Ict Comic Con & Science Fiction Expo Year 9.0 Special Guests

From ICT Comic Con Facebook page:

THIS WEEKEND WICHITA! You're all invited, hope to see you all there!

It all goes down August 30th and 31st, 2025 at Century II in Wichita, Kansas! ICT Comic Con and Science Fiction Expo is going up, up and away for our super action packed Year 9.0 event!

Comic book LEGEND Mike Grell will be joining us as our Artist Guest of Honor. Artist, writer, creator for DC's The Warlord, Green Arrow, Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes, and independent titles Jon Sable Freelance, Starslayer, Shaman's Tears and so many others, this is an opportunity not to be missed!

Straight from the Phantom Zone and the Fortress of Solitude we have actors Jack O'Halloran who played Supervillain Non and actor Jeff East who played the young Clark Kent/Superman in Superman the Movie, the first superhero movie of it's kind!

Heather Thomas who is making a RARE appearance on her way from Hollywood to the mighty ICT! She played stuntwoman and bounty hunter Jody Banks on TV's "The Fall Guy" and she is also well known for her role as Jane Mitchell in the feature film "Zapped" Ms. Thomas is also known for her appearance on several best selling pin-up posters in the 80's.

"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" That's right true believers, the Chairman of the Board is making his way to the mighty ICT! WWE Legend Hacksaw Jim Duggan is in the house! In his own words: "Hacksaw's gonna do what Hacksaw came to do! Beat people up! What you gonna do about it, tough guy?"

Actress Olivia D'Abo is coming to the ICT! She made her debut in the 1984 feature film "Conan the Destroyer" She is also well known for her portrayal of Karen Arnold, the rebellious teenage "hippie" sister of Kevin Arnold on the hit series "The Wonder Years". she was the voice for Jane Porter in Disney's 2001 feature film "Tarzan and Jane" and voiced Jane Porter again in the 2001-2003 TV series "The Legend of Tarzan". She is also known for her voice acting roles in "Ultimate Avengers" and "Ultimate Avengers 2" as well as the voice for Star Sapphire in "Green Lantern: First Flight" and "Justice League: DOOM". She also has Star Wars cred as the voice of Luminara Unduli in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" from 2007 - 2009.

Tickets on sale now at: https://selectaseat.com/comic.

KIDS 12 AND UNDER FREE! Weekend Pass $30. Adult Advance Online Day Pass $16.50. Adult Day Pass at the door $22. Youth (ages 13 -17) Day Pass $13. VIP Pass $50 (early entry, weekend pass, event T-shirt).

Tickets on sale now at: https://selectaseat.com/comic.

ICT Comic Con and Science Fiction Expo Year 9.0!

Saturday 10am - 6pm and Sunday 10am - 5pm

August 30th and 31st, 2025

Century II Exhibition Hall, 225 W Douglas, Wichita, KS 67202

Ict Comic Con & Science Fiction Expo Year 9.0 Special Guests

TFAW Grab Bag #22: Jon Sable Freelance: Ashes of Eden #3

Like Grimjack: The Manx Cat, IDW's Jon Sable Freelance: Ashes of Eden was originally published online by ComicMix (you can still read the entire series here). I received #3 (December 2009) as part of the TFAW grab bag. The cover and interior art were done by Mike Grell, who also wrote the series. I greatly enjoyed the issue and probably be reading the entire series online soon.

The Warlord #15 Preview

Newsarama has a four page preview of The Warlord #15 (August 2010) that will hit the newsstands on June 9. The cover, which shows Joshua wearing the famed helmet, is by Mike Grell, who also does the interior art.

Goodnight Travis Morgan

Word is out that Travis Morgan dies in The Warlord #12. You can read the summery here. Oh My God! You Killed Morgan is an interesting article with an interview by the character's creator, Mike Grell. To be honest, I have not bought any issues of the new series mostly because there is no local comic book store. Word is also out that the series is set to be canceled after #16.

Here is the cover artwork for The Warlord #12 by Mike Grell:

Jon Eddings and Mark A. Nelson were the cover artists for Starslayer #31 (August 1985). "Legends" retells how Torin Mac Quillon, a Celtic warrior from the time of the Roman Empire, is pulled to the distant future. The story was written by John Ostander, inked by Mark A. Nelson, lettered by Willie Schubert, colored by Wendy Fiore, penciled by Jon Eddings and edited by Mike Gold.

Mike Grell originally created Starslayer: The Log of the Jolly Roger for DC Comics but plans were halted with the DC Implosion that canceled many titles. He offered the series to Pacific Comics, who published six issues in 1982. Grell was swayed to continue future issues at First Comics by editor Mike Gold. He left the series with #8.

The Black Flame's back up story is titled "Every Smallest Dream...!" written by Peter B. Gillis, who also created the series. Thomas F. Sutton was the penciller, Don Lomax was the inker, Steve Haynie was the letterer, Rick Taylor was the colorist and Rick Oliver was the editor.

