Kids Love Comics at the 2014 Baltimore Comic Con!

Baltimore Comic-Con Offers Interactive Kids Comics Area with cartoonists, comic creation, capes, and light saber training!

 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 6, 2014 - Kids 10 and under get in free at the Baltimore Comic-Con September 5-7, 2014 at the Baltimore Convention Center -- and show organizers are once again presenting a kid-friendly comics area, full of all-ages comics, as well as the artists and writers who make them. Creators from such companies as Archie, Scholastic, Disney, Simon & Schuster, First Second, Marvel, and DC will be on hand to sketch, say hi, and help to teach young ones about the magic of comics through mini-How-Tos through the weekend, right at the Kids Comics Pavilion! Plus, kids can take part in comic crafts, game shows, and more!



 Activities in this super cool section of the show include:
 * Interactive Comics Talks from some of Kids Comics top creators, such as Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl), Andy Runton (Owly), Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space), and more!
* Design your own super hero cape and mask
* Doodle Scribble Draw! Kids Drawing Gameshow!
* Creator sketches and autographs
* Kid-Safe Star Wars Light Saber Training
* Puppet making with Chris O>Matic! 

"The Baltimore Comic-Con has always been a welcoming, family-friendly show, and every year, we aim to make the Kids Love Comics Pavilion inspiring to young comic fans. Not only do we want kids to read comics, we show them how they can create their own! I wish there was an event like this when I was a kid," said Mark Mariano, creator of the Happyloo graphic novel series, and co-organizer (with John Gallagher) of the kids section. "Its so cool that I bring my own family here every year," added Gallagher.

 Heres a rundown of the Kids Love Comics Pavilion Creators:

 Harold Buchholz - Archie Comics archiecomics.com

 Frank Cammuso - Salem Hyde, Ottos Backwards Day, Knights of the Lunch Table cammuso.com

 Jamie Cosley (Saturday only) - Cody the Cavalier, Zucchini
Tyler Cosley (Saturday only) - AlakaZach, Ninja Squirrel jamiecosley.com

 Franco (Appearing Saturday and Sunday) - Aw Yeah Comics!, Tiny Titans, Itty Bitty Hellboy awyeahcomics.com

 Jay Fosgitt - Bodie Troll jayfosgitt.com

 John Gallagher - Zoey and Ketchup, Buzzboy, Roboy Red
Katie Gallagher -Zoey and Ketchup skydogcomics.com

 SL Gallant - GI JOE slgallant.com

 Chris Giarrusso - G-Man, Mini-Marvels chrisgcomics.com

 Jimmy Gownley - The Dumbest Idea Ever!, Amelia Rules! jimmygownley.com

 Ben Hatke - Zita the Spacegirl, Julias House for Lost Creatures benhatke.com

 Jason Horn - Ninjasaur ninjasaur.com

 Jamal Igle - Molly Danger, Supergirl, Firestorm jamaligle.com 

 Lora Innes - The Dreamer thedreamercomic.com

 Mike Maihack - Cleopatra in Space cowshell.com 

 Mark Mariano - The Other Side of Hugless Hill, Happyloo, Flabbergast mypalmark.com

 Mark McKenna - Banana Tail, Star Wars, Marvel, DC markmckennaart.com Jamar Nicholas - Leon: Protector of the Playground jamarnicholas.com

