By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
With the increasing popularity of films and television shows based off of comic books, as well as the rise in popularity of comic book conventions, a new type of comic book convention will be taking place right here at your local comic book shop.
On March 5 comic book stores across the nation will be hosting the Instore Convention Kickoff. Local comic book store MB Subculture will be getting in on the action with numerous events happening throughout the day.
MB Subculture owner Betsy Gerhart explained a few of the planned activities.
“We are going to have a live feed with people talking from different comic book companies,” Gerhart said. “We have a schedule of people who will be talking, there are several actors who are going to be talking. We have a guy (Cody McGlothlin) who makes masks who will be set up. There will be people in costume, people are welcome to come in costume, we will have a costume contest, and so we will have all sorts of little things going on.”
The live feed for the in-store convention will begin at noon and is scheduled to run through 8 p.m. and will feature numerous speakers including Jim Lee, as well as panels from various comic book and animation studios.
Gerhart noted that this was the first year for this style of comic book convention and that it will open the season of comic book conventions.
“This is the first year that they have done this, the in-store kickoff, it just starts off the comic conventions, and there are so many that go on after this, but it is nice that there is this in-store so people can actually watch and have a live feed,” Gerhart explained.
For a complete schedule of the Instore Convention activities visit MB Subculture’s website at http://www.subcultureoh.com/ or visit their Facebook page.