Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Comic-Con Day 3 Report


Note: Blogger hates us as it's not letting us add images. Pix at a later date.

Day 3 was a blast. Our interepid Mister Fanboy Staff photographers were out and about. No doubt about it. The crowds were not nearly as thick as last year’s Saturday at Comic-Con, and thankfully the AC stayed on this year as well (if not a bit too cold).

We finally got the entire run of Alias signed by scribe Brian Michael Bendis and cover artiste David Mack. Bendis also signed some choice New Avengers issues for us. Mack also completed signing our entire collection of Kabuki issues, and his DVD. Additionally, we made some fine purchases of Kabuki related merchanside includeing a poster and a black tee, as well as a print of a Mack cover piece from Daredevil.

Rosario Dawson struck a funny pose while signing issues of her own comic.

My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way caused quite a stir with his appearance.

Jeph Loeb did some signings as well, but was off the beaten path in this pic away from Marvel (we forget where).

Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddie Krueger was out and about as well.

We totally enjoyed the Babylon 5 panel about today’s release of the direct-to-DVD feature, which featured Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, and Peter Woodward along with JMS. The crowd was huge. Sadly, our pix were stolen by the Shadows.

We also ran into Ghostbuster’s Ernie Hudson in the line at Starbucks, but the Shadows stole those pictures as well.

Milla Jovovich was very gracious and friendly while promoting the upcoming release of the 3rd installment of Resident Evil. Heroes’ Ali Larter, also in the film, seemed to really be eating up all of the attention she’s been getting of late, and we don’t mean that in a good way.

A clip of Sam Raimi’s upcoming adaptation of the excellent comic 30 Days of Night scared us shitless – and we already know what happens in the film. It stars Josh Hartnett and Ben Foster (X-Men’s Angel).

We also attended the Masquerade Ball, for which we will have a seperate post.



Wondering where our sense of humor went? Ali Larter ate it.

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Monday, July 30, 2007

Comic-Con Day 2 Report


Curse you Blogger. We wrote this post once already and then it disappeared when doing a Spell Check.

As a result, here’s a brief version.

Lots of comics signed by:

Our favorite, David Mack

Peter David, including information on upcoming
hardcover from IDW of Fallen Angel and goings-ons in X-Factor



Gail Simone where we professed our sadness over her leaving Birds of Prey, our fondness of Welcome to Tranquility, and the excitement a certain female blogger has over her penning Wonder Woman (you know who you are).

Also of interest:

Dan Slott showed us images from an upcoming issue of She-Hulk and discussed a brief cameo of Squirrel Girl in the animated Fantastic Four.

We attended the Mondo Marvel panel, but there’s nothing we could tell you that other blogs haven’t already reported, except that Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada has lost a ton of weight since last year.

The Babylon 5 panel, regarding the direct to DVD film to be released tomorrow, was a blast. Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, JMS, and Peter Woodward, among others, were present.

All of Comic-Con officially sold out all 4 days today.

Although it’s crowded here, the organizers seem to have done a nice job considering. We still think they should consider relocating it to Vegas.

We pretty much dropped the ball on Photos for Friday, but the crack Mister Fanboy Photographic Team was in full force on Saturday. Look for a post and more photos tomorrow.

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Friday, July 27, 2007

Simpons Movie Opens Today


We take a brief respite from our Comic-Con hoopla to remind you that the Simpsons Movie opened today, as if you didn't already know that. The Washington Post described it as one of the best movies of the year, and even has a fun checklist of goings-ons! Because of the Con we may not get to see it until Monday, but you never know... D'Oh! Off to the Con!

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Thursday, July 26, 2007

Comic-Con day 1 Report:


Day 1 has come and gone and we’re not sure what we’ve got to show for it. Perhaps it’s because we only visited one full and two half panels. Perhaps it was the early flight, checking into our hotel and the late arrival. Or maybe it was the ½ mile line just for pre-registered attendees to register. On top of all of that, we totally dropped the ball in taking photos and the ones we did pretty much sucked. Whatever our problems were, here’s a blow by blow …

The line to register sucked. We did not encounter nearly as many problems and we cannot tell you why. Let’s be honest. Comic-Con needs to consider a different location. It’s grown way too unwieldy for San Diego to handle – and we really like San Diego. Perhaps Vegas? And we’re not just saying that because we live there. We’re saying that because there’s lots more convention space and accommodations.

The exhibit hall was packed, as we expected. Saturday will just be insane. Last we heard they had less than 2000 tickets for tomorrow left, so we wouldn’t be surprised if it already sold out.

David Mack continued to be very gracious and signed about 15 issues for us. We also bought his new children’s book The Shy Creatures, which spun out of Kabuki: Alchemy in a way.



It’ll be out in bookstores and ye oldde comic shoppes soon. We warned him that we had more to bring each day this weekend. He truly is the nicest and one of the most talented guys in the industry today. He’s at the Image booth if you’re able to attend. His significant other – her name escapes me unfortunately – is very kind as well. We’ll be back there tomorrow and will hopefully get some pix.

Mondo Marvel Panel: Oddly, it seemed anticlimactic. Sure they announced a new Captain Marvel title, but after Civil War: The Return who didn’t see that coming. JMS was interesting … but we’re more interested in his panel on the new Babylon 5 direct-to-DVD title out next week.


It was announced that Marvel beat DC at their annual softball game 16-9, which oddly mirrors Marvels recent sales dominance in terms of $’s. Other things we’re announced that we didn’t care too much about. Way too much discussion of the Iron Man movie for our tastes (we admit, we never warmed up to the creator, regardless of his sheer disckishness a la Civil War).






Film director and well known actor Jon Favre stopped by. Machine Man will be showing up as a supporting character in Ms. Marvel and will be drinking a lot (yippee). That’s about all we remember.

We also accidentally went to the 1st half of a panel on the new Demon’s of Mercy game, for which Marvel did an exclusive comic that we got.




Amber Benson (Buffy’s Tera) did one of the voices. She looked stoned as a goat.

Marvel handed out variant editions of New Avengers #31 (the Skrull issue), but it’s basically a B and W rendering of the original cover. But still, it’s nice.




After a very leisurely dinner, we couldn’t get a seat for the upcoming Superman/Doomsday DVD, which didn’t sadden us too much. We did attend the Kung Fun/Superhero Film Extravaganza which we truly liked. However, all of the walking and traveling of the day really hit us and we had to take the shuttle back to our hotel for some shuteye, but we thought we’d do this post for you all first.

Finally we did pick up some swag for our dear friend Amy Reads over at Arrogant Self-Reliance, that we’ll give her the details about next week. Sorry we’ve been so bad about visiting the blog lately Amy. More swag updates tomorrow.

That’s all for today. Not too sure if we’ll have internet access during the rest of the stay or not. If not, look for an update on Monday.

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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Comic-Con Countdown Part 7


Due to time constraints, this will likely be our last pre-Con post.


Want to get an autograph or a fave comic signed? If so see below. For us, our first stop will be the Image Comics booth were David Mack - creator and artist extraordinaire - will be signing all weekend. Woo-hoo.

