The First Friday Art Trolley and an Interview with the Man Behind Richmond Comicon
Cheers RVA!
Today will be mostly sunny with a high of 92 and a low of 69. Similar temperatures are expected for Saturday, with a chance of showers, but Sunday will be much cooler with a high around 70.
the juice:
A pedestrian was killed and a driver is facing life-threatening injuries after a multiple vehicle crash in Henrico at the intersection of Laburnum and Williamsburg Road.
A small truck carrying propane gas a collided with a tractor-trailer hauling slabs of concrete, causing the trailer to jackknife and flip on its side, crushing a sign spinner standing on the sidewalk, according to WWBT.
This is the second deadly crash involving a pedestrian in Henrico in 24 hours, after a woman was struck and killed by a vehicle on Patterson Avenue late Wednesday night.
the pulp:
Henrico officials are considering adding a dedicated bike lane on Lakeside Avenue and reducing traffic to one lane in each direction, via the Citizen. A median with small trees, on-street parking, and more continuous sidewalks are also included in the plans, with a final design unlikely to be finalized prior to November 1.
The First Friday Art Trolley will be rolling around the Downtown Arts District tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, from the Valentine. Taking place the first Friday of September and October (and again in April and May), “passengers can expect something different when they hop on board. From drag trivia to trolley cabaret, you never know what you might stumble upon. Stay on the trolley for as long as you want, participate if you feel inspired, and then hop off when you’re ready to explore more of the Arts District.” The trolley is free to ride and makes the loop down Broad Street between Belvidere and N. 8th Street every 25 minutes.
the dive:
The Richmond Comicon takes place tomorrow at the Richmond Raceway from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
I spoke with Organizer Brett Carreras to learn more about the event.
Carreras is a local entrepreneur and comic enthusiast, and has bought and sold millions of comics.
What is a comic book convention, and what can one expect to find at the Richmond Comicon?
Great question! Comic Conventions can vary in size and structure, anywhere from a local library gathering to the "big" shows in San Diego and New York with over 100,000 attendees. Ours is somewhere in between, with about 125 vendors, artists and exhibitors showing off their latest creations, and collectible finds. For example, I recently found a first printing of Men in Black #1 from the early 1990s...the same comic book they based the hit movie on!
Is the event open for all ages, and is it more geared specifically towards children or adults?
We try to run one of the most family friendly events around, with free parking, free tickets for kids under 12 and discounted student and military passes. Even adult passes top out at less than $15 after all the fees. While adults are the bargain-hunters looking to fill their collections, we expect to see HUNDREDS of children at the Raceway on Saturday, and most will be dressed up in full costume! Also, while comics at my show can sell for upwards of 1,000 each, MOST are in the $2-5 range. Even if you have never read a comic before, our helpful vendors will try to steer you towards affordable options for any budget.
Virginia Comicon has been around for 39 years. How long have you been involved, and what changes have you seen over the years?
This will be my 21st year operating this show. It was founded by my good friend Guy Rose back in 1986 as the Chesterfield Comic Collector's Club in the Bells Road Holiday Inn near Phillip Morris. Today we have grown to be in the large 36,000 square foot Old Dominion Building at the Richmond Raceway. Our event on Saturday will boast 125+ exhibitor booths. We've come a long way in our nearly 4 decades. On a side note, I started selling my comics at shows like mine when I was only 14, so I was an exhibitor for over a decade at the show I now own.
Do you have any experience organizing conventions outside of Richmond?
I was the co-founder of the DC ComiCon many years ago, hosted at George Mason University. My friend, Mike F, now runs a similar show in Chantilly which gave me some breathing room to expand even further. My latest venture has been teaming up with Ben P, the founder of DC's AwesomeCon to run the world's Northern-most Comic Con up in frigid Fairbanks Alaska...We call it (appropriately) The Alaska Comicon, and last year it happened in -50 degree weather! Wowza!
What got you first interested in comics?
As an only child, I always appreciated the "one-on-one" nature of enjoying comics, and escaping into their fantasy. As someone in their upper-40's I "survived" the second round of Bat-Mania with the release of Tim Burton's Batman Movie in 1990. This drove me into comic stores such as Dave's Comics (previously operated out of the Village Shopping Center). This piqued my interest, and the first comic I distinctly remember buying with my own money was Justice League International #39 that summer. I also asked my parents for a subscription to Mad, a title I still get in the mail today.
Have advances in technology played a role in the way comics are created and consumed?
Absolutely! The biggest changes to our business has to do with the media exposure these properties have enjoyed over the last 15 years. Ebay has been a great equalizer in helping us to know what might be "rare" and what we simply THOUGHT was "rare". We aren't privy to the numbers of digital comics sold today, but all estimates suggest it is less than 10% of the market. Another big change (and I consider this to be a technology) has been the advent of 3rd party grading services which will evaluate collectibles for condition, and then hermetically seal them in a tamper-evident plastic case. This has leveled the playing field for a field which can easily be plagued by deception...especially old paper. You woudn't believe how many 1940s comics turned out to have been secretly restored during the 1980s and 90s when detection of such things was still in its infancy.
The first superhero film to gross more than $1 billion worldwide was the Dark Knight back in 2008. Since then these types of films are typically some of the most popular movies year after year. How has the movie industry affected comic book culture and cosplay in the past couple of decades?
I touched on this before, but humbly, I think I would be out of business if it wasn't for these amazing films being released. Shows like "Project Runway" keep our Cosplayers on their toes as well.
What is the most extraordinary thing one might find at this particular event?
Other than the amazing collectibles, and talented artists you can find, we will have a fencing demonstration from DC Comics' writer Gary Cohn, and you just might see a bunch of superheroes dancing the Electric Slide right before our costume contest.
What would you say to encourage someone who doesn't have a particular interest in comics to attend a comicon?
Our show is more than just collectible toys and comics. You will find local and regional craftspersons making jewelry, keychains, posters, etc. Only about half of our show is old stuff...the other half is brand new creations by very talented people!
What's your favorite comic?
Mad Magazine.
The Richmond Comicon takes place tomorrow at Richmond Raceway from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
the vibe:
Have an iridescent day RVA!
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