Comicpalooza is an annual comic book

Comic book

A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

, science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

, and pop culture convention

Fan convention

A fan convention, or con , is an event in which fans of a particular film, television series, comic book, actor, or an entire genre of entertainment such as science fiction or anime and manga, gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and...

, held in Houston, Texas

Houston, Texas

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

. The event is organized by Startling Events, LLC. The event hosts the annual Comicpalooza Fandom Awards.

Humble Beginnings (2008–2009)

The first Comicpalooza was held July 19, 2008. The event took place in the lobby of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema located in Houston, and corresponded with the release of the film The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight (film)

The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...

. The event included a handful of tables with local comic book artists.

In 2009, Comicpalooza expanded to a two-day event which took place at West Oaks Mall

West Oaks Mall (Houston, Texas)

West Oaks Mall is a retail shopping mall in the Alief area of Houston, Texas, USA, that opened in 1984. It is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Westheimer Road and Highway 6. Anchor stores include Dillard's, Macy's, and Sears...

. Question and answer sessions and a charity live art auction were added to the event. Guests included: David Mack

David Mack

David Mack may refer to:*David W. Mack, American comic book artist and writer*David Alan Mack, American television scriptwriter and novelist*David Mack , one of the central figures in the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart corruption scandal*David S. Mack, American businessman...

, Terry Moore

Terry Moore (comics)

Terry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...

, Steve Scott

Steve Scott

Steve Scott is an American male athlete who is one of the greatest milers in American history. The silver medalist in the 1,500 meters at the inaugural IAAF World Outdoor Championships at Helsinki in 1983, Scott owns the U.S. indoor record in the 2000 meters...

, Tom Hodges

Tom Hodges

Thomas David Hodges is an American artist, who worked on many Star Wars webcomics, as well as Star Wars Insider article The Mandalorians: People and Culture written by Karen Traviss and notable for featuring visual reference on the first female Mandalorian...

, Mat Johnson

Mat Johnson

Mat Johnson is an American writer of literary fiction.-Biography:Born and raised in the Germantown and Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Johnson writes primarily about the lives of African-Americans, using fiction, nonfiction and graphic novels as mediums...

, Andy Kuhn, and Dirk Strangely

Dirk Strangely

Dirk Strangely is a multimedia artist, currently based in Houston, Texas. He is frequently a guest artist at comic book, horror, and sci-fi conventions, and is featured often at art exhibitions. While primarily working with ink and paint, he also utilizes photography and film in conjunction with...

.

Fresh Start (2010–Present)

In 2010, Comicpalooza expanded to a three-day event, taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center

George R. Brown Convention Center

The George R. Brown Convention Center opened on September 26, 1987 on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The center was named for the prominent Houstonian George R. Brown, an entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist. Brown’s Texas Eastern Corporation donated six of the 11...

 and attracted about 3,000 attendees. The event no longer focused exclusively on comics, but expanded to include science fiction, fantasy, horror, steam punk and other genres. In addition to Q&A sessions and the live art auction, Comicpalooza hosted celebrity guests, a three-day film festival, costume contest, live DJ room, and a $5,000 Magic the Gathering tournament in addition to opening gaming and numerous panels by fan groups. The event also included a performance by the Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel and touring music act Dead P.A.

Dead P.A.

Dead P.A. is a live electronic musical group typically referred to as a Live P.A. based out of Houston, Texas. Dead P.A. was founded in January 2003 by Jason Walsh and George Blitch. Dead P.A. performs live dancefloor oriented music and is distinguished for thematic sets...

  Guests included: Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell

Bruce Lorne Campbell is an American film and television actor. As a cult movie actor, Campbell starred as Ashley J. "Ash" Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series of films and he has starred in many low-budget cult films such as Crimewave, Maniac Cop, Bubba Ho-tep, Escape From L.A. and Sundown:...

, Ray Park

Ray Park

Raymond Park is a Scottish actor, stuntman and martial artist, best known for his playing the physical part of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Edgar on Heroes.-Early life:Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland...

