Teaser: Neither sleet, snow nor dead of night will keep this reporter from her appointed tasks: cosmopolitans and comics.
Big white pillars and that age-old colonialism that comes with white domes that light up in the night sky is the last place I ever pictured to attend a comic book convention. The Hilton Columbus, nestled in the Yuppieville of the Easton Town Center, end-capped a street lined in a Virgin Megastore, Cheesecake Factory and Barnes & Noble. On the snowy weekend after Turkey Day, Roger and Jane Price threw the twenty-fourth annual Mid Ohio Con.
Am I name-dropping? You bet, when the names are this good to drop.
After hitting the box office, the main drag down and around was lined with publishers and guests – I just loved seeing all the independent publishers and retailers right there. I don’t know about anyone else, one of the most exciting things about going to a comic con is to check out the new and up-and-coming. And that’s just what was up on the appetizer menu—Ferret Press, Feral Comix, IDW Publishing, Instant Press Comics, Moonstone, Midgard Comics, Pickle Press, Sisters Comics and World Famous Comics. I had the best time meeting and seeing what everyone had to offer.
It was a bit eerie how nice and friendly everyone was…not in that semi-sincere way that you get sometimes.
Whose idea was it to tuck Walter Koenig in next to Andy Hallett, Mark Lutz and James Leary? Not only do you get a plethora of fans wedging in for their minute next to the spotlight, but the gawkers to the yucks tend to clog the isle just a bit. But who can really blame them, eh? No one – not one complaint did I hear passing by.
But if you managed to ease on down, around the corner held even more celebrity delights, like Chris Golden, David Carradine, Mark Waid, Thom Zahler, Paul Jenkins and Alan Davis. And if that isn’t enough of a feast for any fanboy, there’s a whole Regent Ballroom filled with media guests, comic artists, writers and creators: Pam Bliss, Steve Lieber, Bob Ingersoll, Mike Avon Oeming and Bill Willingham.
Buried under the names yet? I haven’t even got to all the goodies in the Dealer Room – no, I’m serious. I never got to all the goodies in the Dealer Room.
On a side note: this reporter would like to personally apologize for going all fangirl over Matt Feazel. See, Matt’s local to the Motor City, and when I left for sunnier skies (literally), I thought I wouldn’t get my regular fix of Cynicalman. When I saw him there, I just went a wee bit in the higher octaves when greeting him…coming out of the bathroom. Sorry, Matt – thank you for being so gracious.
And I hope the book and painting purchase later helped.
Remorseful you missed? Here, let me put a bit more pepper on your poppycosh. The best panels consisted of Angels With Demon Face, starring those from “Angel” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Brian Michael Bendis, Paul Jenkins, Mark Waid and Mark Verheiden shared their thoughts about writing at Write On! And artists Jay Hosler, Chris Yambar, Dan Mishkin, Mark Wheatley and Michael Avon Oeming spoke of their muses in the panel Where Do Your Ideas Come From?
If you’re thinking you’re too full already, allow me to offer up this wafer thin mint of Caritas At The Con, one night only (thank the gods) of karaoke at The Hilton Jazz Club. I kept waiting for the trio from the night before to show up in protest. But oh no, I got stuck with the memory of the Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) singing.
At a comic book convention.
Yeah, don’t know just where to file that.
Thinking by now you’ve missed a fabulous convention? Well, you have. Despite all the celebs and professionals, the air stays stress-free and even-keel. Con-goers seemed pretty happy; many a smile did I see on faces. And should something rather negative occur, I witnessed more than one person just chalk it up to bad timing or an off day rather than let such an experience change points of view or blow up into some drama.
Interesting. I wonder how Con Organizers manage that.
After turkey and dressing next year, pencil in a visit to the silver anniversary Mid Ohio Con. Trust me, whether you’re into comics or not, you’ll enjoy it.
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