Aw Yeah Comics hosted an appearance by legendary horror host Svengoolie to promote the release of his first full-length comic book. The event brought together several of the most creative folks I know.

The Aw Yeah staff and Svengoolie. Photo courtesy of Aw Yeah Comics.
Svengoolie (aka Rich Koz) has entertained fans for more than 40 years. The Son of Svengoolie officially debuted in June 1979. It had a few homes and was shortened to Svengoolie before finding its current home at WCIU in 1995. In 2011 the Chicago icon was launched onto the national scene when the show joined the Saturday night lineup on the MeTV classic TV network.
Written by Koz, Svengoolie executive producer Jim Roche and producer Christopher Faulkner, Svengoolie: Lost in Time tells the origins of Svengoolie’s crazy characters as they deal with an evil Svenbot trying to eliminate them. It is beautifully illustrated by Aw Yeah co-owners Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, Jill Thompson, Chris Jones and Stephane Roux. Full of bad puns and silly jokes, it is 48 pages of pure entertainment as only Svengoolie can provide.

Art Baltazar
A store packed with fans and friends greeted Koz upon his arrival. He signed hundreds of comic books and posed for pictures. Despite the crowd, Koz made every encounter special, as he always does. I also chatted with Roche and Baltazar, two longtime friends.

Svengoolie (Rich Koz)
Aw Yeah is a modern comic book store with an old-school feel. It has everything you’d want in a comic store, including two big comfortable chairs. I love going to Aw Yeah even if I am not looking for comic books. Sometimes I make the short walk to Aw Yeah to just hang out with friends and staffers, like Joe Crohn, who have become friends. I’m not a huge collector, but I always get special releases like this Svengoolie comic or anything Baltazar and Aureliani produce.

Jim Roche
After 40 years, Svengoolie is more popular and busier than ever. Having watched the show from its debut, I am proud to consider Koz a friend. He is a genuinely nice guy and always a pleasure to see. He’s a Chicago treasure, but we are happy to share him.
— John Wroblewski, online writer
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