Located upstairs in the Sails Pavilion, the Autograph Area is the place to go for a special memento from a variety of artists, authors and actors from every era of popular culture. Some are signing right after their spotlight panel, so check the program grid daily.
The Autograph Area is open from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Thursday through Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. No autograph sessions will be held before or after these times, but fans are welcome to come on up and get in line when the convention hall opens.
Due to high demand and the limited time available from notables appearing to sign autographs, the Autograph Area Coordinator may at any time shut down a line, even if people are still waiting for an autograph. We apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment.
Changes and surprise additions will occur throughout the show, so be sure to check the daily newsletter and the information boards located throughout the center. Schedules will be posted at the Autograph Area Information Desk, staffed 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM Thursday through Saturday, and 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday.
Most people attending Comic-Con International are fans who want to meet professionals and take away a souvenir of that meeting. If you would like to sign autographs at the convention we require that you sign one
Souvenir Program Book, free of charge, for each fan who asks during your signing. However, if you buy exhibit space at Comic-Con you may charge for your autograph (beyond the one required Souvenir Program Book autograph) while you are at your booth or table. If you are awarded free space in the upper level Sails Pavilion, you may not sell your autograph but you may sell autographed items, and we require that you sign one Souvenir Program Book free of charge for any fan who asks during your signing. Please read the information below for other important information regarding selling autographs and autographed items.
General Guidelines
Anyone signing at Comic-Con, in the Sails area or on the Exhibit Hall floor, even those exhibitors who will be charging a fee, must sign one copy of the
Souvenir Program Book for any fan at no charge. You may sign one other item instead of the program book, if the fan would prefer and you agree.
Autograph Area
If you receive free space from Comic-Con, in the Autograph Area in the Sails Pavilion, you are not allowed to charge for your autograph. You may charge for any item that you supply and will be signing for free. You must sign one
Souvenir Program Book per person (or other item of your choice) at no charge if requested, and you may not require a purchase to sign the Souvenir Program Book. You are not expected to sign anything you deem offensive or that violates any contractual agreements you may have.
Limited Signings
Linked notables are
Comic-Con Special Guests!Click their name to go to their bio.(Updated July 20)
Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen
Drawing for line ticket at 11:30 AM Saturday
Saturday
AA2
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Warren Ellis
Drawing for a line ticket at 10:30 AM Friday
Friday
AA3
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Neil Gaiman
Drawing for a line ticket at 12:00 PM Friday
Friday
AA1
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Matt Groening
Drawing for a line ticket at 12:00 PM Saturday
Saturday
AA2
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Laurell K. Hamilton
Drawing for a line ticket at 10:00 AM Saturday
Saturday
AA1
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

Hot Fuzz
Edgar Wright (director), Nick Frost (actor)Limited signing of a special edition Comic-Con 2007 Hot Fuzz DVD sleeve; drawing for a line ticket at 1:00 PM Friday
Friday
AA2
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Stan Lee
Drawing for a line ticket at 10:00 AM Thursday
Thursday
AA2
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Todd McFarlane
Limited signing of apecial edition HBO Spawn lithograph; drawing for a line ticket at 11:00 AM Friday
Friday
AA5
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Todd McFarlane with R. A. Salvatore and Robert Kirkman
Spawn creator and McFarlane Toys Founder, Todd McFarlane with special guests, R.A. Salvatore (38 Studios' Creative Content Director, Book III of The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy) and Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead, Invincible)Limited Signing of Special Edition McFarlane-Kirkman signing plate and 38 Studios T-shirtsDrawing for a line ticket at 1:00 PM Saturday
Saturday
AA1
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse
Drawing for a line ticket at 10:00 AM Sunday
Sunday
AA1
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Stargate: Atlantis
Depending on availability - Robert Cooper; David Hewlett; Joe Mallozzi; Amanda Tapping; Marin WoodDrawing for line tickets at 9:00 AM Friday
Friday
AA6
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Stargate: SG1
Depending on availability - Ben Browder; Robert Cooper; Chris Judge; Joe Mallozzi; Michael Shanks; Amanda Tapping; Martin WoodDrawing for line tickets at 9:00 AM Friday
Friday
AA6
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

TATUA
Paul Jenkins (Wolverine Origin, Frontlines), Rob Prior (Spawn The Impaler, Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV Show EFX), C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders, Soul Man), Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Thelma & Louise), and Page Hamilton (Unsung, Milquetoast)Drawing for a line ticket at 10:45 AM Friday
Friday
AA5
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm

TV Guide's Hot List
Michelle Ryan — subject to availabilityDrawing for a line ticket at 10:00 AM Saturday
Saturday
AA3
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance: Subgenres Readers Love
Laurell K. Hamilton, Jeanne Stein, Laura Anne Gilman, Carrie Vaughn, Marjorie Liu, and Samantha Sommersby)Drawing for a line ticket at 11:00 AM Thursday
Thursday
AA4
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

back

Group Signings
(most follow panels with the featured titles)Linked notables are
Comic-Con Special Guests!Click their name to go to their bio.(Updated July 20)
Attack of the Show
Kevin Pereira, Olivia Munn, and Blair Butler
Friday
AA4
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

BBC America’s Torchwood
Noel Clarke, actor/writer (Doctor Who, Torchwood)
Thursday
AA3
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Blade Runner
Depending on availability: Joanna Cassidy, Joe Turkel, Syd Mead, Mark Stetson, James Hong, Daryl Hannah, Sean Young, Paul Sammon, John Alvint
Thursday
AA11
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA12
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Saturday
AA11
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA6
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Code Monkeys
Adam de la Pena and Dana Snyder
Thursday
AA6
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Crow: Stairway to Heaven
Mark Dacascos, Bryce Zabel
Friday
AA4
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Costume Designers Guild
Mary Vogt, Michael Wilkenson, Deborah Nadoloolman
Saturday
AA4
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Dead One
Tony Plana, actor (Ugly Betty), Joel David Moore, actor (Dodgeball, Avatar)Signing a Limited Edition The Dead One mini movie poster
Friday
AA2
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Demons, Devils and Evil Dictators
Jon Lewis & Derek Benz, Holly Black, Tony DiTerlizzi, D. J. MacHale, James Owen, Frank Beddor, Laini Taylor, Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, Nancy Holder, and William Boniface
Friday
AA1
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Farscape
Gigi Edgley, David Franklin, Lani Tupu, Virginia Hey
Friday
AA7
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA11
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Kill Your Darlings
F. Paul Wilson, David Morrell, Max Allan Collins, Richard Morgan, Josh Conviser, Joe Schreiber, and Elizabeth Forrest
Friday
AA11
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Moonstone
Peter David, Joe Gentile, Nancy Holder, Andy Mangels, Ruben Procopio, Richard Dean Starr, Guy Williams, Jr.
Thursday
AA2
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The O.C.T. (Occult Crimes Taskforce)
Rosario Dawson, Tony Shasteen, David Atchison
Thursday
AA12
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Friday
AA12
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Saturday
AA5
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Remembering Caniff/Canyon
Harry Guyton, R. C. Harvey, Denis Kitchen, Russ Maheras, Diana Doalson, and John Ellis
Saturday
AA3
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Rewriting History
Jacqueline Carey, David Anthony Durham, David Keck, Harry Turtledove, R. A. Salvatore, and Mel Odom
Friday
AA11
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

The Scribe Awards
Donald Bain, Marv Wolfman, David R. George III, Jeff Mariotte, Nathan Long, Christina York, Alice Henderson, Max Allan Collins, and Andy Mangels
Sunday
AA3
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Southland Tales
Richard Kelly, writer (Southland Tales, Donnie Darko)
Friday
AA12
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Spumco Artists
Kali Fontecchio, caricaturist/BG painter (for John K., Tenacious D and Raketu); Marlo Meekins, cartoonist/BG painter (for Tenacious D, Classico video) and Eric Bauza, voice actor/cartoonist (voice of Stimpy)
Friday
AA7
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Saturday
AA7
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Storytelling With and Without Pictures
David Morrell, Christopher Golden, Richard Morgan, Tad Williams, Barbara Hambly, Orson Scott Card, and Mike Carey
Saturday
AA4
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Super (Natural) Women
Allison DuBois(real-life inspiration for Medium; author, Don't Kiss Them Good-bye)
Sunday
AA2
11:45 am - 12:45 pm

