The New Mexico Comic Expo is my next convention appearance. It will take place Friday through Sunday, August 16-18, at the Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 2nd Street NW. The show hours are Friday 2-8 pm, Saturday 11 am-7 pm and Sunday 10am to 5 pm.
From my quick scan of the media, comics and cosplay guest roster, the show will be hosting over fifty celebrities. Among the media guests I’d like to meet - but whom I probably won’t get a chance to meet - are Jason Momoa (Sunday only); Jon Bernthal (Saturday and Sunday); Hayley Atwell (all three days); and Felicia Day (Saturday and Sunday). The list would be longer if I had more time to watch movies and TV shows. I’m embarrassed to admit how many great films and series I haven’t watched yet.
The comics guest lists reads like FOOT (Friends of Old Tony): Chris Claremont, Roy Thomas, Don McGregor, Julia and Eric Lewald, Kevin Eastman, Larry Houston, Bob McLeod, Mike Zeck, Ron Wilson, Keith Wilson and many others. Forgive me for not listing all of the great comics guests, but I don’t want this pre-convention report to read like a phone book. Though it would be the coolest phone book in the entire history of phone books.
Over the three days, the New Mexico Comic Expo will present forty panels featuring its guests and cosplayers. I will be appearing on two panels, both scheduled for Saturday.
At noon in Room 2, I’ll be on the “I Created That Character” panel with Don McGregor, Keith Wilson, Steve Erwin and Kerry Gammill. I suspect I’ll mostly be asked about Black Lightning, but I’m ready to be surprised by audience questions about lesser known creations that I may have forgotten about.
Then, at 6 pm in Room 1, my friend and mentor Roy Thomas and I will be talking about “The Good and the Bad with Marvel”. It was Roy who hired me to work at Marvel in 1972. I don’t think he has regretted that decision more than four or five times since then.
The convention is also hosting several special events. Friday has Comic Trade Night (where you can bring up to one box of comics to trade with your fellow fans) and the Kick-Off Party with proceeds benefitting Safe House Albuquerque. Saturday will have the Cosplay Contest with three categories - Youth (0-13), Adults (14+), Groups (6 members maximum) - and Late Night Karaoke. Sunday’s events will wrap up with the Art Auction. For more information on the guests, panels and special events, check out the Expo’s website.
From my quick scan of the media, comics and cosplay guest roster, the show will be hosting over fifty celebrities. Among the media guests I’d like to meet - but whom I probably won’t get a chance to meet - are Jason Momoa (Sunday only); Jon Bernthal (Saturday and Sunday); Hayley Atwell (all three days); and Felicia Day (Saturday and Sunday). The list would be longer if I had more time to watch movies and TV shows. I’m embarrassed to admit how many great films and series I haven’t watched yet.
The comics guest lists reads like FOOT (Friends of Old Tony): Chris Claremont, Roy Thomas, Don McGregor, Julia and Eric Lewald, Kevin Eastman, Larry Houston, Bob McLeod, Mike Zeck, Ron Wilson, Keith Wilson and many others. Forgive me for not listing all of the great comics guests, but I don’t want this pre-convention report to read like a phone book. Though it would be the coolest phone book in the entire history of phone books.
Over the three days, the New Mexico Comic Expo will present forty panels featuring its guests and cosplayers. I will be appearing on two panels, both scheduled for Saturday.
At noon in Room 2, I’ll be on the “I Created That Character” panel with Don McGregor, Keith Wilson, Steve Erwin and Kerry Gammill. I suspect I’ll mostly be asked about Black Lightning, but I’m ready to be surprised by audience questions about lesser known creations that I may have forgotten about.
Then, at 6 pm in Room 1, my friend and mentor Roy Thomas and I will be talking about “The Good and the Bad with Marvel”. It was Roy who hired me to work at Marvel in 1972. I don’t think he has regretted that decision more than four or five times since then.
The convention is also hosting several special events. Friday has Comic Trade Night (where you can bring up to one box of comics to trade with your fellow fans) and the Kick-Off Party with proceeds benefitting Safe House Albuquerque. Saturday will have the Cosplay Contest with three categories - Youth (0-13), Adults (14+), Groups (6 members maximum) - and Late Night Karaoke. Sunday’s events will wrap up with the Art Auction. For more information on the guests, panels and special events, check out the Expo’s website.
When I’m not doing panels or roaming the vendors area for wondrous comics and related items that I can buy and sneak into my suitcase without Saintly Wife Barb catching me, I’ll be at my booth. While the major attraction there will be your getting the opportunity to meet SWB, I’ll have a selection of Isabella-written books for sale as well. Because we’re flying in, I’m limited to how many books I can bring to the convention. At this time, I expect to have copies of these books:
Black Lightning (my 1970s series)
Black Lightning Volume 2 (1970s stories not by me)
Black Lightning: Brick City Blues (my mid-1990s run)
Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands (my 2018-2019 series)
July 1963: A Pivotal Month in the Comic-Book Life of Tony Isabella Volume 1
Marvel’s Greatest Creators Tony Isabella #1 (the exclusive-from-me limited variant edition reprinting Misty Knight’s first appearance)
If you buy a book or comic from me, I’ll sign them for free. Even if you bring a grading company representative to witness my signing said book or comic.
Here’s the rest of my signature policy:
All other items: $5 each.
Items signed in front of a grading company witness: $10 each.
Photos are free, but I do ask you e-mail them to me with permission to post them online.
Speaking of photos...
I love cosplayers who dress as characters I created or characters I’ve written. I just love cosplay in general. If you are cosplaying at the New Mexico Comic Expo, please stop by my booth so I can get a photo of you for possible use in my future New Mexico Comic Expo convention report.
On other matters...
If you are a publisher, editor, artist, filmmaker, movie and/or TV producer or actor who wants to work with me, we can certainly talk during the Expo. If you e-mail me before Wednesday, we can schedule that conversation. If you don’t e-mail me, I’ll still do my best to find time to meet with you. I’m an agreeable guy.
If you are a media person, print, podcast, TV or radio, who would like to interview me, I’ll do my best to make that happen as well. As with the above, e-mail before Wednesday and we will schedule an interview. Also as above, if you first contact me at the Expo, I’ll try to make that work.
One more thing.
Barb and I are flying into Albuquerque early Thursday. We will be spending all day Monday in the city as well. We’d like to do some tourist stuff and welcome your recommendations. You can post them in the comments, on my Facebook page or send them to me via e-mail.
I have a couple conventions in November, but that looks like it for the year. I’m probably going to do fewer conventions in 2020, but we’ll see how that goes.
If you’re a promoter who would like to book me as a guest at your convention or other event, e-mail me with as much information about your event as possible. I’ll email my appearance requirements back to you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Saintly Wife Barb and I are excited about coming to Albuquerque and the New Mexico Comic Expo. We hope to see you there.
I’ll be back soon with more bloggy stuff.
© 2019 Tony Isabella
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