Comic Related - Gem City Comic Con Gallery

Looking Back on Gem City Comic Con

Gem City Comic Con took place on April 8th, 2008 from 10 AM to 5 PM in Dayton, Ohio. This was the third year for the show and my first time attending the event. For me, it was an honestly fun con that reminded me a little of classic comic conventions from years past. Here, you won't find the standard fare multi-media, mind blowing, skull splitting, wall rocking, media blitzing event some of the larger shows have evolved into. Here, it's all about comic vendors, toys, graphic novels, gaming, comic creators and having a good time.

I would consider this convention a great mid-range one day show that works quite hard to pack the complete look and feel of a two day event into one far-too-quick seven hour run. No panel presentations here. This show is very much about getting in, having your fun, meeting the creators, loading up the car with comic book goodness and calling it a day.

The show itself is a bit modular in nature due in part to the layout of the Wright State Student Union. Show organizers did a great job utilizing the layout to give each area it's own distinct feel. The main show floor was dominated by vendors and hosted a strong mix of video, toys and comics. The emphasis here is clearly on comics and it was refreshing to see them represented so strongly. The depth of some of the vintage books presented at the show was equally impressive and spoke well of the local Dayton comic collector market.

Just off the main show floor you had the first of two creator rooms. Marv Wolfman, Billy Tan and Dan Davis were positioned prominently as you walked into the main room. Marv was almost directly in front of the entrance. Along all the other walls you had a great mix of indie and small press creators. This room played host to (going around the room in order) Chad Lambert, Sean Forney, Matt Feazell, Bill Gladman and Joe Shover of Zonetrooper.com, Andy Bennett, Dave Aikins, Doug Sulipa, Kevin Leen, Brett R. Pinson, Tony Miello, Ian Shires, Travis Waller, Tony Moran, Billy Tan, Marv Wolfman, The Pop Culture Pin Trading Company, and Dan Davis.

You'll notice that I don't link to a site for Travis Waller. This young man (who is photographed drawing here) won Gem City Comic Con's cover art contest. He is 15 and goes to Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton. His prize pack included dinner for he and a parent with guests of the con so he got to talk to Billy Tan over dinner. His art was featured on the con's general admission program and he enjoyed his own table at the show (right next to Billy Tan).

The room where all these artist sat was referred to by many as the atrium. It was a bright sunny day outside and the glass skylight at the top of the room shown brightly on many of the creators (and even baked a couple through the course of the day). That said, it gave the room an upbeat feel that could be seen in the conversation and enthusiasm of many of the attendees.

Each of the creators present at the show seemed to have strong crowds at their table throughout the day. Billy Tan's crowd never really let up. That's probably due in part to the current status and quality of his work at Marvel and also due to his personality. More than once I saw him share prints and sketches with young kids and military personnel for free. I think that fact is worth mentioning and also worth a tip of the hat. In the brief moments I got to speak with him, I found him to be personable and he truly shares a love of comics as he could talk about almost any title fans brought up.

Just off this first creator room sat a large gaming area dominated by two long tables. Think Octoberfest, but with card, board and miniature games. This area filled up before the main show floor even got underway and didn't let up the entire day. What astounded me as I walked through the room wasn't simply the fact that there was barely an open seat the entire day, but the wide range of games being played. From HeroClix to Magic to board games to ten to twenty card games I didn't even recognize, everyone here was having a good time and the action appeared fierce. Tournaments took place, strategy was shared and fun was clearly had. Along the back wall of the gaming room were a few additional retailer tables catering exclusively to game products.

The fourth and final room was dedicated to independent and small press creators. This room easily boasted some of the most comfortable looking chairs I've seen creators enjoy in quite some time. The room had the look and feel of a large corporate conference room. That would be a conference room compete with plush executive chairs. The chairs ringed the outside wall with tables in front forming a square around the perimeter. Additional tables were placed in the center of the room increasing the density of the creator representation. The room was packed but didn't feel crowded. It had an intimate feel to it and saw strong foot traffic through the day. Here's hoping that foot traffic translated to sales for the creators.

