Previously in Tony Isabella’s Bloggy Thing...
The Akron Comicon 2017 which, among other things, celebrated Black Lightning on the super-hero’s 40th anniversary, was held November 4 and 5, at the John S. Knight Convention Center. Guests included original Black Lightning artist Trevor von Eeden, original Black Lightning editor Jack C. Harris, Mike W. Barr, P. Craig Russell, Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz and many others. This is the conclusion of my report on that event.
On Sunday morning, Sainted Wife Barb had to leave early to go to work. I had a fun breakfast with Jack, Tom and Ron, talking about all kinds of stuff. Before long, it was time to board the hotel shuttle and head to the convention.
Though the costume contest was held on Saturday, there were still many cosplayers walking around the convention. My favorite group of cosplayers were three fans dressed as Hela, Loki and Thor from the new movie Thor: Ragnarok. If I could even remotely carry a tune, I would have serenaded the fetching Hela with a rendition of “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.”
I also enjoyed seeing Spider-Ham and younger cosplayers such as Kid Punisher. The latter seemed to have had a rough convention, but was no worse for the wear and smiling.
On both days, I signed a lot of comic books and sold a lot of comic books and other items. But, on Sunday, I was able to get away from my table to wander the convention floor a bit. I visited the good folks at WBNX-TV (The CW in Cleveland), comics artist Darryl Banks, my friend, neighbor and occasional employer Tom Batiuk (whose tour promoting his boxed Lisa’s Legacy Trilogy set has been keeping him on the road), Craig Boldman, George Broderick and Chris Yambar (who gave me copies of some of their latest comics), Matt Horak (Akron area artist currently drawing the Punisher), Bob Ingersoll (who is in the background of most con photos of Jack, Trevor and myself), the formidable Dirk Manning, Matthew Manning (who gave me a copy of his Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover), Mike and Janice Olszewski (who gave me a copy of their wonderful Cleveland Radio Tales), old friend and comics genius P. Craig Russell, Ted Sikora and Milo Manara (filmmakers and the creators of Apama and the Tap Dance Killer), Mark Sumerak, Sean & Stephanie Forney, Jay E. Fife, Rick Lozano, Dan Gorman, Lee Smith and many others.
After reuniting with Jack and Trevor, there were many other special moments for me during the convention. I had a chance to talk with Youngstown comics dealer Pat Dulay, who I have known for decades. I spent some time with old friends from the U.S.S LaGrange Star Trek Club; I was and maybe still am an honorary member of the best starship in Northeastern Ohio.
I also visited The Toys Time Forgot booth. I’ll be returning to the store for Free Comic Book Day 2018. Located in the very cool Canal Fulton, the establishment is a treasure trove of amazing toys and collectibles. They even helped me load up my table and take it to my van when the show ended.
Sidebar. Let us take a moment to honor my soon-to-be-retired van. “Monty” has taken me to countless conventions over the past decade or so. But, alas, it needs more costly repairs than its blue book value. I’m truly saddened by the end of my adventures with Monty, but Sainted Barb assures me my beloved van will have a good life at a farm elsewhere in Ohio, a place where it can relax and play with the rabbits and deer. I’ll miss you, Monty.
The Akron Comicon had a fun slate of panels on Sunday, though I was unable to attending any of them. Veteran voice actor Frank James Bailey presented an introduction to basic voice acting. P. Craig Russell gave a live talk on the art of graphic story telling. Ed Gosney II spoke on Comic Book Nostalgia, reflecting on our comics collections. Finally, Trevor von Eeden and Mike W. Barr teamed for a panel on The Brave and the Bold and other favorites of the Bronze Age of Comics.
Two more special moments need to be mentioned. One was a moment I take more delight in than I should, the other was the perfect cap to a glorious convention. I’m sure you’ll be able to determine which is which.
There was a lout at the convention, an unpleasant fellow who had, in the past, caused some unpleasantness for some of the convention fans and volunteers. He was a scowling jerk who lumbered about the con wearing his made-in-China “Make America Great Again” hat. He’d gotten Bob Ingersoll’s signature on a Star Trek comic book the two of us had written many years ago and wanted my autograph on it as well.
