Mid-Ohio Comic Con Recap!

Columbus, Ohio certainly knows how to take care of its nerds.

This past weekend, October 3rd and 4th, The Greater Columbus Convention Center played host to the 29th annual Mid-Ohio-Con. On hand were a bevy of comics and media guests, including Ray Park (Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I, Toad in the first X-Men film, Snake Eyes in this summer's live action GI Joe, and currently part of the cast of TV's Heroes fourth season), James Kyson Lee (Ando, Hiro's bestest bud from NBC's Heroes), and Daniel Logan (who played a young Boba Fett in Star Wars Episode II.)


(His backpack's got jets, he's Boba the Fett...)

Dozens of writers and artists, big name and entirely independent alike, were gathered in Exhibit Hall E, hawking their creations, chatting with fans and peers, sketching, snapping photos, signing their great works, and generally having a grand time of it, including Mark Texeira (one of my favorite pencillers during the 1990s,) Joe Jusko, Herb Trimpe, Marv Wolfman, Michael Golden, Bernie Wrightson, Sean Forney, Lora Innes, David Mack, Todd Nauck, Len Wein, Chris Sprouse, and many, many more.

And if you were missing a few key issues of the Phalanx Covenant, Old Man Logan, Transmetropolitan, The Invisibles, The 'Nam, Spidey, Kevin Smith's current run on Batman, you name it -- you would have been hard pressed to NOT find everything you were looking for. And then some, all thanks to a rather impressive collection of vendors, ranging from those specializing in collectibles, accessories, video games, CCGs, Vader's 501st Legion, comic books (of course,) et cetera et cetera ad infinitum.

One of my favorite little hot spots this year was Avatar's booth, which was full to overflowing with back and current issues of most of their popular series, including Warren Ellis' Doktor Sleepless, Anna Mercury, Ignition City, and Black Summer; Garth Ennis' Chronicles of Wormwood and Crossed; Jamie Delano's Narcopolis and loads more. Check out my one purchase of the con, inspired by Doktor Sleepless' Grinder movement:


(It is okay to be jealous.)

And what convention would be complete without a complete regiment of cosplayers? Here, take a look at some of our favorites:


(Later that day, I narrowly avoided an assassination attempt by a camouflaged Predator, presumably for stealing photographic evidence of their existence.)


(Who the heck are you gonna call?)


(Queue up 90s X-Men theme song. ALSO! Holy crap! Someone cosplaying Cable? Nice.)


(Not the happiest looking Arrow in the quill...)

So, if you missed out on this year's mayhem, be sure to make it out next year for the 30th Anniversary of the Mid-Ohio-Con!

See you there, True Believers!