Within the room (going around the outside of the room in order), you had the chance to check out the work of WAC Comics, Kel M. Crum, Nate Lovett, Timothy Jones, Far East Monsters, Pam Bliss, Tom Williams, Sean McGurr, Dara Naraghi, Craig Bogart, Hotflash Comics, George Foreman, The Society for Creative Anachronism, Weird Muse Productions, Mike Maydak, Eric Adams and Rich Walker and John Grosvenor of RW Publishing. Moving to the center of the room, you would find Max Ink, Jack Knifley and Studio Akumakaze.

A couple interesting facts about Gem City Comic Con... when it came to that second creator room, attendees weren't assigned a spot. They were guaranteed space, but the selection of that space was first come, first serve. For creators coming to the 2009 show, this is a fact that might bear remembering (though there really aren't any bad spots).

Despite our minor tech issues, it was a really fun show that I will certain be returning to in 2009. Co-organizer Jesse Noble should be proud of the event. As he remarked speaking with the Dayton Daily News, "For a one-day show, I think we give people a lot." I couldn't agree more.

Keep an eye on www.gemcitycomiccon.com for details on the 2009 show!

Our First Gallery of Photos from the Weekend

We kick off this update with a stroll through some of the creator tables...


Comic Legend Marv Wolfman	Supergirl and Superman	Billy Tan serves up sketches all day

Brett R. Pinson of Boomtown Press	Our good friends from Zonetrooper.com	Matt Feazell creator of the Amazing Cynicalman

This young creator is loaded with potential	Small Press Idol creator Ian Shires and his wonderful wife	Makin' monstrously cool toys

Art in the making	Illustrator, cartoonist and inker Dan Davis	Dora the Explorer illustrator Dave Aikins

Max Ink was hard at work on a sketch	T-Shirt Jam! A Gem City Tradition	Jack Knifley's new title Haunted

Rich Walker and John Grosvenor of RW Publishing	Nate Lovett's Xombie Reanimated	Pam Bliss set to take readers to Kekionga

Timothy Jones adds a monitor so everyone can see the art	Classics Illustrated well represented	Kel M. Crum creating a great Cornelia Cartoon

Weird Muse Productions sharing great mini-comics	Mike Maydak chats with S.P.A.C.E.'s Bob Corby	Don't miss reading Lackluster World

We end with a look at some of the gaming action at Gem City

Our Second Gallery of Photos from the Weekend

We kick off this second update with a stroll through more of the creator tables...


Kill The Revisionist creator Chad Lambert	The Joker and Harley Quinn	Marv Wolfman pens an autograph

Cheeks O'Chafenrump artist John Grosvenor	Consummate sketch artist Sean Forney hard at work	Classic pin-up styling

Ferret Press/Panel member Tom Williams	Studio Akumakaze sharing their new title Scrap	The fine creators of WAC Comics

Max Ink hard at work on another great sketch	Nate Lovett's packing in the crowd	Ian Shires chats with Bob Corby

Brett R. Pinson chats with fans	Tony Moran, the face of Halloween's Michael Myers	Bill Gladman and Joe Shover of Zonetrooper.com

We end this gallery with a few photos from the retail side of Gem City Comic Con

Our Third Gallery of Photos from the Weekend

We kick off this third update with a stroll through more of the creator tables...


Local news films Billy Tan	Matt Feazell and Zonetrooper.com greet fans	Marv Wolfman signing away

Kevin Leen compares notes with Brett Pinson	Manning the Gem City table	Comics and RPG illustrator Andy Bennett

Studio Akumakaze creating new comic pages	Ferret Press and Panel...	...are well represented

When monsters attack...	Local Society of Creative Anacronism representatives	Visitors check out Jack Knifley's art

Comics you're encouraged to take home to mom	Max Ink talks Blink	Chad Lambert chats with fans