 Chris O>Matic - The Chris O>Matic Show! omatics.net 

 Chris Otto and Ben Taylor - A Dogs Life adogslifecomic.com 

 Dan Parent - Archie, Kevin Keller danparent.com 

 Andy Runton - Owly owly.com

 Gregg Schigiel - Spongebob Squarepants Comics, Pix hatterentertainment.com 

 Jeff Schultz - Archie Comics archiecomics.com 


 Kids Love Comics joins our previously announced guests, including: Eddy Barrows (Earth 2); Marty Baumann (Pixar artist); Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl); Marguerite Bennett (Batgirl); Christina Blanch (The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood); Mark Buckingham (Fables); Dave Bullock (Batman Black and White); Jim Calafiore (Leaving Megalapolis); Darrenn Canton (Tunnels & Trolls); Greg Capullo (Batman); Richard Case (Sandman); John Cassaday (Doc Savage); Bernard Chang (Green Lantern Corps); Jo Chen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Sean Chen (Amazing Spider-Man); Jimmy Cheung (Infinity); Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman); Frank Cho (X-Men: Battle of the Atom); Amy Chu (Girls Night Out); Richard Clark (House of Gold & Bones); Steve Conley (Bloop); Mike Curtis (Dick Tracy); Jeremy Dale (Skyward); Alan Davis (Wolverine); Rachel Deering (In the Dark); Todd Dezago (Tellos); Tommy Lee Edwards (Star Wars); Garth Ennis (Preacher, The Boys); Ray Fawkes (Constantine); Tom Feister (G.I. Joe); David Finch (Forever Evil); Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (All-Star Western); Gerhard (Cerebus the Aardvark); Dave Gibbons (Watchmen); Keith Giffen (The New 52: Futures End); Bryan JL Glass (Mice Templar); Michael Golden (The Ravagers); Allan Gross (Road Song); Cully Hamner (Animal Man); Dean Haspiel (The Fox); Fred Hembeck (Garfield); Marc Hempel (Sandman: The Kindly Ones); Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan); Justin Jordan (Luther Strode, Green Lantern: New Guardians); Dan Jurgens (The New 52: Futures End); Chris Kemple (Red Vengeance); Denis Kitchen (Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary); Barry Kitson (Empire); Aaron Kuder (Action Comics); Norman Lee (Iron Man Special); David Mack (Shadowman); Kevin Maguire (Guardians of the Galaxy); Pop Mhan (All New X-Factor); Alex Maleev (Moon Knight); Billy Martin (Vitriol, The Hunter); Ron Marz (Witchblade); Mike McKone (Ultimate FF); Bob McLeod (X-Men: Gold); Tradd Moore (Deadpool Annual); Mark Morales (New Avengers); Dan Parent (Archie, Veronica, Kevin Keller); David Peterson (Mouse Guard); Joe Prado (Justice League); Brian Pulido (Lady Death); Ron Randall (Trekker in Dark Horse Presents); Tom Raney (Incredible Hulk); Ivan Reis (Aquaman and The Others); Budd Root (Cavewoman); Don Rosa (Donald Duck); Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts); Joe Rubinstein (The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe); Andy Runton (Owly); Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man); Louise Simonson (Power Pack); Walter Simonson (Thor); Andy Smith (Superman #23.1: Bizarro); Allison Sohn (sketch card artist); Charles Soule (Thunderbolts); Jim Starlin (Thanos: The Infinity Revelation); Joe Staton (Dick Tracy); Paul D. Storrie (Sheena, Queen of the Jungle); Ben Templesmith (The Memory Collectors); Robert Tinnell (The Wicked West); Peter Tomasi (Batman and Two-Face); John Totleben (Swamp Thing); Herb Trimpe (GI Joe: A Real American Hero); Billy Tucci (Shi); Rick Veitch (Saga of the Swamp Thing); Mike Vosburg (Lori Lovecraft); Mark Waid (Daredevil); Lee Weeks (Daredevil); Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster); Bill Willingham (Fables); Renee Witterstaetter (Joe Jusko: Maelstrom); Rich Woodall (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles); Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms); Thom Zahler (My Little Pony); and Mike Zeck (Secret Wars).

 Tickets General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now! In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

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Dr Chris Okafor warns that a former minister a governor may be next to die if

Dr. Chris Okafor warns that the remaining half of Prophecy number 8 on his 16-point 2016 prophecy will happen sooner than later, if prayers are not offered. He also warned that prophecy number 11 on his list was nearing fulfillment if the individual concerned does not seek the face of God immediately (reference to the current Kogi State Governor)

 

PROPHESIES FOR 2016 by Dr. Chris Okafor (Dec. 31, 2015)

See some of the prophecies that already came to pass (in brackets)

1. A more deadly sexually transmitted disease worse than HIV AIDS has been released from the kingdom of darkness. We need to be very prayerful and careful. (Zika Virus now a sexually transmitted disease and spreading fast)

2. I see more Disasters taking place this year. But God will preserve His children.

3. America and Europe must pray fervently in this year.

I see the rise of religious fundamentalism in Europe, and serious crisis with the US elections. If care is not taken, there may not be an election in America. I see Obama suddenly changing his mind to run for 3rd term, sparking off serious crisis. They must pray to avert all these.

