LBCEby Hannah Carter, contributing writer

It’s almost time for Long Beach Comic Expo! This celebration of comics and pop culture is held every spring at the Long Beach Convention Center. Saturday, May 31 (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) and Sunday, June 1 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.), con-goers will be able to experience noteworthy works by writers, artists, illustrators, and creators from various genres.

Long Beach Comic Expo (LBCE) features guest speakers, meet-and-greet panels, art exhibitions, and more. The extensive guest list includes comic book artists like Scott Koblish (known mostly for his work on the Deadpool series for Marvel Comics), Todd Nauck (an artist and writer who has worked on several Spider-man series for Marvel and a few Teen Titans series for DC comics, in addition to his original series, Wildguard), Tone Rodriguez (a primary artist for Bongo Comics, which publishes comics related to Futurama and The Simpsons), and Tony Fleecs (a recurring artist in the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series). Gerry Conway (co-creator of The Punisher, Firestorm, and Power Girl and author of the Spider-man story The Night Gwen Stacy Died) will be returning to LBCE this year. Professional cosplayers Ani-Mia, Las Vegas Power Girl, and LeeAnna Vamp will also be attending.

LBCE has one of the largest Artist Alleys in the country. The exhibition space features big name artists, indie artists, and webcomic creators. Talents range from penciling and inking to writing and lettering and con-goers can get an up-close look at the artists and the art.

Both days are packed with all kinds of events. Saturday will have panels like “How to Get More Freelance Work,” for writers, illustrators, and other freelance professionals, and “Indie Creators, Unite! A Guide to Self-Publishing.” There will also be a “Body Positivity” panel, discussing variation of body types among cosplayers, and an “Art Battle,” in which five artists compete against each other to draw the best representation of the crowd’s subject of choice.

Saturday only, there will be an appearance from comic book legend Marv Wolfman. He is well known for writing The New Teen Titans, Nightwing, Spider-woman, Blade comic series. Wolfman has had the most original characters turned into television shows, animations, and movies of any comic writer other than Stan Lee. Tony Fleecs will be demonstrating the proper way to draw My Little Pony characters. Tone Rodriguez will be giving lessons on how to draw Futurama and Simpsons characters. There will be a panel called “Kids Drawing Comics” for the young aspiring comic artist and a “Cosplay Live Drawing” by Pierre Bernard (from the Conan O’Brien Show).

For a full list of guests, artists on Artist Alley, programs, and events, visit the Long Beach Comic Expo website. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the website or participating comic book shops. A pass for both days will cost $20, Saturday tickets are $15, and Sunday tickets are $10. The site also has information about accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Hotel.

We at SCIFI.radio would like to remind everyone that cons are about having fun and interacting with fellow fans. Cosplayers, like everyone else, should be treated with respect. A short dress is not a yes.

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SCIFI Radio Staff

SCIFI Radio Staff

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