L.A. Comic Con 2025

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Though I didn’t exhibit, I received a pro badge and attended L.A. Comic Con on the Saturday and Sunday of the three-day show, held Sept. 26–28. On both days, I took the L.A. Metro to the L.A. Convention Center, only about a 25 minute ride for me.

In the past, the entire show fit inside the L.A. Convention's big South Hall, so I was surprised to discover that there were additional exhibition halls, with the bulk of Artists Alley/Small Press in a completely different hall downstairs, which, based on my guestimate, seemed to nearly double the exhibition space. The crowd sizes were pretty good throughout the convention center. 

The autograph area was down in the artists alley area as well, where people like David Tennant, Dallas Bryce Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Denise Richards, and Elizabeth Olsen were signing (the lines for Tennant were especially long!) I saw a lot of fellow cartoonists and publishers I know. My daughter was also there separately, helping out a friend at an artists alley booth!

One feature I appreciate about L.A. Comic Con is that its main stage is simply an open area in the middle of the main hall, so there's no waiting in line for a seat or to get into a room. In fact, my primary reason for attending L.A. Comic Con the past several years when I haven’t exhibited is to see the celebrity guests, a luxury I never have a chance to take advantage of at San Diego Comic-Con! Last year I saw actor Ewan McGregor and the year before that, 2023, I experienced one of my favorite comic con highlights of all time when the four Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings hobbits—Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monagham, and Billy Boyd—appeared together. 

On Saturday morning, I attended a sneak peak panel of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art that included moderator Jessica Alba, director Robert Rodriguez, cartoonist legend Frank Miller, and illustrator/painter Kadir Nelson. A short video of the new museum, scheduled to open in 2026, was shown—what impressed me was the number of comics and cartoonists represented in the video, ranging from Charles Schulz, to Winsor McKay, to Moebius, and many in between! (My metro ride to the convention center actually goes right past the museum.) I also watched part of the panel with David Tennant and Billie Piper, and later, Dallas Bryce Howard. Howard was a particularly fascinating interview and the last question from the audience asked for her memories of working with Robert Redford on Pete's Dragon and, in response, she provided a beautiful tribute to Redford.

The following day, I briefly attended a panel featuring a reunion of the cast of the film, Starship Troopers, which included Denise Richards, Casper Van Dien, and Michael Ironside.

But the main draw for my attending L.A. Comic Con this year was actress Freema Agyeman. Though she’s arguably best known for her role as Martha Jones, one of the companions of David Tennant’s Doctor Who—a role she has reprised, most notably in a series called Torchwood—I became a fan of hers on the television import series, Law and Order U.K. Like Howard, she gave a thoughtful and engaging interview about the acting process. She spoke about her various roles and her of Shakespeare, having appeared in a recent production of As You Like It.

Immediately following that panel, I ran to another panel that had started concurrently, on Toxic Fandom, that I enjoyed. 

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L.A. Comic-Con

Though I didn’t table at this year’s LA Comic Con, I received a pro badge and attended with two goals: To watch the premiere of the documentary on cartoonist and longtime friend/colleague Mike Vosburg and to catch actor Ewan McGregor on the main stage, both on Saturday. And mission accomplished!

The documentary, Recipe For Talent: A Visit With Mike Vosburg, produced by the Dads from the Crypt Podcast, is primarily a visit and interview with Mike at his home, where he shows off his impressive collection of art by cartoonists and illustrators he admires. (I’ve visited with Mike and it’s great to see the pieces up close.)  Though the documentary’s jumping off point is Mike’s work drawing the Tales from the Crypt comic book covers that appeared in the opening credits of each episode of the 1989–96 television series, it also covers his broader career, both in comics and particularly in Hollywood, as well as his influences, and his love of comics and films. Mike is a great storyteller, so the documentary is always engaging. (Mike won an Emmy working on the Spawn animated series, so you get to see that at the house as well!)

Ewan McGregor appeared at the convention’s main stage in the late afternoon. Although the convention center has meeting rooms that are used for programmed panels throughout the show, what I love about L.A. Comic Con’s guest appearances is that their main stage for big panels and interviews is simply on the convention floor—so no waiting in line or trying to get into a full room. As I posted last year, I saw Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan together on stage celebrating the 20th anniversary of the completion of Lord of the Rings film adaptation trilogy, which was a great thrill.

