One of the many reasons that Hollywood tends to find a special place in our hearts, is simply due to the fact that in many ways...the actors we know and love have in essence, been around for a majority of our lives. We are often introduced to them at a young age, and their familiar face allows for us to easily follow their career into adulthood where we fondly remember their work and celebrate it with others as often as possible. 

After all, their work instantly evokes a sense of nostalgia in our hearts, reminding us of life when we were first introduced to their work, and collecting their films on DVD or VHS or whatever medium you enjoy is often a priority for us as well because of how special those films, those moments in time and those actors were and are to us and one such actor, who has enjoyed a rich and illustrious career in the business and has also been apart of several iconic films throughout said career is the ultra talented John Cusack. 

Mister Cusack started his career in the early 1980's, and he could not have chosen a better time to step before the camera since he found work in one of John Hughes' most iconic motion pictures in Sixteen Candles as Bryce and from there, the sky became the limit for his career and he truly became a screen icon in 1989's Say Anything, since that film is well known for the moment when Lloyd raises that boombox toward the sky, with Peter Gabriel's 'In Your Eyes' pouring out of its speakers. Yet while many other actors of John's caliber from the 80's faded out in the 1990's before making a wild comeback years later, John kept on going strong. 

He received much acclaim for his work in 1995's Grosse Pointe Blank where he played troubled hitman Martin Blank and he also shared screen time in the strangest of fashion with fellow screen legend John Malkovich in 1999's Being John Malkovich and he even made the jump to action star, hopping a ride aboard 1997's Con Air with Nicolas Cage. Even now, he continues to find meaty roles that keep audiences talking, and he even stepped into the horror pool in the big screen adaptation of Stephen King's 1408, and perhaps the beauty of looking back at his career, and all the iconic and beloved films that John has starred in...is that it makes yesterday's announcement that he will be attending Denver Comic Con 2017, all the more sweeter. 

Yes, you read that right, the already powerful lineup that Denver Comic Con has put together for this year, just added an incredible screen legend to Celebrity Summit and I know speak for a lot of my fellow geeks out there when I say...wow. It just goes to show that this con is all about the fan experience. So since 3 day passes are sold out, and Mister Cusack is only attending DCC Friday and Saturday, you need to get your tickets as soon as possible because this is it ladies and gentlemen, DCC is upon us on at last and I'll see all of you, with my boombox and cassette tape of Peter Gabriel's 'So' in line at the Colorado Convention Center this weekend! 

There is one thing that I always look forward to doing when Denver Comic Con comes around, mill around Artist Valley.  And this year will be no different from any other with the con bringing in some of the best of the best when it comes to artists that have brought our favorite characters to life. It always amazes me to see the work that comic book artists are able to achieve when bringing a story to life with their artwork. Then when they take it a step further by showcasing their own artwork and creations, it is nothing short of breath taking.  So here are the artists that are a must to visit this year.
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Allen Bellman is always a staple to visit at DCC, his work over the years of bringing our favorite character, Captain America, to life should never be forgotten. With new artwork in the works for Cap, it is hard to deny that what he has been able to do has changed people’s lives. I am always reminded of one conversation that I overheard during the first year of DCC when a guest made sure to tell his story about how he and his father were able to bond over the Captain America comic book and nothing would ever break that bond, even when things seemed to be getting out of reach for them.

​One of my favorite dark artists will be coming back this year, Ben Templesmith. The first time I saw his artwork, I was blown away, not because of the darkness, but because of the story that goes along with it. If there is not a long line, he is more than willing to give you the stories behind his work and it is just amazing to hear what he was thinking when he created it. He was also the main artist in the 30 Days of Night series, which is still just some amazing work and I hope he brings a couple copies of it this year, because I missed out on it the last time he was in Denver.

​Chad Harden will be in attendance once again and if you are a comic book fan, especially a DC fan, you will need to stop by and check out his Harley Quinn artwork. With all of the variations that he has brought to life, it is something that any fan would love to have in their collection. I am also pretty sure that he will be taking commissions during the con so you can get your very own one of a kind Harley, or anything else that your heart desires.

