This past weekend was the annual Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC .  This was my fourth year visiting the convention and I must say that is was definitely the best one so far. There were more artists and a few more large names in attendance than before in previous years.

For the past four years SCAD has been taking part in the Convention by giving workshops to all the convention goers. The Professors of the Sequential Art department from both the Atlanta campus and the Savannah campus were in attendance to give talks on specific aspects of comics, storytelling, storyboarding, toy design, and various other topics.

Heroes Con gets better year after year and the professors all enjoy taking part in the convention as a way to promote the school, the students, and their work, as well as finding artists who would like to come for our yearly comics art forums.

Professor David Duncan talks to Mark Waid about a possible SCAD visit.

This year Professors Anthony Fisher, David Allan Duncan, John Lowe, June Brigman, Roy Brigman, John Larison, as well as a recent grad student alumn Pat Bollin were there to give their specifics workshops. The workshops went over very well as always. Tom Lyle was missed by all, but he was being updated with a new 2010 eyeball that works. He will be back in full force next year! Professor Michael Jantze was supposed to go, but had to bow out due to last minute freelance. Several people came up and asked about him.The SCAD booth was constantly busy with questions from show goers as well as comic artists about the classes, how to apply, as well as stopping by to admire the students who were drawing, inking, and sculpting while answering questions about the school.

We’ve got a photo parade after the jump!

Two students, Marissa Garner and Angela Falvey doing some work.

Comic conventions are great because 99% of all the people are friendly beyond belief. Everyone is just happy to be talking about comics.

Many of the professors went around during their time at the convention talking to the artists who were in attendance about next years SCAD-Con. The professors made certain that the word and interest was spread by handing out information cards on the event.

Amongst many of the Artist Alley booths were a WHOLE LOT OF SCAD ALUMNI and one SCAD alum who is also a professor of Sequential Art at the Atlanta campus, Professor Chris Schweizer.

Rebekah Isaacs and Jon Price hanging at the 12 Gauge Booth:

Andrew Sides showing off his Art Auction piece. Andy Black working on one of his many convention pieces.

Let’s look at this sexy artist working from a different angle! Here we can see his variant cover and some of his other work!

Dean Trippe posing for me! 
Diana Bennett, aka Shazzba, is dueling photos with me. Some shenanigans at her booth!

Josh Greathouse is wondering why it took me this long to come photograph him. I was busy!
Megan being her normal cute self!

Rebecca Fedun and recent SCAD grad is sporting some jazz hands.

Tyson Hesse, creator of Boxer Hockey, is being very GQ as he listens deeply to his fans. Ransom Getty being super awesome! Savannah Professor of Illustration Durwin Talan is working hard on some sketches.
Atlanta Professor Chris Schweizer is either about to sneeze or spout many words of wisdom to the surrounding masses.

There were many great mainstream and independant comic artist as well as many greats who are older but still making some incredible work.

Adam Hughes making love to the camera! Actually I think he was wondering who I was.

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Bernard Chang hard at work as so many artists were at this convention!

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Matt Webb coloring a convention piece.

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Eric Jones doing some wonderful art.

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Frank Cho being very animated. He was gesticulating wonderfully during this conversation.

Brian Bolland in the background there.

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Chuck Wojikiewicz deep in a conversation!

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Rob Liefeld trying to figure out something.

Ah, he’s got it.

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Studio Revolver: http://www.studiorevolver.com/wp/

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Tom Bancroft hamming it up!

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The one and only amazing Bernie Wrightson signing some of his work!

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Still at it….  If I only had enough money then I could afford a piece of his work.

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Guy Davis smiling for me. I just told him that one of his friends and my fellow Sequential faculty said hello!

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Bill Meiggs working on a convention sketch, looking very serious.

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Joe Jusko. I took this shot from below because he was so into his work I figured he might not want to be disturbed and he is a big guy.

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Mark Texeira signing some work.

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Ben Towle getting some con sketch taking care of for a waiting customer.

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Joseph Michael Linser, creator of Dawn, talking with a few customers.

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David Mack being the incredibly nice man that he is an posing for a shot. What a great and very nice artist!

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Josh Latta in his element, making some buttons!

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Kate Beaton with some fun pages in front of her.

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Humberto Ramos was really involved in this sketch. Such great work!

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Tony Harris inking some serious Punisher.

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Ethan Van Sciver drawing in someone’s sketchbook.

The students were wonderful for helping. Getting them passes helped of course!

Here we have SEQAlab PJ Donny Cates (aka DzCates) becoming totally enthralled in the awesomeness of his writing. L0ok at that Amazing Cover art by Patric Reynolds!!

And our admissions representative Alice Meiss was wonderful in helping answer any and all questions outside our realm of expertise, and in turn we have corrupted her into buying a stack of comics! She tried to avoid the camera but failed. Death will come fast when she sees this!

And where would a convention be without people dressed up in various costumes!

Her powers apparently are invisible as she tries to do something super.

This Captain America was here last year too. It’s nice to know you can always rely on the Captain.

Alice in Wonderland-ish

This guy was definitely fun!

This guys costume was really amazing.

Most all of the artists donated a piece of artwork to the annual art auction which is used to raise funds for the convention. This year we saw some tie-breaking records with Adam Hughes piece selling for eight thousand dollars as well as ……. whose also sold for the same. Eric Canete’s piece sold for twenty seven hundred dollars. It was a good auction. This was the most packed I have ever seen. Nothing beats seeing Adam Hughes in a smoking jacket smoking his pipe on stage while they sell his work!

Here are a few pics of the artists creating some fresh work for the auction.

Brian Stelfreeze whipping out a great acrylic painting super fast! If you have never seen him paint he is very quick.

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One is just getting going while the other is really getting close to being done.

I really liked watching him paint. What a fun color scheme and great Swampman texture.

I also got to sit in on the Podcast Panel discussion on Sunday with Jimmy Aquino of Comic News Insider, Chuck Moore of Comic Related, Phil Jackson of Indie Spinner Rack, Peter Rios of Comic Geek Speak, and Bill Jourdain of The Golden Age Podcast. With all the preparation for the convention I didn’t even see that they were having a Panel on podcasts so I crashed it. The guys were more than happy to let me sit with them and spout hypothetical situations where we had hundreds of thousands of listeners and all the money in the world to buy fancy equipment.

I snagged this photo from Bill Jourdain’s site: The Golden Age Podcast

The panel was great for the small affair that it was. We talked about the future of comic podcasts, how to draw in more listeners and the differences between our different sites. It was great meeting these guys and I hope to see them again next year and at any other con we make it to in between! Chuck Moore of Comic Related recorded the panel, so please go to their site and check it out when he posts it!

Here are some great photos of the SCAD Booth. To all who stopped by our thanks. If you get a chance next year, come and say hi.

Do not anger the sculptor. He may throw his coffee at you. Donny Cates was great. He was there all weekend lending a helping hand for every single thing. We had a number of student helpers but this podcast jocky was stalwart all weekend long. Thanks!

Marissa finishing up her maquette.

Our SCAD booth.

Jalina wonders when Billy will move.

So in closing Heroes Con was a rousing success and I hope to return year after year and watch it grow.

Scad Student: Billy Evatte at the end