Jessie Robertson reports from Cincinnati Comic Expo 2016…
I was back in downtown Cincinnati for the third time this year and the Cincy Comic Expo keeps getting bigger and better! We had Stan Lee, bitches! Stan’s line was nearly four hours long and kept growing. It was pretty nuts. I had the Jimmy Olsen to my Clark Kent, my buddy Steve with me this year, and there was so much to see and do. Seriously, the venue seemed to expand and add even more areas to explore, more places to sit and more cool things to look at than ever before. It just keeps growing. Before we even entered the building, we found two energetic chaps frothing at the mouth to get the Cincy Comic Expo exclusives this year – we had exclusive comics!
Okay, celebrities! It’s so hard to get a celeb, a true legit celeb to a comic con but this year, they outdid themselves: Original Darth Vader, David Prowse, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and Lando (Billy Dee) were all on hand, as well as Admiral Ackbar (It’s a trap!) and Nien Nunb! Star Wars seemed to be the prevailing theme over the con this year as tons of cosplayers strode around in their galaxy best.
The Stan Lee line was truly crazy, as was the line for Deadpool creator, Rob Liefield. But another long line was for the amazing 360 Degree Camera booth; it was here last year and made a triumphant return – take a look at the photos here.
When I wasn’t busy buying up memorabilia, my favorite thing to do at these events is to find one of kind items by super creative people looking to bring some geeky joy to collectors and fans alike. I found a couple that really caught my eye. Check these photos out (especially if you’re a Bishock fan)…
I talked to his guy and his wife for a bit, tremendous artist who draws these pictures, then screens them, makes about 50 copies, then destroys the screens so that design can never be duplicated. If you look closely, the level of detail in these drawings is beyond scope. Check out the link to for the rest of his catalogue.
Anything Zelda-related catches my eye, so when I see a map of Hyrule from A Link to the Past drawn on faded and ripped paper, the geek in me rises up and takes precedence: Check out the below photos of his work (I bought an original hand-drawn novel about King Arthur from him!)…
Ok, enough about my spending habits; this year’s comic expo felt so huge, it was almost a pain to move around! Besides a rough lunch with a crazy brawl that almost broke out in the Skyline booth between employees, the only disappointment this year is I didn’t get to meet Larry Hama! Yes, even after that whole article I wrote about his contributions to Wolverine. He apparently had an unfortunate accident and was at the hospital Saturday, which is when I attended. I was so bummed! I had my copy of Wolverine #90 in hand ready to be signed and treasured. Get well, good sir.
Before I sign off, I want to thank the staff and crew of the Expo, it’s getting better all the time! Now, more cosplay!
Jessie Robertson
Originally published October 1, 2016. Updated November 30, 2022.
