Ok everyone that is going to the biggest, awesomnest, geekest convention of them all! We have the Comic-Con Schedule for Thursady July 24th 2008! We will add the schedules as they become available. So check it out below! It is jam packed with greatness! I will highlight the big things going down at the con so check em out yo! We will see you at the con! If you will see us walking around with Geektyrant shirts on. if you spot us stop us and we'll hook you up with a sweet free shirt!
Thursday, July 24
10:00-11:00
Click & Clack’s As the Wrench Turns—Behind the scenes at PBS’s hilarious new primetime toon, based on the famous radio show
Car Talk, direct from Car Talk Plaza! Catch a sneak peek of a new episode, plus Q&A with the creators:
Tom Sito (
The Lion King, Osmosis Jones),
Bill Kroyer (
Tron, Garfield the Movie),
Stephen Silver (
Kim Possible),
Floyd Norman (
101 Dalmatians),
Helen Jen (
TMNT),
Tom Minton (
Pinky and the Brain), and executive producer
Howard Grossman. Extra bonus feature: a special message for Comic-Con from the
real Tom & Ray, the Tappet Bros!
Room 2
10:00-11:00
75 Years of Doc Savage—Anthony Tollin (editor/publisher of
Doc Savage and
The Shadow double-novel reprints) leads a panel discussion on the pulp era’s greatest superhero and the Man of Bronze’s iconic influence on comic book superheroes, including Superman and Batman., Panelists will also discuss what’s coming up next in Nostalgia Ventures’ pulp reprint series. Panelists include movie producer/popular culture historian
Michael Uslan.
Room 5AB
10:00-11:00
Kings: Exclusive Sneak Peek Screening and Q&A with Cast and Executive Producers—Kings is a contemporary re-imagining of the timeless tale of David and Goliath, an epic story of greed and power, war and romance, forbidden loves and secret alliances, and a young hero who rises to power in a modern-day kingdom. Be the first to see an exclusive sneak peek from the two-hour pilot. Moderated by
Greg Grunberg (
Heroes), the panel includes a Q&A with creator/executive producer
Michael Green (
Heroes), director/executive producer
Francis Lawrence (
I Am Legend), executive producer
Erwin Stoff (
I Am Legend), and the cast: Golden Globe winner
Ian McShane (
Deadwood),
Chris Egan (
Resident Evil: Extinction),
Susanna Thompson (
Star Trek: Voyager),
Sebastian Stan (
Gossip Girl), and
Allison Miller (
Seventeen Again).
Room 6B
10:00-11:00
Fans’ Guide to Comic-Con—Wesley Strawther,
Matt Jeffery,
Jesse Lopez, and
Johann Joseph host your guide to the largest comics convention around. Designed to help rookie convention goers have the most fun possible, this panel offers even a gem or two for veteran attendees!
Room 8
10:00-11:00
The Gene Roddenberry Legacy: Roddenberry in the 21st Century—Building on his father’s legacy with
Star Trek, Rod Roddenberry and Roddenberry Productions are bringing the Roddenberry philosophy into the 21st century, through their work on the forthcoming feature documentary
Trek Nation, as well as the development of original content in webcomics such as
Rod & Barry and
Gene’s Journal. This panel features exclusive Comic-Con looks at new Roddenberry content and projects currently in development. Featuring
Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry,
Trevor Roth (COO of Roddenberry Productions), and
Paul Keller.
Room 10
10:00-11:00 Masters of the Web—For the second year in a row the biggest genre and movie websites are coming together to discuss how new media have affected movie making, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. Participants include Robert Sanchez (IESB.net), Garth Franklin (Darkhorizons.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), Erik Davis (Cinematical.com), John Campea (TheMovieBlog.com), Brad Miska (Bloody-Disgusting.com), Eric “Quint” Vespe (Aintitcool.com), Devin Faraci (CHUD.com), Paul Christensen (Movieweb.com), and Kellvin Chavez (Latinoreview.com). Moderated by directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank 2, The Game). Room 32AB
10:30-11:30
Tripwire—The staff of
Tripwire and some friends discuss
Tripwire Annual 2008 and the future of genre fiction, with special panelists
Pat McGreal,
Jamie McKelvie, and others. Moderated by
Joel Meadows (editor-in-chief) and
Andy Grossberg (associate editor, U.S.).
Room 3
10:00-11:00
DC Talent Search Orientation—Learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! Panelists will discuss the different needs of the DC Universe, Vertigo, WildStorm,
MAD magazine, Minx, and Zuda. This informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory.
(Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4
10:30-11:30
Freaks, Geeks, and Tiny Toons—Warner Home Video brings the hit animated television series
Tiny Toon Adventures and
Freakazoid! to DVD on July 29. This panel features
Bruce Timm (storyboard artist, character designer),
John McCann (
Douglas Douglas, Hero Boy story editor),
Paul Rugg (
Freakazoid writer),
Sherri Stoner (writer, producer, story editor),
Paul Dini (writer, story editor),
Jean MacCurdy (executive producer),
Rich Arons (producer, writer, director) and
Andrea Romano (voice director). They’re tiny, they’re toony, they’re all a little loony! Executive produced by Steven Spielberg,
Tiny Toon Adventures is a Daytime Emmy Award animated series that spawned a whole new generation of madcap
Looney Toons characters, including Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig, among others.
Freakazoid!aired for two seasons. Also executive produced by Spielberg, this Daytime Emmy Award–winning series chronicles the adventures of Freakazoid, a manic, insane superhero who battles a vast array of supervillains.
Room 6A
10:30-11:30
Spotlight on Noel Neill—She’s celebrating her 60th anniversary as America’s favorite superhero sweetheart! Comic-Con special guest
Noel Neill first took on the role of ace reporter Lois Lane in the 1948
Superman serial from Columbia, and she went on to provide the definitive depiction of the character in the popular 1950s TV show,
Adventures of Superman, with George Reeves. Superman historian
John Field interviews Ms. Neill about her life with the man in the cape and the rest of her amazing career!
Room 7AB
10:30-11:30
Comics Arts Conference Session #1: Guerilla Warfare and Sneak Attacks: The Politics of Representing War in Film and Comics of the 1950s—
Rocco Versaci (Palomar College) discusses his book
This Book Contains Graphic Language: Comics as Literature, in which he champions comics as a legitimate literary artform and argues that comics as a marginalized medium have been uniquely suited to subvert dominant ideologies in ways impossible for more highly regarded media. In the 1940s and 1950s, when both the comics and film industries were hard at work representing war, comics—because they were considered a marginal entertainment media—were “freer” to deliver subversive and even incendiary political messages.
Room 30AB
10:30-12:00
Comic Book Law School 101: Let’s Get It Started—A very good place to start…to start learning how to protect your intellectual property rights, that is! Learn the basics of copyright and trademark law in this popular interactive lecture series brought to you by noted attorney
Michael Lovitz, author of
The Trademark and Copyright Book comic book. This first workshop covers the basics of protection and ownership of ideas, works of authorship, characters, and names from conception through publication and beyond. Attendees will participate in an interactive discussion about basic rights provided under U.S. copyright and trademark laws, as well as new decisions and changes in the law and how they could affect those rights. Along the way, there will be plenty to learn about the protections, and pitfalls, of the U.S. trademark and copyright systems.
Note: The Comic Book Law School seminars are designed to provide relevant information and practice tips to practicing attorneys, as well as practical tips to creators and other professionals who may wish to attend. [This program is approved for one (1) credit of California MCLE.] Room 30CDE
10:45-11:45 Reinventing the Page: Stan Lee and Grant Morrison Talk Virgin Comics—Two of the most important creators in the history of comic books team up to discuss the bold new frontiers being explored in the art of storytelling. Legendary creator Stan Lee (Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, X-Men) shares his insights on the world of comics and presents never-before-revealed hints of his new superhero universe with Virgin Comics. Joining Stan is prolific creator Grant Morrison (New X-Men, All Star Superman, Final Crisis), contemporary comics’ most active mind, who will discuss his new Virgin Comics animated online series MBX while offering his own insights on comics and engaging with Stan in a once-in-a-lifetime conversation about the long history and boundless future of their beloved medium. Ballroom 20
11:00-12:00
Indies in Comics—Do you intend to create the next great comic book, action figure, or the like? If so, you know that doing so as an independent can be difficult. What should you do? How do you get started? The Antidote Trust is here to answer many of your questions. TAT, the ultimate independent creators’ collective, produces comics, action figures—nearly anything—and rivals the industry’s top companies in quality and professional outlook. TAT is a diverse group, including men and women from across the country and from all ethnicities. Their projects range from sci-fi to standard superhero to Asian/Indian mythology to noir to twists on today’s society. These trailblazers will discuss making independent projects that challenge the majors in production value, originality, and professionalism.
