2009 Exclusive: Spider-Man Mask

We are very pleased to unveil yet another exclusive for Mid-Ohio-Con 2009: A mask based on the iconic Spider-Man head that graced the cover of Marvel's direct sales editions in place of the UPC bar code throughout the 80s and 90s. We had artist Joe Rubinstein recreate the line art in larger scale and then had the art professionally colored in the Wall Crawler's signature red and black. We'll be handing out the masks free to attendees over the course of the weekend, so make sure to get yours!

2009 Exclusive: Billy Tan New Avengers Poster

We are pleased to unveil an exclusive New Avengers poster by superstar artist Billy Tan that will be given away at Mid-Ohio-Con. In addition to its breathtaking art, the poster gives fans their first gimpse at the dates for our big 30th anniversary show, which will be held on the weekend of November 6-7, 2010. The New Avengers poster will be limited to 1,000 pieces and will be given away to Mid-Ohio-Con attendees on Saturday and Sunday. Click on the image below to see a larger version of the poster art.

2009 Panel Schedule

Saturday, October 3rd

Panel Room 1

10:30 a.m. Good Morning, Mid-Ohio-Con!
Mid-Ohio-Con Founder and Publicity Director Roger Price will give you the full scoop on what’s happening at the show on Saturday. Whether you’re a first-timer or a Mid-Ohio-Con veteran, this is the right way to start your day.

11:00 a.m. The Creation of Wolverine
Writer Len Wein and artist Herb Trimpe debuted Wolverine in the final page of The Incredible Hulk #180 in October 1974. Get the scoop on the birth of one of the most iconic and successful characters in the history of comics from the creators themselves.

12:00 p.m. MOC Presents: James Kyson Lee
Join us as we spotlight featured media guest James Kyson Lee, who is best known for his starring role as Ando Masahashi, a quiet Tokyo executive who embarks on wild adventures with his time-traveling friend Hiro Nakamura in the hit TV show Heroes.

1:00 p.m. Sketch Card Panel
Sketch cards based on comics, film, gaming, and television properties are a hot market that has opened up new opportunities for artists. Sketch card artists George Calloway, Jonathan Gordon and Scott Simmons talk about how they broke into the business and what the major card companies are doing now.

2:00 p.m. MOC Presents: Bernie Wrightson
Join us for a panel discussion moderated by Brian Kane as we highlight the life and work of guest of honor Bernie Wrightson, a legendary creator who has been chilling, thrilling, and horrifying fans for more than four decades.

3:00 p.m. 1,000 Comics You Must Read
Comics Buyer’s Guide Senior Editor Maggie Thompson will lead a discussion with author Tony Isabella about his much-anticipated new book 1,000 Comics You Must Read, available fall 2009 from retailers nationwide.

4:00 p.m. DC versus Marvel
Dark Reign? Blackest Night? Explore who’s winning, who’s losing, and why in this creative and financial clash of the titans in the comic industry.

Panel Room 2

11:00 a.m. MOC Presents: Michael Golden
Comics Buyer’s Guide Senior Editor Maggie Thompson moderates a discussion with guest of honor Michael Golden, whose groundbreaking work on titles such as The 'Nam, Micronauts, G.I. Joe Yearbook, The Avengers, Batman, and Dr. Strange has dazzled generations of fans and established him as one of the most influential creators in comics.

12:00 p.m. Prince Valiant Panel
Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant strip is among the more powerful creative influences for creators in comics, film, literature, and film over the past 50 years. Join Foster’s biographer Brian Kane along with Mike Grell and P. Craig Russell in this celebration of Hal Foster and his creation Prince Valiant.

1:00 p.m. Men of Bronze III
Join moderator Mark Evanier along with Ron Frenz, Gary Friedrich, Tony Isabella, Herb Trimpe, and Marv Wolfman in this celebration of the spectacular 70’s and awesome 80’s, a period of incredible creative change and development for the comics industry.

