Wicked Comic Con Fall 2026

The official end of my con season happens when I head to the fall show of  Wicked Comic Con.

There are three shows I always try to make each summer/fall. Terrificon, Granite State Comic Con, and Wicked Con. There are always dreams of Baltimore and Heroes. But I have to be true to the local shows.

Wicked Comic Con is still trying to find it's legs I think. It is a smaller show but it is growing. It's free. It's always fun.  The show always has a decent roster of local comic talent and try to bring in a couple of 'names' when they can. 

This year the big name was Ed McGuinness who I don't think has done a show in a few years. I like his style so was pumped when I heard he was going to be at the show. I met him at the old Boston Comic Con around 15 years ago, so long ago I was getting commissions on loose pages and not in my sketch book. I got some books signed by him back then too. But I had a few books I wanted to get signed this time. And I figured I could at least ask if he was sketching to try to get something in my book.

But another name I was excited to meet was inker Matt Santorelli . I hadn't met him before at other cons and I like the books he has been on. I was lucky enough to get on his commission list and get some books signed too!

Granite State Comic Con 2026 recap

While Terrificon is my main showto attend, Granite State Comicon is always a on my convention season docket. One hour north into New Hampshire, the show has grown over the years of my attendance. It first was in the ballroom of the Hilton, then the expo center in the hotel, then both the ballroom and the expo center, and now the ballroom, expo center, and the arena across the street!

Every year they have a nice list of local artists in attendance with a smattering of bigger names. And each year there is someone I haven't met before. Interestingly enough, there aren't many comic dealers there. Instead, toys, shirts, posters, and other memorabelia dominate. 

Still, if Terrificon is the main course, Granite State is the dessert of the season. 

This year I was most excited to meet Steve Lieber. Lieber drew the fantastic Jimmy Olsen book that Matt Fraction wrote back in the Event Leviathan days. I loved that book. I hadn't seen Lieber at a show before so he was first on my list. Anything else I got at the show would almost gravy.

I got to his table right as the place opened on Saturday and was first on his commission list. 

Love this sketch of my favorite hero, flying in the clouds and looking up to the sun. Nice use of copic markers to add some shade and depth to things as well. 

So cool to add to the collection.

Terrificon Recap #3: Walt Simonson Sketch And Other Notables

Here is my final recap of Terrificon 2025 which was absolutely tremendous. If you haven't, check out part one and part two. 

So we'll start out with this fantastic Walt Simonson 'quick sketch'.

But to understand the story behind this sketch, you need to know about Walt Simonson and his con presence. So settle in. Because if you are hoping to meet him at a con you need to know what I am going to tell you.

First off, Simonson is one of the nicest guys in the business and is just great to interact with.

Two, he sets up two lines at his table. One is only for signing comics. The other is for 'quick sketches' and he tries to do 10-15 a day. He sketches these 'quick' in real time. If you are in the sig line, you need to wait while he does them. When he runs his table, he does several people in the 'signing only line', then does a sketch, then goes back to the signing line. Then back to do a sketch and so on. So be prepared to wait.

Third, his lines are very very long because he is a legendary creator and, as said, an extremely nice guy. And those lines form early. Usually the sketch line is 15 deep in 5 minutes after the doors open because everyone runs to his table to get there. So be prepared to wait.

All this to say, fans need to be aware that if they are hoping for a Simonson sketch they need to be at the front of the line to get into the con itself and should head to his table first ... like run there. 

Also, fans should know that they might spend a big chunk of time in that line whether it is the sig or sketch line because they get long. So figure out how important meeting Simonson is and how much time you want to spend in that one line. Preparation is important. (You need to make this calculus for any popular creator at any con.)

For me, I had the luck of going to the con all three days. I avoided the Simonson table on Friday. That was my heavy lifting day, trying to set up commissions and get the bulk of signatures I wanted. 

Saturday was 'Simonson day'. With the heavy lifting done, I was ready to spend as long as I needed to in his line. (Again, it helps that I was going all three days. If you are there for one day, you might need to make a harder decision.)

