In an ideal world, this would be full of color, plentry of links, and so on. And longer.
But I am writing this at 4:15am on about 90 minutes of sleep at the airport, so....not so much.
For the first time, a member of the Panel Patter team, yours truly, will be at Comic-Con. Plenty of attention will go to the media areas, but what about comics? Is Comic-Con a good place for fans of images on paper or screen?
I'll know more in about 15 hours. But a few weeks of scanning the lists snd talking to publishers and creators has convinced me there's plenty of comics to be had, and some that are really exciting to me!
Here's a small sample as I wait to board. Please excuse typos. I am sleep deprived!
Hometown Oni Press will have their booth, along with creators including Colleen Coover (Small Favors), Zander Cannon (Kaijumax), and Bryan Lee O'Malley (Scott Pilgrim) among others, plus book specials.
European Comics is a combination of several presses across the Atlantic Ocean who are bringing their comics to the English market in translation. Scott and I are big fans of European comics and I can't wait to see what they have to offer.
Action Lab/Danger Zone has a booth, as do several of their creators. Associated people to see include Jamal Igle (Molly Danger), Damon Clark (The Circle), Dave Dwonch (Infinite 7), David Pepose (Spencer and Locke), and more.
Kel McDonald (Misfits of Avalon), Jen Vaughn (Cartozia Tales), and Rachel Dukes (Frankie Comics) are all Panel Pals and can be found in the booths. Make sure you see all three of them!
First Second is one of my favorite publishers. Two highlights from their stable of creators this year include proud papa Box Brown (Tetris) and the amazingly talented Tillie Walden (On a Sunbeam). If you want all ages comics, look no further.
Fantagraphics is at the show, of course, with 2017 debut books from Noah Van Sciver and others. Signings include the Hernandez Brothers (Love and Rockets) and Liz Suburbia (Sacred Heart).
No one talks enough about the quality of Bongo Comics, which is a shame. Love the Simpsons, Futurama, and Spongebob? Please go try their comics. Now. Guarantee you will dig them.
Northwest Press and Prism team up to provide premiere queer content to SDCC. You'll find Tony Breed (Muddlers Beat), Dylan Edwards (Valley of the Silk Sky) and others, along with great comics by top talents in the LGBT community.
Mini-Comic, zine scene, and outsider types need to go to Silver Sprocket, who are appropriately enough, located near Fanta. Lots of new comics from them to be had, from a publisher of Liz Prince among others.
Let's close this list with Fanfare. A small publisher with amazing taste, they are how I got into the late Jiro Taniguchi, aka one of the five best Japanese creators I've read. (He also bore a strong resemblance to my father, which is kinda cool. I think it was the moustache.) If you have never read Taniguchi, you simply must. Stephen will hook you up, and make sure he knows I sent you.
Okay, almost time to board. Sorry there isn't more, but here's a great starting point. Watch Panel Patter's Twitter for more, as I use it to highlight comics at the show.
And if you are at SDCC, please try to find me and say Hi!
