Gaming At C2E2

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo celebrates the wide world of geeky pursuits outside of comics and entertainment, too, and, this year, we're excited to expand our offerings to gamers of all persuasions. From consoles, to cards, to miniatures, to broomsticks, we've got a lot in store for you. And, a lot of it is open late, so if you're a hardcore gamer, you can keep on playing long after the show floor is closed.

We've updated C2E2.com with all the information.  So, click here to get the details on our Gaming Badge, Tabletop Gaming, Console Free Play, Magic: The Gathering Tournaments, Rock Band Stage, Battlefield Gaming Lounge, and Quidditch Court!

The Snitches are people!

C2E2 Interview with Fred Van Lente

Mike Negin here, bringing you another interview from one of the many talented creators who'll be appearing in C2E2 Artist Alley. This time around, I got to sit down with writer Fred Van Lente whose work on Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies, Incredible Hercules, and Herc (just to name a few) has cemented him as one of the most insightful writers in the industry today. Fred is diligently working to bring Marvel's Alpha Flight back to the spotlight but was able to take a few minutes to talk about Power Man, Iron Fist, Cowboys, Aliens and Pirates.

Yar! Read The Interview Here!

Read more »

Kids Day Schedule Now Live!

Sunday, March 20th, we invite the young and the young at heart to celebrate Kids Day at C2E2.  While -- generally -- the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is a family-friendly event, on Sunday, C2E2 is happy to provide free admission to all those 12 and under to enjoy, create, and share in comics, literature, and pop culture.

Kids Day is centered around our Variant Stage on the Show Floor, and you'll find the Kids Day schedule now online!  What's on tap?  (Although, "what's on tap" may not be the best phrase for a Kids post.)  We've got WordGirl, Puss-in-Boots, Reading With Pictures, Franco, Art Baltazar, Katie Cook, costume contests, and more.  Click the above link for the full agenda.

Caturday!

Yes, that's James Franco and cats.

C2E2 Patton Oswalt Tickets Now Live!

Presented by Comedy Death-Ray, Patton Oswalt will take the stage at C2E2 along with Dan Telfer and Joe Mande in an evening hosted by Scott Aukerman.  Tckets are free for C2E2 VIPs, $10 for C2E2 ticket holders, and $25 for the general public. The show begins at 6:30 PM on Friday, March 18th in C2E2's IGN Theater (Room 375e).

Tickets are limited, and to grab yours before they're gone, visit C2E2's Comedy Death-Ray page now!

Anime Casting Call

The New York Film Academy is working on an anime reality TV series – Animated – and is casting fans this weekend. Love anime and have a passion to be on camera? Come on out to the Animated casting call – February 26 from 10 AM to 5 PM. Casting will take place at 568 Broadway, Second Floor, Room 210. Food and drink will be served, and you’ll be able to meet the New York Film Academy students behind the project.

Animated is a student initiative, with shooting taking place between March 5th and 13th. Those selected will attend Brooklyn-based anime con SpingfestNY on March 12.

The main focus of Animated is to explore the depth of anime fans, showing the people and personalities that can often be buried under the label “otaku”.

For more information, contact nyfaproducers@gmail.com.

C2E2 Shuttle Blasts Off

The space shuttle Discovery is making her final flight today.  In honor of this last launch, I wanted to talk about a shuttle a little closer to home.  C2E2's Convention Shuttle.  The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is offering a free shuttle bus all three days to attendees in and around Chicagoland.  From 8 AM to 8 PM, we've got three routes running between McCormick Place and these fine hotels...

The Best Western Grand Park
Comfort Inn and Suites Downtown
Essex Inn
Red Roof Inn
Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers

Not at a hotel but need a lift?  We've got you covered, as C2E2 shuttles will also be stopping at Union Station, the Hard Rock Cafe, and the 77 East Madison Graham Crackers Comics.

Get all the times and all the info on the C2E2 Shuttle Page.  If you can get youself to Graham Crackers, we can get you the rest of the way.

Chris Hemsworth Comes To C2E2!

Chris Hemsworth portrays the Norse God of Thunder in the Marvel Studios upcoming blockbuster Thor, releasing May 6th in theaters. Hemsworth will reprise his role as Thor in Marvel's 2012 film, The Avengers. He can additionally be seen in Star Trek, Ca$h and the upcoming Cabin In The Woods, and Red Dawn.

Fanboys and fangirls, Chris Hemsworth is coming to C2E2.

Celebrity Authentics is pleased to present Chris Hemsworth at C2E2 on Saturday, March 19. Mr. Hemworth's appearance will be very limited and will include a personal Meet & Greet and a Question & Answer session with fans. The Q&A will be first come, first served for all attendees in the IGN Theater. The Meet & Greet will be a separate, ticketed event.  Full details are coming soon, but buy your hammer now.

