Guest of honor Alan Dean Foster will be signing books in Booth 225 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Science fiction authors Catherine Asaro and Tobias Buckell will be reading from their current and forthcoming work on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Panel Room 3.

(Note: The David Mack panel formerly scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday has been canceled; but never fear, David will be at the con all weekend long in Booth 629.)

A newly scheduled panel, MOC Presents: Ethan Van Sciver, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Panel Room 2.

(Note: The CGC presentation formerly scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday has been canceled. Interested collectors should check out grading guru Steve Borock's and Metropolis Collectibles partner Vincent Zurzolo's investment-grade collectibles panel at 2 p.m. Saturday instead.)

As the big day is now upon us, we thought we'd post an update with further details on the Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 VIP package. Visit the MOC-BLOG for further details and Mid-Ohio-Con tickets page to buy one of our last remaining VIP passes.

We've updated the schedule and list of films for the Mid-Ohio-Con Indie Film Festival (MOC-IFF) to include descriptions of each film and additional details about the event. Check out the revised MOC-IFF post at the MOC-BLOG.

We're pleased to announce Dan Mishkin as a late-breaking addition to the Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 creative guest roster. Dan is probably best known as the co-creator of the 1984 gem Blue Devil. Read more about Dan at the MOC-BLOG.

We have a few cancelations to report: Franco Aureliani, Chris Yambar and the Speed Racer Mach 5 have bowed out of this year's show, but we hope to get them all back in 2009. If you're curious, the three cancelations are unrelated to one another.

By popular demand, we're pleased to introduce the Mid-Ohio-Con podcasting zone. At booth 313, podcasters will have an Internet connection, a comfortable seat, and relative peace and quiet. Sign-up for podcasting slots will be done on-site at the show.

In addition to the awesome movie trailers that we'll be screening at the MOC-IFF, Trailer Park is sending us mini movie posters for GI Joe, Transformers 2, and James Bond The Quantum of Solace. These posters will be given away during the show at booth 311.

We're pleased to release the screening schedule for the first annual Mid-Ohio-Con Indie Film Festival (MOC-IFF), which will be held in conjunction with Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Visit the MOC-BLOG for a list of the films and further details on this great event.

We've posted the updated Floor Plan with a list of booth and table assignments as of Tuesday, September 30. Please note that these may be subject to minor changes and additions between now and October 4. We expect to finalize all booth assignments in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Just a reminder that Creators' Common is full for 2008. We are now only accepting applications for our wait list.

We do have a few Exhibitor and Indie Publisher booths still available—but only a few, so speak now if you want one.

Pop Culture Trading Pins has produced  2 limited edition Mid-Ohio-Con exclusives. The first is from the Harvey Rocket Series based the cover of Casper The Friendly Ghost #164 and the second features the Black Terror. More at the MOC-BLOG!

Listeners of Sunny 95 in Columbus and 98.5 WNCX in Cleveland should keep their ears open this week for Mid-Ohio-Con ticket giveaways. Many thanks to Mark Buckingham at Sunny 95 and Mike Olszewski of WNCX for organizing this great promotion!

Creators' Common for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 is full, so we are now only accepting applications for our wait list. We have a handful of Exhibitor and Indie Publisher booths available still and expect to finalize the floor plan for the show in the next 24 hours.

A preliminary panel programming and event schedule is now live at the Programming page.

Please note that the posted information represents the schedule as of Friday, September 26. The schedule, as well as the panelists and participants scheduled to appear at each event, may be subject to change. Updated information will be available at the show.

We're also presently working on a screening schedule for the Indie Film Festival (MOC-IFF), and we hope to have that ready for you after the weekend.

Avatar Press will offer an exclusive variant of No Hero #1 by acclaimed writer Warren Ellis and dynamic artist Juan Jose Ryp. Visit the MOC-BLOG to learn more about Avatar's No Hero series and see a cover scan of the variant edition.

With the third chapter of the fan-favorite Marvel Zombies series due to hit the shelves in October, we're thrilled to announce an exclusive Marvel Zombies poster by special guest Arthur Suydam for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Check it out at the MOC-BLOG!

We are pleased to announce that writer Paul Storrie will join us as our guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Visit the MOC-BLOG for more about the prolific scribe and check out his work in Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons #7 from Devil's Due Publishing in October.

