Boom! Studios is coming to HeroesCon this year LOADED FOR BEAR! They’re camping out in a massive fortress-like block of booths, and will have FIVE different HeroesCon exclusive covers available! Whattt??? I’ll pepper this post with those images, but the get-a-sketch covers (the white ones) will get you a sketch (see how that works) from artists Allen Gladfelter (Cars), Amy Mebberson (Muppet Show Comic Book), or Travis Hill (Toy Story)!

And just look at all the PEOPLE they’re bringing! Probably most familiar to HeroesCon goers will be Mark Waid, enormously popular writer and editor of everything from Kingdom Come to Spider-Man to Flash to Captain America and a million more! These days he’s Editor-In-Chief at Boom!, and writes the hit books Incorruptible and the newly Eisner-nominated Irredeemable!

While Mark is a regular at HeroesCon and one of our favorite regulars at that, this year is extra special because it’s the first time Mark and his Irredeemable collaborator Peter Krause will be doing a con appearance together! Super awesome. Besides his current work on Irredeemable, Peter has also worked all over comics on books including Flash, Power of Shazam, and Superman!

Boom! is super organized–they were nice enough to send complete (and exciting!) bios for all the pros they’re bringing as well–check out this roll-call of talent!

THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK/MUPPET PETER PAN’s Amy Mebberson
Amy Mebberson’s biggest tours of artistic duty are 5 years with Walt Disney Animation Australia, followed by two graphic novels for TOKYOPOP. Her work with BOOM! Studios includes MONSTERS INC., MUPPET PETER PAN and countless covers for other Disney/Pixar and Muppet titles. Born in Sydney, Amy Mebberson is currently living and working in Oregon.

TOY STORY’s Travis Hill
Travis Hill soaks up the sun in Orlando, Florida.  His artistic debut with BOOM! Studios began in the pages of Disney/Pixar’s Cars.  With a tool-belt of experience in interactive and edutainment, publishing, licensing, performance, writing, illustration/design, and comics… he is currently a Producer in the video game industry and the father of a fledgling movie-geek.

CARS’ Allen Gladfelter
Allen Gladfelter lives and draws comics in Boise, Idaho.  It’s a comfortable place tucked on the opposite expanse of the vast high desert from the locale of Radiator Springs.  The people are kind and energetic, Boise life is smooth and comfortable, my family is supportive and my friends are close at hand.  What better way to pass the days than to amuse children with fun drawings of cartoon cars? Life is good.

28 DAYS LATER’s Michael Alan Nelson
Michael Alan Nelson is known for his work on such BOOM! Studios titles as 28 DAYS LATER and FALL OF CTHULHU, as well as creating supernatural thrillers HEXED and DINGO.  In 2004, Nelson won the NEW TIMES 55 Fiction Contest for his short story “The Conspirators” and was tagged as a talent to watch by horror tastemaker RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE. Nelson lives and writes in Los Angeles.

28 DAYS LATER’s Declan Shalvey
Declan Shalvey received much acclaim in the UK comics scene after winning an Eagle Award for his first published work HERO KILLERS in 2007. The Irish artist has since illustrated chapters of the series FREAK SHOW and a graphic novel adaptation of Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN for UK publisher Classical Comics. His work with BOOM! Studios on 28 DAYS LATER marks his American comics debut.

MR. STUFFINS’ Johanna Stokes
Johanna Stokes is a screenwriter and comic book writer who has worked on such projects as the EUREKA television series. Her work for BOOM! Studios is extensive, ranging from zombie comedy with DEATH VALLEY to historical drama with GALVESTON to who-done-it murder mystery with STATION. Stokes currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

FARSCAPE’s Keith DeCandido
Keith R.A. DeCandido has authored Farscape novel HOUSE OF CARDS, as well as short stories that appeared in FARSCAPE: THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE and the FARSCAPE role-playing game. For BOOM! Studios, Keith has helped in writing all of the FARSCAPE books, including the UNCHARTED TALES series featuring the adventures of Ka D’Argo.

FARSCAPE’s Will Sliney
Will Sliney initially worked as a 3D and storyboard artist, and from there he was able to begin his comic book career illustrating several Irish and British graphic novels. Soon after, he moved to Canada to break into the American market. His work with BOOM! Studios includes FARSCAPE: STRANGE DETRACTORS and the FARSCAPE ongoing series.

