Greener Pastures: Supanova Gold Coast 2012

After writing about Supanova Melbourne the other week, how could I not write about the weekend that followed on the Gold Coast?

This was Supanova's inaugural Gold Coast expo, and it went off with a blast. For me, it felt like one of, if not the best expo we've ever put on, in so many ways. It had a fabulous buzz and the Gold Coast really embraced SN with everything it's got. Great vibe, great guests, awesome crowd, fab venue, amazing team. Solid gold.

Full disclosure: I'm one of the founders of Supanova, I art directed it for about six years (jumping on board that title again as of this week), and have a financial stake in the business.

Before the show even opened Belle was getting into the Supanova spirit during a quick visit to a local toy shop. Did somebody say "Assemble?!?"

Supanova started with a great ComicBook MasterClass on Friday night, lead by the very popular Brian Michael Bendis.

The crowds waiting to get in on Saturday morning were great!

Which translated to a fabulous bunch of excited people inside!

The crowd in one of the Artist's Alleys.

And in another of the Alleys.

Heading towards the main autograph area.

And on the main trading floor at the complete opposite end of the expo.

Can you spot: a) a storm trooper; b) a Fin the Human hat, and; c) Fel, of Supanova Guest Services?

Kings Comics hosted our comic book guests Brian Michael Bendis, Carlos Pacheco and Tristan Jones. Each of whom did a wonderful drawing in my sketchbook.

Here's Brian doing his sketch in my book.

We did a great live cross to LA to speak to Marvel's The Avengers' Agent Coulson, Clark Gregg. At one point Jaimie Alexander (Thor's Sif) gatecrashed the panel to prank Clark.

Speaking of Sif… here's the real life action figure herself!

Here's a couple more shots of Artists' Alley. Spread out along here in the two photos you might be able to see Stewart McKenny, Travis Burch, Christopher Sequeira, Cameron Davis, Paul Abstruse, Wayne Nichols, Samuel David, Jeffrey 'Chamba' Cruz, and Leonard Bermingham.

Belle sat in on Artists' Alley too, selling her handmade wallets, each made from actual pages of comic books, each one unique.

And speaking of comics and my offspring, here's The Boy (on the right) breathing in the smell of good old eighties Uncanny X-Men. On the left being Chris Rattray, the pusher in this case, one of Supanova's marvellous MCs.