BCC Adds Six More To Guest List For September 2026

from the official Baltimore Comic Con press release . . . . . .

Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 Welcomes DeCarlo, Marques, Middleton, Story, Tomasi, and Williams

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - July 6, 2026 - Attend the 2026 Baltimore Comic-Con this September 25-27 at the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con welcomes to the 2026 show comics guests Mike DeCarlo, Anthony Marques, Josh Middleton, Karl Story, Peter Tomasi, and Keith Williams. You can get your tickets online now!

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Mike DeCarlo has been a comic and animation/cartoon artist since 1980, including work for The Simpsons, Archie, Marvel, DC, BOOM! Studios, Disney, and Warner Brothers.

Anthony Marques, a graduate of the prestigious Joe Kubert School, launched his career as an editor at DC Comics and Dynamite Entertainment before transitioning to a full-time freelance artist. Driven by a passion for the medium, he has brought fresh and innovative perspectives to his work on iconic characters for publishers like DC Comics and Dynamite, including Batman, Superman, the Green Hornet, and the Ghostbusters. Beyond his contributions to these major publishers, Anthony also taught at the Joe Kubert School, eventually becoming its president and owner. In this role, he collaborates with other educators to mentor and cultivate the next generation of comic book creators.

Joshua Middleton began his career as a comic book artist in 1999, providing illustrations for every major publisher and eventually branching out into animation and film design. In 2005, he began his long-running relationship with DC Comics, illustrating Superman/Shazam: First Thunder before rising to prominence as a premier cover artist on a wide variety of DC titles, including his recent notable runs on Aquaman and Batgirl. His exceptional skill and uncommon range as an artist have earned him his place amongst the very best cover artists in the industry.

One of the original members of Gaijin Studios, Karl Story's inks have graced the pages of titles such as DC's Action Comics, Nightwing, Batman '66, Legends of the Dark Knight, Ocean, and The American Way, as well as Marvel's X-Menand Dark Horse's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 among many, many others. You can find his recent work in DC's The Multiversity: The Society of Super-Heroes: Conquerors of the Counter-World and Dark Horse's Serenity: Leaves of the Wind.

Peter J. Tomasi, recipient of the 2018 Inkpot Award for achievement in comics, is a New York Times bestselling author known for his work on Batman and Robin, Superman, Super Sons, Batman: Detective Comics, Green Lantern Corps, and Superman/Wonder Woman, as well as Sinister Sons, Batman: Arkham Knight, Brightest Day, Emerald Warriors, Nightwing, Black Adam, and many more. During his staff career at DC Comics, Tomasi served as a group editor and ushered in new eras for Batman, Green Lantern, and the JSA, along with a host of special projects like Kingdom Come. He is also the author of the creator-owned titles House of Penance with artist Ian Bertram, Light Brigade with artist Peter Snejbjerg, The Mighty with Keith Champagne and Chris Samnee, Blood Tree with artist Maxim Simic, and the critically acclaimed epic graphic novel The Bridge: How the Roeblings Connected Brooklyn to New York, illustrated by Sara DuVall and published by Abrams ComicArts. Tomasi also wrote the Marvel Comics Sirius XM Podcast series Wastelanders - Wolverine and the best-selling Warner Bros. Animation epics Death of Superman and Green Lantern Emerald Knights. And most recently, Tomasi joined forces with a number of the comic world's top writers and artists to form the creator-owned company Ghost Machine, where his first two titles, The Rocketfellers with Francis Manapul and Hornsby & Halo with Peter Snejbjerg will be published through Image Comics.

