There was a decent amount of coverage, but Filip Sablik, formerly the Publisher at Top Cow has confirmed (through a Facebook image update) he’s moving to another comic book company, BOOM! Studios as their VP of Publishing & Marketing. Congrats to Filip on the new gig and BOOM! for snagging him!
Free Comic Book Day at Cards, Comics and Collectibles
From the Store that Brings You the Baltimore Comic-Con…
REISTERSTOWN, MD – May 3, 2012 – In honor of 2012’s Free Comic Book Day promotion, Cards, Comics and Collectibles of Reisterstown, MD will be celebrating along with the rest of the nation on May 5, 2012. Come and meet Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik from 11am-3pm and artists John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Roboy Red) and Steve Conley (Star Trek, Bloop!) sketching and signing all day! Steve will have 100 free limited edition 11″x17″ Bloop! Free Comic Book Day prints as well (while supplies last!).
Prizes will be given away all day for people who come in costume!
FCBD Specials — We will be having sales throughout the store, including modern back-issues in bins for only one dollar! Come see character appearances by Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America between 11am and 1pm! And don’t forget we’re also giving away free comics while they last! Our hours for Free Comic Book Day are 11am-7pm.
Don’t forget to ask us about plans for this year’s Baltimore Comic-Con! We’ll see you there!
Our address: 100 A Chartley Dr., Reisterstown, MD 21136
For more information, call Cards, Comics and Collectibles: 410-526-7410
Pilot Season: Misdirection #1
Price: $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
Vince Martinez raced cars for a living, now he can?t even drive. A tragic mistake took Vince from the height of success to losing his career, his family & his freedom. When he is unwittingly made the getaway driver for a bank robbery gone wrong, will Vince head back to jail or show the world why he was NASCAR’s hottest driver in one of the heaviest trafficked cities in the US.
Writer FILIP SABLIK (LAST MORTAL, PILOT SEASON: ASSET) teams with artist CHRIS DIBARI (Pale Horse, The Warriors) hit the gas on a high-speed fugitive tale with a twist!
As always, I had an amazing time at a comic book convention. While I go to check out the latest releases and the new talent in Artist’s Alley, it’s the friendships I’ve made that makes it worth it (sappy I know). The 2011 New York Comic Con was fantastic and seemed about a quarter to 50% bigger this year than last.
While the floor was amazing, the convention rooms were a bit packed and there were quite a few panels I wasn’t able to get into (bummer). Hopefully that gets fixed next year. The people attending were fantastic with great costumes and attitudes that made it fun for everyone. The displays weren’t as impressive, I saw most at San Diego earlier this year. But, I got to see my name on the cover of Archaia‘s Critical Millennium hard cover, I giggled every time I saw it.
Here’s the checklist of the thoughts on top of my head:
Best items I returned home with besides the stacks of comics and graphic novels to read…
And that’s it for convention season for me…. until 2012.
It’s not even 24 hours since the end of 2011’s Baltimore Comic Con which took place near the harbor of Baltimore, Maryland. The convention was packed, seeming to draw record crowds for the weekend. Saturday was wall to wall people making it at times difficult to make it through the crowds. It seems legends like Stan Lee did their job, sparking people to come downtown and check out the convention. Even with the massive crowds, I constantly heard from those exhibiting that sales were down slightly from last year. No matter, you couldn’t help be impressed by the crowds.
But, what I like about Baltimore is the focus on comics. It’s one of the few big name shows that keeps it’s focus on it’s roots. You won’t find movie or television celebrities here, but what you will find is writers, illustrators and publishers interacting directly with the fans. This is a perfect show to come to where you can shake hands with legends, get autographs and photos and interact directly with creators. Fans are able to ask directly what they’re working on and you can often find the greats hanging out during and after the show, completely approachable. I might be a blogger, but I’m a fan first, and it’s such a fun time to talk comics with those who are involved creating them. It’s often eye opening and you learn a ton.
