Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents Blog...   Number Four Thousand!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4000 -    Yes... This is Blog #4000!

It has taken several years to reach this milestone, and I am proud to haved made it this far...

This blog started as an eBay blog back in September of 2007.  I won a cash award from eBay for my blog during their start up campaign for eBay blogs, and proceeded to continue my blog after eBay shut down their blogging platform.  This blog is now reaching the end of its 7th year of publication.

There haven't been as many blog posts for the past ten months, and I'll tell you why.

You see I'm at the end of ten months of going through a divorce, which should be over after Comic-Con International 2014 ends this upcoming weekend.  The divorce should be final the end of July.

It has been hard to keep my mind on this blog... I used to blog once a day or even more, but with the divorce affecting my mental state, I've been both up and down on continuing this publication.

Add to that the fact that I've relocated to Chula Vista, (the South Bay area of San Diego), from North County San Diego.  So there has been an adjustment period that I have been going through...

That doesn't mean that I haven't been attending comic cons these past ten months... I've blogged about attending the 2013 San Diego Comic Fest, the 2013 So Cal Comic Con, the 2013 Long Beach Comic & Horror Con, the 2014 Wonder Con in Anaheim, the 2014 Free Comic Day event, the 2014 Long Beach Comic Expo, and the 2014 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Expo in Baldwin Park.  

Plus this week is the 45th year of the (San Diego) Comic-Con International which I'm attending.  Well... Attending 2 of the 4 days of the con.   That's because I was only able to obtain badges for Thursday and Sunday.  Yes... The first time 1991 when the con moved from Golden Hall to the San Diego Convention that I'm going to miss a day, (well two days that is!).

So, I'm picking myself up from this blow, and attending the off site events that others are throwing on Friday and Saturday.  

Matter of fact, I'm attending a preview event tonight.  It is called the "Comic-Con Advance Party at the old Spaghetti Factory" that Greg Koudoulian is hosting. It is being held in the upstairs bar at the Spaghetti Factory.  Parking can be found at a garage at 6th & K Streets.

So even though I've been rocked hard by both the divorce and the lack of obtaining all 4 days & preview night at the Comic-Con... I'm still hanging in there.

I'm glad that you are reading this and hopefully you will be back for more reading in the weeks to follow.

Oh, and I'm once again celebrating my Birthday at Comic-Con!  Thursday, one of the two days I will be at the Con, is my 62nd Birthday!   That is nice that I will be able to attend there on my Birthday.    Plus the fact that I'm now able to take early retirement.

Thanks again for being here to read my 4,000th blog post!

~Michael 

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 4,000 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to my blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to me for possible review, just contact me. 

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

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In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   The 2014 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Expo!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3999 -    This past Saturday, I drove up to the 2014 San Gabriel Valley Comic Expo that was held in Baldwin Park, (part of the Los Angeles Metro area).  I haven't missed one of these Expos since first finding out about it a few years ago.   My youngest son, Vinne, joined me on the 2 & 1/4 hour trip from Chula Vista, (part of the San Diego Metro area).  

It was a long drive for me to attend this one day show.  The first nice thing about the show is that once again it was 'Free Admittance' to the Expo!   That in itself brought a little over 2,100 attendees to take part in this Expo.  Matter of fact there was a billboard at the I-10 & 605 Freeway advertising the Expo.  Pretty neat!

We arrived about 20 minutes before opening time, but took a look at the layout of the Expo.  This year there were booths at the North area of the center.   The vendors were setting up when we arrived.  The parking structure was not filled up when we entered it, and it was actually nice to be parked on the second floor without a pre-paid reservation!

We then went into the exhibit floor, where the comic book artists were featured.  A few were still setting up so we walked up to the 2nd floor and took photos of some of the artwork that was part of the month long comic book art exhbition at the center.   There will be photos of them and the whole day at my Facebook Fan Page.  Link to be shown below.

There were two tracks of programming at this show.  We attended four panels and both of us enjoyed being at the panels.  Vinnie and I especially enjoyed the final panel of the day.

