"OUTSTANDING" "FANTASTIC" AMAZING ARIZONA COMIC CON JAN 2011

There are many ways to describe this weekends kick off to the Comic Convention year.  Amazing Arizona Comic Con got it started in a very progressive way not only with A+ talent but a huge array of locals and out of state talent as well.  I mean come on Kirkman,Loeb,Liefeld,Pulido,Layman,Ottley,Gregory,Debalfo and Ebas just to name a few makes a fan's "Who do I go see list" extensive and also beyond exciting!"

Now,  when I go to the con's I have a agenda HMMMMM let me see;

1. Comic Book Store Owner

2. Director of a Comic Convention

3. Blogger

4. Podcaster

5. Writer for http://www.comicbooked.com/ 

Oh and whats that other thing AHHHH yes a Fanboy!

So I'm going to write this as a FANBOY and your going to LOVE IT! No politics just plain and simple, through the eyes of a maniac.......errrrr i mean Comic Book enthuses. 

Okay so Of course, I have to go see my good friends Pulido and Layman first. So I go in and turn the corner and BANG there is Layman standing by himself (how does this happen) we do the manly Hug and Handshake and I know from that point it can't get any better then this! I attend his panel and start to go into the con! Boom (yes I'm playing John Madden football using his lingo) a sea of fans EVERYWHERE jousting for positions in line or pushing and shoving to get to the next booth to get the last con variant! Ooooohhhhh wait that was me doing that! Sorry about that. The fans were awesome and the "Ohhh and Awes" were like Papa John showing up with a bus load of pizza! On a side note can he not throw the football pretty far in his commercials??  HINT HINT CARDINALS!     

So you look at the spread and you say okay I can forward or backwards. So I go where the flow takes me.  Of course my film crew goes the opposite way.  But that's another story. It's Artist Alley my type of alley. Its homegrown! Its the walk of future fame and fortune.  I know almost everybody there so its like going to school and knowing that nobody is going to steal your Oreo cookies out of you lunch bag. I stop at every booth hanging taking pictures and looking at our future comic book icons. No matter what I do I know my heart is with the Locals who bust their *^* to do what they love.  Everybody is smiles.  Got some Ocho Bootlegs as well! Dam those bears! I mean Eric and Denny were rocking it out at their table!  There were so many cool people I won't attempt to name them all in fear I'll forget someone and they will toilet paper my store.

So I head down some dealer rows and see a lot of cool stuff. Mike Banks of Samurai is slinging books and Marco of Pop Culture Paradise is handing out free comics I think to people.....hmmmmm now that I think about it I didn't get one!!! Dammit Jim I'm a fan boy not a dealer give me some of that!!!  Just joking, he was handing out blank sketch covers to artist.  By the way if you get a chance to meet his wife do it very nice lady!  Its awesome to see the Golden age and silver age comics as well!!!

But it's just starting now the Row of Rows was next. Come on Bid Dog Ink and Zenescope Posse all in one area are you kidding me! If I brought a tent I would have stayed in that area.  Let me see Tom and Rob from BDI then you have Mike and Mary Debalfo (another if you get a chance to meet Mary she Rocks!) Milen, Raven,Ebas,and Nei!  And like the Cherry on top of ice cream right after that BRIAN PULIDO okay let me say it one more time, and BRIAN PULIDO.  Now I will say I'm his biggest fan though I know there are bigger fans than me but hey its my article so I'm his BIGGEST FAN.  I get some good L.D. (that's lady death for you novice fans) and of course my 900th picture with him!  

Then its off to get Kirkmans and Mcfarlane's JOHN HANCOMICS (you know Hancock's just sly verbiage) of course the line is long so I give up.  So I go to hang with MR EISNER AWARD WINNER JOHN LAYYYYYYMANNNNNNNNNN LETTTTS GEETTTTTT READYYYY TO RUMMMBLEEE! Buffer style!!!  (don't sue me Buffer I'm a fanboy right now)  So we are hanging, talking and all that fun stuff staying out of politics (Republicans beware! lol he loves you though regardless) and I look up and theres Kirkman! So Kirkman and John are talking and I'm sliding my comics to him and saying stupid stuff as I'm doing that...(don't you hate when your moments of Awesome are dwindled by "Hey you like writing Walking Dead?" DUHHHH I'm a idiot I should have just said "Hey you like breathing?" That was a treat though.

Then its time to go to MCFARLANE's booth so I get a chance to hang and talk to him for about 5 minutes.  I sneak my card to him.  MORE like PLEASSSEEEEE take my card!!  lol! No he was awesome as well.  

I missed Loeb and Liefeld but I will get a chance at the next con!    

I got to talk to Jimmy Jay (Amazing con organizer) and did some promo shots and really liked his commitment to the fans.  I liked the flow of the con and felt like it was a cool place to hang out, get some autographs and pictures with a lot of cool Cosplay folks as well. The con had a feel of new comic book day and the freshness of a new series. It Comes out you read it, you like it and you crave more. Kudo's to the Con and the team and of course too all those who made the journey to this year's first con!

Its just a beggining for me this year for I plan on going to 16 cons.  That's 16 until I actual talk (ask) my wife of course. When 2011 is all over I'm sure I will be saying "Amazing"!