2:00 p.m. All-Ages Comics Panel
Who says comics aren’t for kids anymore? Join moderator Marc Sumerak along with Art Baltazar, Jacob Chabot, Chris Giarrusso in this discussion about the successful push by DC and Marvel to create a broad array of titles that truly are entertaining for readers of all ages.

3:00 p.m. MOC Presents: Ray Park
Join us as we talk with featured media guest Ray Park, the fan-favorite action movie star who has played an incredible array of characters during his remarkable career, including his recent appearance as Snake Eyes in the summer blockbuster G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

4:00 p.m. Jack Kirby Tribute Panel
Join biographer Mark Evanier along with Barry Kitson, Scott Kolins, and Marv Wolfman in this celebration of the life and work of the King of Comics, Jack Kirby, whose contribution to comics and inspiration for generations of comics creators is truly unrivaled.

Sunday, October 4th

Panel Room 1

10:30 a.m. Good Morning, Mid-Ohio-Con!
Mid-Ohio-Con Founder and Publicity Director Roger Price will give you the full scoop on what’s happening at the show on Sunday.

11:00 a.m. Tony’s Tips Live
Tony Isabella presents a live version of his Tony’s Tips column, which has become a fan favorite for readers of Comics Buyer’s Guide and World Famous Comics Network. Enjoy his wit, wisdom, and even a dose of Tony’s Trivia in this session.

12:00 p.m. Swamp Thing: Panel of Secrets
Legendary creative team Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson will discuss the creation and legacy of Swamp Thing, which originally appeared in the pages of House of Secrets #92 in July 1971 and remains incredibly popular to this day.

1:00 p.m. Tales from the Marvel Bullpen
Join moderator Mark Evanier along with Gary Friedrich, Fred Hembeck, Tony Isabella, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman as they take a walk down memory lane to share amusing anecdotes and fond recollections from the Marvel Comics Bullpen.

2:00 p.m. Voice Animation Panel
Writer Mark Evanier, whose cartoon animation work ranges from Garfield to Thundarr the Barbarian, and Gregg Berger, perhaps best known as the voice of Grimlock in the Transformers cartoon, discuss voice work for animation, film, and video games.

3:00 p.m. Implications of Disney + Marvel
The acquisition of Marvel by Disney is sure to have ripple effects across comics, film, gaming, and television for many years to come. Join Comics Buyer’s Guide Senior Editor Maggie Thompson along with our panel of experts as they discuss the far-reaching implications of this historic transaction.

Panel Room 2

11:00 a.m. MOC Presents: Dick Ayers
Join us in celebrating the remarkable career of living legend Dick Ayers, who has spend over six decades working in comics and was one of the founding members of the Marvel Bullpen along with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

12:00 p.m. Web Comics Panel
Web comics are a dynamic medium that have opened new ways for creators and publishers to get their work in front of fans. Join moderator Steve Horton along with Lora Innes, Wes Molebash, Trevor Mueller, and Thom Zahler as they discuss the creative and financial aspects of web comics.

1:00 p.m. Investment Grade Collectibles Panel
Join Brett Carreras of Brett’s Comics Pile and VA Comicon along with his panel of comic dealers talk about what’s hot and what’s not in the investment-grade collectibles market. This session will focus primarily on high-grade comics from the Gold, Silver, and Bronze ages and is sure to be informative for pros and novices alike.

2:00 p.m. Sgt. Fury Retrospective
Join moderator Beau Smith along with creators Dick Ayers and Gary Friedrich as they discuss their definitive work on Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, whose characters have withstood the test of time and remain ever popular today.

3:00 p.m. Indie and Small Press Comics Panel
Indie and Small Press comics have always offered a way for creators to launch their work but have recently been recognized as one of the most fertile grounds for new ideas and breakout titles. Join Bob Corby, Lora Innes, and Chuck Moore for this panel discussion.

Mid-Ohio-Con Pre-Party at Packrat Comics

Friday, October 2, 2009

7:00 PM

3872 Lattimer Street

Hilliard , OH 43026

(614) 527-8450

http://www.packratcomics.com/

The celebration of the 29th annual Mid-Ohio-Con begins on Friday night at the House of Power, a party given by Packrat Comics, Hilliard' finest and most indie friendly comic book shop. The guys at the HOP not only will have FREE FOOD AND DRINKS , but also has the rock band Seven Book Trilogy. The party is open to fans and pros alike in a 4,000 square foot comic paradise!

