GoComics® and Andrews McMeel Publishing Exhibit at Kansas City’s Planet Comicon With Creator Signings, Panel Discussions and Giveaways

Cartoon/comic creators will autograph, offer free GoComics PRO subscriptions and giveaways from March 14-16.

Kansas City, Mo. (February 28, 2014) – Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU) brands GoComics and Andrews McMeel Publishing will exhibit at their hometown Planet Comicon 2014 to share entertaining and thought-provoking comic strips, book collections, creator interactions and giveaways with the Planet Comicon (PCC) guests.   The brands will converge at the Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Booth (#1325) at Planet Comicon at Bartle Hall , bringing the following to their hometown’s residents and visitors:
           

  • A selection of comic books for purchase, including The Oatmeal’s latest collection, Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants; Pearls Falls Fast by Stephan Pastis; a variety of FoxTrot favorites; and offerings from the AMP! Comics for Kids line for middle-grade readers, including the just-released Big Nate: Great Minds Think Alike by Lincoln Peirce.
  • GoComics’ offerings of the world’s largest collection of syndicated comics and webcomics. The online catalog and mobile app include iconic comic strips such as Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Dilbert, Garfield and FoxTrot to currently popular comics such as Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy and The Argyle Sweater.
  • Scheduled one-hour, free signings by creators Bill Amend (FoxTrot), Charlie Podrebarac (CowTown, FatCats), Eric Scott (Back in the Day) and Marc Shank (Scurvyville).
  • Daily giveaways including Calvin and Hobbes archive-quality prints, comic book collections, Star Trek calendars and more.
  • Intriguing panel discussions relating to the comics industry.

PCC attendees who visit the booth and show a social media message sharing information about Andrews McMeel Publishing’s releases or the #GoComics hashtag will receive a special gift related to the 25th anniversary of Dilbert and a free three-month GoComics PRO account, which allows users to get an unlimited number of comics emailed to them daily and an ad-free experience on the GoComics mobile/tablet app.

Aside from the brands’ booth presence, Universal Uclick/GoComics associates and creators will participate in two thought-provoking panels during PCC. Panel times are as follows:

  • The Last Ride of Lee Salem, Editor of Calvin and Hobbes: Moderated by Universal Uclick/GoComics Director of Marketing Gene Willis and featuring Universal Uclick President Emeritus Lee Salem, this 50-minute panel will function as a conversation and Q&A session with the syndicate executive who signed Calvin and Hobbes, For Better or For Worse, The Far Side, Cathy, FoxTrot, The Boondocks and dozens of others. An industry icon, Salem has a wealth of experience and stories that any comics enthusiast will find enlightening. Joining Salem and Willis are Universal Uclick/GoComics editor Lucas Wetzel and FoxTrot cartoonist Bill Amend.
  • How to Market Comic Strips Today: In previous decades, comic strips were the delicious and funny center of a reader’s daily dose of communication, placed in the middle of their newspapers and hearts. While newspapers are no longer the main veins for mass communication, comic strips/panels and their new-generation siblings webcomics have enjoyed a strong renaissance in pop culture. 

This panel will share the wide experiences of print, syndicated and web cartoonists alike. From viral marketing, presences at events such as San Diego Comic-Con, social media outreach, tours and more, we’ll hear from some of the engaging storytellers who are creating today, including Universal Uclick/GoComics associates and creators such as Kansas City’s own Charlie Podrebarac (CowTown, FatCats).
  • Breaking into Comics: How do you become a professional comic book or comic strip creator? Join a panel of editors who specialize in spotting new talent, including Universal Uclick Acquisitions Editor Shena Wolf. 

GoComics and Andrews McMeel Publishing fans unable to attend PCC can follow along via social media. GoComics will use its Twitter presence (@GoComics) to tweet from the convention floor, sharing the experience with its 60,000 followers worldwide. PCC guests and @GoComics followers can track the conversation using the hashtag #GoComics. The on-site team will also share photos via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest. Additionally, Andrews McMeel Publishing will be sharing information via Facebook, Twitter (@AndrewsMcMeel), Tumblr and Pinterest. 
 
