The Con-Fluence Cons-of-the-Month: April Edition

It’s that time of the month again! While I’m still unpacking from my trip to March’s #1 con, WonderCon, I’m also gearing up for the very best of April. Although I don’t think that April has quite the con-punch that some other months have, there are definitely some great conventions to pay attention to in the days to come.

Here are my top five cons of April, 2012:

5. Creation’s Stargate Universe: Vancouver, Canada (April 27^th-29^th)

For the third month in a row, Creation makes my top 5. This time Creation takes aim at providing Stargate fans with a show made just for them. Although show-specific shows like these aren’t made for everyone, anyone that has been a fan of this franchise should expect a quality show. As I’ve written for the last couple of months, I’m a huge fan of the Creation promise to provide seats at every panel. For more information visit http://www.creationent.com/cal/sgvan.htm

4. Boston Comic Con: Boston, MA (April 21^st-22^nd)

Our #4 convention for April brings us back to a show rooted in comics. Expect comic talent like Bernie Wrightson, Al Jaffee, Dave Petersen, Ivan Reis and tons more at Boston Comic Con (BCC). With over 400 tables of artists and vendors BCC has a very specific focus on all things related to comic books. For more information visit http://bostoncomiccon.com/

3. Monsterpalooza: Los Angeles, CA (April 13^th -15^th)

Celebrating all things related to the art of creating monsters, Monsterpalooza is back for another weekend of madness in LA. The tag-line for the show is ‘the art of monsters” and this gives a very good idea as to the major thrust behind this convention. In this tradition, the guest list is filled with some of the biggest names in special effects and make-up such as Ve Neill, Michael Westmore, Steve Johnson. In addition, horror stars like John Landis, Chris Sarandon, and John Philbin. Oddly, Caroll Spinney and Linda Harrison will also be making appearances rounding out a very large guest list for one of the smaller shows on the convention circuit.  For more information visit http://www.monsterpalooza.com/april2012/index.html

2. Emerald City Comicon: Seattle, WA (March 30^th – April 1^st)

Although we already touched on this show in March, the fact that it spans the two months and is such an awesome show means that Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) has earned the unique honor of two months on the top 5. Already the largest show in the north, Emerald City Comicon has quickly gained notice across the rest of the United States and is becoming a “must attend” for many con-goers. Beyond their huge focus on comics, ECCC has grown to become a favorite for pop culture enthusiast as well. This year Katee Sackoff, Robert Kirkman, Christopher Lloyd, Matt Fraction, George Takei, Ed Brubaker, and Wil Wheaton headline an event with way too many stars to include here. Even more important than an impressive guest list is the consistent message heard from past attendees that the fan experience is unrivaled. The word on the street is a positive one and with ECCC celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, it’s quite likely that this one will be the best yet!  For more information visit www.emeraldcitycomicon.com.

The Con-Fluence Pick of the Month:

 

1. C2E2: Chicago, IL (April 13^th -14^th):

The biggest show of April also takes the #1 slot in April’s Cons-of-the-Month. Similar to ECCC, C2E2 is relatively new to the scene, but has already risen to level of great prominence on the convention circuit. Last year the show had a huge crowd and supplied a constant stream of exciting Tweets over the weekend. This year the show continues its upward trend with panels featuring reveals on DC’s Watchmen prequels and an epic Marvel auction that features props from Captain America. As can be expected at a show with these types of activities, C2E2 also offers an impressive guest list that is headlined by John Cusack, Anne Rice, Anthony Daniels and Val Kilmer. This show does not make apologies for its role as a pop culture factory and as such embraces and flourishes in this role. For more information visit http://www.c2e2.com/

As usual, I hope this list gives you an idea of the best on the con-scene this April. Make sure to check back frequently for more info on the best of everything CON, and make sure to follow me on Twitter for updates on this and more: @The_Con_Fluence.

Also follow us @ComicConBlog and like our page: ComicConBlog