Man alive!

Are you ready for this? I’m super excited about this and I hope you’re about to be too:

Kate Beaton of the insanely popular Hark! A Vagrant webcomic did our Indie Island shirt this year, and it’s a doozy! These will be on sale at the convention itself, in both American Apparel and Gildan styles, men’s and ladies sizes! How about that! That aqua in the background is the shirt color itself, and let me tell you: you are going to look so good in it! All the pirates on your street are gonna be like NUH-UH!! They’re being printed by our friends at Contagious Graphics, who are pretty much the best screenprinters ever–if you are looking for quality screenprinting, it would be hard to over-recommend them.

IF we have any shirts left after the convention, we’ll sell them to you by mail order, but I have to say I really expect this thing to sell insanely well, so you’re best bet is to either come to HeroesCon and buy one, or send your cabin boy in your stead.

But what? You don’t wear t-shirts? You have too much CLASS for a t-shirt?? Well how about a fancy-dan, high quality, suitable for framing, signed and numbered limited edition PRINT of said image? Ahoy webmaster, load that image:

Looks fancy to me! Printed on heavy cardstock, this little gem will be signed by Kate herself and on sale at the show for $10 a pop. Or you can get one afterwards by “mail.” If you’re currently berthed on a pirate raider, or are a pirate ghost chained to the mast of the Queen Anne’s Revenge… well, you made your pirate bed. Now pillage in it.

Lots of new names today for the HeroesCon 2010 Guest List, let’s jump right in!

First of all, Joe Jusko, as pictured above on his magical wheel-less skateboard, is silver-sailing his way back to HeroesCon this year. Joe’s super duper famous as a cover and pinup painter, notably on books like Silver Surfer, Punisher, Savage Sword of Conan, and 1,000,000 trading cards. You can also see his famous She-Hulk pinup LIVE AND IN PERSON for the rest of the month, as part of the SUPER! The Fine Art Of Comics show still up at 22 here in Charlotte. It’s pretty impressive stuff.

Roy Thomas is no stranger to fans of HeroesCon: the former Marvel Editor-In-Chief, Alter Ego Editor-In-Chief, and writer of comics including Conan, Amazing Spider-Man, and more recently the Marvel Illustrated series of classic adapations will be appearing Saturday only this year!

J.D Arnold is the writer of the new BB Wolf And The Three LP’s from Top Shelf, and a first-time comics writer and HeroesCon guest!

Rich Barrett has been a guest at our Charlotte Minicon, but this will be his very first HeroesCon as a full-on guest. We’ll see how he handles THREE DAYS of promoting his awesome webcomic Nathan Sorry.

Pat Broderick has worked in comics for decades, on titles like Micronauts, Alpha Flight, Firestorm, Captain Atom, Batman, and a ton more! I think this is his first trip back to HeroesCon since 2005 or 2006, so it’s super good to see him again!

Dana Hayward is digital content manager for HarperCollins Children’s Books. And as an independent designer and letterer she’s worked on some of the hottest manga and graphic novels around, including Tsubasa, xxxHolic, Bakugan: Battle Brawlers, the Evo Tournament, and the Terry Brooks Shannara graphic novel, Dark Wraith of Shannara. She’s also one of the people that make the show possible with her tireless help and advice!

Steve Saffel is the U.S. editor for Titan Books, the London-based popular culture publisher. His book The Best of Simon and Kirby is up for an Eisner Award, and he has four big books coming this summer: Jim Lee: Icons, The Art of Drew Struzan, Beetle Bailey 1965, and The Simon and Kirby Superheroes. As a fiction editor, he works on science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other genre novels, and in his spare time he wrote Spider-Man: The Icon. Steve is also an insanely helpful guy at the convention–it’s hard to imagine what we’d do without him and Dana (his wife) (sorry dudes).

Chris Pitzer is an old friend of ours, and a big help around con time believe me. He’s also a hot-snot publisher lately, with works like Afrodisiac (by fellow guest Jim Rugg), The Ancient Book of Sex And Science (by fellow guest Scott Morse), Process Recess and Pulphope (by James Jean and Paul Pope respectively), and his own series of critically acclaimed anthologies, Project: Superior, Romance, etc.! Whew!

