Michael D Hamersky On Comics Is Preparing For... The 2011 Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC)! Part 4 - Artists Alley & Small Press Pavilion! July 20th (Preview Night) thru July 24th, 2011 Photos in the right column:  (Top) Gary Friedrich with Michael D Hamersky in the Artists Alley during 2010.  (Bottom) Alan J Porter in the Small Press Pavilion during 2009!   -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3460 - Part 4 of a series on the 2011 Comic-Con International San Diego:

Part 1 of this ongoing series about the 2011 Comic-Con, (Blog #3450),  gave a 'general overview' of why the San Diego Comic Con / Comic Con International: San Diego is very important to me.  Along with multiple links to previous years blog posts, photo albums dating back to 1973, etc, etc.

Part 2, (Blog #3458), pointed out shopping tips on what we are buying to bring to the Comic-Con.  I haven't missed a year since the Comic-Con first moved to the San Diego Convention Center back in 1991.  I first started attending as a comic book dealer back in 1972, at the El Cortez Hotel.  But I still have to plan out what to bring each year, as five days on my feet means a lot of trekking around the convention center and surrounding environs! This con is expanding out every year it seems, with programs being held at two different adjacent hotels now, at opposite ends of the convention center!

Part 3, (Blog #3459), posted the links to what panels / programs I believe are the most important for those of you that are first timers to this comic convention. Plus they are the most 'representative' of what Comic-Con International is, without 'Hollywood' panels / programs being included, UNLESS they are truly comic book oriented.

Part 4, (this Blog #3460) will be posting the links to where I normally would be spending a lot of time at while on the exhibit floor of this comic convention.

Where's that?!  Well... When I'm not attending panels / programs with or without my wife Tina, I'll be most likely at the 'Artists Alley' or 'Small Press Pavilion' sections of this convention center.

Why?

Well, for me, one of the most fun activities on the exhibit floor is to meet 'new' comics artists that I haven't met before, and / or renew friendships with others I have seen here at SDCC or at other comic cons I attend.

That's because no matter what the size of a comic con, the comics creators can't afford the time or the costs to attend all the comic cons that are running nationwide now, let alone the international comic cons!

So I make it a point to at least stop at each table in Artists Alley to check out what is being produced either for illustrations, covers, or comic book covers.  If I see that the artwork or project is 'commercial' enough to warrant my spending extra time at the table with the creator(s), I'll do so... If the creator(s) is receptive.  Too often the creators are busy cranking out commissioned sketches to pay for their costs to attend this con!

Yes, I used to be a 'mainstream' only comic book reader back in the days when it was Stan, Jack, Steve, Don, Gene and others at the 'House of Ideas', but today with all the rebooting of universes and title numbers... They have lost me as a ongoing fan of actually buying their product, as I am no longer a 'completist', buying a title simply to continue my run of a complete series to date... 

I of course will go to the 'Big Screen' to see their films, and blog about them here, but it is the 'indy comics' that grab my interest now.  After 50+ years of reading, accumulating, collecting, buying & selling comics, I need more than what the mainstream comics offer nowadays....

So do yourself a favor as well... Check out the 'Artists Alley' section over at the Hall 'G' entrance.  There are many tables there  to visit, so give yourself a few hours or even days to go back & forth to it.  There are a lot of artists there for you to stop and see, as well as purchase original art, commissioned sketches, etc.

When using the .pdf map shown at the Comic-Con web site, it is at the far left of the map (on the other side of the wall of Hall H).

Here is the link to the .pdf map.

Unfortunately... The Small Press Pavilion is at the end of Lobby B2 entrance.  Which is quite a ways to travel from the Artists Alley section!  However, there are several Small Press Publishers that I enjoy reading, and there are quite a few titles that are printed for select audiences who enjoy reading multiple or different genres of comics.

What publishers are going to be there?  Here's the link to them.

I personally enjoy reading and blogging on several titles from several Small Press publishers.  Who?

Well, let me tell you, finding those publishers is just half the fun when at this comic con... So I'm not going to ruin it for you!  But you can get an idea from my Blog at this link:  Publications & books reviewed at ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com.  I seem to run into several each year at this comic con that I've never heard of, and I like I said, I've attended straight through since 1991!

As for photos I'll be taking at this Comic-Con in the Artists Alley and Small Press Pavilion... Those will first be uploaded to my 'Wall Photos' album, as I can't take the time at the Comic-Con to label and post them while on the Exhibit Hall floor or at the panels rooms during the con hours.

So at first they will post to the 'Wall Photos' album and then later they will be moved to the: 2011 San Diego Comic Con International SDCC after the Comic-Con is over.

Plus I'll be reserving several photos back for use in this blog, as I review blog the publications given to me for possible review.  Yes, I'm usually given quite a few comics & graphic novels at this comic convention, and get backed up for a couple of months afterwards, review blogging!

That's It for Part 4... And it is 4:30 on Wednesday afternoon... So I'll post this tomorrow, Thursday!

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~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

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