Jon Sable Freelance #33

Mike Grell and Sergio Aragonés team up for Jon Sable Freelance #33 (February 1986). They not only did the cover but also wrote, penciled and inked the story titled "Cave of the Half-Pints". Jon dons his B. B. Flemm's disguise to meet Sucio Eroganes along with Mike and Eden in Los Angeles. Sucio is a cartoonist doing the storyboards for the movie based on Flemm's leprechaun books. The opening sequence's artwork is, of course, done by Mike Grell. The storyboards is done by Sergio Aragonés and follows three leprechauns (Grog O'Leary, Dusty Cruster and Dooley) being kicked out of Dublin's faery mound in 1847. They meet a Red Man on a ship sailing to America, where the trio sets up their faery mound. They start making their own special brew and have several misadventures throw the years.

Jon Sable Freelance #31 and 32

Jon Sable Freelance #31 (December 1985) and 32 (January 1986) features part one and two of "The Gauntlet". After spending a night with Mike, Jon is picked up by a mysterious blonde while taking a walk. She rushes him to the docks to see his old friend Captain Hook aka Jerry Fetter. He is recruited to go into Nicaragua to find out if large crates that the Russians have there are actually MIG 25's. After saying goodbye to Mike, he meets the rest of the team that includes Aileen Saxon (the mysterious blonde who was trained as a Navy SEAL), Ed Gardner (an older demolitions man that served in Korea), Patrick O'Reilly (a black Irishman that got busted up in Vietnam but can still fly anything), Will Jordan (a Texas Ranger that is an excellent marksman and tracker) and Tahnee Hand (half Cherokee and half gypsy woman that that is highly trained in wilderness survival and primitive weapons).

The team plans before going to Nicaragua in Jon Sable Freelance #32. The mission turns even deadlier than expected when the crates end up having medium-range missiles on mobile launches with nuclear warheads.

Mike Grell not only drew both covers but he also wrote and illustrated the two part story. Ken Bruzenak was the letterer and Janice Cohen was the colorist.

Jon Sable Freelance #28, 29 and 30

After a hot shower scene with Sable and Mike, Jon Sable Freelance #28 (September 1985) finds our hero being introduced to Sonny's old friend, Wichita Kaintuck. The pair used to run a movie stunt business called Skid, Crash and Burn, Inc. "Bye Bye Blackbird" has the trio going to a fund raiser along with Mike put on by a famed producer's daughter. Among the items up for bid is Errol Flynn's boots from They Died With Their Boots On, the helmet worn by Kirk Douglas in The Vikings, Clint Eastwood's .44 magnum and the Maltese Falcon. Naturally, the bird is stolen and everyone at the fund raiser is suspected. Mike Grell pays homage to Sam Spade in this issue and the following two issues.

This issue also features part four of the Shatter back up feature.

"Murder...in Spades" is the story's title in Jon Sable Freelance #29 (October 1985) and involves the search for the missing Maltese Falcon.

Part five of the Shatter back up feature is also included in this issue

"The Stuff of Dreams" concludes the search of the missing Maltese Falcon in Jon Sable Freelance (November 1985).

This issue also features part six of the Shatter back up feature.

Jon Sable Freelance #27

Mike Grell once again did the cover for Jon Sable Freelance #27 (August 1985). He also wrote and illustrated "Torch Song" that tells the tale of Jon Moses coming to America in 1951 to meet his father, Jack Sable, and his wife. We learn that his mother escaped the Germans during a bombing attack on D-Day and continued to work for MI9 after the war. He was a rebel during his teens before turning down an appointment to West Point that his father had set up. Jon went to Middlebury College and his father cut him off the family funds. He started blowing sax in a dance band and started to compete in the pentathlon. After a post-graduate course at the government's Vietnam finishing school, he competed and made the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The story shifts back to the present and Jon Sable makes love to Mike Bloodmoon while she is wearing a red sash around her head (there's some pretty adult soap opera moments here folks).

This issue also features another untitled Shatter story.

Jon Sable Freelance #25 and 26

Jon Sable Freelance #25 (June 1985) features "Homecoming Part 1: The Angel" and starts with him in the disguise of B. B. Flemm discussing his leprechaun books as a Broadway play with Eden Kendall. He then meets up with Mike Blackmoon minus the wig, mustache and glasses. She shows him a painting of a line that she did for the hunting article that he wrote. Sable goes home only to find the federal agent waiting to tell him that Sparrow is out to kill him since he did not kill him in the last issue. He takes Mike to a cabin to get closer and he starts telling her of his mother.

"Homecoming Part 2: The Moses Line" is the main feature of Jon Sable Freelance #26 (July 1985). This story is about how his parents met in the last part of World War II. His father, Captain Jack Sable, was part of the Eighth Air Force that got shot down over Belgium. He meets and fall in love with a resistance fighter code named Moses.

Both issues features a bonus Shatter story. Mike Saenz was the artist while Peter B. Gillis was the writer.

