COMIC BOOK & TOY SHOW

Chicagolandz
Pop Culture
Vintage & Modern

Comic & Toy Con!!!
March 20th (Saturday), 2010 Wheaton, IL
DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester, Wheaton, IL 60189
Directions from Chicago:
Roosevelt Rd. W. to County. Farm Rd., turn N. to
Manchester, E. on Manchester 1/2 mi. to Fairgrounds.
Special Guest: Connie Persampieri
Fantasy artist www.conniefaye.com
Special Guest: Art Baltizar www.artbaltazar.com
Special Guest: Russell Lissau
By day, Russell Lissau is a mild-mannered newspaper reporter in suburban Chicago. By night, he battles evil writing comic books including THE BATMAN STRIKES!, THE 29 and SHREK. He broke into comics in 2005 with the lead story in BATMAN ALLIES SECRET FILES AND ORIGINS.
Lissau also leads workshops at libraries throughout the Chicago area about writing comics. To learn more, check out www.myspace.com/rlissau
Special Guest: Scott Beadererstadt
Troll Lords

June 12 & 13, 2010 Lake County Fairgrounds
GRAYSLAKE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
1060 E. PETERSON RD., GRAYSLAKE, IL 60030
1/2 W. of Rt. 45 on Peterson Rd & Midlothian Rd.
(at the corner of Peterson & Midlothian)
It is 1/2 mi west of Rt 45 or 1/2 mile east of Rt 83 on Peterson Rd.
Special Guest: ROBERT ZDAR Maniac Cop, Tango&CASH
and MOBSTERS AND BEASTMASTER. Robert Zdar will be doing a limited improve acting class on sunday for $25.00 for a 1 hr class limited to (10) people. Please email Jim Decker for more information.

June 12 & 13TH Special Guest "Convention Vixens"
ABOUT THE CREATOR Merika Rock WWW.CONVIXENS.COM Merika first burst onto the scene as an illustrative art model hired for her ability to portray an assortment of ethnicities. Being born of an eclectic mix of Mexican-Spanish-German and Cherokee decent, she’s found herself doing studio work for fantasy artist Larry Elmore for such covers as Sony Online Entertainment’s EverQuest™ and most recently Peregrine Entertainment’s Books of Lore Elf Stone, as the main character “Jolie”, with a preview comic just released this September of 2009. Being a Celebrity Stylist by day, having worked with such stars as Keeping Up With the Kardashian’s Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner, to VH1’s Harvey Waldon from Celebrity Fit Club and American Idol’s Kimberly Locke; she has also worked up close and personal with such stars as Sci-Fi Channel’s Ghost Hunters, Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters, Kynt and Vyxsin of The Amazing Race, and an array of Wrestling Superstars, character actors, Reality Show Faces and Playmates alike. Merika is also the Creator of Convention Vixens™ a project made up of a group of multi-fandom characters ranging from Sci-Fi to Fantasy to Anime, and will be releasing a book series set for 2010. She travels for convention appearances with her cast of beautiful models that portray the characters of her creation. She has partnered with sci-fi and fantasy illustrators such as Larry Elmore and Matt Busch for a series one and two compilation, each artist depicting four art pieces on various characters of the ConVixens™ World. Stay tuned for the ever growing roster of new ConVixens characters, as well as a continuing convention appearance schedule to bring the project to the fans. ABOUT MY PROJECT: CONVENTION VIXENS™ Convention Vixens is a compilation of original characters by creator Merika Rock and are supported by artwork and partnerships with mainstream illustrators such as fantasy and sci-fi artists Larry Elmore and Matt Busch. ConVixens™ as they are nicknamed is an organization of traveling girls dressed as these original characters which represent and bring the artwork and stories to life the fans can meet in person. The ConVixen™ characters are inspired by different genres of fandom which reflect everything from sci-fi, pop culture, video games, comic books, anime, and fantasy. The models that portray the ConVixens™ take pride in supporting their love for fandom and the special and unique characters they represent. With their eye-catching appeal, friendliness, and eagerness to connect with the fans, they are sure to be a memorable addition for attendees to meet during the shows from season to season. Be on the look out for on-going illustrations, story books and comics on the horizon, as well as special guest models featured as characters of the Convention Vixen ™ world.
Special June 12 & 13th Guests: Bill Reinhold HeDrawsComics@aol.com As a comic book inker, Bill has worked with other artists on Marvel Comics’ books such as The Punisher, Spider-Man, Daredevil, the Earth X trilogy, and The Hulk. At DC Comics he's inked the characters Batman, and Green Arrow, among others. The Punisher With Special Guest Linda Lessman Reinhold Marvel Colorist
Special Guest June 12 & 13th: Scott Beadererstadt Troll Lords
June 12 & 13th Special Guest of Honor: Jim Mitchell an American underground cartoonist. http://www.distantthunderstudios.com Mitchell was part of the late-1960s/early-1970s Milwaukee underground comix scene and a founder of the Krupp Comics/Kitchen Sink group, which also included Denis Kitchen, Bruce Walthers, Don Glassford and Wendel Pugh. In the early 1970s, he regularly created strips for the underground newspaper The Bugle, which were subsequently syndicated to other underground and college newspapers via the Krupp Syndicate. He created "Smile," a sweet, pleasantly upbeat strip which sometimes seemed out of place (though some found it refreshing) in the grim universe of underground comix. His strips (and covers) appeared in The Bugle; in three issues of his own comic, Smile (1971-1972); and in other comix, including Teen-Age Horizons of Shangrila, Mom's Homemade Comics, Bizarre Sex, Pro Junior, and Hungry Chuck Biscuit's Comics & Stories. He was imprisoned in Mexico for four and a half years, which prevented his involvement in the further evolution of the underground scene, but was released in late 1977. He now runs his own full-service art studio, Distant Thunder Studios, in Milwaukee.
June 12 & 13th Special Guest MIKE HOLEMAN from "Jack Ass"
MORE INFO TO BE ADDED - PLEASE CHECK BACK