Actionline Studios – The artistic team of Matt Campbell and Ron Root will be showing off their skills this year.

Felipe Echevarria – Huge fan of Felipe’s work and thank you to my buddy Todd Jones for turning me on to his work.

Jay Peteranetz – Known Jay for a few years now and I love his Magicians Must Die card sets and he will also be promoting his new project Broderick.

Jeff Herndon Illustration – Huge fan of Jeff’s work, since every character he draws looks like they are in a photo and not a drawing.  He will be showing off his Massive Indiana Jones movie poster as well, it is going to be epic.

Lewis Brown Hornet – I met Lewis Brown last year and was blown away with his stories. Taking a look at his new comic, Brown Hornet Omniverse, I was utterly amazed. He should have some copies this year, so if you have not ordered a copy yet, make sure to pick one up.

Meents Illustrated – Jason is really the Tykes master and has made even more than you can shake a stick at.

Patrick Canter – Meeting Patrick last year, I was surprised to see the different styles his work took. He has a good booth that is great for browsing and picking up some of your favorite characters.

Philip Spaulding – Excited to see Phil this year as he has packed up all of his old work and has put his focus on surrealism. Can’t wait to see what he brings to the table.

Pink Havok – Blake Henriksen always has something new and mind blowing at his table, just need to wait and see what it is this year.

Red Team Go – Talk about a group that has their stuff together. With team members Colton Muheim, Joe Becker, Oi Bob Parks, Cachet Whitman, Saro Hang, Guy Davis, JohnnyShin and Roberto Martinez, this is a powerhouse of talent in one small place.

Sal Galindo – While Sal has an awesome collection of Stitch variants, I have fallen in love with his Day of the Dead princess series and I cannot wait to see what he puts on the table this year.

Serna Illustration – I love stopping by and checking out Frankie Serna’s work. I cannot wait to see what he has on the table this year and chatting with him, because he is always smiling and willing to chat. 

She Paints with Blood – Don’t let the name scare you away, Aria Fawn’s artwork is mind blowing. It is definitely a booth to stop by and take a look.

Shelby Robertson – Finally Shelby is coming to DCC and I could not be happier. Seeing his work over the years, I have several pieces, but my main collection is of his Joker prints, since he draws the villain the way he should look.

Skello Art – Zac and Mindy Conley make this show so much fun. As they will probably be accompanied by their kids, I cannot wait to see them and see what their new projects have yielded.

Skylar Patridge – What can I say about Skylar that has not already been said. Following her over Inktober last year, I saw a side of her that has left me speechless. Really awesome stuff and I cannot wait to see what new treasures she has brought along with her this year.

The Art of Steven Pulawa – Steven is an awesome artist and has really been able to capture plenty of people’s attention while they pass by his table. Keep an eye out for him, he has been known to #STEVED many people on the con floor.

Todd Jones and Lee Oaks – While last year I was giving Todd a hard time for not being an artist (all in good fun of course), he has devised a great series featuring Classic Movie Monster Sharks and we had a great time talking about how to do them. I also cannot wait to see when Lee gets his own table, since that seems to happen very quickly so I can find out how his Thunder Monkey series is going.

Once again, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to artists coming to Denver Comic Con this year and I cannot be more excited. If you are looking for me, I will be back in Artist Valley, not just because I love the artwork, but I also love the people. There is something to be said about artists that really love what they do and you can see it in their eyes when they make a sale. Then the excitement that the fans get in meeting their idols, well, there is nothing like it. Sooooo, get your list together, because I can guarantee you that you will be lost in this sea of awesomeness, which overall, might not be a bad thing. Happy Conning!

Getting ready for Denver Comic Con is always fun and this year is no exception as the star power on the floor is out of control this year. With your favorite voice actors from the Justice League series, a couple Buffy stars and a couple of kids from Stranger Things in attendance, it is just crazy to think that they will all be in one place. If you are planning on getting any of these autographs, you might want to get to the con pretty early, as I am sure that the lines will be crazy once again, especially as some of the stars are going to be there for only a day or two. 