Trailer Park of Terror
Michelle Lee, actor (Pirates of the Caribbean III); Ed Corbin (Chrystal); Todd Tucker (Special effects makeup, Drac Studios)
Friday
AA26
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA17
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Where Did That Come From?
F. Paul Wilson, David Morrell, Jeff Mariotte, Simon Wood, Christopher Golden, Stephen Woodworth, Mike Carey, and Richard Kadrey
Thursday
AA3
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Where Do They Get Those Marvelous Toys
Cory Doctorow, Greg Bear, Austin Grossman, Vernor Vinge, Kevin J. Anderson, and Mike Shepherd
Saturday
AA12
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Who Wants To Be a Superhero
Matthew Atherton (Feedback), Alison Wilson (Fat Momma), Chris Watters (Major Victory)
Thursday
AA8
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA10
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA8
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA4
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

back

Individual Signings
Linked notables are
Comic-Con Special Guests!Click their name to go to their bio.(Updated July 20)
Crystal Allen, actor (Star Trek: Enterprise, Desperate Housewives)
Friday
AA21
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA19
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Delilah Andre, actor (Veronica Mars)
Friday
AA13
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA15
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Gigi Fast Elk Bannister, actor/SFX artist (Phantasm IV, Bubba Ho-Tep, Carnies)
Friday
AA19
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA18
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA21
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Reggie Bannister, actor (Phantasm I-IV, Gangs of the Dead, The Rage)
Friday
AA19
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA18
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA21
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Holly Black, author (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale)
Sunday
AA3
11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Jeffrey Breslauer, voice-over actor (Nemesis Rising, Batman Show at Six Flags)
Thursday
AA18
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA18
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA13
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA23
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Claudia Christian, actor (Babylon 5, Highlander)
Saturday
AA19
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Bobby Clark, actor (Star Trek, Black Sunday, Running Scared)
Thursday
AA20
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA24
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA24
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Cory Doctorow, author (Boing Boing/Craphound)
Thursday
AA4
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Darwyn Cooke, writer/artist (New Frontier, The Spirit)
Thursday
AA5
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Daeg Faerch, actor (Rob Zombie's Halloween)
Friday
AA15
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA22
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Ken Foree, actor (Dawn of the Dead, Black Santa's Revenge)
Thursday
AA19
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA22
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA25
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA10
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Menina Fortunato, actor (Mad TV, Star Trek: Enterprise)
Saturday
AA7
11:00 am - 1:30 pm

Richard Hatch, actor/writer (Battlestar Galactica, Gwom Graphic Novels)
Thursday
AA13
12:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Friday
AA14
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA14
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA15
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Jonathan Halyalkar, actor (Veronica Mars)
Friday
AA13
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA15
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Kane Hodder, actor (Friday the 13th, Hack!)
Thursday
AA9
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA10
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA10
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA13
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

James Horan, actor/voice artist (Lost, 24, Star Trek-Enterprise, Starship Troopers)
Friday
AA23
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA18
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Herbert Jefferson, Jr., actor (Battlestar Galactica)
Thursday
AA26
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Friday
AA26
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Saturday
AA26
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sunday
AA26
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Irwin Keyes, actor (House of 1000 Corpses, Intolerable Cruelty)
Thursday
AA18
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA20
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA20
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Martin Klebba, actor (Pirates of the Caribbean, Scrubs)
Saturday
AA13
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Lela Lee, creator (Angry Little Girls)
Thursday
AA20
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA24
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA24
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA22
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

BarBara Luna, actor (Star Trek: New Voyages, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century)
Thursday
AA22
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA17
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA22
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA9
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Million Dollar Man, actor (Monday Nitro, Thursday Thunder)
Thursday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA8
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Kelli Maroney, actor (Night of the Comet, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Nightmare Carnival)
Thursday
AA9
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA9
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA9
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Chase Masterson, actor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Manticore)
Saturday
AA7
11:00 am - 1:30 pm

Denny Miller, actor (Tarzan the Apeman, The Hulk)
Friday
AA22
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA17
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA19
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Erin Moran, actor (Happy Days, Galaxy of Terror)
Thursday
AA17
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA17
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA22
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA20
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Cindy Morgan, actor (Caddyshack, Tron)
Thursday
AA21
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA23
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA17
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Charles Napier, actor (Star Trek, Silence of the Lambs)
Friday
AA15
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA25
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Michael J. Nelson, Riffmaster (www.rifftrax.com) and host/writer (Mystery Science Theater 3000)
Thursday
AA23
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA19
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA16
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Larry Nemecek, author (Star Trek: TNG Companion)
Friday
AA25
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA17
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Jovi Olivas, actor (Veronica Mars)
Friday
AA13
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA15
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Cassandra Peterson, actor (Movie Macabre, Elvira's Haunted House)
Saturday
AA4
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Saturday
AA6
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Jeff Rector, actor/writer/producer/director (Revamped, Winged Creatures)
Saturday
AA20
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA18
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Brande Roderick, actor (Baywatch Hawaii, Surreal Life)
Saturday
AA21
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Katey Sagal, actor (Futurama, Married With Children)
Friday
AA8
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA10
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Tura Satana, actor (Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, The Astro Zombies)
Thursday
AA17
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA20
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA21
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA25
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Harvey Scales, musican (Disco Lady, The Simpsons, That 70's Show)
Friday
AA26
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA17
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Dave Shelton, creator/director/writer/cartoonist (Stephen Furst's Alien House, First Take MPG's Snuggy Bear & the T-Shirt Kids, Nightmare Carnival)
Thursday
AA9
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA9
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA9
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Cliff Simon, actor (Stargate: Continuum, Stargate SG-1)
Saturday
AA23
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA24
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Marc Singer, actor (Beastmaster, The Highlander)
Thursday
AA21
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA25
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA16
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Brinke Stevens, actor (November Son, Blood Siblings)
Friday
AA23
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA15
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

J. Michael Straczynski, writer/creator (Babylon 5, Amazing Spider-Man)
Thursday
AA5
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Sunday
AA5
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Patricia Tallman, actor/stuntwoman (American Scary, Babylon 5)
Thursday
AA24
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA16
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA16
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Tim Thomerson, actor (Left in Darkness, The District)
Thursday
AA25
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA16
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Rob Van Dam, actor (WWE, ECW)
Saturday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Virgil, actor (No Holds Barred, Lets Get Ready to Rumble)
Thursday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Friday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA8
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday
AA8
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Jane Wiedlin, musican/actor (Go-Go's, The Surreal Life, Star Trek IV)
Thursday
AA19
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday
AA13
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA9
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA14
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Guy Williams, Jr., actor (Reflections of a Sensitive Man), son of Guy Williams (Disney’s Zorro, Lost in Space)
Thursday
AA10
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Friday
AA14
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday
AA26
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday
AA7
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

F. Paul Wilson, author (Repairman Jack novels)
Friday
AA11
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Stan Winston, sfx creator (Aliens, Jurassic Park) Signing The Winston Effect
Friday
AA3
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Saturday
AA5
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Peter Woodward, actor/writer (Babylon 5, Crusade, Charmed)
Friday
AA21
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday
AA14
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

back

Please note that this schedule is subject to change. Panelists scheduled to appear at each event are also subject to change. Please check the schedule signs outside each door for updated information. Seating in all event rooms at Comic-Con is on a first-come, first-served basis. Because of the sheer number of attendees, simply having a badge does not guarantee a seat in programs and events, nor an autograph from a specific celebrity.


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Comic-Con Countdown Part 6


Our apologies for not posting yesterday. Blogger was down most of the evening.

So far we’ve highlighted some of the great opportunities for Comic-Con programming. Today, we’ll point out some tips for the first time Con-goers.

If you haven’t already picked up your tix, the 4 day pass and Saturday are already sold out. Go here to get tickets.

Do not drive. Take public transportation. We repeat do not drive. Imagine Manhattan rush hour in the movies – with less parking – and you get an idea of what you’re up against.. Click here for information on the shuttle. Click here for information on parking, if you must drive (there are satellite lots with shuttle service).

Bring cash to buy goodies.

Bring your own water or lunch to save money.

Bring your comics to get signed.

We'll try for one more post tonight before we head out early tomorrow morning. Look for photos during or following the Con and let us know if you're a regular reader. Perhaps we can meet up and divulge our secret identities.

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Monday, July 23, 2007

Comic-Con Countdown Part 5


We're ratcheting up the post count today with a look at the Comic-Con Independent Film Festival. From the looks of it, it appears to be a great way to augment your Con-going experience. If you see any of the films listed below (or any of the premiers on the other days), feel free to email us a review and we'll post it for all to see.

