Anime Express Convention Information

Guests to be joining us for Anime Express X


Hi all! We're still working on our guest list for now, so this page is still going to be updated before the convention!

BUT here are who we have so far!

2008 guest list

Steve Bennett

The following is from www.stevebennettart.com

Stephen Robert Bennett IV was born *&#@?! years ago at Tachikawa Air Force Base in Japan. Being an Army brat, Steve moved all over the place in his younger days, He spent his early years in Alaska and Colorado, and lived for almost eight years in Germany during elementary and junior high. The family moved back to Japan when Steve was in his teens, and while he was there he was lucky enough to land a job with Studio Aoehyma, and work under the great Japanese animator, Noboru Furusei (New Dominion Tank Police, Lupin III, etc.) During his time at Studio Aoehyma, Steve learned quite a bit about anime, and worked on such titles as Cat's Eye, the Urusei Yatsura TV Series and Only You, as well as others.

But finally, the family moved back to the States and settled in Virginia. Steve finished up high school, took some college courses, and ended up working at a bunch of different jobs. He worked at King's Dominion amusement park (where he met his future wife Nikki), and he also worked in a Japanese restaurant, a video store, and ended up working in construction.

About the time Steve and Nikki tied the knot (1994), Steve attended his first anime convention as a guest--Katsucon 1 and finally remembered his true calling. He started up Studio Ironcat, a Japanese manga publisher, in 1997 and quit his construction job. Ironcat ran until 2004. Although Steve enjoyed his time with Ironcat, the job kept him too busy to focus on his own art. With the close of Ironcat, Steve was finally free to create his own comics, and get back into the artistic side of the industry. Today, Steve is busier than ever at conventions, has THREE webcomics on-line ("Shakespeare Rodeo" , "Aliens of Extraordinary Ability," and "Life With Steve") and is finally letting his creative juices flow!

Steve has been to numerous anime conventions over the years (too many to mention here!) and has also lent his talents to other venues, such as Loyola University in Louisiana, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Iowa Gallery of Art.

Ashley Clark (aka Anna May Belle)

The following is from www.animebelle.com

ASHLEY CLARK is a multi-media artist and writer, and has been working in
the anime style for nearly a decade. Her first webcomic, 'Shades of Red',
debuted in 2003. She has since turned her attention to her newest literary
project, 'Tales of Asajima'. You can enter the world of Asajima through
the webnovel 'Nowaki', and continue your journey with the first of her
print novels, 'The Yukari'.

Ashley has won numerous awards as not only an artist, but also as an AMV
creator, cosplayer, and film editor. Within the anime community, Ashley is
widely known as Anna May Belle, webmistress of AnimeBelle.com, one of the
most highly regarded and popular anime websites in the south. AnimeBelle
hosts a gallery containing over 24,000 photos with hundreds more added
after every convention she attends. The website also hosts forums, guest
interviews, event reporting, and a convention schedule of southern anime
conventions. If it's of interest to southern anime fans, it interests
AnimeBelle, y'all!

AniRAGE

The following is from www.myspace.com/anirage

aniRAGE is Northwest Florida's newest comedy group! Founded in June 2007, aniRAGE specializes in improv comedy, sketch comedy, and other various humor enterprises.