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Emerald City Comicon: This Geek’s Odyssey Day One

 

The Lines Room outside the massive line room at ECCC - ComicsBlend.com

  Emerald City Comicon is here! Stars, swag and geek dreams come true all on display for eager fans. The Washington State Convention Center became geek ground zero. At we waited for the 2pm opening the Skybridge was stuffed with fans then there were seven lines of eager geeks packed in a giant panel room with another huge line out beyond the entry way.

 

Matt Fraction at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

Today’s agenda was autographs! Matt Fraction was my first – he recognized me from the previous two years – sigh! I had him sign Fear Itself #1 Casanova: Avarita #1 and #2, The Mighty Thor #1 and The Defenders #1. Matt draws clever word balloons on the covers too for that unique touch. Matt’s wife is Kelly Sue DeConnick. I was thrilled to talk about her upcoming new book starring Ms. Marvel now as the new Captain Marvel (she gave out some cool Captain Marvel promo buttons!) and scoop on her next Castle graphic novel.

Ed Brubaker at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  Seattle’s very own Ed Brubaker always has a huge line of fans and the celebrity status is well deserved. While he autographed Captain America #1, The Winter Soldier #1 and Fatale #1 we discussed the sell-out success of Fatale, his creator owned horror mystery and Bucky Barnes back as the Winter Soldier.

 

Gail Simone at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  Gail Simone is a fan favorite for her Birds of Prey, Secret Six and Wonder Woman runs and for being a trailblazing female writer. I had Simone autograph her recent Batgirl #1, and Wonder Woman #600. I also had her sign my copy of The Power Within, an anti-gay bullying comic published by Seattle’s own Northwest Press. She was a contributor. Simone and her outstanding career is celebrated in a Saturday panel.

With Gail Simone at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  Rick Remender had a breakout year in 2011. I had Remender sign several of his Uncanny X-Force issues and his first Secret Avengers issue. Remender talks about his Fear Agent series and popular take on Marvel’s undercover teams in a Saturday spotlight panel.

 

Monsters & Dames Charity Book courtesy Emerald City Comicon

Adi Granov is a conceptual designer on the Iron Man and upcoming Avengers films. He created the cover for this year’s Monsters and Dames charity book. I had Granov sign several X-Men cover issues and scored his illustration book packed with covers and concept sketches! Art lovers buy this limited edition book and then hunt for the artists at the con who contributed.

With "Batman" artist Greg Capullo at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  The biggest surprise was Greg Capullo. The man is built and looks tough. This guy should be in superhero movies. He’s been working for decades to become an overnight sensation. Capullo was known for his work on X-Force, Spawn and Angela and  now he’s winning raves for his Batman. Capullo even had sketches of Scarecrow with the ECCC logo to sign and give away to every fan who came to his table.

 

Chris Burnham, artist on Batman Inc at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  DC Comics was very giving all day with free issues, posters and more cool swag at their booth. I happen to walk by at the right time. Chris Burnham, the artist on the upcoming Batman Inc, was making fan dreams come true with free sketches of their favorite DC icons. I asked for Batgirl. He was great to ask “which one, which era?” Chris created a New 52 Barbara Gordon Batgirl head shot that I’m having framed!

  The big get for ECCC and for any lucky fan: Marc Silvestri. I had been following Marc’s work since his Uncanny X-Men (I got the famous Wolverine crucified on a X cross issue signed) and Wolverine runs in the late 80’s and 90’s. Silvestri became a founding member of Image Comics and head of Top Cow Productions where he created hits like Witchblade and The Darkness. I snapped up The Art of Marc Silvestri retrospective book collecting his years of work. I was just above the cutoff line so I made it into the last bunch of fans to get this awesome opportunity for his autographs and one on one moment with a legendary creator.

 

Inside the Hall waiting for the mighty Marc Silvestri at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  All that (plus seeing crazy costumed fans and meeting my friends in Garrison Titan – the Star Wars fans who raise money for charity) in just 6 hours. Saturday is a full day with more autograph seeking, photo taking, hunting for rare comics and enjoying wonderful geek moments.