4. Nigeria must pray for a former military head of state. Seems like the end of the road.

5. I see a calendar representing the entertainment industry- some prominent people have been marked with the circles on the calendar for death. We seriously need to pray for the entertainment industry.

6. I see Nigerian Football returning to Glory days.

7. I see Explosions in places that no one is expecting to see them, in Nigeria. We need to pray for the Southern part of Nigeria.

8. I see a former minister passing on this year and also a present minister going home. (March 6, 2016- Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, wife, son, die in road crash)

9. We need to pray for Rivers and Akwa-Ibom States- that God should avert any crisis arising from election Re-runs that may eventually happen in those states. I see terrible bloodshed. But if we pray, the opposite will be the case.

10. Anyone who wants to retain political power this year must seek the face of God.

11. We need to pray for Kogi State. I see someone sworn in and later eliminated prematurely. Serious intervention needed.

12. Lots of families will experience generational blessings for the first time this year.

13. I see a country in Europe having to deal with a major crisis resulting from a fatal train crash with heavy casualties. (Feb. 9, 2016- At least 10 people were killed and scores more injured, police say, after two passenger trains collided in the German state of Bavaria.)

14. Lots and lots of barren women will rejoice this year; because God has released unto them fruitfulness beyond measure.

15. Our men in uniform, especially the Police Force and the Nigerian Military must embark on serious prayers… there will be some serious shaking this year, in those two divisions.

16. Terror attack will increase in Nigeria but solution will arise between the 7th and 8th month of this year- 2016.

“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing the secrets to His servants, the prophets" - Amos 3 vs 7

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My top seven posts of 2014

Im now in my fifth year of blogging. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read what I have written—especially those who have commented. Ive learned a lot from you.

My seven most read posts of 2014 are listed below. Click on the title to read the post.

"That electric hand dryer study was bogus" was an analysis of a study that made outrageous claims about electric hand dryers and dispersal of bacteria.

"What are the residency prospects for graduates of offshore medical schools?" took a look at the realities associated with graduating from medical schools outside the 50 states and Puerto Rico.

"Preventing infection: The "bare below the elbows" rule for doctors doesnt go far enough" discussed the role of clothing in the transmission of disease and the ultimate solution to the problem.

"A medical student says to abandon the match" was my take on a proposal to do away with the residency matching program in the US. Spoiler alert: I didnt think it was a good idea.

"How to select surgical residents: The evidence" was a review of the limited evidence concerning how surgical program directors select candidates to interview and rank.

"A paper of mine was published. Did anyone read it?" spoke to the proliferation of medical journals, the likelihood that a single paper will be read, and what the future may hold.

"Health Care and the $20,000 Bruise: A different take" raised a lot of questions about a Wall Street Journal article written by a doctor who took his son to an emergency room for an 11-day-old bruise on his head.

And the all-time winner so far is this post, "Appendicitis: Diagnosis, CT Scans and Reality," which was the tenth post I ever wrote and is approaching 22,000 page views.







Best wishes to all.

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Man dresses up as a bear to chase his colleagues in hilarious prank

A construction worker pranked his colleagues after he dressed up as a bear and chased his colleagues round the construction site. The video which has been watched almost 500,000 times since it was released earlier this month on You tube by Tommy Czubson has gotten a lot of controversial comments with some refusing to see the funny side. With one comment saying what if he was shot at? See the video after the cut....