Patton Oswalt at C2E2

Comedy Death-Ray.  Beyond being perhaps the most ingenious name ever, Comedy Death-Ray is a little something created by former Mr. Show writers and performers BJ Porter and Scott Aukerman. Currently at Los Angeles’s fabled Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, CDR performs every Thursday night, featuring both up-and-comers and comedy greats including Bob Odenkirk, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, and Aziz Ansari.

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is very excited to bring Comedy Death-Ray to Chicagoland.  C2E2 is celebrating our second year with a very special performance on Friday night.  As the show floor closes, C2E2 and CDR will present an evening of comedy headlined by Patton Oswalt.

If you're unfamiliar with Patton, all you need to do is read his recent piece in Wired, Wake Up, Geek Culture. 

Need more?  As a comedian, Patton has shot three TV specials and two critically acclaimed albums. In August 2009, he released his third album, as well as a new Comedy Central One Hour Special -- My Weakness Is Strong -- which was distributed through Warner Brothers records and has received a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album. Currently a series regular on Showtime’s United States of Tara, Patton has also appeared as a guest star on The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central and Flight of the Conchords on HBO. He was also recurring on SyFy’s Caprica. Patton is a regular contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Real Time with Bill Maher, and Lewis Black’s Root Of All Evil.

Patton provided the voice for Remy, the rat, in Pixar’s Oscar-winning Ratatouille. He also voices characters on WordGirl and Neighbors from Hell. Patton hass also appeared in more then 20 films, including Magnolia, Starsky and Hutch ,and Reno 911!: Miami. Patton’s first published book Spaceship Zombie Wasteland has recently been released and is now on the New York Times Best Seller List for January 2011.

Tickets to Comedy Death Ray at C2E2 are free for C2E2 VIPs, $10 for C2E2 ticket holders, and $25 for the general public. Tickets go on sale this Friday.

Cebrewski

The C2E2 show floor closes at 7 PM. What do you do, then? Here's a little spoiler...

Cape (His) - Midori, Peach Schnapps, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, and Cranberry Juice

Tights (Her) - Midori, Peach Schnapps, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, and Cranberry Juice

Dark Lord - Sambuca, Cola, Grenadine, and a Cherry

Logan's Rum - Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Simple Syrup, and Sierra Mist

1 Up - Cherry Liqueur, Raspberry Liqueur, and Sauza

Cebrewski - Beer of your Choice and Bicardi Lemon

Details soon.

OD on Takashi Miike and Riki Takeuchi

This image is from Dead or Alive, © 1999 Kadokawa Shoten Co., Ltd.  It comes to you by way of NYC's Japan Society.  They're hosting a little film series in March titled Hardest Men In Town: Yakuza Chronicles of Sin, Sex, and Violence.  It runs March 9-19th, and we'll be talking about it more in a bit, but when I saw the above image, I had to post it.

I can't wait to OD on Takashi Miike and Riki Takeuchi.



Avatar Press C2E2 VIP Ticket

Didn't get your C2E2 ticket yet?  Perhaps our friends at Avatar Press can tempt you.  C2E2 exhibitor Avatar Press has announced they're offering a limited-edition VIP package for the 2011 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.  It's a $400 value for only $150, and limited to 75 sets.

The Avatar VIP package, in addition to a Weekend Pass to the show, includes special access to attending Avatar creators, merchandise, and graphic novels. The set's filled with an instant Avatar Graphic Novel collection suitable for both new and dedicated collectors and collectors' items! The Avatar collection consists of ten graphic novels featuring the work of creators including Mike Wolfer, Jacen Burrows and Dheeraj Verma...

Crossed Vol 1 TPB, Gravel Vol 1: Bloody Liars TPB, Gravel Vol 2: The Major Seven TPB, Gravel Vol 3: The Last King of England TPB, Night of The Living Dead TPB, Escape of The Living Dead: Resurrected TPB, Streets of Glory TPB, Warren Ellis's Strange Kiss TPB, Warren Ellis's Stranger Kisses TPB, Alan Moore's Yuggoth Cultures TPB, and the Crossed: Psychopath #1 C2E2 VIP Book

Further, you get four Art Prints all by creators at the show -- Crossed: Goth C2E2 2011 Print, Crossed: Sizzling C2E2 2011 Print, Escape of The Living Dead: Bride C2E2 2011 Print, and Lady Death: Assault C2E2 2011 Print -- and a Doktor Sleepless Plasma Globe Bust. For images, information, and to order, visit AvatarPress.com.

Remember, though, this item is offered by Avatar Press, and it's fulfilled by them as well.  It does not include the contents of the C2E2 VIP package.

Win Red State Tickets! See Kevin Smith!

Kevin Smith -- yeah, that Kevin Smith -- announced at the Sundance Film Festival that he'll distribute his newest film himself, Red State, himself.  While Smith is best known for his comedic films -- Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma, etc. -- Red State's a departure for him, his first horror film.  Featuring Melissa Leo, Michael Parks and John Goodman, it brings a group of teens together with religious fundamentalists with some sinister results.

