Introduction and Editing by Jen Bateman
Howdy and welcome back, friends, to our next issue of the MNCBA Newsletter! Have the past few months since MNCBA FallCon 2025 got you feeling a little down? Are you in need of some comic-book-goodness to hold you over until the flowers start to bloom? Or are you just hankerin’ for a break from your routine?
Problems to have, am I right?
In any case, we’ve got you covered! Join us today for a preview of MNCBA SpringCon 2026, tips for being a creator-exhibitor, a visit to Rockhopper Comics and Games in New Hope, MN, and our Blades of the Guardians movie review!
Convention season is ramping up! If you are looking to become more involved in the community, consider becoming an MNCBA volunteer. You’ll make new friends, and there are many opportunities available depending on your schedule.
WHAT’S NEWS
MNCBA SpringCon 2026 exhibitor spaces are sold out! You may fill out an application to join our waitlist to be notified if a space become available. You’ll find the applications and more information under the “Events” tab on our website. The preliminary draft of the Education Building floorplan is complete, and our dedicated volunteers are already distributing flyers and postcards to comic book stores!
The Twin Cities have had a rough winter, and we think everyone is excited to gather for some comic book community and fun at the Fairgrounds this year. Be sure to visit DreamHaven Books and Comics at the show — you might recognize owner Greg Ketter from news coverage earlier this year. All of us here at the MNCBA are proud to support him both as a friend and one of our longest-running vendors.
MNCBA SpringCon 2026 Flyer featuring Line Art by Scott Rolfs
Due to changes made by the Minnesota State Fair to the annex attached to the Education Building, we have lost some of the space that was previously available to us. As a result, our Cosplay Contest and Panel Programming will be exclusive to MNCBA FallCon events going forward. Unfortunately, space is limited.
That being said, our leadership is constantly exploring new ways to make both MNCBA SpringCon and MNCBA FallCon events more interactive and enriching for our attendees. Be sure to watch this space for the latest offerings in the future.
For MNCBA SpringCon 2026, we are happy to announce our new zine-making activity booth — similar to our kids’ activities, but for teens and adults! Pick up a gluestick, cut out some collage bits, and explore your creativity with us!
MNCBA FallCon 2026 exhibitor applications open on 8 June 2026. Make sure you are signed up for our creator, vendor, and/or community table mailing lists to be immediately notified when the online form becomes available. Please make sure you are filling out the correct application as well to avoid delays in processing.
If you have any questions, let us know!
WHAT’S GOIN’ ON IN THE TWIN CITIES
Mind’s Eye Comics has moved to/reopened in Saint Paul, MN.
Hot Comics and Collectibles has begun hosting monthly meet-and-greets with local comic creators! Check out their Facebook page for announcements.
Most Wanted Madness! is back at Most Wanted Comics.
Zine Scene (hosted by Twin Cities Zine Fest) happens at Minneapolis Central Library on 14 April, 2 June, 4 August, 6 October, and 1 December. You can mingle and or trade with other zine-makers, hear from zine-makers reading their most recent work, and take part in a workshop led by a local creator.
2D Con is coming on 21-23 August 2025 in Bloomington, MN.
Use this link to submit your news or event to us.
“BECOMING A CREATOR (EXHIBITOR)” by Jen Bateman
To follow up on Stephen’s article in our previous issue about the process of becoming a vendor at comic book shows, I will be sharing some tips and thoughts about exhibiting at events as a creator. From a period of 2005 through 2007, and again from 2015 through 2019, I was a frequent creator-exhibitor at varied art, anime, and comic book-centered events in Texas and the Midwest.
These days, I prefer being behind-the-scenes in a support role, but that’s no reason for you to skip out on the spotlight! There are many reasons you may decide to become a creator-exhibitor at an event like MNCBA SpringCon and FallCon — beyond the obvious goal of selling your books and other merchandise.
For creators who are vending as a primary component of their exhibitor space, I recommend providing items for purchase at a wide range of price points. The person who purchases a $2.00 button or $5.00 mini-comic today may become the person who regularly purchases your series, or commissions original art, in the future.
