GoComics® and Andrews McMeel Publishing Return to San Diego Comic-Con with Creator Signings, Interactions, Giveaways and Free Membership Trials to GoComics

(July 8, 2014) -- Cartoon/comic creators will autograph and/or meet fans, along with a downtown San Diego street team with surprise giveaways from July 23-27.

Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU) brands GoComics and Andrews McMeel Publishing will exhibit at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2014 to share entertaining and thought-provoking comic strips, book collections, creator interactions and giveaways with SDCC guests.  The brands will converge at the Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Booth (#1503 and 1505), bringing the following to SDCC attendees:

  • A selection of comics and humor collections, including bestsellers from The Oatmeal, Calvin and Hobbes, Dilbert, Pearls Before Swine and AMP! Comics for Kids favorites including Big Nate and Peanuts, which will be available for purchase.
  • GoComics’ offerings of the world’s largest collection of syndicated comics and webcomics. The online portal and mobile app features hundreds of new and classic comics, including 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 including Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County, The Academia Waltz), Todd Clark (Lola), Greg Evans (Luann), Lela Lee (Angry Little Girls) and Gavin Aung Than (Zen Pencils).
  • A one-hour meet-and-greet with Dilbert creator Scott Adams.
  • Daily giveaways including free GoComics PRO memberships, major comic book collections and other comic-related promotional items.
  • Archive-quality prints of the iconic first and last Calvin and Hobbes comic strips, as well as the recent Stephan Pastis/Bill Watterson Pearls Before Swine collaboration, will be available for purchase.

Andrews McMeel’s and GoComics’ Twitter accounts (@AndrewsMcMeel, @GoComics) will play an important role in SDCC outreach this year. Using the hashtags “#GoComics and/or #AndrewsMcMeel”, the teams will send real-time updates through this outlet to share the location of a street team that will provide more than 200 daily giveaways of comics and comic-related items throughout the convention. 

In addition to following #GoComics hashtag to learn about the latest giveaways and signings, Comic-Con attendees are encouraged to share via social media information about Andrews McMeel Publishing’s releases or their favorite GoComics comics. When individuals visit the booth and show their message, they will receive a free three-month membership for a GoComics PRO account, a premium-level, ad-free experience both online and via the GoComics mobile app. This trial membership also allows users an unlimited amount of comics emailed to them daily.

GoComics and Andrews McMeel Publishing fans unable to attend SDCC can follow along via social media. GoComics will use its Twitter presence (@GoComics) to tweet from the convention floor, sharing the experience with its nearly 60,000 followers worldwide. SDCC 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, Instagram and Pinterest.  

Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Signing and Event Schedule:

All creator signings will occur at the Andrews McMeel Publishing/GoComics Booth (#1503 and 1505). Exclusive SDCC 2014 prints will be provided for free at all creator signings.**

Wednesday, July 23

6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: Brian Crane (Pickles)

Thursday, July 24

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Josh Shalek (Kid Shay Comics)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.: Jim Benton (Jim Benton’s Cartoons)

1:45 – 2:15 p.m.: Street Team Giveaway (While supplies last)

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Steve McGarry (Badlands; Biographic; KidTown; Trivquiz)

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: John Lustig (Last Kiss)

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.: Lex Fajardo (Kid Beowulf)

Friday, July 25

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Paul Friedrich (Man v. Liver)

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Justin Thompson (Myth Tickle)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.: Ted Rall (editorial cartoonist; The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done)

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Greg Evans (Luann)

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Gavin Aung Than (Zen Pencils)

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Street Team Giveaway (While supplies last)

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.: Scott Adams (Dilbert)**

Saturday, July 26

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Bob Scott (Molly and the Bear)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.: Lela Lee (Angry Little Girls)

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Todd Clark (Lola)

3:30 – 4:15 p.m.: Street Team Giveaway (While supplies last)

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Lalo Alcaraz (editorial cartoonist; La Cucaracha)

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.: Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County; The Academia Waltz)

Sunday, July 27

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Keith Knight (The K Chronicles; The Knight Life; (th)ink)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.: Gavin Aung Than (Zen Pencils)

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man)

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Graham Nolan (Sunshine State)

** No autographs will be given during Dilbert creator Scott Adams' meet-and-greet. Fans will have the opportunity to meet the creator personally and have GoComics/AMP staff take a photograph with the individual's camera or smartphone.

To track on-the-ground SDCC 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.  Upcoming highlights include The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons I Run Long Distances by #1 New York Times bestselling author Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal), Zen Pencils: Cartoon Quotes from Inspirational Folks by Gavin Aung Than, The Batman Files paperback edition, and AMP! Comics for Kids titles including And the Crowd Goes Wild! by New York Times bestselling author Lincoln Peirce, Desmond Pucket and the Mountain Full of Monsters by Mark Tatulli, and Charlie Brown: Pow! by Charles Schulz. 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 cartoons 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 comics 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                              

816.581.7658                                                             

jhalper@amuniversal.com                              


Kathy Hilliard, Andrews McMeel Publishing            

816.581.7497

khilliard@amuniversal.com