UPDATED: Wed, Jul 16, 11:31AM Murder, mayhem, mystery and more are all at the center of crime, death and resurrection, a Behind the Music panel featuring composers that create the music to some of your favorite television shows and movies! James Levine (American Horror Story), Jeff Russo (Fargo), Daniel Licht (Dexter), Brian Reitzell (Hannibal, 30 Days of Night), Steve Jablonsky (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Lone Survivor, Ender's Game), Christopher Young (Deliver Us From Evil, Dominion, SpiderMan 3) as they share their secrets for getting us to the edge of our seats as blood spills on screen. With special guest moderator Shane West (Nikita, Salem)! With exclusive giveaways for fans!
Thursday July 24, 2014 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Room 4
2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the movie Batman, the 50th anniversary of Batman's "New Look," the 75th anniversary of Batman's debut, and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bill Finger, the Caped Crusader's uncredited co-creator. Not only did Bill Finger breathe life into Batman, Robin, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Gotham City, and one fantastic villain after another, he co-created bat-free icons such as Green Lantern, Wildcat, and Lana Lang. Bill's only living descendants Athena Finger (The Cape Creator: A Tribute to Bill Finger) and her son Benjamin invite you to celebrate the life and achievements of the man who first put the dark in the Dark Knight. Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) moderates a bat-tastic panel, featuring Bob Kane's biographer Tom Andrae (Batman and Me), writer Mark Evanier (Bill Finger Awards), actress Lee Meriwether (Batman: The Movie's Catwoman), author Marc Tyler Nobleman (Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman), Cartoons Arts' Jens Robinson (son of Joker co-creator Jerry Robinson), and executive producer Michael Uslan (Batman, The Dark Knight film trilogy), plus special messages from legends like DC's last surviving Golden Age artist, Wildcat co-creator Irwin Hasen.
Thursday July 24, 2014 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
Room 4
Comic-Con special guest Brian Crane discusses his 25 years of creating the Pickles comic strip, using a PowerPoint presentation. He will give a behind-the-scenes look at how he got started and how he creates his daily comic strip, which is syndicated in over 800 newspapers around the world. The presentation will be followed by a short Q&A session.
Thursday July 24, 2014 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Room 4
New York Times bestselling author Max Brooks (World War Z) and William Christensen (Avatar Press publisher) discuss the scoop on new projects and creators joining the Avatar Press lineup! Plus, an inside look at projects by Garth Ennis, Alan Moore, Kieron Gillen, and of course, Max Brooks. William Christensen moderates and runs the Q&A session for this event.
Comic-Con special guests Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti, the award-winning writers of Harley Quinn, Painkiller Jane, and owners of the multimedia company Paperfilms, sit down for a talk in an intimate, interactive panel, discussing their work and future projects inside and out of comics.
Artist's Edition editor Scott Dunbier blathers on and on about Artist's Editions past, present, and future. There will be a couple of cool announcements as well as special guests Walter Simonson and IDW president (and art lover) Greg Goldstein-what more could you possibly want?
Comic book legend Howard Chaykin interviews New York Times bestselling author, comic book writer, and Comic-Con special guest Gregg Hurwitz (Tell No Lies, Batman: The Dark Knight) about comics, crime fiction, TV, movies, and all other order of fictional mayhem.
MAD, the country's #1-selling humor magazine (in a field of 1), is dumber than ever! MAD editor John Ficarra and art director Sam Viviano take a ridiculous peek at what's happening at the magazine, and an epically moronic Q&A that's bound to be, well, MAD! (Prizes will be awarded for most moronic questions!)