Room 2
11:00-12:00
Professional Writing: Threat or Menace?—Let’s talk writing, creativity, and selling (and selling out), and what the world of professional writing is like. Questions that you’ve always wanted to ask? Creative blocks bugging you? Wondered what the H*O*L*L*Y*W*O*O*D life is
really like? Show up and get answers to those questions. This no-holds-barred talk is moderated by
J. Michael Straczynski. Room 5AB
11:00-12:00
The Comic Art of J. G. Jones—One of the most popular artists working in comics today, Comic-Con special guest
J. G. Jones talks about his projects, including the summer blockbuster movie hit
Wanted and DC’s
Final Crisis, with
Ian Sattler, senior story editor, DCU.
Room 8
11:00-12:00
LGBT Portrayals in Comics—With the increased number of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) characters in both mainstream and indie comics today, it’s time to examine how they’re faring. Has this increased presence meant better and more complex portrayals, or is there more to be explored? Has the call for “positive” portrayals been beneficial, or has it left LGBT characters one-dimensional? And what can we expect in the future? Join moderator
Patricia Jeres (Prism board member and talent and industry relations chair) and panelists
Perry Moore (author of
Hero, winner of the Lambda Literary Award; executive producer of Disney’s
The Chronicles of Narnia series),
Gail Simone (
Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman), and
Bob Schreck (group editor, DC Comics) for this insightful discussion.
Room 10
11:00-12:00
The Disney Animation Story Process—Nathan Greno (head of story,
Bolt),
Don Hall (head of story,
The Princess and the Frog),
Mark Kennedy (head of story,
Rapunzel),
Joe Mateo (story artist,
Bolt),
Michael LaBash (story artist,
Bolt),
Paul Briggs (story artist,
The Princess and the Frog), and
Josie Trinidad (story artist,
The Princess and the Frog) offer an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look into the story process at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Coming together exclusively at Comic-Con, these story team leaders will take you from first concept to final story approval as they discuss the art of storyboarding, re-create story pitches, and share boarding styles from their upcoming animated features. Don’t miss this revealing and humorous panel and your chance to get a sneak peek at Disney’s next animated feature,
Bolt! Room 32AB
11:15-12:15
30th Anniversary Battlestar Galactica Panel—Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek/Apollo),
Bear McCreary (
BG composer), producer
Tom DeSanto (
Transformers, X-Men),
Dr. Kevin Grazier (science consultant), and surprise guests present an in-depth discussion of the
Battlestar universe from the classic to the re-imagined and beyond, including
BSG trailers and Q&A.
Room 6B
11:30-12:30
Spotlight on Neil Googe—From
Welcome to Tranquility to
WildCats: World’s End, it’s no secret that artist
Neil Googe is a talent on the rise! Find out all you want to know about this up-and-coming star artist with moderator and WildStorm senior editor
Ben Abernathy, including plans that will surely change the WildStorm Universe!
Room 3
11:30-12:30
From the K Chronicles to The Knight Life: Keith Knight—Help celebrate the release of Comic-Con favorite
Keith Knight’s
The Complete K Chronicles, a 500-page omnibus collection of the Harvey Award–winning comic strip. Knight will present his hilarious slideshow, chronicling his jump from self-published zines to award-winning comic strip, ending with his new syndicated daily strip,
The Knight Life, recently launched by United Features Syndicate.
Room 4
11:30-12:30
SPORE: One-on-One with Will Wright—Will Wright is best known for creating the
SimCity and
The Sims video game franchises, the latter of which has sold more than 100 million games to date. In 2007, he was given the Vanguard Award from the Producer’s Guild of America, making him the first person in the videogame industry to receive such an honor. Wright’s next video game,
SPORE, is scheduled for release on September 7. Join Will Wright for his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con!
Room 6CDEF
11:30-12:30 Hasbro: GI Joe—As Hasbro ramps up for the summer 2009 blockbuster movie release of GI Joe, Aaron Archer (Hasbro Design), Michael Ritchie (Hasbro Marketing), and Michelino Paolino (Hasbro Design) discuss this year’s product line, entertainment, and other initiatives. Panelists will include special guests that you won’t want to miss, plus Q&A! Room 7AB
11:30-1:00
Comics Arts Conference Session #2: Comics Pedagogy—As comics find more mainstream acceptance, they are increasingly being incorporated into higher education. This panel looks at comics in the classroom both as texts and as tools.
Jeffrey Kahan (University of Laverne) and
David Baldizon (School of Arts and Enterprise) discuss their use of comic books to teach English composition and to foster greater cultural awareness more generally through the exploration of comics’ social, historical and literary significance.
Patrick Jagoda (Duke University) considers how to incorporate comics as a medium into an otherwise “high literary” and theoretical curriculum.
Chris “Tof” Eklund,
Aaron Kashtan, and
James Reaves (University of Florida) present the innovative approaches to comics studies currently being practiced by graduate students in the University of Florida’s Department of English, focusing on the uses of Lovecraft adaptations, Scott Pilgrim’s video game logic, and art spiegelman’s funny animals.
A professional development certificate for teachers is available for this session. Room 30AB
11:30-1:00 20th Century Fox: The Day The Earth Stood Still and Max Payne—
Stars Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, plus director Scott Derrickson and producer Erwin Stoff, present an exclusive look at The Day The Earth Stood Still, Fox’s contemporary reinvention of its 1951 classic. Keanu is Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor’s appearance, a woman (Jennifer) and her young stepson get caught up in his mission—and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described “friend to the Earth.” Klaatu Barada Nikto.
The legendary interactive video game Max Payne comes to the big screen, telling the story of a maverick cop determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murder of his family and partner. Hell-bent on revenge, his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal. “Max Payne” himself—Mark Wahlberg—will be on hand with Mila Kunis, Ludacris, and director John Moore to discuss turning the game’s noirish, hard-hitting, and complex world and characters into a movie event.
Hall H
11:45-12:45
Knight Rider: First Look at the New Series and Q&A with Cast and Executive Producers—On the heels of NBC’s hit sequel movie based on the iconic 1980s television classic,
Knight Rider has been reinvented as a supercharged action series showcasing the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). Be the first to see exclusive footage from the new series. Moderated by
Television Week deputy editor/columnist
Josef Adalian, who participates in a Q&A session with executive producer/showrunner
Gary Scott Thompson (
The Fast and The Furious, Las Vegas); executive producer
David Bartis (
Heist, The OC); and the cast:
Justin Bruening (
Cold Case),
Deanna Russo (
NCIS),
Sydney Tamiia Poitier (
Veronica Mars),
Paul Campbell (
Battlestar Galactica),
Yancey Arias (
Kingpin),
Bruce Davison (
X-Men) and
Smith Cho (
Blades of Glory).
Room 6A
12:00-1:00
Sideshow Collectibles—Sideshow Collectibles is a leading manufacturer in the world of figure collectibles, with an award-winning artistic team. Sideshow’s product development team offers insights into the newest products and licenses, as well as a Q&A session.
Room 2
12:00-1:00
The New Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s: English-Language World Premiere—Be the first on the planet to see the English language version of the new
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s television series. Plus, meet the team behind the show, including—straight from Japan—producer
Teruaki Jitsumatsu (
Transformers: Robots in Disguise).
Yumi Hoashi of Konami, and representatives from UpperDeck, 4KidsEntertainment, and Playmates Toys will also reveal what’s in store for
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s fans and, while supplies last, offer a few surprises for lucky attendees!
Room 5AB
12:00-1:00
Spotlight on Paul Gulacy—One of the most exciting artists working in comics, Comic-Con special guest
Paul Gulacy has a career spanning over 30 years. Famous for his cinematic style on books such as
Master of Kung Fu, Gulacy talks about his work, past, present, and future.
Room 8
12:00-1:00
How Not to Break into Comics—There have been countless articles and panels on how to break into comics, but very few on how
not to.
Randal C. Jarrell (managing editor at Oni Press),
Jennifer de Guzman (editor-in-chief of SLG Publishing), and other industry insiders discuss the common and often-hilarious mistakes people make when trying to pitch or get work in the comics industry. This unique inside perspective will help any prospective creator learn how to navigate the potential pitfalls that doom far too many in their attempts to break into comics. If you want to work in comics, you do not want to miss this panel!
Room 10
12:00-1:00
Doctor Who—Writer
Russell T Davies (
Doctor Who), executive producer
Julie Gardner (
Torchwood), and writer
Steven Moffat (
Doctor Who) discuss their creative process and experience working on the BBC’s
Doctor Who—Britain’s most successful sci-fi franchise—with exclusive clips and a Q&A session.
Ballroom 20
12:00-1:00
Classics Illustrated—Classics Illustrated is back, and it’s got company! Publishers ranging from Marvel to the Bible house Thomas Nelson are offering James Bond adaptations, manga versions of Shakespeare, and everything in between. How do writers and artists face the scary task of making the classics fresh while living up to the original works’ greatness?
Rick Geary,
Roy Thomas, Charles Kochman, and
David Seidman reveal how they’ve been doing it.
Room 32AB
12:30-1:30
Spotlight on Eddie Campbell—Comic-Con special guest
Eddie Campbell talks about his books, including
From Hell,
The Fate of the Artist and his latest, due for release at Comic-Con,
The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard, His co-writer on the latter,
Dan Best, will also be on hand to answer questions.
