We Can Be Heroes
Just for THREE Days
Greetings,
Convention season is upon us, and we have a lot going on. I don’t really have a snappy intro for this Cosmic Update, so before we look ahead, let’s take a quick look back...
The Marvelous Mandel Fan Fest
This one-day celebration of fandom was hosted by longtime friend (and mega-talented artist) Erick Marquez at his home base, the beautiful Mandel Public Library in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. Erick pulled together an amazing gathering of vendors, guests, presenters, and fan groups that touched on nearly every corner of nerd culture.
After a fun day of fandom, a small group of us gathered at a local restaurant called Grease. There, we broke bread and had a few laughs as we attempted to solve all the problems facing the comic book industry.
Did we succeed?
Time will tell.
The Heroic Heroes Convention
Up next for me is America’s favorite COMIC convention: Heroes Con!
This is a pure comic book show where the focus is on creators and artists - not celebrities trying to cash in on their fifteen minutes of fame. It’s always refreshing to attend an event that puts comics first.
We first attended Heroes Con back in 2010 and immediately fell in love with both the show and the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. I still remember someone stopping by the Cosmic Times table and telling me that now that I’d made it to Heroes Con, I needed to come back every year. Truer words were never spoken.
If you’re serious about comics, this is the place to be.
If you’re a comic fan or collector, Heroes Con boasts the absolute best guest lists in the industry. Just a few of this year’s guests include John Romita Jr., Scott Snyder, Chris Claremont, Ann Nocenti, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, David Finch, Tim Bradstreet, Jeph Loeb, Mark Bagley, Arthur Adams, Jae Lee, and literally hundreds more creators from every corner of the comic book world.
Beyond all of the awesomeness of the convention itself, one of the after-hours highlights for Heroes Con is the Friday Night Drink and Draw. Taking place at the Westin (right across the street) after the show at 7:30, this is a chill way to spend the night and the proceeds go directly to Parkinson’s research. Hang out, draw on a coaster or buy one, it’s a great way to wrap up day one.
On Saturday night at 7:30 (also over at the Westin) is the Heroes Con Art Auction, one of my favorite things to go to all year. The artwork on display is insanely good, but be warned some pieces can fetch some pretty high numbers. I remember my first Heroes Con Art Auction I was outbid for an awesome Thing piece that ended up going to my friends Kevin LaPorte & Amanda Rachels. I’m eagerly looking forward to this year’s auction and hope to bring my buddy Roland with me.
Of course, I’ll be there on the floor of the Charlotte Convention Center slinging Cosmic Times comics from table AA-1487 all weekend, and I hope you’ll stop by and talk comics with me.
I also want to highlight a few friends and fellow creators who will be on the floor at Heroes Con. If you have the chance, please stop by and say hello to Steve Bryant, Steve Conley, Jeff Dekal, Chris Ehnot, Jamie Jones, Roland Mann, Ryan Miller, Alex Saviuk, Mark Stegbauer, Jose Varese, JK Woodward, and Tohm Zahler.
Heroes Con takes place June 12-14, 2026 at the Charlotte Convention Center (501 S College St, Charlotte, NC 28202). Please stop by and say “hello”.
Staying Infinite with Infinity Con
Following Heroes Con, I’ll be returning to Tallahassee for the incredible Infinity Con July 11 & 12, 2026!
Show runner David Heringer continues to push the boundaries of what a convention can be, constantly introducing new elements, experiences, and interactive attractions that set Infinity Con apart from other events.
If you’re looking for a truly unique convention experience, don’t sleep on Infinity Con. The show’s slogan has always been:
“The Possibilities Are Infinite!”
For 2026, that statement feels more true than ever.
That wraps up this Cosmic Update. If I don’t see you at Heroes Con, I hope I’ll see you at Infinity Con.
Stay Cosmic,
Martin