UPDATED: Tue, Jul 15, 11:42AM Join this high-powered panel divulging how much of an impact video games can have on people's lives in-game as well as offline. Parents advocating for a learner-centered approach often brings up the question, "Won't my kids just play video games all day?" Although the answer to that is multifaceted, no experience is devoid of learning. In fact, some experiences may have more opportunities for development than first believed. Genese Davis (The Holder's Dominion, MMORPG.com, The Gamer in You) Stephan Frost (games design producer Carbine Studios), Kate Edwards (executive director International Game Developers Association) and Justin Burnham (director of operations Devolver Digital, project manager South by Southwest) as they discuss the benefits and potential drawbacks to video games and how to navigate both. This high-powered panel will plunge into video game culture and its social development, divulging how video games affect our lives and education.
Every great film deserves a great sequel and in this case last year's hit presentation gets a sequel as well. Tired of your typical game show? Boring questions and even more boring things to look at? Here is something completely different. Film fan extraordinaire and Inkpot Award winner John Field hosts this exciting game and you can be part of it! John has taken clips from 50 different sci-fi, horror and fantasy films. The contestants' job is to name as many clips as they can. Whoever names the most clips within the show, wins. Yes, John will have prizes for first, second, third and even fourth place. Put your name in the magic film can; if it's drawn, you could play. Anyone in the audience can guess the film that stumps the panel wins a prize as well.
A team of Star Trek designers will take fans into the art department as they showcase the art and inspiration of Star Trek's most famous Ships of the Line. The panelists include John Eaves (concept artist and senior illustrator, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, and more), Andy Probert (production illustrator, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and consulting illustrator, Star Trek: The Next Generation), Doug Drexler (makeup artist, scenic artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and visual effects artist, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Mike Okuda (lead graphic designer and tech consultant, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), ILM's John Goodson (model maker and digital artist, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek Into Darkness), and Greg Jein (model maker, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Join the team of Star Trek designers for a Q&A moderated by Ben Robinson, editor for the long-running Star Trek Fact Files and the manager of Eaglemoss' new Starship Collection. Limited edition collectibles from Eaglemoss will be distributed to every attendee.
UPDATED: Wed, Jul 16, 11:37AM Panelists explore both the role of gender in mainstream and independent comics, as well as the impact of gender politics on the business side of the industry and in the media. Moderated by comics editor Janelle Asselin, the panel inclides ComicsAlliance.com senior editor Andy Khouri, BOOM! Studios editor Dafna Pleban, comics writer James Tynion IV (The Woods), Image comics director of trade book sales Jennifer de Guzman, and WIRED writer Laura Hudson and IDW publishing editor Sarah Gaydos.
ADDED: Wed, Jul 23, 06:49AM Want to work in a fandom-related industry you're passionate about, but not sure where to start? These professional "Nerds for a Living" will discuss careers within gaming, film, comics, illustration and more. LeeJoyner (director of admissions, Cinema Makeup School), TomKurzanski (art director, TeeFury), ClaireHummel (production designer, HBO; concept artist, BioShock Infinite), KarenHallion (artist and illustrator), BradHerman (lead product designer, DreamWorks Animation), and PatLoika (Loikamania Podcast) will share their career-building experiences. Topics include training, online resources, networking, and tactics to use (and avoid) for breaking into your dream industry. Moderated by WendyBuske (marketing director, Nerd For A Living). This panel will conclude with an audience Q&A.
Comic-Con special guest writer/artist Batton Lash celebrates 35 years of is characters Wolff & Byrd Counselors of the Macabre, from newspaper strip to the Supernatural Law comic books, webcomic, and graphic novels. Interviewed by author/futurist Rob Salkowitz, Batton will discuss his influences, self-publishing, crowdfunding, the mixing of humor and horror, writing for Archie and Bongo, and his new series for Aces Weekly, "The First Gentleman of the Apocalypse."