Always have plenty of options available for the curious and “lookie-loos” in addition to your fans and repeat customers. Buttons, stickers, bookmarks, and mini-comics are great impulse-purchase items. Any time someone takes home something to remember you by — that’s a win! Repeat customers are generally more open to pricier items like T-shirts, graphic novels, posters, and original artwork.
Many artists accept pre-show commissions where their customer picks up the completed work at the event. (Whether a deposit or advance payment is required will vary from artist to artist.) In this way, they are often able to cover the cost of their exhibitor space and/or other expenses before stepping foot on the show floor.
Sketch cards are extremely popular because they are usually affordable and highly collectable. They can be easily stored/displayed in binder pages unlike art that must be framed. Pre-sized ACEO artist trading card materials are available at most arts and crafts stores, or you can do what I do, and quarter your favourite 5″ × 7″ drawing surface on a paper cutter. (I’m a hot press watercolour paper snob.)
A Comic Creator at MSP Fall Comicon 2018
Display your work in ways that are most likely to catch the attention of those passing by. Print walls, print racks, binders, vertical merchandise displays, spinner racks, and standing portfolios are all great options. Boxes and piles are unappealing and less shopper-friendly. People generally expect a more polished presentation from creator-exhibitors than the short and longboxes used by vendors.
Lastly, and most importantly for sales — be engaging! I lost count of how many people ultimately purchased a book from me after having a great chat at a show. If you must work while at your table, make a habit of stopping to look up occasionally and speak to passers-by instead of staying buried in your drawing. Don’t phub potential customers! Put your phone or device away and be fully present.
Beyond immediate sales, I always categorized exhibiting as an advertising expense. Being present at a show is a fantastic way to get your work seen by a fresh and highly-targetted audience, making it a valuable part of long-term brand-building and growth. The most successful creators use a combination of online and offline promotion strategies that mutually signal boost each other over time.
Comic book conventions and other similar events also function as networking opportunities for creators. Newcomers to the creative industries may be able to have their portfolio reviewed by working professionals, and veterans may connect with other creators for collaborative projects. While it is possible to do this without exhibiting, in my experience most creators enjoy seeing another’s table.
Over time, community-focused, mid-sized events like MNCBA SpringCon and FallCon take on a “found family” atmosphere. As someone with no biological family, the MNCBA’s twice-yearly “reunions” became a foundation on which I built many of the most important relationships in my life. That is, in fact, the impetus behind my motivation to volunteer for and lead this organization: the people.
Given the busyness of modern life, the MNCBA’s events gather together creative friends who may rarely or never see each other in person. That expression of shared humanity and camaraderie is precious. Your MNCBA creator table fee gets you not only everything I outlined above, but hot lunch and 8-16 hours with your pals.
When you think about it that way, it’s a great deal!
“LOCAL SHOP SPOTLIGHT: ROCKHOPPER COMICS AND GAMES” by Shawn Bramanti and Sehee Snead
“Every comic is someone’s first.” -Stan Lee
Rockhopper Comics and Games, one of the newest additions to the Twin Cities comic book scene, is owned by Mike Wadlund and located in New Hope, MN. The shop celebrated its fourth Anniversary on August 16th, 2025, marking the second of three big Annual Sale days. The other two are Free Comic Book Day, the first Saturday in May, and their Black Friday sale in November.
Whether it’s to help celebrate Rockhopper itself or score a great find, know that Mikey’s shop is more than just comic books — it’s “half comics, half games.” One can find a little bit of everything in addition to comics, like Magic: The Gathering cards, board games, and action figures. Mikey states, “I’m a passionate board gamer and so I knew when I opened up the shop that I wouldn’t sell just one product. I like to do it all and I would carry it all.”
Exterior of Rockhopper Comics and Games in New Hope, MN. Photo by Sehee Snead.
Mikey told us his first comic book was an issue of Marvel’s What If comics. The original series started in 1989 and ran over a hundred issues, so it was a popular series. He laughs as he remembers his parents reading out loud about all the ways in which the superheroes die, and states it was the “most unlikely book to get someone interested in comics — yet here we are 35 years later.”
Mikey opened Rockhopper Comics and Games, having created and written his own business plan for the store, back in 2012. Mikey acknowledged the balance it takes to implement one’s interest while maintaining a business. He added that a clear vision of one’s business identity is crucial, but also noted, “It’s important to diversify. It’s important to acknowledge what is popular right now and is something you should look into selling.”
