4/18-4/20: WonderCon 2014 in Anaheim, CA

WonderCon, one of the premier west coast comic conventions, is taking place from Friday, April 18th to Sunday, April 20th at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Like it's sister show, San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon offers fans of comics and pop culture an unforgettable experience with a schedule jam-packed with panels, screenings, contests, gaming, and more. Programming includes panels such as "Spiritual Themes in Comics," "DC Entertainment: All Access," "ComiXology: Ask Me Anything," "The Battle for Multicultural Heroes," and "Cover Story: The Art of the Cover," (full listing can be found here). Comics guests include Rick Burchett, Cliff Chiang, Katie Cook, Tony Daniels, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Mark Evanier, Jim Lee, Marjorie Liu, and Cully Hamner. Friday badges are $25, and Sunday badges are $15. Saturday badges and 3-day passes are sold out. The Anaheim Convention Center is located at 800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, CA 92802.

4/18-4/20: Awesome Con in Washington, DC

Awesome Con takes over the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC from Friday, April 18th to Sunday, April 20th for a weekend celebration of comics and pop culture. Programming includes panels and workshops such as "Comics Writers on Writing," "Drawing Spooks & Spectres," "Graphic Novels in Schools," "Comic Book Law for the Comics Creator," creator Q&As, tabletop and video gaming, cosplay contests, screenings and performances, and more (full list can be found here). Comics guests include Carla Speed McNeil, Steve Niles, Batton Lash, Jim Zub, Joe Rubinstein, Dan Parent and George Perez. Saturday and Sunday tickets are $30, two-day passes are $50, limited "Easter Geekend 3-Day" tickets are $60 and VIP passes are $200. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is located at 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, Washington, DC 20001.

4/19: Hillary L. Chute in Chicago, IL

HIlary L. Chute, author of the recently released Outside the Box: Interviews with Contemporary Cartoonists (University of Chicago Press), will be discussing the book on Saturday, April 19th at Quimby's Bookstore in Chicago, Illinois. In the book, Chute, a professor of English and author of Graphic Women: Life Narrative and Contemporary Comics (Columbia University Press, 2010), interviews twelve of the industry's most prominent and celebrated cartoonists including Art Spigelman, Scott McCloud, Lynda Barry, Joe Sacco, Alison Bechdel, and Charles Burns, and talks to them about their experiences, inspirations, and thoughts on the future. This event is free to the public. Quimby's Bookstore is located at 1854 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 60622.

4/20: Cake Frame 2 Fundraiser in Chicago, IL

From Brain Frame and the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) comes Cake Frame 2, an annual fundraiser taking place on Sunday, April 20th at The Co-Prosperity Sphere in Chicago, Illinois. The fundraiser, which benefits CAKE, will feature art auctions, performances, live drawing with Jenna Caravello and music from El Is a Sound of Joy. Tickets are $5-20, doors open at 6 p.m. The Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219-21 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60608.