Michael D Hamersky On Comics Presents An Update On The...   Guiness World Record For The World's Largest Comic Book Collection!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4045 -   Yesterday I received a notice from Bob Bretall, whom I have blogged about previously on setting the Guiness World Record for the World's Largest Comic Book Collection.

That blog would be #3862, dated May 19th of 2013. I went up to Bob's house and during a public event, I audited his count.   The count was 89,613 individual comics.

Now, August of 2015, Bob's own count is at 101,822 individual and different comics. Now THAT is a lot of comics!

My congrats to Bob for extending his count, and that Guiness has also recorded the change officially. 

See Bob's blog post on more details, at this link!

BTW, There were others that also commented on this accomplishment over the past two years. Here are just a few posts:

Blastr post

Barbican & Community Libraries

The Allspark

Tales of Wonder

~ Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 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!

---------------            

      

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 Updates On The...   2016 San Diego Comic Fest As Presented At The August 2015 Volunteers Meeting

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4044 -   Yesterday I attended the August 2015 San Diego Comic Fest Volunteers Meeting at the Serra Mesa Library in San Diego, along with twenty-three other volunteers.  Not all volunteers were able to meet this meeting, but Mike Towry, (founder of San Diego Comic Fest), brought us all up to date on what had happened since the last Volunteers Meeting.

I'm blogging about this meeting so I can bring you up to date also, as well as posting it on the San Diego Comic Fest Facebook Fan Page, which I've been administrator of for the past four years.

The Volunteers Meeting is held once a month at different locations.  It is best to check the Fan Page for news of the next meeting.

Here is what was discussed at the August Meeting:

It is only six months till the 2016 San Diego Comic Fest!  Even though the next Fest is next year, we only have six months left before it starts!   The 2016 Comic Fest runs during Presidents Day Weekend, February 12 - 15th.  That would be Friday Preview Night, Saturday, Sunday & Monday, which is a holiday.

San Diego Comic Fest had tables at:  San Diego Comic-Con International, WesterCon, OzCon, and will have a table at Gaslight Gathering in September.

Those of you that saw Joe Clokey at Comic-Con will be pleased to know he is coming to our 2016 Comic Fest.  Joe is the son of Gumby creator, Art Clokey. Gumby is celebrating his 60th Anniversary th is year.

The Cafe at the 2016 Comic Fest will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Forry Ackerman.

It was announced that we will have Jay Allen Sanford as a guest at the 2016 Comic Fest. Jay is known for his work at Revolutionary Comics, Pacific Comics, Carnal Comics & as a columnist / cartoonist at the San Diego Reader. 

Scott Shaw! plus six or so professional comic book artists are looking in to illustrate the 2016 badges for Comic Fest.  Those of you that went to San Diego Comic Con in the early years will remember those styles of badges!

T-Shirts - Yes there will be a 2016 Comic Fest t-shirt.  Only one style / illustration.  Limited to probably only 150 of them.

Look for an announcement of a one day even in San Diego this October, which is when the San Diego Comic Fest was usually held.   Due to Town & Country being bought out, and the East Side scheduled to be demolished, we will not be having our Comic Fest this October, but instead in February of 2016.

That's it for this month's report!

For more info in the days / weeks to follow... Be sure to 'Like' the Facebook Fan Page for the San Diego Comic Fest!

For photos from the August Volunteer Meeting please see this photo album at my Facebook Fan Page!  

~ Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 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!

---------------            

      

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 Reflects On...   The Disney-Oz Connection As Presented by Eric Shanower At The 2015 Winkie Con / OzCon

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4043 -   Yesterday I blogged about my thoughts on the  2015 Winkie Con, (newly renamed to OzCon), which ran this past weekend, July 31st thru August 2nd.  (In blog #4042.)

In the addendum to that blog post, I mentioned I would additionally be blogging about certain panels / programs that I found to be interesting to me, and possibly to readers of this Blog.

The first program I want to blog about is the one on Sunday, presented by Eric Shaower, titled 'The Disney-Oz Connection'.

I saw the Disney film 'Return To Oz' this past weekend at Winkie Con.  Twice.  Once on Friday and then again on Sunday morning with three persons that had been in the film or produced it.  Emma Ridley who played Ozma, Justin Case who played the Scarecrow, and Paul Maslansky who was the producer of the film.

Other than that, I was not aware of any Disney-Oz connections.

Well... Eric's program showed what there was of that connection!  The connection goes way back!

The program ran for about an hour.  I videotaped the first half hour of the talk w/slide show presentation. That video can been seen at this link on my YouTube channel.  My camera ran out of battery power at that point and I decided to not video tape the rest of the presentation.  Photos of the rest of the presentation can be seen in my Sunday photo album from Winkie Con, at this link. 

Eric did a great job in researching this topic and his verbal talk along with the slide show was very interesting, even to someone like myself who is somewhat of a 'newbie' to Oz history.  I did not know of all the history between Disney & the World of Oz, so this was a great presentation for me on Sunday.

My thanks to Eric Shanower for his presentation!

BTW, here are other links from this year's con:

My photos from Friday

My photos from Saturday

My photos from Sunday

Winkie Con / Oz Con Facebook Fan Page

The Winkie Con / Oz Con web site

Oz Con schedule all three days

Here are links to the photo pages from last year's Winkie Con (2014) that I shot:

Days 1 & 2

Days 2 & 3

And again, here is the link to the half hour video on Eric's presentation on my YouTube channel.  

~ Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 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!

---------------            

      

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 51st Winkie Con / Oz Con!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4042 -   I am back from the 2015 Winkie Con (newly renamed to OzCon), which ran this past weekend, July 31st thru August 2nd!

As mentioned in blog #4041, I attended the 50th Winkie Con last year, and blogged about it at this link, (blog #4012). I also blogged about Batton Lash interviewing the Wicked Witch, (blog #4013), which features a pretty darn funny video!

So this year was the second year I've attended this convention.  As per last year, registration at the con was smooth. Thanks to Jack Plummer and others who ran this department! 

I've attended other cons at this location, as it is quite popular with the smaller conventions. (Town & Country Resort.) Also it is all centrally located at the East side of the resort, which is by the rooms that Resort rents out to con attendees.

The nice thing about this con is that there is a Meet n Greet at 9:30 am the first day, and then a 'welcome' program in the main hall before attendees go to the individual track programs.  That is very good.  There was a mention at the Con Wrap Up program that they are thinking about having a 'First-Timer' program to assist those attending the first time at this con.  That would be helpful!

There were enough program tracks to keep me busy Friday and Saturday.  However, there was, (in my opinion), too much time allowed inbetween attending different programs. Ten minutes would be enough since the con rooms are quite close together.  Having 40 minutes between programs was a bit too much.

There were a few programs on the 40th Anniversary of The Wiz, and the 30th Anniversary of 'Return To Oz'.  I've not seen either before this con, and took in Return to Oz on Friday, and then followed it up by viewing it again with several stars of the film on Sunday in the 'Live' program. 

Once again I was fascinated by the programs / panels that I attended.  I read most of the L Frank Baum books when I was in high school, but none by the other Oz authors.  I've only seen the 1939 MGM Wizard of Oz film, so I'm not totally a 'newbie' to Oz, but also not a fanatic.   This year's convention, as well as last year's, kept my attention for the most part with entertaining programs / panels / dealers room / Oz book room / Oz research room.  

There was a few mentions of 'communal meals' again at the Con Wrap Up.  The old timers to this con missed the fellowship of eating meals together.   You see, the attendees of the earlier cons were at locations that had this feature.   The only two meals together were the cookout on Friday night, and the Banquet on Saturday.  For me, that was enough.  Still, this was only my second year attending this con which has been running for 51 straight years.  I can see the old timers point, but I would rather have more panels / programs instead.

Other than a few programs starting later than listed, the con ran pretty smoothly.  I had a good time although like I said, I'm not an Oz Fanatic.  I'm sure that you would enjoy attending this con if you only had a passing interest in Oz. 

Next year's con will be in Portland, Oregon.   The first time in 52 years that the con has moved outside of California!

Here are links from this year's con:

My photos from Friday

My photos from Saturday

My photos from Sunday

Winkie Con / Oz Con Facebook Fan Page

The Winkie Con / Oz Con web site

Oz Con schedule all three days

Here are links to the photo pages from last year's Winkie Con (2014) that I shot:

Days 1 & 2

Days 2 & 3

So... That's My Take on this year's Winkie Con / Oz Con!   For those of you in the Pacific Northwest, I'd suggest taking a look at next year's con schedule / event page.   With the con being in Portland, Oregon next year you can take advantage of it being closer to you.  Oh, and this year's con had attendees from as far away as Australia and the East Coast of the USA, so all Oz fans are welcome to attend! 

~ Michael

Addendum:  I'll be blogging and uploading videos from certain panels / programs from this Winkie Con in the days / weeks to follow.  Just read this blog and see my Facebook Fan Page as items are posted.

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 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!

---------------            

      

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'!

---

Michael D Hamersky On Comics Mentions That...   Next Weekend Is The 51st Winkie Con / Oz Con!

TODAY'S FEATURE IS BLOG #4041 -   I've been so busy celebrating my Birthday that I almost forgot to blog about the upcoming Winkie Con / Oz Con that is taking place in San Diego next weekend, July 31st thru August 2nd!

I attended the 50th Winkie Con last year, and blogged about it at this link, (blog #4012). I also blogged about Batton Lash interviewing the Wicked Witch, (blog #4013), which features a pretty darn funny video!

So yes, I'm familiar with Winkie Con, which is changing its name to Oz Con this year.

I'm attempting to attend most of the three days the convention is running, and suggest you take in at least one day if you are in Southern California.  One day tickets will be sold at the door, or multiple day tickets.  The online purchasing availability is already closed.

Here are a few links to help you decide to come down to Oz Con:

Winkie Con / Oz Con Facebook Fan Page

The Winkie Con / Oz Con web site

Registration Page for this year's con - Tickets will be sold at the door

Oz Con schedule all three days

Here are links to the photo pages from last year's Winkie Con that I shot:

Days 1 & 2

Days 2 & 3

So... I'm letting you know that you don't have to be a Wizard of Oz fanatic to enjoy going to this convention.  Last year was the first Winkie Con I ever attended!   As a kid I had watched the Wizard of Oz film with Judy Garland several times on TV, and had actually read many of the Oz books by L. Frank Baum.  But a fanatic about Oz? No, and I still had loads of fun at the 2014 Winkie Con.  I'm sure you would enjoy at least a day at this con at the centrally located Town & Country Resort in the Mission Valley area of San Diego!

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see YOU there! 

~ Michael

NOTE FROM Michael D Hamersky On Comics:  My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over 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!

---------------            

      

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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