Image Expo is not an ordinary comic book convention. The major appeal of this comic book show is attendees got the chance to meet comic book creators of Image Comics and to have one-on-one sessions with the creators.

Image Expo was a three-day event which occurred on Feb. 24 through 26 at the Oakland Convention Center, and it celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of Image Comics.

The founders of Image Comics include Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, Whilce Portacio, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino. They were all on-hand at Image Expo to meet with comic book fans and participated in various panels taking place throughout the weekend.

Image Expo also had appearances from other comic book creators including Robert Kirkman, “Chew” creators John Layman and Rob Guillory, Ed Brubaker, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.

The creators had booths in the showroom and attendees could commission sketches from artists, ask them to autograph their favorite comic book or stop by to chat. Attendees also had the chance to attend panels and workshops led by authors throughout the weekend.

It was such a casual event, guests like Kirkman were walking around the show checking out the various booths without being bothered for autographs.

San Francisco State University student Dennis Foster said he came to Image Expo to meet some of his favorite comic book creators.

“We are fans of the characters and collections of comic books. Some of us are fans of the artists and specifically (I) came to see the creators of “Chew” and all (of) the Image guys,” Foster said.

When the Bay Area Comic-Con show WonderCon would not be held in San Francisco this year, Layman said Image Comics decided to take over the slot to host their own event.

“I think Image (Comics) said WonderCon is not here and it is our 20th anniversary (so) let’s do something cool,” Layman said. “I think Jimmy Jay, who is the con organizer, basically spearheaded it.”

Attendees also got a treat with appearances from actors Steven Yeun and Norman Reedus, who both star in the popular AMC show “The Walking Dead,” based on Kirkman’s comic book of the same name. The actors were at Image Expo to meet with fans and participated in “The Walking Dead” panel with Kirkman.

“Chew” creators Layman and Guillory said they were happy to be invited to Image Expo this year and felt it is a different type of comic book show.

“We have had a great crowd, business has been good and it is not the typical cosplayer, weirdos buying junk,” Layman said. “It is a (really) excellent chance for fans to interact with (creators) and it is a very atypical, old-school type of Comic-Con.”

Guillory said he agreed with Layman, and added on Image Expo is different from the other comic book shows.

“It is intimate enough that where you can actually spend half an hour talking to the creators that you really love and the talent roster is totally top notch,” Guillory said. “I mean Brian K. Vaughn is here. It’s pretty freaking awesome and it has been great.”

There were vintage and modern comics offered at Image Expo by vendors, from older comics like “The Amazing Spider-Man” to the new comics like Kirkman’s “Thief of Thieves.” Vendors were also selling rare comics like “Amazing Fantasy” No. 15, the first appearance of Spider-Man, and X-Men No. 94, the first appearance of the new X-Men team.

Sacramento comic book store A-1 Comics was a vendor for Image Expo and offered rare comic books for sale at the show. A-1 Comics owner Brian Peets said he wanted to support Image Expo and hopes it will become a yearly event and be an alternative local show.

“I like the way they organized it, and I think they are working on a very professional level,” Peets said. “They are doing everything they can to make it a successful show, not only for the attendees but for the people setting up booths like myself.”

At some comic book conventions, they offer variant editions of comics that can only be bought or received at the show. Variants are popular for fans to obtain because of their rarity and high value.

Some of the variants at Image Expo included “The Walking Dead” No. 94 in a color variant, which the first 5,000 attendees received for attending. A black-and-white variant was offered to attendees who purchased an MVP: Ultimate Fan Experience ticket. Other limited-editions comics attendees could purchase at the show included a “Chew” No. 24 and a “Thief of Thieves” issue.

There is no official word yet if Image Expo will become a yearly event, but Layman said he hopes it would become an event occurring only every few years.

“It’s the 20th anniversary (of Image Comics) and it is kind of lightning in a bottle,” Layman said. “I could see this (event) every five years, but I am not craving it to be a regular thing.”

Image Expo is a different comic book show because it was all about the interaction between the fans and creators. Focusing on selling comics and dressing up as characters like other conventions was not missed. It was a nice change of pace and Image Expo can likely hold its own against rival Comic-Con shows like WonderCon in the years to come.

Brittany Lambert can be reached at [email protected]