Here are the four panels we attended and my thoughts on them:

Women Making Comics and Zines - Hosted by Grasiela Rodriguez, (who also planned all of the panels that were presented at both tracks.  Good job, Grasiela!)   Bernyce Talley, Aurora Pringle, Kim Burley Leonard and Jules Rivera shared their history with the attendees.   This was a good panel from the POV of women in comics.

Three Headed Monster - Moderated by Eddie Gonzales, with Lonnie Milsap, Jim Lujan and Jose Cabrera being interviewed.   The panel was fine, but the room was filled with round tables which was just a little awkward sitting at.

Animation Showcase -  Once again Jim Lujan showed off his cartoons.  Darn good!  If you get a chance to Jim's videos, take a look!

Forgotten Treasurers of Mexican Comics - Presented by Keith Rainville, with special panel guests, Rafael Navarro and Lestat.  I saw a presentation by these three at the Latino Comic Expo in Long Beach in 2013 that was also a lot of fun to view.   These guys know their stuff!

Vinnie and I also did some art craft work on the second floor, and there were other kids there as well.  That was fun!

The individual tables the artists were at were distributed well throughout the exhibit hall.  I knew most of these artists from previous comic cons throughout the Southland, and felt welcome there.  There were a couple of women artists there from Fresno that I had never met, so there was a mixture of old friends and new people for me to talk with.

Here is the link to my YouTube Channel, where I will be uploading short videos from the panels we attended.

Here is the link to my Facebook Fan Page photo album for the 2014 Comic Book Expo.

My Thanks to those that made this 2014 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Expo another successful day!  And to Grasiela for presenting very interesting panels in the programming!

Here is the link to their Facebook Fan Page!  You should take a look at my photos and videos, and make sure you attend the 2015 San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Expo.  Especially if you are in the Los Angeles Metro Area and live within an hour's drive to Baldwin Park!

~Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,999 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:  Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   The 2014 Long Beach Comic Expo!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3998 -    This past weekend, I drove up to the Long Beach Convention Center to take in the Long Beach Comic Expo, which I have done the past several years.  I haven't missed a one of these Expos, nor the larger Long Beach Comic Con since it started.

I knew that the Expo had expanded to two days this year, and that it had moved to the upstairs of the Convention Center before arriving in Long Beach.

I opted to buy just the Saturday membership, as I only saw one panel on Sunday that I would want to attend.  So I wanted to check out the exhibit floor before making a committement to drive back up the 125 miles from my place in Chula Vista.

The parking was easy to accomplish.  I arrived at 9:20 AM on Saturday.  Parking in the bottom section, I took the elevator to the Long Beach Convention Center ground floor. 

Upon entering I was met by signs / booths / etc. for a different convention, having to do with Tea.  (Not the Tea Party... Just Tea.) 

So I made my way up the stairs to the 2nd floor.   That is where there was a line for the pickup of pre-paid tickets, which I had done.  I sat down on a chair to organize myself, when I was met by Bob Bretall, who I have blogged about before.  He and his wife were there for the day, and I talked with them for a while.

The doors opened to the Exhibit Hall on time, and I passed the Expo's promoter, Martha Donato, on the way in!

The inside of the Exhibit Hall was a little strange in layout, and I almost missed a couple of rows during checking it out during the day.  I bought some comics for resale, and headed down to my car to place them in, so I could attend a couple of panels.

I enjoyed seeing the first panel titled:  Career Spotlight on Gerry Conway.  He is a couple of months younger than me, and I remember when he first broke into Marvel Comics back in late 1970.  He had been working at DC Comics prior to that.  I have a video that will be uploaded sometime soon at my YouTube Channel.

I also enjoyed seeing the second panel titled: Career Spotlight on Marv Wolfman.  I had enjoyed several of his titles at Marvel, especially the 'Tomb of Dracula' with art by Gene Colan.  I'll also upload a video from this panel at my YouTube Channel.

The third panel I attended, later on in the day titled:  Comic Pros In Other Media, had Gerry, Marv and also Len Wein.   Really good panel!

I found myself staying till almost closing... But decided not to come back the next day, as I had a San Diego Comic Fest monthly meeting to attend on Sunday.