I told him I’d be happy to sign his comic book as soon as he took off “that fucking stupid hat.” The expression on the poor sensitive creature’s face when I told him that made my soul sing. Mind you, I didn’t say I wouldn’t sign his comic book. Just that I wouldn’t sign it while he was standing before me wearing that representation of the worst president in our nation’s history. He stormed off and I chuckled. I would say I was ashamed of chuckling out loud at his plight, but that would be a lie. I relished the moment.
However, the cherry on the delicious sundae of the convention was when my friend Dennis Knowles came to the convention with another old friend. Dennis, who is a television producer who works with the local PBS station and does their weekly arts-and-culture program, has been working on a piece about me. More importantly, Dennis is a key player in my comics career.
I grew up in Cleveland, a heavily segregated city. My first black friends were comic-book fans - Dennis, Bruce Burke, Leroy Crayton - who I met at a comic-book club I founded and which held meetings at the now-infamous Cudell Recreation Center on Cleveland’s west side. That center is where young Tamar Rice was murdered by policemen who escaped justice for their crime. But, back in the early 1970s, the center was a place of fond memories.
Becoming friends with Dennis, Bruce and Leroy made me consider how unfair it was that there weren’t more black characters in comics. “Diversity” was not really part of my everyday vocabulary back then. I just thought it wasn’t fair that my friends couldn’t see themselves in the comic books we all loved.
Dennis came to Akron Comicon on Sunday to shoot additional footage for his piece on me. He brought Leroy with him and filmed the very moment of my reunion with a dear friend I hadn’t see in possibly 20 years or more. Leroy and I were both a little worse for the years, but it was so good seeing and talking with him. I hope some of that footage makes it into the show. Leroy sometimes sings at a church in my home town of Medina, so we hope to get together for lunch in the near future.
The Akron Comicon appears to be my last appearance of the year and it was a great conclusion to my convention year. It’s a convention built around the fans, of which I have been one my entire life. It honored Black Lightning, my proudest creation and the character who is still changing my life for the better. It was a convention I’ll never forget.
In 2018, the Akron Comicon will move to the historic Goodyear Hall. The dates are Saturday and Sunday, November 3 and 4. I’ll be there and I hope to see you there as well.
I’ll be back soon more stuff. See you then.
© 2017 Tony Isabella
The Akron Comicon 2017 which, among other things, celebrated Black Lightning on the super-hero’s 40th anniversary, was held November 4 and 5, at the John S. Knight Convention Center. Guests included original Black Lightning artist Trevor von Eeden, original Black Lightning editor Jack C. Harris, Mike W. Barr, P. Craig Russell, Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz and many others. This is the conclusion of my report on that event.
On Sunday morning, Sainted Wife Barb had to leave early to go to work. I had a fun breakfast with Jack, Tom and Ron, talking about all kinds of stuff. Before long, it was time to board the hotel shuttle and head to the convention.
Though the costume contest was held on Saturday, there were still many cosplayers walking around the convention. My favorite group of cosplayers were three fans dressed as Hela, Loki and Thor from the new movie Thor: Ragnarok. If I could even remotely carry a tune, I would have serenaded the fetching Hela with a rendition of “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.”
I also enjoyed seeing Spider-Ham and younger cosplayers such as Kid Punisher. The latter seemed to have had a rough convention, but was no worse for the wear and smiling.
On both days, I signed a lot of comic books and sold a lot of comic books and other items. But, on Sunday, I was able to get away from my table to wander the convention floor a bit. I visited the good folks at WBNX-TV (The CW in Cleveland), comics artist Darryl Banks, my friend, neighbor and occasional employer Tom Batiuk (whose tour promoting his boxed Lisa’s Legacy Trilogy set has been keeping him on the road), Craig Boldman, George Broderick and Chris Yambar (who gave me copies of some of their latest comics), Matt Horak (Akron area artist currently drawing the Punisher), Bob Ingersoll (who is in the background of most con photos of Jack, Trevor and myself), the formidable Dirk Manning, Matthew Manning (who gave me a copy of his Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover), Mike and Janice Olszewski (who gave me a copy of their wonderful Cleveland Radio Tales), old friend and comics genius P. Craig Russell, Ted Sikora and Milo Manara (filmmakers and the creators of Apama and the Tap Dance Killer), Mark Sumerak, Sean & Stephanie Forney, Jay E. Fife, Rick Lozano, Dan Gorman, Lee Smith and many others.
