Ten Grand … And Worth Every Cent!

If you’re in trouble with the wrong people, especially people with a connection to dark forces, go to the worst part of town, to places no one would enter in their right mind. Ask for Joe.  He will help you. He will save you. Even if it kills him … Especially if it kills him.

So goes the introduction to the newest offering from J. Michael Straczynski and his newest venture, Joe’s Comics.  The story is compelling, a former private eye who was killed by a demonic force along with his wife.  Facing eternal separation, she in heaven, he in hell, he is offered a chance at resurrection on the condition that he works against the forces of darkness on the mortal plane.  Now he works as a paranormal enforcer for people who run into trouble with dark powers.  His price?  Ten grand.

Issue #1 was a gift I received at C2E2 from J Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith (along with four hundred or so other fans).  The cover is a special variant specifically for the con, and it bears the signatures of Strackzynski and Templesmith, signed as fans waited patiently.

In this first issue, we meet Joe, we get his basic background as he takes a case to hunt down someone whom he had killed two years earlier.  Now that you know about the book, let’s get into the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Good

Amazing story.  Straczynski can spin a great tale, and his dialogue is without equal.  Also, there are NO ADS in this book except for a full-pager for the Hero Initiative.

The Bad

Nothing that I can identify.

The Ugly

I am not used to Ben Templesmith’s art style.  Rather than speak ill of it, I consulted with an artist I met at C2E2, Alfred Trujillo, so that I could talk about it intelligently.  He pointed out the use of color saturation and rough imaging as a part fo the story telling, and with my second read-through, I came to truly appreciate the artwork.

In this story, Joe gives back the money and takes the job for free.  I got the comic for free, but would have been more than willing to buy it … so if you haven’t yet, head on out to your local comic book store and get a copyof issue #1 of Ten Grand.  It is worth every penny.

(Submitted by Jim Smith)

C2E2 Con Recap - Day 1

Oh what a con! Wouldn't that be the teaser of a lifetime? I could just say that and leave you to wonder what I mean...but you guys know me and know that I love to tell you about amazing, so amazing, here we come!

Any con always starts out with travel and C2E2 is no exception! This year, my con weekend started out at 4:15am (Chicago time) on Friday. My things were already in the van, so it was get up, get dressed and head out the door. Traffic was good, with the usual Chicago hangups and I actually managed to make it to O'hare an hour ahead of schedule. I know you're wondering why the heck I went to O'Hare when the convention center isn't anywhere near there. Simple, my friends. Parking. Parking is way, way cheaper there than at any of the hotels. Plus, I was meeting a friend so that I could escort him to his first ever con! He picked me up (and was a total doll to bring me some yogurt since I hadn't eaten) and we headed in to the hotel.

As always, this is where it gets fun. If you've read my other con posts, you know that somehow I always have difficulty getting to the hotels. Usually a gps has something to do with it. In this case, the gps couldn't hold a signal well enough and kept recalculating about once every block. In the end though, our stubbornness
perseverance won out and we made it! We were too early to check in but they let us leave our bags there and it was off to our first day of the convention!

I would love to say that the shuttle ride was uneventful...Okay, for the most part, it was. However, there was this girl on the bus who was a bit unique and by the time we had gotten to the convention center, she had somehow determined that I should write a story and pitch it to Dark Horse and anyone else who would listen. With my busy schedule, I haven't done that yet but who knows..maybe someday you'll see my name on a cover as a writer. You just never know!

Once we got there, I used my "power of the press badge" to slip inside the exhibitor floor. Mostly I just wanted to drop off my coat and there were only about 15 minutes left before the floor opened up for everyone. Would you believe that somehow I managed to lose Jim in that time? Seriously! Luckily, he was listening for his phone and I tracked him down at the Zenescope table. You would think that I was known for hanging around there or something...oh wait....

