The CNI banner. www.fotosbyfaren.com
I attended Heroes Con for my podcast COMIC NEWS INSIDER over the weekend and all I got was an awesome time! Always one of my favorite shows, Heroes Con takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina and is the mastermind of Shelton Drum. A true comics show that focuses on comics almost exclusively. Be it print comics or web comics. It's very friendly and everyone is approachable so it's a great show for long time nerds and newbies alike. I think it's my 5th year going and it just gets better every time. Strap in for the recap, kids. Here goes.
Me & Kelly Sue Deconnick
I arrived a bit later than I wanted on Friday morning thanks to the long flight delays at La Guardia. After checking in, changing and grabbing my gear, I got to the convention center around 11:30 a.m. Like every year, the powers that be at Heroes Con give a few of the podcasters tables so we can do interviews and help promote the show. The CNI table was right up front by the info booth along with Comic Related and Comic Geek Speak. After setting up the mics, banners and postcards, I headed off to do my walkabout. Friday is always the day I get the lay of the land. Figure out where everyone is, stop and say hi and perhaps pick up some comics. I saw a ton of friends and a few others that I planned on interviewing. I tend to not do interviews on Friday either as everyone is just settling in and establishing their tables. The day ended early and it was back to the hotel for the patented Aquino disco nap.
Me, Jen Maihack and other "Con wives". Photo stolen from pal Heidi MacDonald of The Beat
Dinner time with pals Mike and Jen Maihack, Heidi MacDonald, Adam Withers & Comfort Love and some of the "Con Wives". I had never heard this but it cracked me up to no end. A bunch of the cartoonist wives are all friends, ergo...Con Wives! I told them I wanted to shoot a mock reality show with them at the next convention.
"Confessional room with Jen: (In bad New Jersey accent). If one more nerd hits on me, I swear I'm gonna buy some Hulk hands and punch his lights out!"
It's a working script. We ate at the awesome soul food spot, Mert's. We go every year. Go if you are ever in Charlotte! Post-dinner, back to the Westin bar where everyone hangs out. I had a nice meeting with Adam and Comfort about a project that you may hear more of in the near future. The bar was fun for awhile and as per usual, someone had a mini-room party.
Me & Kevin Colden posing for our album cover
Fun times with Heidi, Ben, the 2 Kevins, Bobby, Danna, Will the Irish stereotype, Tom, etc. Finally bedtime around 3 or 4 a.m. Good first day.
Joker on vacation
Saturday is usually the busiest day. And sure enough, it didn't disappoint. Still, as busy as it can get, you never feel overwhelmed. Always a great floor plan with plenty of room to walk around. This day also was set to be reunion day with an old friend, Faren Kilpatrick. We were on a dance team together back in our late teens and toured the former U.S.S.R., Denmark and Sweden in 1987. (We're old). She found me on Facebook last year and saw that I was involved in the comic book industry. She said her 11 year old daughter, Faith, was a big manga fan! They lived nearby so I suggested they come. So great seeing her again after 20 years and meeting her daughter who absolutely LOVED the show. I introduced Faith to several of my cartoonist friends who gave her some great words of advice. Thanks to Ming Doyle, Mike Maihack and the boys of Kill Shakespeare (Andy, Connor and Anthony) for chatting her up and being so kind. Also, Faren is a professional photographer and acted as the official CNI shutterbug! Check out her photos of the show here.
Me and Faren. www.fotosbyfaren.com
I did a few interviews at the table. I had a great time chatting with Kelly Sue DeConnick. She's one of my new favorite writers and we've been trying to set up an interview over the last year or so. To make up for that lost time, we chatted for an hour! Yep. She is so interesting, smart, funny and just plain engaging. I could have talked to her for hours. Just the perfect interviewee. And she sweetly said I made her feel at ease. Which is always my hope with people I interview.
Me & Darwyn Cooke
I ran around the show a bit more to set up some interviews but had to go upstairs to do a bit more research/reading for one of the panels I was moderating. This was the big one. Taking on the Property: Iconography with Darwyn Cooke, Ed McGuinness, Don Rosa, and Tim Sale. Yeah, hardly first timers! I know Darwyn and we've hung a bit through mutual friends but hadn't met any of the others. I did introduce myself to Don the day before and Ed and I shared a shuttle from the airport on Friday. They were all quite pleasant! I wanted to panel to be very conversational. Sure, I'll ask questions and lead it but I really wanted them to ask each other questions. Which is exactly what happened! It went a little over an hour but all seemed to be having a good time and were quite informative. There was a good sized crowd and all seemed to enjoy. I was quite happy with how it all turned out and they told me I did a fine job. Let's hope they weren't just being nice. Actually, both Darwyn and Don told me later that it was fun and really laid back and thought I handled it all well. Thanks, guys! Coming from the 2 of them, that means a lot. I recorded the panel and will be putting it up as a podcast later this week. Stay tuned!