The Drury Inn is now sold out, but we're pleased to hear that the Hyatt has just opened up another block of rooms. We have a new discount rate at the Red Roof Inn. To make a reservation, call (614) 224-6539 and mention promotion code B262MIDOH.

Issue #8 of Love and Capes by special guest Thom Zahler will debut at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Love and Capes #8 will be included as a giveaway for VIP pass holders and will be available for purchase at Zahler's booth.

We are pleased to report that our mighty Mid-Ohio-Con Crew is now fully staffed and that we are no longer accepting volunteer submissions. Many thanks to all of the Con Crew veterans and new members who answered the call this year.

It was with no small relief that we received twelve big boxes from the Cleveland, Ohio–based Jakprints this weekend. Check out the MOC-BLOG for an update on the swag that we'll be sharing with our featured creative guests, VIPs, and Con Crew this year.

We're very pleased to announce that Bryan J. L. Glass, co-creator and writer of the Image Comics hit The Mice Templar, will be joining us at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 as our special guest. Visit the MOC-BLOG for more about Bryan and his amazing body of work.

It's Friday afternoon, and we're wrapping up an intensive week of event logistics, guest and exhibitor announcements, and special features both here and at the MOC-BLOG. We don't want you to miss a trick, so here’s an at-a-glance recap of what’s been happening since Monday:

• Doug Jones: special media guest
• 2008 Event FAQ
• Exhibitors and Creators’ Common pages
• PANEL Collective’s Friday-night pre-MOC party
• Joe Kubert’s 82nd birthday tribute and sketch gallery
• Interview with guest of honor Alan Dean Foster (and don’t miss Chris Claremont)
• Catherine Asaro, Marc Nobleman, Iron Sirens, Convention Vixens

We are thrilled to have the dynamic Doug Jones return to Mid-Ohio-Con in 2008 as our special media guest. With his recent turn as Abe Sapien in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Doug is hotter than ever.  Visit the MOC-BLOG for more about Doug.

Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 guest of honor Joe Kubert was born on this day in 1926, making today his 82nd birthday! Please join us in wishing him happy birthday at the MOC-BLOG and browse a gallery of amazing sketches that Joe did earlier this year. 

We are pleased to welcome the Convention Vixens as our special guests at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. The ConVixens are a group of traveling women dressed as cosplay characters of their own creation. Learn more about the ConVixens at the MOC-BLOG.

The PANEL Collective's third annual Unmasked pre-MOC party will take place from 8:00 p.m. to midnight on Friday, October 3, at Barley's Brewing Co., directly across from the Greater Columbus Convention Center. More details on the party at the MOC-BLOG.

We are very pleased to welcome Marc Nobleman, author of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, to our roster of guests at Mid-Ohio-Con. Marc will be signing copies of his book and will make a presentation at the show. More on Marc at the MOC-BLOG.

Indie publisher JM Productions will have a booth at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 showcasing their comic book Iron Sirens, which features the adventures and exploits of heroes and villains based on real competitors from the IFBB. More at the MOC-BLOG.

Take a look at the fantastic array of artists, writers, editors, and other creative talents who will be populating the Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 Creators' Common. We're still processing applications as they come in, and we're starting to approach capacity, but we are still accepting applications, so if you're interested, visit the Pro Registration page and grab some table space before it's gone.

Technical issues are resolved, and the Exhibitors page is now live. We've pulled together an amazing group of comic book, toy, and collectibles retailers, as well as indie publishers, manu-facturers, and service providers, for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.

Although the weekend of October 4–5 is drawing near, we still have a limited selection of booths available on the show floor, and we are still accepting exhibitor registrations. See the Pro Registration page for more information.

We're pleased to welcome Catherine Asaro, Nebula Award–winning author of the Saga of the Skolian Empire novels and other popular works of science fiction, fantasy, and romance, to our band of genre writers attending Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. More at the MOC-BLOG.

From the earliest days of Star Wars to the upcoming Terminator Salvation, Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 guest of honor Alan Dean Foster has done and seen it all. Read the interview with Alan today at the MOC-BLOG.

And in case you overlooked it, don't miss last Thursday's interview with guest of honor Chris Claremont!