McGregor was great fun, sitting down one on one with an interviewer. He has a great sense of humor but also gave thoughtful responses. While he he talked about and told funny anecdotes about working on Star Wars, his other work came up during the interview too, such as Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge and Down With Love (a personal favorite). Among other interesting tidbits:

• One of the greatest differences between the original prequels he first appeared in and the Obi Wan series he appeared in was the use of The Volume filmmaking process in place of traditional green screen—The Volume is a 360-degree immersive panel display that allows rendered 3D backgrounds to be projected in real time.
• 
  He still loves musicals and would do one if offered—there are just not that many that are made.
• Asked about his Apple+ travelogue series where he and companion Charley Boorman, have traveled immense distances on motorbike, he said it initially began because, after completing a movie, motorbiking was a way to decompress and get back into the groove of doing things himself, versus being catered to in all aspects of his life while shooting a film. (Due to this interview, I began watching the show!)
• He said he was surprised to find out how much he enjoyed talking and connecting with fans at conventions like the L.A. Comic Con. He hadn't done conventions until recently, with the release of the Obi Wan series. When he was first asked, he reluctantly agreed, not believing it would be his cup of tea. But once he did, he came to greatly enjoy it. (Actor Hayden Christianson also made an appearance at the show on Sunday, with both doing signings that day.)
• Asked what advice he had for young actors, he mentioned that they should become familiar with older films. In follow up, he was asked what films and actors he enjoyed—he mentioned Jimmy Stewart and '70s films, and personal favorites like The Great Escape. 

McGregor was great interacting with the audience. I even got in on it—when talking about actors and films he admired, he spoke at length about the 1979 film, Breaking Away, and proceeded to tell much of the plot. At one point, he forgot the state the movie takes place in, so I yelled out, “Indiana!” which he immediately picked up and repeated lol. (I would have remembered this anyway, but I also visited the city where it was shot—Bloomington, where Indiana University is located—for a friend’s wedding in the ‘90s.) 

While there, I also saw a bunch of friends exhibiting, many of whom you’ll see among the photos. This included Craig Miller, Barbra Dillon, Javiar Hernandez and Tone Rodriguez.

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L.A. Comic Con 2023

Thanks to a fortuitous set of circumstances, I was fortunate to exhibit for a part of this year’s Los Angeles Comic Con, specifically Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2–3.

But first a confession: My primary goal for attending this year’s show was to see actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monagham, and Billy Boyd who, of course, played the four lead hobbits in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film adaptation. Wood and Astin actually appeared at last year’s 2022 L.A. Comic Con. However, when I showed up to see them, it turns out that I got my wires crossed and showed up on the wrong day! So when I discovered that all four of them were going to be at this year’s show, I saw a chance for redemption!

On the first evening of the show, Friday, Dec. 1, I went to the L.A. Convention Center in downtown L.A. where the convention was being held to pick up my badge. I hoped this would enable me to avoid the lines on Saturday when the hobbits were scheduled to appear. I also scoped the floor and visited friends and colleagues who were exhibiting. I was impressed by how busy it was. While there, I discovered that CAPS (Comic Art Professional Society), the cartoonist organization I belong to, had two booth spaces. One of the publishers there with a table to themselves graciously said they could clear space for me to sell some of my comics! So on Saturday, I brought in some books to sell and was heartened when I quickly sold several items the brief time I was at the table. So I decided to return the following day with more product.

As for the hobbits, they didn't disappoint—being in the same room with them was a geek moment come true. They have wonderful chemistry and a great (dare I say it) fellowship, having done the films together and, in more recent years, making appearances and "touring" (as they joked) to mark the twentieth anniversary of the films. In fact, this very month marks the release of the final film of the original trilogy, the Return of the King. They were engaging and hilarious, and deeply appreciative of what the films mean to so many people.