Free Food, Drinks & Free Transportation from the Greater Columbus Convention Center
Comic Book Poker Tournament Buy In 35 dollar back issues for only $25.00.
And don't forget the Annex with over 200,000 comic books for only a dollar each!

Contact:

Teresa Colegrove
Packrat Comics
3872 Lattimer Street
Hilliard, OH 43026
(614) 527-8450
packratcomics@sbcglobal.net
http://www.packratcomics.com/

The PANEL Collective's 4th Annual Mid-Ohio-Con Party

The PANEL Collective presents their 4th annual Unmasked Party, a free and fun-filled gathering to celebrate the kickoff of this year’s Mid-Ohio-Con. The party is open to all comic fans, pros, exhibitors, attendees, and friends and family. Come and hang out, grab some food, chat, and maybe play some games.

• When: Friday, October 2, 8 PM till late
• Where: the eclectic Momo2. Just look for the bright orange sign!
• How: Click for a map or directions from the convention center. (Note: most ramps to 315 are closed, so avoid if possible)
• What: Free parking, free admission! Momo2 offers food, beer, pool tables, private karaoke rooms, board games, bowling lanes (!) and of course bubble tea

2009 Exclusive: Secret Wars Poster by Fred Hembeck

We are very pleased to present another great Mid-Ohio-Con exclusive giveaway! This poster features an homage to Mike Zeck's iconic Secret Wars #1 cover in the inimitable style of our special guest Fred Hembeck. A surefire hit with fans, the poster will be limited to 1,000 pieces and will be given away to Mid-Ohio-Con attendees on Saturday and Sunday. Click on the image below to see a larger version of the poster art.

2009 Exclusive: Love & Capes #11 1/2

Harvey Award-nominated creator Thom Zahler will be offering an exclusive copy of Love and Capes # 11 1/2 at both Mid-Ohio-Con and Baltimore Comicon. This special edition will actually feature the first twelve pages of the much-anticipated Love and Capes #12. The Mid-Ohio-Con version will feature Mark and Abby dancing in the sky above Columbus, and the Baltimore Comicon version will have them dancing over the night sky of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Best of all, each issue will only be $2.00 or free to Mid-Ohio-Con VIP ticket holders. Click to embiggen the Mid-Ohio-Con cover below and visit thomz.com to read more about Thom Zahler and his work.

2009 Exclusive: Tales of Awesome #1 Variant

A special variant cover of Tales Of Awesome #1 by Columbus Ohio's local Mutant Cactus Comics will be available exclusively at Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Tales of Awesome #1: Primary Directive, debuts the classic story telling style of Derek Watson that is complimented by the amazing pencils, inks and colors of Robert Gant with the final production touches by Danny Cooper. There is only one way to get the variant cover copy of this snazzy book. How is that you ask? All VIP Weekend Pass holders for this year’s Mid-Ohio-Con will receive this book for free as part of the ticket package. Mutant Cactus will have standard copies of Tales of Awesome #1 available at the show and you can visit mutantcactus.com for more information on Tales of Awesome.

Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 VIP Ticket Package

Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 VIP Passes are now available for online purchase on the TicketLeap web site. So what do I get for my $100 VIP Pass, you may ask? Well, VIP Pass holders will get the following:

• VIP access during show setup and preview hours on Friday
• VIP access during professional hours Saturday and Sunday
• VIP access to exclusive cocktail receptions with MOC guests
• Exclusive VIP badge with Chris Giarrusso original art
• Exclusive Mid-Ohio-Con poster by artist Barry Kitson
• Exclusive Mid-Ohio-Con poster by artist Fred Hembeck
• Exclusive Mid-Ohio-Con poster by artist Billy Tan
• Exclusive Mid-Ohio-Con edition of Love & Capes #11 1/2
• Exclusive ashcan edition of FX Vol. 2 from IDW Publishing
• Exclusive Mid-Ohio-Con Absolution #2 variant from Avatar
• Exclusive Mid-Ohio-Con Tales of Awesome #1 variant
• Exclusive Hot Stuff pin from Pop Culture Trading Pins
• Star Wars pocket model toy from exhibitor Bill's Bricks

We expect to announce more additions to the VIP Pass package in the next week. Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 VIP Weekend Passes are limited to 100 and will not be sold on site at the show, so make sure to order yours today before they sell out!