After saying hi to everyone there, we headed back to Artist's Alley where 90% of my work takes place. I had forgotten just how huge of a place it was! Poor Jim got bored quickly standing there listening to me talk to people so he wandered off, but not before we went and saw the Buffy Shadowcast! Not being super familiar with Buffy but loving shadowcasts, I was interested. Jim, not knowing a lick about shadowcasts, but loving Buffy was interested. In the end, the venue for this was totally wrong, but the actors put on an enjoyable show.

From there, it was back to work for me and Jim decided to wander around and check everything out. I had a great time talking with everyone back in AA and bumped into more than one person that I knew! I have to say that conventions are so many things to me. I always learn something new and meet new people, but now they're giving me the opportunity to see people that I already know too.

The con floor closed at 7pm and let me tell you, they want you off the floor at 7:01. It's a bit crazy so I suggest that if you're attending this event, make sure your shopping is done by 6:55 and you're making your way to the exit or the orange shirts will shoo you along! They're totally nice about it, but those volunteers

take their jobs seriously. The best part of my day? That's really hard to say. I got snuggles from Eric and Mandy's little girl, Rockell...I got to hang out with Mike and Mary DeBalfo behind their table...and, while Jim was telling me a story of how he met some people who knew me, I happened to look over at the up escalator (we were on the down escalator) and I said, "You mean those people?" Turns out that he had run into Alfred Trujillo and Cara Nicole earlier in the day. We got to stand there talking with them for a bit and then it was back to our hotel to do a quick clothing change and head back out to a party! Busy, busy! Did I mention that I got to pop Jim's con cherry? I have to say that part was pretty sweet. It's always fun to watch a grown man's eyes get huge and watch him fanboy and try to figure out what to look at first.

My take on Day 1? Long. Exhausting. So much fun! I'm already looking forward to next year. Make sure you come back to see how Days 2 and 3 went as well as to see some peeks of our photo gallery from this year!

PS For those who might be wondering, no, I didn't take the route into Chicago where I could dodge the "trolls."

Three Questions with Stephen Haberman

Three Questions with Jeff Balke

Three Questions with Jerrod Begora

Three Questions with AZ Powergirl

Three Questions with Jeff Pina

Three Questions with Patricia Tallman

Action Lab Creates Waves at C2E2

Over the past two years Action Lab Entertainment has made remarkable strides as a small comic book publisher.  The company has gone from it’s first published work to its first Eisner nomination and on to its first major license (announcing an NFL RushZone comic earlier this year).

However, as they made clear at their first ever appearance at the Diamond Retailer Summit at C2E2 this week, this is only the beginning.  Action Lab announced that it will be making some big moves in working to become one of the premier publishers of both creator-owned and licensed comics.

The first and most striking of Action Lab’s announcements concerns all of its ongoing series.  All of Action Lab’s ongoing books - starting with the books listed in June’s Previews - will be offered at $2.99 instead of their previous standard $3.99.  Not only that, but they will now be a regular standard of 32 pages.  Better yet, their NFL RushZone books will now be available twice monthly and with 20 pages for $1.99.

Additionally, beginning with Jamal Igle’s Molly Danger (in the current previews, available in July), Action Lab will be offering a number of 48 page oversized European style hardcovers at $19.99.  This is coming right on the heels of the release of our first preview of Molly Danger alongside their breakout hit Princeless in their Free Comic Book Day release.

Perhaps even more impressive is that this month marks the launch of Action Lab’s new mature readers line Action Lab: Danger Zone.  This launch will be approximately doubling the size of their monthly catalog and will include a variety of books including:  Ehmm Theory (where a dead man and his talking cat are tasked by St. Peter with a number of insane missions - including fighting zombie circus clowns), The Final Plague (an infestation of undead animals), Ghost Town (a tale of time-travel and terrorism), and Night of the 80’s Undead (a mashup of John Hughes type romance and George Romero type horror).

With all these announcements and this month’s return of Princeless to the stands, this year looks to be the strongest one yet for Action Lab.  And thanks to the launch of their Retailer Network, all retailers can contact them directly to learn about everything they have upcoming by reaching out to coordinator Jeremy Whitley jwhitley@actionlabcomics.com.