Please pardon any temporary difficulties in viewing the website during our ongoing current round of updates. Owing to browser incompatibilities that we're presently working to reconcile, some visitors to the Buy Tickets page and to the newly posted Exhibitors and Creators' Common pages might have to scroll down past the bottom of the frame to view the complete page content.

Please note that the Buy Tickets page is fully functional; however, you might have to scroll down to view the shopping cart.

Thanks for bearing with us—we hope to have these pages' appearance fixed by Tuesday morning.

Who, what, why, where, when? All your questions about the rapidly approaching Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 are answered at the just-posted Event FAQ.

A special new variant of Marvel Apes #1 featuring a cover penciled by the late Mike Wieringo will be available at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Proceeds from the sale of this hot variant edition will go to the benefit of The Hero Initiative. More at the MOC-BLOG.

Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 guest of honor Chris Claremont talks about this week's debut of Big Hero 6, what's next for GeNext, the Angoulême festival, the state of the comic book industry, and more in an interview at the MOC-BLOG.

We are on the home stretch processing all the Creators' Common applications and Exhibitor registration forms and processing payments for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. If you haven't received confirmation from us yet, you will by the end of this week.

Superstar artist Billy Tan will appear at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 as our special guest.  Billy recently took over New Avengers, continuing his streak on iconic Marvel comics that have included Spider-Man and the Uncanny X-Men. More on Billy at the MOC-BLOG.

We're pleased to announce that Bob Layton will join the Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 roster as our special guest.  Look for the fan favorite creator's return to Marvel this fall with his new project Iron Man: The End.  More on Bob at the MOC-BLOG.

We expect to start mailing out tickets at the end of this week to people that have taken advantage of our online advance purchase option. Our VIP Weekend Passes have sold briskly and we only have about 25 left, so order yours today.

Lady Death creator Brian Pulido has joined the list of special guests being featured at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Brian will be debuting two World Premiere Elite Editions of Lady Death at Mid-Ohio-Con. More on Brian at the MOC-BLOG.

Artist Keith Pollard, who is most fondly remembered by fans for his dynamic and powerful art on Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Thor during the '70s and '80s, will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. More on Keith at the MOC-BLOG.

Acclaimed comics writer Beau Smith will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio Con 2008. Look for Beau to moderate our Sgt. Rock: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow panel along with Joe Kubert and Billy Tucci at the show. More on Beau at the MOC-BLOG.

We are pleased to welcome comic book artist Arvell Jones, best remembered by fans for his work on DC's All-Star Squadron, to the ever-growing ranks of the Mid-Ohio-Con special guest list. You can read more about Arvell at the MOC-BLOG.

We’re pleased to announce that FX creator Wayne Osborne will be appearing at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 as our special guest. You can read more about Wayne and news about his second FX series with artist Bob McLeod at the MOC-BLOG.

Just four weeks from today, countless hordes will descend upon Columbus for Mid-Ohio-Con.  Stay tuned for a number of new guest announcements and further details on the programming schedule as we count down the days to our 2008 event.

Tiny Titans co-creator Franco Aureliani will join his partner-in-crime Art Baltazar as a special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.  We’re delighted to be assembling this truly dynamic duo at Mid-Ohio-Con. You can read more about Franco at the MOC-BLOG.

The SoulCalibur IV Tour will  be making a stop at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 courtesy of the Interactive Game Experience (IGX). IGX will be setting up their game console arrays on the show floor so that fans can play the new hit title from Namco Bandai games.

We’re pleased to announce that Sean McKeever will be appearing at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 as our special guest. You can read more about the Eisner Award–winning writer of DC’s hit Teen Titans and the upcoming Terror Titans at the MOC-BLOG.

Comic creator Chris Sprouse will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Perhaps best known for his collaboration with the legendary Alan Moore on ABC's Tom Strong, Chris has a wide body of acclaimed work. More about Chris at the MOC-BLOG.

We are officially putting out the call for volunteers for the Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 Con Crew. If you're 18+ and interested in volunteering, e-mail us at info@midohiocon.com, and we'll respond with details on the Con Crew program.

Today would have been Jack Kirby's 91st birthday. To honor the day, we asked comic book creators from the Mid-Ohio-Con family and beyond to answer the question "Why is Kirby king?" Visit the MOC-BLOG to view our tribute.

We're thrilled to announce the inimitable Alan Dean Foster as our Science Fiction Guest of Honor for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Please join us in welcoming Alan at the MOC-BLOG!