Comic Book Shows....

Celebrities, Comic Book Collectors Convention
By Leslie Hague - Chicago Daily Herald Staff Writer

Kevin Leonard braved a fever and a long drive to make it to a comic book and toy convention on Sunday in St. Charles, IL. And he was rewarded.
"This was suppose to be $100," said the Island Lake 10 year-old, proudly holding up a limited-edition Wolverine figure from the "X-men" series. "But it was open so it was marked down to $18. And I got it for $15."
Comic and celebrity hunters from all over the area attended the first "ChiagolandZ Con: The Grand National Comic Book and Toy Convention" at the DuPage Expo Center in St. Charles, IL this weekend.
More than 100 vendors sold everything from life-size cutouts of Frankenstein and blankets adorned with images of Lucille Ball's and Bob Marley's faces to just about every comic book imaginable. But for many of the convention goers, the highlight was the actors, comic book illustrators and directors who spoke and took pictures - some charged a fee, some didn't - with fans.
Larry Thomas, better known as the "Soup Nazi" from "Seinfeld," signed ladles and cans of soup with "No soup for you!" Kane Hodder, who played "Jason" in some "Friday the 13th" films, posed for pictures with his hands around fans' necks.
"It's a good part-time weekend job," said Scott L. Schwartz, who calls himself the "Ultimate Bad Guy."
The bald-headed, stony-faced actor has appeared on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series but is likely best known for being "Bruiser," the casino security who took George Clooney's character into a back room in "Oceans Eleven."
"When you're growing up and dreaming of being an actor, isn't that the ultimate dream?" he joked. "What guy in America doesn't dream of beating up George Clooney?"
A few tables over, Ernie Hudson, best known as Winston Zeddemore from the "Ghostbusters" movies, chatted it up with fans - kids and seniors.
It was a bit of a homecoming for him. Growing up, he spent most of his summers in Elgin, where an aunt and uncle lived.
Hudson likes meeting fans, he said, events like this give him a break from Hollywood.
"You don't get this in Hollywood, hearing what people think, what they have to say," he said.
But if you're thinking of telling him a certain catchphrase, he has heard it before.
"Hey Ernie, "Who ya gonna call?" he said, shaking his head. "They always say it like I never heard it before."
Promoter Bob Zurko said he is planning an October 2005 event similar to this weekend's hit.
"The whole combination - the celebrities, the comic book artists, the dealers - has a lot of people interested," Zurko said.