Art Director at one of the hottest SFX houses in Hollywood, Blur Studios, Chuck Wojtkiewicz got his start in North Carolina at Artamus Studios where he drew Justice League for DC and then Imperial Guard for Marvel. Great to have him back!

The above image is a pinup Todd Nauck did (!!!) especially for our HeroesCon 2010 Art Auction! Pretty insane. The auction itself will get cranked up as usual after the show on Saturday, June 5. We’ll say more before then, but we just had to share this image with youse guys.

But we also wanted to let you know that (most) of the Small Press locations are now up. Note the following things:

1) All of these locations are subject to change without notice! Give us a couple of days to kick the tires, correct any errors, etc., before you start printing up stuff with your table number on it. Especially tables numbered along the back wall–I will likely fiddle with those table numbers as I get everything just so.

2) We’re expanding Artists Alley over last year’s diagram, so you’ll note that there are tables referred to (the 100 and 800 aisles, especially) that don’t exist on the current diagram. Don’t get yourself into an existential crisis! I’ll have a new diagram up, maybe tomorrow if the stars align (they never do).

3) Any locations that still list as “XX-XX” have not been assigned yet. We see them! We haven’t forgotten you–how could we ever forget you?

Okay it’s super late, it’s OH MY GOD IT’S AFTER 2.30 IN THE MORNING so more tomorrow but for now zzzzzzzzz

Newly added to the HeroesCon 2010 Guest List today! Forgive the speedy announcements, as I’ve got updates scheduled for pretty much every day this week in the middle of 40,000 other things–please read EXCITEMENT into everything I write this week! Numerous names to add, Small Press locations will be going up, Schedule stuff, and more! Oh but let’s do these guys first, what say?

NAT JONES is probably most closely associated with the recent resurgence of publication of some of the late great Frank Frazetta‘s characters, including Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer (image above). He’s also worked on Spawn, Rob Zombie’s The Nail, and a ton of others, and is a regular and an awesome one at that. Welcome back, Nat!

JOE LINSNER is the head of a wild, screaming legion of fans, not only for his popular creation Dawn, but for his more recent creation Dark Ivory. He’s also worked on numerous other titles including Killraven, Mystique, and Claws.

SCOTT BEADERSTADT is probably best-known for his work on Troll Lords, which he wrote, illustrated, and co-created. He’s relaunching the series with a 3-issue miniseries coming soon. He’ s also worked on Archie: Superteens and The Mummy.

TOMMY CASTILLO has had popular runs on Detective Comics and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, as well as more recently on Grimm Fairy Tales and Se7en: Gluttony from Zenescope.

DERRICK FISH is a member of Headhunta Studios and the creator of The Wallkeeper and Dandy & Company, and is a regular pinup contributor to books like Atomic Robo and PvP.

KOI TURNBULL first attended HeroesCon as a fan at the age of 13, so it’s always a pleasure to welcome him back as a guest. Since that 13-year-old visit he’s worked on Superman Confidential, Wolverine: Killing Made Simple, Fathom, New Warriors, and many more!

Okay! More to come tomorrow you guys. Busy busy!

Two updates to the HeroesCon 2010 Guest List in one day means we’re getting super close to HeroesCon. Don’t remind me, there’s still so much for us to do!

First up, courtesy of our friends at the Hero Initiative, comes first-time HeroesCon guest Jim Cheung! With one of the slickest, most polished styles in comics, Jim is sure to be mobbed in Artists Alley. His newest book is Avengers: Children’s Crusade, plus recent work including Secret Warriors covers, the 2009 Avengers Free Comic Book Day book, and more–not to mention his older stuff like Iron Man, Uncanny X-Men, Illuminati and Young Avengers, the book that really put him “on the map,” so to speak!

Also new to the list today is Otis Frampton, appearing for the first time as a guest of the show, though he’s attended several times before. He’s the creator of Oddly Normal for Viper Comics!

Jeremy Haun returns to HeroesCon once more, which no one is happier about that us–dude is stone-cold sweetsville. His credits include Detective Comics, Arhkam Reborn, Berserker, and Battle Hymn!

Georges Jeanty is also no stranger to HeroesCon–the longtime penciller of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer comic series has also drawn The American Way, Green Lantern, Superboy, Superman, and tons more!