There will also be a number of theatrically released films screened at Comic-Con. However, they are in the "attendee only area" of the site and haven't been released to the general public yet. They will be distributed at preview night (July 25), so in the spirit of the Con organizer's intent, we won't post them for all to see until then.

Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival Strikes Back!

The Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival (CCI:IFF) returns this year with a slate of 55 films. The CCI:IFF celebrates independent film, with the accent on genre-related entries. Featured genres include action/adventure, animation, comics-oriented, documentary, horror/suspense, humor/parody, and science fiction/fantasy. Room 26AB is solely devoted to the Film Festival and its events!
Now in its eighth year, the CCI:IFF is a juried event. Respected principals in the fields of film and popular arts view the submissions and decide which films are most deserving of awards and prizes, in addition to inclusion in the Festival.
All films and programs are in Room 26AB, on the south side of the Convention Center, above Hall H.


Thursday, July 26, 2007

Action/Adventure


12:15-12:50 Razor Sharp—It’s anything but business as usual for corporate thief Veronica Sharpe when she’s hired to battle her way through a high-security skyscraper and steal an exotic codebreaker. However, Veronica’s morality and skill are put to the ultimate test when she’s confronted with the dark reality of the codebreaker itself. Loaded with as much humor as edge-of-you-seat action, this is one adventure that’s criminal to miss. Participating panelists include Marcus Perry, writer/director of Razor Sharp; Jeff Henderson, 30 Days of Night; and Jamie Hardt, Spider-Man 3, Fantastic Four, Equilibrium.

12:50-1:10 The Tyrants of Nazca— Westhavenbrook reintroduces the classic serial adventure with the continuing adventures of Travis Brown. In this introductory episode, Brown faces the consequences of being caught grave-robbing. Panelists include Ben Beames, writer/director of Tyrants; John Soares, Sockbaby; and Justin Spurlock, Sockbaby. Room 26AB

1:10-1:25 Fission—A man sees himself as a graffiti on the wall. Credits include Kun-I Chang, director; Jamil Shamasdin, main actor; Ayesha, actress; Johnny Gou, DP; and Peter Clagett, music and sound design.

1:25-1:45 The Cocktail Party—A bizarro animated short. Featuring Brandon Duncan, animator/director; and Courtney Nienke, musician.

1:45-2:05 Rindin The Puffer—When our story begins, three young fish make fun of Rindin for being different. However, when the same fish get themselves into trouble, Rindin inadvertently saves their lives. With a newfound respect for Rindin, they all become best of friends. Participating panelists include Len Simon, animation director Titan A.E.; Carmen Oliver, Titan A.E.; Eric Simmons, Curious George; Joe Hernandez, Curious George; and David Rabbitte, Titan A.E.

2:05-2:25 Kuro Kumo—This wildly animated short film concerns Nomura, an old woman racked by nightmares of a ronin (masterless samurai). The recurrent bad dreams ultimately convince Nomura that she was this ronin in a former life. Deeply disturbed, she arrives at the conviction that violence is unavoidable in the modern world. Her therapist makes valiant attempts to steer her away from this perception; then her reality shifts altogether. The Fates.com crew crafted the film by employing an unusual and innovative method of digitally hand-drawn animation, without the use of a single sheet of paper. Panelists include Jesse Norton, director; Ben McSweeney, lead animator; and Leopoldo Gout, producer.

2:25-2:50 Approximately—A tree, a house, a post office box with so many birds. A girl is waiting for her father while her mother is weaving images of birds. Years and seasons go on, birds start flying but still, no news of her father.

2:50-3:05 Paper Hearts—In a dark world, one small girl battles the creatures that stole her heart. A traditionally animated surreal fantasy, drawn in both America, at California institute of the Arts, and France, at Gobelins Lécole de L’Image. Creator Kelly Matten will be on hand for discussion.

3:05-3:25 Edgar Allan Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum—A tale of judgment, condemnation, and redemption. A victim of the Spanish Inquisition is brought before a tribunal where he is condemned and sentenced to the dungeons. Awaiting his death, he struggles with hope and faith, while his captors employ fiendish machinations in their efforts to unhinge him. Participating panelists include Ray Harryhausen, executive producer; Arnold Kunert, co-producer; Susan Ma, producer; and Marc Lougee, director.

3:25-3:35 The Struggle—One man tries to get ahead. Animated traditionally in Flash. Participating panelists include director and animator Frank Forte (Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Re-Animated, The Mr. Men Show).

3:35-3:50 Guy’s Guide to Zombies—Zombies. Shambling scourge of the modern world? Or just a little misunderstood? If in doubt, check out Guy's Guide To Zombies, the definitive A to Z guide to living with the dead!

3:50-4:10 Creepers—A group of clumsy rainforest creepers secretly become superheroes who stumble through rescuing their fellow creatures from the sabotage of the sinister creeper at the local festival.

4:10-4:25 Who Saved the Moon—Berpunzel is a simple yet lovable fellow who has nothing but the world’s best interests at heart. It just so happens that on his merry journey he comes across what appears to be the moon in trouble. Will our fearless little friend be able to save the moon? This is truly a feel-good film that will cheer you up and leave you feeling “warm and fuzzy” inside. Participating panelists include Luke Feldman, creator of Who Saved the Moon and founder of Skaffs.

4:25-4:40 Assignment: Moon—A lighthearted, nostalgic short film involving an active imagination and the launch of the legendary Saturn V rocket, the vehicle that eventually took America to the Moon. Presented in black and white and heard in glorious mono sound, Assignment: Moon is an animated adventure that pays homage to a bygone era. To answer questions about the movie, creator Brian Simpson will be present following the screening.

4:40-5:00 Teddy Scares—Witness the deranged cyclops teddy bear Cyrus struggle to find meaningful companionship in the junkyard. His affections for inanimate objects prove calamitous as the rest of the Teddy Scares are driven mad by his loud and proud exclamations! Together they must scheme to obliterate their new enemy, Toasty the toaster. Panelists include Joe DiDomenico, Applehead Factory creative director; and William Vaughan, animation director, The D.A.V.E. School.
5:00-5:15 Golf Cart Caper—A group of three unlikely animal friends attempt to hijack a golf cart from two old men in order to get to a nearby Frosty Queen. Director and animator Kerri Jaworski answers questions after the film.

5:15-5:50 Destiny—Queen Adelea must discover who is at the center of the plot to end her reign before it is too late. Participating panelists include Markcus Dunn, director.

Documentary Night I

6:00-7:30 Done the Impossible—See this vivid Browncoat film, hosted by Adam Baldwin, that features interviews with Joss Whedon, creator of Firefly and Serenity, the cast, crew, and most important, the fans themselves. The story chronicles the rise, fall, and rebirth of the cult TV show Firefly as told from the perspective of the fans who helped save it. Join filmmakers Brian Wiser and Jeremy Neish for a brief Q&A after the film.

7:30-9:15 American Scary—A look at the nation's tradition of television horror hosts, from Zacherley to A. Ghastlee Ghoul. Follow this American folk art form from its beginnings, through repeated waves of popularity, to its scrappy resurgence and survival in the age of cable access and the Internet. Participating panelists include John Hudgens, director; Jerry G. Bishop, Svengoolie; Patricia Tallman, Babylon 5; Malena Teves, 13 Nights of Fright with Neil Gaiman; and Trey Stokes, 2nd unit director.

