Cincinnati Comic Expo Report!

I just got back from the Expo a few hours ago and it was a big success, at least as far as I'm concerned. My friend and I got an early start, took in some tasty treats and some old fashioned coffee at the local Waffle House then headed on over to the Cintas Center in Cincinnati. It was my first time there, and I needed the expert navigation my amigo provided. We landed without incident but found ourselves on site moments before the doors opened but in a fairly long line that had begun to spiral in upon itself like a lethargic snake. A few minutes of patient waiting and we were in.


The expo was held in a hallway area and stretched in a half circle. Some friends of ours from a local store held fort in a front and center position and we started there looking for treasures and bargains. After some small time prowling long boxes for back issues, I took off to find the guests of honor, namely Russ Heath and Murphy Anderson. Both stalwarts were seated on opposite ends of the hall, each looking frankly rather lonely, with only a single fan talking to Heath when I found him and no one talking to Anderson, despite many folks milling about.


I spoke to Heath for a moment, but frankly he seemed rather weary, even so early. I regretted at that moment, something I'd not even thought about before -- that I'd not brought a single comic book for either of these gentlemen to sign. So a quick reconnoiter of some of the tables yielded Action Comics #380 which marks the debut of the "Swanderson" team on Superman. I also found a copy of the Atlas-Seaboard comic Planet of Vampires #3 drawn by Russ Heath. He took on that book from the Continuity Associates group and drew this one issue before passing it on. I got both books for tiny money, so as to not dent the budget too much, and then went off to get some signatures.


Heath was busy signing several G.I.Combat books for a fan. (I don't know about you all, but getting more than one signature without paying for it strikes me as a bit crass.) While he was waiting for this guy to get organized he reached out for my lone comic, smiled when he saw it, probably remembering how poorly paid he'd been for the work and happily signed it just above his printed signature on the cover. I thanked him and wandered off to find Anderson's table again.


Anderson was busy signing for a fan too, specifically three collected editions of Adam Strange stories and I'll have to admit the top moment of the expo was watching him create that distinctive signature. He writes his name first then draws the box before adding the patterned dots above and below. To see that name I've seen so many times over the decades take shape before my eyes was an actual thrill.


He took a gander at the book I brought him, and confirmed it was indeed a cover he had inked. Then he carefully inspected the indicia trying to recollect I think just what the circumstances were. When he saw that Mort Weisinger was still listed as editor he knew that he hadn't done the interiors. (For the record those were done by George Roussos.) Then he created that wonderful signature again. I thanked him and took my treasure away after a tiny conversation. He seemed tired, so I didn't want to weary him further with my idle speculations.


Meeting those gents was the highlight, but one of my missions was to buy the Moonstone prose collection of Spider stories. I found Joe Gentile manning the Moonstone booth, found the collection and gleefully paid for it. I chatted with Joe a bit about the Phantom situation, surprised that new Phantom books were still coming out. He said that as long as they had been solicited by the deadline at the end of June then they were fine to keep putting some out. I told him that the Phantom series from Dynamite was not nearly as good as what Moonstone had been doing, and he seemed genuinely pleased at that testimony.


The hall was filling up, and getting around was becoming harder and harder. So I checked with my buddy and he was about ready to bounce. So I spent my budget on a gem I'd had my eye on all day, an art portfolio by Stephen Fabian featuring Conan the Barbarian and the specifically Belit of the Queen of the Black Coast. It's a lush and beautiful collection of artwork, and tapped my budget almost to the dollar.

We headed out and soon were flying down the highway, both satisfied with our purchases. He'd bought an Allen Bellman drawing, and I envied him that, as Bellman had always been quite busy when I went by his table.


After a few tasty tacos at a local eatery we parted ways and I reported for duty again with the sainted wife. She was glad I had a good time, but she didn't really give a small rat's behind about the details. So I share them with you all.

As they say, a good time was had by all. In this case it's very much true.

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