially successful characters in the business. His influence on other cartoonists is legendary as well.

Sadly, the King is dead. But he lives on in his work and his influence. Long live the King!

It’s hard to pick one, or even a dozen, of my favorite Kirby panels. Too many GREAT ones to choose from. But just off the top of my head—perhaps the sequence that first hooked me as a young kid—was the scene from Fantastic Four #6 where the Submariner (having teamed with, then been betrayed by, Dr. Doom) leaps from meteor to meteor in an attempt to reach Doom's spaceship. I was floored! Also the first Spidey cover (Amazing Fantasy #15). I bought it and went home and immediately traced it off—something about it was so compelling (it didn't hurt that it was inked by Steve Ditko). And the cover to Avengers #4 with the return of Captain America—Wow! You couldn't walk by the spinner rack and not buy that comic!

God how I miss having new Kirby material to buy every month!



Scott Kolins: Jack Kirby is unmatched as a creative force who kept the comics industry alive and even growing throughout his entire career. He is also beyond compare as far as influencing colleagues and readers of his day and every day since. No other single comic book creator invented so much of the medium. I also sadly believe that part of Kirby's "royal status" was earned (for lack of a better word) because he suffered for his art. He stayed far beyond his "welcome" by the industry while others fled to better-paying jobs. Kirby was never fully compensated for his contribution and even to this day is not fully recognized publicly as the greatest contributor to the comics industry. I met Jack briefly, when he could've easily dismissed me or ignored me—as other creators of far less stature did. To me he behaved like a king: absolutely generous to a fault. He was immensely proud of all us younger creators picking up the torch of comics (or something like that). If he asked, I would've followed him anywhere. I guess I still do in a way. I hope.


Marv Wolfman: I said this in 1970, in the editorial column of the first of DC's Kirby books, and it holds as true today. Jack Kirby's imagination was so powerful I would not be surprised that if we ever reached the bottom right-hand corner of the entire universe, we didn't find his signature there, still bold and powerful.

Special Media Guest: Daniel Logan

Best known for his role as the young Boba Fett in Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Daniel Logan started acting when he was 10 years old. He got his break when local children's rugby teams were being scouted for a TV commercial. Daniel was proclaimed a natural by the director of the commercial. Daniel was noticed by other casting agents, including advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, which led to more commercials and eventually TV appearances. Among these include a recurring role in the medical/ drama series Shortland Street, a guest appearance in the international television hit Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, as well as the lead & supporting voices in 2 animated series Tamota and Takapu. At the top of this young actor's growing resume sits Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones, in which he played the coveted role of the young Boba Fett.

Special Media Guest: Gregg Berger

As an animation voice-over talent, Gregg Berger has brought to life an amazing array of characters in animation, film, television and video games during the course of his illustrious career. Gregg has repeatedly saved the universe as the fan-favorite Dinobot Grimlock in Transformers (Generation 1) and recently returned from Transformers fan convention Auto Assembly in London where he appeared as a guest of honor. Gregg is also well known as the voice of Odie the dog on all episodes, specials, and animated feature films of the cartoon Garfield. He has voiced characters for Duckman, Nickelodeon's Ahhh!!! Real Monsters!, Men in Black, Eeyore, and many many more memorable roles. Keep an ear out for Gregg’s most recent work in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Halo Wars, Batman: The Brave & The Bold, and Spiderman Web of Shadows. Check out Gregg Berger's extensive body of work in animation, film, television, and video games at IMDB.

Special Media Guest: Yancy Butler

We are very pleased to welcome fan-favorite actress Yancy Butler as a special media guest for Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Probably best known for her starring role as Detective Sara Pezzini in the TNT series Witchblade, she made her motion picture starring debut in 1993 in John Woo's Hard Target with Jean-Claude Van Damme. Yancy's television debut in Law & Order landed her the series lead in Mann and Machine, which led to the starring role in South Beach. In 1994, Yancy co-starred with Wesley Snipes in the skydiving suspense, Drop Zone and starred in many films throughout the 90s. In 2000, Yancy won the lead role in the TNT made-for-TV version of the popular comic book Witchblade. She portrayed Detective Sara Pezzini, a troubled New York cop who becomes the keeper of the Witchblade, an ancient and magical weapon handed down through the ages. Yancy recently completed filming the movie Wolvesbayne and will have a role in the upcoming movie based on the comic book Kick-Ass. Check out IMDB.com for Yancy's filmography and more information about her body of work.

Special Guest: Dick Ayers

We are thrilled to welcome living legend Dick Ayers to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 roster of special guests. An Eisner Award Hall of Fame inductee, Ayers is a veteran artist with over six decades in comics who was one of the founding members of the Marvel bullpen along with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Best known for his work during the Silver Age on The Avengers, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, The Rawhide Kid, and Strange Tales, Ayers began his comic career in earnest at Marvel’s predecessor Atlas Comics in the 1950s, where he drew horror stories in such titles as Adventures into Terror, Astonishing, Journey into Mystery, Journey into Unknown Worlds, Menace, Mystery Tales, Mystic, Strange Tales, and Uncanny Tales.