9:15-10:45 Vampira: The Movie—The new documentary by director Kevin Sean Michaels chronicles the life of the ever-flamboyant Maila "Vampira" Nurmi, who lived on the very edge of show business (she knew Marlon Brando and James Dean) and rose to celluloid cultdom some 50 years later. Pinup queen Nurmi began her short career in the 1950s as Vampira, the first "horror host" on television. Her spooky look was inspired by The Dragon Lady from Terry & The Pirates and the drawings of Charles Addams. After her TV series, the character loomed again in the 1956 low-budget horror/sci-fi film Plan 9 From Outer Space, directed by the notorious Edward D. Wood Jr. Vampira: The Movie features interviews with Nurmi, Sid Haig, and Bill Moseley (The Devil's Rejects), Forrest J. Ackerman, Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson, Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Jerry Only of The Misfits and others. Original score by Ari "Jason Voorhies" Lehman. Participating panelists include Kevin Sean Michaels (producer/director), Alexia Anastasio (editor), Michelle Osorio, and Cristopher Spencer, all with VAMP Productions, and Jezebelle X, fetish model who played young Maila.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Comics-Oriented

12:15-12:40 Rocketboy—Roger Lange, a depressed, middle-aged accountant, gets a visit from a strange boy who mysteriously crash-landed on the moon in a homemade spacecraft. Roger’s world is turned upside down as Rocketboy attempts to remind him of his forgotten dreams of space adventure. Filmmakers include Justin Guerrieri, writer and director; Veronica Shamo-Garcia, producer; Arvin Chen, producer; and Joseph Guerrieri, co-writer.

12:40-1:00 Goggles—An adolescent girl runs away in search of the truth when she discovers her parents have taken extreme measures to protect her from the real world. This is the prologue to the forthcoming webisode series “Goggles.” Participating panelists include writer/director Crystal Page plus cast members Kathryn Acton, Ronn Jerard, Marie-Françoise Theodore, and Chayne Andrews.

1:00-1:25 When We Were Bengs—Two brothers, Heng and Bee, live in a rough neighborhood. One day Bee is kidnapped by a notorious gangster and Heng finds himself caught in a ridiculous "Mexican" standoff. Will Heng be able to free his brother and save himself? Join these fumbling brothers on a hilarious journey of brotherhood and self-sacrifice. Alaric Tay, producer/director/writer and star of When We Were Bengs is unable to attend but wishes everyone a bloody good laugh at his expense.

Humor/Parody

1:30-1:50 Pinkerton—You've never seen a film quite like this one about a violent cop out for revenge who meets an unexpected obstacle. Winner: Most Original Film UCLA Film Festival; Official Selection: Los Angeles Shortsfest LA Showcase. Discussion afterward with writer/director Aleem Hossain, actor James Black (Six Feet Under, The Closer), actor Brian Silverman (Jericho, Monk, 24), and producers M. Scott Veach and Jenn Kao.

1:50-2:10 How to Talk Like a Pirate—Presented in the style of a high school film reel, this is an informational video for the less nautically inclined among us. After all, you wouldn't want to look stupid. Participating panelists include Graham Stark and Paul Saunders (producers for How to Talk Like a Pirate and creators of LoadingReadyRun) and Morgan vanHumbeck, James Turner ,and Matt Wiggins (members of LoadingReadyRun).

2:10-2:35 The Sparkle Lite Motel—The Sparkle Lite Motel is the story of a newlywed couple played by Richard Kahan (The 4400) and Sarah Edmondson (Scary Movie 4) who check into a questionable motel expecting a night of marital bliss. They soon learn that their honeymoon suite has other plans for them when visions of their hypercritical parents, played by Gwynyth Walsh (Star Trek: TNG) and Dean Paul Gibson (Andromeda), begin to appear and all hell breaks loose. Will the couple’s marriage survive the night? Will they? Director/co-writer/producer Cory Kinney and executive producer Nicholas Tabarrok (Weirdsville) will be in attendance to speak about the film.

2:35-3:00 Raven Gets a Life—Sometimes life just sucks, even when you’re dead. Eternally trapped in the body of a 12-year-old girl, a vampire is diagnosed with manic depression and seeks comfort from prescription pills, Bela Lugosi, and the Grim Reaper. Participating panelists include actors Circus-Szalewski (ToonDisney's Squash & Stretch), Kenny Dusek (trippin'), and Molly Emmons (Meat is Murder).

3:00-3:15 Pimp My Casket—Join Xhibitionist and the West Coast Casket Crew as they pimp out Mrs. Walker's casket, the animated short parody based on the popular MTV show, Pimp My Ride. Room 26AB

3:45-4:00 Wheeled Migration—A look at what shopping carts do at night when no one else is around. Have you ever wondered how a shopping cart makes it to the curb at the edge of the parking lot? He's trying to escape and that's how far he made it the night before. What happens in the complicated social order of this mysterious species? Robert Reeves, director, will be present to talk about his film.

4:00-4:20 A Fellowship of Excellence—On his first day as a temp worker, Davey Delisio quickly discovers that his job duties include much more than filing and faxing, in this parody of Lord of the Rings. A great evil threatens the office, and middle management believes he is the one with the power to defeat it. As darkness draws closer, Davey embarks on an assignment that will not only test his positive attitude and people skills but also determine if he really is the chosen one. Participating panelists include Jack Cornett and Adam White, directors; Joey Garcia, actor; and Scott Jones, executive producer.

4:25-4:50 07—When a mysterious package ends up in the hands of a feared terrorist, only special agent Jack Dour can save the day. Now Jack and his partner, Soulpatch, have just 7 minutes to find a secret warehouse and save the world. Good thing they brought the Jack Sack! Participating panelists include Peter Sullivan, director; Benjamin Sztajnkrycer, writer; Sean Robert Olson, editor; Jason Brandt, composer; and Joe Vandelsem, visual effects.

4:50-5:40 Zombie Love—This musical extravaganza tells the story of Dante, a 200-year old zombie, who tries to change his flesh-eating ways in order to gain the love of a mortal girl. Filled with singing, dancing, blood, and gore, it will have you laughing all the way to your grave! Participating panelists include Darren Herczeg, writer; Seth Stewart, assistant director and “Grave Robber Harry”; and Taylor Greeson, DP.

5:40-6:15 Back Issues—Peter, a wannabe comic book letterer, has just proposed to his girlfriend. Instead of saying yes, she gives him an ultimatum: give up comics and get a real job, or they’re through. The pressure is on and Peter must choose by the end of the workday between his girl or his passion for comic books. Panelists include Todd Brotze, actor (last seen on the cutting room floor of Scrubs); Stephen Pawley, actor (Faith); Diane Karagienakos, producer; Chris Graybill, creator of Zebraton; and Jonathan Parra, director.

6:15-6:50 Orion Slave Girls Must Die!!!—Fanboy or Fratboy? There can be only one. Jules and Matt lead lives devoted to Star Trek and devoid of girls. When Matt falls for Stacey, a sorority girl, he hides his love of Trek to pledge to a fraternity. Outraged, Jules takes drastic measures to return his best friend to the Trekkie fold. Panelists include Eric Kallevig, director and producer; Stuart C. Paul, writer; Chris Billig, producer; Nicholas Downs, Jules; and Hilary Holmes, Stacey.

6:50-8:20 The Adventures of Death—Charlie Bergman, Grim Reaper and UnderWorld outcast, has accidentally killed a few too many people and unbalanced the universe to the brink of self-destruction. Fired from his Reaping Post and sentenced to be incinerated, he must escape the UnderWorld in order to save lives up Topside and rebalance the supernatural energy of the world. Filmmakers Christopher John Fetherolf, writer/actor/director/producer; Matt Godecker, actor/producer/co-creator; Anne Braam, creative consultant; Jeff Bassetti, production assistant; and Beth Burns, actor.