Keith Williams, comic book artist-inker, and recipient of the 2025 Joe Sinnott Inkwell Hall of Fame Award, enrolled in the School of Visual Arts in New York City from 1976 to 1980. He majored in Media Arts and studied under Will Eisner, the creator of The Spirit comic strip. He received a Bachelor of Fine Art. With the help of Marvel comic book artist and mentor Don Perlin, Keith started working for Marvel Comics in 1982 as a background inker. He worked for inkers including Joe Sinnott, Mike Esposito, and John Byrne. At Marvel, he became the first John Romita Raider, an art correction group. Keith later became an assistant editor under Jim Owlsley (Christopher Priest) on the Spider-Man group of books. The two became the first all-black editorial team in Marvel's history. He later became John Byrne's background artist on Alpha Flight, The Hulk, Superman, and Action Comics. Keith began inking regularly with the Web of Spider-Man for four years. In between that time and after, he worked on many other books at Marvel, some of which were The Silver Surfer, She-Hulk with John Byrne, Warlock with Tom Raney, Quasarwith Greg Capullo, Star Trek, and the X-Men. At Dark Horse Comics, he worked on The Mask and Walter with artist Doug Manke and Star Wars Droids. At DC Comics, he worked on Superman, and the Lobo/Mask graphic novel with Doug Manke. For Valiant, he worked on Quantum and Woody and the covers of X-O Manowar. At Moonstone Comics, he did The Kolchak Night Stalker Chronicles, Buckaroo Banzai, and Domino Lady. For ten years, he worked on The Phantom as inker and letterer for King Features Syndicate. At Avatar Press, he inked Lady Death and Crossedcovers, and the cover and interiors of the comic book Uber. He has also inked Avatar Press' published graphic novel, Max Brook's Harlem Hellfighters. Keith has inked over Ron Frenz's pencils for Marvel's Thor the Worthy one-shot book. He pencilled, inked, and colored Boglin trading cards, and was an artist for Power Comic Inc. He has received the 2023 Above and Beyond Inkwell Award for prolific achievement in the annual Joe Sinnott Inking Challenge events. Keith has been doing cover artwork for Green Archer Comics on their Johnny Dollar and Buck Rodger series, and has also been working on a Kickstarter -- Keith Williams Sketchbook, which is out now. Keith served as the cover artist for Felandra, created by Blake Zawadzki. Elva, a character Keith created back in his college days, made her appearance in issue number 8 of A Kid and a Comic, which is an adaptation of the old Sunday comic strips. Keith also served as cover artist for Resolute Bliss Publishing. Keith has recently been inducted into the inaugural Phillipsburg Hall of Fame at Phillipsburg Comic-Con.

"These are seasoned comics industry veterans," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "They have worked on an enormous number of titles and issues across a broad array of publishers. Collectors will undoubtedly have something any one of these creators has had a hand in, and you'll want to seek them out at the show this September!"

Tickets that are now on sale include: Weekend Friday only Saturday only Sunday only VIP Creator Fan Packages As always, children 10 and under are free with a paid adult admission!

Click to Buy Tickets

Music of 2026, #17: THE SHEEPDOGS

MUSIC OF 2026,  #17:  When I listen to this band, I get '70's AM Radio vibes. Reminds me of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Click the links below to listen . . . . . 

Sheepdogs - Nobody But You 

Sheepdogs - Keep Out Of The Storm

Sheepdogs - I Do

Sheepdogs - Bad For Your Health

The Sheepdogs are a Canadian rock band formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 2004. The Sheepdogs were the first unsigned band to make the cover of Rolling Stone and have gone on to a career featuring multi-platinum album sales and four Juno Awards.

MY WEEK IN COMICS - - - JUNE 28, 2026

MY WEEK IN COMICS  - - -  for the week ending Sunday, JUNE 28 2026  

#218 - #224 ROBIN #177 - #183 by Fabian Nicieza and Freddie Williams III (DC Comics, 2009)  The promotional synopsis:

With Batman gone from Gotham City, Robin must stop the gang warfare that threatens to overrun the city. And what does the mysterious Red Robin have to do with the situation?

While I’m not a fan of the story-telling style of Fabian Nicieza (after this,

still not) this is one of his better works. Also, the dynamic artwork of Freddie Williams III makes up for those shortcomings in many places.  This is the final story arc of Tim Drake as Robin as the series (which began back in 1993) was discontinued after 183 issues. Although Tim Drake shows up in the BATMAN: SEARCH FOR THE COWL storyline which followed this, as well as the RED ROBIN series. 

   Batman and Bruce Wayne are missing and considered by many of the Bat-Family to be deceased. But, others believe he has decided not to return after some soul-searching and a retreat to a Himalayan shaman and isolation in a cave. (See Grant Morrison’s BATMAN: R.I.P.)  Tim Drake believes it best to maintain the idea that Batman is still out there protecting Gotham, especially considering the rise in gang warfare which Tim is trying to control while Nightwing is busy with the bigger crime bosses/villains.

   There’s a lot of soul-searching and the whole story arc centers around how Tim handles things and develops as a more responsible, less brash and impulsive, hero. Jason Todd messes things up by trying to unite the gangs and broker peace but his methods results in the gangs fighting each other. Meanwhile, Tims’ relationship with Stephanie/Spoiler is on the fritz, and she was taken into Batman’s confidence and asked to challenge Tim in order to test his mettle for leadership. 

