Guests

James Marsters takes a bite out of Big Lick Comic Con!

Big Lick Entertainment is pleased to announce addition of James Marsters to Big Lick Comic Con Feb. 8-9 at Roanoke’s Berglund Center.

About James: American actor, singer and songwriter; James Marsters first found international fame playing punk-goth Brit vampire Spike in the critically acclaimed American TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the equally popular spin-off Angel.

Bob McLeod began his career working in the production department of Marvel Comics in 1973 on a recommendation from Neal Adams. Eventually he became an inker at Marvel and DC Comics on many series, including The Incredible Hulk, Superman, Conan the Barbarian, Legion of Super Heroes, Detective Comics, Wonder Woman, and The New Titans, as well as penciling Star Wars and several Spider-Man fill-ins for Marvel. He is best known for co-creating the New Mutants with writer Chris Claremont.

Christian was one of the first designers ever hired by Lucasfilm Licensing to retro-design the Star Wars galaxy in 1992.Gossett was only 23 years old when his radical concept drawing of a ‘double-bladed lightsaber’ was personally approved by George Lucas. (Gossett was also the first to suggest and design a curved-handled variant). Seven years later, this design would be made famous as Darth Maul’s signature weapon in The Phantom Menace. Since then, no new Star Wars show has been released without some new kind of lightsaber.Bringing this same unique talent to bear when designing characters and weapons across the entertainment industry, Gossett’s character and concept designs have been sought by such visionaries as Sir Richard Taylor, Peter Jackson, (Gossett worked on Peter Jackson’s ‘King Kong’) and Tim Burton for Disney’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’.His videogame career began at Activision on the PSX. He quickly moved from concept design into a one man cinematics department, writing, storyboarding, directing, voice directing and performing motion capture across several Activision titles.

Since then, he has designed for Sega, Namco, Microsoft and others. His most recent game was as a Story Artist for Activision’s flagship franchise Call of Duty.

Moving to live action directing in 2009, Gossett’s first film, ‘Only Child’, won the prestigious ECA award from the International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600) and played at premiere festivals worldwide. Eager to get some sci-fi on his reel, he directed and co-wrote a Star Trek fan film, ‘Prelude to Axanar,’ that featured as many professionals behind the camera as it did beloved Trek actors in front. Prelude has gathered over three million views on YouTube so far.

Gossett’s ongoing project, The Red Star, has sold over a million units worldwide, was voted among the “Top 100 graphic novels of all time” by Wizard magazine, and is in development for television with show runner Ashley E. Miller (THOR for Marvel, XMen: First Class for Fox.)

#IHAVETHEPOWER An absolute legend of Saturday morning cartoon animation we are honored to welcome Tom Cook – Classic TV Animator/Director to Big Lick Comic Con!

Tom began his career as an animator and artistic director in 1978 at Hanna-Barbera Studios where he was hired to work as an assistant animator on Challenge of the SuperFriends, Godzilla, Scooby Doo, Smurfs, Pacman and the Flintstones.

His stellar career includes the Peanuts, Filmation Studios in 1980, which at this point had become the only animation studio doing animation in the United States, and worked on Tarzan, Flash Gordon, Blackstar, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, Brown Hornet, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra Princess of Power, Ghostbusters, Lone Ranger, Zorro, The Kids Super Power Hour with Shazam (Captain Marvel), Hero High and the futuristic Western Bravestarr. He was also involved with many TV commercials such as The Jolly Green Giant, Chevrolet, and the 7 Up Spot campaign.

He then became the timing director on Road Rovers, Disney’s Mighty Ducks, PB & J Otter, Duckman, King of the Hill, Savage Dragon, HBO’s Happily Ever After Fairy Tales, Extreme Ghostbusters, Extreme Dinosaurs and many more.
He also animated on a number of motion pictures such as Walt Disney’s Prince and the Pauper starring Mickey Mouse, Roger Rabbit in Tummy Trouble, The Jetson’s Movie, Rover Dangerfield, Stay Tuned, Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night, Steven Spielberg’s Were Back, and Don Bluth’s Thumbelina.

Be sure to stop by Tom’s booth as Big Lick Comic Con is Feb. 8-9 at Berglund Center presented by Bank of Botetourt! #biglickcomiccon #tomcook #heman #comics #ghostbusters #shera #superfriends

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