After reuniting with Jack and Trevor, there were many other special moments for me during the convention. I had a chance to talk with Youngstown comics dealer Pat Dulay, who I have known for decades. I spent some time with old friends from the U.S.S LaGrange Star Trek Club; I was and maybe still am an honorary member of the best starship in Northeastern Ohio.
I also visited The Toys Time Forgot booth. I’ll be returning to the store for Free Comic Book Day 2018. Located in the very cool Canal Fulton, the establishment is a treasure trove of amazing toys and collectibles. They even helped me load up my table and take it to my van when the show ended.
Sidebar. Let us take a moment to honor my soon-to-be-retired van. “Monty” has taken me to countless conventions over the past decade or so. But, alas, it needs more costly repairs than its blue book value. I’m truly saddened by the end of my adventures with Monty, but Sainted Barb assures me my beloved van will have a good life at a farm elsewhere in Ohio, a place where it can relax and play with the rabbits and deer. I’ll miss you, Monty.
The Akron Comicon had a fun slate of panels on Sunday, though I was unable to attending any of them. Veteran voice actor Frank James Bailey presented an introduction to basic voice acting. P. Craig Russell gave a live talk on the art of graphic story telling. Ed Gosney II spoke on Comic Book Nostalgia, reflecting on our comics collections. Finally, Trevor von Eeden and Mike W. Barr teamed for a panel on The Brave and the Bold and other favorites of the Bronze Age of Comics.
Two more special moments need to be mentioned. One was a moment I take more delight in than I should, the other was the perfect cap to a glorious convention. I’m sure you’ll be able to determine which is which.
There was a lout at the convention, an unpleasant fellow who had, in the past, caused some unpleasantness for some of the convention fans and volunteers. He was a scowling jerk who lumbered about the con wearing his made-in-China “Make America Great Again” hat. He’d gotten Bob Ingersoll’s signature on a Star Trek comic book the two of us had written many years ago and wanted my autograph on it as well.
I told him I’d be happy to sign his comic book as soon as he took off “that fucking stupid hat.” The expression on the poor sensitive creature’s face when I told him that made my soul sing. Mind you, I didn’t say I wouldn’t sign his comic book. Just that I wouldn’t sign it while he was standing before me wearing that representation of the worst president in our nation’s history. He stormed off and I chuckled. I would say I was ashamed of chuckling out loud at his plight, but that would be a lie. I relished the moment.
However, the cherry on the delicious sundae of the convention was when my friend Dennis Knowles came to the convention with another old friend. Dennis, who is a television producer who works with the local PBS station and does their weekly arts-and-culture program, has been working on a piece about me. More importantly, Dennis is a key player in my comics career.
I grew up in Cleveland, a heavily segregated city. My first black friends were comic-book fans - Dennis, Bruce Burke, Leroy Crayton - who I met at a comic-book club I founded and which held meetings at the now-infamous Cudell Recreation Center on Cleveland’s west side. That center is where young Tamar Rice was murdered by policemen who escaped justice for their crime. But, back in the early 1970s, the center was a place of fond memories.
Becoming friends with Dennis, Bruce and Leroy made me consider how unfair it was that there weren’t more black characters in comics. “Diversity” was not really part of my everyday vocabulary back then. I just thought it wasn’t fair that my friends couldn’t see themselves in the comic books we all loved.
Dennis came to Akron Comicon on Sunday to shoot additional footage for his piece on me. He brought Leroy with him and filmed the very moment of my reunion with a dear friend I hadn’t see in possibly 20 years or more. Leroy and I were both a little worse for the years, but it was so good seeing and talking with him. I hope some of that footage makes it into the show. Leroy sometimes sings at a church in my home town of Medina, so we hope to get together for lunch in the near future.
The Akron Comicon appears to be my last appearance of the year and it was a great conclusion to my convention year. It’s a convention built around the fans, of which I have been one my entire life. It honored Black Lightning, my proudest creation and the character who is still changing my life for the better. It was a convention I’ll never forget.
In 2018, the Akron Comicon will move to the historic Goodyear Hall. The dates are Saturday and Sunday, November 3 and 4. I’ll be there and I hope to see you there as well.
I’ll be back soon more stuff. See you then.
© 2017 Tony Isabella
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