Exhibitor: Pop Culture Trading Pins

October is going to be one busy month for the folks at Pop Culture Trading Pins. On the weekend of October 3-4 they’ll be setting up shop at Mid-Ohio-Con. Then on the weekend of October 10-11 they’ll be making the journey to Baltimore Comic-Con.

Says Pop Culture's Andrew Satterfield "October is my favorite month of the year. The cool dry weather with Halloween right around the corner bring backs memories. I remember dressing up as Casper when I was about six years old. The costume was made of plastic, came out of a box, and was most uncomfortable. As miserable as I was in it, I wore it several days both before and after the trick-or-treating. Thinking back on those cherished memories made me decide to provide two new exclusives: Harvey pins featuring Hot Stuff and Wendy the Good Witch."

The Mid-Ohio-Con exclusive features Hot Stuff, The Little Devil. In this design, Hot Stuff is showing off his impish attitude as he finds a faster way to carve a pumpkin. This pin is numbered and limited to 125. However, 100 of the pins are being offered in the Mid-Ohio Con VIP package. This leaves only 25 available to the general public, so you better stop by early if you want to score a limited release.

Be sure to "Pop” on by exhibitor booth 716 to look over Pop Culture's growing inventory, and to score some sweet exclusives. You can check out Pop Culture Trading Pins online at popculturetradingpins.com.

Special Guest: Josh Medors

Josh Medors is a professional illustrator whose comic career took off after working with writer Steve Niles on various projects including Fused: Think Like a Machine, 30 Days of Night Annual, Dial M For Monster, Horrorcide, and In The Blood. Josh penciled Runes of Ragnan and The Gift for Image Comics, and G.I. Joe: America’s Elite and Chucky, among other titles, for Devil’s Due Publishing. Recently he has been working on the creator-owned series Willow Creek and Image Comics' Frank Frazetta's Swamp Demon. While working on both these titles, Josh was diagnosed with cancer. The discovery of a tumor growing in his spinal cord slowed him down but did not stop him. Since beginning treatment, he has already begun to finish Willow Creek and has started on his next Frazetta title for Image.

Special Guest: Joe Shover

Joe Shover is the creator and owner of Zonetrooper.com, independent publisher of Zonetrooper Magazine, and designer of the Strike Zone role playing game. Joe is the writer of Cronac: The Temporal Enforcer and Major Tom’s Journal, which is being serialized in Zonetrooper Magazine. Joe has had the honor of having his artwork shown and appreciated on-line, and selected for printing on T-shirts at Metalink.com. Aside from his writing and artistic endeavors, Joe also hosts the Zonecast, an entertaining yet informative podcast focusing on a wide range of interests and genres. Visit Zonetrooper.com for the full experience!

Exhibitor: Avatar Press

Avatar Press will be set up in 423 and 522 at Mid-Ohio-Con where they’ll be offering exclusive version of Absolution #2 among their other great titles. Check out Avatar Press online at avatarpress.com.

Absolution #2 Mid-Ohio-Con Exclusive
Cover: Michael Dipascale
Writer: Christos Gage
Art: Roberto Viacava
Readership: MR
Format: Full Color, 32 pages, 2 of 6

You've seen Christos Gage's work for Marvel, WildStorm, IDW and others, but you've never seen his imagination unleashed with absolutely no restrictions...until now. Absolution introduces John Dusk, a superhero in a world where they're a sanctioned arm of law enforcement. But this veteran hero has been scarred by his exposure to man's infinite capacity for evil, and he's seen one too many perpetrators escape justice. One day he crosses the line...lets a murderer die...and discovers it feels good. In this brutal second issue, John Dusk's campaign of exterminating criminals intensifies...as his girlfriend Karen reaches the conclusion that only an "enhancile" could have committed the murders she's investigating. We'll see that not all superhumans in John's world are on the side of the law, and meet some of the renegades, including the enigmatic Happy Kitty. And before the issue's over, someone will discover John's secret... He wants to be forgiven...but he doesn't want to stop. This Mid-Ohio-Con cover by painter Michael Dipascale will be available exclusively at the 2009 show and is limited to a run of only 750 copies!