Room 3
12:30-1:15
Humor in Science Fiction—Learn the secrets of the humor game from some top insiders in the field, including
David Gerrold (”The Trouble With Tribbles”),
William F. Nolan (Sam Space,
Logan’s Run),
John Truby (
Anatomy of Story),
George Clayton Johnson (
Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Ocean’s 11, Logan’s Run), and
Marc Scott Zicree (executive producer,
Sliders; author of
The Twilight Zone Companion). Moderated by
Chas Holloway with Shadowstar Games president
Mark O’Bannon. Room 4
12:30-1:30
DC: Superman: Man of Tomorrow—The groundwork is being laid now for the next phase of Superman’s heroic career. The architects of Superman’s future are here to give you a glimpse of what is to come. Featuring Superman senior editor
Matt Idelson,
Geoff Johns (
Action Comics),
James Robinson (
Superman),
Renato Guedes (
Superman), and more!
Room 6B
12:30-1:30
William Katt: Greatest American Hero Comic—Join Alex, Justin, and Pete from Pulp Secret for one of the biggest announcements at this year’s Comic-Con, an event that’s been 25 years in the making. Catastrophic Comics’
William Katt (
Greatest American Hero),
Christopher Folino (
Gamers), and
Derek McCaw (
Fanboy Planet) along with Arcana Studios’
Sean O’Reilly (
The Clockwork Girl) are on hand for an interview and Q&A.
Room 7AB
1:00-2:00
Spotlight on Steve Purcell—Join
Sam & Max creator—and Eisner Award winner and Comic-Con special guest—
Steve Purcell on a visual tour from his first scratchy
Sam & Max strips through his career as an illustrator, game designer, and concept artist to his current role as a Pixar storyteller. Q&A to follow.
Room 2
1:00-2:00
Modern Masters: Live!—Modern Masters editor
Eric Nolen-Weathington brings together three of the greatest artists in comics—
Frank Cho (
Liberty Meadows,
Mighty Avengers),
Michael Golden (
Micronauts,
The ‘Nam), and
Mark Schultz (
Xenozoic Tales,
Superman: Man of Steel)—for a conversation about art, comics, and beyond!
Room 5AB
1:00-2:00
Activision with Stan Lee—From webslinging to forming the ultimate alliance of superheroes, Marvel and Activision continue to bring many of the world’s most popular and beloved comic book heroes to life like never before. Explore, behind the scenes, how the teams draw inspiration from a generation of Stan Lee’s legendary Marvel comics to re-create the most authentic heroes and advanced superpowers in high-definition for today’s gamer.
Stan Lee, members from Activision’s development studios Shaba Games and Vicarious Visions, and former game designer and current comic writer
Brian Reed present an engaging discussion and preview of the imagination, creative process, and technology used to develop the most advanced superhero games ever.
Room 6A
1:00-2:00
Mark and Sergio—The world’s fastest cartoonist joins forces with the Comic-Con 2008 weekend record holder for panel moderation! Yes, it’s
Mark Evanier and
Sergio Aragonés together again. Expect lots of talk on Groo and anything else these two whirlwinds are conspiring to bring us in the near future.
Room 8
1:00-2:00
Bongo Comics—Celebrate 15 years of mischief and merriment with Bongo Comics. Be a party to the party as managing editor
Terry Delegeane and creative director
Bill Morrison host a panel featuring the writers and artists who create the comics and books based on Matt Groening’s phenomenal TV shows. Find out what’s in the future for the upstart comic book company that Bart built. This is a “must-attend” panel for all fans of
The Simpsons and
Futurama.
Room 10
1:00-2:00
Torchwood—Writer
Russell T Davies (
Doctor Who), executive producer
Julie Gardner (
Torchwood), writer
Steven Moffat (
Doctor Who), and actors
John Barrowman,
Gareth David-Lloyd,
Naoko Mori and
Burn Gorman discuss their creative process and experience on working on BBC America’s highest-rated show ever—
Torchwood— followed by a Q&A session.
Ballroom 20
1:00-2:00
Hi-Fi Coloring Workshop—Brian Miller (
Superman) and
Kristy Miller (
Hi-Fi Color for Comics) share their tips, tricks, and techniques for coloring comics. Want to learn how to color? Join Brian and Kristy for a coloring demonstration and Q&A session.
Room 30CDE
1:00-2:00
The Future of the Comics Pamphlet—Are serialized comics in a death-spiral? Is the graphic novel the sole shape of comics to come? Retailers including
Carr D’Angelo (Earth 2 Comics), publishing representatives including
Joe Keatinge (Image Comics), and cartoonists discuss the state of the periodical with moderator
Douglas Wolk (
Reading Comics).
Room 32AB
1:15-2:00
How to Tell a Story—Get a deep insight into the craft of storytelling from these masters in the field:
David Gerrold (TV writer, author of 30+ novels),
William F. Nolan (TV and film writer, author of over a dozen novels),
George Clayton Johnson (
Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Ocean’s 11, Logan’s Run),
John Truby (owner, John Truby’s Writer’s Studio, author,
Anatomy of Story), and
Marc Scott Zicree (TV writer, executive producer,
Sliders; author of
The Twilight Zone Companion). Moderated by
Chas Holloway with Shadowstar Games president
Mark O’Bannon. Room 4
1:15-2:45 Summit Pictures—Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of exclusive footage of some of its upcoming major film releases:
Push—In this futuristic sci-fi thriller set in Hong Kong, a group of young American ex-pats with extraordinary psychic abilities must band together and use their different talents on a final mission to escape a clandestine government agency forever. Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Djimon Hounsou, Camilla Belle and director Paul McGuigan present a first look at exclusive footage and answer questions about the film.
Knowing—An action thriller of global proportions. Director Alex Proyas appears in person to introduce never-before-seen footage for his new major motion picture starring Nicolas Cage.
Twilight—Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book series, Twilight is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a vampire and a mortal. Director Catherine Hardwicke, author Stephenie Meyer, and the cast—including Robert Pattinson (Edward), Kristen Stewart (Bella), Cam Gigandet (James), Rachelle LaFevre (Victoria), Edi Gathegi (Laurant), and Taylor Lautner (Jacob)—answer your questions about bringing the world of these beloved characters to life on the big screen and show exclusive footage from the film.
Hall H
1:30-2:30
Conan Comics and Beyond—Dark Horse Comics revitalized Conan in 2004—now it’s set to launch stunning interpretations of Robert E. Howard heroes Kull and Solomon Kane in 2008.
Conan editor
Philip Simon moderates a discussion of the upcoming titles with creators who’ve worked on Howard comics past and present—
Scott Allie (
Solomon Kane),
Will Conrad (
Kull),
Dave Stewart (
Solomon Kane), and
José Villarrubia (
Conan)—focusing on the company’s new series and adapting Howard’s works to comics.
Room 3
1:30-3:00
Artemis Fowl—Eoin Colfer, author of the blockbuster
Artemis Fowl series, launches his sixth book in the series,
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, with
Fairies, Fiends and Flatulence, a hilarious one man live show that explains to fans the genesis of each of Eoin’s characters in the books—both good and evil—all of which come from his four Irish brothers.
Room 7AB
1:45-2:45
Marvel: X-Men—The X-Men have a new home and a new direction in
Manifest Destiny. This star-studded, must-attend panel features the writers of the X-Verse, including
Ed Brubaker (
Uncanny X-Men),
Matt Fraction (
Uncanny X-Men),
Chris Yost (
X-Force),
Craig Kyle (
X-Force),
Daniel Way (
Deadpool),
Marjorie Liu (
NYX), and
Duane Swierczynski (
Cable), plus
Axel Alonso (
X-Men group editor) and
Nick Lowe (
X-Men editor).
Room 6B
2:00-3:00 Science Fiction That Will Change Your Life—A discussion of science fiction stories intended to make you rethink your whole life or alter your perceptions. With Annalee Newitz (editor-in-chief, io9.com; contributor, Wired), Austin Grossman (author, Soon I Will Be Invincible), Charlie Jane Anders (news editor, io9.com; contributor, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet), Graeme McMillan (weekend editor, io9.com, contributor, Newsarama), and Patrick Lee (editor, Sci-Fi Wire). Room 2
2:00-3:00
Spotlight on Signe Wilkinson—Comic-Con special guest
Signe Wilkinson,
Philadelphia Daily News editorial cartoonist and creator of the new comic strip
Family Tree, will talk and show slides about juggling politics, family humor, and hate mail. Famed editorial cartoonist
Ted Rall introduces the discussion.
