Wow, is 2013 already over? It went by in a flash for me, but it was an exciting year in the world of comics. There are a few things that really stood out to solidify what I felt were my favorite moments in comics for the last year.
Emerald City Comicon 2013
ECCC is by far one of my favorite conventions. It’s fairly small and not as busy as some of the larger conventions in the country. As much as I love to dress up, the biggest draw for me is the comic world guest list the con pulls in every year. Emerald City is known for being extremely well run and having a fun, friendly vibe, so comic industry people who don’t do conventions will make this their ONE appearance of the year. The laid back vibe makes it easy to approach your favorite writers and artists, without the rushed feeling of waiting in line for their schedule. You can simply take your time and have an actual conversation. I have been able to make casual friends and network with people that I have looked up to and admired for years, which is something I would never otherwise be able to do. Because of these interactions, I’ve been able to take home some really unbelievable pieces of original artwork from some of the most well known artists in the business.
Me and the amazing Adi Granov at Emerald City Comicon 2013
Jonathan Hickman
I’ve been familiar with his work over at Marvel, but I’ve recently been trying to branch out from the Big 2 and see what other stories there are besides super heroes. Listening to the Pick of the Week podcast, Antonio had the pick and started describing East of West #1. We have similar comic book tastes and he made it sound like a really interesting, never done before concept. I picked up the first issue and I was instantly hooked. This is the title I recommend most to people, current comic readers and new alike, and everyone has loved it as much as I do. His writing is intelligent, thought provoking, and extremely high concept. I was dying for more of this kind of writing, so I started reading The Manhattan Projects and God is Dead. All three of these titles are at the top of my list, I anxiously await them every month, and they are always the first of my pulls that I read. I hope one day to meet him at a convention so I can express how much I appreciate his writing and showing me what kind of storytelling the comic book medium is capable of.
Comic Impact
As corny as it sounds, one of my proudest moments of the year was when I started writing for the site. I have always been socially awkward and never fit in with the cool crowd. I grew up in a time when it was socially unacceptable to read comics, play video games, or be a little bit different. I was picked on, bullied, and have been in my share of fights over it. Until very recent years I have always had to vehemently defend myself while being shamed for my nerdier tendencies. But with the success of Marvel and DC movies, everything I was once picked on for is suddenly cool. Now, people actually care what my opinion is about my favorite super heroes. It’s something I never thought I would experience. The fact that I can write about my favorite comics and even if just one person reads what I have to say, is something I’m more than grateful for. For however long it lasts, I will do my best and enjoy every minute of it.
Noelle Raemer
Noelle@comicimpact.com