Prior to the movie's release, Smith will be presenting a special series of advance screenings of Red State across the country, appearing at each, and following every screening with his stand-up act.  The Red State tour launches at the historic Radio City Music Hall in NYC on March 5.  You can get all the details at coopersdell.com.

Where do we come in?  We've got tickets to Red State and Kevin Smith at Radio City, and we're giving them away.  Here are the rules of the game...

1. Follow @ny_comic_con on Twitter to be eligible to win

2. Include #redstatercmh hashtag in tweets through Sunday, February 27

3. One winner will be chosen at random to receive a pair of tickets to Kevin Smith's Red State screening at Radio City Music Hall

Start you tweeting!

Caturday

Yes, it's a pug.  A pug is not a cat.  I know.

C2E2 Ticket Mailing Deadline! Today!

Today's Friday.  Yay.  The weekend.  Huzzah.  And a long weekend at that.  Saweet.  But, before you head out for drinks, tune into Fringe, or fire up Marvel vs. Capcom 3, be sure you've already bought your C2E2 tickets.  See, today's the final day you can buy tickets to the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo and get them mailed out.

Going to the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo? Want to see Bendis, Fraction, Ennis, and Eliza? Don't want to wait in the registration line?  Then order your tickets by midnight to get them sent out by USPS.

What happens if you order your tickets on February 19? You'll need to pick them up on-site.  And you don't want to do that.  No, you want to walk right in.  So, spare yourself the registration line and grab your C2E2 tickets now at C2E2.com.

C2E2 Panels and Screenings Online

128.  What's that?  That's the number of panels and screenings going on at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo this year.  From Marvel exploring Fear Itself to DC revealing what's next for the Green Lantern.  From presentations from our publishing friends at Del Rey, IDW, Dark Horse, Archaia, and Oni Press to fan programming from folks including Panels On Pages and Nerd City Online.  From professional panels from ComicsPRO to academic topics brought to you by the Comics Studies Conference.  From roundtables with webcomics artists to roundtables with video game creators.  From Editorial Cartoons to Evangelion 2.22.  From Eliza Dushku and the cast of Walking Dead on stage to C.B. Cebulski and Rick Bayless chewing the fat.  We've got a lot going on at the 2011 C2E2, and you can dig through it now at C2E2.com.

Of course, along with this news, we've got to make a few clarifications.  What you see online now is about 90% of C2E2's 2011 panels.  What you don't see is our Kids Day content nor all of what's going on in the IGN Theater.  Kids Day will be live next week, and we'll be announcing our IGN content bit by bit as soon as we can.

If you're unfamiliar with the IGN Theater, it's where NYCC and C2E2 host our movie and televsion panels, and while there's some IGN content in the panel listings thus far, there are some holes in the listings, too, and we're striving to announce what's in 'em before the month's though.

Also, we'll have a downloadable programming grid with everything at the show going live soon, too.  You don't need to ask for it, as it's coming, but it's not live just yet.

But, we'll get to all that.  Right now, flip on through the 2011 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's programming pages and start taking notes.  There's a big world of pop culture out there, and we're trying to stuff it all into McCormick Place.

PS: Why's there a tired old pug?  Because Kim's just finished with the panel upload, and she feels just a wee bit like this little guy right now.

The Hero Initiative Invites You To Avengers Mansion

Over the last three years, The Hero Initiative, a charity dedicated to helping older comic creators in medical or financial need, has created The Ultimate Spider-Man 100 Project, The Hulk 100 Project, and The Wolverine: Weapon X 100 Project -- collections of 100 original covers enlisting the aid of 100 top-flight artists.

This year, The Hero Initiative reprises the program with Marvel's premier super hero team. The Avengers! The call has gone out to create The New Avengers 100 Project, and artists across the world are putting pen to paper to contribute. Marvel Comics has generously donated 100 blank-covered cardstock copies of New Avengers #1 to The Hero Initiative, with artists including well-known stars such as Howard Chaykin, Ian Churchill, Mike Deodato, Terry Dodson, Steve Epting, Dave Gibbons, Adam Kubert and more raising their hands to contribute.

And we're honored to announce all 100 original New Avengers #1 covers will be on display for the first and only time at the 2011 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo!

C2E2, The Hero Initiative, and Marvel Comics would like to invite you to attend this very special unveiling. Taking place from 6 PM to 8 PM on Saturday, March 19 in Room 185bc of the West Building of McCormick Place, admission is a mere $5, or $3 if you show up wearing any Avengers costume. Tickets will be on-sale at the door starting at 5 PM. And, be advised, only 200 tickets will be sold. Your admission to Avengers Mansion also gets you a free raffle ticket to win a special New Avengers #1 wine bottle, covered in sketches from a variety of Avengers artists! Additional raffle tickets will be available for sale at the party. Cash bar available.

