The Long Beach Comic Con Encore: The Expo!

"The Long Beach Comic Con was a great opportunity for fans and pros to meet in a great environment. Sign me up for next year!" said John Drdek, a writer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles last October. Fortunately, we don't have to wait that long.

Albert Ching

Just a fraction of what the Long Beach Comic Con had to offer in October.

​Owing to the tremendous success of the Stan Lee-christened inception of Long Beach Comic Con last October, the LBCC decided to give us an encore in the form of the one-day Long Beach Comic Expo. We were regaled last year with fantastic tales (and outrageous pictures) of sexy Mario, local pro-wrestlers, and many fanboy-teasing OC roller girls. The upcoming convention, which will be held in the Promenade Ballroom at the Long Beach Convention Center on February 20 at 10 a.m., and its line-up of guests, promise to be just as epic.

Flickr user Ben Ostrowsky

Barbara Kesel

​​​Whereas the writers of the Adult Swim show Robot Chicken and Anthony Michael Hall paid a visit last time, this year promises us the likes of Lou Ferrigno, Mike Mignola of Dark Horse Comics, Eisner Award-winning Stan Sakai, and X-Men: Unlimited writer J.T. Krul of Marvel. The pièce de résistance for fans this time, however, is the presence of none other than comic writer and editor Barbara Kesel. Kesel, who's worked with Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Crossgen, and Image comics among others, will be at the expo reviewing portfolios one-on-one with aspiring local artists.

Tickets are $10, but admission is free for children under 12 who come with a paying adult. You can buy your tickets either at the Convention center or at any of these stores: Amazing Comics, Comic Bug, Comic Madness, Geoffrey's Comics, Golden Apple, Jay Company, Metropolis Comics, Pulp Fiction and Terry's Comics. Click for complete guest list.