Press Release from Reed Exhibitions
Norwalk, CT, April 16, 2009: Reed Exhibitions, the company which organizes New York Comic Con (NYCC) and which recently announced (Feb. 2, '09) the launch of Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), has today revealed that Chicago area resident and celebrated comic book painter and illustrator Alex Ross will be the first Guest of Honor at the new show which will take place April 16-18, 2010 at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago. The announcement was made public at a Launch Party for C2E2 which is taking place this evening at John Barleycorn in Wrigleyville, a popular destination point which sits in the shadow of Wrigley Field in the historic Lakeview section of Chicago. The announcement of Mr. Ross's role as Guest of Honor comes exactly one year to the day before C2E2 is set to open its doors in Chicago.
"We are pleased to be in Chicago and we are very pleased to be able to announce Alex as our first Guest of Honor a full year in advance," notes Lance Fensterman, Vice President and Show Manager for C2E2. "Alex has had a stellar career and his artistry speaks for itself. He is at the absolute top of his profession AND he lives in Chicago. We couldn't have a more perfect Guest of Honor and we are very grateful for this early commitment to appear at our show."
The Launch Party at Wrigleyville is an invitation only event to Chicago area professionals, press, retailers, and creators. It is an opportunity for all local "tastemakers" to meet and greet the C2E2 team in an informal setting. In addition to announcing Mr. Ross's role, there will be ample discussion about the show and a chance for all party participants to contribute ideas. Officials note that the announcement of Alex Ross's participation in C2E2 underscores a direction which they intend to build on; namely, to attract Midwestern talent to the annual convention. "Of course, we will be hosting people from all over the country at C2E2 but our primary focus is on Chicago and the Midwest," Fensterman continues. "This is a show that will definitely reflect the community and sensibility of the local area and we are going to work very hard to ensure that everyone feels at home. This is certainly one reason we are here at Wrigleyville to have this party!"
Officials note that concurrent with the activities of today's Launch Party, the C2E2 web site has officially gone "live" and information about the show will be posted as it becomes available throughout the next year. Everyone interested in C2E2 is invited to check out the web site at www.C2E2.com. Further information about the show is available at Lance Fensterman's blog, www.MediumAtLarge.net.
ABOUT ALEX ROSS:Alex Ross's photorealistic paintings have garnered attention throughout the comics world and beyond. He has made a name for himself as both an artist and a storyteller. He studied illustration at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, then honed his craft as a storyboard artist before entering the comics field. His 1993 miniseries MARVELS (Marvel Comics) opened a wider acceptance for painted comics. He followed that with the series KINGDOM COME for DC Comics, which remains one of the most successful graphic novels in comics history. He painted a series of tabloids for DC Comics celebrating Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, and Wonder Woman, which were then collected as THE WORLD'S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES. Ross co-created the EARTH X projects for Marvel and JUSTICE for DC. He is currently working on SUPERPOWERS for Dynamite Entertainment and AVENGERS/INVADERS for Marvel. He was the subject of the 2003 book MYTHOLOGY: THE DC COMICS ART OF ALEX ROSS (Pantheon). His non-comics work includes creating the poster for the 2002 Academy Awards, the opening credits for SPIDER-MAN 2, and multiple covers for TV GUIDE and VILLAGE VOICE. For more information, please visit www.alexrossart.com.
ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:Reed Exhibitions is the world's leading events organizer. In 2007 Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 39 fully staffed offices.
Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 500 events serves 47 industry sectors, including: Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, building & construction, electronics, energy, engineering, entertainment, environment, food & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, IT, jewellery, life sciences & pharmaceuticals, property, manufacturing, medical education, packaging & converting, printing & visual communication, security, sports & recreation, travel.
Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.
Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2006, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of GBP 1,052 million on turnover of GBP 5,398 million.