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Misconceptions about oxygen by alternative medicine practitioners

An article called “Simple ‘4-7-8? breathing trick can induce sleep in 60 seconds” claims that this trick can get you to go to sleep within 60 seconds. All you have to do is the following:

? Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
? Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
? Hold your breath for a count of seven.
? Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
? This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths

An integrative medicine expert, Dr. Andrew Weil, said it works because it allows the lungs to become fully charged with air, allowing more oxygen into the body, which promotes a state of calm.

“Promotes a state of calm” is nonsense. Let’s concentrate on the science. Does it allow more oxygen into the body? Ich dont think so.

The air we breathe contains about 21% oxygen. Nearly all oxygen in the blood is carried by hemoglobin. No matter how many deep breaths you take, you cannot get the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (normally > 92%, closer to 98% in healthy people) above 100%. This is explained in more detail in a previous post of mine about why athletes don’t benefit from breathing pure oxygen after exertion.

This simple trick would be hard to remember but might work through the power of suggestion. It doesn’t cost anything, and unless you hyperventilate and pass out (but youll be in bed anyway), it is harmless.

The next misconception about oxygen is neither inexpensive nor harmless.

Two naturopathic “doctors” have been accused of injecting a woman with oxygen or perhaps purified water that had been taken from an Octozone machine. The oxygen was supposed to destroy any pathogens in the woman’s blood. In the process of trying to kill the pathogens, the injection killed the patient who paid $500 for the treatment.

The naturopathic duo left town and were at large for several months before eventually being caught and charged with homicide.

An autopsy found her death was due to an air embolism.

According to a recent review of the subject, “Traditionally, it has been estimated that more than 5 mL/kg of air displaced into the intravenous space is required for significant injury (shock or cardiac arrest) to occur. However, complications have been reported with as little as 20 mL of air (the length of an unprimed IV infusion tubing) that was injected intravenously.”

Pure water should never be injected IV either because it causes blood cells to die from hemolysis.

How about we just take our oxygen the old-fashioned way—normal breaths and never intravenously?

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Why Wonder Woman Matters

Since her debut in All Star Comics #8 released in 1941, Wonder Woman has become the most famous and recognizable female superhero in the world. This feminist icon is a warrior princess and a United Nations Ambassador. She displays extreme intellect and compassion. Princess Diana of Themyscira has also become a part of pop culture. She has been featured on countless merchandise, toys, comics, animated movies and television shows. For some reason (and Im still scratching my head on this one), it took DC Comics 75 years to bring her to the big screen. Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot is currently filming and slated for a 2017 release. We will get our first look at Gal as Diana in Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice, March 25, 2016.







Wonder Woman has had a huge impact on men, women and children for 75 years. But why? What is it about her that we connect to? Why do we love her so much? This article of the Confessions of a Cosplay Girl Blog explores those questions and answers. Before I get to my thoughts and personal experiences, I want to share the thoughts of a fellow Wonder Woman fan. Cosplayer Candy Keane is also the owner of the Three Muses Clothing Boutique in Jacksonville, FL.


"I want to share My first memory of dressing up like Wonder Woman was around 4 years old, in my Underoos. Even then I dressed up my outfit with a lasso and paper tiara and cuffs. That could possibly count as my first “homemade” cosplay. The Wonder Woman TV show was my introduction to strong super hero women and I’m thankful for that role model. My love of Wonder Woman has stayed with me through the years and grown to include all of WW’s various incarnations, but my true love of all things wonder will always start and end with Lynda Carter."   ~Candy Keane (Visit her Official Facebook Page)

I want to say my first exposure to Wonder Woman was the Lynda Carter series but as of late, I find my memory to be a bit jumbled. Im not quite sure if it was the Wonder Woman live action series or the cartoon show Superfriends. In any case, I always found the character to be fascinating. She was beautiful, independent and strong. She was graceful  yet a fierce warrior. She was the most brave and powerful woman I had ever seen. She could hold her own, defend herself and fight along the side of heroes such as Superman. And she had black hair like me! LOL When I was a child I had a collection of Wonder Woman items such as action figures and pajamas. She was important to me because she was teaching me that a girl could be strong and change the world. Women were just as capable as men  and can make a difference.  Wonder Woman didnt just do good in costume. Diana Prince had a job, supported herself and took time out to help others.