This star-studded event will be attended by Phil Hester, John McCrea, Alex Saviuk, and more. So, spend your Saturday evening with some amazing people for an astonishing cause.  And, for more New Avengers #1 images, visit C2E2.com.

C2E2 Ticket Mailing Deadline! Tomorrow!

A gentle reminder that C2E2's ticket mailing deadline is tomorrow.  C2E2 is coming up fast, and this means so is our ticket mailing deadline. If you order your tickets on or before Friday, February 18, your tickets be mailed via USPS to your address. What happens if you order your tickets on February 19? You'll need to pick them up on-site.  So, spare yourself the registration line and grab your C2E2 tickets now at C2E2.com.

Jeph Loeb and Gail Simone Lead New Comics Guests!

We've been talking about Eliza, Bayless, and various other entertainment names of late, but how about a few new comics guests from the Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo?  We're pleased to announce Jeph Loeb and Gail Simone lead off a new class of C2E2 guests...

Arvell Jones
Dexter Vines
Dirk Manning
Erik Perez
Gail Simone
Harry Hitchcock
Jeph Loeb
John McCrea
Marcus Perry
Marty Hansen
Paul Mounts
Ryan Benjamin
Tim Vigil
Timothy R Jensen

Gail Simone is a fan-favorite, multiple award-winning writer of comics and animation. She began her career writing the popular comics parody column, You'll All Be Sorry, for comicbookresources.com, which led to her writing Simpsons material for Bongo Comics, Deadpool for Marvel, and the creator-owned Killer Princesses (with co-creator and artist Lea Hernandez) for Oni Press. She has since written for many different publishers, including runs many consider definitive on books such as Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, the All-New Atom, and the cult favorite Secret Six. She has also written prose, game material, and animation, including episodes of Tomb Raider, Justice League Unlimited, Batman: Brave and the Bold, and was a co-writer of the Wonder Woman animated film.

Loeb is an Emmy Award-nominated and Eisner Award-winning writer/producer. His credits include Heroes, Lost, and Smallville. Jeph has written nearly for every major comics icon including Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Thor, Batman and Superman. Currently, Jeph is Marvel's Head of Television working on all animation and live action television.

Read all our new guests' bios now on C2E2's Guests Page.

C2E2 Sits Down With Jamal Igle

C2E2's Mike Negin recently sat down with artist Jamal Igle in the first of a series of talks with some of our show's guests.  Mike and Jamal discuss Supergirl, Zantanna, M*A*S*H, Superman: The Movie, Steve Rude, Dave Stevens, Brian Bolland, Jamal's first comic, his desert island fantasies, underpants.

Click here to read the full interview...

Read more »

Meet Me For A Beer In Chicago, Tonight!

I’m in Chicago for a some meetings and boring stuff this week, but I thought it might be fun to hang out. I’m going to be a the Goose Island Brew Pub on Clybourn Tonight around 730. Come out and I’ll buy you a beer and we can talk about C2E2 and anything else that is on your mind.
Drop a comment here if you think you might come out.
The address for Goose Island Brew Pub is:

1800 North Clybourn
Chicago, IL 60614
- Lance

C2E2 Autograph Tickets on Sale Now!

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's pleased to announce pre-orders for autograph tickets are now available for Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, Mark Sheppard, Laurie Holden, and Jon Bernthal. These guests will be signing and appearing through the show floor hours on both Saturday, March 19th and Sunday, March 20th.

Eliza's tickets are $40, and Tahmoh, Mark, Laurie, and Jon are all $30 each.

To order autograph tickets, please visit the C2E2 Registration Page. (If you have already purchased your badge for C2E2, you can add autograph tickets to your existing order. From the registration site, enter your email and password, and then click "edit order".) Each autograph ticket you order entitles you to have one item signed, and all  pre-ordered autograph tickets can be picked up onsite in the Show Store with a valid ID and order confirmation. Autographing tickets will be available until March 15th for pre-order.


Autographing tickets for Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, Mark Sheppard, Laurie Holden, and Jon Bernthal will also be available for purchase onsite at the Show Store, but note quantities are limited.  In other words, if you want to guarantee yourself an autograph from Canton Everett Delaware III, you should grab yours now.

Eataku's Guide to Chicago Eats

C.B. Cebulski is the Talent Scout for Marvel Comics, a job that takes him around the world, and while he does thrive on the thrill of constant travel, being on the road and away from home for extended periods of time takes its toll. So when not meeting artists or reviewing portfolios, C.B. keeps his batteries charged by exploring the culinary culture and cuisine of whatever city or country he finds himself in and writing about it at eataku.tumblr.com. C.B. will be at C2E2 presenting a Guide to Chicago Eats panel on Friday afternoon with Rick Bayless and then dine as part of the sold-out Marvel Dinner at Bayless's Topolobampo on Friday night.

