The 4th Tel Aviv Comics and Sci-Fi Convention

October 16, 2004

By Avi Green

Well, it’s been another pleasant month in August and October for going to visit a convention, both the comics and the sci-fi ones, at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. Even the latter of course has what to offer in the way of comic books, and so it’s therefore all the more worth it to go.

The Comics Convention

This year, they erected a tent at the entrance to the building for this particular event. And inside, well, there was plenty to see in the ways of comics and animation. But most importantly of all, I got what is now my oldest issue of Action Comics, from 1975. It’s the 448th issue (and the story is called "Don't Get Off on the 13th Floor!", since it deals with that kind of science-fantasy concept), and also contains a backup story with the Atom ("Nightmare in Gold!"). Plus, I got a pretty good buy of an issue of a miniseries from 1991 starring Black Canary, (New Wings) inked by none other than the famous Dick Giordano, who’d done a lot of work on BC’s adventures with Green Arrow and Green Lantern in the years gone by.

And also, and for me, a very good thing, I bought a trade of Formerly Known as the Justice League, a reunion of the cast from the Giffen/DeMatties era, which was quite a relief after having to go through the unfortunate circumstances of coming across the awful and overrated Identity Crisis, which, interestingly enough, did not seem to be doing well in sales over here, or at the convention, for that matter.

I’m so glad to own it now.

The Sci-Fi Convention

The Sci-Fi expo at the same place was just as good an event, and I was so much in joy to get a couple issues of Heroes for Hire that I didn’t have at home, plus a couple more of the Legion of Superheroes, for just five shekels each. But best of all, before I got there, I went to a small store in the Tel Aviv central bus station, and lo and behold, I got what is now my oldest back issue in my collection to date, and also my oldest Flash issue, that being number #222 of volume one, from 1973, with a story titled “The Heart that Attacked the World!” It co-stars Green Lantern in it, and features Sinestro teaming up with the Weather Wizard to commit a diabolical crime in the area of Central City.

Aren’t I lucky? The rest, obtained at the convention, included even another issue or two of Green Arrow’s first volume, of the Amazing Spider-Man, and of Captain America. And best of all, that great issue of the Fantastic Four with Ben Grimm’s Jewish background being officially revealed, plus at least one other issue of yore from the same series.

Just like the comics convention, even the sci-fi convention is a great place to find a lot of comics related material, and I’ll enjoy attending that too for years to come.

Copyright 2004 Avi Green. All rights reserved.

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