I knew I wanted a sketch. I knew the way the line formed. I got in line very very early on Saturday. When the doors open, I ran to the table.

This is a long set up but I want to help con goers who don't know this. 

Terrificon Wrap-Up #2: Scott Kolins Commission And More Sigs

We are about 3 weeks past Terrificon, my primary comic convention and the best con I go to. As usual, this year had a great list of creators and celebrities. I was busy all three days, a sign that I had a lot to see and do.  You can read my first recap here.

Scott Kolins was one of the earlier guests announced and when I saw his name, I knew he would be at the top of my list of potential commissions. I really love Kolin's art style. It is very dynamic and energetic, packed with motion lines and energy crackle. It feels rough which adds to the that frenzy. His books really bring you into the action.  I loved his stuff on The Flash, a natural character for him to do given his style. But I also loved him on JL 3001, a sort of pastiche of DC's history written by the dream team of Giffen and DeMatteis. 

I reached out to Kolins on social media before the show asking if he sketches at the show, approximate prices, and availability. I told him he would be the first table I'd head to in order to get on the list and I meant it.

Check out the commission! I said Kolin's brings energy and this is one of the most action-oriented commissions I have. Supergirl smiling and diving out of the page, flying right at you. Love her smiling expression. Impressively, Kolins really filled the page of the sketch book. This is a great piece to add to the collection.

Terrificon Wrap-Up #1 - Kerry Gammill And Some Sigs

Terrificon was last weekend and it was a tremendous time as it always is.

I'll start as I often do by thanking the show runner Mitch Hallock for putting on the show and giving me a press pass. I appreciate the hard work it takes to put the show together, for sure. The exhibition hall was packed with dealers, creators, and celebrities. Everyone was having a great time. I left this year with several commissions, many autographs, and a ton of stories. In fact this is one of probably three recap posts.

I'll start with my interaction with Kerry Gammill. When Gamill was announced, I was thrilled. Gammill was responsible for many of the Superman covers and art from the triangle memory that are burned into my brain. His style is stunning. And he did a bunch of Supergirl and Power Girl covers making him stand out in my mind as a commission that would be perfect for my collection.

I ran into Gammill's handler at the table before Gammill arrived and got on his sketch list. 

The result is the incredible commission you see above. Just a great pose, a pensive face. This is an older sort of looking Supergirl, reminding me of Matrix during the Funeral For A Friend time period. She was growing as a hero. She was becoming more.

I am so happy with this commission!

Commission Gallery

I have posted my commissions on this site as I obtain them. But if you look at the commission tag, you also get other posts - like convention preparation posts. So it isn't like you can just scroll.

A few months ago, I did a great sit-down with Derek WC on the Fanholes podcast to talk about my commissions and my thoughts around obtaining them. You can listen to it here:   https://fanholespodcast.blogspot.com/2025/01/fanholes-episode-247-commissions-and.html

On that show, Derek talked to me about Comic Art Fans, a website where people can post the artwork they own in 'galleries' and track views and likes. It seemed pretty cool.

So here it is! Dr. Anj's Supergirl Commissions Gallery:

https://www.comicartfans.com/galleryroom.asp?gsub=247418

It is a better way to just sort of glide through the sketches I have got over the years. And there are still a few I need to upload. Plus conventions season is right around the corner so I hope to have a few new ones.

So click the like button on any you fancy!

Moritat Commission Gift From Derek WC

One of the things that I have come to completely appreciate about the comic community on line is how generous it is. 

Within the community I have become friends with Derek W. C. of the Fanholes podcast. Derek is a huge comic art collector and we have that shared interest. He and I often discuss our commission hopes prior to cons. Heck, we even did a long form podcast about it here. 

It was during this talk that he convinced me to post my commission over on Comic Art Fans here. 

So imagine my surprise when I got this Supergirl sketch card in the mail from Derek. The art is by Moritat and shows this wonderfully happy Supergirl. I just love the broad smile and the elegant simplicity to the art. It is completely charming.

If you want to hear about Derek obtaining the card at the Original Art Expo, you can hear about it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQJ3XAmpxAE

I really am just overwhelmed by the generosity. This is a welcome addition to the collection.