The panel: Me, Don Rosa, Tim Sale, Darwyn Cooke, Ed McGuinness
The panel ended the show for the day (for me at least) and it was off to the hotel for the disco nap. The annual art auction started at 8pm so I popped in for a few with Faren and Faith. Too rich for my blood but some great pieces from so many great cartoonists were up for auction. Off to dinner with the girls in the Westin restaurant, Ember. They called it an early night so it was back to drinking! Great convos with Darwyn Cooke, Billy Tucci, Steve Niles, Anthony Del Col, and Andy Belanger at the Ember Bar. Over to the lobby bar and I just hopped about to various friends. I met Dan Panosian and his wife Elena. She looked familiar and I couldn't figure out why. I found out later she's a working actress and we've all probably seen her on the ol' tube or in the talking pictures. Both were really nice! That's what I love about the comic book industry, it's rare that you meet people who aren't just lovely. Sure, there are a few that will go unnamed, but most are great!
Me looking like an idiot next to Becky Cloonan
Someone mentioned the club that gentleman frequent and the game was afoot! If you remember, we go there every year and a few of the girls are big comic book nerds that we see at the show over the weekend. So, we're just returning the favor of patronizing their business! Yeah, that's it! Fun and entertaining times (get over yourselves with the judging) and sure enough, some stripper nerds. One of the girls told a friend that she chose the stage name Phoenix because of Dark Phoenix from the X-Men! Personally, I was looking for a Zatanna or Batgirl, but I chatted up a very lovely lady who resembled Dazzler. She could shoot lights out of her...
COBRAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
Anyway, we stayed for a short while and headed back to the Westin for more drinks. Yes, that's what you do at a convention. Drink and socialize. Bed time around 3 a.m. A truly dazzling day.
Me & Don Rosa
Sunday was a slow start. I had a panel to moderate at 11:30 so figured I'd get to the show around 11 a.m. Which I did. I thought the show started at 10 a.m. but it was actually 11! So, I was on time! I chilled at the table for a bit and then it was off to moderate the Web Comics: Group Effort panel. It was a great group of web comic folks. Kevin Church, Benjamin Birdie, Curt Franklin, Chris Sims, Chad Bowers and Matt Digges. It was a disappointing turnout but the creators had fun chatting about their comics. I did feel it was a bit crowded on the panel but it still came out quite well. I had a chance to at least familiarize myself with all of their web comics and genuinely enjoy them all. Google them up, kids. You'll be happy you did.
Ming Doyle and some Gothamites
Sundays are normally my big interview day and this was no exception. I got so many! It was almost back to back all day with such folks like Jonathan Hickman, Darwyn Cooke, Mike Maihack and others. I ended with the amazing Don Rosa. If you're not familiar, he is the man behind some of the best Scrooge McDuck comics out there. I was hoping to get at least 10 minutes or so from the well respected cartoonist but instead...I got 30!
Me & Scott Weinstein. www.fotosbyfaren.com
Back to the hotel. No time for disco nap since we were soon heading off to the Dead Dog party held at the comic book store that Shelton Drum owns called Heroes Aren't Hard to Find. It's a BBQ with food/drink provided by Shelton. Such a nice way to end the weekend. Heidi MacDonald observed how many people stayed over to attend the party. Often, people head straight out after a show to get home. Shelton and his staff take such good care of everyone that it makes people want to stay longer. Catered BBQ with drinks, shuttles to/fro the hotels/airport, etc. NO OTHER SHOW DOES THAT! Kudos to Shelton and his crew for everything. Big ups to Rico Renzi and Andy Mansell for taking over the reigns from Dustin Harbin and doing a fantastic job! Many, many thanks!
Superman bathroom
As you may be able to tell, I had a blast at the show. I got a ton of great interviews that you will soon hear on CNI. I'll be recording the regular format show tonight and a few of the interviews will be on that show. I'll also release a special interview only show as well as the Iconography panel this week. I'll continue with more interviews in next week's show! Stay tuned!
Green Lantern with his toy
There is no other show that cares about everyone attending as much as Heroes Con. There's just not. Sure, some other great shows and I'm not hating on them. Heroes just goes above and beyond. If you're a creator that's never attended, get in touch with them. If you're just a fan, plan on this one next year. Just know that you will be forced to have a rockin' good time!
Me, Curt Franklin & Chris Haley
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