Learn about the story that shocked the world-the Death of Archie-and find out more about the hit horror series Afterlife with Archie. Get exclusive news on upcoming classic Archie storylines, the new Sabrina ongoing series, and what's to come from Archie's superhero imprint. The panel features Jon Goldwater (co-CEO/publisher), Victor Gorelick (co-president/editor-in-chief), Mike Pellerito (president), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (chief creative officer/writer of Afterlife with Archie), Francesco Francavilla (artist of Afterlife with Archie), Dan Parent (writer/artist, Kevin Keller), Michael Uslan (writer, Farewell, Betty & Veronica), and moderator Alex Segura (SVP-publicity and marketing/editor of Red Circle Comics). Plus, an exclusive gift bag ticket!
Join Comic-Con special guest Mark Brooks for an open and fun discussion about the average day in the life of a comic book artist. With over a decade of professional experience working for companies such as Marvel, Disney, Sideshow Collectibles, Hasbro, and Sega-Mark will offer his unique insight into time management (being a slave to deadlines), work-life balance (Kids! Nagging spouse! Video games!), working the convention scene (spend money to make money), and ways to market yourself (social media is your friend-sometimes). At the end of the panel, Mark will give away a copy of his new Marvel art book and a sketch!
Writer/artist Terry Moore (Rachel Rising, SIP Kids, Strangers In Paradise, ECHO) discusses new projects, describes upcoming storylines, and answers all of those burning questions you have always wanted to ask. This fan-favorite event is chock full of fun and games!
IDW invites you to join in their 15th anniversary celebration with this panel featuring IDW's own "Martin & Lewis," Dirk Wood and Chris Ryall, alongside special panelists Gabriel Rodriguez, Jonathan Maberry, Scott Tipton, and more to come for a spirited chat filled with announcements galore!
How is animation doing in 2014? How can I enter the field? Is 2D dead? Panelists Miguel Jiron (Despicable Me 2), Raul Garcia (Melon Digital S.L.), Brooke Keesling (Cartoon Network), Steve Hulett (The Animation Guild), Danny Young (Blurr Studios), and moderator Tom Sito (Beauty and the Beast, Shrek) discuss the industry across all disciplines as it is today, from motion picture production to creating animated shorts for the Internet. The panel will also talk about how animators find and create jobs.
Dave McKean shows images and clips from his new film Luna and his new books Pictures That Tick 2: Exhibition from Dark Horse, and Dream States: The Collected Dreaming, Sandman Presents, and Sandman Overture covers from DC Comics. Plus a few surprises, including Comics Unmasked, a massively successful exhibition that Dave designed for the British Library in London, and 9 Lives, a performance piece premiered at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Neil Gaiman is one of our most beloved modern storytellers, crafting amazing fantasy worlds across comics, novels, films, and music. But what is his story? This new documentary takes you along for the ride on Neil's record-setting 2013 signing tour, and explores a life as fantastical as one of his stories. Filmmakers Patrick Meaney (Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods) and Jordan Rennert (Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts), Neil's "Pepper Potts" Cat Mihos, and a special guest present an exclusive first look at the film.
Do you dream about quitting your day job to pursue your passion of being an artist, writer, or professional in the industry? Are you already in the business and need help with figuring out how to budget between paid contracts, or need to determine the best way to raise and save cash for future projects? Perhaps you just want to be a Financial Superhero for yourself and your family, and invest in your future! Karen Martin (Junior Achievement and WheelerFrost Wealth Managers) and Sean Nisil (Sigdestad Financial) will present an entertaining and educational panel on superhero financial planning for artists, writers, industry professionals, and all others interested. The discussion will follow with a Q&A of industry panel guests who will talk about financial challenges and successes in their fields.
D+Q is one of the leading publishers in the world of literary graphic novels. As the company closes in on its 25th anniversary, managing editor Tracy Hurren and editorial manager Julia Pohl-Miranda present Drawn & Quarterly's newest titles for 2014 and 2015. Take part in a trivia contest about the cartoonists, comics, and graphic novels that make up this legendary company's lore. All winning answers will get a free book! D+Q authors will be on hand and special announcements will take place.