Inside the front entrance of Rockhopper Comics and Games in New Hope, MN. Photo by Sehee Snead.
He continues to emphasize the importance of the business aspect of upholding a comic book shop under a guideline loosely based on there being currently “two kinds of readers.” There are guys who have been reading comics since the dawn of time, and then there are newer readers. How do you attract both? Superhero movies and other media don’t automatically bring in more new comic book readers.
Mikey feels there are other avenues where he has been seeing an influx of new customers in — games. Marvel Rivals has encouraged a newer generation of comic book fans. He told us one of his now-regular guests at Rockhopper favored playing Cloak and Dagger, and later bought all the comics related to the pair of heroes.
Comics and toys for sale at Rockhopper Comics and Games in New Hope, MN. Photo by Sehee Snead.
The magic of seeing someone obtain their first comic book is one of Mikey’s favorite things about selling comics. His staff enjoy the exploration of new comics and new ideas. Give them a couple of words or descriptions and they will work wonders to find someone’s first comic book. Mikey truly believes that while jumping into a comic book series, especially one with deep history and lore, is a daunting task, that comic books are written in a way where you can jump in wherever you want and pick it up from there.
Shawn Bramanti, Mike Wadlund, and Sehee Snead at Rockhopper Comics and Games in New Hope, MN.
Rockhopper Comics and Games
Where: 8016 Medicine Lake Rd, New Hope, MN 55427
When: Monday through Thursday 12:00PM – 8:00PM, Friday and Saturday 12:00PM – 9:00PM, Sunday 12:00PM – 5:00PM
Rockhopper Comics and Games
“BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS: WIND RISES IN THE DESERT” Review by Nick Palodichuk
Film Review Courtesy of St. Paul Filmcast
Based on the twelve volume manhua series Biao Ren or Blades of The Guardians by Xianzhe Xu, this live-action film succeeds a twelve-episode anime series from 2023. Since its publication, the comic book has been a massive success with a large international fan base. It became so popular that it was inevitable that a live-action adaptation would be made. Released in the U.S. in early March, it was met with heavy expectations and pressure to get it right. Loaded with intense action, amazing choreographed fights and stunts, and great sound and editing, the film is an achievement. The result is we have the first great film of 2026.
Blades of the Guardians Promotional Image
The film is directed by eighty-year-old Yuen Woo-ping, known for films like Iron Monkey and Red Wolf. Yuen Woo-ping is the most sought-after and infamous fight and action choreographer in the business, with action and stunt credits in such films as the Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill 1 & 2, Drunken Master, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. If this is to be the swan song to his filmography, it is the perfect film. There is no cheapness to it. Its signature is the feel of the stunt work and the toil that goes it. It also helps that Jet Li brings the pizzazz. With Yuen at the helm, Li gives the film a boost that would have otherwise let it fall to the level of a low-budget B-movie. The film is about scale and scope, with robust world building. It’s lush and full, with the setting becoming a character unto itself. It’s epic, but it also knows how to maintain intimacy at the same time, something that comes with an experienced director. It’s flashy, and splashes like the ink blots of the book with outrageous characters and exaggerated expressions. Each character is flushed out and masterfully crafted for us, to emphasize all of them. It is a high octane ride that slows occasionally to absorb the scenery. It’s a saga for saga’s sake — and it’s terrific.
We get every kind of weather imaginable, we get betrayal, and we get the “lone wolf and cub” sojourn. We get a backstory that takes place during the cruel, late Siu dynasty — a time of mercenaries, bounty hunters, bandits, lords, and marauders. A time of outlaws forming their own laws.
It’s extremely rare to get a wide release of a film from China, but Blades of The Guardians is the exception, because this is an action film with heart and passion. A rewatch is well-deserved to catch all the details. Most notably, it’s a film that fans will most certainly demand a sequel to, and they are absolutely right to do so. 9/10
EDITOR’S NOTES AND KUDOS
Thank you to the MNCBA Newsletter Team for all their excellent contributions to the 2025 newsletters and their commitment to this project going forward. It doesn’t happen without the hard work of our team in service to this community.
Until next time, see you in the funny pages!