Documentary Night II

8:30-10:15 The Secret World of Superfans—What drives the passion of people who choose to follow or emulate popular culture heroes to a level where it becomes all-consuming? As this film explores the motivations of "fantasy fans" ranging from the uncontrollable collector to the compulsively driven obsessive, it also examines what drives these fantasies—mere memories of childhood or a need for control or escapism? One of the key storylines follows a Superman lookalike who survives off tips from tourists on Hollywood Boulevard. We reveal the fans and their stories to be as diverse as the fantasy heroes themselves. And with input from the celebrity participants, we see how the two worlds coexist with one another and how they can eventually become one in the same. The film features interviews with Gary Oldman, Malcolm McDowell, Margot Kidder, Elvira, Samantha Mathis, Roger Corman, John Carpenter, Forrest J. Ackerman, Bob Burns, and many more. Participating panelists include Sam Okun, director/producer; Constantinos Yiallourides, co-producer; Mark Silverman, psychiatrist and cast member; Christopher Dennis, aka Superman and cast member; and Diane Vincent, aka Lucy and cast member.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Science Fiction/Fantasy

12:15-12:40 Smart Card­—Smart Card is a tale of a utopian future where every aspect of people lives is intergraded into one system. Convenience and simplicity is the product and Smart Corporation does the packaging. Robert Sharpe (David Kreigel) has been living this carefree life. Everything is perfect until he encounters a philosophical vagrant (Bret Roberts) at a local fueling station who steals the one item you cannot do without, his “Smart Card.” James Oxford, director and executive producer, will be present to discuss the film.

12:40-12:55 Repressing Tansy—Repressing Tansy is the story of a little girl who has a very little problem . . . named Tansy. Scott Russell will share his 5-minute film about a girl and her fairy and will be available to discuss how he made the film for the price of a good meal, along with his cinematographer Carly Lyn, effects coordinator Sean Dollins, and stars Leslie Stevens and Blaine Saunders. Also in attendance will be Aaron Hendricks, co-founder of Group 101 films and the GeeksOn podcast.

12:55-1:20 Transgressions—Carl and Sophie Phillips and their two young children live in a utopian society that idolizes celebrity assassins called “Agents.” Celebrity Agents torture and execute “transgressors” on prime-time TV as entertainment for the masses, young and old alike. Carl, a human garbageman dreaming of a better life, has enrolled his son in Agent Training Camp. Sophie disapproves, but as a woman in this society has no right to use force. She must use the only way she knows how to keep her son from going. Panelists include director Valerie Weiss and Robert Johnson.

1:20-1:40 Descendents of Eden—Time folds back on itself when a stranger from the future warns punk hairstylist Juno Diaz her descendents may cause a coming holocaust. Now Juno fights to stay alive long enough to discover the truth about the Descendents of Eden—and those who want them dead. Participating panelists include Kam Miller (Law & Order: SVU), Tom Kopache (The X-Files, Star Trek TNG and DS9), Cara Santana (Lipshitz Saves the World, Strong Medicine), and Richard Tillman (Notes from the Underbelly, Jack & Bobby).

1:40-1:55 Tomten Hollow—While searching for his lost baseball in the woods, a young boy encounters a mysterious gnome who transports him to a magical world beyond our reality. Filmmakers include Evan Daugherty, writer/director of Rusty Forkblade; Erik Desiderio, composer for Slammo and Sloshie; Philip Schaeffer; James Darling, writer/director of Citizen; and Andrew Lobel, writer/director of Delirium and the Dollman.

1:55-2:20 Algesia—Alice is a weird and lonely girl who works with strange little creatures by day and peeks on her neighbor at night, but she also lives with a bizarre secret that leads to a bloody climax. Participating panelists include Cathy Alberich, director; Aaron Soto, director, Omega Shell; Edgar Guerra, music and sound; and Ursula Velarde, lead actress.

2:20-2:45 Man Vs. Woman—Four scavengers—a man, a woman, a cloned velociraptor, and a robot—fight to the death over a puddle of water on a desolate desert planet. What species—or gender—will end up on top? Filmmakers include writer/director Juan Carlos Vargas, visual effects artist on 300; and composer David James Nielsen, orchestrator for Star Trek: Enterprise.

2:45-4:30 Jerome Bixby’s The Man From Earth—An impromptu goodbye party for Professor John Oldman becomes a mysterious and intense interrogation after the retiring scholar reveals to his colleagues he is an immortal who has walked the earth for 14,000 years. Participating panelists include director/producer Richard Schenkman (The Pompatus of Love), producer Eric D. Wilkinson (The Violence Movie), executive producer Emerson Bixby (Welcome To Hollywood), and cast members Tony Todd (Clive Barker’s Candyman), William Katt (The Greatest American Hero),Richard Riehle (Star Trek Voyager), and Ellen Crawford (ER).

4:30-6:10 Automatons—Somewhere in the distant future, The Girl is alone. After a generations-long war she is the last of her people, determined to continue the fight using her small army of antiquated robotic soldiers. Men started this war, but the machines will finish it. Panelists include James Felix McKenney, writer/director; and Lisa Wisely, producer. Room 26AB

Horror/Suspense

6:10-6:40 Eli—A man awakens on an operating table with no idea where or even who he is. Armed with only one memory of a girl on a beach and a tattoo on his hand that reads "ELI,” he must elude his captors and unravel the sinister truth behind his missing identity. Participating panelists include Josh Lee Kwai, director/producer/editor; Tyler Erskine, writer/producer; Ron Beyers, writer/producer; Simon Heselev, composer; and Ron Erskine, associate producer.
6:40-7:00 Shut Eye Hotel—A cartoon noir murder mystery that takes place in a sleazy hotel. As cops investigate the gruesome murders, they become victims of this evil force. Shuteye Hotel will do for sleeping what Jaws did for swimming. Bill Plympton, animator of The Tune, Mutant Aliens, and Hair High, will discuss his latest film.

7:00-7:30 By Appointment Only—Jane has left the big city behind in search of a more peaceful country life. But when Jane finds the perfect old house for sale, she will learn that buying a house can kill you. Participating panelists include John Faust, writer/director; Matt Ryan, Lyle; Nancy Sinclair, Lillian/Mother; Belen Greene, Jane; and Howard Heard, supervising editor.

7:30-7:55 Eye of the Beholder—Natalie is intrigued by a picture at a garage sale and just has to buy it. As the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that there is something strange about the picture. She apparently bought more than she bargained for and becomes entwined in the mystery behind the picture. Filmmakers include Robert Michael Conrad, producer; Tim Russ, writer/director; Chase Masterson, Natalie; Menina Fortunato, Natalie’s friend, Sharon; and David Anderson, technical consultant.

7:55-8:20 The Cabinet—In this suspenseful retelling of the Bluebeard fairytale, a young woman discovers her lover's macabre secret when she is left alone in his home overnight. Participating panelists include Karen Lam (The Bone Snatcher) and Karen Wong, Mustard Pancakes Productions.

8:20-8:35 Crazy Love—Charlie believes in love at first sight. From the moment his eyes fixed on Brenda, he knew she had to be his girl. Now, Charlie must overcome all obstacles on his way to winning Brenda’s heart. Panelists include William Van Cuyck, writer/director; Robert Ashe Jr., Charlie, and the film’s editor; Kristin Van Cuyck, producer; A.J. Gardner, Girlfriend #2 and script supervisor; and Adam B. Gardner, Crazy Love’s hard working 12-year old production assistant.

8:35-9:05 Watcher—A retelling of the classic “monster in the closet” story—with a twist. The horrifying and unexpected ending will be sure to shock you! Director Eli Sasich (Dead West), composer Michael Sasich, and actor Chris Sasich will be on hand to answer questions after the screening.

9:05-9:25 Into the Maelstrom—In the outer reaches of space, a long-lost communications vessel has just been found. Investigating a distress signal onboard, two detectives, Weller and Ford, make a gruesome discovery: the entire crew has been brutally slaughtered. And the killer is still on board! Participating panelists include Marc Ferrero, producer; Peter Sullivan, director; Eric Etebari, actor Witchblade); George Reasner, director of photography; and Patrick Tsao, visual effects.