Comic Book Convention continues today in St. Charles, IL
By Paul Dailing - Chicago Kane County Chronicle

Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? "Superman!" yelled 4 year-old Malik Ledbetter, pointing in the air. "I like Superman."
He might not have been pointing at the Man of Steel himself but a model behind his father, Rage Ledbetter of Elgin, but Malik knows his favorite hero.
The first ChicagolandZ Con was the first comic book convention for Malik and his brother Zachary Ledbetter, 9. The convention is at the DuPage Expo Center in St. Charles, IL and runs from Saturday to today (Sunday March 6th, 2005). Part of the proceeds are donated to the Shriner's Hospital for Children and the Red Sneaker Funds, which benefits adolescent burn victims.
Rage Ledbetter said he saw the convention as a chance to introduce his sons to his favorite hobby. "I thought this one wouldn't be as overwhelming as some of the ones in Chicago," he said. This show turned out to be a big event.
The ChicagolandZ Con will become a regular event, said promotor Bob Zurko. A longtime promoter of Antique Shows, Zurko created the con to highligh one of his hobbies, to help Shriner's charities and give fans a chance to see "unique items, celebrities, and nation-known comic artists."
He said the convention will stay at the Expo Center, and the next one will be a Halloween-themed convention October 1-2, 2005.
While the Ledbetters looked for Teen Titans comics - Zachary's favorite - others were at the convention to sell.
Kevin Nagel might live in Wheeling, but he grew up in St. Charles. He was at the event to promote his independent comic book, "The Saints."
The Saints are a group of eight superpowered St. Charles East High School Students who fight crime under the name of their school's mascot.
When Impact and Impulse, Chicago's super-team, are killed by The Anarchists, The Saints - Mr. Lightning, Firebird, Firebug, Nightwasp, The Scarlet Serpent, Shockwave, Cygnus and Bug Boy - are asked to fill the void.
Nagel said he did not start writing comics until after college. He wrote for the comic "Draculina" before creating Saturn Comics company and "The Saints."
He said he had been interested in comics since childhood. "Growing up, me and my friends would make up stories, and I thought that was so cool," said Nagel, who writes under the name David Lee.
Who Ya Gonna Call?
Greg Justice and his "significant other" Alaina call themselves the Detroit Ghostbusters, mainly because they are from Detroit and dress as Ghostbusters. "It's a blast," he said. "People eat it up 20 years after the movie came out."
The two were at the convention for fun and funds, trying to save the Los Angeles firehouse used as the Ghostbusters' base in the 1984 movie. They are part of an effort to convert the firehouse into a community center.
Actual Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore in the film and its 1989 sequel, could not legally sell any memorabilia, just photo ops and autographics.
"My signature is what I feel is mine that they don't own," he said.
Hudson, who spent summers in Elgin as a child, said he always will be Winston to many people despite his many TV and movie roles.
"It's nice to be part of something that people like," he said. "If people hated it, it would be different."
He said he regretted never being asked to do the voice of Winston for "The Real Ghostbusters" cartoon.
"Arsenio Hall did the voice in the cartoon, and I didn't see why that had to be," Hudson said.
Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas knows where he would be if not for his incredible fame.
"Right now, I'd probably be putting on some little tiny play of my own, building the sets myself, trying to get the actors to be the crew as well," he said.
But Thomas, or at least his role on "Seinfeld" as the Soup Nazi, is famous.
Thomas was selling autographed ladles and soup cans, mostly saying "No soup for you. Larry Thomas, the Soup Nazi."
"If I use the term 'Soup Nazi,' it has to be in connection with my name," he said. "Otherwise Castle Rock Entertainment will be upset with me."
Thomas has met Al Yeganeh, the surly soup seller who inspired the "Seinfeld" character.
"We had a nice conversation," Thomas said. "He gave me free soup."
For those who want to know, Thomas had the bisque.