Announced in a press release just distributed (which you can read below), Image will be hosting another one of their much vaunted Image Expo events pre-San Diego Comic Con this year. However, what is likely to get lost on many people who didn’t read the press release is that Image is actually teaming up with Comic Con International for this particular Expo, as per Eric Stephenson who notes that they felt taking the Expo on the road was good for reaching their audience.
This is the second time that Image has hosted an event pre-convention, as last year in 2013 Image hosted its own Expo event in early July where they announced their new books. It’s a smart idea that allows for Image to get all the attention strictly on themselves and their book announcements, something that tends to get more and more buried every year as Comic Con becomes a bigger and bigger entity. If you’re not a movie, you’re probably not making the headlines anymore; Image has created a way to combat that, and given the amount of book announcements that came out of the last Expo (including but not limited to the announcements of “Nailbiter,” “Tech Jacket” The Wicked + The Divine,” “Cowl” and “Shutter,” all of which have been since released to the world to various rave reviews).
Only a select number of tickets will be available, free for fans who are attending San Diego Comic Con, and the event will be hosted at the Hilton Bayfront, a mere stones throw from the convention itself, on Wednesday, July 23rd. Comic Con itself will begin the next day.
For the full press release from Image Comics, please see below.
Image Press Release
For the first time ever, the highly-anticipated Image Expo, a showcase for one of the biggest publishers in the industry, will go on location this summer in San Diego, Wednesday July 23, preceding San Diego Comic Con International. Image Expo will commence at 2 p.m. PDT at the Hilton Bayfront. Image Comics will be inviting members of the press and comics retailers to attend with complimentary passes to the event.
A limited number of complimentary tickets will be available for fans who are attending the San Diego Comic-Con, as well. Details regarding ticket availability will be forthcoming, and announcements and updates can be found at imagecomics.com.
This Image Expo will feature very special surprise guest creators and even more exciting Image Comics announcements, revealed exclusively to attendees at the event.
“In the spirit of trying new things, we’re pleased to be partnering with CCI to bring Image Expo to San Diego this July,” said Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics. “We want to get our message out to as many members of the comics community—and connect with Image fans outside of our San Francisco Bay Area home—and felt that taking Expo on the road would be a fun way to do that.”
Following Image Expo, fans will be urged to visit the Image Comics booth (#2729) during SDCC Preview Night for exclusive Image Expo releases and creator signings. In addition, further details on the announcements made at Image Expo will be revealed over the course of the weekend as part of Image Comics’ panel programming.
This marks the third Image Expo hosted by Image Comics, and the first time it will be held outside of the Bay Area. Previously, Image Expo has been held at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco and featured over 20 industry-rocking, unprecedented announcements such as a five-year deal between Image Comics and Noir Masters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips that will begin with the launch of the epic ongoing series THE FADE OUT on 8/20.
Also announced at the previous Image Expo in January 2014:
Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro announced the forthcoming campy, kick-ass adventure BITCH PLANET.
Scott Snyder and Jock revealed the creepy, paranormal reimagining WYTCHES.
Matt Fraction, Fábio Moon, and Gabriel Bá will come together to bring fan favorite CASANOVA back.
Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham teased NAMELESS.
Brandon Graham announced a science-fiction miniseries to be drawn by Xurxo Penalta, 8HOUSE: KIEM, an anything-goes science fiction tale in a new interconnected universe.
Continued belowRick Remender and Greg Tocchini promised another exciting high adventure science fiction series in LOW.
Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson turned the audience’s collective stomachs (in a good way) when revealing the Hannibal Lector-esque serial killer series NAILBITER.
Bill Willingham and Barry Kitson will bring the magic and gods of legend to life in RESTORATION.
Joe Keatinge announced he would team up with Leila del Duca for the Indiana-Jones-style fantasy adventure in SHUTTER and then with Khary Randolph for the digital series TECH JACKET.
Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie teased THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, a new series where gods are worshipped as the ultimate popstars.
Kyle Higgins, Alec Siegel, and Rod Reis teased C.O.W.L., a new Mad-Men-esque story about a superhero labor union.
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
