We’ve been hinting around about this forever, but finally it’s official! Just added to the Indie Island guest list are “power couple” Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O’Malley! You may have met Bryan at the store signing he did here last fall, right after Scott Pilgrim 4 came out, but if not, now you’ll be able to meet him with a few thousand other people in the background. This will be Hope’s first time doing anything Heroes-related, except for meeting me a couple of times at different conventions both hither and thither. And she’s still coming! Her star is on the rise like CRAZY lately, not just for her Gray Horses and Salamander Dream books, but also a forthcoming title from Simon & Shuster, and who knows what else after that. Phew!

Regardless, this will be the first HeroesCon for both halves of this husband/wife comics machine–which advances our plan to have all of comics’ famous couples in attendance. Why just off the top of my head I can name Bryan and Hope, Stuart & Kathryn Immonen, Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick, Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer… I know there are a bunch more, but my brain stopped working.

But wait, there’s more! Also attending their very first HeroesCon/Indie Island this summer are indie up-and-comers Matt Bernier and Hilary Florido! We just today got a box full of Matt’s sweet mini- (actually maxi–they’re kind of big for minicomics) comics in the mail, including Out of Water and Potato Autopsy. He’s also had work in the Awesome! Indie Spinner Rack Anthology and Critical Citadel. Hilary’s books include The True Heart, The Girl’s Guide To Stuff, and Ofuro.

Be sure and welcome all four of these guys to their first HeroesCon! Which, fortunately, is going to be the best one ever, which should make a good impression. Another guest list update this Friday!