Comic Book Fans and Creators Gather in Springfield

Surrounded by blown-up version of classic comic covers and boxes and shelves stuffed to the brim with comics of all sizes and sorts, comics fans and comic artists spent two days in Springfield talking, buying and selling comics.  

For the second time this year, Springfield's Holiday Inn hosted the Wild Pig Convention, a weekend of comic sales and visits from notables in the comics world. 

The convention was organized by Chris Eberle, the former owner of Kenilworth comic shop Wild Pig comics. The comics and graphics novels, sold at a deep 5o percent discount, were drawn from his former store's stock.

For comics fans, it wasn't just a chance for a shopping spree as a number of comics creators attended the convention to sell merchandise and meet with fans. Independent and mainstream comics creators, like Bryan J.L. Glass, the creator of Mice Templar and the writer behind Marvel Comic's recent "Thor: First Thunder, were on hand. 

Eberle praised the staff at the Holiday Inn and said he looked forward to expanding the event when he holds the next convention there in the Spring.