Though it only may be the unofficial start of Summer, it is definitely the official start of comic convention season and we packed up our Avengers Quinjetto flydown to Orlando, FL for the Southeast’s largest show, MegaCon Orlando 2022.

Comic book shows have been held in Central Florida since the 70s, and this particular show began in 1993, with former publisher CrossGenpurchasing it in 1999, and its current UK owner, Informa, taking charge in 2015 under its Fan Expo banner.  Fan Expo more recently also assumed all of the formerWizardworld conventions, to host numerous cons in major US/Canadian cities. 

Because of the global pandemic, this four-day show was its true return to form, and with anticipation very high, attendance over the Thursday-Sunday event completely exceeded previous attendance records, as 140,000+ went to the Orange County Convention Center, resulting in very busy aisles, local traffic congestion and full parking lots, and elbow-to-elbow crowds on its busiest day, Saturday. 

All variations of pop culture were represented, from comics to sci-fi, horror to anime, fantasy to traditional and online gaming, and so much more.  Being located close to the Space Coast, NASA even had a display and hosted several science panels.  Cosplayers were predictably everywhere, though instead of one large competition to showcase costumes, there was a daily afternoon Cosplay Runway for those to show off their elaborate designs. 

Celebrity guests over the weekend included the casts of Cobra Kai, Clerks, the Hobbit films, numerous voice actors and wrestlers, Lorraine Bracco, LeVar Burton, Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Nathan Fillion, Caity Lotz, Jes Macallan, James Marsters, and Brent Spiner. 

Comic book creators included several marquee names as well as more recent artists, many traveling in from Italy, Spain, Germany, UK, South Korea, and Singapore and included: Alvaro Martinez Bueno, Greg Capullo, Donny Cates, Tony Daniel, Werther Dell'Edera, Tom King, Adam Kubert, Stanley Artgerm Lau, Inhyuk Lee, Tula Lotay, Marco Mastrazzo, Francesco Mattina, Frank Miller, Ryan Stegman, Mico Suayan, Ivan Tao, James Tynion IV, Ram V, and Zeb Wells, among many others. 

Many of the highest profile events were monetized and involved additional admission, though it was fairly easy to see celebrities in separate panels rather than together (i.e. all four Hobbit stars had their own panels, but their group discussion was at a paid premium).

Artist creator panels often doubled as a fan Q+A along with a friendly sketch duel, involving two or more talents, and there were tribute remembrance panels for recently lost major comic artists, Neal Adams and George Pérez, for fans to share their feelings and stories. 

How-to panels were hosted for those interested in creation of their own costumes, models, games, or tournaments, meetups and speeding dating, and official afterpartys were also part of the busy schedule. 

We’ll get into a little more detail in a follow-up column, but it looked to be an overall huge success and the show has already confirmed its next dates- MegaCon Orlando 2023 will occur March 30-April 2.

It was with heavy heart but great admiration to be present for the George Pérez memorial service hosted at MegaCon Orlando inside the sprawling Orange County Convention Center. 

The service was the last event of the four-day convention, that brought well over 100,000 to the biggest comics and pop culture event in the Southeast.  Living in nearby Sanford, FL, Pérez had been a longtime friend of the show and built up many personal and professional relationships from his regular appearances there. 

During the four-day show, a table was set up adorned with a large floral bouquet and a recent tribute art piece done by fellow artist and fan Bill Sienkiewicz with two guestbooks that the public could use to enter their well wishes and thoughts. 

A Friday fan-centric Remembering George Pérez panel also allowed fans to reminisce, share, and let everyone know what an impact his art, legacy, and good character, left on them. 

As the crowd filed in, acoustic Beatles music played and a slideshow featuring George, his friends and family, and his recent trip to DC headquarters in Burbank, was shown. 

The memorial service began with words from Constance Eza, a longtime friend of George and wife Carol, as well as a medical professional and comics event promoter. 

George’s brother, David (barely over a year younger) and his ninety-one year-old mother, Luz Maria Izquierdo took to the stage to each tell stories and thank the fans for all their support over the years. George’s father unfortunately was not in enough good health to attend.

Growing up in the South Bronx, David told tales of the brothers riding red tricycles together, and both drawing at an early age, even coming up with their own heroes, one being the Kleptomaniac Kid, who could make items teleport right into his hand.  Both brothers were also proud of their Puerto Rican heritage as well as assimilating as first-generation Nuyorican immigrants.

DC ex-publisher Dan Didio and a surprise guest, current DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee each remembered George in their own ways.  Lee recalled being starstruck and tongue-tied not only the first time they met at a convention, but for the second time as well.  In particular, Lee was amazed at the details with which George drew Avengers Mansion in 1977’s issue 162. 

Didio felt it had only been recently to sink in with him that George was really gone.  He also remarked that he previously hired Marv Wolfman for an animation project in hopes of also potentially meeting George, and that the first time he had really wished he could be back in the DC offices since his departure, was in January when he heard Wolfman and Pérez would be visiting in Burbank. 