Confessions of a Con Virgin

Submitted by Jim Smith

I was 44 years old and I had never done it.  Never felt the thrill, never felt the sense of wonder.  I was a con virgin.

So, our story begins several months ago, when Katrina and I were discussing conventions that were coming up and which ones she was going to.  I had never been to a con in my entire geeky life, and I floated the idea of accompanying her to C2E2, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Exposition, in 2013.  It would be a perfect first con, because, first of all, it didn’t require a lot of traveling.  Chicago was only a couple hours from my home in Milwaukee.  Additionally, I would have the help of a con expert in Katrina, and in return for her help, I could take pictures for the website.  It was a great idea all around.

So, the tentative plan was made, and quickly forgotten.  As C2E2 got closer and closer, I really didn’t make the moves needed to go until Katrina pinned me down and told me that her ability to make plans required me to make up my mind and commit to either going or not.  Realizing that I was holding her up, I pulled the trigger and ordered my badge.  A few weeks later, the hotel was booked, travel plans and pet sitting were arranged, and I was officially going to C2E2.  All that was left to happen was the passage of time.

The morning of the start of the con, I woke up at 5:00am (Katrina was already on the road for over an hour by then), and on the road half an hour later.  I dropped the dog off at 6:30 and hit the road to our meeting point.  A couple hours later, we met up, parked her car in a lot near O’Hare Airport, and drove into the city.  We dropped off the car and luggage at the hotel and hopped the con shuttle to McCormick Place, the venue for C2E2.

I was immediately struck by the number of people there waiting to get in.  This was going to be a big deal!  I was also struck by the cosplayers, and how they ran the gamut of simple and basic costumes (that would be me if I tried) all the way to a full suit of Iron Man armor made of articulated plastic parts.  I started taking pics right away, and went merrily on my way as I started to enjoy the sights and sounds of C2E2.

One of the main reasons I was there was to meet J Michael Straczynski,  the creator of Babylon 5.  Being a fan of B5 since the episode “Born to the Purple”, I was eager to meet the genius who brought this wonderful show to us.  He wasn’t at his table the first few times I checked.  Then, on one swing past his table, his assistant was setting up his table as about 5 people watched.  The table skirt and table were two different sizes, and I figured to expedite the arrival of JMS, I would help set his booth up.  I helped get the table skirt on, talking to his assistant and thinking that her voice sounded familiar.  She thanked me and I made a flirty joke about just needing a guy around who folded his own bed sheets and took my first decent look at her to realize that this was no assistant.  I was face to face (and flirting with) none other than Patricial Tallman, who played Lyta Alexander on B5.  I later tweeted a proposal, but she graciously declined.  She is a class act.

So I got my geek on, meeting Bruce Boxleitner, JMS and Pat Tallman as a bonus that day.  I walked around, talked geeky stuff with people and looked at merchandise and took lots of pictures.  By the end of the day, my step counter had logged over 26,000 steps taken.  I don’t even want to think of what that was in miles*.

On Saturday, it was back at it.  One of the highlights on Saturday was spending time in Artist Alley where various artists, inkers and colorists had tables to meet fans of their art.  That was where I had some comic shock.  I was face to face with the fact that comics were not the tame publications I remembered from my youth.  Many books had taken on an anime styling of coquettish females with large chests, tiny waists, and voluptuous rear bumpers.  While I found this to be moderately bothersome, one publisher’s books based on the Bible really turned my stomach when I noticed an issue called “A Faceful of Peter”**, which the cover suggests was a tale of two gay apostles.  I lacked the courage to pick it up, much less read it.  Yes, I know, you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but in this case I did.

More cosplay pics, and I was introduced to a professional cosplayer, Cara Nicole, better known in con circles as AZ Powergirl.  She and her husband, artist Alfred Trujillo were wonderful and friendly, and since they were friends of Katrina’s, we went out for pizza Saturday night, and I learned something very important.  They were regular people, just like me, but with MUCH cooler jobs.  Katrina had promised to introduce me to the “cool kids” at the con, and she did not disappoint.

