Image Expo - February 24-26, Oakland, CA.

[Sylent_Asassin Black Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Sylent_Asassin]

I just found out about this. Tickets are kind of on the expensive side for a first-time show. If I have time, I might check this out for one day.

http://www.imagecomicexpo.com/

Image Comic Expo

February 24-26, 2012

Image Expo is the premier comic con experience of Northern California in 2012. The three-day event takes place at the Oakland Convention Center February 24-25-26. Celebrating the creative spirit of independence, The Image Comic Expo commemorates the formation of IMAGE COMICS 20 years ago. But more than just looking to the past, the event showcases the evolving the comic market by spotlighting the future of the publisher.

Headline guests include IMAGE COMICS Founders & Partners Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino. Special guests for Image Comic Expo include BK Vaughan, Fiona Staples, Blair Butler, Ed Brubaker, Joe Casey, John Layman, Jonathan Hickman, and many more!

The Image Comic Expo is a fan fest spanning the latest and greatest from the world of comic books. From a show floor packed with over one hundred exhibitors, to an exciting artist alley, and autograph sessions and master-class workshops that give fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators, the Image Comic Expo brings the best of popular culture to the Bay Area!

Artists on hand will be:

Robert Kirkman
Erik Larsen
Marc Silvestri
Todd McFarlane
Jim Valentino
Rob Liefeld
Whilce Portacio
Blair Butler *
Joe Casey
Jay Faerber
Rob Guillory *
Jonathan Hickman
John Layman *
Larry Marder *
Ryan Ottley *
Nick Spencer *
Fiona Staples
Richard Starkings
Brian K Vaughan
Matt Wagner *

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

I plan to attend this event since there isn't a WonderCon in SF this year.

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

Here are some pics from the Image Expo.

Pretty light attendance. I think it's because it wasn't really advertised. It was basically word of mouth event.




There weren't alot of vendors attending this event either.




There were a good amount of creators at Artist Alley.




Here's a character name Black Alpha. I can't remember the creator's name but he's hoping to turn his character into an animated series.



You could probably walked the entire floor in about 3 minutes.




Aspen Comics was also part of the event.




Joe Benitez was on hand and so he signed my one of my issues




Peter Steigerwald was also on hand




Jimmie Robinson (creator of Bomb Queen) was probably the nicest guy at the show. I was talking to him about Bomb Queen and asked him to sign the Omnibust, and he was happy to see it since it's been about a year since he seen one. I bought TPB Vols. 4 & 5 for $10 each and he threw in Vols. 3 & All Girl Gang Bang trades for free.

He also did a quick sketch in the Ominbust.

[W.West Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close W.West]

I spy with my little eye, The Flash co-writer Brian Buccellato!

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

Johnathan Hickman was friendly and holding up my copy of the FF issue with the death of Johnny Storm.




The booth next to Hickman was Nick Spencer. I had him sign my copies of Morning Glories.





In the same row were Chew creators Rob Guillory and John Layman.





Blair Butler was also meeting and greeting fans. Blair is super nice with all her fans.




The Spawn booth displayed some upcoming statues and toys. The Walking Dead figures sold out.

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

Whilce Portacio, not surprisingly had a lot of Filipino fans attend the event.



Jim Valentino signing my copy of Shadow Hawk.




I dropped about 12 books in front of Liefield and he signed all of them.




Ed Brubaker was only there on Saturday but I did get a chance to meet him and have him sign my variant death of Captain America issue along with some others, as well as his Fatale book.





Fiona Staples and Brian K Vaughan signing for me while promoting Saga.




Elephant Men co creator




Robert Kirkman signing my copy of Marvel Zombies.




from the TV series Walking Dead, Steven Yeun at ImageExpo





Also signing at ImageExpo was Norman Reedus. On Saturday, security wouldn't let you take pics of them. On Sunday it wasn't a problem.

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

Saturday all the founders (except for Jim Lee of course) of Image did a signing.

Todd McFarlane is on the phone trying to find Robert Kirkman. BTW, Marc Silvestri looks like he could be a NBA center as tall as he is.




