The Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con is one of the best mid-sized comic-book conventions in the country. The convention features local artists who get to meet up with loyal fans and as well as develop new readers. At the same time, it brings in huge convention names that cost you some serious money to catch a quick pic or signature with. The real key though is to catch the big names who are just there for the fans and are avoiding charging when they can and take an honest interest in what you have to say. If you want to get up close and personal with those folks, this is the convention for you.
A lot of folks, myself included, were looking forward to seeing Adam West, the man who kept me entertained in my childhood with his campy sense of humor and goofy antics. Unfortunately, the world lost him right before the convention – there he was supposed to sign beside Burt Ward. It was with this in heart that the folks at the convention arranged to have Lee Meriwether and Julie Newmar come along, Meriwether actually being carried on stage by “henchmen” due to twisting her ankle, and the told their fondest stories of the days, little inside jokes they would slip in for the adults and just what it was like to be on that family set. It was a truly beautiful tribute to West but also those days in general, that time of Hollywood stars and starlets.
The big draw was the main man of Marvel himself, Stan Lee, who in the past it had been rumored would no longer be doing any cons but his own. He was being handled as they often have to these days, with high prices for a pic or a signature and even the media told he was a no-fly zone unless you bought your ticket but those who got things signed walked away with an expression like it was worth every penny they spent.
For me the artists that aren’t so heavily handled and just want to meet with the fans are what make this con so …well amazing. Todd McFarlane didn’t realize I was media when he chatted with me and signed my Jaws Movie Mania box while we walked the floor a bit, I think pretty much ever year Rob Liefeld winds up giving stuff out during panels as did Sandy King, John Carpenter’s long-time writing partner.
The Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con is on my calendar every year and I certainly don’t plan to change that. They can bring in the big names to pay tribute to and pay the rent so the undiscovered and the down-to-earth can do their thing which is just show a general love of the work. Can’t ask for much better than that.
