Ben and I got to wander about the Long Beach Convention Center this Halloween weekend at the ever-flavorful Long Beach Comic Convention (LBCCon)!  In its sophomore year, this youthful con has come a long way over the last year and boasts a bigger space, more exhibitors and a much wider variety of people.  If you want the short review, here it is: Long Beach Comic Con is awesomesauce poured over a plate of yummy respect for comics, slow roasted with sprinkles of informative and a side dish good times with a sparse serving of mediocre attendance.

For those who like their reviews with a bit more information, read forth.

The space inside of the Long Beach Convention Center is ideal for the needs of comic book gathering — 35% bigger than last year.  Aisles inside are clean and easy to navigate, with publishers up front, just in front of the entrance, and copious aisles for the two artist alleys (which here, should be called the artist stages, as they seem to take center stage and highlight the talent as opposed to various other conventions), surrounded by various retailer booths in between and along the outsides.

Talent at the LBCCon is impressive, pulling out some of the finest in the area.  This year the convention stars include (bold indicates particular favorites of mine): Tim Bradstreet (who struck up a conversation with Ben and I at the beginning of the convention and is quite a pleasant gentleman), Max Brooks, J Scott Campbell, Amanda Conner, Scott Lobdell, Jeph Loeb, Mike Mignola, Dustin Nyugen, Steve Niles, Jimmy Palmiotti, Whilce Portacio, Tim Sale, Mark Waid, Bernie Wrightson, Joe Benitez, Joel Gomez, Eddi Nunez, Lord Mesa, John Narcomey Jr, Ruben Martinez, Dave Johnson, Thomas Jane, Michael Jonathon, Kit and Emma Steinkellner and Louis Leterrier.

Publishers were a much stronger presence than last year.  Aspen and BOOM! made a return, but they brought some industry associates like Arcana, IDW, Image and Top Cow.  We’d be remiss not to mention one of our favorite retailers 4 Color Fantasies (manned by owner Chris Brady) as well.

Oh, and Pitof.  The guy who made the Catwoman movie with Halle Berry.  Dirty Pitof…

The only part of the convention noticeably less impressive than 2009 was the programming.  It wasn’t the quality of programming that left me feeling a bit “meh,” but the distance I had to hike to get there.  Am I lazy?  Yes.  But it was a pain in the ass to have to leave the convention, walk down to street level, then up a block, down another block to the right and back towards the parking garage where a group of rooms completely detached from the Convention Center awaited with panelly goodness.  After talking to some of the LBCCon employees I learned that this douchery was the result of another Convention Center renter annexing all use of the convenient rooms because they didn’t want our geeky germs all over the place (or something like that).  Unfair, to be certain, but unexecusably annoying.

The programming itself, however, was fantastic.  I went to a few including:  Comic Book Writing 101 — Comic Book Sunday!, Listen to Jimmy Palmiotti — Amanda Conner Spotlight, Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics, Exclusive Premiere! Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam,  Webcomic Advocates Get-Together, 50 Questions in 50 Minutes with Mark Waid, Mike Mignola Spotight, Top Cow: We Create…Competition, and Getting Your IP Recognized with Jimmy Palmiotti.  Unfortunately there were several other panels I wanted to attend (especially the one with Louis Leterrier and Pitof the Destroyer) but time constraints and a small bladder kept me from listening in on all the goodness.

For some reason, despite all of this potential goodness, LBCCon wasn’t able to pull the crowds everyone hoped for.  It could be because the convention falls on Halloween weekend and most folks were out getting their ghoulish freak on.  Or perhaps a few fine fellows and gals got lost traveling from the con to the panels, never to be heard from again.  More than likely, the lackluster turnout could be a result of a second year convention feeling the empty pangs of growth.  Whatever the cause, it needs to get fixed.

Many of the presenters, exhibitors and professionals I spoke to were underwhelmed at attendance and disappointed at dismal sales.  Hopefully next year brings more fans to support our comic-labor of love because Long Beach Comic Con has the potential to be more than great -> It could be the greatest comic books convention in Southern California.

Check out the pics below (and a personal thanks to Zatanna, Ms. Marvel and the Invisible Woman — you were the bust best.)

Peace.

James

• Amanda Dawn Wolf
• Bernie Wrightson
• Beth Sotelo
• Brian Haberlin
• Cat Staggs
• Christian Beranek
• Christian Meesey
• Chris Moreno
• Dan Brereton
• Dan Wickline
• Dan Taylor
• David Wohl
• Drew Johnson
• Dustin Nguyen
• Eddie Nuñez
• Eric Basaldua
• Eric Canete
• Frank Mastromauro
• Gus Vazquez
• J.T. Krul
• Jim Daly
• JJ Kirby
• Joe Benitez
• Joe Rubinstein
• Jordan Raskin
• Josh Dysart
• Lauren Perry
• Joshua Hale Fialkov
• Livio Ramondelli
• Lou Ferrigno
• Mark Dos Santos
• Mark Roslan
• Michael Lopez
• Naomi Baker
• Norm Rapmund
• Peter Steigerwald
• Philip Tan
• Ray-Anthony Height
• Richard Starkings
• Rick Basaldua
• Rob Levin
• Scott Lobdell
• Stan Sakai
• Steve Niles
• Tim Bradstreet
• Tim Vigil
• Todd Nauck
• Tone Rodriguez
• Tony DeZuniga
• Tony Fleecs
• Trent Kaniuga
• Trevor Goring
• Vince Hernandez
• Whilce Portacio

Sgt. Angle and Benjamin Glibert give R2 the “what’s-what.”

Ben, Sgt. Angle, Ash, Admiral Eo and I made our way up to Long Beach in the wee hours of Saturday morning and pushed through minimal traffic-resistance, arriving at the Convention Center just after doors opened at 10am.  We were greeted by a few cars resembling entertainment icons and pushed past a group of Clone Wars veterans into the expo.  Now this event was not in the main hall, as the convention was, but in a smaller room to the side of the main entrance — but it worked.  There was enough space to get around and sample each of the vendors/artists/writers/publisher’s tables without feeling to cramped.

Admiral Eo and James Ninness don’t mind Huey Lewis, but hate the News.

Once we had our wristbands, we leisurely strolled through the hubbub and ran into Mike Mignola and Steve Niles (both incredibly personable) — not a bad start.  After a very lovely discussion with Tone Rodriguez (who told me that he was in DEXTER, something I did not know), we spent the rest of the afternoon shopping.  One of the booths was selling everything at 40% off, so between the five of us, a few hundred dollars was spent and everybody went home with goodies galore.

Admiral Eo, James Ninness and Ash think Anakin acts like a girl.

Cosplay was ensuing, with quite a good many fantastic costumes, and a few not so good ones…  But it was great to see fans out in force, enjoying each others geekery.  While I wish that there was more, I understand that this was a $10.00, one day event and I’m not complaining, I just wish there was more to see or do.  There were no panels (understandable), no contests (again, understandable) and no incentive to stay after doing a couple laps around the showroom floor.  It was, as one would think it to be, simple.  We went, talked to some amazing people, met some courageous fans, and bought some fantastically priced merch — a fine time.

ZBladeXX scares Sgt. Angle

I look forward to the Con-proper in October (assuming I’m invited again) and have to hand it to the Long Beach organizers, MAD Event Management and the Long Beach Comic Convention, they made a lot of people very happy on an otherwise plain February afternoon — so a very special thanks to them!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Talk to you guys soon!

James Ninness

PS:  The response to MYTHOI has been overwhelming — thank you all!  I hope you continue to enjoy it!