With headquarters in downtown Kansas City, Andrews McMeel Publishing and GoComics provide unique opportunities on a local level to further experience the fun associated with PCC.  Located just a few blocks from PCC at 12th and Walnut, the brands encourage attendees to scout out the impressive 8-bit “sticky note” window art located in its front windows. Those who capture the artwork and share it on social media using the #GoComics hashtag will be entered into a drawing for a set of frameable prints of the first and last Calvin and Hobbes comic strips.
 
Of particular interest to local PCC attendees and Kansas City barbecue fans, GoComics creator Charlie Podrebarac is the artist behind the labels on Oklahoma Joe’s barbecue sauce bottles, as well as artwork prominently featured around the city. Podrebarac will be signing at the Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Booth (#1325), as outlined in the signing schedule below.

Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Signing and Panel Schedule:
All creator signings will occur at the Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Booth (#1325). Exclusive PCC 2014 prints will be provided for free at all creator signings. Seating for panel discussions is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Panel locations are listed below.

Friday, March 14
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.: Eric Scott (Back in the Day)
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: Charlie Podrebarac (CowTown, FatCats)
 

Saturday, March 15
11 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Bill Amend (FoxTrot)
1:00 – 1:50 p.m.: (PANEL) The Last Ride of Lee Salem, Editor of Calvin and Hobbes (Room 2502)
3:00 – 3:50 p.m.: (PANEL) Breaking into Comics (Room 2504)
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Marc Shank (Scurvyville)

 
Sunday, March 16
1:00 – 1:50 p.m.: (PANEL) How to Market Comic Strips Today (Room 2502) 
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Eric Scott (Back in the Day)
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Charlie Podrebarac (CowTown, FatCats)

To track on-the-ground PCC updates each day of the convention, visit:
Twitter: @GoComics (#GoComics); @AndrewsMcMeel
Facebook: facebook.com/gocomics; facebook.com/andrewsmcmeelpublishing
Instagram: GoComics     
Pinterest: pinterest.com/gocomics; pinterest.com/andrewsmcmeel                   
Tumblr: gocomics.tumblr.com; andrewsmcmeelbooks.tumblr.com

About Andrews McMeel Publishing:
Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP) has a passion for publishing original talent, delighting consumers with innovative books and gifts that are worth sharing. Spring highlights include Pearls Falls Fast and Jerktastic Park by New York Times bestselling authors Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine) and Darby Conley (Get Fuzzy), and AMP! Comics for Kids titles including Big Nate: Great Minds Think Alike by New York Times bestselling author Lincoln Peirce, Charlie Brown and Friends by Charles Schulz, and the debut of The Ice Cream Kid: Brain Freeze by Todd Clark. AMP is also the nation’s top calendar publisher, annually producing calendars based on many top-selling properties and selling more than 15 million calendars each year. For more information, please visit andrewsmcmeel.com.
 
About GoComics
GoComics, from Universal Uclick, is home to many of the most popular comics and cartoons in the world. GoComics.com is the web's largest catalog of syndicated newspaper strips and web comics, offering new, fresh and free content every day. Classic and iconic comics include Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, Ziggy and Dilbert. Recent successes include FoxTrot, Get Fuzzy, Pearls Before Swine, The Argyle Sweater, The Boondocks and Cul de Sac. There are two membership options (Free and Pro), both providing personalized online and mobile app access to new and classic comics. GoComics is also home to Comics Sherpa, the site where aspiring cartoonists can showcase their work and receive feedback from the comic community. With content from critically acclaimed comic creators, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonists and the hottest up-and-coming talents, GoComics is guaranteed to have something that will make you smile. A full comic catalog can be found at GoComics.com or via its free mobile/tablet app on multiple platforms.

 
Media Contacts:
Julie Halper, Universal Uclick/GoComics                          Kathy Hilliard, Andrews McMeel Publishing
816.581.7658                                                                       816.581.7497
jhalper@amuniversal.com                                                   khilliard@amuniversal.com