However, I found this small comic con to be fun as usual, and was notified that next year's Expo will be even larger in size, as it is moving to another hall.  So I'll be sure to attend that one also!

Here is the link to my Facebook photo album on the 2014 Long Beach Comic Expo.

Thanks to Martha, Phil & Mike for another successful Long Beach Comic Expo!

~Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,998 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:  Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents His Take On...   Free Comic Book Day 2014 In San Diego!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3997 -    It has been a busy week for me... So I'm just getting around to blogging about last weekend's Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) 2014.

This year, my youngest son (Vinny) and I attended just one of the local events here in Southern California.  Specifically the FCBD event at Southern California Comics!  

The event ran from 9 AM to 5PM.  We stayed from 10 Am to 1 PM, and headed off for another place we had to be at, which was not comic book oriented.

The line, of which of you see just 1/3 of it above, kept Vinnie in line for a little over a half hour.  The reason for that is... Besides the FCBD editions of which an attendee was allowed to take one of each comic, there were two other tables of which you were allowed to take five additional comics.   Those were older comics that you would usually find at SoCal's Dollar Boxes inside the LCBS.

That is what kept the line long, as the additional five made people think of which ones they wanted, so they browsed quite a bit before picking up five and getting out of line.

While Vinnie was standing in line... I went off and took photos of each of the booths that were set up.  I knew several of the people that were set up, talked with them, and then took pics.

There were even more booths set up here this year than the last time I attended this location for FCBD. 

I also went inside and checked out the Dollar Boxes to see if there were any comics that I wanted to read.  There were a half dozen that I picked up.

The LCBS had expanded since the last time I had  visited it, and it was quite larger in total showroom space.  Several attendees were going through the stacks of boxes for comics, and checking out the walls for action figures, oversized books etc.

To me, Jaime Newbold owner of the LCBS, did a fine job in hosting a FCBD event at his shop. 

There were FCBD comics, of which we were able to obtain eight of, plus booths that held other collectors items for sale, as well as comic book creators and other artists.

Vinnie and I had a fine time at this 2014 FCBD event.  My thanks to Jaime for participating in this now world wide event!

For photos of this event that I shot... See this link at my Facebook Fan Page.  

Oh, and yes, I'll be review blogging a few of the FCBD editions in the days to follow.

~Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,997 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:  Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Mentions That THIS Saturday Is...   Free Comic Book Day 2014!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #3996 -    Turning the monthly page on my calendar... I see that THIS Saturday is the 2014 date for Free Comic Book Day (FCBD)!

Well... I've been to a LOT of LCBS (Local Comic Book Shop) the past several years, see these blogs:   2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, earlier years, and now this year I'll be attending just one LCBS to celebrate the special day. 

That would be the one in San Diego that my friend, Barbara Marker is setting up at.  See this Facebook Event Page for details.

I suggest that you get a start on this event by checking out the Facebook Fan Page for FCBD, and seeing where LCBS are participating at in YOUR area.

It is usually a lot of fun, and each LCBS has its own idea of how to throw a party on this special day.  Some just give away one FCBD comic book, while others give up to ten FCBD comics.  Some LCBS throw a party as well, with music, food, etc.   Plus some even have comic book creators signing at their locations.

Here is the link to the 2014 FCBD comic editions that you could possibly obtain to read.

So check it out... And participate in this year's Free Comic Book Day!  Plus take your own kids, or your neices and nephews!

~Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at 3,996 total posts in number!   I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!   Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button!  And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

Note:  My online 'Local' Comic Book Shop (LCBS), carries many different genres of comics, magazines, graphic novels, and comic con promotional items. Possibly even copies of the item(s) that was mentioned here today...!  If I have it, you'll find under the BIG TOP of Comics, at Comic Books Circus.com!     

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written per the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up slightly differently, sorry about that!  The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  Your computer's resoulution may be set differently, but the above resolution is the most commonly used resolution at the time of this blog post. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works! To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:  Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page!

---------------            

      

In Addition, I started a YouTube Channel just before the 2011 Comic-Con International, where I am slowly uploading videos from conventions or other events that we attend that are also pop culture related.  You are invited to 'subscribe' to that channel also!  As found at 'HamerskyOnComics'!

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