Room 4
2:00-3:00 The Middleman—Creator and executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost) and The Middleman actors Matt Keeslar (Dune) and Natalie Morales (CSI: Miami) discuss the bizarre world of The Middleman. Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, The Middleman follows the surreal life of twenty-something Wendy Watson as she gets recruited by a top secret agency to fight comic book-esque criminals under the guidance of her straight-laced boss, The Middleman. Room 5AB
2:00-3:00 Red Sonja: One-on-One—Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Rose McGowan (Grindhouse), Doug Aarniokoski (2nd unit director, Resident Evil 3) and David White (Undisputed 2) are teaming up to bring back the red-headed warrior woman known as Red Sonja. Join Robert, Rose, Doug, and David for this one-on-one interview and Q&A session! Room 6CDEF
2:00-3:30
Spotlight on Todd Klein—Eisner award-winning letterer and logo designer
Todd Klein (
Sandman, Fables) is joined by moderator
Mark Evanier (
Fanboy, Kirby: King of Comics) for a discussion of his 30-plus years in comics, from early days on staff at DC and lettering by hand to his present-day freelance career on many titles for DC, Marvel, and others, mainly on the computer. Focus will be on the intricacies of lettering, logo design, and more, as Todd and Mark show and discuss images of classic comics logos. Todd will also cover his recent self-published signed prints by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman and give away several copies of each.
Room 8
2:00-3:00
Spotlight on Jim Woodring: Please Stand By—Comic-Con special guest
Jim Woodring (
The Frank Book) presents a slide show with commentary providing a rare overview of his life, career, motivations, methods, and dark personal secrets. Q&A session to follow.
Room 10
2:00-3:30
Comics Arts Conference Session #4: Superman’s 70th Anniversary—Price Hamilton (American Falls High School) compares three different versions of the Superman origin story and three versions of the Jewish folk tale “The Golem of Prague” to demonstrate how certain images begin to appropriate larger meanings through their consistent repetition.
Liam Burke (National University of Galway) asks what makes some heroes “super,” examining the superhero archetype to uncover the superhero secret identity and to discover who are the “Men of Tomorrow.”
Ben Saunders (University of Oregon) suggests that the essence of Superman’s appeal—the core of his mythic significance—may have nothing to do with his superpowers and everything to do with the most serious and profound issues of philosophical ethics.
Room 30AB
2:00-3:30
Animation on a $hoestring—Learn the down and dirty tricks on how to create your own animation studio on a low budget, from
Larry Loc, the author of
Animation on a ShoeString. Find out how to assemble the equipment you will need, how to build or buy equipment, and what software to use to edit and composite your project.
Room 30CDE
2:00-3:00
Clickwheel: On-Demand Digital Comics for iPod and iPhone—Is the new comic shop right in the palm of your hand? Join Clickwheel editor-in-chief
Tim Demeter for a demonstration of the latest in mobile comics’ technology. Tim will discuss the emergence of mobile content and digital delivery in the comic book industry and how it’s changing the landscape of the business. Learn how to download and sync comics on your iPod or how to receive them on demand on your iPhone or iPod Touch! Creators interested in taking advantage of these new methods of distribution won’t want to miss the site demonstration, as Clickwheel.net is free for anyone to use.
Room 32AB
2:15-3:15
Halo Wars and the Halo Universe—Prima Games, Tor Books, McFarlane Toys, and Microsoft Games Studio bring you an in-depth panel discussion on all things
Halo. Panelists include
Eric Nylund, author of
Halo: The Fall of Reach and
Halo: First Strike Onyx;
Tobias Buckell, author of the upcoming novel
Halo: The Cole Protocol; game universe writers
Graeme Devine (
Halo Wars) and
Frank O’Connor (
Halo Trilogy); and
Jon Goff and
Corrinne Robinson, McFarlane Toys’ brand management team for
Halo action figures.
Room 6A
2:15-3:15
Anchor Bay: Jack Brooks Monster Slayer Artists Panel—Preview the upcoming DVD release of
Jack Brooks Monster Slayer with star/producer
Trevor Matthews, director/co-writer
Jon Knautz, producer
Patrick White, composer
Ryan Shore, creature designer
David Scott, and horror icon
Robert Englund! Then hear writer/director
Daniel Waters (
Heathers), Oscar-nominated screenwriter
Josh Olson (
Masters of Science Fiction), and writer/director
Robert Hall (
Laid to Rest) discuss their latest Anchor Bay projects! Moderated by
Shock Til You Drop’s
Ryan Rotten. Ballroom 20
2:30-3:30
Dumbrella—Artists from Dumbrella, one of the most popular online comics collectives, discuss webcomics, independent publishing, and subverting popular culture. Feel free to quiz
Andrew Bell (
The Creatures in My Head),
Sam Brown (
explodingdog),
Jon Rosenberg (
Goats), and
Richard Stevens III (
Diesel Sweeties), along with special guests
M.C. Frontalot and
Meredith Gran (
Octopus Pie), about anything your Internet heart desires.
Room 3
3:00-4:00
Spotlight on Bill Willingham—Both a master storyteller and an incredible artist,
Bill Willingham has created a huge following for his books. His credits range from DCU’s
Salvation Run and
Shadowpact to the already classic Vertigo
Fables and
Jack of Fables and the new
House of Mystery. Hosted by superstar
Fables artist
Mark Buckingham, this panel is sure to thrill!
Room 2
3:00-4:00
Comic-Con Talkback 1—Here’s your chance: talk to Comic-Con representatives about your first day and Preview Night. Have a complaint, a question, a suggestion or even some praise? Bring it!
Room 4
3:00-4:00
DVD/Blu-ray Producers 2008—Bill Hunt,
Todd Doogan, and
Adam Jahnke (The Digital Bits.com,
Geek Monthly) discuss the latest DVD and Blu-ray Disc developments and look ahead at upcoming releases. Panelists include
Javier Soto (
Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy II: The Golden Army),
Charles de Lauzirika (
Blade Runner, Twin Peaks),
Andy Mangels (
The Real Ghostbusters, Slimer),
Cliff Stephenson (
Rambo, Crank 1 & 2), and
Robert Meyer Burnett (
Shoot ’Em Up, Free Enterprise 2). There will be
lots of Q&A, so be sure to bring your questions!
Room 5AB
3:00-4:00
Wizard’s First Rule—Sam Raimi (
Spider-Man) and
Ken Biller (
Star Trek: Voyager) give you a first look at the upcoming television series
Wizard’s First Rule. The one-hour weekly series, premiering in late fall, is based on Terry Goodkind’s bestselling epic fantasy series
The Sword of Truth, which follows the extraordinary transformation of woodsman Richard Cypher into a magical leader who joins with a mysterious, beautiful woman to stop a bloodthirsty, sinister tyrant. Join Sam and Ken for a moderated interview and audience Q&A session!
Room 6B
3:00-4:00
Spotlight on Ed Brubaker—The Comic-Con special guest
Ed Brubaker is the Eisner Award–winning writer (Best Writer 2007, Best New Series 2007—
Criminal) whose work on
Captain America, Daredevil, X-Men, and
Criminal has catapulted him into the upper echelon of today’s best comic writers. Ed talks about what’s next in this Spotlight presentation.
Room 7AB
3:00-4:00
TwoMorrows Publishing Today—Join the crew from TwoMorrows Publishing for a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into creating all their fan-favorite books and magazines on the art and history of comics! Publisher
John Morrow,
Modern Masters’ Eric Nolen-Weathington,
Write Now!’s
Danny Fingeroth,
Brick Journal’s
Joe Meno, and
Keith Dallas, author of TwoMorrows’ new
Flash Companion book unveil new products and offer exclusive previews of upcoming items.
Room 10
3:00-4:00
How to Break into Comics: Freddie E. Williams II—A few years ago,
Freddie E. Williams II (artist on
Robin, The Flash, Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle, and others) broke into comics through DC Comics’ Talent Search. Since that time, Freddie has worked on some of DC’s top-selling books. In this panel, Freddie lends his unique insights about breaking into comics by describing what editors are looking for, what you should include in your portfolio, and how to hang on to a job once you’ve gotten it.
Room 32AB
3:00-4:00
Disney: Race to Witch Mountain—What secrets does Witch Mountain hold? Stars
Dwayne Johnson and
Carla Gugino and director
Andy Fickman talk about the mysterious, paranormal activity around Witch Mountain. Dwayne, Carla, and Andy will present the first look at the movie and answer audience questions as they talk about the thrilling action-adventure that is set to hit theatres in March 2009!
Hall H
3:15-4:15
Capcom: The Making of Street Fighter IV—Producer
Yoshinoro Ono (
Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams) and associate producer
David Crislip deliver an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the making of the much-anticipated Street Fighter IV video game, featuring the design of classic and new characters, creating compelling gameplay. Also, a sneak peek at the animated SFIV minimovies being created to complement the game. There will be a Q&A session as well as
Street Fighter-related surprises!
Street Fighter cosplayers are highly encouraged to attend this event, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the
Street Fighter franchise.