By the time Sunday had rolled around, I was pretty much spent.  I stuck around for a few hours, but said my farewells early, and hit the road around noon.  I picked up the dog, played some cards with my friends, took a nap on their couch, then headed home.  A good night’s sleep, and I was back to my normal life the next day.

As of this writing, I am still 44 years old, but now, I have been there, and done that.  I am no longer a con virgin, and maybe, just maybe, my case of con fatigue will be gone in time for me to go to C2E2 next year!

*10,000 steps = 5 miles approximately.

** Geek-o-Rama actually received a copy of this book to review so watch for that in the upcoming months.

C2E2 Live Chat Stream!

C2E2 Live Video Stream!

Watch live video from c2e2 on www.twitch.tv

Dark Horse Comics Announces C2E2 2013 Schedule!

MILWAUKIE, OR— Dark Horse Comics is headed to Chicago’s fastest growing pop culture event - Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo!

Join us for signings at booth #801! Free comics and/or prints with each signing while supplies last.

Please note that lines may be capped or tickets issued for any signing as needed. Inquire about your favorite signings as early as possible. Some restrictions apply. All events are subject to change.

Comics, books, and collectibles will be available for purchase from Dark Horse or your favorite retailer.

DARK HORSE SIGNINGS

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

12:00 p.m. AMALA’S BLADE signing with Steve Horton

Free 8” x 10” print featuring art by Michael Dialynas

1:00 p.m. BATTLEPUG and THE ANSWER! signing with Mike Norton

Free copy of The Answer! #1

2:00 p.m. HUSBANDS signing with Jane Espenson and Brad Bell

Free 5.5” x 8.5” print featuring art by Ron Chan

3:00 p.m. THE SHAOLIN COWBOY signing with Geof Darrow

Free 11” x 17” print featuring art by Geof Darrow

5:00 p.m. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SPIKE signing with Jenny Frison

Free copy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike #1

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

10:00 a.m. AMALA’S BLADE signing with Steve Horton

Free 8” x 10” print featuring art by Michael Dialynas

11:00 a.m. CRIMINAL MACABRE signing with Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten  

Free 5.5” x 8.5” print featuring art by Christopher Mitten

12:00 p.m. BEASTS OF BURDEN and SCARY GODMOTHER signing with Jill Thompson

Free copy of Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch

1:00 p.m. DREAM THIEF signing with Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood

Free 5.5” x 8.5” print featuring art by Alex Ross

Free limited edition Dream Thief paper in action figures

2:00 p.m. THE MASSIVE, STAR WARS, and CONAN signing with Brian Wood

Free 11” x 17” print featuring art from The Massive by J. P. Leon

3:30 p.m. THE GOON signing with Eric Powell

Free copy of The Goon #38

5:00 p.m. THE FIFTH BEATLE signing with Vivek J. Tiwary

Free 8” x 10” print featuring art by Andrew C. Robinson

Enter to win an exclusive print signed by writer Vivek J. Tiwary and artist Andrew C. Robinson and The Beatles Stereo CD Box Set

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

10:00 a.m. AMALA’S BLADE signing with Steve Horton

Free 8” x 10” print featuring art by Michael Dialynas

11:00 a.m. DARK HORSE SUPERHERO and BRAIN BOY signing with Freddie Williams II

Free 11” x 17” print featuring art by Freddie Williams II, as depicted on the Dark Horse booth superhero mural

12:00 p.m. EX SANGUINE and THE OCCULTIST signing with Tim Seeley

Free copy of Ex Sanguine #1 and The Occultist #1

1:00 p.m. BATTLEPUG and THE ANSWER! signing with Mike Norton

Free copy of The Answer! #1

2:00 p.m. TO BE ANNOUNCED! Come to the Dark Horse Spring Fever Panel on Saturday, April 27, from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. in room W471 to meet two special guests and find out about an exciting new project featuring one of your favorite Dark Horse characters.