Being a diehard fan of the Firefly series, Nathan Fillion will be in the house on Saturday and Sunday. I guarantee that his line will be the longest both days, because I am not the only one that loves the characters that he plays, much less would like a couple minutes to pick his brain about his other roles and how he felt about being eaten in Santa Clarita Diet. Between his television and movie roles, he also seems to find time to voice act in plenty of video games, which I was not aware of. So I am sure that everyone, in some form or fashion, has heard his voice coming through their television screen at one time or another.

Call me a true nerd, but I almost passed out when it was announced that Famke Janssen was attending the con, I mean come on, it's Jean Grey for crying out loud. While everyone knows her from that role, which she excelled at, she is also a horror movie veteran which I just love. With such credits as Lord of Illusions, Deep Rising and House on Haunted Hill, she has always been on my list of actresses to meet. Even though she will only be in attendance on Saturday, it is great that she is coming to the Mile High City for even one day.

As you all know, I am a huge Netflix Marvel fan and two of the most recent series stars are going to be in attendance, Mike Colter (Luke Cage) and Finn Jones (Iron Fist). While the Luke Cage series is my favorite one from this universe thus far, I was surprised how well the story played for Iron Fist and while there are some issues with it, there will be a massive teaming up with Daredevil and Jessica Jones coming soon in the form of The Defenders. While I am sure that these lines will be crazy long, especially the photo ops on Saturday with both of the stars, I am sure that they will be a joy to meet and have some new stories about what is happening in the Marvel Universe.

While the Justice League voices seem to span the globe, there are two voice actors that I will be more excited to meet from one of my favorite shows, Aqua Teen Hunger Force; Carey Means and Dana Snyder.  I mean it is Frylock and Master Shake. Loved this show for many years and wish it would make a return, and I am sure that I am not the only one. But these two are not only pigeonholed into one show, as Dana has also been the voice of the Penguin for many years for DC, and he even writes on occasion and had a hand in writing my third favorite episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return in Wizards of the Lost Kingdom, and Carey Means just has that great deep voice that has boomed and echoed on other shows such as Perfect Hair Forever and The Brak Show and it is so deep and powerful that it can haunt your dreams, just like the chains...from my dreams.

It would be hard to forget about one of my childhood stars that I learned too much about life from, 'Weird Al' Yankovic. While everyone else was listening to their new hip hop tapes and CDs, I was stuck on listening to Al’s parody songs and loved the heck out of them. If you could ever wear out a CD, I did just by playing 'Amish Paradise' over and over. While he has been known for his music over the years, I am also a huge fan of the movie U.H.F. where Al is the lead and he does a damn fine job keeping a silly movie rolling. But the best part when it comes to his illustrious career, is that he is still as relevant today as he was thirty years ago, which is just amazing. Talk about someone that would have stories to tell, as since he has touched just about every industry out there and is still going strong.

While I would love to sit back, have a beer and listen to stories from almost every star, the one that would blow me away would be Wallace Shawn. While everything is ‘Inconceivable’, I am sure that his years in the industry are full of plenty of great anecdotes. With a very distinct voice, it does not matter if he is in costume or not, you will instantly know it’s 'that guy' from The Princess Bride. With plenty of other movies under his belt and more acting jobs than you can shake a stick at, picking Wallace’s brain for a couple minutes would give you stories that you could pass down to your own grandchildren.
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There you go, my celebrity checklist for this year’s Denver Comic Con. With so much star power inside the convention center’s walls this year, I hope to just catch a glimpse of a few of them. While I am sure that everyone has their own favorites, these are just the ones that stand out for me. Make sure to get your list together and expect some long lines this year, I do not think I have ever seen so many big names in one place in my life. Also make sure to take note of their schedules this year, as you have folks that will only be in town for one day, or maybe two days if we are lucky. Get ready to let your Geek Flag Fly this year, as it promises to be the biggest Denver Comic Con to date.