The first-ever (and hopefully, first annual) Long Beach Comic Con was just announced, for October 2-4 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Here's the mission statement:
LBCC wants to do one thing - make you love comic books more than you did when you first set foot on our show floor.
Not just the exclusives and toy deals.
Not just autographs and sketches.
Not just the teaser trailers and game demos.
We love everything about the medium and the message - from Silver Age bottle cities, to indy mini-comics based on poetry. We want you to experience it all. That's why we're lining up more than the trendy guests and sneak peeks that Hollywood wants you to see (though we've got that, too!).
The greater Los Angeles area has been oddly devoid of a big, once-a-year-style comic convention, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Long Beach works out in the next couple years. It's far enough away from San Diego, time-wise, that I might try to actually attend, too. I hope to hear good things about it (and maybe see them first hand) come October.