But, the show isn’t all dealers, publishers and artist alley. There’s also a decent selection of panels where you can catch some industry titans talking about history or what’s coming up. There were a few bumps this year, but after sitting through Saturday’s spotlight with Shannon Wheeler, I’ve made a promise myself to attend more panels at future shows. It’s entertaining and you get stories you’ll hear nowhere else. I also had the pleasure of moderating the BOOM! 6th Anniversary Panel with BOOM! Studios founder and CEO Ross Ritchie. 1) being on panels are fun; 2) I really need to get better at it; 3) I learned a hell of a lot.
You also get to see so much you won’t necessarily find at your local shop. Small publishers, self-publishers line places like Artist Alley. You also get to find new ways people are telling stories. This show Heretic City stood out to me. It’s not the traditional comic book, instead, it tells a graphic story through t-shirts. A great idea and very unique. It shows graphic story telling can happen outside of the traditional panel format.
But, in the end, for some one like me it’s all about catching up with old friends and making new ones. Here’s the rundown.
Old friends:
New friends:
Twitter/Digital friends now in person!:
There’s also a bunch of indie books I picked up and you better believe I’ll be letting you know my thoughts in future reviews. Next up is SPX in two weeks!
Official Press Release
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – August 19, 2011 – The next stop on this year’s Top Cow Tour of America’s greatest comic book conventions happens this week at the legendary Baltimore Comic-Con at the Baltimore Convention Center.
In addition to booth appearances by Ron Marz (Artifacts, Magdalena, Witchblade), Joshua Hale Fialkov (Echoes), Nelson Blake II (Magdalena), Chris DiBari (Pilot Season: Misdirection, Cutter), John Mahoney (Last Mortal), Shannon Eric Denton (Pilot Season: Fleshdigger), and publisher and creator Filip Sablik (The Last Mortal), TheTopCowStore.com staff have hand-selected only the finest comics, graphic novels, prints, and exclusive covers to display for sale. Rahsan Ekedal (Echoes) will also be set up at the show in Artist Alley (Booth #1709 E). On Saturday afternoon at noon in Room 307, fans can join Top Cow creators for the “Top Cow: We Create…” panel to get the latest news and announcements!
“I may have moved to LA several years ago, but my heart belongs to Baltimore. I’m pleased to be hosting such a strong group of creators and sharing all of the awesome books Top Cow puts out with the fans in Charm City,” commented Publisher Filip Sablik.
Find your way to the Top Cow Depot (Booth #1505-1506) or watch the skies while you walk the floors of the Baltimore Comic-Con. You never know when a deal will be flying by.
Full Guest List
A complete list of confirmed guests for this year’s Baltimore Comic-Con can be found here.
Third Annual Costume Contest at the Baltimore Comic-Con – UPDATED
The 3rd Annual Costume Contest will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 3:00 pm. With $1,000 up for grabs for the best overall costume and prizes for each of the 10 categories, this is one event all of you cosplayers don’t want to miss! For more information and a complete list of catagories, visit our website’s Costume Contest page.
Harvey Tickets Still Available
Time is running out, but there is still an opportunity to attend the party! Join our MC Scott Kurtz, nominees, presenters, Stan Lee, and other fans at the Harvey Awards Banquet! Tickets available until Wednesday at baltimorecomiccon.com/harvey-awards.
Stan Lee VIP Packages Sold Out! Autographs and Photos Still Available!
Please Note: Although the Stan Lee VIP Packages are officially sold out, individual autographs and photographs are still available and can be purchased by visiting http://baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/.
Save the Date! Baltimore Comic-Con 2012!
That’s right! Mark your calendars now for next year’s Baltimore Comic-Con, which will take place the weekend of September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center, and we’ll see YOU in Baltimore!
Twitter Hashtag
Will you be tweeting this year from the show floor? Make sure you use the #BCC2011 hashtag! See what the latest news and excitement at the 2010 Baltimore Comic-Con is about by tracking #BCC2011!
Attending the Baltimore Comic-Con? Show your support online!
Simply change your social network (Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc.) avatar pictures to the “See You in Baltimore!” image and let the world know you’re attending the show!
In coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found at our website, Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace pages.
This year’s Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 21st.
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 20-21, 2011. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry’s oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.
Official Press Release
TOP COW ANNOUNCES COMIC-CON SIGNING SCHEDULE
JAM PACKED FOUR DAYS INCLUDES SIGNINGS, PANELS, & PORTFOLIO REVIEWS
Comic-Con International in San Diego is days away and Top Cow Productions, Inc. is excited you’ll be spending time with us. Below are several creators who are just as thrilled that you’ll be making a stop at the Top Cow Booth #2629:
San Diego Signing Schedule
Wed Jul 20, 2011
6pm – 7pm Artifacts with Jeremy Haun & Michael Broussard
Where: Top Cow Booth #2629
7pm – 8pm Echoes hard cover with Joshua Hale Fialkov & Rahsan Ekedal
Where: Top Cow panel #2629
8pm – 9pm The Darkness with Sheldon Mitchell & Rick Basaldua
Where: Top Cow Booth #2629
Thu Jul 21, 2011
10am – 12pm Echoes hard cover with Joshua Hale Fialkov & Rahsan Ekedal
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
11:30am – 12:30pm Michael Broussard & Jeremy Haun (Image Booth)
Where: Image Comics booth #2729
12pm – 1pm Spreading The Darkness panel
Where: Panel Room 9
1pm – 2pm Artifacts with Whilce Portacio, Jeremy Haun & Eric Canete
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
2pm – 3pm Magdalena with David Marquez & William Farmer
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
3pm – 4:30pm Darkness with Sheldon Mitchell & Rick Basaldua
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
3:30pm – 4pm Portfolio Reviews
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
4:30pm – 6pm Darkness II: Confession signing with Marc Silvestri, Michael Broussard, Filip Sablik, & Sunny Gho
Where: Top Cow Booth #2629
6pm – 7pm September Mourning with Marc Silvestri & Emily Lazar
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
Fri Jul 22, 2011
9:30am – 10:30am Echoes hard cover with Rahsan Ekedal
Where: Image Comics booth #2729
10am – 11:30am Magdalena with David Marquez & William Farmer
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
11:30am – 12:30pm September Mourning with Marc Silvestri & Emily Lazar
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
12:30pm – 2pm Artifacts with Whilce Portacio & Jeremy Haun with Eric Canete &
Ro bLevin
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
2pm – 3:30pm Darkness II: Confession with Marc Silvestri, Michael Broussard, Filip Sablik, & Sunny Gho
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
4pm – 6pm Echoes hard cover with Joshua Hale Fialkov & Rahsan Ekedal
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
4:30pm – 5pm Portfolio Reviews
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
6pm – 7pm Darkness with Sheldon Mitchell & Rick Basaldua
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
Sat Jul 23, 2011
10am – 11am Top Cow Universe with David Marquez & Rob Levin
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
11am – 12pm Darkness with Sheldon Mitchell & Rick Basaldua
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
11am – 12pm MTV Comics panel
Where: Room 7AB
11:30am – 12:30pm Top Cow: We Create… Excitement panel
Where: Room 8
12:30pm – 1:30pm September Mourning with Marc Silvestri & Emily Lazar
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
1:30pm – 3pm Pilot Season 2011 Signing
Where: Top Cow Booth #2629
3pm – 4pm Darkness II: Confession with Marc Silvestri, Michael Broussard &
Filip Sablik
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
4pm – 5pm MTV’s Teen Wolf
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
5 – 5:30pm Portfolio Reviews
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
5:30pm – 6:30pm Artifacts with Jeremy Haun & Eric Canete
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
5:30pm – 6:30pm Echoes hard cover with Joshua Hale Fialkov & Rahsan Ekedal
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
Sun Jul 24, 2011
11am – 12pm Darkness with Sheldon Mitchell & Rick Basaldua
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
12pm – 1:30pm Echoes hard cover with Joshua Hale Fialkov
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
1:30pm – 3pm Artifacts with Whilce Portacio, Jeremy Haun & Rob Levin
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
3pm – 4:30pm Darkness II: Confession with Marc Silvestri, Michael Broussard &
Filip Sablik
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
4:30pm – 5pm Portfolio Reviews
Where: Top Cow booth #2629
Top Cow will also be accepting art sample submissions (penciling, inking, coloring, and full art) every morning from show opening until 12noon. Three samples will be selected every day, and posted at the booth, for a one-on-one portfolio review with Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik at the end of the day (see schedule for specific times).