Supergirl Best Of 2024 Part One: Non-Comic Reviews And Comic Honorable Mentions

Well, we have reached a new year and that means it is a good time to go back and look at 2024 and how it treated Supergirl.

As with most years, this will be a three day review.

Today - non-comic year as well as Honorable Mention 2024 comic moments

Tomorrow - Top ten 2024comic moments, #10 - #6

Friday - Top ten 2024 comic moments, #5 - #1

It has been an interesting year for Supergirl overall.

She was a major player in the Crisis On Infinite Earths trilogy movie which wrapped up that era of the DC Animated universe. She also was a key player in the second season of My Adventures with Superman television show. A Supergirl movie is in the works and she was even casted. That is a lot of exposure for the character which I think is always a good thing. But certainly the concept of the upcoming movie and her portrayal in the two animated series weren't exactly what I look for in Supergirl as a character. 

In comics, it was a bit more piecemeal as you had to sort of look to find Supergirl here and there. I think she had a great presence in the House of Brainiac arc. I think she has been treated well by Mark Waid in his Phantom Zone arc in Action Comics. But I have found her one solo story by Mariko Tamaki to be a bit lacking. 

So overall I think it has been an okay year for the character. Certainly her being visible outside of comics is a good thing. And I'll reiterate that while these takes on her don't work for me, if you love them, I am glad.

As always, I want to thank the people who come to the site and read my ramblings! Appreciate you all!

On to the year in review.

Terrificon Recap 2: Greg Larocque And More Stories

Last week I gave my first recap of 2024's Terrificon including my June Brigman commission.

Brigman was my primary target for a commission from the show. But my second was Greg Larocque.

Most people who frequent this site know that the Legion is my second favorite DC IP. In fact, I reviewed multiple runs of the Legion over on the Legion of Super-Bloggers. In fact, I think my reviews of the first 60 issues of the 5YL Legion is my high water mark as a blogger. 

Larocque was the artist on a large part of the Baxter run of LSH, so I have always been a big fan. 

But I had a particular interest in getting a sketch from him. He was the last artist to draw the pre-Crisis Supergirl in continuity. 

You see, the DCU was re-written in Crisis On Infinite Earths #12, a book which hit the stands on 12/19/1985. After that, Supergirl was a word that couldn't even be uttered in DC Comics.

But then in Legion of Super-Heroes #31 , drawn by Larocque, we saw a statue of Supergirl in Legion's hall of heroes. 

Seven months later, in the classic Legion of Super-Heroes #38 we once again saw the Supergirl statue. Once again it was Larocque on art. Legion #38 was released on 6/9/1987, a full 18 months after the Crisis ended! A year and a half after Supergirl was 'erased' from continuity.

With all that history, I thought Larocque doing a commission sketch of the Supergirl statue for my book was a pretty cool idea. And I think he nailed it. For a Supergirl fan and a Legion fan, this was a winner.

Terrificon Recap Part 1: June Brigman And Some Signatures

Earlier this month I had the luck of attending all three days of Terrificon , my main convention of the season and simply one of the best comic shows around. For the last 8 years, Terrificon has been a consistently fantastic show, focusing on comics with a massive array of comic creators present. 

The show has grown since I first went and now has a celebrity section as well. But it is clear the emphasis is on comics. And what I love about the show is how it respects the medium, bringing in comic legends as well as up and coming stars. From legends like Simonson, Chaykin, Claremont and Starlin to newcomers like Mahde Khene, to folks in their stride like Mark Waid, David Mack, and Steve Epting, the show sizzles. I am always impressed with the the con that show runner Mitch Hallock puts together.

I was also lucky enough to again be granted a press pass for the show. I set aside a budget for the show each year and the press pass allows me to get in a little early to talk to creators as well as shunt a little more money into the hands of vendors and creators. I think the traffic this site gets is a big reason why I get that pass, so thank you all.

As for this year, you'll be hearing all about my creator interactions over three recaps! But I'll start with my primary commission goal for this year, June Brigman.