Saturday July 26, 2014 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 4
American cartoonist and Comic-Con special guest Don Rosa is best known for his Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck stories, especially his prize-winning Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck. Join Fantagraphics publisher and life-long friend Gary Groth as he interviews the man in the ink-stained gloves who wrote and drew a whopping two decades' worth of ripping Scrooge and Donald yarns.
Saturday July 26, 2014 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 4
Acclaimed syndicated cartoonist and Comic-Con special guest Ray Billingsley talks about literally growing up in the cartooning industry, from being a child-professional at 12 to a career that has spanned over 40 years. Join Ray for this frank discussion, with a Q&A session moderated by Andrew Farago (artist and curator of the Cartoon Art Museum).
Saturday July 26, 2014 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 4
Hugo Award-winning book cover artist and Comic-Con special guest John Picacio (A Song of Ice and Fire, Elric of Melnibone) is one of science fiction/fantasy's most acclaimed American cover artists. Join him for this lively slideshow and Q&A, where he unveils the process behind his art, including A Song of Ice and Fire, Loteria, Elric, and sneak peeks at his latest works. If you're a fan of the art of Westeros, Mexican Tarot, book covers, comics, and/or the future of sci-fi/fantasy art, this is the place to be. Bonus: Everyone who attends will receive a free giant Loteria prototype card featuring art by Picacio!
Comic-Con special guest Benoît Peeters (internationally acclaimed author, biographer, filmmaker, lecturer, co-creator of The Obscure Cities series) discusses his career in comics, and film, his longstanding association with Hergé and Tin Tin, and the circumstances surrounding his discovery of the Obscure Cities, considered one of the most important graphic novel series in the world. Join Benoît and François Schuiten (internationally acclaimed illustrator, architect, production designer, co-creator of The Obscure Cities series) for this Q&A session moderated by Stephen Smith (translator of Schuiten and Peeters's The Leaning Girl, publisher of Alaxis Press).
Comic-Con special guest François Schuiten (internationally acclaimed Illustrator, architect, production designer, co-creator of The Obscure Cities series) discusses his career in comics, film, and architecture and the circumstances surrounding his discovery of the Obscure Cities, considered one of the most important graphic novel series in the world. Join François and Benoît Peeters (internationally acclaimed author, biographer, lecturer, co-creator of The Obscure Cities series) for this Q&A session moderated by Stephen Smith (translator of Schuiten & Peeters' The Leaning Girl, publisher of Alaxis Press).
IDW's VP of marketing Dirk Wood, Godzilla scribe Chris Mowry, America's Army writer M. Zachary Sherman, Andy Schmidt from Comics Experience, special guests from Darby Pop, Monkeybrain and more discuss the ever-growing slate of exciting new projects from the powerhouse publisher. Prizes, announcements, Q&A, and hilarity will ensue!
Jerry Bennington and Nate Murray from IDW's new division, IDW Games, share top secret info on the best tabletop board games around, including X-Files, Kill Shakespeare, Chew, Machi Koro, and more. Featuring John Layman of Chew fame, and others. Who knows, you may even get to play a game or two!
The Christian Comic Arts Society hosts this 17th annual panel. Spiritual themes in comics have been a major thread in the comic book and graphic novel medium. Panelists will be discussing how spiritual themes are interwoven into the matrix of comic books.Wendi Pini (ElfQuest), John Schafer (Superbook), M. Scott Verne (City of the Gods), B. Dave Walters (Warner Brothers Animation), and moderator Eric Jansen (Foursquare Mission Press) discuss the spiritual themes of their respective projects and other related media in the industry.
Industry gossip hound Rich Johnston (Bleeding Cool) hosts this panel discussing Bleeding Cool magazine's upcoming "Top 100 Comic Industry Power Rankings" and the big comic book news breaking at Comic-Con.
