Couldn't Get to #SDCC? Try One of These Shows

No matter which show you choose, there will be Stormtroopers there

#TalkNerdytoMeLover's Adam Reisinger

When the final attendance numbers are tallied, it's likely that more than 127,000 people will have walked through the doors of San Diego Comic-Con, filling the venue to capacity for the third consecutive year.

But what about those of us that don't live in Southern California and can't afford (either because of money or other life obligations) to make the trek to SDCC? Well, there are plenty of good alternatives throughout the country. Here are some of my favorites that are coming up later this year.

Baltimore Comic-Con - August 28-29
Unlike SDCC, which has become a media event for things that aren't even remotely comic related, Baltimore Comic-Con is much more comic-focused event. The list of guests is filled almost exclusively with comic creators (writers, artists, editors, etc) and there's usually a solid set of panels about the industry. Baltimore Comic-Con also serves as the host for the Harvey Awards, the Golden Globes to the Eisner Awards Oscars (or maybe its the other way around… either way, both awards are taken pretty seriously in the industry).

Dragon*Con - September 3-6
I've never personally made it down to Atlanta for this event, but those who've been have told me its quite a scene. It's advertised as the world's largest fantasy/sci-fi convention and covers pretty much everything that can fall into that category (and even some things that are just on the outside of it). There's even a "survival guide" for the show, which can be overwhelming for first-time attendees, especially since it takes place in multiple hotels.

New York Comic Con - October 8-10
Two words: Stan Lee. The Marvel legend is going to be at this year's show in New York, along with a huge list of guests from all walks of nerd-dom. This year's guests of honor are John Romita Sr. and Jr., but the guest list expands beyond just the world of comics. In fact, this year the convention is running simultaneously with the New York Anime Festival, and fans can purchase passes that get them into both shows.

Wizard World New England Comic Con, October 15-16
This is Wizard's second foray into a Boston-area show, following the ill-fated Wizard World Boston of 2005. So far, details on guests are slim, but the Con has scored a major win, getting six actors/actresses from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to commit to appearances. James Marsters, Charisma Carpenter, Nicholas Brendon, Amber Benson, Mercedes McNab and Clare Kramer will all be in attendance. This is a major coup for an East Coast show, as most TV/movie stars tend to stick to appearances in the Southern California area.

Mid-Ohio-Con, November 6-7
A two-day event in Columbus, OH, Mid-Ohio-Con packs a lot into a short amount of time. This year's event should be extra special, since it's the 30th anniversary show. The show features space for more than 100 exhibitors and 60 creators, and draws a pretty impressive guest list every year. This year's guest of honor is David Finch, who just joined DC after an impressive seven-year run at Marvel, where he worked on The New Avengers, Moon Knight and was the artist on the universe-changing Ultimatum event.

I now turn it over to you, the #TNTML community. Which shows happening in the last 5+ months of 2010 are you looking forward to?

For more nerdy content, be sure to visit AdamReisinger.com, or follow Adam on Twitter (@AdamReisinger)