An Image Expo isn't currently planned for 2017, but that doesn't mean that Image Comics doesn't have plenty of new series announcements planned.

In an interview with CBR commemorating Image's 25th anniversary, Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson confirmed that an Image Expo isn't "at present" planned for this year, but the company will hold an "Expo-esque" panel with announcements on the first day of Emerald City Comicon in Seattle on Thursday, March 2.

Additionally, rather than the "Spring Formal" event which was held at The Showbox venue in Seattle, Image will hold a "Homecoming dance" at Rose City Comic Con this September, in Image's new home of Portland, Oregon.

Stephenson cites Image's move from Berkeley, California to Portland as the reason why a full-scale Image Expo isn't in the cards.

"Something had to give when we were making the transition and that something was Image Expo," Stephenson said. "Even working with ReedPOP last year for the Expo in Seattle, it’s a tremendous amount of work for our staff, and stacking another Expo on top of the move just seemed cruel and unnecessary. So we’re doing something a little different this year -- we’re doing a big announcements thing at Emerald City and instead of the Spring Formal we held at the Showbox for that con last year, we’re going to do a Homecoming dance for Rose City Comic-Con here in Portland this September."

The first Image Expo took place in 2012 in Oakland, California, and had been held annually -- sometimes twice a year -- since. Rather than a typical convention, Image Expo is focused on panel discussions and creator meet-and-greet opportunities, headlined by a keynote address from Stephenson and the announcement of typically around 10-15 new series from the creator-owned publisher. Last year's event took place in Seattle, one day prior to Emerald City Comicon.