Looking to “alter the convention experience,” artist Grant Morrison is launching his own con.
Called MorrisonCon, the event will run September 28-30 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.
“It’s not going to be ‘Come here and buy some comics and listen to a few panels,’ ” Morrison tells the Hollywood Reporter. “After two days you will be a changed person.”
Put on by Ignition Sequence (a new events company run by Ron Richards of comics website iFanboy and James Sime and Kirsten Baldock, owners of San Francisco comics store Isotope), the guest list includes comics artists Jim Lee (Justice League), Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman), J.H. Williams III (Batwoman) and Chris Burnham (Batman Inc.), plus writer Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four) and Gerard Way, the front man of My Chemical Romance and creator of Dark Horse Entertainment’s cult comic The Umbrella Academy.
“Calling it a convention downplays what it’s going to be,” he says. Though the program is still being put together, Morrison and the organizers have grand plans for the vibe they want: an intimate music festival. He wants an event that has a rock n’ roll atmosphere, a blend of music-comics-alternative culture, set in a place where you can hang out and chill with like-minded people, and where artists will be drawing sketches over breakfast.
He says there will be panels but also DJ nights and a big performance with Way, which will include music, spoken word and multi-media.
“It’s about being with people you’re interested in, exchanging ideas, watching some amazing performances that will be unrepeated in space and time,” he says.
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