Before the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, though, C.B.'s already diving into the Chicago food scene.  He and some friends were kind enough to share some of their favorite Chicago gustatory institutions with us, so read up, and get off the eaten path!

Click here for C.B., Vinny Garcia, Mike Norton, and Jenny Frison's food picks!

Read more »

Meet Me For A Beer In Chicago – This Wednesday

I’m going to be in Chicago for a some meetings and boring stuff this week, but I thought it might be fun to hang out. I’m going to be a the Goose Island Brew Pub on Clybourn this Wednesday around 730. Come out and I’ll buy you a beer and we can talk about C2E2 and anything else that is on your mind.

Drop a comment here if you think you might come out.

The address for Goose Island Brew Pub is:
800 North Clybourn
Chicago, IL 60614

- Lance

Nerd City Rocktacular!

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's show floor closes at 7 PM and panels and screenings similarly wrap around then.  Why?  We want you to get out and enjoy Chicago, some beers, and your fellow fans.  And, we've got a few annoucements around these points we'll be making over the coming days and weeks.

Immediately, we want to invite ya'll over to Reggie's Rock Club on Friday night following the convention for Nerd City's second annual C2E2 concert.  The dudes put together an amazing line up last year, and 2011's showcase is only more astonishing.

Nerd City will be hosting the 2011 C2E2 Kickoff Rocktacular at Reggie's Rock Club, 2109 S. State Street, on Friday, March 18th, beginning at 8 PM.  Featuring DJ Major Taylor, Chicago's School of Rock, Valora, Boobs and Goombas (Super Mario Bros. Burlesque), a special appearance by Jeffrey Brown, Live Band Karaoke and more, this'll be the nerd party of the year. And with a Reggie's rock bus transporting party goers to and from the convention center, transportation ain't a problem, so drink, nerd, and be merry. The Nerd City Rocktacular is sponsored by Threadless, Do312, Chicago Comics, Rotofugi, and Top Shelf, so look for prizes and surprises galore.

Get your tickets online now at nerdcityonline.com or at Nerd City's C2E2 Booth (1026), but act soon, this event will sell out. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 8 PM.

C2E2 Ticket Mailing Deadine! Friday!

Going to the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo?  Want to see Bendis, Fraction, Ennis, and Eliza?  Have you bought your ticket yet?  Well, have you?  If you haven't noticed, C2E2 is coming up fast, and this means so is our ticket mailing deadline.  If you order your tickets on or before Friday, February 18, your tickets be mailed via USPS to your address.  What happens if you order your tickets on February 19?  You'll need to pick them up on-site.

So, spare yourself the registration line and grab your C2E2 tickets now at C2E2.com.

Top Chef Master Rick Bayless at C2E2

Earlier this year, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo announced a dinner with C.B. Cebulski, Brian Michael Bendis, and Joe Quesada at Topolobampo, owned by Top Chef Master Rick Bayless. It sold out in two hours. Today, we're proud to announce that Top Chef Master Rick Bayless will be coming to C2E2!

Bayless will be appearing on Friday as part of a Guide to Chicago Eats panel hosted by C.B. The panel will also include giveaways from Chicago landmark the Bleeding Heart Bakery.

For more on Bayless, click here.

Read more »

Eliza Dushku at C2E2

We've got a little bit of a Valentine's Day gift for all of Chicago. Or, rather, a pretty big one. The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's proud to reveal actress Eliza Dushku will be coming to this year's C2E2! The lead in Joss Whedon's Dollhouse -- co-starring C2E2 Guests Tahmoh Penikett and Mark Sheppard -- Eliza also appeared with Alan Rickman and Bill Pullman in Bottle Shock, City by the Sea opposite Robert De Niro and Frances McDormand, the hit cheerleading film Bring it On with Kirsten Dunst, and Tru Calling as the protagonist Tru Davies.

Eliza first came to fame as Faith Lehan on Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Though initially planned as a five-episode role, the character became so popular that Dushku stayed on for the entire third season and returned for a two-part appearance the following season. Faith returned in a number of later episodes of Angel and Buffy.

Eliza will be at C2E2 on Saturday and Sunday, speaking with Tahmoh on a panel on Saturday afternoon and signing both days. Details about her -- and all C2E2's Entertainment Guests' -- autographs will be made available this Wednesday.

Best. Valentine's. Day. Present. Ever.

Big City Living

I'm waiting for the 7 Train now. There've delays all day because of "signal problems", and I'm now in minute 23 of waiting for a train in Grand Central. It's not all bad, however, as it's given me the time to snap this picture. This sign's greeted me in Grand Central for the past two months. This is the first photo, though, I've taken of it. I hope someone's snapped a picture everyday, as the assembled identical images would make for a delightful gallery show downtown. Whether or not the subway's running to get you there is another story.

