First and Last Appearances at this Weekend’s Garden State Comic Fest!
Garden State Comic Fest once again introduces new faces to New Jersey along with a special final comic con appearance by a legendary artist this weekend, July 7 – 8 at the Mennen Arena in Morristown starting at 10:00 AM each day and ending at 6:00 PM Saturday and 5:00 PM Sunday.
At 98 years old, Ken Bald will be making his last comic con appearance. The legendary Golden Age Timely-Marvel Comic Artist, Dark Shadows Comic Strip Illustrator is the holder of 2 Guinness World Record Titles. Considered by Stan Lee as the “best comic artist in the business,” Ken Bald is one of the founding fathers of comic art. Bald’s amazing career started at Jack Binder Studio in the early 1940s, where he penciled covers of Captain Midnight, Captain Marvel, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Doc Savage and more.
Returning from WWII as a decorated Marine Corp. Captain, Bald met Stan Lee, who recruited him to Timely Comics (which is now Marvel) where he illustrated characters such as Captain America, Sub-Mariner, Torch, Blonde Phantom, Venus, Millie the Model, and also created the characters Namora and Sun Girl. During this time, he also worked for the American Comics Group where he drew a countless number of both horror and romance themed comic books.
In the mid-1950s, Ken transitioned to syndicated comic strips rendering incomparable art for strips such as Judd Saxon, Dr. Kildare, and Dark Shadows.
In 2015, Bald earned his first Guinness World Record as “Oldest Comic Artist.” Then, after illustrating the cover for Marvel’s “Contest of Champions” in 2015, Bald grabbed his second GWR title as “Oldest Artist to Illustrate a Comic Book Cover” as Bald was 95 years old when he penciled it.
30 VIP ticket buyers will be chosen at random to receive prints of the Limited-Edition KEN BALD Captain America Print Commemorating Bald’s Final Comic-Con Appearance. The VIPs who have been chosen for Ken’s print will have to come to Ken’s table to pick up their print on SATURDAY, as Ken will only be appearing on Saturday. (Note, Ken will be charging a fee to sign this print.)
Evan Goldstein, GSCF’s General Manager encourages fans not to, “miss this opportunity to meet this world-renowned comic artist who truly is a living legend.”
Making their first comic con appearances in New Jersey are celebrity voice actors Keone Young and Mary McDonald Lewis. “Both voiced iconic characters Storm Shadow and Lady Jay regularly on the G.I. Joe cartoon series,” says Danielle Pierson, GSCF Director of Vendor Relations. GSCF Co-owner, Dave O’Hare adds, “HBO’s Deadwood fans will get the added bonus of meeting Keone, who played the always entertaining Mr. Wu on the series.” In addition to signing autographs and taking photos with fans, they will be the feature panelists on a “Voice-Over Acting Q & A.”
Among other first time New Jersey comic con appearances are writer Marv Wolfman of Marvel and DC Comics fame and Steve Lavigne the very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s artist hired by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
Tickets are going fast and VIP tickets are almost sold out, so get yours.
For more information, including contests and panel schedules go to:
www.Facebook.com\GardenStateComicFest