Beside Jimmie Robinson, Todd McFarlane was the nicest person. I thought he might Big Time the fans like J. Scott Campbell did to me once.





On Sunday, McFarlane did an impromptu signing. With a clip board, Todd just went down the line thanking fans for coming, shaking hands and taking photos. I'm glad I brought some more Spawn books for him to sign.



McFarlane has the most legible signatures out of any of the artists I've met. Additionally, he told fans "if an artist says he won't sign anymore autographs, call bullshit on him because that's what we do 12 hours a day, hold a pencil. If his hand is tired, he's a part-timer so give him a hard time for the hand cramp excuse."

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

I spy with my little eye, The Flash co-writer Brian Buccellato!

I wish I was better with matching names with faces. I feel embrassed asking "who are you?"

[Sylent_Asassin Black Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Sylent_Asassin]

There really isn't much that I can say or post about the show that Primus hasn't already. It was a nice, little show, but would have been better if there were more vendors.



Walking Dead had a pretty big turnout.



Robert Kirkman signing my comic.



I found this meter pretty humorous.



Todd McFarlane signing my books. Desipte what people say about him, he was pretty cool. We were told that the Image Founders would ONLY sign two books per person, but folks were still dropping multiple books and he happily signed them all... and I resisted the urge to ask him about McGwire's baseball.



My signed books. Sadly, I couldn't find Spiderman 300. What was cool was McFarlane changed Sharpie pens according to the color of the comic.



The one cosplayer at the show worth taking a photo of.



Books that Erik Larsen signed. He's a pretty big dude.



My favorite print of the show. If I went Sunday, I probably would have bought it.



Overall, the show was okay. It wasn't crowded at all so we had time to interact with the artists; something that will rarely happen at the large cons.

[ns2 Your Clash At Demonhead Find all posts View Profile Close ns2]

That guy is not an Elephantmen co creator he's always with them at conventions though, they just started doing a back up in the book called Charlie <3 robots, he's the artist for it

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

^ I wasn't sure who that guy is. I asked him if he was the creator of Elephant Men and he said he was. I guess dude wanted some attention.

[TheGoatLantern Beta-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close TheGoatLantern]

The Image guys are cool, I especially enjoy talking to Larsen and Valentino (Whilce too but I can't count him since he's a real friend). I remember talking to Valentino for for a couple hours about Image forming, pretty damn exciting coversation. I've met Todd once or twice, always was nice and very easily excitable. I can't say enough about those guys!

[ns2 Your Clash At Demonhead Find all posts View Profile Close ns2]

^ I wasn't sure who that guy is. I asked him if he was the creator of Elephant Men and he said he was. I guess dude wanted some attention.

Unless he creates stuff and doesn't get credit for it lol, but that doesn't seem like something Richard Starkings would do (great guy, met him at NYCC)

Gabe (guy in pic) did draw a page in Elephantmen 25; that was a special collab issue. I loved the page that he did.

[UltimateFighter Fatality's Blacksmith Find all posts View Profile Close UltimateFighter]

I wish I had gone. Had my daughter's U10 soccer game obligations on Friday (practice) and Saturday (game) ... I actually am the coach! We did end up in 1st place with 7 wins and 1 tie! Could have gone on Sunday but figured it would have been pretty cleared out but now that I know McFarlane was there ... Dang It! He's the only bigger popular artist from the IMAGE and the glory yet over produced comic book days that I really want an auto from that I haven't got. It was Liefield for a while but got his 2 years ago at Comic Con. Jim Lee always does WC so I've been able to get several through the years. Got Portacio at CC last year. Valentino maybe 3 or 4 years ago at WC. He's really nice. Signed 2 Shadowhawks and did a quick head sketch in one and did a full body in the other. I didn't even ask! Erik Larsen is the best though. The nicest coolest guy that always will do a Savage Dragon sketch for free on your comic or sketch book. I asked him last year at WC if he would do Spidey but he said no.

The quest continues for Todd McFarlane's auto!