New MoCCA Exhibit! Will Eisner's New York

I want the spread the word around the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art's next exhibit -- Will Eisner's New York. Or, rather, more formally "Will Eisner’s New York: From The Spirit to the Modern Graphic Novel". Starting March 1 and running until June 30, the exhibit is curated by Denis Kitchen and Danny Fingeroth and paints a picture of how New York City influenced and, at times, starred in Eisner's work.

From Central City in The Spirt to the NYC in Eisner's autobiographical works, New York is portrayed throughout Eisner's career, and the exhibition, with art from The Spirt, A Contract with God, and To the Heart of the Storm, as well as original Eisner paintings, showcases NYC's impact on one of the masters of sequential art.

Further, the exhibit touches upon the work of creators, including Art Spiegelman and Harvey Kurtzman, who were touched by Eisner's New York.

For details, visit www.moccany.org.

Prizes!

Behold the Valentine's Anime and Manga Day Prize Table! So much swag.  A big thanks to Kinokuniya Bookstore, VIZ Media, Samurai Beat Radio, Hip Hop USA, PJ Pop, The Apple Kissa Maid Cafe, and SoHo Host Club.

Anime and Manga Day: Going On Now

A shot from the Valentine's Anime and Manga Day at Kinokuniya. A huge thank you to the 74 fans who were waiting in line since the start of the day. We've got events going on until 5 PM. And prizes. So many prizes.

Come by and come say hi to Kristin, Jim, Chris, and me.

Caturday - A New Member of the Family

Meet Sid. Or El Sid. Or Sid Not So Vicious. Whatever you call him he's the newest member of the ReedPOP extended family, twice removed......He lives in Minnesota so he's hearty in nature, passive aggressive in demeanor, probably has sideburns just like Joe Mauer and like the rest of the state, is still feeling sick to his stomach about the outcome of the Super Bowl.

What Up Sid!

-Lance

Anime and Manga Day at Kinokuniya Tomorrow!

I've got manga, anime, chocolates, and yaoi.  Want some?  Come on out to the Valentine's Anime and Manga Day on Saturday at Kinokuniya Bookstore at 1073 Ave of the Americas.  Kinokuniya, the New York Anime Festival, Samurai Beat Radio, VIZ Media, the Apple Kissa Maid Café, SoHo Host Club, Hip Hop USA, and PJ Pop will all be presenting highlights of Valentine's Day themed anime culture for fanboys and fangirls.

The event's from 2 to 5 PM, and the first 75 fans will receive a Shojo Beat cell phone case courtesy of VIZ Media in honor of their release of the manga Mistress Fortune from Arina Tanemura.

View the full schedule here.

Marvel Portfolio Reviews at C2E2

Dream of being a part of the comic book world? Marvel can make it happen. The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is very happy to announce Marvel will be conducting portfolio reviews at the show. From our friends at Marvel...

Marvel Entertainment, LLC., one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies with a library of over 8,000 proprietary characters, will be reviewing portfolios of artists, inkers, and colorists for potential future work at the House of Ideas. All creators interested in having their portfolio reviewed should bring copies of their artwork (no originals) to the Marvel Booth, #411, by 6 pm on Saturday. After reviewing all samples at the end of each day, we will display a list of creators at the Marvel Booth on Saturday morning, March 19th and Sunday morning March 20th that includes the names and corresponding times of those people we are interested in meeting with. Pencilers should be prepared to drop off at least 5 pages of sequential art as well as examples of cover illustrations. Inkers' portfolio samples should contain examples of their work over at least three different pencilers. Colorists should provide samples that effectively display their different techniques and coloring abilities on various types of pieces. Samples will not be returned.

C2E2 VIP Package: Garth Ennis Approved

Do you have your ticket yet to C2E2?  Do you have your VIP Package?  A Weekend Pass to the convention will get you pretty much everything, but for fans who want to be the first on the show floor, want to grab all the exclusives they can carry, and want to keep them safe and sound in a special lounge, you'll want to upgrade to be a VIP.  What's in the package?  Well, we've previously announced the following...

- Badge with exclusive art
- First access to the show floor
- Official C2E2 Show Poster signed by Ivan Reis
 - Lounge with private coat check, refreshments, and ATM
- Oversized re-usable C2E2 shopping bag
- Marvel C2E2 variant comic
- 10% discount on all C2E2 show store merchandise
 
But, there are a few perks we couldn't talk about until now.  We're excited to say C2E2's VIPs will also have private signings with show guests Matt Fraction and Garth Ennis.  Want to guarantee yourself time with both Fraction and Ennis as well as all the swag and goodies above?  Grab your VIP Pass now at C2E2.com.

True Blood Takes A Bite Out Of Chicago

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo and 258 West Authentic Signatures are proud to announce True Blood's Sam Trammell, Kristin Bauer, and Brit Morgan will be coming to this year's C2E2. Sam, Kristin, and Brit will all be appearing at the 258 West Authentic Signatures Booth (Number 1030) signing autographs as will all be speaking together on a spotlight panel as well.