DARK HORSE PANELS

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

12:15 p.m.–1:15 p.m. SPOTLIGHT ON BRIAN WOOD, Room W471

3:15 p.m.–4:15 p.m. MUSIC AND POP CULTURE featuring various artists and creators, including Vivek J. Tiwary, writer of the upcoming Dark Horse graphic novel The Fifth Beatle, Room W475b

5:15 p.m.–6:15 p.m. DARK HORSE SPRING FEVER with Scott Allie, Jeremy Atkins, Eric Powell, Tim Seeley, Mike Norton, Steve Horton, and surprise guests! Room W471

7:45 p.m.–8:45 p.m. HUSBANDS: TELEVISION AND BEYOND with Brad Bell, Jane Espenson, Sean Hemeon, and moderator Matthew Aaron, Room W471

LONGTIME CHICAGO BEAR ISRAEL IDONIJE TO DEBUT HIS COMIC BOOK “THE PROTECTORS” AT CHICAGO’S C2E2

 Longtime Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije knows a lot about heroics on the football field. Now he's bringing that sense of heroism to his first comic project, titled The Protectors, and he has the acclaimed creative team of writer Ron Marz and artist Bart Sears with him.

C2E2, held at Chicago's McCormick Place April 26-28, will mark the official release of the limited edition The Protectors issue #0, which is sure to be a collector’s item. Sears has created two covers for the launch, one featuring the heroes of the Protectors, and the other an extremely limited sketch cover of Idonije in his #71 jersey. Copies of issue #0 will be available for $10. Known widely for his charitable efforts, Idonije’s comic project will be no exception. Athleta Comics is donating a percentage of net sales to public libraries and to HERO Initiative, a charity providing assistance to comics professionals in need. 

Athleta Comics will be located at Booth #903, and The Protectors team, including Idonije, Marz, Sears and Troy Peteri, will host a panel on Friday, April 26 from 2-3 p.m. in room W474. John Siuntres, Chicago radio host and the mastermind behind the acclaimed Word Balloon podcast, will moderate the panel. Also, Idonije, Marz and Sears will be available at the booth at various times throughout the show to sign issue #0, Protectors T-shirts and other items.

A fan of comic books since childhood, Idonije began creating The Protectors at Bears training camp in 2007, and went on to start Athleta Comics, a publishing company to appeal to sports fans and comic book fans alike. First announced at the 2012 New York Comic Con, The Protectors is Athleta’s first project – a comic series combining the worlds of sports and superhero adventure.

The Protectors are a chosen handful of athletes who learn they are blessed with more than elite athletic ability.  The narrative will grow into an epic story of cosmic proportions, with the world at stake. It’s no coincidence that Idonije is launching The Protectors in Chicago – it’s the city he loves and calls home and it is also the backdrop for The Protectors.

In March Athleta introduced The Protectors through a 20-day web rollout where the website featured a new comic panel each day.  The webcomic and many of the character bios can still be viewed free of charge at athletacomics.com.

“This is a project of love and one of the most exciting things in which I’ve been involved,” Idonije said. “To hold the actual graphic novel in my hands has been my dream since 2007 when I literally sat down with the concept in my head and began writing it on my notepad.  It’s been a long journey and I’m excited to be sharing it with the world.”

Sports and superheroes are a combination that has not always been successful in comics. But Marz believes this is the right creative team to make it work.

"Before I wrote comics, my first 'real' job was a sportswriter, so I'm familiar with both of these worlds," said Marz, whose long list of comics credits includes lengthy runs on Green Lantern, Silver Surfer and Witchblade. "I don't think The Protectors could have been written by someone who wasn't at the very least a sports fan. We intend to get all the details right, which is not something you see very often when sports appear in comics. Having spent a number of years as a sports reporter gives me insight into the sports themselves, as well as the reporter character in the series, Silas Simms. We want sports fans to feel like the sports action is genuine, and we want superhero fans to feel like they're getting a classic superhero story.