I knew as soon as I saw Brigman announced that I would want a Supergirl sketch from her. While best known for her Marvel work on Power Pack, Brigman drew the Matrix Supergirl solo mini-series from the late 90s. It is that costume that is my favorite.

So when the doors opened, I went immediately to her table and got on her list.

I am really thrilled with this commission. Brigman and inker Roy Richardson put together this great piece. I love the body language, the scene in the clouds, the confident smile. Truly an amazing piece and a wonderful addition to the book. 

Wicked Comic Con 2024 Recap

When this gets posted, I'll be in the midst of packing up to head to Terrificon. 

Last week I was able to attend Wicked Comic Con on Sunday. (Work got in the way of my attending both days.) The place seemed busy with lots of foot traffic. 

This con is young but growing each year. There was a very solid stable of creator guests invited to the show including such legends as Adam Hughes and Phil Jimenez. While I had met many of the guests at other shows, it is always good to see them again and bring any new books for signatures. In particular, I got to talk to Jimenez for some time about Historia Book One. That book was absolutely stunning and so chatting with him about process and his approach to the gods was fascinating.

But there were a couple of guests there who I hadn't met before who I was looking forward to meeting - Tom Reilly, Marco Rudy, and Dustin Nguyen.  As I had said in a prep post, I was hoping to get a commission from Reilly. 

Luckily, there was room on his sketch list on Sunday!

Check out this brilliant commission!

It was really great to talk to Reilly about the sketch. He looked through my sketch book at all the commissions and noted how there was only one sketch with Supergirl in the classic headband costume (from George Perez). That was the costume he was interested in doing.

I just love this. First off, it just captures what I love about Reilly's art. It being the headband costume makes it stand out for sure. But the other touches, the stars, the tone effects around her fist. The confident look. That classic curly 80s hair. 

It just sings! I couldn't be happier.

Terrificon Wrap-Up

Terrificon happened a couple of weekends ago and was flat out awesome. Every year this show seems to grow in excellence. This year was no different. The comic guest list was just jam packed, I think numbering over 50 professionals. There was a solid celebrity presence as well. But clearly, this is a comic book focused show and that makes me very happy. Artists alley was like a hall of fame.

I had done my prep and pulled my books, including some for friends. I was ready to see all the folks I was hoping to. Imagine my surprise when I ran into someone I wasn't ready to see. More on that below the break. 

I consider myself lucky to go to this show every year. So luckily, there were many creators who I have met before and didn't have much to get signed from. But it was still cool to see the long lines for folks like Jim Starlin, Tom King & Mitch Gerads, Ron Frenz, Greg Land, Chris Claremont, Alan Davis, and others. 

There was plenty of exhibitors as well and they thankfully ran the gamut from super-expensive, slabbed, key issues to boxes of cheap bins. I had the luxury this year to really thumb through these books and pick up a few. 

And it was great to see the place was packed with fans of all ages and all levels of fandom. The folks with big boxes being wheeled around to folks like me with heavy backpacks to others with nothing but love for the medium.

I'll start my personal review with the one commission I got: a Denys Cowan Supergirl! This was the one commission I was really hoping to grab so I was thrilled!

Wicked Comic Con Recap, Part II: Adriana Melo Commission, Sigs, And Some Conversations

Welcome to part two of my recap of Wicked Comic Con,

This is only the second year this con has been running and I felt like maybe there were some growing pains here. 

I have no idea how well it did financially but it felt a little less crowded than I anticipated given the guest list. 

Despite the prestigious attendees, there weren't any comic related panels on the docket. (Can you imagine a Harley Quinn panel with Palmiotti, Conner, Dodson, and Stephanie Phillips?)

There were plenty of exhibitors there with truly incredible collections on sale. The wall books were unbelievable. And while I wasn't there to buy key issues, they were there if you wanted. 

This was a great con. This was a great guest list. The Hynes Convention Center is a great venue. And the staff for the con were exceptionally friendly and helpful.

Thankfully they have already announced their dates for next year!

On to some of my escapades!

