Baltimore Comic-Con Adds SIX MORE GUESTS

FROM THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE . . . . .

Baltimore Comic-Con 2026 Welcomes Chen, Dunbier, Hanna, Martinbrough, Snyder, and Tucci

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - May 19, 2026 - The Baltimore Comic-Con will return to the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center on the weekend of September 25-27, 2026. The Baltimore Comic-Con is happy to welcome Sean Chen, Scott Dunbier, Scott Hanna, Sean Martinbrough, Scott Snyder (Friday and Sunday only), and Billy Tucci as guests of our 2026 event! Find tickets online now!

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Sean Chen has been a major part of the comic book industry for over two decades. Starting with Valiant Comics, his debut book, Rai And the Future Force, topped the charts with over 800,000 copies sold. He then moved on to Harbinger and Bloodshot before landing on their flagship title, X-O Manowar. Sean then found a new home at Marvel where he started what would become the longest and most remembered run of his career working on Iron Man. For the next decade, he was the artist on a number of titles, including Wolverine, X-Men, Spider-Man, Nova, and the Avengers. Currently, Sean is writing and drawing his creator-owned mind-bending sci-fi thriller, Evermind for 247 Comics with co-creator, actor Daniel Wu. Instagram @seanchenart

Scott Hanna is an Eisner Award-winning artist in the graphic novel industry. Scott Hanna has been drawing and inking comic books for over 30 years. His work has been published in over 1,000 comics and graphic novels, and he’s inked over 25,000 pages of comics art. At Marvel Comics, Scott has worked on all of the top characters at the company, known for working on most of the Spider-Man titles over the past 30 plus years, sometimes working on multiple Spider-Man titles at the same time. Scott has also had runs on the Avengers, Iron Man, the X-Men, The Hulk, Fantastic Four, and many more. At DC Comics, he has worked on most of their major titles, including a five year run on Detective Comics starring Batman, Green Lantern Corps, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Superman, and Teen Titans. Scott is currently working at Marvel on Amazing Spider-Manand various covers with John Romita Jr., this year being their 30th anniversary as a team on Spider-Man. Also, he is working on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder, doing interiors and painted covers, and a creator-owned newspaper strip, Dodge & Hustle, where he is co-writing, pencilling, and inking. Upcoming projects include pencilling and inking interiors and covers. He is cofounder of the Arts and Fashion Institute in PA with his wife Pamela Ptak. Scott teaches classes in sequential art, painting, inking, anatomy, drawing, and cartooning.

Scott Dunbier has been editing comics for more than 30 years. He has worked with some of the finest creators in comics and created two industry standard formats–Absolute Editions and Artist's Editions, the latter of which he has curated more than 100 volumes. He was Executive Editor at DC/WildStorm and Special Projects-VP at IDW Publishing. In 2024, he and his wife Amanda launched Act 4 Publishing where they continue their efforts to preserve comic art history in ridiculously large art books. Most years, he also runs the charity art auction benefiting Hero Initiative at Baltimore Comic-Con.

Shawn Martinbrough is the author of How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling by Penguin Random House and an Eisner Award-nominated artist whose comic book projects include Batman: Detective Comics, Luke Cage Noir, The Black Panther: Man Without Fear, and Hellboy. Shawn illustrated Thief of Thieves, the graphic novel series co-created with Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) and the Eisner-nominated Prométhée 13:13, published by Éditions Delcourt-Soleil and ABLAZE. He is a co-author of Judge Kim and the Kids’ Court by Simon & Schuster and the artist of Like Lava in My Veins, the 2024 NAACP Image Award-nominated, best-selling kid's book written by Derrick D. Barnes and published by Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Kids. Shawn is a Vanity Fair contributor, the writer of Red Hood: The Hill for DC Comics, and is currently writing and illustrating The HEAVY, an original graphic novel for Megascope/Abrams Books.

A New York Times Best Selling author with previous works on DC's Batman, Superman, and Justice League, and Image Comics' Wytches, Scott Snyder (appearing at this year's show on Friday and Sunday) has made a name for himself, with his current focus on his creator-owned books such as Nocterra, Chain, We Have Demons, Clear, Night of the Ghoul, Barnstormers, Dudley Datson, Canary, Duck and Cover, and Book of Evil.