Guest List Update: Yancy Butler

We are very sorry to report that we heard from Yancy Butler's manager that she will have to cancel her appearance at Mid-Ohio-Con 2009. Apparently Yancy will be going in for medical treatment, so we wish her the best of luck for a speedy recovery. Hopefully we'll be able to get Yancy back on the guest roster for our 30th anniversary show in 2010.

Special Guest: Wes Molebash

Wes Molebash has been drawing comics ever since his mom bought him a Bruce Blitz How to Draw Comic Strips VHS tape in the fourth grade. The cartoonist’s long-running web comic strip You'll Have That became an instant fan favorite as a slice-of-life comic following the lives of Andy and Katie, a newlywed couple in their twenties, as they tried to figure out life together. While You’ll Have That came to an end in January 2009, the strip has been collected in printed editions and a third and final volume is going to be published by Th3rdWorld Studios. Wes began a new comic strip called Myron and Charlie in March 2009 and he’s also working on a number of new concepts for comic strips and graphic novels. Visit Wes online at yhtcomic.com to learn more about the cartoonist and his fantastic work.

Special Guest: Dara Naraghi

Dara Naraghi is a writer who has worked on comics on all ends of the spectrum, from self-published titles to books based on multi-million dollar movie franchises. His debut graphic novel collection of slice of life stories, Lifelike, garnered many positive reviews. Working with IDW Publishing, he has written the prequel for the animated movie Igor, as well as the Terminator: Salvation official movie prequel, which spent 3 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list. His most recent graphic novel is The Absurd Adventures of Archibald Aardvark: Bullets, Booze, and Beelzebub from Image Comics. Dara is also a founding member of the Columbus, OH-based comic book writers/artists collective known as PANEL. To date, he has contributed stories to and helped produce 14 volumes of their comics anthology, which he self-publishes under his Ferret Press imprint. Visit ferretpress.com to learn more about Dara and his work.

Special Guest: Jay Fife

Jay Fife is a portrait and pin-up artist known for realistic pencil drawings of beautiful women and fantastic creatures. Jay was featured in the September issue of Hustler Magazine in a two page gallery and spotlight and the October issue of Hustler where his pin-up of model Lola Lynn can be seen. Jay has work featured in the Victorian horror literary collection, The Willows and the cover for an issue of the horror anthology Cold Blooded Chillers from Heske Horror. Jay's work can also be seen in several publications from Bad Place Productions, Pickle Press, Arcana Comics and PKD Media. At Mid-Ohio-Con 2009, Jay will be displaying the first of a series of mini-comics about his original story and creation, Mary Monster. He will have prints & books available for purchase and signing including full-color prints of the Lola Lynn Devil Girl adult pin-up that was featured in Hustler. Jay will also be available for sketches and commissions. Visit Jay online at jayfife.com to learn more about the artist and his work.

Special Guest: Lora Innes

For several years after graduating from Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), Lora Innes worked as a commercial illustrator and dabbled in comics on the side. Now she works full time as a comic book illustrator who dabbles in commercial illustration. (She likes it better this way.) Lora's first solo publication, The Dreamer, is a collection a six issue mini-series which was published by IDW Publishing in 2008-2009. The Dreamer began as a webcomic in 2007 and quickly gathered a large, cult-like following online. After collecting multiple web awards, IDW noticed the title and decided to put it into print. It turned out to be a good decision since this year The Dreamer was nominated for two Harvey Awards: Best New Series, and Best New Talent for Innes herself. She has also done works for DC Comics/Vertigo's American Splendor. Learn more about Lora and her work online at thedreamercomic.com.

