The days before the Baltimore Comic Con are always filled with excitement for me. There’s a genuine energy of excitement in the air. It’s my annual chance to hobnob with industry folks and fellow fans alike.
Digging in the long boxes is always a treat. I can usually find something that piques my interest. Sometimes it’s a book that I remember from my youth that grabs my attention, like The Brave & The Bold. Sometimes it’s a book that I’ve always wanted to pick up, like Superman: Secret Identity. And sometimes it’s a book that can remember loving, like Wally West’s early years as The Flash. Virtually every box contains a treasure.
It’s also cool because there’s a real sense of community. If a vendor doesn’t have what your looking for, they’ll usually point you in the direction of someone who might. Not to mention the people around you digging in long boxes, they’ll keep an eye out for things as well. It’s a pretty dope feeling.
And of course the panels are fun to attend. I’ve gone to DC Nation Panels and Sunday Conversation Panels. I went to the Wednesday Comics panel which was really informative and provided me with the chance to see Joe Kubert. But I’ll never forget the Mark Waid panel where people held up Silver Age Superman comics and Waid identified the issue number just by the cover.
This year I’m only planning on attending four panels. The first one is the Spotlight on Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis & Kevin Maguire. I’m a fan of their work on Justice League so hearing about their process of creating is something I’m really looking forward to.
The next panel I’ll be hitting is the Spotlight on the Legion of Super-Heroes. It’s going to have creators from virtually every era of the Legion, and I’m really hoping that Giffen spills some beans on the 5YG Legion.
Then there’s the DC: The New 52 panel. Maybe some last minute bombshells will be dropped.
And finally I’ll be at this year’s DC Sunday Conversation. It’s usually a fun panel to attend with a sense of intimacy.
I’m typing this on a Tuesday night, new comics come out tomorrow but all I can think about what’s going to happen Saturday and Sunday. And that’s the power of the Baltimore Comic Con.