We are very pleased to announce that David Petersen, creator of the Eisner Award–winning comic Mouse Guard, will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Read more about David and Mouse Guard at the MOC-BLOG.

Holy you-know-what! The classic Batmobile from the 1966 Batman TV series is coming to Mid-Ohio-Con 2008! This car is so iconic that we were tempted to name it as a Special Media Guest. Pictures and more at the MOC-BLOG.

Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 VIP Passes are available for online purchase. VIP Pass holders will enjoy all-access privileges to the event during exhibitor hours, invitations to exclusive after-hours creator and exhibitor receptions, free giveaways, and much much more.

Mini Marvel mastermind Chris Giarrusso will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Chris is working on an alternate version of John Byrne's Mid-Ohio-Con poster, drawn in his own inimitable style. Check out his work-in-progress at the MOC-BLOG.

Today on the MOC-CAST is an interview with David Mack. In this segment, David talks about his new Marvel project Electric Ant, which will adapt to comic book form the story by the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. Listen at the MOC-BLOG.

Tickets are now available for online purchase. We are currently offering One-Day Passes for Saturday and Sunday and Two-Day Weekend Passes. Stay tuned for details on a special VIP Ticket Package that will go on sale during the week of August 18.

Actress and model Cathy St. George, who most recently caught our eye as the inspiration for artist Ken Kelly’s dazzling cover for Dynamite Entertainment’s Red Sonja #33, will reprise her role as a media guest at Mid-Ohio-Con in 2008. More at the MOC-BLOG.

We're pleased to introduce the MOC-CAST series, featuring audio interviews with Mid-Ohio-Con guests. Our first installment is an interview with Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius creative duo Chris Eliopoulos and Marc Sumerak. More at the MOC-BLOG.

Metropolis will make its first appearance at Mid-Ohio-Con in 2008 as a premier exhibitor in booths 400 and 402. Metropolis partner Vincent Zurzolo will also moderate our Investment Grade Collectibles panel. More on Metropolis at the MOC-BLOG.

We are thrilled to announce that legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont will join us as our guest of honor at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008, his only scheduled appearance in the U.S. during the balance of this year. Visit the Mighty Mighty MOC-BLOG for more.

We are pleased to report that cartoonist Thom Zahler will return to Mid-Ohio-Con in 2008. Visit the Mighty Mighty MOC-BLOG for a webisode of Thom's acclaimed series Love and Capes and look for issue #8 of the title to debut at Mid-Ohio-Con in October.

We're back in action after a fun-filled trip to San Diego Comic-Con last week. Please visit the Mighty Mighty MOC-BLOG for our Comic-Con coverage and stay tuned for a big Mid-Ohio-Con guest announcement on Monday!

Eisner Award nominee Billy Tucci will join us as a special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.  The fan-favorite creator of Shi recently dazzled readers of Marvel's Heroes for Hire and has a Sgt. Rock project under way for DC later this year.

The July blockbusters are in full swing, so this week at TM3B we've been all about the movies:

• Brenda Kirk on the Batman: Gotham Knight DVD
• The Dark Knight: An Anticipation
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army: A Cornucopia

Enjoy, Mighty Readers, and get yourselves out to the theater this weekend!

We’re still working through some of the details for packages, pricing, and distribution, but we expect to put tickets for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 up for sale during the first week of August.

Wes Molebash, creator of the popular comic strip You'll Have That, will join us at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 as our special guest. Visit TM3B to read more about Molebash and to see today's strip.

We are very pleased to welcome Lou Ferrigno as our special media guest for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Visit TM3B to read more about The One True Incredible Hulk.

Sound into Image, indie film producer Wayne Alan Harold's documentary about MOC 2008 special guest P. Craig Russell, will premiere at the MOC-IFF. Watch a preview today at TM3B.

Science fiction writer Tobias Buckell, author of Crystal Rain, Ragamuffin, and the forthcoming Halo: The Cole Protocol, has just joined our growing 2008 guest list. Welcome, Tobias!

The Mid-Ohio-Con Indie Film Festival (MOC-IFF) will premiere as a new programming track for Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. Visit the Indie Film Festival page for more details.

It is a distinct privilege to welcome legendary creator Joe Kubert as our guest of honor at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008, his only scheduled appearance in the second half of 2008.

