Michael Goldman turned his
love for comic books into a
career. His comic convention
comes to Novi next
weekend.

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Shalornan is a co mic-book
series with Jewish characters.

Michael Goldman:
Crazy for comics.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
S D ecial to The Jewish News

DIE

who says the most valuable comics were pro-
duced between 1935 and 1950.
"At first, long before I got into the conven-
tion business, the comics were just f w

ichael Goldman, 33,
nostalgic. Very modern comic books have great
knows the value of pop-
comic
for example, is a w ell-written
ular comic books. The
Starman, or e
toryline; it's
stories.
book-
s
editions,
monthly series with a continuing
early Superman
related
e65,00 0 .
about a son of a su perhero."
radio shows
for example, go for up to
Goldman, who was confirmed at Temple
c
and toys."
But he no longer buys d sells omics
Goldman, who has
oney. Rather, he arranges conven- Israel, started collecting comics while in his
m
teens. After a few years, he decided to sell some
not abandoned his smaller shows, recently
to make
tions where others can trade and
sell. expand-
he no longer wanted at a local show and caught
hobby
added Chicago to his site cities.
for interests in new
What started out as a to
the trading bug. He studied the pricing guide
His conventions provide
ed into Goldman's livelihood. His next local
and reserved a dealer table for himself at the
comic books and even feature one series with an
show — Motor City Comic Con — Center,
is set
Shaloman, an ethnic Superman
ewish
characters,
next Making
show. money at something he enjoyed
for May 15-17 at the Novi Expolon g
J known as the "Kosher Crusader." Goldman has
where dealers will be featured a
resulted in the establishment of Motor City
seen a lot of Hebrew comic books.
with creators, writers and artists.
"ven though comic books from the 1930s did
Comics and Motor City
most of
There also will be actors and
E
Conventions. He developed a
ifically Jewish characters,
not
feature
spec
actresses who appeared in
mail order business of pre-
The
the writers were Jewish," Goldman said.
1970s coma and bought the
films based on comic
Motor City Comic
Among those who will make appearances next ,
shows known as X-Trava-
books, animation pre-
Con will be held from 1-8
Friday, Saturday and Sunday are Martin Modell
Con and Encore Con.
p,m. Friday, May 15; 10 a.m.-
sentations, art c ontests,
creator of "The Green Lantern"; 40-year veteran
After promoting one-day
7
p.m.
Saturday,
May
16;
and
wrestling and game tour-
Sheldon Moldoff, best known for his
sessions in Livonia, Royal
0 . rn . -5 p.m. Sunday, May 17,
naments.
"Batman" illustrations; and Julius
he
On hand will be Jeremy
Oak, Lansing
at the Novi Expo Center.
b and To e ,
Schwartz, a major editor
decided to move on to two-day
a day/ $28 for three days.
Bulloch, also known as
at DC comics for over
(248) 426-8059.
conventions in Dearborn.
Boba Fett, from Star Wars;
Balestar
40 years.
Since expanding to three-day conven-
Richard Hatch from
Appearing Friday
and
Batgirl
Yvonne
dons in 1994, he has watched attendance grow
Galactica;
and
Saturday will be
Craig, among many other comic
to more than 11,000 fans at what has become
Will Eisner, who like
the third largest comic convention i n the
p e rsonalities.
the others, will be sign-
"We started out in 1989 just focusing on
ing autographs and
United States.
comic books, but we've grown into a pop ,
"I select the people featured at our conven-
speaking throughout
culture convention," said Goldman
tions after meeting them at other conventions,"
the day. El
said Goldman, whose growing business and
employs
par-
Suzanne
family members, including wife An
Chessler is a
ents Marilyn and Arthur.
Farmington Hills-
"I don't collect comics
based freelance
any longer, but I do
w riter.
collect

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