Last up alphabetically in this update is first-timer Mike Leib, who’s been writing comics for the last five years including Tag: Cursed, Jeremiah Harm, Zombie Tales, Marvel’s Romance Redux series and many more! Please help us welcome him to his first HeroesCon!

Oh my goodness, TWO updates today to the HeroesCon 2010 Guest List, back to back, suckazzz! First we’ll do the “edgy” update, featuring the return of some sweet peeps to HeroesCon’s already star-studded Indie Island. Behold more stars for the studding:

JIM MAHFOOD (his shirt from HeroesCon 2008 pictured at right), returns in triumph again this year. Jim’s been in comics a ridiculously long time for someone so young, with work including Felt, Grrl Scouts, Clerks, and more recently Carl, The Cat That Makes Peanut Butter Sandwiches.

ANDY RUNTON, the eternally smiling creator of the Owly series of all ages graphic novels, and a perennial favorite at HeroesCon, will be located within the Top Shelf Tower of Power™ somewhere within Indie Island itself. If you’re a fan of Lost, think of it like the Temple.

ROB ULLMAN is the creator of Atom-Bomb Bikini, Grand Gestures, Lunch-Hour Comix, and the upcoming Sellout–he’s also a prime stop on the vaunted Heroes sketch circuit, so you guys that collect original art and con sketches, don’t miss out of Rob’s brushy goodness!

ROB VENDITTI has returned (for now) from his sojourn in the land of “Hollywood”, where they made a big movie out of his graphic novel The Surrogates. He’s still just “Rob From The Block” though, and you can catch him along with Andy in the aforementioned “T.o.P™”.

JASON YUNGBLUTH, creator of the Weapon Brown webcomic (among others) will be making his HeroesCon debut this year in Indie Island, adding to the already ridiculous lineup of webcomics creators we’ve got this year.

Oh! That reminds me, speaking of webcomics, I have a few cancellations to announce in Indie Island. Unsuperfortunately for us, KC Green and New Reliable Press publisher Ed Brisson have had to pull out of this year’s show, more than likely because they don’t like me. Sniff! Hopefully we can have them back in future years, once we get rid of .. me! Also cancelling his appearance is “Dashing” Ryan North, although he has a way better excuse: he’s getting married this summer, and has had to cut back on his convention appearances as a result. As Miracle Max said, true love is like “a nice MLT, mutton-lettuce-and-tomato, where the mutton is nice and lean. So perky, I love it!” So congrats to Ryan and his presumably blushing bride!

Okay! I’d say more but I need to get the next update out still! Whew!

Yessirree, this year 12 Gauge Comics is coming loaded for BEAR! Making his first ever trip to HeroesCon this year is former WWE, WCW, and TNA wrestling champeen Mick Foley, aka “Mankind,” aka “Cactus Jack,” aka “Dude Love” (my personal favorite). He’s also the author of a few New York Times bestselling memoirs. But you might be thinking–“hey–HeroesCon doesn’t usually have media-type guests, what’s the dealio?” Well rest easy friends: Mick will be announcing a brand new comic he’s writing for 12 Gauge at the show! The details are shrouded in mystery, but Mick will be writing it, and it looks suspiciously like Brian Stelfreeze will be doing covers. Looks like 12 Gauge is going for a repeat of the uber-swamped Rosario Dawson appearances of 2007 and 2008! Mick will only be appearing on Saturday, as he has wrestling engagements on Friday and Sunday (what a life!)…

But there all three days will be Rebekah Isaacs, who is the artist on the new DV8 relaunch from Wildstorm, penned by Brian Wood! Rebekah has also worked previously on Ms Marvel, Hack/Slash, and Drafted, but odds are she’ll be at the 12 Gauge booth talking about her upcoming creator-owned book Magus, written by Jon Price and David Norton, who will both be appearing with her. Whoa nellie!

And rounding up (alphabetically) this update is Rico Renzi, who actually confirmed months ago but who I just now remembered to add. Poor guy, but a patient guy too (fortunately). Rico is a colorist par excellence, recently coloring on Stumptown, Prelude to Deadpool Corps (over Dave Johnson art), the upcoming from 12 Gauge Loose Ends, and Perhapanauts. He’s also as giggly as a closet full of Tele-Tubbies. Love that dude.