Ive been a Wonder Woman fan literally my whole life. Whats great is that both of my parents and my youngest niece are fans too. Its awesome that we can share our love for the Amazon Princess. Witnessing Wonder Woman evolve over the years in media and pop culture has been amazing. I look forward to what the future brings.

Visit me on my Official Facebook Page

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Cosplay Spotlight Jet Cosplay

Photos by Hero Hotties

Hes the Man of Steel everyone is talking about! Jason aka Jet Cosplay has the world of costuming buzzing about his screen accurate Man of Steel Superman, which he debuted this year. I briefly met Jason at the Baltimore Comic-Con and was immediately impressed. Since the initial meeting, we have done a photo shoot and charity event (for St. Judes Children Hospital on behalf of the Heroes Alliance) and I have seen first hand the excitement and joy he brings to the crowds (along with an excessive amount of swooning). So lets get to know the "it" boy in cosplay. Jason talks to the Confessions of a Cosplay Girl Blog about constructing his costume, attending his first convention as Superman, his thoughts on the Man of Steel film and how hes handling all of the attention.

Victoria: You are fairly new to the hobby of costuming. When exactly did you start?

Jason:  For the past few years, I’ve gone out with the same group of friends for Halloween. Every year, we pick a theme, and everyone would either buy their costume or make one, but it’s a friendly competition to “fit in” with the group. During Halloween 2013, one of our friends brought up the idea of going to a convention all dressed up to see what it was about. It sounded like a fun time, so we started planning out our costumes and set our sights on the Wizard World Philadelphia comic convention this past June. Everything else just fell into place after that.

Victoria:  Your Man of Steel suit is very impressive. How long did it take you to construct?

Jason: It took me 4.5 months, and it cost about $1700. The reason it took so long was because I was very new to building a costume like this, and I only worked on it in the evenings in my spare time. And the reason it cost so much was because of the mistakes I made along the way. If I had to build a new one from scratch, I’d say it would take at least three weeks, and would cost about $1200.

Victoria: Can you tell me what your first convention experience as Superman was like?

Photo by Green House Photography

Jason: My first convention experience was interesting. Most of the costumes I made in the past involved armor or regular clothes in some form. The Man of Steel suit is a 100% full body spandex suit. I’m in fairly good shape, but it’s a daunting thing to be out in public wearing nothing but spandex. It took a little while to work up the nerve to leave the hotel room, but after that - things got very interesting. We were walking around the outside of the convention center, trying to figure out where the entrance was. We accidentally walked in one of the exits, and that’s when people spotted me for the first time. It was pure chaos. Kids and adults alike surrounded me, and formed a wall that other people couldn’t get through. I can’t say for sure how many people were waiting for pictures, but it was somewhere in the 100 to 200 range. After an hour or so of pictures, the event organizers pointed us in the direction of the entrance. From there, things got even more intense. After we registered, we made our way up the escalator, and entered the double doors to the main convention. I wasn’t able to leave that spot for a few hours due to all of the pictures. It was flattering, but overwhelming at the same time. My friends got tired of waiting for me with all of the pictures, so they took off and checked out the rest of the convention. I wasn’t so lucky. I’ve never had my picture taken so many times, and the whole idea of posing like a superhero was a foreign concept to me. All in all though, I met a lot of people at my first con, and participated in the costume contest with my friend dressed as Wonder Woman. We ended up getting second place (honorable mention) in the superhero category, but overall it was an awesome experience.

Victoria: You are a hot topic right now in the world of costuming. Costumers and fans of cosplay are buzzing about you. Ive seen for myself the amazing reaction from people when they see you. How are you handling all of the attention and praise?