9:25-9:50 Revenge—Julie, a young attorney, becomes a new partner in a law firm. An accountant hired by the firm finds evidence of her shady past and confronts her. Julia's reaction to the confrontation leads to unpleasant results. Panelists include Robert Michael Conrad, co-producer; Crystal Allen, Julie; and David Anderson, technical consultant.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Documentaries

1:00-2:25 Moebius Redux: A Life in Pictures—French artist Jean "Moebius" Giraud—co-founder of Heavy Metal magazine, designer of The Fifth Element film, and massive influence on the medium—is one of the most influential comic creators of all time. This mind-bending tour of imagination past, present, and future also features interviews with Stan "The Man" Lee, Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Jim Lee (X-Men, WildC.A.T.S.), H.R. Giger, and more, with a soundtrack by industrial legend Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk). Producer Bart Simpson (Sundance-winning documentary The Corporation) will be present to discuss the film.

SEE THE WINNERS!

2:25-5:00 2007 Festival Award Winners—Did you miss the CCI:IFF award winners? Or maybe you want to see them again? This year for the first time we’ll re-screen the winning films from each category, as announced at the 12:00 Festival Awards

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Comic-Con 2007 Countdown Part 4


Today we take a look at the final day of Comic-Con 2007 programming, Sunday, July 29, 2007. The day takes a decidedly family-friendly bent and has been dubbed "Kid's Day." Here's what we consider to be the best of the best. For the full schedule, click here.

10:30-11:45 Jack Kirby Tribute— Let’s face it: when it comes to comics, it’s Kirby’s World and we just live in it. 2007 has seen a bumper crop of Kirby projects, including the first volume of DC’s deluxe chronological reprinting of all the Fourth World stories, a major documentary about Jack on the Fantastic Four DVD, and Mark Evanier’s upcoming art book Kirby, King of Comics. Join Evanier as he talks to Neil Gaiman, Erik Larsen, Darwyn Cooke, Mike Royer, and members of the Kirby family about the lasting influence of the undisputed King of comics. Room 1AB Categories: Comic Books Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances

10:30-11:30 TOKYOPOP: The Creators— A diverse and talented panel of artists and authors discuss the creation of their original and innovative TOKYOPOP manga titles. Featuring Becky Cloonan (creator, East Coast Rising, artist, American Virgin), Brandon Graham (author, artist King City), Tricia Hale (author, Grand Theft Galaxy), David Hine (creator, Poison Candy; writer, Son of X, Daredevil, and Spawn), Jim Pascoe (author, Undertown), and Felipe Smith (creator, MBQ). Room 2 Categories:
Anime & Manga

10:30-11:30 Archie Comics— Archie comics creators Craig Boldman (Archie newspaper strip, Jughead), Tania del Rio (Sabrina), Bill Galvan (Jughead & Friends),
George Gladir (Archie, Betty, Betty & Veronica), Rich Koslowski (Archie & Friends, Jughead, Sonic), Dan Parent (Betty & Veronica, Veronica), Andrew Pepoy (Archie & Friends: Katy Keene, Betty & Veronica, Sonic) and staff members Victor Gorelick (VP/managing editor), Fred Mausser (VP/director of circulation), and Rik Offenberger (public relations coordinator) discuss upcoming plans at Archie Comics, talk about comics for kids, and take questions from the audience. At the conclusion of the panel there will be free copies of Archie Digest #236 for fans, while supplies last. Room 4 Categories: Cartooning and Comic Strips Comic Books Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances

10:30-12:00 CBLDF Live Art Jam— Did you ever want to look over a legendary artist's shoulder while he or she created a great piece of art, then add it to your collection? Well, here's your chance to do just that and support a great cause! See Jim Lee (Batman),
Matt Wagner (Grendel), Jeff Smith (Bone), and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise) draw live art projected onto the big screen at the first ever CBLDF Live Art Jam at Comic- Con! Watch these comics legends make stunning drawings of your favorite comics characters that you can bid on to support the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! (Please note, you will need a bidder number to bid on art in this event, which you can pick up throughout the con at Booth 1831, or at the start of the event.) Room 5AB Categories: Art and Illustration Comic Books Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances Comics Law School Educators/Outreach

10:30-11:30 DC Big Guns— Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. Green Lantern. The Flash. They stand for more than Justice. Each, in his or her own way, is the archetypal hero. Listen in as their top creators discuss where they’ve been and—more important—where they’re going in the year to come. See what’s in store for the World's Greatest Super- Heroes with the new iconic architects
Paul Dini (Detective Comics), Geoff Johns (Action Comics, Green Lantern), Grant Morrison (All Star Superman, Batman), Jesus Merino (Superman), Dustin Nguyen (Superman/Batman), Carlos Pacheco (Superman), Ivan Reis (Green Lantern), Mark Verheiden (Superman/Batman), group editors Eddie Berganza and Bob Schreck, and senior editors Matt Idelson and Mike Marts. Room 6A Categories: Comic Books Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances

10:30-11:30 The Graphic Novel Explosion— Up until the last few years, graphic novels were published primarily by specialty houses that produced only comics and related works. Now, however, traditional mainstream publishing houses are producing graphic novels and even setting up graphic novel divisions, spurred by bookstore sales trends, library demand, and critical recognition. What has led to this trend? What sorts of books are these publishers looking for? Who is the audience? What role has manga played? And is the graphic novel market going to continue to expand, or will the bubble burst? Panelists include Charles Kochman, senior editor, Harry N. Abrams; David Saylor, creative director, Scholastic/Graphix; Karen Berger, executive editor, Vertigo/Minx/DC; Mark Siegel, senior editor, First Second; Dallas Middaugh, associate publisher, Del Rey Manga; Chris Schluep, editor, Ballantine/Del Rey/Villard; and Calvin Reid, news editor, Publisher’s Weekly, and co-editor, PW Comics Weekly. Moderated by Jackie Estrada,
Eisner Awards administrator and consultant to Foreword magazine’s Comique graphic novel supplement. Room 8 Categories: Anime & Manga Comic Books

10:30-5:00 Kids’ Day Special: San Diego International Children’s Film Festival— Comic-Con is pleased to offer a full-day of special Kids’ Day film screenings in conjunction with the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival.
Click here for the complete schedule! Room 10 Categories: Animation Kids Movies

10:30-11:30 Christian Comic Arts Society— Hear about the 2007 explosion of Christian themed projects from major publishers, and network with other Christians. Panel features Buzz Dixon (Serenity, Goofyfoot Gurl, Realbuzz Studios), Eric Jansen (Foursquare Missions Press), Robin Parrish (Fearless—The Dominion Trilogy, INFUZE magazine), and Thom Parham (The Gospel According to Super-Heroes). Moderated by Robert Flores (Christian Comic Arts Society). Room 24A Categories:
Comic Books

10:30-12:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #13: Cultural Continuity— Anne Hoyer (German Society of Research on Comics) traces the decline of Scots-specific features in Oor Wullie, a Scottish newspaper strip published since 1936 whose protagonist was voted Scottish icon of the year in 2004, and the increasing Englishness of the strip. Kristy Boney (Ohio State University) explores how many modern comics such as Bill Willingham’s Fables, and Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin take their cue from the Friedrich Schlegel and the Brothers Grimm and discusses the extent to which they stay faithful to the Volksmärchen (folk tradition) or follow the Kunstmärchen (artistic tradition) and become more subversive, expanding the collective folk tradition. Kotaro Nakagaki (Tokiwa University, Japan) reexamines the cross-fertilization of Japanese manga and American popular culture and analyzes cultural identity and globalization within the global market context of American and Japanese circulation. Room 30AB Categories:
Anime & Manga Cartooning and Comic Strips Comic Arts Conference Comic Books

10:30-11:30 Kid’s Drawing Day Workshop: Basic Skills— To be a good cartoonist you must know the basic skills of cartooning. Whether you're drawing animals or people, facial expressions or body action, knowing these basic skills is a must. This session is designed to illustrate and assist young artists in applying these basic skills into their cartoon drawings. Gil McCue is a cartoon art teacher, NCS member, and author-illustrator of the book Cartooning—The Basic Skills, now available online. Room 30CDE Categories:
Art and Illustration Kids Seminars & Workshops
:
Animation Kids Television

