Art Teacher Renzo Ventrella remembered through Comic Con

Art Teacher Renzo Ventrella passed away unexpectedly last year at Xavier High School where he founded and organized the annual comic con called X-con. His friends and co-workers are continuing this tradition on Saturday May 11 2019 from noon to five and all proceeds go to the school and his family.

Renzo graduated Xavier High School in 1992 and went on to CUNY and the School of Visual Arts. In 1997, he returns to Xavier as an art instructor and made an impact to countless students. “Mr. Ventrella was a good man, a gifted artist, and to many among us, family. He was our voice, our jester, our crooner, and Santa Clause all wrapped up in one larger-than-life person.” wrote Michael Livigni, class of ’21 on the school’s memorial page for Ventrella.

In 2016, Renzo and fellow teacher Steve Iannuccilli organized the first X-Con to help raise funds for the High School. Now in its fourth year, “The show will be a wonderful way to remember our friend and raise money for a program and a school that he cherished so deeply.“ Shared Iannuccilli on a Facebook message. The event will be located at the high school’s gym at 30 West 16th Street in Manhattan and will be held from noon to five pm. Admission will be $5.

The event will feature raffles, games, cosplayers, vendors and exhibitors as well as artists and creators from the local comic book community. Including Stan Chou, Omar Mirza, Keith Williams, Rebecca Friedman, Jon Roscetti, Jay Taylor, Claire Connelly, Brian Kong, Maxim Hobness, Carmine Street Comics and many more!

“I was stunned, because I had just seen him 3 days’ prior to his passing, at NY Comic Con.” writer Tony Wolf said of his passing. “He was always friendly, upbeat, and so excited about comics & art…(Renzo) was incredibly supportive of anyone who had a love for those things.”

Aside from organizing the con, Renzo was an accomplished artist and much beloved teacher. “Renzo was a role-model. He tried his best to show what a Xavier alumni could and should be for his brothers and the community at large.” Offered former student Tom Martinez.” He was always game for anything that would help the school and it’s students.” Martinez is now an art director for Scholastic and credits Renzo as a huge influence.

Current student Will Rugai had this to say on a YouTube post the day after Renzo’s passing. ”I’ve never met a 44 year old who was this relatable, this down to Earth…between teachers and students there is that age divide – ‘I am the teacher, you are the student, I will teach you.’That really wasn’t the case for him.” Many students agree.

Renzo Ventrella was a man of passion. Passion for his students, his art and, of course, his family. His creation, X-con honors all that and more.

The Orville Season 3: New Horizons trailer released

From Emmy Award-winning executive producer and creator Seth MacFarlane, THE ORVILLE is a live-action, one-hour space adventure series set 400 years in the future that follows The Orville, a mid-level Read more

The Fall of the Queens trailer released

Uncork’d Entertainment has picked up Aleph Cine-directed Spanish thriller THE FALL OF THE QUEENS, skedding a June 7 digital release. Two teenage sisters, Juana, and Mara, live in an isolated Read more

The CW cancels Charmed, Roswell New Mexico, The 4400 and Naomi!

The CW has announced that they have cancelled Charmed, Roswell New Mexico, The 4400 and Naomi. The CW has also opted to not renew In the Dark beyond its upcoming fourth Read more

The Boys Season 3 trailer released

It’s been a year of calm. Homelander’s subdued. Butcher works for the government, supervised by Hughie of all people. But both men itch to turn this peace and quiet into Read more

Tales From The Other Side trailer released

Uncork’d Entertainment has acquired horror anthology TALES FROM THE OTHER SIDE featuring genre staples James Duval (Go, The Doom Generation) and Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior, Weird Science). The film, which plays Read more

Shin Kamen Rider teaser trailer and poster revealed

Hideki Ano (Shin Godzilla) will be writing and directing Shin Kamen Rider. The movie is the third part of the Kamen Rider 50th birthday celebrations that includes the anime series Read more

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law trailer released

You’ll like her when she’s angry. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, an Original series from Marvel Studios, starts streaming August 17th 2022 on Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gim2kprjL50

Second trailer released for Kingdom II: To Distant Lands

Directed by Shinsuke Sato, Kingdom II: To Distant Lands is based on the historical manga of the same name, the series follows a slave boy named Xin and his dream Read more

Second Resident Evil teaser released

How could so much Joy create so much pain? Resident Evil comes exclusively to Netflix, July 14th 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx6onHvOqwA

Scorsese’s The Last Waltz hits Cannes alongside some other classics

THE LAST WALTZ (1978) has been officially selected for the Cannes Classics programme at the Festival De Cannes 2022. MGM Studios’ THE LAST WALTZ (1978) is presented by Park Circus thanks to a new 4K digital Read more

Robocop celebrates 35th Anniversary back in cinemas with 4K restoration

MGM’s Oscar®-winning ROBOCOP is soon to celebrate its 35th Anniversary by returning to cinemas nationwide from 20th May in partnership with Park Circus, with a 4K restoration of the Director’s Cut. This 4K restoration of the film is from the Read more

Resurrection teaser trailer released

IFC Films invites you to screen writer and director Andrew Seman’s jaw-dropping sophomore feature, RESURRECTION which had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Margaret (Rebecca Hall) leads a Read more

Resident Evil teaser released

Nothing eventful ever happens in the peaceful New Raccoon City. The legendary franchise Resident Evil brings its battle for survival to Netflix on July 14th 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tb9ENbFWvQ

Prey trailer released

Prey is coming to Hulu August 5 “Prey,” an all-new action-thriller from 20th Century Studios directed by Dan Trachtenberg (“The Boys,” “10 Cloverfield Lane”) and the newest entry in the Read more

Preview- The Flight Attendant Season 2 Ep. 7: Thrill Rides

The Flight Attendant Season 2 Ep. 6: Thrill Rides airs next week on HBO Max. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCqeuQoXsDM

Preview- Avataro Sentai Donbrothers Ep. 12: The Moon Is Lying

In Avataro Sentai Donbrothers Ep. 12: The Moon Is Lying, Kirara Kira, an aspiring idol, begins working part time at Donbura, when an obsessed fan turns into a Hitotsuki and Read more

Only Murders in the Building Season 2 teaser trailer released

Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez returns for a second season June 28th 2022 on Hulu. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jIeomBJlVA

Offseason to hit Bluray/DVD this June

RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, and Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural will release OFFSEASON on DVD and Blu-ray on June 14, 2022. Read more

North American trailer for psychological horror ‘Hollow’ released

Devilworks have unleashed the North American trailer for psychological horror film ‘Hollow’, from writer-director Jonathan Zaurin, ahead of its home release later this month. In Hollow, “A woman with early signs of Read more

New South Park: The Streaming Wars trailer released

In SOUTH PARK THE STREAMING WARS, Cartman locks horns with his mom in a battle of wills while an epic conflict unfolds that threatens South Park's very existence. The next Read more