It’s been years since we’ve had our chum Billy Tucci as a guest at HeroesCon, so we’re super-excited to welcome him to the 2010 Guest List this week! I can’t remember when he was here last, although I do remember he was a guest at the first HeroesCon I worked, in ’96. That was the year we had the basketball goal set-up, and all day Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti and Billy were playing pickup games with fans and staff. So, besides creating the cult-favorite Shi and the recent DC series Sgt Rock: The Lost Battalion, Billy may also have a mean outside jumper! You can ask him yourself next summer!

Also joining next year’s Guest List is the smilingest dude in comics, Señor Francesco Francavilla, whose massive output lately has included Zorro, Garrison, Scalped, Sorrow, Frank Frazetta’s Dracula Meets The Wolfman, and a ton more. Jeez slow down Francesco! Seeing him every summer is a real treat, he and his lady are great guests and always take the time to give us a kind word–is it bad that we love it? Whatevs, whatevs.

But wait there’s more! Also new this week are Animal Mystic creator Greg “Dark One” Williams, whose new series Paleo Pirate is coming from his own Void Comics company! Kevin Sharpe (God of War, Resident Evil) also returns to the Guest List–and like I say, this is just the start.  I have at least 20 more names I’m working through–more to come next week, once we have our massive Holiday Sale/Signing behind us.

But before I let you go, I can’t resist using these Billy Tucci pencils I found while hunting Shi images online. Enjoy!