GRAND RAPIDS COMIC CON (November 8-10)

My final convention appearance of 2019 is Grand Rapids Comic Con. This is also one of my favorite conventions so I’m closing out the year in...ahem...grand fashion. The event takes place Friday thru Sunday, November 8-10, at the DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The convention hours are...

Friday, November 8, 12-7 pm
Saturday, November 9, 10 am-7 pm
Sunday, November 10, 10 am-5 pm

For folks with more lasting power than me, there will be after-hours  programming as late as midnight on Friday and Saturday nights!

Grand Rapids always has in great comics, media, literary, cosplay and YouTube guests. This year’s comics guests include Gail Simone, Heather Antos, Jim Shooter, Christopher Jones, Graham Nolan, David Nakayama, Ty Templeton, Thom Zahler, Dirk Manning, William Messner-Loebs, Robert Pope, Scott Rosema, Golden Age legend Vic Carrabotta and more.

The media guest list is also impressive. Attending the convention: Patrick Warburton, my friend Jennifer Riker (Black Lightning), Tony Todd, Jason Marsden, Greg Weisman, Sara Karloff (daughter of Boris Karloff), Ann Robinson (War of the Worlds) and more. There will be guests from Power Rangers, Star Wars, Star Trek, horror, anime and superhero media.

In addition to the guests, Grand Rapids always has cool cosplayers, exciting exhibits and pulse-pounding panels and programming. Did I say “pulse-pounding?” Clearly, I just had a momentary flashback to the years I spending writing copy for Marvel Comics.

I will be doing two panels/presentations this year.

For all the fans who have told me they wished they could have seen my CHEESY MONSTERS RAID AGAIN presentation at this year’s Godzilla-centric G-Fest, your wish is being granted. On Friday, at 3 pm in Grand Gallery E-F, I will be doing an encore presentation of that event. For those who can’t make it to Grand Rapids Comic Con, you will get another chance at an early 2020 convention. If you still can’t make it to that one, fear not. I’m writing a kind of sort of novelization of the panel with an eye towards publishing it early next year. The cheese is strong within me.

Then, on Saturday, at 2:30 pm in Grand Gallery A-C, Jennifer Riker, who plays the deliciously evil Dr. Helga Jace on Black Lightning, and I will discuss my favorite TV show, dance around what you can expect from this gripping current season and talk about Jennifer’s other work. You’ve all heard my routine before. Come to the panel to listen to Jennifer.

When I’m not doing panels, taking breaks, wandering the vendor hall looking for cool stuff or visiting friends at their booths, I will be at my booth.

What will I be selling? I’m bringing these books, some of which are in short supply:

1000 Comic Books You Must Read
Black Lightning Volume One (reprinting my 1970s run)
Black Lightning Volume Two (stories not written by me)
Black Lightning: Brick City Blues (reprinting my 1995 run)
Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands (reprinting my most recent Black Lightning comics from 2017-2018)
July 1963: A Pivotal Month in the Comic-Book Life of Tony Isabella Volume One (which defies description)

I’m bringing copies of an exclusive-to-me variant edition Marvel’s Greatest Creators: Tony Isabella #1, which reprints the first appearance of Misty Knight in the Iron Fist series. This signed, numbered edition is limited to 1000 copies.

I’ll have Black Lightning pins from Fansets. The pins cost $6 each  and my supply is limited.

Posters? I’ll have a number of different posters and mini-posters: Black Lightning (three different posters), Daredevil, Hawkman, Luke Cage and a Misty Knight/Tigra team-up.

I’ll sign any item purchased from me at no additional charge. I’m happy to sign any Tony Isabella or Tony Isabella-related items not purchased from me for a nominal fee of $5 per signature. That goes up to $10 per item if you’re having my signature witnessed by any grading company representative.

Cosplayers? If you’re cosplaying as a character I created or that I’ve written, please stop by my booth. With your permission, I’d love to take your photo for use in my blog and other online venues.

Photos with me? I’m happy to pose with you or for you. There is no charge for these photos.

Interviews? Depending on how busy I am at the convention, I’ll do my level best to make time to talk with you for your print/online articles or your podcasts. However, at this point, I'm working the event by myself and might not be able to accommodate you.

Are you an editor, publisher or filmmaker who would like to hire me for a project? We probably won’t be able to take a long-ish meeting during show hours, but I’ll do my best to accommodate you. Failing that, you can always contact me via e-mail.

Two more things.

Don’t be shy about asking me questions. Non-disclosure agreements mean there are questions I can’t answer, but I’ll try to give you answers to all other questions.

Should you ever feel threatened/uncomfortable at this or any other convention, know that my booth will always be a safe spot for you. You can hang with me until we can talk to con personnel able to help you with whatever and whoever is causing your concern.

I’m truly looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at this wonderful convention. If you want more information on all Grand Rapids Comic Con has to offer, visit its website.

I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2019 Tony Isabella