Wicked Comic Con Review Part 1 - Overall Thoughts, Ed Risso Commission, And Sigs

A couple of weeks ago I went to Wicked Comic Con here in Boston. 

This was the second year for the con which is definitely a comic book forward affair. There was nary a celebrity in the building. The creator list was flush with big names. The con grew from last year and was being held in the Hynes Convention Center smack downtown in Boston. I am crossing all my fingers and toes that this con remains successful because Boston needs a comic con. I don't think Fan Expo fits the bill.

I had a great time meeting and re-meeting a number of creators. The crowd was large on Saturday but there were so many creators that no one person seemed to have an enormous line. As a result, I didn't feel rushed to leave a table because of a large line behind me. I was able to talk to the creators about their works and pick their brains a little. I got books signed and a two great commissions. For the most part creators were charging $5 a signature with some wanting a bit more. Everyone wanted a bigger price if the book was being 'witnessed' by CGC. But I think $5 is reasonable. 

I worry a little. It felt (and I could be wrong) that the foot traffic on Sunday was a bit sparser than I usually see at cons. There weren't any panel discussions even though there were some heavy hitter creators there. Thankfully, they have already announced they'll be back next year! Whew! 

I can only praise. This was a super fun time for me. And I'll repeat that the creators in attendance were the cream of the crop. I hope they had a good time and would be up for more.

So what did I get?

Terrificon Recap 2: Rick Hoberg, Gerry Conway, And Others

Welcome to my second Terrificon recap!

Terrificon is a couple of weekends in my rear view mirror but I still am feeling the joy of heading to a fantastic comic convention and rubbing elbows with some creators. Last week, I talked about my great interactions with Gene Ha and Robert Venditti. Today I'll review the other notable moments.

I had two commission goals for the con: Ha and Rick Hoberg. Hoberg is mostly known for his work on Star Wars and on the Jane Foster Thor What If? issue. But for me, he is known as the artist for Supergirl's last adventure before Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. With that hook, I thought a Supergirl commission by him would be cool.

I dropped of my book with him within hours of the con opening. Unfortunately, Hoberg was unable to get it finished over the three day con. As a result, I have a half-finished commission in the book. He was very apologetic about the whole thing. He even offered to take the book back to his studio and ship it. But I have something like 60 sketches in the book. I couldn't risk that being put in the mail.

It is a bit of a shame because it sounds like he had a grand vision for this with Supergirl in space, Earth below, blocking this ray. It is also a bit of a shame because I specifically asked if he could get it done over the course of the con and he said on both Friday and Saturday that he could. Had I known that he wouldn't finish, I probably would have sought out another artist for a commission. 

Ah well, what might have been.

I did get some signatures from him including DC Comics Presents #86, the last non-Crisis Supergirl story, as well as the first two Power Girl issues from her first mini-series.

As much as the commission was something of a downer, the con had so many more ups ..

Wicked Comic Con Wrap-Up and Ben Templesmith Commission

This last Saturday I went to the inaugural Wicked Comic Con at the Westin Seaport in Boston.

I had a blast.

This show was put together by some of the organizers of the original Boston Comic Con and definitely had a 'primarily a comic show' feel to it. As such, I felt completely at home. I went armed with a heavy backpack filled with books to be signed by the great creative roster at the show and with the hopes of maybe landing a commission or a key book. 

I definitely had a budget I had to keep to and I had not set up any commission beforehand. So this was something of an old-fashioned crap shoot with me heading to the tables of creators I was hoping to get a sketch from without knowing if they were sketching or how much one would cost. 

But I don't want to underplay just how great it was to head to a comic show, meet some creators and talk about their works, and just browse. I'm very thankful.

On to some of the specifics!

Fanholes Commission Gift

I am very thankful for the comic book community I am part of here and on Twitter. It is a solid group of intelligent fans. And everyone is so generous.

My latest proof of this? Derek W. C. (@HOCOF on Twitter and one of the hosts of the Fanholes Podcasts) sent me a Supergirl commission to add to my collection.