  Watch for a new post with the gallery of costumed fans!

Hulk Smash Avengers! Joe Casey Knows Avengers!

Hulk Smash Avengers #2 courtesy Marvel.com

  Hulk helped create the Avengers (thanks to Loki’s meddling) but didn’t stick around. When Marvel’s The Avengers hits the big screen the Green Goliath will be fighting with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes this May. Hulk Smash Avengers hits comic book stores that month too. The 5 part series will feature different teams telling tales of the big guy and his odd relationship with the team. Joe Casey and Max Fiumura reveal an untold tale of a clash between Hulk and the Avengers in issue two. Casey knows his continuity history and revealed when this story happens to Marvel.com.

  “This story fits in very specifically with Avengers continuity, right between issues #182 and #183,” he says. “For anyone who’s as obsessive about their Avengers continuity as I am, they would know that those were the members that would be hanging around the mansion at that point. Captain America’s in there, too, but there’s a reason why he’s not directly involved in going after The Hulk.”

Hulk Smash Avengers #2 courtesy Marvel.com

  “Like I said, I can be a nut about Avengers continuity, so I wanted to make sure this story fit perfectly into the timeline of a period that’s probably my favorite run of Avengers comics, the Michelinie/Byrne issues from the late 1970s,” he notes. “Those are the comics that really hooked me when I was a kid, so to find a way to fit our story into that continuity was extremely cool.”

For his entire interview and more awesome preview art by Fiumura here’s the Marvel link.

Geek confession: I had a subscription for the Avengers in the awesome Micheline/Byrne run and could kick myself for not saving them!

For an awesome retro X-Men tale by Casey – check out his Children of the Atom series with artist Steve Rude. Casey is appearing at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle this weekend.

Concrete Martians

Concrete MartiansbyMitch Cook

  Martians invaded Concrete, Washington back in the 1930’s or so the legend goes! Concrete is in the beautiful North Cascades north of Seattle. This old tale is the inspiration for a comic book just waiting for publisher.

  Mitch Cook is a good friend, fellow comic book reader and co-worker (our day jobs) with a dream of being published. I’m hoping this shout out will help. To all the editors and indie publishers at Emerald City Comicon – if you get approached by Mitch please give him a shot.

  This story of small town nightmares inspired by true events is chilling and fun. It’s the kind of creepy cool story Mulder and Scully of The X-Files would have loved digging into and you will too. If you enjoyed the stories of real panic inspired by the radio broadcasts of The War of Worlds this story has that flavor but with its own dark and clever twists.

Concrete Martians by Mitch Cook

    I love how the artist captured the small town 1930’s feel.  Enjoy this tale of paranoia, bizarre circumstances and the power of mass media on a small town. Hopefully Concrete Martians will be invading your comic book shop one day soon! Good luck Mitch! He also wrote a heckuva cool Kitty Pryde X-Men script that would be a perfect for an X-Anthology.

Michael Fassbender on “Prometheus” and the “Alien” Essence

Michael Fassbender in Prometheus courtesy 20th Century Fox

  At the Empire Awards Michael Fassbender spoke with Red Carpet News TV about his role in Prometheus. The interviewer asked if the star playing an android saw anything from the previous Alien films on set.

  “There are certain elements of the spaceship. There are threads of it there, there’s almost an aftersmell of it in the air, there’s the essence of it there,” Fassbender said.

  You can see the interview below including a joke about wearing Magneto’s helmet from X-Men: First Class.

Fassbender is playing an android named David. You can see a “commercial” for his character here. His android voice in the trailer is still chill inducing because you know David has “special” programming from “the company!”

