Comic book show coming to Claremont

I've written here and in my column about the demise of the Comic Bookie, the longtime Claremont comic book emporium. But owner Chris Peterson is back with a new venture: a pop culture and comics show in the Claremont Packing House, scheduled for Saturday.

He calls it the Los Angeles Comic Con -- at least, as he puts it, "until somebody gives us grief about it." The name was available, so why not? Visit the website, www.losangelescomic-con.com.

"We're hoping to pull in the L.A. crowd as well as the Inland Empire and Orange County," Peterson said.

The Packing House is letting him and co-organizer Erik von Wodtke use most of the common area in the complex, both inside and out, giving them space for approximately 28 vendor booths. As of Friday they had 16 confirmed vendors, filling the entire indoor area, a pretty good start. The Claremont Forum is helping underwrite the show.

Peterson said that vendors include Chino's Comic Madness, several back-issue sellers, the Claremont gaming store Gameology and himself, whose 200-square-foot space will be reminiscent of his former 700-square-foot shop, which closed in October.

Danny Miki, a Marvel Comics artist, will be at the show from 11 a.m. to noon.

Peterson has a four-month deal at the Packing House and hopes to put on shows the third Saturday of each month. He hopes the show grows to include movie previews and more guests. In the meantime, the first show sounds like fun. Admission is free, so what have we got to lose?

"It's just before Christmas. Get your shopping done, get something to eat and get your geek on," Peterson advises.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Claremont Packing House, on First Street a block west of Indian Hill Boulevard.