Jason:  It’s a bit of a change for me, but I don’t mind it at all. I enjoy interacting with everyone, and I try my best to answer any questions people have about the suit or how they can make one of their own. I put a lot of time, energy, and money into my suit, so it definitely feels good when I get to see people’s reactions and know that my efforts are appreciated. I don’t know if it’s my demeanor, or the way I look, but people typically don’t approach me when I’m not in the suit. The Superman character sort of breaks down that barrier, so it’s a win-win for everyone involved.

Victoria: Id like to get your opinion on the Man of Steel film. People are very split on their feelings towards the movie. What were your thoughts?

Jason: I have mixed feelings about it. I think Henry Cavill was the perfect choice for Superman, and I definitely like the concept of modernizing the character and making it as realistic as possible. With that said, I think they overdid it with the action/destruction that was prevalent throughout the second half of the movie. You can only see so many explosions before you become numb to it, and I definitely felt numb by the end of the movie. There was very little emotion in the movie, and the connection between Lois and Clark felt forced. I didn’t get the impression that Superman cares at all about the Earth or its inhabitants, but instead he just tolerates us. I also think they rushed the film, and tried to put too much into one movie. They could have spent the entire first movie doing a more realistic version of the backstory and explaining why he’s the man of steel… Similar to what Christopher Nolan did with Batman Begins. Instead, there was a lot of jumping around, then suddenly he’s Superman, and now he has to fight Zod. It was difficult to process. Regarding the major controversy in the film, I think Superman HAD to kill Zod. There was no other way for it to end. I just hope they use that scene in some way to help shape Superman into the character that everyone knows. All in all, I’d give it a 6 out of 10.

Victoria:  What would you say is your favorite thing about your new found attention thus far? What are you enjoying most? Exposing your work to a new audience? Photo shoots? Friendships? Charity events? Conventions? etc.

Jason: I like it all. I enjoy meeting new people that share similar interests, doing photo shoots with friends, going to charity events, attending conventions, and getting feedback from the audience. My favorite part of it is definitely the kids. It makes me feel good when they feel good. I enjoy seeing their expressions, when they give me high fives, and when they stare at me as I walk by. I was a huge Superman fan when I was growing up, so I’m honored to be able to bring that character to life for them. They’re the most innocent and honest people on Earth, and I think kids are the only people that experience pure emotions. If you can make a kid smile… it’s because they’re genuinely happy. They don’t have ulterior motives, and they don’t want anything from you. They live in the moment, and I’m happy just to be a part of that moment. I’ve given up entire days at conventions so that I’m able to meet and greet every little kid that comes my way. I’ll never pass up an opportunity to create some smiles.

Victoria: What is next on the horizon for you in regards to costuming? Any characters in the works?

Jason:  I really don’t see myself as one of those cosplayers that create a bunch of different costumes. I have nothing against them, but it’s just not for me. I’d rather pick two or three costumes and really nail the character. I’ve gotten quite a few suggestions from friends on Facebook that range from Commander Shepard to The Punisher, but I don’t have any immediate plans to make a new costume yet. Superman was such a central part of my childhood that it became my passion to create the suit. I’m going to wait until I identify with another character like that before I make a new one. In the meantime, my son Gabe wants me to make him a Master Chief costume, and my son Alex has requested Ironman, so I’ll be putting my attention in that direction. People seem to enjoy my Superman costume, and I’m happy to keep portraying it for now. I’ll also be portraying the Man of Steel in the upcoming fan film Justice League: Mortal that’s going to be filming next summer. I don’t have any acting experience, but the role seems pretty easy, and I’m going to put forth my best effort.

Victoria: Any plans to attend any major cons in 2015?

Jason: I’d really like to attend DragonCon and the New York Comic Con. I’ve heard that DragonCon is an awesome time, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of the cosplayers in person that I’m friends with on Facebook. And NYCC was such a blast this year that I have to go back and do it again.


Victoria: Where can people contact you and view a portfolio of your work?

Jason: The best place to contact me is on my JET Cosplay Facebook page. I update it pretty regularly, and I respond to all of the messages and comments I receive.

CLICK HERE for the Hero Hotties Man of Steel Album

and HERE for the Hero Hotties Trinity Album 

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