When Matt Wagner, the writer, art director, cover artist for the new Zorro comic from Dynamite marks his return to the Baltimore Comic-Con, will it be with a Z? All kidding aside, the creator of Grendel and Mage and force behind DC’s Madame Xanadu will return to the September 27-28, 2008 show at the Baltimore Convention Center.

"We’re extremely glad to have Matt back at our show," said Marc Nathan, the convention’s promoter. "He’s very popular with our fans and they definitely noted his absence last year. He has a lot of great projects coming out, so it’s a perfcet time for him to come back."

Celebrated artist Bernie Wrightson is the show’s Guest of Honor, and he is joined by the following all-star line-up (in alphabetical order): Kyle Baker (The Bakers), Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers), Howard Chaykin (American Flagg), Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow & Black Canary), Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows, Mighty Avengers), Steve Conley (Star Trek, The Escapist), Amanda Conner (JSA Classified, Terra), David Finch (World War Hulk, New Avengers), Ramona Fradon (Aquaman), John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Roboy Red), Ron Garney (Wolverine), Michael Golden (Micronauts, The ‘Nam), Cully Hamner (Blue Beetle, Black Lightning), Adam Hughes (Catwoman), Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, Action Comics), J.G. Jones (52, Wonder Woman), Dean Haspiel (Brawl), Stuart Immonen (Ultimate Spider-Man), Robert Kirkman (Invincible, Ultimate X-Men), Barry Kitson (Empire, The Order), Jim Lee (Batman: Hush, Wildcats), David Mack (Kabuki, Daredevil), Michael Avon Oeming (Mice Templar, Powers), Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Jonah Hex), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate X-Men, Strange), Eric Powell (The Goon), Tom Raney (Ultimate X-Men), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Heroes), Jim Shooter (Legion of Super-Heroes), Vincent Spencer (Zombie-Proof), Robert Tinnell (EZ Street), J.C. Vaughn (Zombie-Proof, 24), Neil Vokes (The Black Forest, The Wicked West), Mike Vosburg (Lori Lovecraft), Mark Waid (Flash, Boom! Studios), and Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster). 

As a reminder, the Baltimore Comic-Con in presently being featured in the weekly EZ Street series on ComicMix.com. A list of publishers, studios, manufacturers and service organizations attending the show will be forthcoming.

The Harvey Awards will return to the Baltimore Comic-Con for the third consecutive year. The awards dinner and ceremony will be held Saturday night, September 27, 2008, following the convention’s normal hours. As in 2007, the first 300 paid attendees and honorees at the 2008 Harvey Awards Ceremonies will receive a Hollywood style bag of swag. Last year’s bag included The EC Archives: Two-Fisted Tales – Volume 1 from Gemstone Publishing, a complete base set of the soon-to-be-released Jericho Season One trading cards from Inkworks, an exclusive pin from AdHouse Books, a Comic-Con exclusive edition of 30 Days of Night: Red Snow #1 from IDW Publishing, a Toon Tumbler from Popfun Merchandising, and an exclusive Harvey Awards keychain from LaserMach. Nominating ballots are presently online at www.harveyawards.org. Kyle Baker will return as Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s events.

For more information about the Baltimore Comic-Con, email cardscomicscollectilbes@yahoo.com or call (410) 526-7410. The guest list and other information can be found on the convention’s website or on its MySpace page.

For more information about the Harvey Awards, including sponsorship opportunities, email baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com.