Green Flash Comics owner plans Comic Con-type event in 2017

Participants of the art contest show off their works in last Saturday’s 3rd Annual Free Comic Book Day held last Saturday morning at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library. The event moved to Green Flash Comics store at the Joeten Superstore in the afternoon. (Mackenzie Perez)

Green Flash Comics owner Glenn Keaton is planning to have a bigger Free Comic Book Day event for next year, a Comic Con-type of celebration of the annual affair. He said that planning should start this early and he is also seeking partners for the project.

“It would really be nice if we could pull it off. Just imagine the number of tourists that would attend the event. You could have those from Guam, Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, and nearby countries to come to Saipan,” said Keaton during last Saturday’s event at Green Flash Comics’ store at the Joeten Superstore.

A Comic Con or comic book convention is a multi-day event where comic book fans gather to mingle with each other, and meet creators and artists of their favorite comic books.

Keaton said that he attended the inaugural Middle East Film and Comic Con in the United Arab Emirates in 2012, which was the first of its kind in the Middle East. The MEFCC is now on its fifth year. “They managed to pull it off even though they don’t have a single comic book store.”

“Imagine if we could have a similar event here. Get all sectors in the community, private and government sector, working and planning everything. We should start now if we want to make it happen,” added Keaton.

Lord of the Rings cast John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), The Walking Dead’s Laurie Holden (Andrea), Game of Thrones’ Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo), and Supernatural regulars Mark Sheppard (Crowley) and Luciana Carro (Melissa) were the stars that attended the 2012 Comic Con.

Momoa has also appeared as Aquaman in this year’s Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice film with a solo movie on his character due in 2018.

Another one of his plans for next year’s Free Comic Book Day is to invite artists like Alex Ross, who designed DC Comics’ Harley Quinn or Manga artists from Japan that would create their own Saipan-themed style with the beach, ocean, or other sites of the island.

“I’m considering getting good artists. Invite them to come to Saipan. Have them create a Saipan-themed comic book cover, it could be with superheroes or villains, it all depends on their own style. Display their artwork, sell it, and give half of the proceeds to the artist,” said Keaton.

“How about Stan Lee? But we need to make sure that everything is okay like somebody would shoulder his airfare and hotel accommodation. As long as there are sponsors who would help me bring this into reality,” he added.

“Getting Stan Lee would be big and ambitious. Might as well start with other artists. But there’s always the possibility. Who knows?”

Last Saturday’s Free Comic Book Day was the third straight year the event was held on Saipan. Close to 1,200 comic books were given away in the event held first at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library before transferring to Green Flash Comics at the Joeten Superstore.