Special Guest: Gary Kwapisz

Gary Kwapisz was one of the first wave of Fantagraphics trouble-makers, and there he helped to cause much mayhem in the comics business. He left them with his reputation at such a low ebb that he was forced to trick Larry Hama into giving him work on Crazy magazine. There to help it in its demise and cancellation, he rode Larry's coattails to the Conan books, where he spent eight happy years working on the big barbarian's books, mostly Savage Sword. From there he went on to work on characters such as Airboy, the Punisher, and Harvey Pekar. After 15 years in the comic biz, he decided to look into the wider world of illustration to see what it had to offer, and in ten years he worked on many projects, as diverse as Sesame Street and the Jurassic Park movies. After many years, his love of history and comics has brought him back to the comics biz, partnered with his old partner Chuck Dixon. Gary and Chuck have formed their own publishing company, History Graphics Press. Their first graphic novel, Civil War Adventure, should be out soon.


View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Special Guest: Paul Storrie

Paul Storrie has been writing comics professionally since 1998, starting with Robyn of Sherwood, a series about the daughter of Robin and Marian taking up the cause 15 years after the death of her parents. He has written extensively for Moonstone Books, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics, including his noted collaboration with David Lloyd in the 60th Anniversary anthology Captain America: Red, White & Blue. Paul authored the Shi-Tenth Muse crossover for Blue Water Productions and penned an installment of IDW Publishing's Star Trek: Alien Spotlight series. Storrie has also contributed extensively to the Graphic Myths & Legends line of graphic novels from children's book publisher Lerner Books. Currently, he is working on a remastered edition of Robyn of Sherwood with original series artists Rob Davis and Michael Larson, finishing off a mini-series for Bluewater Productions, penning a prose story for a Moonstone horror anthology, and just started writing a cross-genre action/comedy graphic novel aimed at Tween girls.


View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Special Guest: Ken Wheaton

Ken Wheaton has been a contributing artist to Simpsons Winter Wing Ding, Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror and Futurama. Other notable comic book work includes Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, I Dream of Jeannie, The Phantom, Buckaroo Banzai, Kolchak The Night Stalker, Moonstone Monsters: Demons, El Mucho Grande: Wrestler For Hire, his creator-owned Burger Bomb and now Popeye The Sailor. In addition to comics, Ken has most recently completed artwork and designs for a series of television ads for Toyota and McDonald's and Douglas The Fir Tree Wants Leaves, a children's book written by the late Kenneth "Tiny" Glover. Ken conducts art demonstrations and teaches workshops that introduce students to the fundamentals of comic book writing, layout, and illustration through the process of creating original comic book stories. Check out his work in Popeye The Sailor from Premium Pop Comics/CLI 2.0 at Mid-Ohio-Con and visit him online at www.kenwheaton.com.


View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Special Guest: George Broderick Jr.

George Broderick Jr. began cartooning at age five when he peddled drawings of Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker and Popeye from the back of his little red wagon to the unsuspecting neighborhood moms for a nickel a sketch, which George still considers one of the highlights of his freelance career. George has worked as a professional in comics since 1982. Since then, he has written stories for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, among many others. George's most recent art work includes Courageous Man Adventures, Stardust & Thor, Suicide Blonde, El Mucho Grande, and Christmas Eve for Comic Library International, the Simpson’s Radioactive Man for Bongo Comics, Mummies, Ghosts, Kolchak, The Night Stalker and Suckulina for Moonstone Books. Check out his work in Popeye The Sailor from Premium Pop Comics/CLI 2.0 at Mid-Ohio-Con and for more on George's career or to purchase gobs of really top drawer stuff, visit him online at georgebroderick.com.