Room 6CDEF
3:30-4:30
Manga: Lost in Translation—America loves foreign comics, especially manga. And as more and more movies based on these properties are produced, the way these comics are translated becomes an integral part of their success. Join experienced translators, editors, and manga and anime experts in a discussion of the art and craft of helping to make these stories the mega-hits they are today. Panelists include
William Flanagan (
Fairy Tail),
Jonathan Tarbox (
Switch),
Jason Thompson (
Manga: The Complete Guide),
Mari Morimoto (
Naruto),
Stephen Paul (
Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad),
Julie Davis (
Anime Classics Zettai!), and
Mark Simmons (
Gundam 00)!
Room 3
3:30-4:30
Entertainment Weekly’s The Visionaries: Comic Creators—Jim Lee (
All-Star Batman & Robin),
John Cassaday (
The Astonishing X-Men),
Matt Fraction (
Casanova),
Mike Mignola (
Hellboy),
Robert Kirkman (
The Walking Dead),
Colleen Doran (
A Distant Soil), and
Grant Morrison (
Final Crisis) are the writers and artists blazing a path into the future of comics. Coming from both the mainstream and the independent worlds, these men and women can provide unique insights into the comics landscape. Moderated by
Entertainment Weekly staff editor
Nisha Gopalan.
Room 6A
3:30-5:00
Golden and Silver Age of Comics—It’s the amazing annual gathering of the resident greats from the Golden and Silver Ages of comics! Moderated by
Mark Evanier, this year’s list of luminaries includes
Al Feldstein (EC editor/writer/artist),
Victor Gorelick (Archie Comics editor and writer),
Al Jaffee (
MAD magazine cartoonist), comics writer/artist
Larry Lieber, Harvey Comics writer/editor
Sid Jacobson, and artists
Russ Heath (
G.I. Combat, Sgt. Rock) and
Jerry Robinson (
Batman). Filled with personal reminiscences and anecdotes, this panel promises to be a treasure trove of comics history!
Room 8
3:30-4:30
Quantum Quest—This science fiction/science fact, 3D, large-format CGI-animated film will take you on a fantastic atomic journey through space.
Quantum Quest combines a captivating science fiction story with a mind-blowing real safari through the solar system (created using radar data and extraordinary imagery from seven NASA missions). The film is the only one to be initiated by JPL/NASA and is sponsored by JPL/NASA and Digimax Animation Studios (Taiwan). Co-directors
Harry Kloor (
Star Trek Voyager, Earth Final Conflict, Godzilla) and
Dan St. Pierre (
Everyone’s Hero, Shark Tale, Tarzan) show exclusive footage from the film, which will be released in late summer, 2009 in both large-format and Real D theaters worldwide. Watch for surprise appearances by some members of the voice cast, which includes legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong, Chris Pine, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Alexander, Sandra Oh, William Shatner, Brent Spiner, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, and Abigail Breslin.
Ballroom 20
3:30-4:30
Bat-Manga! Chip Kidd and the Secret History of Batman in Japan—Chip Kidd (
Mythology) lifts the veil on officially licensed, original Batman manga stories from 1966 Japan, not previously collected or translated in over 40 years. Narrated slide show, with Q&A to follow.
Room 30AB
3:30-5:00
Resin Casting and Silicone Mold-Making—Jeff Broz has presented six previous seminars about plastics and casting.
Sam Girgis has loved spaceship design since the Apollo missions. Whether you want to produce a garage kit model or reproduce a broken part for your vintage toy, this year’s seminar will cover material choices and advance into more complex silicone mold design and casting techniques that should offer secrets to the novice and the working Joes in the trenches for short run 3D duplication, and for garage kits or industrial design. Plus, more about vendors and material choices to cast your sculptures and models.
Room 30CDE
4:00-5:00
Dark Horse Horror—Dark Horse Comics is home to some of the best horror comics ever produced, from Mike Mignola’s
Hellboy and Steve Niles’
Criminal Macabre to upcoming collections of the classic horror magazines
Creepy and
Eerie. Dark Horse editors
Scott Allie and
Shawna Gore and a handful of our top creators take a look ahead at their spookiest projects for 2008, including a sneak peek at the 25th anniversary edition of
Bernie Wrightson’s
Frankenstein and a special appearance by the artist.
Room 2
4:00-5:00
TV Costume Designers—Characters created by writers and comic book illustrators are made real for the screen via the artistry of costume designers. Meet the women and men who are the costume designers on this year’s most popular television productions. Panel moderator
Hope Hanafin, costume designer and VP of the Costume Designers Guild, Local 892, hosts costume designers
Shawna Trpcic (
Firefly),
Roland Sanchez (
Lost),
Debra McGuire (
Heroes),
Amanda Friedland (
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), and
Cynthia Bergstrom (
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer).
Room 4
4:00-5:00
Superhero Superfiction—Superheroes don’t appear just in comics anymore. Authors discuss how to write superhero prose. Panelists include superhero prose authors
Kevin J. Anderson (
Last Days of Krypton),
Michael Carroll (
Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening),
Professor Christopher Chambers (
The Darker Mask),
Vicki Pettersson (
The Signs of the Zodiac series),
Gary Phillips (
The Darker Mask),
Melinda M. Snodgrass (
Wild Cards),
Caroline Spector (
Wild Cards) and
Doselle Young (
The Darker Mask). Moderated by
Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy.
Room 5AB
4:00-5:00
Minx: Your Life in Pictures—In its first year, Minx found a whole new audience by creating original graphic novels for teenage girls. This year, Minx is breaking all the rules with another onslaught of amazing books. Panelists include group editor
Shelly Bond and creators
Cecil Castellucci (
Janes in Love),
David Hahn (
All Nighter),
Ryan Kelly (
New York Four),
Deborah Vankin (
Insta-Life), and
Brian Wood (
DMZ, New York Four).
Room 10
4:00-5:00
Star Trek Without a Blueprint: How Books and Comics Keep Expanding the Boundaries of the Star Trek Universe—Andy Mangels (moderator and
Star Trek author),
Margaret Clark (executive editor, Pocket Books),
Andy Schmidt (senior editor, IDW) and
Star Trek authors
Kevin Dilmore,
Dave Mack,
Scott Tipton, and
Dayton Ward discuss the future of
Star Trek publishing.
Room 32AB
4:15-5:15
Afro Samurai: Resurrection Exclusive Worldwide Premiere!—Afro Samurai picks up his sword once again for the second installment of this critically acclaimed, funktastic anime! This action-packed panel features the creators behind the hit, including star and executive producer
Samuel L. Jackson (
The Spirit), original creator
Takahashi Okazaki, musical artist
The RZA (
Kill Bill), and executive producer
Leo Chu (Spike TV). Be the first to see the worldwide premiere of the exclusive Comic-Con trailer, dazzling artwork from the manga, and never-before-seen demos of the pulse-pounding video game.
Room 6B
4:15-5:15 Lionsgate/Marvel: Hulk vs. Wolverine—Alberta, Canada: Over the past week, the Incredible Hulk has been tearing a line across the Canadian wilderness, leaving a swathe of destruction in his wake. He has to be stopped, and there’s only one man up to the job. He’s the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t very nice. He’s Wolverine, an elite agent of Canada’s top secret Department H, and he’s been put on Hulk’s trail with a single objective: stop the green goliath…at all costs. Hulk and Wolverine are about to enter the fiercest battle of their lives. And they have no idea that there are a few unpleasant surprises waiting for them on the other side. Meet Craig Kyle (supervising producer/co-writer), Frank Paur (producer/supervising director), Christopher Yost (co-writer), and others involved in this Marvel Animation milestone and watch the complete Hulk vs. Wolverine months before its January 2009 Blu-ray and DVD release! Hall H
4:30-5:30
Episodic Games: Rewriting the Adventure Genre—With the first installment of Penny Arcade Adventures launched, the season finale of Sam & Max Season Two in the bag, and the recent debut of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People, episodic adventure gaming has emerged as a viable new medium for interactive entertainment. Learn about episodic storytelling, adapting the humor and gameplay of the traditional adventure genre for a new generation of gamers, and the challenges of both as
Joel DeYoung (Hothead Games),
Arthur We (Hothead Games),
Dan Connors (Telltale Games), and
Dave Grossman (Telltale Games) sound off in this panel and Q&A session moderated by
Frank Cifaldi (Gametap).
Room 3
4:30-5:30
HBO’s True Blood—Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels by
Charlaine Harris,
True Blood is created by
Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Emmy-winning series
Six Feet Under. The series takes place in the not-too-distant future, when, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood, vampires no longer need humans for their fix and can walk freely, if not yet comfortably, among their living counterparts. With their integration into a small Louisiana town causing a stir, a love story ensues between Sookie Stackhouse (
Anna Paquin, the
X-Men films; Academy Award winner for
The Piano), an innocent waitress with the unusual ability to read minds, and vampire Bill Compton (
Stephen Moyer,
The Starter Wife). The series also features
Ryan Kwanten (
Summerland),
Rutina Wesley (
How She Move),
Sam Trammell (
Judging Amy), and
Nelsan Ellis (
The Inside).
True Blood debuts September 7 exclusively on HBO.