Jon Sable Freelance #22 and 24

Jon Sable Freelance #22 (March 1985) and 24 has part one of "The Contract" written by Mike Grell, who also did the covers and illustrated the interior. Widowmaker, the horse from last issue, is now a carriage horse at the start of the first book. Sable takes Mike Blackmoon for a ride to celebrate her birthday. The pair have been growing closer and she is the tall artist for his line of children books that he writes as B. B. Flemm. His publisher, Eden Kendall, also appears in very sexy white lingerie. Anyway, Sable is approached by a federal agent to terminate Sparrow. He thinks the offer over before accepting. Jon Sable Freelance #22 also has "Safari Sketchbook" that features text, sketches and photographs that Mike Grell did while on safari in Africa.

Jon Sable Freelance #24 (May 1985) has the conclusion of "The Contract" (I actually picked up two copies of this by mistake). He finds himself in Isreal making out with Rachel in the desert outside of Jerusalem. Sable sets up a deal with an arms dealer before getting attacked after leaving his establishment. The pair attack a warehouse that has Sparrow's second in command and lover only to find out that it was a set-up. Rachel not only betrayed Sable but was also sent to kill Sparrow. The ending is pretty cool with the last two pages having no words. Another installment of "Safari Sketchbook" is in the back of this issue.

Jon Sable Freelance #21

Jon Sable Freelance #12 (February 1985) features another great cover by Mike Grell. "Widowmaker" had him going after the wife that was convicted of hitting her husband with a horseshoe and has been dubbed the White Widow by the press. She claims that he was kicked in the head by a horse. She is out on bond while her case is on appeal but her husband has been in a coma for the past five years. Widowmaker is also the name of the horse that her husband trained for the Olympics. Jon Sable met him during that time while he was training for the Pentathlon and he was helped with his equestrian events. He tells her that she is not going to get away with it and starts showing up everywhere. Sable even goes to the stable to visit Widowmaker just in time for the White Widow to go for a ride. I will not spoil her fate but it is ironic.

Jon Sable Freelance #19

I have read a couple issues of Jon Sable Freelance from First Comics in the past (#8, 30, 32, 34 and 40 to be exact). When I recently picked up the eighty-nine comics for ninety-nine cents, I picked up several more issues of the series. Mike Grell not only did the cover for Jon Sable Freelance #19 (December 1984) but he also wrote the script as well as penciled and inked the interior art. Janice Cohen was the colorist while Ken Bruzenak did the lettering. This issue's story was titled "Prey" and finds Jon Sable back in Rhodesia, South Africa being hunted by bounty hunters (he has a price on his head). He visits Colonel McKenna and his wife, Ruth, who are the parents of his dead wife, Elise (she died along with their son and daughter in a house fire set by poachers). The Colonel is not very happy to see him but Ruth has a little more sympathy. The end is very touching because the last two pages has no words while the Colonel makes a very important decision. In fact, there are several wordless pages through the issues and Mike Grell's art is just breathtaking.

The Warlord #9 Preview

Wow, Newsarama has an exclusive five page preview of The Warlord #9 that will be on sale December 3, 2009. Here's the beautiful cover by Mike Grell:

The Warlord #8 Preview

Halloween may be over but the treats are still coming in. Newsarma has an exclusive five page preview of The Warlord #8 from DC Comics here. The cover and interior art is by Mike Grell, who also wrote the story.

Halloween Countdown 2009 Day 24: Adventure Comics #431 and #436

The cover of Adventure Comics (February 1974) was done by Jim Aparo, who also penciled the featured story titled "The Wrath of...the Spectre". The back up story is "Is a Snerl Human?" with art by Alex Toth. Interesting ads include Daisy B-B Gun with kid reading comic book in classroom, Charles Atlas, Monster Size Monsters, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer giant size comic, Pop-O-Matic Games (Headache, Trouble, Pop-Cheks, Bingo and Pop-Dog), Super-Hero Stick-Ons (fourteen for two dollars), Super Spectacular issues of Batman #254 and Witching Hour #38, See-Action Football Game and Another Adventure with the Ready Rangers (promoting the new Ready Ranger Mobile Field Pack). This issue does feature a half page subscription ad along with "Behind the Scenes at the DC Comic World" talking about the comicmobile. The letters page, called "Dateline: Adventure", is included in the back.




Jim Aparo was also the cover artist on Adventure Comics #436 (December 1974). He also did the artwork for "The Gasmen and the Spectre" story. Mike Grell did the artwork for the Aquaman story titled "The King is Dead; Long Live the King". Interesting ads include DC Comics titles for twenty cents, authentic Superman costume for only $6.98, Saturday morning on CBS two page spread (Shazam, Partridge Family 2200 AD, Valley of the Dinosaurs, Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine, Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Comedy Show and U.S. of Archie), DC Comics titles with 100 pages for sixty cents, giant editions of Ghosts and Batman, Monster Size Monsters (featuring Frankenstein and Bones the skelton) and Monogram's Big Wheels/Big Deal contest. A letters page is included in the back of this issue.

The Warlord #1 Cover

This Mike Grell cover so much needs to be a poster (click for larger image):

You can read a five page preview at Newsarma's DC Comics First Looks for April 8.