September 28-30, 2018 sees the return of the Baltimore Comic-Con at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center.Tickets to the show now can be purchased online with debit/credit card. The Baltimore Comic-Con is pleased to announce first-time guests Arantza, Todd Johnson, Shawn Martinbrough, Ed Piskor, and Larry Stroman to the show in 2018.
Arantza Sestayo was born in San Sebastian, Basque Country Spain. Her artistic process is self-taught and she developed professionally through portraiture, in ceramic design, and in the production of cartoons in Camelot Studios of Castellon. Her journey in illustration began with publications such as Red Ears of erotic and humorous comics, the Swedish children’s magazine Psago Prinsessan, and the American publishing house S.Q.P. In Spain, she has contributed to Wicked Kisseswith Norma Comics and participated in the book Vampires from Heavy Metal. Her art has been featured on merchandise from Schmidt, Bioworld, and Heavy Metal. The municipality of Castellon commissioned an illustration for a facade of the Ateneo Assembly Hall, and published Duende as a compilation of her work. She exhibits at events related to comics and movies, such as Expomanga, Salon del Comic de Irun, Cavacon in Italy, and the Terror Film Festival of San Sebastian. Currently, some of her work has can be seen on products at Penguin Random House, and in the special edition Game of Thrones 20th Anniversary by HarperCollins Publisher. This year, her piece Ophelia has been awarded third place at the Imaginative Realism of Art Renewal Center.
Todd Johnson is a writer based in Detroit, Michigan. Johnson previously operated a successful chain of comic book retail stores, the Comics Cafe. In 1993, along with artist Larry Stroman, he published a creator-owned series called Tribe with Image Comics. With over one million copies sold, Tribe still holds the title of the largest selling African American comic of all time. In 2018, the creative partnership is relaunching Tribe to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Shawn Martinbrough is the author of How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling, published by Random House and reprinted in several languages. He is a critically acclaimed creator/artist whose DC Comics, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics projects include Batman: Detective Comics, Luke Cage Noir, Captain America, The Black Panther, and Hellboy. Shawn has co-created characters featured in the feature film Deadpool, the animated Batman: Gotham Knights, the FOX television series Gotham, The Gifted, and the Justice League feature film. Shawn is the artist of Thief of Thieves, published by Skybound/Image Comics, written by Robert Kirkman. Shawn’s work has been covered by Vanity Fair, USA Today, BBC World America, ABC News, NBC News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, BET, Essence, Ebony, The New York Daily News, AOL, Publisher’s Weekly, SIRIUS/XM Radio, and others. Shawn is a Native New Yorker and an alum of both the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art/Performing Arts and The School of Visual Arts.
Ed Piskor has been cartooning professionally in print form since 2005, starting off drawing American Splendor comics written by Harvey Pekar. The duo continued working together on two graphic novels, Macedonia and The Beats. Ed began self-publishing Wizzywig after developing a huge interest in the history of hacking and phone phreaking. His New York Times Best-Selling series Hip Hop Family Tree, which was originally serialized on Boing Boing, has gone back to print numerous times, and won the 2015 Eisner Award for “Best Reality-Based Work.” His series for Marvel, X-Men Grand Design, was released in 2017 to wide acclaim. He is currently working with Marvel on the follow-up series, X-Men Grand Design: Second Genesis.
Larry Stroman is a Boston-born artist who has honed his craft in New York City, Berkeley, Chicago, and Detroit. After gaining attention illustrating Epic’s Alien Legion, he went on to illustrate various Marvel comics such as the Uncanny X-Men, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Wolverine, Bishop, Black Panther, and the most popular run of X-Factor. He worked on Dark Horse’s The Markand co-created DC’s Darkstars. In 1993, along with writer Todd Johnson, he published a creator-owned series called Tribe with Image Comics. With over one million sold, Tribe still holds the title of the largest selling African American comic of all time. In 2018, the creative partnership is relaunching Tribe to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Stroman’s career has spanned three decades and he still remains a sought after artist.
“These first-time guests are fantastic,” said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. “From indie superstars and mainstream staples to international fantasy artists, these guests just add to our amazing line-up this year. We cannot wait for the last weekend in September!”