Room 6CDEF
4:30-5:30
UClick: Mobile Comics—GoComics, the leader in online and mobile comics and manga, looks at a market truly coming in to its own. Panelists will discuss the evolution of comic strips and comic books in the digital age and examine new publishing platforms that make mobile viewing part of a complete comics experience. They’ll introduce new content from their partners: Stan Lee, Tokyopop, Virgin Comics, IDW, Devil’s Due, Papercutz, TMNT and more. Learn about what the future of mobile comics promises for fans and creators alike.
Room 30AB
4:45-5:45
Mondo Marvel—2008 has already been a huge success for Marvel in all corners of the Universe. Now, join top editors and creators, including
Greg Pak (
Skaar, Son of Hulk),
Matt Fraction (
Invincible Iron Man),
Ed Brubaker (
Captain America),
Jeff Parker (
Agents of Atlas),
Warren Simons (editor),
Mark Paniccia (editor), and
Jim McCann (publishing), to find out what’s to come for Iron Man, Hulk, Daredevil, the FF, and all things Marvel.
Room 6A
4:45-5:45
“SCREAM” Like a Girl—Spike loves women. And the coolest women on the planet are the ones who destroy aliens, defeat serial killers and battle evil villains with their superpowers! In honor of Spike’s
Scream Awards 2008—the first and most important televised event that celebrates the genius creative talent behind the powerhouse Hollywood genres of comic books, science fiction, fantasy and horror—Spike brings you a candid discussion of these genres from the women they love, who are poised to rule the fanboy’s universe! Moderator
Kevin Smith (
Clerks), the brilliant writer, director, and comic book genius hosts an all-female panel of actresses, artists, writers, directors, and producers in a discussion about working in these genres from their unique point of view. Twenty lucky panel attendees will win tickets to the 2008
Scream Awards.
Ballroom 20
5:00-6:00
The Making of the Vertigo Encyclopedia—Dig into the wealth of information DC Comics, Vertigo, and DK Publishing have and find out how a comic book imprint’s encyclopedia is created, from getting the material to organizing it and putting it out on the shelves. Get the down and dirty info from
Karen Berger (senior VP/executive editor—Vertigo),
Alastair Dougall (senior editor—DK Publishing), and
Alex Irvine (author), and watch the world premiere of the documentary
The Making of the Vertigo Encyclopedia.
Room 2
5:00-6:00
Bandai Entertainment’s Anime Invasion—In 2008, Bandai Entertainment has put together an amazing line up of anime titles:
Code Geass, Lucky Star, Gurren Lagann, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Sword of the Stranger, Ghost Slayers Ayashi,
Gundam 00, and many more. Join Bandai Entertainment president
Ken Iyadomi and director of marketing
Robert Napton to hear all the latest news on the company’s releases, learn some tidbits about what’s coming, up and maybe get some free stuff!
Room 4
5:00-6:00 The Pitching Hour—Michael Polis (WildBrain Studios, YoGabbaGabba), Jermaine Turner (director, Disney/ABC Cable Networks Group), Jill Sanford (manager, original series, Disney Television Animation), Sam Humphries (MySpace Comics), Paula Gould (PEG PR), Jeremy Love (writer/producer, Gettosake Studios), and moderator Dan Evans (freelance development exec) will take an idea from conception through production for various media. This process will include creating a pitch document, obtaining agents, and getting a pitch meeting. The panelists will explain, through hypothetical example and humorous stories, the process that new creators should adapt to make their way into the Hollywood creative battleground. Knowing that each project is unique, there will be a Q&A to allow the audience to really hone in on the solutions to obstacles they may encounter. Also on hand will be IP lawyer Brendan McFeely to give creators insight on protecting their ideas as they navigate Hollywood! Room 5AB
5:00-6:00
Spotlight on Floyd Norman—Comic-Con special guest
Floyd Norman talks about his long and varied career in feature film and television animation. His work includes Disney’s
Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, and
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pixar’s
Toy Story 2 and
Monsters Inc., and many more fan favorites. Moderated by cartoonist and animation artist
Scott Shaw! Room 7AB
5:00-6:00
Looking at Our World: Eye on the Past—Authors discuss how they use and abuse history to inform their fictional stories. Panelists include
Connie Willis (
Passage),
Jacqueline Carey (
Kushiel’s Legacy),
Max Allan Collins (
Deadly Beloved),
Peter David (
Tigerheart),
Naomi Novik (
Victory of Eagles), and
Jess Winfield (
My Name Is Will: A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare). Moderated by
Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy.
Room 8
5:00-6:00
Spotlight on Mike W. Barr—What would comics in the ’80s and ’90s have been without
Camelot 3000, Batman and the Outsiders, The Maze Agency, and
Mantra. The creator of those titles, Comic-Con special guest
Mike W. Barr, will answer that question and pretty much any others, as well as what he’s up to nowadays. (Just don’t ask him what the “W.” stands for.) With a special guest moderator…maybe.
Room 10
5:00-6:00
Comics Experience: How to Write a Pitch!—Hosted by
Andy Schmidt (IDW senior editor,
GI Joe, Star Trek), panelists
Mark Waid (BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief,
Flash, Kingdom Come),
James Lucas Jones (Oni Press editor-in-chief),
Rob Levin (Top Cow Entertainment editor-in-chief),
Chris Gage (
The Authority, Invincible Iron Man),
C. B. Cebulski (
Drain, Wonderlost, X-Men: Divided We Stand) and
Nick Lowe (Marvel
X-Men editor) offer tips on writing pitches, pitching verbally, and getting your pitch read! Want to write a comic? Don’t miss this panel! Questions from the audience welcome.
Room 30CDE
5:00-6:00
The Third Annual Comics Podcasting Panel—The best of the best in comics podcasting returns to San Diego for the third annual discussion of comics podcasting and how it’s affected the comics media.
Rick Remender (writer of
Fear Agent, Punisher War Journal, The End League) moderates a no-holds-barred discussion with comics podcasters
Bryan Deemer and
Peter Rios (Comic Geek Speak),
Charlito and
Mr. Phil (Indie Spinner Rack),
Joe Gonzalez and
Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider),
Josh Flanagan and
Conor Kilpatrick (iFanboy), and
John Mayo and
Bob Bretall (Comic Book Page).
Room 32AB
5:30-6:30
Action Figure Times Toymaker Q&A—Ever wanted to know why your favorite character figure was limited, or just what toy companies are thinking? How about the recent movement of toy licenses from one manufacturer to another? Or the effect of the rising costs of fuel on the manufacturing of figures on the market? Here’s your chance to ask the manufacturers (both big and small) about their favorite figures and statues. What questions have been burning in your mind? Come to
Action Figure Times’ annual collectors’ panel to find out!
Room 3
5:30-6:30
The Science Behind Science Fiction—Celebrate the world of science fiction when
Jaime Paglia (writer and producer of
Eureka) and
Phil Plait (badastronomy.com) lead a panel discussion with
Discover Magazine editors exploring when science becomes good science fiction. Join Jaime, Phil and other special guests for an exciting discussion followed by Q&A.
Room 6B
5:30-6:30
Comics Arts Conference Workshop: Language Arts and Cross Curriculum Comics Seminar—Lisa Vizcarra (Carquinez Middle School) demonstrates the application of comics in the K-8 environment in Language Arts classes as well as across the curriculum. Using a step-by-step approach, she explains how comics—both published and student-created—can be used as pedagogical tools to explain plot, setting, and dialogue; to demonstrate the laws of physics; to learn the operation of new technology; and to develop skills in public speaking.
Room 30AB
6:00-7:00 Dark Castle Entertainment—Launched by producer Joel Silver and director Robert Zemeckis, Dark Castle Entertainment was founded to create a unique brand of horror movies inspired by the works of filmmaker William Castle. Recently, Dark Castle entered into an arrangement with CIT Group Inc. to broaden Dark Castle into a full genre label that will include feature films (London-based crime thriller RocknRolla, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Gerard Butler, scheduled to be released in October; Ninja Assassin directed by James McTeigue and starring Korean pop sensation Rain; and Whiteout, starring Kate Beckinsale), home video (The Hills Run Red starring Sophie Monk, William Sadler, and Tad Hilgenbrinck) and comic books (Ferryman by Marc Andreyko and Jonathan Wayshak). Hall H
5:45-6:45
Showtime: Dexter—Showtime presents exclusives from the set of the highly anticipated third season of
Dexter. Moderator
Kristin Dos Santos (E!) presides over this revealing interview and Q&A session with the top stars and executive producers of
Dexter, featuring
Michael C. Hall,
Julie Benz,
Clyde Phillips, and
John Goldwyn, plus a special guest!
Room 6CDEF
6:00-7:00
Life, Death, Life of Star Trek—You’ve heard a lot of hype about sci-fi’s first franchise lately, now it’s time to see what it’s all about and celebrate an illustrious 40 years of boldly going with this regular panel of unpaid, uncensored Treksperts, who pay homage to Trek’s past and future with some special surprises and exclusive audio-visual treats you’ll only see here.
