blog
07/24/2008
the epic fu altercon! alternatives to comic con
Posted by Zadi Diaz


The sad truth is that many of us can't make it to the San Diego Comic Con this year. During the next few days our Twitter feeds will fill up with the mad-cap adventures our friends our having and there will be jealousy -- a lot of jealousy. The good news is that we don't have to sit around and act all mopey -- thanks to this wonderful invention called the internet, we can take things into our own hands and create our very own ALTERCON!!

Ready to ride the digital tubes? Lets GO!

Artists' Alley
One of the most rewarding experiences of Comic Con is walking through Artists' Alley and meeting the amazing artists behind the comics. Here are some to get you started on your virtual walk.

Kyle Baker: Eisner Award winner. Baker’s work includes Why I Hate Saturn, Plastic Man, Cartoonist Volume 1 and 2, and two color hardcovers collection of his popular cartoons based on his family, The Bakers: Do These Toys Belong Somewhere, and The Bakers: Babies & Kittens.

Kim Deitch: One of the godfathers of the underground comix movements in the 1960s. Common themes in Deitch's work are alcoholism, deception and delusion. His best known character is a cat named Waldo, who is claimed to have possessed Deitch and written the comics himself.

Wendy Pini: Half of the team responsible for the creation of Elfquest -- which just celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. She also created two graphic novels based on the TV version of Beauty and the Beast and illustrated stories for both Marvel and DC Comics.


Masquerade/Cosplay
Just cuz you're home doesn't mean you can't dress up in geek solidarity. Here are some places online to get some costume ideas. Hey, if you start early you can have a kick-ass costume for next year's masquerade ball.

Cosplay.com: The site needs a bit of a revamp, but if you want a primer on the Cosplay culture, this should be your first stop. You'll find anime, manga, role-playing games, j-rock, and general Japanese pop culture.

PixelNinja: Pixelninja has great cosplay photography! The collection isn't vast, but the fact that they're selective with their photos makes me appreciate them more.

Cosplay Lab: Cosplay Lab is a Cosplay community site. So even if you're not physically at a convention, you can meet up with like-minded individuals online. Also offers a way to keep up with upcoming Cosplay conventions and the people you meet there.


Comicbooks/ Graphic Novels
There are tons of resources out there for finding really cool graphic novels and artists. Here are just a few.

Zuda Comics: On Zuda Comics, you can find and read digital graphic novels with their very cool flash tool, vote on the ongoing competition, or submit a comic of your own. A nice way to find new artists.

Nawls: Nawls is an online graphic novel deemed as an experiment in interactive storytelling. Each click leads you through the story.

Sage Comics: The Sage Webcomics Collective provides a place for artists to view each others work, and for fans to discover really amazing indie comics. It's also a network of people who collaborate on ways to get your work seen, find an audience, and hopefully make money.

DC Comics Desktop Pictures: Hey, if you're a hardcore comic book geek, you just have to have one of these in your arsenal.

That should be enough to get you started on your epic alternative Comic Con adventure. If you find any more resources, places you come across online, let us know. Happy travels. ;)