Okay, still more to come! Plus two big chunks of news hopefully later this evening!

Goodness gracious it’s the wee hours but I SO MANY new HeroesCon 2010 Guest List names to announce this week. I hope these guys will forgive me for going super fast and not writing a ton about each of them, though they all deserve it. But I still need to get the Small Press updated before bedtimes! So without further ado:

PAUL AZACETA is an artist with work in books including Amazing Spider-Man (pictured above), Potter’s Field, B.P.R.D. 1946, and a bunch of others. He’s super tall too. #fact

JUNE BRIGMAN is the co-creator of Power Pack, and currently a professor at SCAD and the artist of Brenda Starr, which is coincidentally inked and lettered by her husband ROY RICHARDSON, who also joins the list today. He’s ALSO a professor at SCAD, and has worked in the past on books including Captain America, Iron Man, The Flash, Star Wars, and tons more.

TALENT CALDWELL is the penciller behind Fathom: Killian’s Tide and Fathom: Dawn of War, as well as more recently The Web and Batgirl. I do believe this is his very first time to HeroesCon, so be sure to stop by his table and welcome him.

ERIK JONES is another first-timer to the con, and we’re happy to have him. He works mainly as a cover artist, on books like NOLA, The Unknown, and Jennifer’s Body.

ALEX SAVIUK is no stranger to HeroesCon–no stranger at all! These days he’s the artist on the Spider-Man newspaper strip, but he’s also drawn for Web of Spider-Man, The Phantom, X-Files, Green Lantern, and the Eisner-nominated Feast of the Seven Fishes.

And new to the Indie Island list this week (also the main list, but you know)

DAVID MACK is new to HeroesCon, and is not the David Mack you’re thinking of, unless you’re thinking of THIS David Mack. A minicomic impresario of no small talent, the Athens resident has produced a TON of awesome minis, including Otto, Fifty Fearful Faces, Wolf City, and Some Things I’ve Dreamed.

JOEL WATSON is the creator and purveyor of the HijiNKS ENSUE webcomic, not to mention creator of t-shirts that get worn by such pop culture studs as J.J. Abrams, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Coulton, and Edward James Olmos. I just call him “E.J.”

Okay! On to Small Press!

Today’s update to the HeroesCon 2010 Guest List comes packed with delicious, vitamin-fortified goodness — returning to the mighty halls of the Charlotte Convention Center will be Rantz Hoseley and Jason Levesque, the editor and cover artist, respectively, of the Eisner and Harvey Award winning Comic Book Tattoo anthology! When he’s not racking up comic awards, Rantz is also the CEO of Longbox Digital, a new comic book e-reading and digital download service that’s currently in beta-testing.

Jason, who prior to doing the Comic Book Tattoo cover was just an illustrator, is these days turning into a go-to comics cover artist, with work on The Many Loves of Spider-Man, X-Force, and more; not to mention a couple of artbooks (Girls Are Pretty and Pretty Gross). Awesome to have these two Tori Amos-loving dudes back in the hizzy.

Also back today is our old buddy Jim Amash, who if you get rushed for time getting sketches you should visit–Jim can draw in pretty much any style and is a hoot to chat with while he draws for you. Recently he’s been working on a number of all-ages books including Sonic Universe, Jughead, Scooby-Doo and more–plus his work as a writer/editor for Alter Ego and on books like Sal Buscema: Comics’ Fast And Furious Artist.

Tsunami Studios’ Robert Atkins returns this year–every year his resume gets a little more awesome; these days it includes GI Joe, Amazing Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, and more. He’s also currently working on a creator owned project coming out from Ape Entertainment early next year. Robert’s joined by fellow Tsunamist Kelly Yates, who’s most recently been working on a myriad of different Doctor Who comics, including The Forgotten and Autopia. He’s also the creator of the Amber Atoms series from Image!

Doug Dabbs is another whose star is on the rise since his graduation from SCAD– besides work on Resurrection, Doug is currently illustrating his first graphic novel, Holiday, to be published by Oni Press. And last up this week is newcomer Corinna Bechko–a zookeeper by day and writer by night, Corinna’s recent comics work includes Heathentown and the Zuda comic The Crooked Man. Please welcome her to her first HeroesCon as a guest!