Sam Trammell stars as everyone's favorite shapeshifter, Sam Merlotte, while Kristin Bauer is Eric's right hand woman, Pam, and Brit Morgan portrays the weregirl Debbie Pelt.

Hungry yet?

Garth Ennis, Bill Willingham, and Tony Daniel at C2E2

Wasn't yesterday fun?  NYCC 2011 tickets went onsale!  Our reg server bucked, and it was rough for the first 45 minutes, but it didn't break, and now there's just clear skies and smooth sailing ahead.  If you'd like tickets to New York Comic Con, head on over to newyorkcomiccon.com now.  But what about C2E2?  The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's coming up soon, and with NYCC's tickets up and chugging, we're very happy to start announcing just a few new names who'll be appearing at C2E2 this year.

What kind of names?  Names like Garth Ennis, Bill Willingham, and Tony Daniel. 

Garth Ennis will be coming to C2E2 thanks to our friends at Dynamite, and he'll be speaking, signing, and holding a private autograph session with VIPs. Born in Northern Ireland, Garth is a writer best known for the DC/Vertigo series Preacher, co-created with artist Steve Dillon, and his successful revival of Marvel's Punisher franchise. His work is characterised by extreme violence, black humor, and an irreverence towards traditional superhero tropes.  His Dynamite titles include The Boys, Dan Dare, and Battlefields.

Bill Willingham is a seven time Eisner Award winner, New York Times Bestselling writer, and was twice nominated for the Hugo Awards, all in connection to his long running comic series Fables. He is horribly grateful that readers continue to support and enjoy Fables, which has just started its second hundred issues of continuous publication. He's written many other comics, a few prose short stories, which have appeared in several anthologies, such as the recent Swords and Dark Magic, Masked, and New Space Opera 2. He's written a couple of novels, including Peter and Max and the forthcoming Down the Mysterly River from TOR Books.

Born and raised in the streets of South Chicago, a love for comics and drawing them, kept young Tony Daniel out of trouble. By the age of 20 he was already a working professional in the comics community. His list of penciling credits contain such hits as X-Force, The Tenth, Teen Titans and Batman, which he is also currently writing.

I hope you're hungry, as we've got more coming soon.

Direct Links to Buy NYCC Tix

Greetings one and all, we had a little glitch with the NYCC web site ( not the ticketing site) and while all is fixed now, here are links that will take you direct to the ticket purchasing page in case you need them:

FAN:

https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=330&site=CON

PRO:

https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=330&site=PRO

-Lance

NYCC 2011 Tickets On Sale Today!

A soft and gentle reminder that tickets to the 2011 New York Comic Con go on sale today at Noon Eastern over at http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/.  NYCC covers comics, movies, television, books, anime, manga, toys, and games, and -- this year -- digs deeper and spreads wider thanks to our growth into a show spanning four days.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be open all day to fans, while our new Thursday will be open beginning in the afternoon to press, professionals, and VIPS, as well as attendees who've purchased a limited Four Day Pass.

Friday passes are $35, Saturday passes are $50, Sunday passes are $35, Three Day passes are $65, and Four Day passes are $85.

Four Day passes are limited to 10,000, and all these prices are pre-show prices.  Tickets will cost more at the door.  Well, wait a minute.  Actually, odds are, tickets won't be sold at the door.  Based on last year, expect tickets to sell out.  So, while we're months and months out, I strongly recommend you order your ticket sometime before the fall, as there's no guarantees we'll have passes available onsite.

And, ya know, Valentine's Day is just a week away.  There's perhaps no sweeter, geekier gift than a ticket to NYCC.

Caturday!

Mission Accomplished

O'Hare Airport...

O'Hare Airport is named after Henry O'Hare. This is his plane.

Mystery Solved

Chicago's Hilton Garden Inn smells of cinnamon. I've found out why.

Valentine's Anime and Manga Day at Kinokuniya

The New York Anime Festival is happy to announce we're working with Kinokuniya and a number of other friends to host a day of Valentine's events for fans in NYC. Together with Samurai Beat Radio, VIZ Media, the Apple Kissa Maid Café, SoHo Host Club, Hip Hop USA, and PJ Pop, we'll be presenting highlights of Valentine's Day themed anime culture for fanboys and fangirls -- as well as fans who want nothing to do with anything icky and pink. It'll take place February 12 at Kinokuniya Bookstore located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas.

Click here for the Kinokuniya Valentine's Anime And Manga Day Event Schedule!

Read more »

Chicago Gold

What are these red-eyed imps lurking in the darkness?  Only some of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo's volunteer team leaders enjoying some Chicago Gold.  A bit of the crew's in Chicagoland right now for 36 hours of meetings, but before they began, we wanted to say hello and thank you to some of the good folks on the ground out here who'll be playing a big role in the show in March. Thanks to Peter Norbot for the picture!

