Creators: Stars & Newbies

I've made an almost last-minute decision to go to the Cincinnati Comic Expo tomorrow. I had originally not figured on going because I thought I'd be travelling this weekend, so I kind of put it out of my mind until the past few days when it occurred to me that I won't be travelling this weekend and, you know, I suppose that means I could go to the show.

One of the big draws for the show will be the appearance of Jim Steranko. And I have to admit that he's up there on the list of reasons why I'm going; as I've never had the pleasure to meet him before. I've got my copies of his The History of Comics packed and ready to be signed.

But in prepping for things tonight, it occurred to me that I don't really have any other works I'd like to take to get signed. Oh, I've got plenty of comics from many of the creators who will be in attendance, from Allen Bellman to Stan Goldberg to Jackson Guice to Tony Moore. And I think they've done great work and I have a lot of respect for them as comic creators. And I would not at all mind meeting them to say, "Hi" and "You do great work" or whatever. But I don't know that I need to seek out an autograph as well.

In fact, in scanning through the list of attendees, I have a greater interest in going for some of the creators that just look like they're doing something interesting. Folks I either haven't heard of at all, or only briefly caught some of their work in passing. With this show, at least, it seems my interest is piqued more by the up-and-comers than by the stars and legends.

I'm not sure really sure what that says about me. Like I said, it's not that I don't like what guys like Mitch Breitweiser are doing and, when I went to Wizard World Chicago back in August there was a lot of that which I appreciated, but for this particular show, I'm looking at a different focus. I haven't had the chance yet, but it makes me really curious to see how I might like a strictly small-press/indie type comic con.