Artist Sears, who is known for his work on "Justice League Europe" and "X-O Manowar," among many others had turned much of his artistic attention toward video games and commercial art, but was lured back to comics for The Protectors.  "When you think about the statement, ‘pro athletes as superheroes’ that makes a whole lot of sense. The athleticism of the superstars in every sport is unbelievable, human beings with powers far above and beyond normal man. Every single time a pro athlete takes to the playing field he or she is ‘in it to win it’, exactly like every hero who stands up to evil,” said Sears. “We call our athletes ‘gladiators’ and ‘warriors.’ It’s not a stretch to think of them as superheroes. It’s very exciting to be involved in a project like this."

Idonije said, “First and foremost, I believe we did the story right. People from a variety of backgrounds will connect and enjoy the core elements of the amazing story of The Protectors. Also, the artwork is fantastic. We have a great team! To me, comics and sports should be a perfect union. In both worlds, we find characters we can live through, characters we love and support and with whom we connect.”

Rounding out The Protectors creative team are inker Mark Pennington, colorist Neeraj Menon and letterer Troy Peteri.

“I know the messages contained in The Protectors will really connect with people, as well as entertain them,” said Idonije. “I also hope this project will serve as an inspiration to anyone who desires to achieve something. Regardless of who you are, if you have an idea, you can achieve it.”

Please see http://athletacomics.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @AthletaComics

VALIANT Heads to C2E2 with ROBERT VENDITTI, CLAYTON HENRY, MICO SUAYAN and More!

From April 26th to April 28th, Valiant Entertainment will be joining the festivities at C2E2, Chicago's premier comics and pop culture convention, and we're bringing along a ton of special guests and exclusive giveaways to celebrate!

 

Visit Valiant at booth #1029 all weekend long to get a sneak peek at the next big things to rock the Valiant Universe inside the pages of the Valiant Summer 2013 Preview Edition – a FREE C2E2-exclusive convention giveaway, featuring a look inside Quantum & Woody #1 by James Asmus and Tom Fowler and an extended preview of Harbinger Wars #1, the debut issue of Valiant's first crossover event.

 

Stop by for signings and appearances throughout the show by some of the Valiant Universe's greatest talents, including New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar, Demon Knights, The Surrogates), New York Times best-selling artist Clayton Henry (Harbinger Wars, Archer & Armstrong, Incredible Hercules), and acclaimed artist Mico Suayan (Harbinger, Batman: The Dark Knight).

 

As always, Valiant will also have a complete selection of Valiant comics, trade paperbacks, hardcovers, and t-shirts on hand, alongside a brand new convention-exclusive Harbinger Wars #1/Shadowman #1 blank flip book – debuting for the very first time at C2E2!

 

Then, find out everything you need to know about the Valiant Universe in 2013 on Saturday, April 27th at 4pm in room W471 for the Valiant 2013: Harbinger Wars and Beyond panel presentation! With the landmark events of Harbinger Wars and Planet Death currently underway, find out what's next for Valiant's greatest heroes directly from a panel of Valiant insiders, including X-O Manowar writer Robert Venditti, Harbinger Wars artist Clayton Henry, Executive Editor Warren Simons, Publisher Fred Pierce, and CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani.

 

And rounding out the weekend, join Valiant's Executive Editor and a special slate of surprise guests on Sunday, April 28th at 11:30 AM W474 for Valiant 2013: The Craft of Comics with Warren Simons. In this candid, behind-the-scenes panel discussion, find out just what it takes to put together a compelling story from start to finish, how to make your series stand apart, and how the editorial process functions at the highest levels – from the award-winning industry veteran behind the Valiant relaunch and a host of fan favorite titles, including Thor, Immortal Iron Fist, Invincible Iron Man, and many more!

 

For more information, please visit C2E2.com and ValiantUniverse.com.

 

We’ll see you at C2E2!