  Many side stories are introduced which sometimes confuse the central plot, including the presence of Red Robin (different people use the costume), and the revival of Anarky (but not the original). THREE STARS.

#225-#230 =  THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, VOLUME ONE by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics/Black Label, March 2022) 

I'm finally getting around to continue reading the story in Volume Two. But, I wanted to refresh my memory so I began with a re-read (this might be the 3rd or 4th time, but this is good enough to read every year) of Volume One.

    

  While there's not much I need to add to my 2023 review, I always find additional appreciation for the story-telling artistry of both creators.  At its' core, this isn't a complicated story. At the end of the world an alien (in human disguise for years) decides to save his friends and invites them to a lake house retreat where apparently they will spend their end of days in confinement, a pleasant but nonetheless prison. 

What sets this apart from the mountain of post-apocalypse stories is the way the story is unfolded in bits and pieces, little character reveals, and snippets of information. Tynion manages to make the readers a part of it. They know only as much as the survivors do and uncover bits of information together. That's why I consider this a masterpiece of graphic story-telling. Highly recommended. FIVE STARS.

#231 =  THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE #7 by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics/Black Label, May 2022)

At the end of Volume One the eleventh member of the guests at alien Walter’s lake resort, Reggie, is broken out of the separate glass house where Walter had confined him, and introduced to the others. He’s a high school friend of Walter’s, another artist/designer, who helped Walter construct the resort.  The big reveal at the conclusion is Reggie telling the others that there is still time to save the world and he knows how.

There’s a lot of unanswered questions and mystery surrounding everything as I begin reading the second arc of stories. I’m going to be sharing my thoughts here, so if you don’t want spoilers just know that I highly recommend this title and move on. I’m reading these slowly and sometimes a second or third time - - yeah, there’s that much that you could miss the first time around. There’s also little hints in the imaginative art from Bueno. 

The back page of this issue contains a guide to the characters, which I find extremely helpful and refer to it often. Curiously, all ten characters are depicted, plus Walter - - but no Reggie. Hmmm, wonder why?

The issue opens with Molly (The Accountant) in a field that appears to be on fire. Has she escaped? I’m not sure. In the last panel of her scene there are those huge sculptures of alien symbols like those seen around the estate.  I’ve suspected that the entire lake resort is a construct of Walter’s that he is mind-managing  - - and the actual reality is that the landscape is nothing like the countryside of Earth used to look like. There are some clues throughout from Bueno where wildlife appears to show partial alien aspects.

  In the flashback we learn that Molly and Walter were college friends who were involved in keeping the stormy relationship between Norman (now transgendered Norah/The Writer) and Veronica/Reggie/The Scientist. 

It appears that Walter has returned to associating with the group, and they act like he is a captive just like them. Apparently, they have forgotten who he is. Curiously, new member Reggie is not seated at the breakfast table but in a chair separate from the others, and only conversing with Walter. There’s evidence that Walter has influenced the memory of others in a scene where he causes Reggie to forget a question that Walter didn’t like. 

In a dark scene, Norah has a breakdown and mentally berates Walter. If this is in present time, then she may be the only one who resisted the mind-wiping. Yeah, I think so — as later in the issue it seems that Walter has confined her to a new and separate house. He also needs Norah’s help, as revealed in the final panels.  Still a FIVE-STAR read for me.

#232 =  THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE #8 by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics/Black Label, June 2022)

When describing this series to friends I label it as a post-apocalyptic science fiction tale  - - - but the more I think about this the horror genre also fits, and quite well.

   When you get to the crux of it, Walter may be an alien but he’s quite the stalker. His obsession and attention to the eleven characters he’s chosen to “save” from the end of the world is genuinely creepy. And, now that’s he put himself back into the mix as one of the group and coming to prominence as an influencer on the rest is unsettling. 

     But cracks are starting to develop, as some individuals are regaining part of their memories and resist the impulse to think they are all just living in a heaven-like paradise where their food and shelter is automatically taken care of by some benevolent outsider or outsiders.

   The spotlight this issue is on Sarah/The Consultant, who seems to have lost her mantle as influencer to Walter, and is struggling with feelings of isolation - that she doesn’t matter in the same way that Ryan/The Artist and Norah/The Writer are suffering.

     What about Reggie/The “Designer”? He’s now conversing with the others, as Walter has had him design a separate customized house for each of them. He’s still not on the back page guide to the characters, and I’m still wondering why he is absent there. This issue slipped a little for me in terms of awesomeness, but the rating still remains at FIVE STARS.