What's great about the L.A. Comic Con is that rather than hosting these appearances in a restricted hall with limited seating, the "main stage" is just on the floor of the exhibition hall, open to all attendees. And there's a huge screen above for those having difficulty seeing the stage. It's standing room only in front of the stage, with some seating off to the sides. I couldn't get a seat, but was able to stand on the raised platform with a great view.

As a bonus, when I showed up about 15 minutes before the scheduled panel to ensure I had a seat, actor Matt Smith was on stage!

Seeing the hobbits was a wonderful treat and a dream fulfilled, so anything that followed—like making sales—was gravy!

Another panel I attended was Craig Miller’s "Star Wars Memories." Miller was director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm from 1977–80, going on to a career as a marketer, writer and producer in film and television. The panel is based on his book, Star Wars Memories: My Time in the (Death Star) Trenches, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the start of his career and working at Lucasfilm and on the original Star Wars trilogy. I purchased and read the book in 2019, and have had the pleasure to get to become acquainted with Miller partly because we have exhibited at some of the same conventions!

I must say this year’s L.A. Comic Con had a great vibe and good crowds—I know the show’s been around awhile, but to my eyes it really felt like it came into its own. It helps, of course, that the show is in my own backyard—each day, I simply took L.A.’s Metro line to the convention center from West L.A., a ride of only about 35 minutes (and this included taking a small box of comics and a banner stand in a carrying case with me on Sunday!). I always enjoy the opportunity to soak in downtown L.A.’s atmosphere—indeed, the convention center is just next door to L.A. Live, an entertainment complex with concert venues, theaters and restaurants, as well as the Crypto Arena sports arena.

For more photos from L.A. Comic Con, see additional photos at the end of this post or see the full gallery. Some of the friends I saw at the show can be seen here.

Godzilla Minus One

So I took advantage of being in downtown L.A. to catch the new Japanese film release, Godzilla Minus One, at the Regal LA Live movie theater just up the street. (Located right next to L.A.’s Crypto Arena, I’m embarrassed to say it’s the first time I’d walked through L.A. Live, though I did go to Crypto for the first time earlier this year to see the Go-Gos in concert.)

The film was AMAZING—indeed, an epic spectacle that was so fresh and exhilarating, it felt like watching a Godzilla movie for the first time! This is a Japanese production from Toho Studios, the studio that owns the franchise, which has released 34 films to date featuring the mega-monster since 1956, and not part of the franchise produced in the U.S. under license.

The production design, music score (a callback to the original Japanese Godzilla theme), cinematography, storytelling, and special effects were all top notch—in fact, the film credits Takashi Yamazaki at the end for  "writing, directing and vfx." He's a special effects artist turned director, who apparently put this film of wonder together for only $15 million, though it easily looks like (and surpasses many) $150–200 million films.

And though the film is very epic, the story is still very intimate and human-scale. The movie begins in the final weeks of World War II, where we meet a Japanese pilot who feels guilt for failing to fulfill his final duty as a kamikaze pilot due to not wishing to senselessly die for a conflict that's already over, and anguish for not aiding his comrades when they first encounter Godzilla in the opening scene of the film. Though fate brings him a young woman and a foundling child who, like him, have lost their families in the war, he remains haunted and anguished, and cannot accept the second chance he’s been given at life until he can find redemption—which he eventually decides can only be achieved by joining the cause to fight Godzilla, which may mean certain death. As the friend I saw it with and others have noted, it’s a Godzilla film by way of Steven Spielberg, with fleshed out main and supporting characters dealing in their own way with post-war trauma and the threat of the  atomic age—down to its Saving Private Ryan color palette.

Like many of the original Godzilla films, the movie also has serious themes on its mind, with the mega-monster a metaphor for the threat and horror of nuclear war, but puts the impact on the people who have to live deal with the traumatic aftermath (from both the monsters and war alike) at the forefront. 

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, this film is still to be enjoyed as a grand epic spectacle of the old school with plenty of thrills and surprises, and highly recommended!

More Photos from L.A. Comic Con

See below for more photos from L.A. Comic Con—see additional photos at the full gallery and some of the friends I saw at the show can be seen here.

My booth

Craig Miller at his Star Wars Memories panel