Eisner and Harvey Award–winning artist and writer P. Craig Russell will make his only convention appearance in 2008 at Mid-Ohio-Con.  Welcome, Craig!  We're thrilled to have you on board.

A Mighty Mighty MOC welcome to Roger Stern, fan-favorite scribe of Amazing Spider-Man, Superman, and dozens of other titles, who will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.

Marvel's Secret Invasion is making science fiction writer Lyda Morehouse, today's guest blogger at TM3B, very nervous. Who do you trust?

Tony Isabella, contributing editor and lead reviewer for Comics Buyers Guide, will join us again as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.  It'll be great to have you back this year, Tony!

We're very pleased to announce that Marc Sumerak, writer of Power Pack, Marvel Adventures: Avengers and Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man will join us as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.

CGC Comics will be front and center at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 as a premier exhibitor located in booths 401 and 500, right at the main entrance to Hall E. Visit TM3B for more details.

Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 guest of honor Alan Davis talks about Clan-Destine, Fantastic Four: The End, and his upcoming Thor project in an interview at TM3B.

The Mighty Mighty MOC-BLOG is seeking contributors.

Science fiction writer Lyda Morehouse is guest-blogging about The Incredible Hulk movie today at TM3B.

Look lively, people, because the guest announcements are coming thick and fast this week. Today we’re welcoming Chris Eliopoulos, one half of the creative duo behind Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius. It's fantastic to have you aboard, Chris!

AW YEAH TITANS! A not-so-tiny welcome to Art Baltazar, our latest special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008.

Join us in wishing Len a very happy birthday at TM3B.

Hotel rooms at the discounted Mid-Ohio-Con rate are now available at the Hyatt Regency and the Drury Inn & Suites. Availability is limited, so book your rooms now!

See the hotels page for complete information.

We’re pleased and honored to welcome Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics, as our special guest at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008. More at TM3B.

The blog is live!

Welcome to the brand-new Mid-Ohio-Con website, your source for all things MOC!

Now in its 28th consecutive year, Mid-Ohio-Con is one of America’s longest-running and most successful comic book and pop-culture conventions, carrying on a fun and family-oriented tradition of bringing fans of all ages together with leading comic book writers and artists, film and television stars and creators, and publishers and retailers from across the nation.

For 2008 we’re pleased to announce some exciting new features and developments as we continue to grow the MOC experience.

New dates. We’ve moved from our traditional Thanksgiving-weekend time slot to the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, October 4–5, 2008. As we’d hoped, the date change has received a terrific response from fans and professionals alike, as the new dates no longer conflict with so many attendees’ holiday travel and family plans. We’re looking forward to seeing lots of new faces alongside returning MOC veterans this year!

More space. For 2008 we’ll once again be hosting MOC in the Greater Columbus Convention Center, located in the heart of Columbus’s vibrant downtown area. This year we’ve moved out of Battelle Hall and into Exhibit Hall E and several adjoining panel rooms, offering a greatly expanded show floor for our creative guests, exhibitors, and artist alley, as well as dedicated space for panel programming and other special activities. The Exhibit Hall is just down High Street from the Hyatt Regency hotel and only a short distance from all the dining, shopping, and entertainment available in downtown Columbus's Arena District.

Expanded guest list. Our roster of special guests is growing daily, and we’re pleased to welcome back a host of familiar faces, as well as many new ones, from the worlds of comic books, film and television, sf/fantasy, gaming, and pop culture. Keep your eye out in the near future for further additions to the list, as well as forthcoming announcements such as our 2008 Mid-Ohio-Con Guests of Honor.

Special features. In addition to the lively show floor and panel programming track, this year’s MOC will feature a charity auction of items including original artwork by comic book legend John Byrne; a fan film festival sponsored by our friends at Packrat Comics; our first annual costume contest; a variety of all-new MOC exclusives and merchandise; and more. Stay tuned for future developments.

As you’ve noticed if you’ve tried clicking around, our new website—like this year’s Mid-Ohio-Con!—is still a work in progress. So add us to your bookmarks and check back in the weeks to come for news and updates, including information about purchasing tickets; volunteering at MOC; the programming schedule; travel and hotels in Columbus; and much more.

Whether you’re a longtime MOC participant or first-timer this year, we’re looking forward to seeing you in October. It’s going to be a great con!