View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Special Guest: Chris Yambar

Award-winning creator Chris Yambar is best known for his work on such titles as Bart Simpson Comics, Radioactive Man, I Dream of Jeannie, Mister Magoo, and Elfquest. He has also received acclaim for his own over-the-top characters such as Mr. Beat, the Fire-Breathing Pope, El Mucho Grande—Wrestler for Hire, Suicide Blonde, Spells, Meow Wow!, Twerp and the Blue Baboon, Faith: Warrior Princess, Bambeano Boy, Misfits, McBride—the Faerie King, Suckulina: Vampire Temp, Life Maxx, Edison's Frankenstein 1910, and Buttler—Everyone's Favorite Impacted Pup. In late 2007 Chris signed an animation development deal with Cinemanix which is now working on test animation for several of his creator- and co-creator-owned properties. Check out his work in Popeye The Sailor from Premium Pop Comics/CLI 2.0 at Mid-Ohio-Con and for more Yambar-related stuff, go to www.yambar.com.


View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Team Popeye to Appear at Mid-Ohio-Con 2009

Mid-Ohio-Con will be hosting the only Ohio appearance of Team Popeye, who will be signing copies of the rarest new Popeye comic ever. The Popeye creative team, which consists of Chris Yambar, George Broderick Jr., and Ken Wheaton, will be signing copies of Popeye Picnic #1—the first all-new full-length 32-page comic featuring the famous two-fisted sailor icon in over three decades. To be clear, the Ocean Comics wedding issue is considered a fantasy story featuring the characters from the Popeye movie and not the legit strip character cast. So how rare is this comic? Here's the lowdown: it is a comic book premium that was created specifically for the town of Chester, Illinios, for their 30th annual Popeye celebration, which coincides with the beloved character's 80th birthday. This item will not be available in stores anytime soon. Yep! You heard that right, friends! This comic may be one of the most sought-after comic collectibles of the year—and only Mid-Ohio-Con will have Popeye Picnic #1 and make it possible to have the comic signed by the actual creative team in person. George and Ken will be on deck at Mid-Ohio-Con both days, and Chris will only be at the show on Saturday due to another charity event to which he has committed. Make sure that you get to these guys early because the supply will be super limited for this event. It feels great to finally be able to let this cat out of the . . . spinach can! Arf! Arf! Arf!




View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Special Guests: Pat & Shelly Block

Pat and Shelly Block are a popular writing and drawing team behind stories for various Walt Disney comic books around the globe. They have received a pair of Harvey Award nominations in 2008 for Best Story and Best Original Graphic Album for their Donald Duck mystery The Case of the Missing Mummy. Working out of their studio and art school, Art Quest, in Pennsylvania, the ducky duo has produced thousands of pages of story art for fans of every age. Look for their short stories currently running in the Gemstone titles Walt Disney's Comics and Uncle Scrooge, as well as special one-shots featuring their newer longer tales. In addition to his art in comics, Pat Block paints incredible Disney oil paintings, some of which were recently featured in a Carl Barks retrospective exhibit at Geppi's Entertainment Museum.


View the full Mid-Ohio-Con 2009 guest list.

Special Guest: Keith Pollard

Keith Pollard is a comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics. Pollard had the distinction of working on three of Marvel's best-selling titles simultaneously when he was penciling Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man, and Thor during the late 1970s and early 1980s. During his stint with Marvel, Pollard co-created the Black Cat with writer Marv Wolfman. He is also widely remembered for his work on the original Deathlok stories in Astonishing Tales. In the early 1990s, he drew all the character profiles for The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition. Pollard also worked extensively for DC Comics, including pencils on Green Lantern and Vigilante.

Special Guest: Arvell Jones

Arvell Jones is part of an amazing group of comic book industry talent that came from the Detroit area in the mid-1970s. The group also included Rich Buckler, Al Milgrom, Keith Pollard, and Jim Starlin. Arvell first began working at Marvel on titles such as Iron Man, Thor, and Iron Fist with his early appearances in Marvel Premiere. In the early 1980s, Arvell also did some work for DC Comics, including its Super Team Family and Superman Family titles. The comic book that Arvell is most associated with is DC's All-Star Squadron, which he worked on with his friend Roy Thomas. Arvell is now a successful television producer, but he still does comic book commissions and attends conventions to meet his fans when his schedule allows.