In addition to on-site CGC grading, this year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Arthur Adams (Guardians of the Galaxy), Joel Adams (Bucky O’Hare Graphic Novel Coloring Book), Neal Adams (Deadman), Zeea Adams (Neal Adams Monsters), Ethan Scott Ambruson (Azteca: Ciudad Paradiso), Marc Andreyko (Jeepers Creepers), Arantza (fantasy artist), Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets), Mike W. Barr (The Outsiders), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Marty Baumann (Big Hero 6), John Beatty (Batman), Carolyn Belefski (Curls), Simon Bisley (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bodycount), Ziggy Blumenthal (Operation Pajama Pants), June Brigman (Power Pack), Pat Broderick (Micronauts), Harold Buchholz (Mystery Science Theatre 3000), Mark Buckingham (Scooby Apocalypse), Greg Burnham (Tuskegee Heirs), Buzz (Superman: The Coming of the Supermen), Jim Calafiore (Leaving Megalopolis), Frank Cammuso (Wrong Earth), Chris Campana (Pathfinder: Worldscape – Vampirella), Greg Capullo (Dark Knights: Metal), Joe Carabeo (Black Magic Tales), Christa Cassano (Ghetto Klown), Howard Chaykin (Captain America), Joyce Chin (All-New Wolverine), Frank Cho (Harley Quinn), Michael Cho (Batwoman), Amy Chu (Red Sonja), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Steve Conte (Action Figure Kingdom), Katie Cook (Thanos Annual), Denys Cowan (The Question), Paris Cullins (WWE Superstars), Kristina Deak-Linsner (Vampirella: Roses for the Dead), J. Robert Deans (The Bear from A.U.N.T.), Tom DeFalco (Spider-Girl, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Jose Delbo (Spongebob Comics), Vito Delsante (Midnight Tiger Stronger), Todd Dezago (Tellos), Dave Dorman (Black Hops: U.S.A.-*-G.I.), Charles C. Dowd (Lilith Dark), Emily Drouin (Eplis), Anne and Jerzy Drozd (Science Comics: Rockets), Todd Emko & Piggy (A Piggy’s Tale), Garth Ennis (Jimmy’s Bastards, Friday and Saturday only), G.D. Falksen (The Ouroboros Cycle), David Finch (Trinity), Meredith Finch (Rose), Ramona Fradon (The Mike Wieringo Tellos Tribute), Franco (Encounter), Jenny Frison (Wonder Woman), John Gallagher (Captain Canuck Season 4), Will Gallagher (EPIC Bros.), S.L. Gallant (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vs. the Six Million Dollar Man), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Nation), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man), Joe Giella (The Flash), Mike Gold (The Pilgrim), Michael Golden (Micronauts: Wrath of Karza), Daniel Govar (Thanos: A God Up There Listening), Jimmy Gownley (Zootopia), John Patrick Green (Mickey Mouse Shorts: Season One), Dawn Griffin (Zorphbert & Fred), Tom Grummett (The New Titans, courtesy of Hero Initiatiive), Laura Lee Gulledge (Will & Whit), Bob Hall (Squadron Supreme), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook), Glenn Hauman (The Whisper Campaign), Marc Hempel (Sandman), Clinton Hobart (Disney fine artist), Ken Hunt (Lady Death: Devotions), Jamal Igle (Molly Danger), Tony Isabella (Black Lightning), Klaus Janson (Nightwing, Saturday and Sunday only), Todd Johnson (Tribe), Justin Jordan (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps), Chris Kemple (The Mike Wieringo Tellos Tribute), Karl Kesel (Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77), Tom King (Batman), Barry Kitson (The Flash), Todd Klein (Black Hammer: Age of Doom), Evelyn Kriete (Weird Tales), Alisa Kwitney (Mystik U), Jade F. Lee (Rolled & Told), Leo Leibelman (Heavy Metal), Paul Levitz (Brooklyn Blood), Mike Lilly (The Tick), Joseph Michael Linsner (Vampirella: Roses for the Dead), Kevin Maguire (Man of Steel), Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space), Mike Manley (Judge Parker), Chris Mariano (Claire Lost her Bear at the World’s Fair), Mark Mariano (Adventure Time), Billy Martin (Star Wars Adventures), Shawn Martinbrough (Shadowman), Ron Marz (Fathom Vol. 7), Ed McGuinness (Avengers), Bob McLeod (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero), Carla Speed McNeil (Empowered & Sistah Spooky’s High School Hell), Dawn McTeigue (Divinica), Adriana Melo (Plastic Man, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Frank Miller (Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander, Saturday and Sunday only), Stuart Moore (Deadpool the Duck), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Mark Morales (Justice League), Michael Moreci (Nightwing), Tony Moy (Mainstream), Trevor Mueller (Albert the Alien), Adriane Nash (The Whisper Campaign), Jamar Nicholas (Leon: Protector of the Playground), Denny O’Neil (DC Universe Holiday Special, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Jerry Ordway (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vs The Six Million Dollar Man), Rachel Ordway (The Elvis Adventures), John Ostrander (Suicide Squad, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Tom Palmer (Avengers), Dan Parent (Betty & Veronica Friends Forever), Jeff Parker (Future Quest Presents), Paul Pelletier (Titans Special), Andrew Pepoy (Mighty Moe Szyslak), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Green Lanterns), Tom Peyer (Captain Kid), Richard and Wendy Pini (Elfquest), Ed Piskor (X-Men: Grand Design – Second Genesis), Chase and Mark Poulton (Pizza Tree), Andy Price (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), David Proch (Quarter Moon), Tom Raney (Giantkillers), Mark Redfield (Hunted), Frank Reynoso (Garbage Pail Kids: Fables, Fantasies and Farts), Roy Richardson (The Flash), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Craig Rousseau (Startup), Stephane Roux (Faith: Dreamside), Jim Rugg (Street Angel), Andy Runton (Owly), P. Craig Russell (Salome and Other Stories), Stuart Sayger (GI Joe: A Real American Hero vs. The Six-Million Dollar Man), Brian Shearer (William the Last), Jeff Shultz (Archie Jumbo Comics Digest), Mimi Simon (Judge Parker), Louise Simonson (Action Comics#1000), Walter Simonson (Thor), Matt Slay (Equilibrium), Dan Slott (Tony Stark: Iron Man), Andy Smith (Demi-God), John K. Snyder (Fashion in Action), Scott Snyder (Justice League, Saturday only), Mark Sparacio (Chelsea Dagger), Jim Starlin (Thanos: The Infinity Siblings, Saturday and Sunday only), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Jim Steranko (Action Comics), Paul Storrie (The Viking Queen), Larry Stroman (Tribe), Rob Stull (The Mike Wieringo Tellos Tribute), Peter Tomasi (Superman), Tim Truman (Grimjack), David Trustman (God Slap), Sarah Trustman (The Memory Arts), Billy Tucci (Shi), Ted Tucker (Disney World caricature artist), Gus Vazquez (Sunfire and Big Hero Six), Emilio Velez Jr. (Dodgeball Teens), Magdalene Visaggio (Eternity Girl), Mark Waid (Captain America), Adam Wallenta (Punk Taco), Adam Warren (Empowered & Sistah Spooky’s High School Hell), Michael Watkins (Pantha), Larry Watts (Evil Dead 2: Cradle of the Damned); Todd Webb (Mr. Toast Comics), Dexter Weeks (Savage Eve), Lee Weeks (Batman), Mark Wheatley (Stargate Atlantis Singularity), Bob Wiacek (All New Wolverine), Matt Wieringo (Stargate Atlantis Gateways), Marcus Williams (Hero Cats of Stellar City: Year One), Javier Cruz Winnik (A Reason to Smile), Renee Witterstaetter (X-Force Epic Collection), Rich Woodall (The Mike Wieringo Tellos Tribute), John Workman (Kick-Ass), Thom Zahler (Time & Vine), Mike Zeck (The Punisher), and Liang Zhao (The Phantom).
In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Ringo Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.