ABOUT VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT

 

Valiant is a leading character-based entertainment company with a library of over 1,500 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Shadowman, Harbinger, Eternal Warrior, and many more. Established in 1989, Valiant has sold over 80 million comic books, and today its characters continue to be forged in publishing, licensing, film, video games, and beyond. In 2012, Valiant was named Publisher of the Year  by numerous press and industry sources, including Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.

C2E2 Cosplay Bar Crawl!

Chicago's first super hero bar crawl is setting out to be its BEST! The guys who bring you the yearly SantaCon bar crawl are throwing on their capes and tights and heading to the South Loop to celebrate C2E2 taking over McCormick Place! Their Legion of Super Crawlers is meeting at Reggie's Music Joint at 5:30 and then hopping to 6 different bars. Drink specials and memorable photo ops are guaranteed with your wristband! Do a shot with Doctor Doom and see how fast The Flash can chug a beer! Come as your favorite character, or create your own -- but don't miss the first annual Super Hero / Villain Bar Crawl!

Route Map: http://goo.gl/maps/rNsnC
Sign in @ Reggie's between 5:30-7pm.
--Reggie's Music Joint, $4 rum drinks, $3.50 Victoria Bottles, $4 Absolut Peppar Bloodies, $5 Sauza Hornitos Plata shots, Red Bull specials
--Kroll's South Loop - $3 Goose Island drafts, Red Bull specials
--Weather Mark Tavern- $5 Skyy vodka & $5 Galaxy Hero IPAs
--Flo & Santos - $15 domestic buckets, $5 well drinks
--Bar Louie South Loop - TBA

Tickets: http://shsvbarcrawl.eventbrite.com/
$10 online ahead of time, $15 cash at the door.

Cosplay Chicago Announces a C2E2 After Hours Event!

The 2013 convention season kicks off with Cosplay Chicago collaborating and directly supporting ReedPOP’s C2E2 brand,
during Chicago’s Grant Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and C2E2 “Galaxy Hero” Beer Launch Event. We are also proud to
collaborate with ReedPOP for Fridays official C2E2 After Party.
Cosplay Chicago presents…

A C2E2 After Hours event: Skeletor’s Evil Plan!

With Master of Ceremonies and Overlord of Evil, Skeletor
Performances by The StarShip; VIKING JESUS; fire handling by Dollface; Glitter Guild Burlesque featuring Hazel Hellbender,
Red Rum, and Bazuka Joe
Plus Fantastic Mammals, and a birthday salute to Kitty Zombie
17+ show
$10 advance + 2 raffle tickets | $15 day of show
doors at 9PM
Friday, April 26
Reggie's Rock Club
2105 S State Street, Chicago

Fed up with his rag tag band of misfit henchmen, Skeletor scours the Universe for evildoers befitting of his guidance. Bridging the cosmos with aid of the Cosmic Gateway, he returns to C2E2 with designs to conquer Earth, defeat his enemies, and Master the Universe!

Aliens, Time travel, Fire, Damsels in distress, Resurrection, Metal mayhem, Villainy, and special guest- Kitty Zombie! Don’t miss the C2E2 After Party to end all C2E2 After Parties… until next time?!
The Reggies Rock Bus will be stopping by the West Building McCormick Place before the show at 8PM for a FREE pickup to bring “eventgoers” to Snake Mountian… er, Rock Club for the “show”!

Website: cosplaychicago.com
Facebook: facebook.com/cosplaychicago
Official C2E2 listing: c2e2.com/Whats-Happening/Events-R-Z/Skeletors-Evil-Plan/
Venue listing: reggieslive.com/show/c2e2-after-hours-event-skeletors-evil-plan/
Ticket vendor: ticketfly.com/purchase/event/253219wrKey=07C1F0CF775DF1FB2C43172B6A003A57

The StarShip
An alien lyricist and inter-dimensional time-traveler, The StarShip has only one directive- The Orgy at the End of the Universe. An Experimental mix of Industrial, Hip-hop, Electro, and Psychedelic; The StarShip is a unique entity. Known for the song “Fuck The Universe”, his sciFi and pop culture references have made him a cult favorite across all geek communities. Always pushing the envelope with humorous social commentary and an out this World conceptual performance, The StarShip will
take you on a trip that must be experienced to believe.
Band Website: thestarship.net
Facebook: facebook.com/thestarshipmusic
Twitter: twitter.com/the_starship

