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Image Expo Day One by Peter Svensson

Published Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:00:03 -0600

Last updated Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:59:55 -0600

Peter Svensson writes for Bleeding Cool, and is embedded at the Image Comics Expo. Photos before the show opened by Mat Nastos.

Day one of the Image Comics Expo was full of many revelations. Grant Morrison is going to be doing a miniseries with Darrick Robertson called "Happy!" We're getting that third Phonograph volume that we've all been hoping for. (Or at least I have.) And the parking situation at the Oakland Convention Center is worse than San Diego. You are strongly recommended to take public transit. BART has a station right outside the con. Don't drive. You will regret it.

This is a comic convention. Not a pop culture convention that has a comics emphasis. You will find no aging TV stars attempting to schlepp overpriced autographs. No massive booths promoting a summer blockbuster film. There are comic creators, comic publishers and retailers all sharing the same space in the intimate show floor. You will see the entire convention before the day is done. I will give Image credit, this convention was better executed than I had expected for their first attempt. It's slick and polished. There's a program. You'll like it. (Also, if you are planning on attending a panel, stop by the Image booth an hour earlier to pick up a ticket. You can't get into a panel without the proper ticket. So plan your day accordingly. )

So, down to the nitty gritty:

The Keynote Address by Eric Stephenson was a short affair which recapped the history of Image, and then segued into some announcements of current and upcoming titles. Stephenson began his association with Image through being friends with Jim Valentino, who he had interviewed for the magazine that would become Wizard. When told that Valentino, Liefeld, Lee, McFarlane, Portacio, Larsen and Silvestri were going to be starting their own comic company, Stephenson had only one response. "Are you FUCKING kidding me?!" Stephenson pointed out that Image's success has been about the relationships that creators form, and how one creator will work with another and bring more people into the Image umbrella. From Brian K. Vaughn being pulled in via Kirkman from their mutual time at Marvel, to Grant Morrison having a lunch with Image execs through Man of Action. The entire affair was about a half hour long.

So… what was on the con floor?

J.T Krul, of Green Arrow and Captain Atom fame was working the Aspen booth, helping to set it up, price the variants and otherwise do the job that other comic publishers would assign to an intern. He's just that kinda guy.

There was a massive line for Chew creators John Layman and Rob Guillory at the start of the convention. Their idea to charge less for a personalized autographed edition of the variant for issue 24 has been successful, though as of the end of the day it seemed that you did have a significant amount of people who were willing to pay more for that pristine ready to be sold on eBay non-autographed version. We'll check in as the con progresses. The next issue of Chew will open on perhaps the most risque image that the

Jim Zub had a convention exclusive hardcover release of Skullkickers, as well as a nifty map of the setting of his fantasy comedy. Few are the fantasy worlds where a mountain range is labeled "I saw a dragon there and did soil my pants."

Brian K. Vaughn continues to be one of the nicest men in comics.

Richard Starkings expects the next Elephantmen HC to come out late this summer. Volume 00 just recently came out and finer comic shops everywhere should have it in stock.

IDW's booth struggled to find a way to display the gorgeous oversized Locke and Key hardcover they had for sale.

In the shameless plug department, The Official Power Morphicon showed off their new banner advertising the Power Ranger convention to be held later this year in Pasadena CA.

More news as it breaks.