#233  THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE #9 by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics/Black Label, July 2022)  It becomes clear that these flashback moments that open each issue occur closer to the finale of the story arc, and are pretty frightening. The spotlight this time is on Arturo/The Acupuncturist.

  Reggie/The Architect/Designer (my designation) has created an custom home for Arturo built to his specification, including an indoor calming pool, and stocked with expensive acupuncture needles. A grateful Arturo makes Reggie his first patient and together they discover something disturbing that is later shared with the other house members. 

 

  I just noticed this issue (why it pays off to read them more than once) that Bueno always depicts Walter with opaque lenses in his glasses so that his eyes are never visible. A nice touch.

   Norah, who seems to be in solitary confinement and already forgotten by the others via another mindwipe by Walter, finds a way to communicate with Ryan. 

    During Walter’s nightly visits to Norah to try and get her to appreciate and empathize with what he’s done - - - Norah persuades him to share something confidential at the sealed building that Walter often retreats to. And, she leaves a back-door access for Ryan. 

     Things are heating up. This is a pivotal issue. I’ll share no more. FIVE STARS.

#234 =  THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE #10 by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno  (DC Comics/Black Label, November 2022)  Oh, this is getting wicked good. Naya/The Doctor gets spotlight time in the opening pages. 

Two major things occur this issue.  The guests believe they are immortal and possess a healing factor. After some experiments, they confirm it. So, they decide to test it further . . . with guns.

  The other major development is Walter breaks down and agrees to share operational information with Norah, whose opinion and acceptance he craves (perhaps since he felt he was in love with her in her Norman persona back in high school). He shows her the controls that run everything, all the way down to the health and mental stability of the guests. Big mistake.  He wanted her approval because he desired support for something he did - - which was to break the rules set down by his alien race. Also big mistake. 

  

  I look forward to the next two issues. FIVE STARS.

#235-#236 =  THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE #11-#12 by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics/Black Label, December 2022-February 2023)

Before reading the final issues of this series, I spent some time speculating about the ending.  Based on those opening page visuals every issue, I imagined the worst possible fate.

    Of course, there is more than one option, but are any of them any good and is there one that would be the least devastating?

I will not share the ending here.  In the final two issues there are changes in opinions, betrayals, secret pacts, awakenings, role reversals and plenty of trauma and drama. I will share that Bueno’s visuals are amazing in these final issues. 

One of my favorite scenes for both dialogue and visuals occurs in Issue #12, one of several great scenes in this issue.

Reggie/the first Artist and Architect is speaking to Norah/The Writer:

“Norah, are you okay?”

Norah: “Obviously not.”

Reggie: “It seemed like before . . . it seemed like you were going to say something. I wondered if maybe when our memories came back . . . if you remembered something important.”

Norah: “I remembered a lot of things. . . . But nothing that could have made a difference.”

Without spilling all the beans, the reason why Reggie never appeared on the back page character guides is answered, as well as a lot of questions about the story. While many may be unhappy with the ending, it does conclude --

and in a satisfactory manner. Yes, the door is left open for more story. And I will read it when it happens. FIVE STARS.

#237-#240 =  BLOOD COMMANDMENT #1-#4 written, illustrated and colored by Szymon Kudranski (Image Comics, November 2023-February 2024)

A fairly generic vampire story elevated by Kudranski's amazing and cinematic, photo-realistic artwork. Heartwarming father-son drama, complicated by the father concealing from his son the fact that he is a vampire. Regrets (the mother died from cancer when the father could have saved her by turning her into a vampire, but didn't) and sacrifice. A pure evil protagonist. 

The art is the champion here, with a story that is well-told but bogged down in places by heavy dialogue, often philosophical. But certainly, a story worth re-reading for the amazing story-telling abilities on display here. Kudranski is a creator to follow. FOUR STARS.

  The promotional synopsis:

Living an isolated life in a shadowed valley surrounded by mountains and a thick forest, a father and son are terrorized by a dangerous supernatural presence. Only the father’s dark secrets can save them…or damn their souls for all eternity! Being a single father can be tough, but for Ezra Connolly, it’s a duty he doesn’t take lightly. Living off-grid, away from prying eyes, in the heart of forest country, he spends his days teaching his teenage son Wil survival skills. But Wil has questions, questions Ezra fears to answer—about his past, and about why they never leave the valley before sundown. From the creator of the breakout hit series SOMETHING EPIC and the artist of SPAWN and Punisher, SZYMON KUDRANSKI serves us a story about survival, sacrifice, and hope.