, Nicholas Brendon

Nicholas Brendon

Nicholas Brendon , is an actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer .-Early life:...

, Peter Mayhew

Peter Mayhew

Peter Mayhew is an English actor known for playing the Wookiee Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies. His peak height was tall.-Career:...

, Jason Dohring

Jason Dohring

Jason William Dohring is an American actor who is best known for his role as Logan Echolls on the 2004 television show Veronica Mars and for his role as Josef Kostan on the 2007 series Moonlight.-Personal life:...

, Francis Capra

Francis Capra

Francis Capra is an American actor. Some of his best known roles are a young Calogero Anello in A Bronx Tale, Max Connor in Kazaam, and Eli "Weevil" Navarro in the TV series Veronica Mars.-Personal life:...

, Dichen Lachman

Dichen Lachman

Dichen Lachman is an Australian actress. She is best known for appearing in the soap opera Neighbours as Katya Kinski and Joss Whedon's science fiction drama television series Dollhouse as Sierra...

, Phil Foglio

Phil Foglio

Philip "Phil" Foglio is an American cartoonist and comic book artist best known for his humorous science fiction and fantasy work.-Early life and career:...

, David Malki, R. K. Milholland

R. K. Milholland

Randal Keith Milholland, better known as R. K. Milholland, is the author of several webcomics: Something Positive, New Gold Dreams, Midnight Macabre, Classically Positive and Super Stupor.-History:...

, Brian Denham, Larry Elmore

Larry Elmore

Larry Elmore is an American fantasy artist whose work includes creating illustrations for video games, comics, magazines and fantasy books. His list of work includes illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons, Dragonlance, and the comic strip series SnarfQuest...

, Rob Liefeld

Rob Liefeld

Rob Liefeld is an American comic book writer, illustrator, and publisher. A prominent artist in the 1990s, he has since become a controversial figure in the medium....

, David Mack

David Mack

David Mack may refer to:*David W. Mack, American comic book artist and writer*David Alan Mack, American television scriptwriter and novelist*David Mack , one of the central figures in the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart corruption scandal*David S. Mack, American businessman...

, Jim Mahfood

Jim Mahfood

Jim Mahfood , a.k.a. Food One, is an American comic book creator.Apart from his creator-owned comic book series Grrl Scouts and his comic strip Stupid Comics he also did work for Marvel Comics on various Spider-Man titles, including Ultimate Marvel Team-Up and Spectacular...

, Humberto Ramos

Humberto Ramos

Humberto Ramos is a Mexican comic book penciller, best known for his work on American comic books such as Impulse, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and his creator-owned series Crimson.-Career:...

, Dirk Strangely

Dirk Strangely

Dirk Strangely is a multimedia artist, currently based in Houston, Texas. He is frequently a guest artist at comic book, horror, and sci-fi conventions, and is featured often at art exhibitions. While primarily working with ink and paint, he also utilizes photography and film in conjunction with...

, Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith is an Australian comic book artist best known for his work in the American comic book industry, most notably the Image Comics series Fell, with writer Warren Ellis, which is credited with pioneering a new format for commercial comics, and IDW's 30 Days of Night with writer Steve...

, Ethan Van Sciver

Ethan Van Sciver

Ethan Daniel Van Sciver is an American comic book artist, best known for illustrating a number of titles including Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, New X-Men, and The Flash: Rebirth...

, Bernie Wrightson

Bernie Wrightson

Bernie "Berni" Wrightson is an American artist known for his horror illustrations and comic books.-Biography:...

, and others.

Comicpalooza 2011 will be held May 27–29, and will have a Zombie

Zombie

Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...

 theme and will include an Anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

component for the first time.

External links

• Comicpalooza Official Website http://www.comicpalooza.com
• Comicpalooza Official Blog http://comicpaloozablog.blogspot.com
• Article from Comic Book Reseouces http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25421