Iconic weird tale author H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937), in his introduction to the story The Call of Cthulhu wrote: "We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age." Was he right? A panel of scientists and Lovecraft experts will discuss the science behind Lovecraft's stories and what modern research has revealed about humanity's place in the cosmos. With Cody Goodfellow (Deepest, Darkest Eden: New Tales Of Hyperborea), Shane Haggard (Chemistry instructor, San Diego City College), Leslie S. Klinger (The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft), Andrew Leman (The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society), and Lisa Will, Ph.D. (astronomy and physics professor, San Diego City College). Moderated by Aaron Vanek (The H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon-Los Angeles).
Who's got the best comics for kids? IDW, of course! My Little Pony! Angry Birds! TMNT! Littlest Pet Shop! Skylanders! Cartoon Network: Super Secret Crisis War! Editors Sarah Gaydos, Bobby Curnow, David Hedgecock, and Carlos Guzman talk about all these titles and more. With creators Louise Simonson, Katie Cook, Tony Fleecs, Andy Price, Derek Charm, and too many more to mention! Plus, free comics for kids!
Comic-Con special guest Jim Rugg (Street Angel, The PLAIN Janes, Afrodisiac, Rambo 3.5, The Guild) discusses his experience as a cartoonist/designer/illustrator/podcaster through a visual presentation and an audience Q&A.
Comic-Con special guest Michael T. Gilbert (comic book writer/cartoonist since 1973/columnist for Alter Ego magazine since 1998) will talk about Mr. Monster, Disney Comics, and his other projects. He'll also discuss how the comics field has changed since he began his professional career 40 years ago. Questions welcome. The panel will be moderated by cartoonist Batton Lash, creator of Supernatural Law.
Author/journalist and Comic-Con special guest Michelle Nolan (Love on the Racks) will join moderator Maggie Thompson (former editor of Comics Buyer's Guide) and Bud Plant (45 years of Bud Plant Comic Art) for a discussion and Q&A about Michelle's more than 50 years as a comics historian/entrepreneur.
Comic-Con special guest Brian Haberlin (Witchblade, Aria, Anomaly, Spawn) will reveal never-before-seen art and stories from his 20-plus-year career in comics. From starting one of the first computer coloring studios, to expanding his role from colorist to penciler/inker, writer and editor, get the inside scoop on the creation process of several marquee books and characters from the hundreds of issues Brian has worked on.
YouTube superstar Markiplier of the markiplierGAME channel hosts this totally weird 14th annual Comic-Con panel for pioneering webcomics publisher Keenspot, again featuring their transmedia partner Red Giant Entertainment! Keenspot fans are accustomed to comics being free to read online, but Red Giant is about to "set free" the world of printed comic books! On Free Comic Book Day 2014, Red Giant previewed their revolutionary ad-supported, free-to-consumer comic book line Giant-Size Comics with a bundled four-pack of #0 issue flipbooks to incredible response (within hours, the sought-after free bundle was paradoxically being purchased on eBay for as much as twenty bucks!). Along with some of Keenspot's top webcomics creators on the dais to answer audience questions, many of the minds behind the Giant-Size line will be here to discuss and reveal all-new details on its exciting future as a free 72-page weekly event launching in stores later this year. Creators scheduled to appear on this panel include Benny Powell (Wayward Sons), David Campiti (Pandora's Blogs), Thomas Fischbach (Twokinds), D. J. Coffman and Ally Monroe (The God Child), Mort Castle (Darchon), David Lawrence (Magika), R. C. Monroe (Out There), and Giant-Size story editor Brian Augustyn. All attendees will receive the Giant-Size #0 four-pack bundle!
Len Wein (creator of Wolverine) leads his team of Purple Pros against the Black Ink Irregulars (fans Tom Galloway, David Oakes, Peter Svensson, Derek McCaw) in a steel cage death match of clashing comics trivia titans! Questions will focus on characters celebrating 75th (Batman, Sub-Mariner), 50th (Daredevil, Teen Titans, and others), or 40th (Wolverine, Iron Fist, and others) anniversaries. Come for the trivia, stay for the funny trash talk!
