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.
Simonson wasn't there. In fact, despite very long lines (both sketch and sigs) having formed, the table handlers said Simonson wasn't going to be at the table for some time, at least another 90 min.
The handlers wrote numbers on the thumbs of the first ten people in the sketch line, a way to 'reserve' a spot.
But then people had to make a hard decision. If you were first in line in the signature line, do you wait until Simonson arrives knowing you lose time to wander the con. But if you leave, you might be at the end of a loooong line when he arrives and never get there.
With a '4' on my thumb, I wandered off and came back at the time the handlers recommended.
I got Simonson to sign Detective Comics #437, the first appearance of his Manhunter run with Archie Goodwin. And I got this sketch.
He was unbelievably gracious when he got to the table. He is just the nicest guy. And I am lucky to have got this great sketch.
But this is why I often say that game-planning cons is important. You won't be able to just walk up to some creators' tables. I didn't have anything for Mark Silvestri or Chris Claremont but I can tell you those lines were just as long. People were waiting. So game plan.
I went all three days and was able to meet the creators I wanted and attended a bunch of very good panels over the days. (If you listen to Word Balloon's coverage of the panels, you might hear me ask a couple of questions!)
Some cool moments included meeting Kevin Nowlan again (getting him to sign Save The Planet, the Man-Bat Secret Origins issue, and an early Amazing Heroes he did the cover of.) I got to chat with Joe Kelly briefly about his Supergirl run and got him to sign Superman #226 (third sig). I got to meet Joelle Jones and had her sign this cover of the Lois Lane mini-series.
I had a great conversation with Christopher Priest about the origin of Superman:Lost. He said he was talking to an editor about a book he was on and pitched the idea for Lost as a 'free idea' for someone else to write. The editor then said Priest should write it himself. Priest really wanted the story to be focused on Lois trying to re-connect and 'find' her husband who was 'lost' psychologically.
And I got Joelle Jones to sign the variant of the current Supergirl title, Supergirl #3. First signed book of that run!
All great stuff.
And then a final great comic moment. Amanda Conner was at the con and I have met her a number of times and have a lot of things signed by her. I hadn't planned on getting anything signed by her this year. But I saw on the first couple of days, the line at her (and Jimmy Palmiotti's) table was manageable.
So for the third day I packed up her cover for Lois Lane #12. I brought it up to be signed.
She was so tickled to have it put in front of her. She says no one brings her that cover and she loves it. I talked about how I thought it was the perfect encapsulation of Lois as a character showing all the things she has to juggle in her life - from mother to wife to reporter to potential victim. She is striking the Rosie The Riveter pose. She can do it!
Even Palmiotti looked over and talked about how so many covers today are just pin-ups but that one told a story.
As for non-comic guests, it was a solid list. I don't always meet the entertainment celebrities but I had to meet Jeremy Davies and talk to him about his experience on Stephen Soderbergh's Solaris, one of my favorite films.
Anyways, Terrificon is a perfect comic book convention and if you are in the area, this is the con to go to. Hope to see folks there next year.
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