Ian McNeice at C2E2

This just in, Ian McNeice -- Churchill from Doctor Who -- will be attending C2E2.  Ian McNeice went to Taunton School in Somerset and then had two years at the Salisbury Playhouse as an Acting ASM before going to LAMDA in 1971-74. His next few years were spent in theatre, including four years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, ending with Nicholas Nickleby on Broadway. His TV breakthrough was as Harcourt in the BAFTA award-wining series Edge of Darkness (1985). His American screen breakthrough was playing opposite Jim Carrey as Fulton Greenwall in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995).

Ian is best known to Doctor Who fans as Winston Churchill in the Series Five episode "Victory of The Daleks", and he can also be seen in the popular BBC America Comedy Doc Martin.

Ian will be at C2E2 on Friday and Saturday to meet fans, sign autographs, and take pictures at the Doctor Who Store booth.

Too Soon?

See that image?  That's from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last night, by way of the good people at Gothamist.  Talking to our friends in Chicago, they're being pummeled while folks in CT and NY are encased in a sheet of ice.  You can count the members of ReedPOP who made it through the ice and snow today on one hand.  Where's the Human Torch when you need him?

Oh, right.

Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal Comes To C2E2

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo previously announced Walking Dead illustrator Tony Moore and Laurie Holden -- Andrea on AMC's Walking Dead.  We're pleased now to announce Jon Bernthal, who stars as Shane in the series, will be coming to C2E2.  Rick Grimes's partner and rival, Shane's got a complex relationship with both the living and the dead in the comic and television show.

Outside of Walking Dead, Bernthal has performed in over 30 plays regionally and off-Broadway, including many with his own award-winning theatre company, Fovea Floods.  He's also appeared in several TV shows such as Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Class, and The Pacific.

Bernthal was born and raised in Washington DC, where he graduated from the Sidwell Friends School. After high school, he studied at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY and later attended The School of Moscow Art Theatre in Russia. He was discovered by the director of Harvard University's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at the American Repertory Theatre in Moscow and was invited to study for his master's degree there. He graduated in 2002 from the American Repertory Theatre with a Master of Fine Arts.

Now, he fights zombies.

Along with this announcement, though, we've unfortunately also got a cancellation to report. Guests sometimes have to cancel. Be it for health, family matters, or scheduling conflicts, it's unforeseen as we start planning a con, but it become unavoidable as we get closer in. It's unfortunate, but we want the best for the women and men appearing at our con, and when something comes up, we hope we’ll see them next year. All this is our preamble before saying that we've learned Norman Reedus -- Daryl Dixon in Walking Dead -- will no longer be coming to C2E2 this year. We’re bummed, but we wish him well, and we hope he'll be fighting zombies with us in 2012.

New York Comic Con Expands To Four Days

We've got some big news for you today. We've got some big news in every sense of the word. After hosting nearly 100,000 fans, guests, and professionals at the 2010 New York Comic Con and talking with fans, exhibitors, and partners about 2011, we're honored, humbled, and proud to announce NYCC will take place over four days this October. New York Comic Con has experienced exponential growth since it was launched in 2006, and our expansion into a fourth day now will allow the show to accommodate even more attendees and provide additional programming and business opportunity for the artists, creators, and exhibitors who are the foundation of the show's success. (And, never far from our mind, the fourth day will allow NYCC to expand overall, but better manage and limit crowds on each, individual day.)

The next New York Comic Con will be Thursday, October 13 – Sunday, October 16, 2011. The show will be open to the public for the first time for three full days – Friday (10/14), Saturday (10/15), and Sunday (10/16). This will mean more hours and opportunities for fans to interact with their heroes throughout the popular culture universe and allow the show to expand the Cultyard and New York Anime Festival -- two shows-within-the-show. NYCC's additional day of convention activity will take place on Thursday (10/13) with academic programming beginning at 12 noon. The convention floor will officially open for professional hours and a new preview night on Thursday from 4pm – 7pm. And, for the first time, a very limited number of dedicated and committed fans will also have access to the convention floor during this professional time.

A total of 10,000 4-day passes will be available for purchase, and this 4-day pass includes admittance to the convention floor both on NYCC's three dedicated public days as well as on Thursday during professional hours. There will be no single day tickets sold for Thursday. NYCC's 4-day ticket as well as 3-day and daily tickets will go on sale on February 7 at 12 noon Eastern Time at newyorkcomiccon.com.

NYCC's grown into a big boy, and it's now shepherding in new shows at ReedPOP. From Star Wars, to C2E2, to Singapore, there's a lot in the works, and -- across all our shows -- we couldn't have done it without you. We strive to be a place where fans and professionals can meet, where we can show and share the latest in comics, movies, toys, anime, and wide world of the popular arts, and we thank you.

We thank you for your support.  We thank you for your belief.  We thank you for your passion.  2011 is going to be big.