Inkpot Award recipient Billy Tucci is a cartoonist best known for his modern-day samurai saga Shi, which began with The Way of the Warrior in 1994. Through his company, Crusade Fine Arts, Shi has been printed in five languages and sold more than 3 million comic books. In addition to his own creations, the graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology has earned the prestigious Diamond Comics Gem Award and has been nominated for four Eisner Awards. Billy’s DC Comics graphic novel, Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion, was awarded the Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal for its depiction of the highly decorated, real-life 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was comprised of Japanese-American soldiers. His earnest retelling of the Christmas story in A Child Is Born has quietly turned into an international blockbuster, winning the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award. His critically acclaimed Miss Fury: Joy Division saw the return of the Golden Age Icon for Dynamite Comics. Billy has recently released Shi: Return of the Warrior, Shi: Haikyo, Shi: Omnibus Edition, and Zombie-Sama via Kickstarter and Indiegogo, uniting backers from over fifty countries and bringing Crusade Comics' previous exclusive crowdfunding campaign totals to over $1,000,000.00.

"You can't throw a rock without hitting a comics superstar at our event," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "From some of the highest profile creators working in comics today to veteran workhorses, mainstream rockstars to indie royalty, comics fans of all sorts will find some of their favorites in our hall. Don't miss it!"

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!

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Advance Preview - - - EMILY KADO: THE SPIDERS' SECRET

 EDITOR'S NOTE:  We rarely feature comics works designed for middle grade and younger readers. So in order to correct that omission, from time to time I will share press releases such as the one below received from  Don't Hide Publicity    . . . . .

EMILY KADO: THE SPIDERS’ SECRET Coming Soon from Papercutz

A Witch Costume, A Missing Friend, and One Unexpected Ally Lead to a Night Where Fear Doesn’t Get the Final Word

MAY 19, 2026 (PORTLAND, OR) — When the lights go out, imagination turns everything up.  Announcing EMILY KADO: THE SPIDERS’ SECRET, the newest middle-grade graphic novel from Papercutz, the kids’ imprint of Mad Cave Studios. Written and illustrated by Antoine Dodé, translated by Joe Johnson, with lettering by Dave Sharpe, this 120-page adventure blends gentle humor with eerie twists, an uplifting and encouraging children’s story that champions the power of imagination and proves that we all dare to face our fears, no matter how old you are! Emily’s favorite thing to do is play with her best friend, Suzie. One day, when Emily goes to surprise Suzie at her house, Suzie isn’t home…but other scarier things are! Soon, Emily is on her own exciting adventure where she is joined by a new, helpful insect friend along the way. With his help and that of her special witch costume, Emily finds the courage to confront her fears of spiders, the dark, and…crazy clowns!

Antoine Dodé shared, “I have always loved scary stories. I believe they help us come to terms with our fears, and reading them—warm under the covers while rain taps against the windows and the air turns cold outside—is one of my greatest pleasures. Halloween has always felt like the perfect extension of that. When I was a child, it existed in France mostly through American pop culture, and I was fascinated by it. The day I learned that Emily Kado would be translated into English, I felt an indescribable sense of joy—I would finally be able to share this story with the country that made me fall in love with Halloween. Now, I hope for just one thing: that you enjoy discovering Emily Kado’s adventure—safe under the covers, with a warm cup of hot chocolate in hand… and ready to savor the shivers.”

A strong fit for readers drawn to character-led adventures that explore fear through imagination, Emily Kado: The Spiders’ Secret sits comfortably alongside stories that embrace the surreal and the sincere in equal measure. It’s a story about growing up without rushing it. Emily Kado: The Spiders’ Secret goes on sale August 11, 2026, in paperback (ISBN: 9781545827499 | $12.99) and hardcover (ISBN: 9781545827505 | $17.99) formats. Preorder through your local comic shop, bookstore, or at papercutz.com today! Papercutz is dedicated to publishing great graphic novels for all ages, from humor and adventure to mystery and heartfelt coming-of-age tales.  Stay up to date with Mad Cave Studios—and its imprints Papercutz, Maverick, and Nakama Press on social media, or visit www.madcavestudios.com to explore new releases, licensed series, and creator-owned titles.

Papercutz is dedicated to publishing great graphic novels for all ages. Popular with reluctant readers and gifted readers alike, Papercutz graphic novels for kids, tweens, and teens include a wide range of genres, including humor, action adventure, mystery, horror, and favorite characters. We work every day to introduce young readers to the imaginative wonders waiting to be discovered in comics.

Mad Cave Studios, established in 2014, is an independent publisher committed to providing the very best in graphic storytelling. Mad Cave’s catalog includes a captivating blend of licensed, creator-owned, and original works, created by a diverse cast of storytellers focused on cultivating impactful character-driven narratives. Mad Cave Studios is the parent company to Maverick, Nakama Press, and Papercutz, enriching the literary landscape for readers of all ages.

About Don't Hide PR With over 25 years in the entertainment industry, Don't Hide PR appreciates artistry and integrity. We support creators.