PLEASE NOTE: All dates/times are subject to change. Lines may be cut off prior to the end time listed to ensure a timely completion of each signing. Number of items signed may be limited at the signings.
Free sketch tickets will be available in very limited quantities at the beginning of each day of the show on a first come, first served basis. Sketch tickets are limited one per fan per day. Fans must be present at the appointed signing time to redeem their sketch ticket. Not all artists appearing at the Top Cow booth will offer free sketches and fans should inquire at the booth on the morning they plan to get a sketch for availability.
For up-to-date information on Top Cow’s plans at Comic-Con International in San Diego, please visit www.topcow.com or follow us on Twitter (@TopCow).
About Top Cow Productions Inc.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a
Official Press Release
TOP COW PUBLISHER PROMOTED TO RETAILER
LOS ANGELES, Calif., December 13, 2010 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. is proud to announce that the company’s publisher Filip Sablik has been promoted to working retail at Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, CA for his birthday, this Wednesday, December 15, 2010.
While most individuals are beginning their holiday vacation, Sablik will be playing double duty as he teams up with the popular Los Angeles-area retailer to work as a sales associate as well as act as Santa. The publisher will hand-sell this week’s Top Cow releases (Velocity #3 and Witchblade Annual 2010), ring up customers, offer recommendations and follow storeowner Edward Greenberg’s every order.
In addition, any guest of Collector’s Paradise who purchases a Top Cow product and/or being an unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots on Wednesday, December 15, from 11am to 4pm will receive a present from Sablik.
“Collector’s Paradise has consistently been one of Top Cow’s biggest supporters in the LA area and has a terrific Top Cow fan base,” said Sablik. “And it certainly doesn’t hurt that I’m friends with Ed and his staff and family! I’ve worked his counter once before and had a blast, so it seemed like a great way to spend my birthday with the fans and give back to a worthy charity at the same time.”
Collector’s Paradise is located at 7131 Winnetka Ave., Winnetka, CA 91306 and can by phone at (818) 999-9455.
About Top Cow Productions Inc.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. (www.topcow.com), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, WITCHBLADE, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. WITCHBLADE is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, THE DARKNESS, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. WANTED, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and roleplaying games.
Official Press Release
TOP COW’S CONVENTION TOUR ENDS IN VIRGINIA
LOS ANGELES, Calif., November 18, 2010 – Top Cow’s 2010 convention tours wraps this weekend in Richmond, Virigina, with the two-day VA Comicon from November 20-21.
Fans who stop by the Top Cow booth will be able to pick up convention exclusives, preview books and free goodies, and celebrate the success of this year’s action-packed event series Artifacts. Among the creators appearing at the booth will be Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik (Asset, Last Mortal), John Mahoney (Last Mortal) and Bill Tucci (Shi). Sablik will also be available throughout the show for portfolio reviews for aspiring artists.
The publisher will be offering three exclusive VA Comicon variants for the event: two blank sketch Artifacts #3 variants and a wraparound Artifacts #3 variant, by Tucci. The exclusives are limited and will be initially made at VA Comicon.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.vacomicon.com. For more information from Top Cow, please visit www.topcow.com or follow them on Twitter (@TopCow).
There’s nothing like whipping up votes grassroots style (with a little added pressure). Think Filip would be interested in helping me out on the next campaign I work on? I think his type of persuasion could go very far.
Filip Sablik asks for your vote below for The Asset to be the winner of the Top Cow’s 2010 Pilot Season.
You can vote at the Top Cow website.