VIKING JESUS
Legends say that VIKING JESUS is a being that descended upon Earth to give humans better metal. Others say he's a spirit that passes on face-melting abilities from one person to the next. Others say he's just a dude from Middle-of-Nowhere, Illinois who loves video games a little too much. Whatever you believe, prepare to be rocked!
Facebook: facebook.com/allhailvikingjesus
Twitter: twitter.com/vikinggameslive

Dollface
You can take the gal out of the Honky Tonk, but you can't take the Honky Tonk out of the gal.
Dollface wants everyone to treat her like a lady, and if they don't, she'll cut them in half.
She's tiny, but she's fucking mighty, and takes her vitamin every day… it's called a steak.
An all around artist and performer, Dollface knows no bounds. From photography to crafting, silks to grinding, tap to fire handling… Dollface, is the one and only razorblade in the cupcake.
Website: razorbladecupcake.com
Photography: dollfacephotography.org
Etsy: etsy.com/shop/razorbladecupcake
Facebook: facebook.com/j3nd0llfac3

Glitter Guild Burlesque
The Glitter Guild is a wandering troupe of Con-going Cosplayers grown too hot for their costumes. Best known for bringing their passion for everything from D20 to Doctor Who, to crowds of 600+ annually at Indiana's GenCon, the Guild are all truly passionate enthusiasts who give the same loving care to their costuming that they lavish on their obsession of choice. What kind of underthings does a Klingon wear? Where else do Chthulu's tentacles grow? These are questions the Glitter Guild
considers carefully and answers with grins, glitter, and glee. Like all good Guilds, the Glitter Guild now journeys countrywide from Con to Con, bringing jiggles and joy to all the fanboys and fangirls they can find. Featured Glitter Guild performers include- Bazuka Joe, Hazel Hellender, and Red Rum.
Band Website: theglitterguild.com
Facebook: facebook.com/glitterguildburlesque

Fantastic Mammals
This young Chicago-land trio is coming out of the gates swinging with their unique brand of high-energy indie rock. Their driving punk rhythms and swooning melodies are backed by an artful array of chiptune synths. Fantastic Mammals' sophomore album, “What Happened To My Friends?” is slated for a Spring 2013 release.
Band Website: fantasticmammals.com
Facebook: facebook.com/fantasticmammals
Twitter: twitter.com/fantasticmammal

KickStarter of the Week: Robocop

This week our KickStarter of the Week isn't even a KickStarter! It's over on Indiegogo! We're so tricky sometimes! Have no fear though. This one is just as amazingly awesome as all of the other campaigns that we've highlighted. Ready to read about it? Let's go!


What We Are Doing
The team at SuperHero Photography want to do something SUPER COOL & create a Female version of the Classic Robocop.  We are going OLD SCHOOL !!! We have Davence who will be building the super sexy cop for us and the AWESOME Freddie Nova will take on the role as Robo ! Adam will be doing the photo shoot and overall scheming :)

We want to storyboard the Shoot with Freddie starting in normal cop gear and then the transformation to Robocop.

What We Need & What You Get
We need $2500 to cover all materials, labour, shipping, and reward incentives to truly make this as epic as we can !

As soon as the costume is built we will be doing a Photo Shoot to release out to the SuperHero Photography page and then the actual build will debut at C2E2 2013

As a thank you we will have posters and tshirts :) There is also an opportunity to sponsor the build/shoot and debut by having your logo connected to all social media and promotions.

BONUS CHARACTER BUILD
If we hit $5000 then Davence will build a

OMG EPIC FEMALE "VOLTRON"

C'mon...Didn't I tell you that it was awesome? Freddie is absolutely gorgeous and done up as RoboCop, she would be nothing short of amazing! Head on over to Indiegogo and give them your support!