Comic-Con 2014

Superhero comic books are often dismissed or derided as "power fantasies" or "escapism," but is that always a negative? Incongruous as it may seem for Dean Trippe's Something Terrible to deal with childhood trauma, sexual abuse, and Batman, Trippe has used his comic to deal with his own past, which has then helped other people with difficult backgrounds. Tommy Cash (The Comic Arts Council) and Dean Trippe (Something Terrible) examine misconceptions regarding victims of sexual abuse and the potential value in identifying with superheroes as a coping mechanism.

Storytelling in comic books and graphic novels relies on an array of diverse and powerful techniques that engage readers and construct a sense of time and space in fictional "realities," to varying degrees of success. Keegan Lannon (Aberystwyth University) and Aaron Poppleton examine how color influences emotions and how color (or lack thereof as in Art Spiegelman's Maus) may immerse readers and create an artistic ideology. Michael J. Muniz (Broward College) exposes how the breaking of the fourth wall in comics prevents the reader from properly engaging the depicted reality, and explores the philosophical nature of the fourth wall itself. Poe Johnson (University of Texas at Dallas) and Amal Shafek (University of Texas at Dallas) use Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis as a case study for analyzing how comics and films construct time and space. Specific creative techniques do more than just reflect aesthetic goals; they also affect the way each medium constructs meaning.

How sexist are superhero comic books? How fairly do comic book creators depict females and femininity, and how do we view the creators who attempt to introduce feminist values? Rebecca Sader (University of Texas at Dallas) looks at how well Birds of Prey fares in light of methodology like the Bechdel test. Matthew J. Brown (University of Texas at Dallas) delves into the psychology and (unorthodox) feminist values of psychologist William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman and a pioneer in the invention of the lie detector. Annamarie O'Brien (Bowling Green State University) looks at mommy issues in Jack Kirby's Fourth World saga, from idealized Mother Box to the monstrous depiction of mothering gone awry via the villainous Granny Goodness.

Who really created Batman? Was it the Caped Crusader's officially credited creator, Bob Kane, or was it his secret collaborator, Bill Finger? What did editor Vince Sullivan, artist Jerry Robinson, writer Gardner Fox, and others contribute when first shaping the Batman mythos, from the Dark Knight's debut in 1939 until he gained a young crime-fighting partner, a clownish arch-foe, and a feline femme fatale one year later? Pulling from interviews, biographies, personal communications, and external evidence, experts conduct a forensic investigation into this question of historical, cultural, and ethical importance. Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) asks Tom Andrae (Batman & Me), Brad Ricca (Super Boys), Athena Finger (The Cape Creator: A Tribute to Bill Finger), Marc Tyler Nobleman (Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman), Denny O'Neil (Batman), Arlen Schumer (The Silver Age of Comic Book Art), Jens Robinson (CartoonArts International), Michael Uslan (The Dark Knight films), and Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson (granddaughter of DC Comics's founder) the basic question: Who built the bat?

Sheyne Fleischer (assistant editor, The Bachelor, Hells Kitchen), Tess Fowler (writer/illustrator Game of Thrones Exclusive Animation, The Rascals), Alicia Minette (prop fabrication: Sushi Girl, Man at Arms), and Aubriana Zurilgen (creature creation: Steve Wang's Creature Workshop, MasterFX), will explore the nontraditional roles of women in the comic and entertainment industries. Female editors, illustrators, prop fabricators, and creature creators will relate their success stories and how to follow your dreams in the industry, while exploring gender roles in the creative professions. Moderated by Glenn Freund (League of S.T.E.A.M.).

Moderated by the Comics Reporter himself, Tom Spurgeon, this panel will explore the use of humor by today's best cartoonists slash illustrators. Drew Friedman (Old Jewish Comedians)'s newest bookHeroes of the Comics debuts right here at Comic-Con, and his comics and illustrations have appeared in National Lampoon and High Times. Lisa Hanawalt is the James Beard Award winner for humor for her comics in Lucky Peach and is the cartoonist behind My Dirty Dumb Eyes. Mimi Pond wrote the pilot of The Simpsons, the cult classic The Valley Girl's Guide to Life, and her new fictionalized memoir Over Easy. Spurgeon will get out of these cartoonists' way when they lay it on thick, explain when to go easy, and share how to always get a laugh.

UPDATED: Sun, Jul 20, 02:58PM
When you see Star Wars T-shirts, Mass Effect leggings, and other unique pop culture apparel, do you ever wonder how they were made? Join industry professionals for a behind-the-scenes look at the business of geek fashion. Moderated by Lisa Granshaw (The Daily Dot, Fashionably Geek), panelists Ed Labay (Hot Topic), Mike Kochis (ThinkGeek), Samantha Terry (WeLoveFine), Cameron Parker (Black Milk Clothing), and Victoria Schmidt (Gold Bubble Clothing) discuss how their businesses choose designs, what the licensing process is like, how trends affect their work, and how fashion options for geek girls have increased over the years. Ample time will be left for audience members to ask questions and voice their opinions about what they'd like to see more of in the geek fashion market.

The animated feature film Pixies is coming to theaters this winter starring the voices of Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music), Alexa Vega (Spy Kids) and Carlos Pena (Big Time Rush), with music by Michael Bublé. Watch the world premiere of the opening scene for Pixies in its entirety. This will be followed by a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the animated features The Steam Engines of Oz and Howard Lovecraft & The Frozen Kingdom. All three animated features are based on the Arcana graphic novels and produced by Arcanamation. Sneak peek world movie premiere, free comics, door prizes, Steampunk, HP Lovecraft, and Pixies. Come celebrate Arcana's 10th year!

In the last 18 months, fans have been paid for fanfic, have licensed their fanart to networks and shows for use on T-shirts, DVDs, and crowdfunded projects, have created and played apps for and with actors and films, have published books that started out as fanfic ,and have advanced creativity and discussions every day. Compared to 2004-or even 2010-connections between fandom and transmedia storytelling have changed vastly, but on ArchiveOfOurOwn, Wattpad, tumblr, and Vine and at fancons the "gift culture" and traditions of transformative works endure. Explore the landscape with Orlando Jones (Sleepy Hollow), Flourish Klink (chief participation officer at The Alchemists), Professor Henry Jenkins (provost professor of communication, journalism, and cinematic arts, USC) and Aron Levitz (Wattpad) in a discussion moderated by Heidi Tandy (FYeahCopyright.com).

Come join the CCAS for its annual mixer. This is an opportunity for Christian professionals and fans to intermingle, socialize, and network. Meet creators such as Eric Jansen (God and Country Graphics), Luis Serrano (Samson), Josh Burns (music composer), and John Schafer (Superbook).