Bay Area Comic Book Convention Features Independent Comics' Best Creators BERKELEY, Calif., Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAGE EXPO is a three-day comic book convention commemorating Image Comics' 20th Anniversary and celebrating creator-owned comics, being held on February 24, 25, and 26, 2012 at the Oakland Convention Center. Image Comics partners Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino, will be the guests of honor, appearing for signings, panels, and workshops. Other special guests include Image founders Rob Liefeld and Whilce Portacio, plus the creators of today's best creator-owned comics, including Ed Brubaker and Brian K. Vaughan. Exhibitors at IMAGE EXPO include companies publishing independent comics and the artists who create them, as well as retailers who support creator-owned comics. IMAGE EXPO will also be hosting programming for fans, aspiring creators, and retail professionals, ranging from door-busting panels with some of comics' biggest names to art, writing, and design workshops. On the door-busting side, "The Walking Dead Live" panel will take place Saturday, hosted by Chris Hardwick, with The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and actors Steven Yeun (Glenn) and Norman Reedus (Daryl). In the workshops, Image Comics founders will offer portfolio reviews and tips for aspiring artists. Image Comics will also be supporting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's work with a workshop on censorship led by the CBLDF's Charles Brownstein. Tickets are $20 for a Friday or Sunday pass, $25 for Saturday, and $35 for all three days. There is also a $150 MVP three-day pass, which includes guaranteed panel seating and a gift bag. To purchase tickets and more information about the show, visit www.imagecomicexpo.com. About Image Comics: Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.