Shannon Smith Gives the Indie Island Rundown

Indie Island t-shirt by Joe LambertIf you didn’t get enough info from our latest podcast covering HeroesCon (and why to go) our good friend and contributor to the latest Dollar Bin Friends Assembled, Shannon Smith, gave a massive rundown on the greatness that is Indie Island (where you’ll be able to find us).

Here’s a taste. Check out the rest on his site!

HeroesCon for the indie hipster.

HeroesCon kicks off next weekend in Charlotte, NC USA. With mainstream comics big guns like Bendis, Brubaker, Claremont and Fraction it is easy to forget that HeroesCon also hosts one of the east coast’s finest gatherings of indie and small press talents in the con within a con known as Indie Island. Between Indie Island and the show’s Small Press tables there is a staggering amount of talent for the indie hipster to check out. The Indie Island guest list is here and the Small Press list is here. Check them out and start making your list of all your favorite indie folks. I can’t comment on all of them but here are some folks I recommend you check out…

DC Comics returns to Heroes Con

DC Comics Returns To “America’s Favorite Comic Convention”

DC Comics, publisher of some of the most recognizable characters in all of comics, including Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, is returning in force to Charlotte, North Carolina’s Heroes Convention, a 3-day comics convention taking place June 19-21, 2009.

“We’re known throughout the country as one of the last ‘all-comics’ conventions,” says show owner Shelton Drum, “and the fans have been clamoring for a robust DC presence for years.” With DC poised to release their highly anticipated summer crossover event “Blackest Night,” premiered this spring at Free Comic Book Day events across the country, their booth at the convention is sure to be a focal point of the weekend.

Especially since “Blackest Night” and “Flash: Rebirth” artist Ethan Van Sciver will also be a guest at the show. The recent North Carolina transplant has become a popular HeroesCon guest over the last few years; as artist on one of the biggest comics events of the year he is sure to have long lines all weekend.

DC joins a growing list of publishers exhibiting at the show, including Boom Studios and Atlanta’s Top Shelf Productions. Heroes Convention has become famous since its founding in 1982 as a place that provides uncommonly informal interactions between fans, professionals, and publishers. With its comics-first focus, HeroesCon has quietly become one of the most popular comic book conventions in the nation, annually drawing over 10,000 fans to uptown Charlotte. With a guest list including the industry’s best artists, writers, and publishers, this year’s HeroesCon, going on Father’s Day Weekend (June 19-21), seems poised to exceed the expectations of both the event’s fans and organizers.

Heroes Convention 2009 is an annual comics convention founded in 1982 by Shelton Drum, who also owns and operates the Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find comics shop in Charlotte, NC. For more information refer to www.heroesonline.com.

BOOM Studios explodes onto Heroes Con guest list

BOOM! STUDIOS JOINS THE 2009 HEROES CON GUEST LIST

In the month of April alone, fan-favorite comics convention HeroesCon has added over 60 names to its 2009 Guest List. Today it has announced the addition of independent publisher BOOM! Studios, as well as three of its highest profile creators: Editor-In-Chief Mark Waid, cartoonist Roger Langridge, and writer Michael Alan Nelson.

BOOM! Studios was founded in 2005 and quickly became one of the fastest growing small publishers in comics. In 2007 the company announced that Mark Waid had been named their Editor-In-Chief. Waid is an incredibly popular and prolific writer, with past work including Kingdom Come, breakout runs on Flash and Fantastic Four, and recent work on Amazing Spider-Man and Supergirl. His new BOOM! title Irredeemable was an instant sell-out, with a second print already on the way.

The other big critical success so far this year for BOOM! has been The Muppet Show; cartoonist Roger Langridge’s new series has garnered incredibly positive reviews, and near instant sellouts across the country. Langridge is also the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award nominee for his creator owned Fred The Clown book; he’s returning to HeroesCon after his first appearance last year. Waid and Langridge are joined by writer Michael Alan Nelson (Hexed, Fall of Cthulhu, 28 Days Later) and BOOM! co-founder Ross Richie.


A Charlotte tradition since 1982, HeroesCon has quietly become one of the most popular comic book conventions in the nation, annually drawing over 10,000 fans to uptown Charlotte. With a guest list including the industry’s best artists, writers, and publishers, this year’s HeroesCon, going on Father’s Day Weekend (June 19-21), seems poised to exceed all the organizers’ expectations. Says owner Shelton Drum, “It’s humbling, the amount of support we receive from the comics community. It proves that there’s still a place for a fun comics convention that you can bring your whole family to.”

Heroes Con 2009 Countdown Widget

Mac OS X 10.4.3 or higher required.If you plan on attending Heroes Con 2009 then you may be counting down the days. My question is, “Why are you doing that if you could have your very own widget to do it for you?”

That’s right! If you have a Mac you can download for FREE this exclusive, one-of-a-kind widget that counts down for you to the greatest, most awesome-ist Comic Convention in the Universe!

This little guy will be one keystroke away from fulfilling your urge to know how many more days until Heroes Con 2009. How cool is that?!

So go ahead and download this widget if you have a Mac and let all your friends know. Use the Share button below to Digg it, Tweet it, Facebook it, email it. However you want to tell the world is fine with us.

If you have Windows or something else (Linux, Ubuntu, pen and paper) I’m sorry. Not to say I’m a Windows hater, I just don’t know how to make one for Windows. If anyone wants to make a widget/gadget for Windows fans then feel free to do so and let us know. We’ll link to it!