This is a fun Supergirl sketch, sort of pinwheeling through the sky. I'm still not sure if she is flying up the page or banking down like in a swan dive. I assume she is flying down given the orientation of the paper. But who knows.

I love the energy of the page, a smiling Supergirl clearly having fun in the clouds.

I wish I could say more about the artist Flash! All I know is the info Derek sent me from the Comic Link auction page, Any further information would be appreciated,

And thanks again Derek! Such a great present for me! A cool addition to my collection!

Ben Dunn Commission

I thought I had posted all my Supergirl commissions on this site!

But I have recently moved and just got around to looking at my older commissions, back in the day when I had them done outside a sketch book and framed them for hanging.

Looking through the frames, I ran across this sketch by Ben Dunn (of Warrior Nun Areala fame) which I had commissioned way way back in 2007, a time when I wasn't even blogging.

I can remember that I had sent Dunn source material so he knew my preferred costume and I think all I asked for was an 'action shot' since all my commissions up to that point were either head shots or sort of static images.

He certainly delivered with this anime style shot of Supergirl slugging it out with a rather odd cyborg. The villain certainly has a 'Metallo from Superman:The Animated Series' vibe to him.

This is a wonderful piece with Supergirl in a good flying pose and also leading with her left hand, something she does for the most part in comics. I do like the dynamic feel Dunn brings here with the ruffling skirt and the bits flying off the cyborg's face.

A hidden treasure! Truly hidden! And overdue for showcasing here on the blog, especially in a year where I probably won't be going to any conventions and won't get any new sketches for some time!

Supergirl Best Of 2019: Non-Comic Stuff

Hi all!

Hard to believe but I am about to embark on my 11th end of year analysis of all things Supergirl at this site! I have been doing this for some time! As always I can't thank the audience that comes here enough! Without the interaction on the site, this would be a dull business. I have made so many friends here. Thanks again!

In a bit of housekeeping, I'll just say that 2019 has been a bit tumultuous for me personally n case folks didn't notice the blip in social media presence in October and November. But things are looking up. I am in a better place mentally as I transition to a single life. So thanks for sticking with me and for all the well wishes that came my way as I hinted at the upheaval on Twitter and here.

Anyways, we are here to look back at the year for Supergirl and as usual I will start with a look back at the non-comic happenings for our favorite Girl of Steel. Tomorrow I'll give my Honorable Mentions for the 2019 best comic moments. And then on New Year's day I'll post my Top Ten 2019 best comic moments.

Overall, 2019 was another good year for Supergirl and from a non-comic viewpoint, it starts with the show.

In the beginning of 2019, we saw the end of the fourth season of the show. While the season started a bit shakily, it really stuck the landing. By bringing in an incredible Lex Luthor, somehow played to full intensity by Jon Cryer, the whole season ended with a whirlwind of activity and energy.

The slogging plotlines of Agent Liberty and Red Daughter all rolled into each other in great ways. We had wonderful flashback episodes looking into tying the events of the season together coherently. And, of course, the exclamation point was Lena shooting Lex in the chest who then revealed Kara's secret identity.

I mean it, the beginning part of the season four seemed like it was walking through molasses. But the last 5 episode just exploded. So nothing to complain about there.

Terrificon 2019 Review Part 3 - Dan Brereton

Well, we come to the end of my Terrificon coverage.

Hard to believe that the con is almost a month in the past. The three days flew by as I ran to meet as many creators as I could, did my best to get commissions, and even meet Diabolu Frank!

I have to admit, this is the convention for me these days. Just an incredible array of comic book creators and celebrities.

I was lucky enough to get all the commissions I was hoping to get during the con. You have already seen the Dan Jurgens and Colleen Doran ones.

The last commission I was hoping to grab was from Dan Brereton. I have been a fan of Brereton since his work on the prestige format mini-series The Psycho. I have since followed him to Nocturnals, Legends of the World's Finest, Giant Killer, and other minis and one shots. I love his style.

I have a painted Brereton commission framed in my comic book nook but I was hoping to grab one in the sketch book. I love his stuff and wanted to get one in that format.

Thankfully, I got to him early and was and nabbed a place on his list.