Another longtime family friend, Shannon Lower spoke of George taking her to her first comic convention when she was nineteen, and altering the course of her life, as a result.  She spoke of times and the kindness that George and wife Carol provided, both to she and her family, as well as the comic community, specifically his efforts with Hero Initiative. 

Eza spoke briefly near the end, and the ceremony would finish with words and a quick story or two from George himself, courtesy of clips from a previous appearance at Amazing Con and also a segment filmed for a documentary. 

The George Perez Memorial is confirmed to take place at 6pm today (5/22) at MegaCon at the N320 Theater. We will be providing coverage.

According to John, Currently, it's not on MegaCon's website, App, or listed on the room schedule! But they are working on it, just wanted to confirm the location and time.

Additional details:

The memorial is scheduled to begin at 6:00pm on Sunday, May 22nd at the Orange County Convention Center, north building, room N320. It is open to all and attendees may arrive beginning at 5:30pm. Parking is free in the north parking lot after 5pm (please see attached map and note that there is a charge for parking prior to 5pm).

There is no ticket required or charge to attend and everyone is welcome to come together to celebrate George's life and the mark he's left on us all.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hero Initiative in George's honor.

To all of George’s fans and friends,

Constance here, with the update no one wants to read. George passed away yesterday, peacefully at home with his wife of 490 months and family by his side. He was not in pain and knew he was very, very loved.

We are all very much grieving but, at the same time, we are so incredibly grateful for the joy he brought to our lives. To know George was to love him; and he loved back. Fiercely and with his whole heart. The world is a lot less vibrant today without him in it. He loved all of you. He loved hearing your posts and seeing the drawings you sent and the tributes you made. He was deeply proud to have brought so much joy to so many.

Everyone knows George’s legacy as a creator. His art, characters and stories will be revered for years to come. But, as towering as that legacy is, it pales in comparison to the legacy of the man George was. George’s true legacy is his kindness. It’s the love he had for bringing others joy - and I hope you all carry that with you always.

Today is Free Comic Book Day. A day George absolutely loved and a fitting day to remember his contributions to comics and to our lives. I hope you’ll enjoy your day today with him in mind. He would have loved that.

Please keep his wife Carol in your thoughts and again, I thank you for respecting her privacy. I remain available through the contact on the page.

George's memorial service will take place at MEGACON Orlando at 6pm on Sunday, May 22nd. It will be open to all. Details to follow. We will miss him always.

DC will celebrate the 68th birthday of George Pérez, one of the titans of the comic industry, with a two-page spread featuring some of his most beloved characters in each of its June periodical releases. Working from a layout designed by Dan Jurgens, some of the industry’s biggest names including Jim Lee, Walter Simonson, Alex Ross, Dave Gibbons, Todd McFarlane, Daniel Sampere, Jerry Ordway, Nicola Scott and many more, collaborated on the colorful spread.

“When I was asked to come up with a design and layout that would honor George Pérez and his many incredible contributions to DC Comics over the years, I was truly honored,” said Dan Jurgens. “I have admired George’s work since I first saw it and have had the good fortune to work with him in different capacities, on a number of projects. More importantly, I’ve been able to see the way George treats fans and readers, always smiling, gregarious and approachable. It was a joy to watch this cover come together and I’m sure everyone who contributed feels the same way.”

The tribute features the following DC characters that Pérez is most known for, as well as the man himself, drawn by a number of the top artists in the industry and colored by Hi-Fi:

• The Monitor & Anti-Monitor - Jim Lee & Scott Williams
• Trigon - Todd McFarlane
• ​The Spectre - Alex Ross
• Darkseid - Walter Simonson
• Firestorm & The Justice League Satellite - Scott Kolins
• Ares & Hippolyta - Phil Jimenez
• Cheetah & The Amazons - Colleen Doran
• Lady H.I.V.E. & H.I.V.E. Agents - Scott Koblish
• Vigilante - Dave Gibbons
• Cheshire - Joëlle Jones
• Brother Blood - Darryl Banks
• Blackfire - Mike McKone
• Gizmo & Mammoth - Klaus Janson
• Shimmer - Bruno Redondo 
• Psimon - Mikel Janín
• Neutron & Jinx - Dan Mora
• The Legion of Super-Heroes - Francis Manapul
• The Justice Society of America - Jerry Ordway
• Power Girl & Huntress - Kevin Maguire
• The Justice League of America (and the background) - Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
• Superboy-Prime & Alexander Luthor - Ivan Reis
• Supergirl - Gary Frank
• Harbinger - Adam Hughes
• Pariah - Daniel Sampere
• Jericho & Kole - Nicola Scott
• The New Teen Titans, Deathstroke & George Pérez - José Luis García-López

Accompanying the spread on a separate page will be a key highlighting the characters and artists that participated.

In addition to being included in all of DC’s June issues, the tribute will also be featured as a variant cover for Dark Crisis #7. Each issue of the event series will feature a cover highlighting a previous crisis event from DC’s history, starting with the genre defining Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez for issue #1. Artwork and additional details on each of the covers will be announced at a later date.

