Hello readers! Unfortunately, it’s been way too long since my last post. But to make up for that, I’m going to put together everything I know about Baltimore Comic-Con 2016 so far into one post.
First of all, the most important thing. This year’s Baltimore Comic-Con is 2-4 September. I really love Baltimore Comic-Con because it’s a big enough show to attract some of the great big names of comics (Mark Waid, Scott Snyder, Frank Cho, David Finch, etc), but it’s still small enough that you can always get into the panels you want to see without having to spend forever waiting in line like some of the more famous conventions on the east and west coasts. So if you live within driving distance, make sure you buy your tickets!
While I don’t self-identify as a Brony, my four year daughter has caused me to be immersed in the world of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I have to say that I definitely understand why it has cross gender appeal and also appeals to adults as well as kids. Well, if you are into My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or have a little one who is, you’ll be in luck at this year’s Baltimore Comic-Con. Five MLP creators will be coming to the show! Katie Cook who’s not only known for her work on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, but also Adventure Time Comics, Haunted Mansion, and her own Gronk: A Monster’s Story will be there. Andy Price will also be there. In addition to art duties on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, he’s also done Littlest Pet Shot, Candy Capers, Samurai Jack, and Betty and Veronica. Nei Ruffino has done covers for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic in addition to being a colorist for Amazing Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, Tales of Wonderland, and Grim Fairy Tales. Chad Thomas has done art for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and My Little Pony: Friends Forever as well as Adventure Time with Fiona and Cake, The Middleman, Megaman, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He’ll be in the Kids Love Comics Pavillion this year. Every year when I pass by there, I see lots of kids having a blast and becoming new fans of comics. Finally, Thom Zahler, who is best known for his self-published comic Love and Capes has been a regular at Baltimore Comic-Con. He’s also contributed writing and pencils to the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic universe. In fact, I had him sign a trade for my daughter a couple years ago.
I’ll have a huge list of all the creators thus far confirmed at the end. Let’s get to the actors who’ll be here this year. Sean Astin who you might know from a little film trilogy called Lord of the Rings will be in attendance this year. Of course he hasn’t just been sitting on hobbit money, no he’s also voicing Raphael on the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot. Haley Atwell, the star of Marvel’s Agent Carter will also be at Baltimore Comic-Con this year. This continues the trend of Marvel TV characters being at Baltimore Comic-Con. Both of these actors have special tickets you’ll need to buy in addition to the attendance tickets. Make sure you check those out NOW because they might sell out!
The guest of honor this year is responsible for a great chunk of my childhood. Kevin Eastman, creator of a black and white comic in the 1980s called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The comic was meant to be a send up of super hero comics and ended up becoming a HUGE universe unto itself. It spawned the 80s cartoon that I grew up with, a series of live action movies, a few more cartoon series (including the current Nickelodeon series), a Michael Bay movie, and a newer series at IDW. I’m excited at the possibility of speaking with Mr Eastman. And you should be too!
Well, who else is confirmed? Baltimore Comic-Con started off their press releases this year with the first 100 guests listed and have just been adding more and more. So here’s the big list – take a look and see who you’re going to have to make time to talk to and take photos with:
Neal Adams (Superman: The Coming of the Supermen); Scott Ethan Ambruson (Azteca: Ciudad Paradiso); John Anderson (The Infinites); Sean Astin (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Hayley Atwell (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); Jeff Balke (Zombies vs Cheerleaders: St. Patty’s Day Special); Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl); Marty Baumann (Pixar artist); Carolyn Belefski (Curls); Christy Blanch (The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood); Bret Blevins (Harley Quinn Road Trip Special); Danica Bradshaw (Wayward); Nick Bradshaw (Spidey); Reilly Brown (Deadpool); Harold Buchholz (Archie Comics); Dave Bullock (The Rocketeer at War!); Jim Calafiore (Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis); Ben Caldwell (Scooby Apocalypse); Chris Campana (The Accelerators); Richard Case (Doom Patrol); Christa Cassano (Ghetto Klown); Mike Cavallaro (The Fox); Elias Chatzoudis (Grimm Fairy Tales presents Oz: Reign of the Witch Queen); Howard Chaykin (Imperium); Sean Chen (Aliens vs. Zombies); Lee Cherolis (Little Guardians); Frank Cho (The Totally Awesome Hulk); Amy Chu (Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death); Steve Conley (Bloop); Richard Clark (Archie vs. Predator); Katie Cook (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic); Stephen Coughlin (Sanctuary); J. Robert Deans (Crass Fed); Jeff Dekal (New Avengers); J.M. DeMatteis (Scooby Apocalypse); Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts); Charles C. Dowd (Lilith Dark); Paris Cullins (Blue Beetle); Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Joe Eisma (Morning Glories); Tod Emko (A Piggy’s Tale); Joe Endres (Colossians); Steve Englehart, courtesy of Hero Initiative (Captain America); David Finch (Batman); Meredith Finch (Wonder Woman); Veronica Fish (Archie Comics); Chris Flick (Capes & Babes); Ramona Fradon (Spongebob Freestyle Funnies); Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie); Franco (Aw Yeah Comics: Action Cat!); Alexis Frederick-Frost (Adventures in Cartooning); John Gallagher (Buzzboy); SL Gallant (G.I. Joe); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Batman ’66: The Lost Episode); Joe Giella courtesy of Hero Initiative (Green Lantern); Keith Giffen (Legends of Tomorrow); Jason Gounger (Legio Ex Mortis); Anna Gownley and Jimmy Gownley (The Dumbest Idea Ever!); Stephen Green (The Legacy of Luther Strode); Dawn Griffin (Zorphbert & Fred); Rob Guillory (Chew: Demon Chicken Poyo); Laura Lee Gulledge (Will & Whit); Brian Haberlin (Witchblade), Bo Hampton (3 Devils); Dean Haspiel (The Fox); Meghan Hetrick (Red Thorn); Jason Horn (Ninjasaur); Adam Hughes (Betty & Veronica); Ken Hunt (Talon); Al Jaffee (MAD Magazine, Saturday panel and Harvey Awards only); Paul Jenkins (Replica); JG Jones (Strange Fruit); Justin Jordan (The Legacy of Luther Strode); Dan Jurgens (Action Comics, Saturday & Sunday only); Chris Kemple (Red Vengeance); Tom King (Batman); Barry Kitson (Empire: Uprising); Samantha Kyle (Paul & Olly); Hope Larson (Batgirl); John Layman (Chew: Demon Chicken Poyo); Paul Levitz (Doctor Fate); Mike Lilly (Red Agent); Nate Lovett (Actionverse Featuring Midnight Tiger); Joe Linsner (Harley Quinn); Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space); Mike Manley (The Phantom); Mark Mariano (The Other Side of Hugless Hill); Laura Martin (Wonder Woman); Ron Marz (Convergence: Batman and Robin); John McCrea, courtesy of Hero Initiative (Judge Dredd); Ed McGuinness (Spider-Man/Deadpool); Tradd Moore (The Legacy of Luther Strode); Mark Morales (Convergence); Joe Mulvey (SCAM); Jamar Nicholas (Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America); Fabian Nicieza (Deadpool & Cable: Split Second); Chris Otto (A Dog’s Life); Greg Pak (Teen Titans); Tom Palmer (Doctor Strange); Yanick Paquette (Batman/Superman); Dan Parsons (Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle); Candice Patton (The Flash); Brent Peeples (Gold Key: Alliance); Paul Pelletier (Justice League); Andrew Pepoy (Futurama Comics); David Petersen (Mouse Guard); Brandon Peterson (Uncanny Inhumans); Lyle Pollard (Scarlet Huntress); Mark Poulton (A Cat Named Haiku); Eric Powell (The Goon); Andy Price (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic); Brian Pulido (Lady Death: Chaos Rules); Kyle Puttkammer (Hero Cats: Midnight Over Stellar City); Ron Randall (Convergence: Catwoman); Khary Randolph (Robin War); Tom Raney (Ninjak); Paul Renaud (Superman/Wonder Woman); Rafer Roberts (A&A: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong); Emily Romano (Comic Art House); Craig Rousseau (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl); Stephane Roux (Harley Quinn and Power Girl); Joe Rubinstein (Convergence: Batman and Robin); Nei Ruffino (Silk); Alex Saviuk (Spider-Man newspaper strip); Stuart Sayger (Hellboy 100); Mark Schultz (Conan the Slayer); Bart Sears (Bloodshot); Jeff Shultz (Betty and Veronica); Louise Simonson (Convergence: Superman – The Man of Steel); Walter Simonson (Ragnarok); Matt Slay (TMNT Micro-Series); Andy Smith (Earth 2, Thanos GN); Brian Smith (SpongeBob Comics); John K. Snyder III (Doctor Midnight); Allison Sohn (Red Sonja); Charles Soule (Star Wars: Poe Dameron); Jim Starlin (Thanos: The Infinity Finale); Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther); Ben Templesmith (Blackholers); Mark Texeira (Doctor Strange); Chad Thomas (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Amazing Adventures); Frank Tieri (Harley Quinn and her Gang of Harleys); Vivek J. Tiwary (The Fifth Beatle); David Trustman (The Rise); Billy Tucci (Harley’s Little Black Book); James Tynion IV (Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Rick Veitch (Miracleman); Emilio Velez Jr. (The Dodgeball Teens); Mark Waid (All-New, All-Different Avengers); Michael Watkins (Pantha); Todd Webb (Mr. Toast Comics); Mark Wheatley (Doctor Who); Matt Wieringo (‘Ringo Scholarship Fund); Marcus Williams (Hero Cats); Ron Wilson (Marvel Two-In-One); Rich Woodall (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl); Sasha Yosselani (Comic Art House); and Thom Zahler (My Little Pony: Friends Forever).