Emerald City Comic Con 2014 Report, Part 1: SMASH!

Click any of the photos below for a larger image. The Bolton brothers are open for business!

From Friday's "Comics are for Kids Again" panel, left to right: Kevin Konrad Hanna (Creature Academy), Jake Parker (Missile Mouse), Shelli Paroline (Adventure Time), Chris Giarrusso (G-Man), Kyle Bolton, and Chris A. Bolton.

The Bolton brothers hosted a panel on Saturday called "Kids Make Comics!" Using the basic lessons in our pamphlet "How to Make Comics — the Smash Way" (click here for the PDF), they presented an interactive tutorial for a very large crowd of enthusiastic young talents. As Kyle and Chris assembled comic panels before their eyes, the kids helped out with dialogue suggestions, voted on an ending, and asked some fantastic questions.

Setting up for a reading from Smash: Trial by Fire.

Chris provides the helicopter sound effects as Kyle plays the role of Andrew Ryan.

Answering one of the many great questions from the enthusiastic young audience.

The panel was so much fun, the boys had the time of their lives.

Chatting with many parents and kids after the panel.

Chris and Kyle with their editor at Candlewick, the fantastic Mary Lee Donovan.

Posing with longtime fan Geoff Sherwood (wearing his signed T-shirt) and his daughter, Saraya (who bought our last pair of goggles).

Chris takes a picture of Ariel and Prince Eric cosplayers.

Kyle poses with two young fans.

Tomorrow: cosplayers galore!