Special Guest: Billy Tucci

We are very pleased to announce that Eisner Award nominee Billy Tucci will join us as a special guest for Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Tucci took the comics world by storm when he launched his self-published series Shi in 1994 while working from his one-bedroom apartment. Still a fan-favorite title to this day, the phenomenally successful character has sold more than 4 million comics worldwide in her own title and in cross-over projects with some of the most well-known characters in the industry, including Daredevil, Witchblade, and Wolverine. In addition to his creator-owned titles, Tucci has worked for for all of the major comic publishers during the course of his career. In 2006, Tucci drew Marvel's new Heroes for Hire title that spun out of the Civil War saga. In November 2008, Tucci took a new creative direction with his DC miniseries Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion, which was set in October 1944 after D-Day. The six-issue story about the rescue of a lost battalion featured many of Sgt. Rock's long-standing cast of characters and was acclaimed by critics and fans alike. Visit Tucci online at Crusade Fine Arts to learn more about the artist and his work.

Special Guest: Len Wein

We are thrilled to welcome Len Wein as our special guest for Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. An enduring fan-favorite and legend in the industry, Wein is best known as the creative genius responsible for enduring fan favorites such as Wolverine, the All-New, All Different X-Men, Swamp Thing, and many others. Wein's first professional comics story was Eye of the Beholder in DC's Teen Titans no. 18, where he teamed up with co-writer Marv Wolfman. At DC, Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson created the horror character Swamp Thing in The House of Secrets no. 92. Wein began writing regularly for Marvel Comics in the early 1970s. Wein had lengthy runs on Marvel Team-Up, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Mighty Thor, Fantastic Four, and The Incredible Hulk, during which he created Wolverine with artists John Romita Sr. and Herb Trimpe. In 1975 Wein and artist Dave Cockrum relaunched the X-Men with Giant-Size X-Men no. 1. Wein is more active in comics, animation, TV and film projects today than ever. Visit Wein online at his blog WeinWords to learn more about him and his work.

Special Guest: Uko Smith

We are thrilled to announce that acclaimed sketch card and pin-up artist Uko Smith will join us as our special guest for Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Uko Smith first gained recognition after graduating from the Columbus College of Art and Design for his distinctive use of line work and stylized realization as well as his erotic pin-up work and sensual style. Uko has appeared in Heavy Metal magazine as the Featured Artist of the Month and his work as been featured in Julie Strain's Nightmare on Pin-Up Street, Jade Magazine, Marquis, Aphrodisia, and many others. Other work of Uko's can be found in the world of sketch cards from DC Legacy, Marvel Masterpieces, The Complete Avengers, and The Women of Marvel. He also produces self-published works such as sketchbooks, prints, original works, and T-shirts, along with a steady load of freelance work for various companies such as Green Ronin. Visit Uko online at ukosmith.com learn more about him and see his work.

Special Guest: Dave Aikins

We're very pleased to welcome artist Dave Aikins to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list. Dave is probably best known to fans as a Nickelodeon Publishing artist for books and DVD covers featuring Dora the Explorer, Diego, The Backyardigans, SpongeBob Squarepants, and Ni Hao Kai-Lan. He is also the illustrator of Twilight Creations' popular Zombies!!! board game series, as well as the new Martians!!! game and the deluxe edition of MidEvil. In the world of comics, Dave was cover artist for Moonstone's Kolchak- Night Stalker of the Living Dead mini-series and did interior art in Moonstone's The Avenger Chronicles. New for 2009 is the first volume of The Zombie Art of Dave Aikins, collecting 92 pages of Zombie art goodness! Dave's new kids books for 2009 include Dora Saves Crystal Kingdom, SpongeBob RoundPants, and Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Safari Pals. Visit Dave online at letsdrawstudio.com to learn more about him and see samples of his work.

Special Guest: Andy Bennett

We are thrilled to welcome Moonstone Books artist Andy Bennett to the distinguished ranks of the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list. Andy, who has been working professionally as an illustrator since he graduated from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 1995 with a BFA in illustration, is best known as the artist for Moonstone Books' Vampire: The Masquerade-Tremere and Venture graphic novels. His newest releases include Moonstone's Kolchak the Night Stalker / Sherlock Holmes mini-series, Moonstone's The Avenger Chronicles, and IDW's Lifelike graphic novel. Andy will be contributing to the 14th volume of Ferret Press' critically-acclaimed PANEL anthology, which will be premiering at Mid-Ohio-Con this year, with contributions from several central-Ohio comic creators. Visit Andy's Deviant Art page to learn more about him and see samples of his work.

Special Guest: Scott Simmons

We are very pleased to welcome indie comic creator Scott Simmons to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list. Scott is best known as an artist for the comic series Wannabez, the webcomic Jenny Everywhere Chronicles, and the Ohio Star Wars Collectors Club (OSWCC). He is an inker for Halloween Man, having worked on stories including the retelling of the origin story Zombie in a Black Leather Jacket and the crossover with Devil’s Due’s hit Hack/Slash in a two-part tale called Hackoween. Scott is an occasional news contributor and columnist for Comic Related. He was also an editor and one of the artists on the Global Comic Jam website. His first published sketchbook Lines of Lead, Ink…and Steel will be available at Mid Ohio Con 2009, and will tie in with his upcoming creator-owned projects in the Angelwolf Comics universe. Visit Scott online at wannabezcomic.com to learn more about him and see samples of his work.