Top 5 Picks for 3/28-12

 

Astonishing X-Men #48 courtesy Marvel

  Astonishing X-Men #48 New creative team. New adventure. The first chapter of what Marvel is calling “the most controversial story of the year.” Wolverine, Gambit, Iceman, and Warbird are joined by fan favorite GLBT characters, Northstar and Karma, on a mission in New York City. Marjorie Liu and Mike Perkins take over the team and have you saved the date? A June X-Men wedding has been promised so stay tuned to see the rocky road to the altar.

  Avengers Vs. X-Men #0 The return of the Scarlet Witch and her connection to Hope, the mutant messiah. Can the fallen Avenger redeem  herself? This is the book the kicks off the war between two of Marvel’s biggest teams as the Phoenix Force speeds on a collision course with Earth.

 

courtesy Terry Moore

Rachel Rising, Shadow of Death A young girl digs herself out of a grave with no memory of how she got there. This horror mystery is by legendary independent writer/artist Terry Moore. A preview of Rachel Rising will appear in this week’s The Walking Dead #95. Rachel Rising was the Zanadu Comics Book Reading Club Book of the Month.

  Dark Shadows Volume One If you’re excited by the upcoming Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie based on gothic soap opera then sink your fangs into this collection by Dynamite starring Barnabas Collins, the reluctant vampire tortured by a witchy woman.

  Archie #631 Betty and Veronica watch out! Riverdale’s triangle is about to get cattier! Valerie of Josie and the Pussycats is moving into town and into Archie’s heart.

Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence “Not Female James Bond”

 The Hunger Games conquered the box office. The story of teens forced to fight in televised battles to the death was number one. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen, the tribute from a poor district who volunteers to fight in place of her little sister. The actress became a skilled markswoman learning to master her character’s weapon of choice – the bow and arrow.

  “My character is not about looking cool with a bow-and-arrow — she’s heartbroken by all that she has to do. It was important for me not to look weak despite being hungry. If the film had been shot 20 years ago, Katniss may just have been a male character because of the dominance of men in cinema in the action genre,” Lawrence told the Hindustan Times. 

  This is Lawrence’s second action film. She played the young Mystique in X-Men: First Class. The Times asked her about the change in the trend in action films.

 “It’s great, because I feel like we’ve got to a place where we have strong female leads. We’ve got Lara Croft as the female James Bond. In Hunger Games, I am not the female James Bond, and I don’t have to be that to get to do action. I’m just a young girl who has been thrown in to this do-or-die situation. That, I think, is a great shift and symbolises acceptance of women in strong action oriented roles.”

 Given the box-office, I’m sure Lionsgate will greenlight sequels based on the other books in the series, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Lawrence will get to learn more survival and political skills as Katniss becomes a symbol of the uprising in the world of Panem.

Emerald City Comicon Countdown!

ComicsBlend.com

  Less than a week until Emerald City Comicon in Seattle! I wanted to share one of my favorite experiences from last year. Jim Cheung is one of my all time favorite artists. As I waited in line for my autographs and a sketch all these different characters kept popping in my head and when I got up there – I said “Mystique.”

  I had several books autographs, bought a Heroic Age print he signed and this Mystique sketch is framed and in my home’s entry way. This is one of the many great things I love about ECCC: meeting your favorite creators, talking about the books you love and maybe walking away with a unique work of art and definitely a great geek memory!

ComicsBlend.com

  Good luck to all of you coming to ECCC – hope you get to meet one of your favorites and have a great time in Seattle or at the con near you.

  Jim Cheung is providing covers for the upcoming Avengers Vs. X-Men mega series – hope I can have some of those autographed too.

AvX Captain America Goes After Wolverine

Wolverine and the X-Men #9 courtesy Marvel.com

  Captain America tries to secure old alliances as Avengers Vs. X-Men gets closer.

 

Wolverine and the X-Men #9 courtesy Marvel.com

  Marvel.com revealed new images of Wolverine and the X-Men #9.

  Cap arrives at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning to convince Logan to join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

 

Wolverine and the X-Men #9 courtesy Marvel.com

Artist Chris Bachalo rejoins Jason Aaron on this title. This is my favorite X-Men book.