Press Release: Thirteen Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards winners or nominees are among the nearly 150 comic creators already scheduled to attend Wizard World Big Apple Comic Con, part of North America’s largest pop-culture tour, May 21-22 at Penn Plaza Pavilion.

The 13 winners or nominees include Kaare Andrews (“Astonishing X-Men,’ “Iron Man”), Matt Kindt (“Revolver,” “Pistolwhip; Two Sisters”), Percy Carey (“Sentences: The Life Of MF Grimm,” “You Only Live Twice: The Audio Graphic Novel”), Kevin Colden (“Fishtown,” “I Rule the Night”), Jared K. Fletcher (“Batman,” “Captain America), Michael Kupperman (“Deadpool,” “Tales Designed To Thrizzle”), Jason Little (“Bee,” “Jack’s Luck Runs Out”), Mark Morales (“Secret Warriors,” “Avengers”), Laurie Sandell (“The Imposter’s Daughter”), Yuko Shimizu (“The Unwritten,” “The Sandman: The Dream Hunters”), Ronald Wimberly (“Hellblazer,” “Lucifer”),  Brian Wood (“DMZ; The New York Five,” “Northlanders”) and Nick Abadzis, who won the Eisner for his 2007 graphic novel “Laika.”

The creators will be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs and sketch.  Many Metro New York-based artists will be in attendance as well.

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry. Established in 1987, they are named for renowned cartoonist Will Eisner (creator of “The Spirit” and several award-winning graphic novels).

Other superstar artists scheduled to attend include Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Army of Darkness”), Jerry Robinson (“The Joker,” “Robin”), Luke Ross (“Captain America,” “Amazing Spider-Man”), Greg Horn (“Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark,” “Hero for Hire”), Christos Gage (“X-Men,” “Spider-Man”), Ryan Otley (“Invincible,” “The Walking Dead”) and Alex Saviuk (Spider-Man Newspaper Strip,” “Phantom Generations”).

Big Apple Comic Con will bring together thousands of fans of all ages and dozens of celebrities and industry professionals to celebrate the best in pop culture, movies, comics, toys, video gaming, television, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.  Among the celebrities scheduled to attend are Tom Felton, Morena Baccarin, James Marsters and Kristanna Loken.

The Penn Plaza Pavilion is located at 401 Seventh Avenue at 33rd St., in the historic Hotel Pennsylvania.  Big Apple Comic Con Spring Edition is the fifth stop on Wizard World’s 12-city 2011 North American tour.  Hours are Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Sunday, May 22, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Tickets are available in advance online at http://www.wizardworld.com/newyorkcity.htmlat up to a 15% savings over tickets purchased at the door.  Advance adult single-day tickets are $20; two-day weekend tickets are $35, and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult).  VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available.

About Wizard World:
Wizard World is a producer of pop culture and multimedia conventions across North America that markets movies, TV shows, video games, technology, toys, social networking/gaming platforms, comic books and graphic novels. It has the rights to the names, marks, domains, customer lists and production rights for a portfolio of pop culture and multimedia conventions.

For the most recent event information please visit www.wizardworld.com and become a Big Apple Comic Con Fan on Facebook.
***** SAVE THE 2011/12 DATES *****
May 21-22 – Big Apple Comic Con
June 17-19 – Philadelphia Comic Con
August 11-14 – Chicago Comic Con
September 17-18  – New England Comic Con
September 24-25 – Los Angeles Comic Con
October 22-23 – Mid-Ohio Comic Con
October 28-30 – Central Canada Comic Con (C4)
November 11-13 – Austin Comic Con
January 28-29, 2012 – New Orleans Comic Con
March 23-25, 2012 – Toronto Comic Con
April 27-29, 2012 – Anaheim Comic Con
December 8-9, 2012 – Miami Comic Con