Daren Dochterman (
ST: TMP Director’s Cut Special Edition),
Robert Meyer Burnett (
Free Enterprise),
Jeff Bond (
The Music of Star Trek), and moderator
Mark A. Altman (
Free Enterprise) talk Trek like no one else can…or will.
Room 2
6:00-7:00
The Secret History of Manga in the U.S.—It’s been 30 years since the first manga was translated into English. From
MixxZine to
Raijin, from
Astro Boy to
OEL, join
Jason Thompson (
Manga: The Complete Guide) on a visual time machine full of dreamers, censors, antiwar activists, and other weirdness. Including ninja. Lots of ninja.
Room 4
6:00-7:00
Spotlight on Frank Beddor—Comic-Con special guest
Frank Beddor, author of the best-selling “Looking Glass Wars” series, and creator of the
Hatter M graphic novel, talks about the creation of his books, gives the story behind the story, and presents concept art from a wide array of artists who have visualized his text: Ben Templesmith (
30 Day of Night), Doug Chiang (
Star Wars), and Stephan Martiniere (
I, Robot). He’ll reveal the new online game
The Card Soldier Wars, show a special effects trailer for
The Looking Glass Wars movie, and discuss how each of these mediums connect and extend
The Looking Glass Wars universe.
Room 5AB
6:00-7:00
DC Nation—DC Senior VP/executive editor
Dan DiDio hosts this gabfest with
Keith Giffen (
Reign in Hell, Ambush Bug: Year None),
Geoff Johns (
Action Comics, Green Lantern),
Brad Meltzer (
DCU: Last Will and Testament), and some of the top talent in the industry, talking and teasing upcoming stories! Come learn the secrets behind the most talked about events of the summer!
Room 6A
6:00-7:00
Bill Plympton’s Idiots and Angels—Independent animator
Bill Plympton (
The Tune, Mutant Aliens) will screen the first 20 minutes of his just-completed animated feature
Idiots and Angels, plus his new short,
Hot Dog, the latest sequel to the Oscar-nominated
Guard Dog. Join Bill for a look at his latest projects, plus a Q&A session to follow.
Room 7AB
6:00-7:00
Devil’s Due Presents: Hack/Slash and Beyond!—Hollywood screenwriter
Justin Marks (
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) joins
Hack/Slash creator
Tim Seeley (
Halloween: Nightdance) to talk about the new
H/S film and his new DDP/Capcom comic book series
Bionic Commando. Also featuring director
Todd Lincoln,
Hack/Slash Annual stars from
The Suicide Girls, and a blockbuster surprise guest you won’t want to miss!
Room 8
6:00-7:00
Random House Publishing—Staff from the Random House Publishing Group—including
Betsy Mitchell (editor-in-chief, Del Rey),
Dallas Middaugh (associate publisher, Del Rey Manga),
Mutsumi Miyazaki (director of licensing and acquisitions, Del Rey Manga),
Chris Schluep (senior editor, RHPG), and
Tricia Narwani (editor, RHPG)—discuss upcoming titles from Del Rey, Del Rey Manga, Ballantine, and Villard Graphic Novels.
Room 10
6:00-7:00
From Fan to Creator: Goal Setting for Creative Types—Which side of the convention table do you want to be on: artist or fan? And what’s keeping you from getting there? If you have an idea in your head that you’ve had trouble bringing into reality, you might benefit from this fun and practical goal-setting workshop, designed specifically for the Comic-Con crowd. Teacher and life purpose coach
Douglas Neff will give you simple, proven techniques for achieving your most important goals. And this year, a surprise guest panel will fill your head with inspiration before you leave. Whether you want to write your own screenplay, draw your first comic, or shoot your independent film, you’re sure to get something useful from this informative and energizing workshop.
Room 30CDE
6:00-7:00
The Comics Blogosphere—The blog explosion has opened up a new frontier for comics criticism. This lively (and inevitably bloggable) discussion features
David Brothers (4thletter!),
Jeff Lester (The Savage Critic(s)),
Laura Hudson (Myriad Issues),
Tim Robins (Mindless Ones) and moderator
Douglas Wolk (
Reading Comics).
Room 32AB
6:30-7:30 So You Want to Do a Graphic Novel—Writer and publisher Larry Young assembles a team of writers and artists to unlock the secrets and unveil the mysteries of completing your own graphic novel. Panelists Adam Beechen (Final Crisis), Steven Grant (Two Guns), Kirsten Baldock (Smoke and Guns), Matt Silady (The Homeless Channel), and Manny Bello (Dugout) kibbitz, cajole, and inspire you. Room 3
6:30-7:30
Adventures in Game Development—Have you ever dreamed of making your own video game? Are you a writer with a great story? Is there a place in video games for a traditional artist? Or do you just want to get into the industry? Veteran designer
Alex Jimenez (
Battletanxs,
Darkstalkers), artist
David DeVries (
The Monster Engine), and author
Blake Hutchins (
The Sword from the Sea) answer all your questions and take you inside the video game industry. Find out what it takes to break into this competitive but rewarding field. Attendees will also get a special sneak peek at the upcoming title
Blueshift. Room 30AB
6:45-7:45 Robotech Industry Panel—Tommy Yune, director of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, covers the history of the animated series that introduced a generation to anime and discusses upcoming new releases in the wake of the announcement of the live-action feature film. Room 6B
Nighttime Programs
7:00-9:00
Comedy Central TV Funhouse with Robert Smigel—Robert Smigel (
Saturday Night Live) and
Dino Stamatopoulos (
Morel Orel) reunite to discuss the most groundbreaking show to ever hit (and subsequently disappear) from basic cable. Join the guys to relive the glory of the best show you barely remember.
Room 6CDEF
7:00-9:00
Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist—Get a look behind the mask of
The Spirit creator in this feature-length documentary movie. With a triumphant world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, the production features the legendary writer/artist Will Eisner with Frank Miller, Stan Lee, Jules Feiffer, Jack Kirby, Kurt Vonnegut, and many others. Following this unique free movie screening, director/producer
Andrew D. Cooke and writer/producer
Jon B. Cooke will be available for a dynamic Q&A session.
Room 7AB
7:15-8:15
Adventures in Anime—Quinton Flynn (Axel from
Kingdom Hearts, Reno from
Final Fantasy, Raiden from
MGS) and Emmy winner
Jeff Nimoy (director of
Digimon,
Naruto, Wolfwood from
Trigun) talk about their careers and their adventures on tour, answer your questions, and sing their famous
Yaoi Song from AdventuresInAnime.com!
Room 6A
7:30-8:30
Geek Roundtable Live— Be a part of a live podcast with the guys from GeekRoundTable.com, the coolest geek podcast on the Internet. The guys will discuss the latest and hottest in comics, movies, television, DVDs, and games. Put your two cents in and get free prizes to boot, and maybe the guys will let you sit in the empty chair! Featuring
Ned Cato Jr.,
Jesse Lopez,
Chris Sturhann,
Mary Sturhann,
Matt Jeffery,
Wesley Strawther, and
Johann Joseph starring as himself.
Room 10
8:00-8:30 Lionsgate and Marvel: Punisher: War Zone!—Producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Incredible Hulk) and stars Ray Stevenson (Rome) and Julie Benz (Rambo, Dexter) take you into the world of the Punisher for an exclusive first look. You won’t be prepared! Room 6B
8:30-9:00 Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures: Saw 5—Join director David Hackl, along with the filmmakers and cast for an exclusive first look at the latest terrifying installment of the most successful horror series in history! Room 6B
8:30-10:00 Star Wars Fan Film Awards—It’s the galaxy-spanning return of a Comic-Con favorite! The Star Wars Fan Film Awards come back to Ballroom 20 as the Thursday night big event. Ballroom 20
9:00-10:00 Repo! The Genetic Opera First Look—See what director Darren Lynn Bousman has been up to since directing the last three Saw movies: Repo! The Genetic Opera. Check out the phenomenon that is this Goth Rock musical with sneak peeks and the new trailer plus stories from Darren and the actors themselves, including Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects), and Ogre (the band Skinny Puppy), among others. Room 6B
9:00-12:00 10th Annual Superhero Kung-Fu Extravaganza —Martial Arts movie master Ric Meyers (Inside Kung-Fu) celebrates a decade’s worth of bringing you the funniest, fastest, and most amazing film clips by creating an anniversary show of the greatest kung-fu fights of all time, complete with surprise guest stars and freebies! If you attend only one “Extravaganza” in the next ten years, make this the one! Room 6CDEF
10:00-12:00 Warner Premiere and Warner Home Video: World Premiere of Lost Boys The Tribe—Prepare to sink your teeth into the long-awaited and highly anticipated next chapter of the cult phenomenon started by the 1987 cult classic, and be the first to see Lost Boys The Tribe before its July 29 DVD release at this special world premiere. More than 20 years in the making, Lost Boys The Tribe is an homage to the original 1987 cult hit and stars Corey Feldman as vampire hunter Edgar Frog, along with Tad Hilgenbrinck, Angus Sutherland, and Autumn Reeser, with appearances by Jamison Newlander and Corey Haim. Meet the cast and filmmakers as director P J Pesce and original Lost Boys star Corey Feldman are joined by Tad Hilgenbrinck, Angus Sutherland, and Autumn Reeser to answer questions and talk about the making of this new horror classic. Ballroom 20.
