Detroit Fanfare Wrap-Up Part One

Wow. We had a fantastic time at this year’s Detroit Fanfare Comic Con! It was our first official con as a site, and we couldn’t be any happier that Detroit Fanfare was our first. There was a ton of sights to be seen, cool media guests to chat with, and of course, fantastic new indie comic companies that made their debut at Detroit Fanfare.

Indie Comic Exhibitors: One of the biggest and brightest points of ANY comic con happens to be the scores and scores of upcoming indie artists, writers, and developers that bring their brand to the floors of cos across the country in hopes of scoring their next big break. This was even more prevalent on the floors of the Detroit Fanfare Comic-Con. Here, we ran into a ton of new up and coming artists and creators, and here are just a few of our personal favorites from the show.

The Sun Bros: Originally from Chicago, IL Wesley and Brad Sun had two books on display, Chinatown and Apocalypse Man. We picked up Apocalypse Man, and I’ll be the first to tell you, this is a really awesome book. Without giving away too much of the backstory, Apocalypse Man has a really unique spin on a zombie apocalypse scenario, and an even better surprise ending. Very nice. To check out more of their works, be sure to to follow them on Twitter via @TheSunBros, or via http://sunbrosstudios.com/

Gavin Schultz: Gavin is the epitome of what the con is all about. He’s a 14-year-old aspiring comic mogul who brought his first comic to Detroit Fanfare in the form of The Wraith. The Wraith is a story that revolves around a US Soldier on a routine mission in Afghanistan when things go horribly awry. The Wraith has a pretty good story and considering this is all from the mind of a 14-year-old, the character has a ton of potential and the story will only progress and mature as it’s creator’s mind progresses and matures. Check out http://furrcomicsincorporated.webs.com/ for more info.

Ron Maxwell & Jack Short: These guys caught our eye because of a unique book that they introduced to us. They had a Field Monster Survival Guide, which details the different types of monsters in our universe. Everything from evil dolls to possessed teddy bears are all detailed in this book, along with their respective threat levels.  There were also three hilarious Zombie Coloring Books, which also details the different types of zombies, and special survival tips if you ever…. you know, need help surviving in a zombie apocalypse.

Chris Sopsich & Dave Woodward: This duo was actually super hilarious and it’s really easy to tell that they have chemistry together in their creative space. So much so, that back in sixth grade, the two created what would eventually be their comic, Gordie Gnomo. Set in the realm of old school schtick comedy cartoons like Ren & Stimpy, or Rocko’s Modern Life, Gordie Gnomo has a solid storyline and excellent pacing to ensure the reader doesn’t get bored with Gordie’s misadventures. In the first issue, we get introduced to Gordie and a colorful cast of characters that add depth to Gordie’s world, and robustness to the story. I can definitely see Gordie going places as it serves as a throwback to some of my favorite cartoons when I was coming up. Check out more from Chris and Dave on Twitter @Gordie_Gnomo or via Facebook

The Minors: This trio of brothers work together under their Universe M imprint, and had quite an impressive array of sketches available for us to check out when we visited their booth. Originally hailing from my home town of Flint, MI the Minor Brothers are also developing a webcomic entitled “No Rest For The Wicked”. The comic is set in the old west and features plenty of gunplay and ruthless emotion as seen in the first couple of panels from their website. I, for one, can’t wait to see how the rest of the series turns out, and the direction No Rest For The Wicked Takes.

These were but a few of the awesome indie comic book writers, creators, and artists that we came across while attending Detroit Fanfare. There were a ton…..and I mean a ton more, and I would personally like to reach out to those we didn’t feature.