"George Pérez is one of my favorite comic storytellers of all time. To say he’s a ‘great artist’ is a massive understatement,” said Dark Crisis Writer Joshua Williamson. “His work on the original Crisis of Infinite Earths inspired so much of my love for DC Comics. When I saw DC editors pull together this incredible piece with so many amazing legendary artists celebrating George, I won't lie, it was emotional.  And now it's an honor to have this tribute be a cover to Dark Crisis." 

A special version of the Dark Crisis #7 variant cover will be available for sale by The Hero Initiative to raise funds for one of Pérez’s favorite charities. Pérez is a founding member of Hero Initiative’s board of directors and has served as chair of its Disbursement Committee.

For the latest information on DC, visit the DC website at www.dccomics.com and follow @DCComics and @thedcnation on social media. The DC UNIVERSE INFINITE digital subscription service is your one-stop spot for a host of classic and memorable stories; for more information and to subscribe, check out the website at www.dcuniverseinfinite.com.

George was incredibly touched when he saw this beautiful tribute from Marvel Comics.

He's spending his time at home with Carol, making the most of his days and remains in good spirits. He is so grateful for all the love and support.

For those who didn't know these drawings appeared first in Avengers Finale (2004) with art by George, inks by Mike Perkins.

For the first time in decades, the acclaimed JLA/Avengers crossover will be reprinted by Hero Initiative, the charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in medical or financial need. With only 7000 copies being printed, Hero Initiative is honoring one of George Pérez seminal bodies of work and his long-time support of Hero.

JLA/Avengers will be available in March from participating comic book stores and will be distributed via Diamond Comic Distributors. This 288-page full color, softbound volume features the original 2003 four-issue co-publishing venture between DC and Marvel, written by Kurt Busiek with art by George Pérez. The book carries a retail price of $29.99 and is limited to 7000 copies.

This collection also features 64 pages of companion content and will reprint introductions by original Avengers writer/editor Stan Lee and Justice League of America editor Julius Schwartz. A bonus in the Hero Initiative edition is a new afterword by Kurt Busiek.

George Pérez is a founding member of Hero Initiative’s board of directors and has served as chair of its Disbursement Committee.

I am so incredibly overjoyed to hear that my fanboy dream is going to be available to a whole new generation of comic book fans who weren’t there when it was printed that many years ago. And it’s wonderful that it’s happening while I’m still alive to see it.

Whatever it was that allowed this reprint to be released I am very grateful and on behalf of the fans all I can say is well done DC and Marvel!

And of course, I am so elated that all profits from this re-print are going to one of my favorite personal charities!

JLA AVENGERS TP HERO INITIATIVE VAR
THE HERO INITIATIVE
JAN228074
(W) Kurt Busiek (A) George Perez

The intercompany crossover that brought two super-teams together and rocked the comics world is back! Own the entire 4-issue co-publishing event between DC Comics and Marvel Comics, written by Kurt Busiek (Trinity, Marvels) with stunning art by George Pérez (Crisis on Infinite Earths, Avengers). This collection also features 64 pages of companion content, and introductions by original Avengers writer/editor Stan Lee and Justice League of America editor Julius Schwartz. Bonus: With a new afterword by Kurt Busiek. Hero Initiative is the only charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in medical or financial need! In Shops: Mar 16, 2022

Final Orders Due: Feb 21, 2022

SRP: $29.99

Hi everyone,

Last week George was in a lot of pain and we discovered it was due to an issue with his gallbladder. This caused a very serious infection. The decision was made to treat this using antibiotics and a tube to decompress the gallbladder. This went well and he has recovered from the infection.

However, in the days following the drain occluded, causing pain and leakage. This was a huge quality of life issue. He was admitted back to the hospital on Sunday and the drain was replaced today. He feels much better.

George, Carol and his care team have made the decision for George to be enrolled in inpatient hospice. This doesn’t mean death is imminent, it means he can spend his remaining time with his friends and family and his wife can spend this time just being with him. This is a joy for them both.

To all who have sent well wishes and kind sentiments, George would like to express his sincerest and most heartfelt thanks. To those of you who have sent me letters through my email, George has and is receiving them.

This is a time during which I ask you to please respect the privacy of George and his wife. If you need to reach out, I remain available. At George’s direction, I will continue to provide updates.

Again, thank you all for making George’s life so incredibly enriched. All of you are a testament to a life well lived and he is SO grateful. Thank you all so much.

-Constance

Hello fans and friends, this is an update on behalf of George. Thank you for all of your well wishes and support. Your posts and comments bring him a lot of joy.

Presently George is admitted to the hospital dealing with an infection, that’s being treated with antibiotics. We anticipate him getting to go home in the next day or so. We ask please, for privacy at this time and if you need to reach out, please use the email on the page.

Re: The CGC signing, it is presently postponed indefinitely. Should rescheduling be possible, we will send out an update.

Thank you as always for all of your love and support. This part is directly from the man himself: “The strength I have and the will to persevere comes in great part, from all of you. Thank you”

-Constance