Cincinnati Comic Expo 2012 – “Unleash Your Inner Geek”
My review of CCE 2012 is featured in this month's issue of Comics Buyer's Guide #1698, but in case you don't get a copy, here is the online version!
The third
annual Cincinnati Comic Expo (CCE) was held on September 22nd and 23rd,
2012, at the Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati. For a relatively small show that started out at
Xavier University’s Cintas Center just two years ago, the show has grown at an incredible
rate. With dozens of dealers, artists
and fan groups, it now rivals veteran regional shows like Wizard Mid-Ohio Con
and the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE).
With top
comic and media talent, plus unique attractions such as “sci-fi speed dating,”
this show is holding its own in the highly competitive pop culture convention
industry. For this year, the guest of
honor spots were shared between artist legend George Perez, and an amazing
“Swamp Thing Reunion” that featured creators Thomas Yeates, John Totleben, Rick
Veitch and Stephen Bissette. This
reunion was an incredible accomplishment for CCE, because none of these
creators, with the exception of Yeates, had appeared at a convention for more
than a decade. The long lines for
sketches and autographs were made more pleasant, thanks to representatives of
The Cincinnati Symphony Pops Orchestra, who gave out concert passes to fans,
and played selections from popular musical scores, such as Superman and Star Wars.
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| John Totleben, Thomas Yeates and Rick Veitch signed and sketched for fans during the "Swamp Thing" Reunion! |
Media guests
included Actor Chandler Riggs from The
Walking Dead TV series and Jason David Frank from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. Also attending was Star Wars Light Saber
Choreographer Nick Gillard, who conducted a “Jedi Training” session for fans. Several comic book publishers were also in
attendance, including Arcana Publishing, Devil’s Due and Skystorm Studios.
CCE 2012 also
provided a family friendly atmosphere with the Sunday “Kids Con” event, which
featured Star Wars Padawan Training, a Lego Scavenger Hunt, face painting,
raffles, and much more. Artists from
several “kid-friendly” comic titles were also in attendance. Children’s book illustrator Dave Aikins,
known for creating dozens of books featuring characters like Dora the Explorer
and SpongeBob Squarepants was there, and Mike Norton from Young Justice did free sketches for kids.
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| My son Jordan was thrilled to get a free Beast Boy sketch from Artist Mike Norton! |
Another unique
attraction at this convention was the opportunity to play vintage arcade games
for free, including Ms. Pac-Man, X-Men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
All of these classic machines were brought to the show floor courtesy of
Arcade Legacy, a local business that offers both vintage and modern video
gaming at hourly and daily rates. Their website
boasts “7,800 square feet of arcade gaming goodness, with sixty plus arcade and
pinball cabinets.” Convention attendees apparently loved the idea, as the
arcade machines were busy throughout the weekend, especially the ones that
could be played by two or three people at the same time.
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| My son Jordan got to play several vintage arcade games, courtesy of Arcade Legacy. |
Of course no
comic convention would be complete without a large variety of comic dealers,
and CCE had plenty of them. Vendor
merchandise ranged from Golden Age and original art, to modern comics and variant
covers at bargain prices. In addition to
more than 30 comic dealers, there were dozens of other vendors selling art
supplies, glasses, buttons, t-shirts and non-sports cards. One of the more unique vendors was Cincinnati
Bricks, an online Lego marketplace that sells individual pieces (or “bricks”), complete
sets and other product that is often exclusive to the European market.
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| Brett Pinson of Boomtown Press brought his animation style cell art to the show! |
As I’ve mentioned in prior reports, convention experiences can be more fun when you turn the trip into a complete family vacation, or even a quick day trip. Cincinnati is just minutes from the Kentucky border, which means lots of possibilities for additional fun, such as The Newport Aquarium, Big Bone Lick State Park and the sleepy town of Rabbit Hatch, where you can have a barbeque pulled pork sandwich for breakfast, check out the old fashioned general store, and even visit with the town’s mayor, who is (literally) a dog.
CCE 2012 was a great success, and before the convention even
started, the first big name guest was already announced for 2013. Art Balthazar, known for his beloved Tiny Titans comic series, is scheduled
to appear at next year’s show, and more guest announcements are expected soon. The convention’s catch phrase, “Unleash Your
Inner Geek” was embraced by all, and this reviewer is looking forward to next
year’s convention!
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| Comic Creators Rob Worley and Paul Storrie |