Special Guest: Jamie Snell

We are very pleased to welcome illustrator Jamie Snell to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list. Jamie has been making his mark in comic book and entertainment as a freelance illustrator for over ten years since he graduated from the Columbus College of Art & Design, and earned himself a B.F.A. Snell has worked with top properties with the likes of Transformers, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, Heroes, and Terminator among many others. His recent projects include Lord of the Rings Masterpieces II sketch cards from Topps and New Line Cinema, various Beast Wars Source Book profiles from IDW Publishing and Hasbro, Pop Gun Anthology from Image Comics, Cereal and Pajamas from Ape Entertainment. Jamie also inked the 2008 Harvey Award winning Image Comics anthology Popgun Vol. 1. Visit Jamie online at ragelion.com to learn more about him and see samples of his work.

Special Guest: Brett Pinson

A very warm welcome to Brett Pinson, who will join us as a special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Brett is a professional comic book writer who got his start with the self published title Boomtown Scabs. Brett has continued writing, coloring, lettering and publishing with new titles The Expendables and the Adventures of Carl. Brett’s work also appeared in Incessant Yarns with two comic stories about Socrates Papadopoulos, Gunslinger, which will be published in 2010 with 2 new stories. Brett is also a part of the Detroit Iron Circle with Kevin Leen and Tony Miello publishing comics for Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-In. Comics in 2009 from Boomtown Press and Brett Pinson are issue 4 of Boomtown Scabs. Brett also does Animation Style Art cells which he will have along with his other work at Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Visit Brett online at boomtownpress.com to learn more about him and his work.

Special Guest: Darryl Banks

It is our pleasure to welcome Green Lantern artist Darryl Banks to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest line-up. Darryl is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design who began his comics career in 1989. In 1993, he started working with DC Comics on Legion of Superheroes and later on Green Lantern. Co-creating the Kyle Rayner Green Lantern, Parallax, and other characters was a great honor and challenge for Darryl's costume design skills. In addition to various other projects for DC, his work includes Tomb Raider: Epiphany from Top Cow, GI Joe Reloaded for Devil's Due, Johnnie Zombie for Midgard Comics, covers to Moonstone's Phantom, and many more. Currently, Darryl does concept art and toy design for clients that include Hawthorne Village collectibles, Hasbro, Mattel, Filsinger Games, Cartoon Craft LLC and many others. Visit Darryl's gallery at ComicArtFans.com to learn more about him and see samples of his work.

Special Guest: Mike Grell

It is our pleasure to announce that Mike Grell will return to Mid-Ohio-Con as our special guest in 2009. The acclaimed creator started his career in comics in 1973 with DC Comics, working on titles such as Aquaman, Batman, The Phantom Stranger, and most notably Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes. He cemented his status as a fan favorite with his best-known creation Warlord, one of the first sword-and-sorcery comics and reportedly the best-selling title published by DC Comics in the late 1970s. Through the 1980s, Grell developed grittier, down-to-earth titles such as the groundbreaking Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters at DC Comics and his creator-owned Jon Sable Freelance and Starslayer at First Comics. Much to the joy of his legions of fans, Grell returned to DC with a new Warlord title launched 2009 to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the celebrated comic and his current work can also be seen in The Pilgrim online comic from ComicMix.

Special Guest: Mark Evanier

A very warm welcome to Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 special guest Mark Evanier who just won an Eisner Award at San Diego Comic-Con for his book Kirby: King of Comics. Mark is an acclaimed writer whose work in comics and television has been at the forefront of pop culture for forty years and counting. In television, Mark has written for animated cartoons, including Scooby Doo, Plastic Man, Thundarr the Barbarian, Richie Rich, The Wuzzles, Dungeons & Dragons, and Garfield and Friends, a seven-season series for which Evanier wrote or co-wrote every episode and acted as voice recording director. He has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for animation by the Writers Guild of America. In comics, Mark is probably best known for his collaboration with Sergio Aragones on Groo the Wanderer and other indie favorites such as DNAgents, Crossfire and many more titles.

Special Guest: P. Craig Russell

It is a pleasure to welcome Harvey and Eisner Award–winning artist and writer P. Craig Russell to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list. Russell is a true virtuoso whose diverse body of work includes pioneering adaptations of literary and operatic classics as well as mainstream collaborations with creators such as Roy Thomas, Neil Gaiman, and Mike Mignola for DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, and Eclipse. Russell broke into comics in 1972 with his 11-issue run on Amazing Adventures, followed by his Marvel graphic novel Killraven. In 1984 Russell began work on his adaptations of literary and operatic works by Rudyard Kipling, Maurice Maeterlinck, Oscar Wilde, Mozart, and Wagner. Russell has been a frequent collaborator with Neil Gaiman, working on Sandman and adapting into comics form Gaiman's Murder Mysteries and Coraline, for which he won an Eisner Award in 2009 .