Venkman here - Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! But we all knew it was going to happen. I didn't see the movie thant the gods my wife never watched the show! I saw too many of my friends dragged by the hair by their significant others to that movie. The crazy thing is... they liked it. What!? I know, right? Its crazy! Well Sex and the City made over $146 million dollars thats why there will be a sequel. Here is what EW is reporting:
Venkman here and this is one for the books! Cameron Crowe has written and will be directing a new adventure romantic comedy for Sony Pictures and it is a Sci-Fi Supernatural adventure that takes place on the islands of hawaii? I didn't see that coming but I couldn't be more excited! Resse Witherspoon and Ben Stiller are already attached to star in the film. The script was reviewed by James and Nick over at goneelsewhere.wordpress.com. This movie sounds crazy! I never thoought he would end up doing a movie like this but I like where he is going. Here are a couple things that James and Nick had to say about it:
Hellboy II: The Golden Army was entertaining as hell! It was a blast to watch the big red brute beat the living crap out of the bad guys again! I really liked the first Hellboy movie but I loved this sequel! As great as the first one was this film was much better. Guillermo del Toro was at the top of his game with this one. He knew exactly what the audience wanted to see and put it up on screen.Hellboy II: The Golden Army starts out with a fairy tale story being told to a crazy and awkward looking young Hellboy. The fairy tale being told is the story of The Golden Army and how they came to be. I loved the style this little story was told in, it was very cool. As the movie moves on we then find out that Hellboys relationship with Liz is a bit rocky. Being married I can totally relate to what Hellboy and Liz are going through. I think that most couples in a serious relationship eventually hit the point where they are at in the film. This relationship story plays out through the whole film.
The Story of Hellboy II is as solid as can get. Like I said it is built around Hellboy and Liz's relationship. It crazy because this amazingly awesome action packed movie is built around a chick flick. No joke! But I love it! It gives the movie a great heart and there is a lot of feeling and emotion to it. There are no holes in the film that need to be filled. I love that this is a stand alone film and that you didn't really need to see the first one to understand what is going on.
One of my favorite scene is when Hellboy saves a baby from being crusshed in a car by a giant ass green plant which helboy ends up fighting and at the same time trying to handle the baby. It was just an all out crazy scene full of fun. The action and fight scenes in this movie were so fun and so cool to watch. The fight choreography was executed so well.
The special effects and production design are brilliant. I love the colors and the settings that were used. The tone that was set was awesome. I love Guillermo's mix of practical and CGI effects, they blend seamlessly. I love the use of practical effects in this movie! Technology has come so far with how they can be used, and they have a texture and feel that CG just can't accomplish yet. I can't help but imagine what Guillermo has planned for ‘The Hobbit'!
The acting was great! Ron Perlman as Hellboy is so fun to watch in this film! I just love how cool he is. He's got some great one liners. Selma Blair is also great in her role as Liz. I love the effects of Liz when she is on fire it just looks great! Doug Jones as Abe, and Luke Goss, and Anna Walton were all very good. Seth McFarlane as Johann Kraus was a nice interesting character that I enjoyed. I would think it would be hard to act serious in a movie like this, but everyone did a fantastic job.
As for Guillermo del Toro's directing... amazing. I love his attention to detail and all the little things he puts in. The way he plays with his music choices is great as well. The guy knows what he is doing and you can tell he had a blast doing it. It really shows in his filmmaking. He is going to end up doing some great films in the future.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army was an incredibly exciting and well made film! If you are a fan of the comics, if your not a fan of the comics, a boy or a girl, a woman or a man, you are going to like this movie. If you don't like it then you must not like good movies.
Whatever movie you choose to see always remember to enjoy your time ant the movies!
-Dr. Venkamn
It was only a matter of time before WB and DC got together to talk about how they can catch up with Marvel in the Comic Book movie business. They have such a huge library of super hero's to choose from! So what have they been discussing? According to 
Amazo
Animal Man
Bane
Batman
Birds of Prey
Bizarro
Black Adam
Black Canary
Black Manta
Blue Beetle
Booster Gold
Catman
Circe
Cyborg Superman
Darkseid
Deadshot
Deathstroke
Desaad
Doomsday
Dr. Light
Eclipso
Elongated Man
Felix Faust
Firestorm
General Zod
Granny Goodness
Gorilla Grodd
Green Arrow
Green Lantern
Harley Quinn
Hawkman and Hawkgirl
The Joker
Justice League of America
Justice Society
Killer Frost
Lex Luthor
Lobo
Martian Manhunter
Metal Men
Metamorpho
Mr. Freeze
Mr. Mind
Mr. Mxyzptlk
Mr. Terrific
Nightwing
Parallax
The Penguin
Plastic Man
Poison Ivy
Power Girl
The Question
Ra's al Ghul
Riddler
Robin
Red Tornado
Scarecrow
Sinestro
Solomon Grundy
Starfire
Steel
Teen Titans
Trickster and Pied Piper
Two-Face
Wonder Woman
Zatanna
This is great news! After everything us fanboys and fangirls had to endure. There was so much talk from both ends on Iron man 2 we have heard some great things from marvel and Jon but we just wern't sure if they were going to team up for the sequel. I mean back in our minds we new it would all work out in the end but until its official ya never know, it still has not been officially announced. So congratulations to Jon Favreau and Marvel for hitting it off once again and making all the fans of the first Iron Man incredibly happy!
Now here is where I am going to Rant. I found this exclusive news on 
But not by me damn it! I wish I could get my hands on the 'Inglorious Bastards' script and read it! nymag.com is the one that got themselves a copy Quentin Tarantinos next movie. and they say:
Venkman here and according to E online Brad Pitts might be one of the lead roles in Quentin Tarantinos new film 'Inglorious Bastards'. This is pretty cool! It is interesting to think about what type of acting Quentin could pull out of Brad. Here is what 
I gotta say It was nice to see Warner Brothers Animation finally after all these years step outside the box and do something different for a change. Superman and Doomsday wasn't that good and the Justin league movie they made was just awful! The animation was ok but the story was all over the place and ridiculous. I was just sick and tired of seeing Bruce Timm's early 90's animation style carry on into the 21st century, sure its gone though different variations but its still the same. I understand his style is his animation signature but lets see something different for cryin out loud! Lets explore some new territory!
Batman: Gotham Knight is definitely new territory. I was surprised Bruce Timm was an executive producer on it. Looks like he finally put on a new pair of pants. Batman: Gotham Knight is six short animated films. Each film has a different story and animation style to it, each style was done by some of Japans most talented visionaries. The following is a list of each short film who worked on it and what its about:
‘Chapter 27' is a movie based on Mark David Chapman the bastard that killed John Lennon. The movie stars Jared Leto and Lindsay Lohan. Someone thought it would make a great movie about this guy, why I have no idea. I would have much rather put the money into making a decent movie about the life of John Lennon, now he is an interesting guy! If you haven't been able to feel the vibe I am putting out on this movie, it's a negative one.
I thought it would be at least a little interesting, but no, it was not interesting at all. The movie was bad, the script was bad, the acting was bad. Leto went and put on all the weight to play Mark Chapman and for what? Nothing. The movie was terrible I am not sure why anyone wasted there time on making this utter nonsense.
There is nothing interesting about Mark David Chapman in this film. The movie moved at a snails pace. You know what is going to happen at the end so I hate to say it, but I found myself telling my wife in the middle of the movie that "I wish they would get to the part where he kills John already". Even when the part did come I just didn't care anymore because I never got into the movie.
Had a movie been made on John Lennon and you come to know the man as the movie progresses and you start to become engulfed with his life. When the part of John getting killed comes along, it should really hit you and effect you in some way. But this movie does nothing like that. You feel nothing for Mark Chapman and you feel nothing when John is killed. You would think there would at least be a little tension before everything goes down, but its not there.
There is literally no emotion at all in this movie. The dialogue is as monotone as the movie itself. I could not stand Jared Leto's voice over narration in the film, it was so annoying I think he overplayed his Character. Yeah thats how Mark talked, but why did they make this movie again? Personally I don't think Jared Leto is a good actor he sure didn't prove himself in this one. Lindsay Lohan pretty played herself.
There was this repetitive close up shot throughout the film of Mark unfolding a cloth with revolver in it. It was ridiculous! The movie was directed by J.P. Schaefer. I will say this the movie did paint Mark Chapman l as a pathetic looser. I've seen much better movies about pathetic loosers though.
Who knows maybe the audience was supposed to not like 'Chapter 27'. The film only opened up in 11 theaters and made about $56,000 so that should tell you something about the movie.
'Chapter 27' was one of those few movie I felt was waste of my time, but thats why I am writing this review, I watched the stupid movie so you wouldn't have to.
-Dr. Venkman