Baltimore Comic-Con Preview!

This coming weekend, August 20th and 21st, marks the 12th annual Baltimore Comic-Con. While it may be a relatively young convention by some standards, it is certainly one of the biggest and most noteworthy cons that take place in any given year for comic book fans and dealers. Located at the Baltimore Convention Center in the Camden Yards area of the city, the convention plays host to some pretty big names and events this weekend, not the least of which are comic book legend Stan Lee and of course the annual Harvey Awards will be held there! There's always lots of good people, good costumes and good times to be had at Baltimore Comic-Con, so read on to get a preview of what's ahead! Guests! Undoubtedly Stan Lee's name flies the highest in terms of recognition as the guest of honor of this year's BCC, and fans will be lining up early for a chance to shake hands with and say a word with the living legend. Appearing also with Lee this weekend will be Neal Adams, another luminary of the genre, as well dozens of other noted and talented comic book colorists, writers, artists etc. Laura Martin, Jamal Igle, Ron Marz, Filip Sablik, Adam Hughes, Frank Cho, Jim Starlin are just a few of the names that will be making an appearance this year, so be sure to come out and meet this collection of talent firsthand! Harvey Awards! As is becoming the custom at BCC, the annual Harvey Awards, created to recognize outstanding talent and achievements in the comic book medium, will once again be presented in a formal ceremony at this year's con. With over twenty categories and plenty of diverse nominees, this year's ceremony stands to be outstanding. It's a fun evening of laughs, honor and respect for the genre and those who create it, and a time to reflect on the current direction of comics and their meaning. The awards take place on Saturday evening at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore, located within walking distance of the convention center. This is a ticketed event, so you must purchase a separate event ticket from that of the con to attend! Bonus Pieces! As if those first two categories were not enough, there's even more! A costume contest will be held on Saturday, and this year's contest is prepared for last year's unexpected boom in entrants and audience. There are several categories, divided by gender and age, superhero and non-superhero costume, so there's something for everyone. Awesome prizes are awarded, including $1,000 for the best overall costume! There will also be a special focus on young kids this year, with several vendors, artists and opportunities geared just to the wee youth. Kids ten and under also get in free to the con! There will be several convention only exclusive comics, so be sure to get those, as supplies WILL be limited! For more information about the 2011 Baltimore Comic-Con or the Harvey Awards, simply follow this link! Doors open at 10AM on both days, so get there early for a great spot in line!