Baltimore Comic Con - 2024 Report
Baltimore Comic Con - Report
Ah yes, Maryland—the land of Old Bay, the city of Baltimore, where they adore that iconic flag and make sure you know it. After navigating four lanes of traffic to grab impeccable wings at the Pratt Street Ale House, passing by entire stores dedicated to Old Bay merchandise in the Inner Harbor, and dodging the ever-persistent canvassers of the 800 organizations capitalizing on the Comic Con crowd—you’ll eventually find yourself at one of the best comic shows of the year.
The Orioles were playing all weekend, so the crowds outside were wilder than usual. Fortunately, the Ravens were away in Dallas, making for a smoother-than-expected exit on Sunday night.
We set up next to our old pal Ted from Superworld Comics for Picto’s inaugural Baltimore show under our own banner. Although we had limited inventory to bring, it turned out to be a decent show overall—not great, but not bad either. The juxtaposition between Picto’s selection and Superworld’s was complementary, to say the least. The crowd was split evenly between collectors hunting for more obscure books (like Guadalcanal Diary) and those after mainstream runs (Swamp Thing anyone?). If we didn’t have it, we’d send them ten feet down to Ted’s table, and vice versa. Ted returned the favor multiple times, creating a great energy throughout the show.
During the quieter moments, I managed to slip away from the booth and grab footage for an Instagram reel. Rather than asking dealers what their most expensive book on the wall was (which seems to be a trend), I opted for something different. I asked some of our favorite friends in the industry to showcase their personal favorite books. Interestingly enough, every single pick was a Golden Age gem—except for Harley Yee, who went offbeat with a Cerebus.
I could list my favorites from the highlights, but honestly, each book was as cool as the last. Instead, I’ll let you check out the video below.
All in all, it was an okay con, slightly underwhelming compared to previous years. As we near the end of the show season, it feels like the comic market is refining itself, preparing for 2025. Our advice? Buy. Buy. Buy.
