What is Kevthemev’s Comic Book Lounge?
Formerly a retail store in downtown Toronto that picked up the reins on College Street when the beloved Dragon Lady Comics and Nostalgia closed in 2012. The Lounge shop closed in the spring of 2015. Now it’s a philosophy that I apply to the services I provide. There is a Comic Book Lounge and Gallery, it’s just not open to the public.
Conventions
We are really keeping convention appearances where we set up a retail booth to a minimum – usually to the Toronto Comicon in March (the 2019 edition just wrapped a few days ago) and Toronto Fan Days Holiday Show in December. We still have some remaining inventory from the old store in storage that we’ve been bringing out on these special occasions. Occasionally you may find me at other local one day shows.
Comic Convention Consulting Services
The business is primarily providing exclusive convention consulting and organizing services to Informa Canada’s Fan Expo HQ division and in 2019 that includes these conventions:
- Fan Expo Vancouver
- Toronto Comicon
- Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo
- Fan Expo Dallas
- MegaCon Orlando
- Fan Expo Boston
- Fan Expo Canada
- Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo
- Dallas Fan Days
- Calgary Expo Holiday Market
- Toronto Fan Days Holiday Show
In the past this has included additional events in Tampa (Megacon Tampa Bay) and Regina (Fan Expo Regina).
Services include booking sponsored comic book guests and screening applications for pro creator tables. Organizing seating, staffing, programming and schedules related to comic book creators. Advising on comic book related matters. I also have recently been screening artist alley applications to ensure that applicants meet the show requirements.
I also appeared regularly on the Fan Expo After Hours weekly podcast available on iTunes, soundcloud, stitcher and on video on youtube. While I was not on every week, it depended on the topic and my work schedule. The show is currently on hiatus.
Joe Shuster Awards
I continue on as Director of the annual Joe Shuster Awards, founded in 2004.