10:45-11:45 TV Guide: Super(Natural) Women— When it comes to supernatural, fantasy, and sci-fi shows these days, more women than ever are kicking ass and saving souls. Some of prime time’s most fantastic females will tell all about how they’ve been able to make it in what has traditionally been a (super) man’s world. Panelists include (in alphabetical order) Jenni Baird (The 4400), Allison DuBois (real life inspiration for Medium), Lisa Klink (Painkiller Jane), Lucy Lawless (Battlestar Galactica, Xena Warrior Princess), Marti Noxon (Private Practice, Buffy The Vampire Slayer); and several others. TV Guide’s West Coast Bureau Chief Craig Tomashoff moderates. Room 6CDEF Categories:
Horror and Suspense Science Fiction & Fantasy Television

10:45-11:30 Nicolas and Weston Cage Talk Comics— Academy Award winning actor Nicolas Cage is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, but he's also one of us: a big-time comics fan. Nic and his son Weston Cage have created their own comic, Voodoo Child, published by Virgin Comics. Father and son will talk about their mutual love of comics and what it's like to collaborate on this brand new book! Ballroom 20 Categories:
Comic Books Movies

11:30-12:30 Emily the Strange— Are you Strange? Or maybe just Strange-curious? Do you prefer sun down to sun up? Do you wear black stockings in the summer and sunglasses at night? Are you a dork for the dark? Are you entertained by lots of stupid questions and even stupider answers? If you answered yes to even just one of these questions, Dark Horse's Emily the Strange Panel is the one for you! This is your chance to meet the creative loonies behind the world's strangest girl, get answers to your oh- so-dire Emily questions, and participate in some of the weirdest Comic-Con hi- jinks you'll ever experience. Attendees are required to bring a sack lunch, a bucket of licorice ice cream, six veggie corn dogs, two feral cats, and some eye of newt. Oh, and wear black socks or we'll all laugh at you. Room 2 Categories:
Comic Books Kids

11:30-12:30 Graphic Novels in Libraries— Get practical advice about graphic novels and anime in libraries! Programming, collection development, review resources, bibliographies, and more will be discussed by Jill Patterson (La Habra Branch Library), Merideth Jenson-Benjamin (Glendale Public Library), Kearsten LaBrozzi (Glendale Public Library), and Hillary W. Chang (McCully-Moiliili Public Library). Room 3 Categories:
Anime & Manga Cartooning and Comic Strips Comic Books Seminars & Workshops

11:30-1:00 Comics Are Not Literature— For years, comics have presented themselves as a new kind of literature—but cartooning isn't prose, and graphic novels aren't novels. What if conflating comics with "literary" storytelling is a terrible mistake? Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics) moderates what should be a contentious discussion with
Cecil Castellucci (The PLAIN Janes), Dan Nadel (PictureBox Inc.), Austin Grossman (Soon I Will Be Invincible), Paul Tobin (Spider-Man Family), and Sara Ryan (The Rules for Hearts). Room 8 Categories: Comic Books Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances

11:30-1:00 Friends of Lulu Annual Meeting— President Shannon Crane and directors Leigh Dragoon, Marion Vitus, Shawnelle Gibbs, and Shawnee Gibbs discuss Friends of Lulu's past year as well as future plans. Learn what Friends of Lulu is all about and how you can help further FoL’s goals of increasing diversity within the comic book industry as well as breaking down stereotypes about women and comics. Nominations will be taken for the new Board of Directors for the 2007–2008 year. The meeting is open to all. Room 24A Categories:
Comic Books

11:30-12:30 Kids’ Day Drawing Workshop: Kids’ Cartoon Studio— Watch as six fantastic kid-friendly cartoonists draw their hearts out, right in front of you! Scott Morse (Magic Pickle), George O’Connor (Journey into Mohawk Country), David Nakayama (Marvel Adventures Hulk), Amy Kim Ganter (Sorcerers and Secretaries), Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin), and Nick Bertozzi (Houdini: The Handcuff King) will be showcasing a diversity of styles from manga to superheroes and everything in between. They’ll talk about their backgrounsd and then hit the drawing boards. Moderated by Janna Morishima, Diamond Kids Group. Room 30CDE Categories:
Art and Illustration Kids Seminars & Workshops

11:45-12:45 Marvel X-Men— “Endangered Species” is underway, and “Messiah Complex” is looming. Ed Brubaker, Craig Kyle, Chris Yost, Mike Carey, and executive editor Axel Alonso are unveiling huge plans and unleashing some mutant mayhem that you’ll have to see to believe! Room 6A Categories:
Comic Books

12:00-1:15 Cartoon Voices II— Back for more with some of the greatest voice talent in cartoons today! Moderator
Mark Evanier talks with Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants), Michael Bell (Rugrats), Gregg Berger (Transformers), Joe Alaskey (Duck Dodgers), and others in this second installment. Room 6B Categories: Animation Fandom Television

12:00-1:00 The 4400— Get a sneak peek of upcoming scenes from The 4400, CBS Paramount Network Television’s hit sci-fi series for USA Network, during a panel discussion led by TV Guide West Coast editor Craig Tomashoff, with series stars Billy Campbell (Jordan Collier), Chad Faust (Kyle Baldwin), Megalyn Echikunwoke (Isabelle Tyler), and Jenni Baird (Megan Doyle), executive producer Ira Steven Behr (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), and supervising producer Craig Sweeny (Medium). In season four of The 4400, widespread distribution of the drug promicin has created a dangerous new world, a world in which special abilities are no longer the exclusive province of the 4400. Fifty percent of those who take the shot pay the price with their lives, while those who survive are now ostracized by a government determined to rid the world of promicin forever. Room 6CDEF Categories:
Science Fiction & Fantasy Television

12:00-1:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #14: Wolf Gal and the Feral Women of Li’l Abner— Cartoonist and historian Trina Robbins (From Girls to Grrrlz) presents a slideshow talk on the feral girls—Pig Girl, Hawk Girl, and Wolf Gal—of Li’l Abner’s Dogpatch, a bloodthirsty lot with no compunction about turning Dogpatchers into dinner. Wolf Gal, the starring wild girl of Dogpatch, is strong, beautiful, independent, and—don’t laugh—a feminist. When the little girls of Dogpatch imitate Wolf Gal by taking no guff from the boys, the citizens of Dogpatch react. They want their daughters to grow up as "overworked, wore-out, respectable married drudges," not "wild an' happy an'f ree, like th' wolf gal!!" Robbins connects these cartoon wild women with mythical feral children and more contemporary figures like Misha Defonseca, a Jewish orphan during World War II, who hid from the Nazis in the forests of occupied Europe for four years and eventually teamed up with a family of wolves. Recounting her experiences years later, she wrote, "the only time I ever slept deeply was when I was with wolves... Those were the most beautiful days I had ever experienced." Room 30AB Categories:
Cartooning and Comic Strips Comic Arts Conference Comic Books

12:30-1:30 VIZ Media: You Oughta Know... About These Manga— Want to expand your manga reading list but don't know where to begin? Find out what the VIZ Media editors recommend. Editors will discuss series you've never heard of and series you may have heard of but aren't reading. Fans will also have a chance to ask questions about titles. Panelists include Joel Enos, editor of Naruto, Godchild, The Cain Saga, From Far Away; Nancy Thistlethwaite, editor of Absolute Boyfriend, The Gentlemen’s Alliance +, Ouran High School Host Club, Crimson Hero; Amy Yu, editor of Buso Renkin, Tail of the Moon, Muhyo & Roji’s Bureau of Supernatural Investigation; and Elizabeth Kawasaki, editorial director. Room 2 Categories:
Anime & Manga

12:30-2:00 Secret Origin of Good Readers— It’s back, bigger and better than ever! The 7th annual Secret Origin of Good Readers panel features Dr. Robyn A. Hill (National University, San Diego), Mimi Cruz (Night Flight Comics, Salt Lake City), Bill Morrison (creative director, Bongo Comics), Jesse L. McCann (noted children's author), Bill Galvan (creator/artist The Scrapyard Detectives, artist Archie Comics) and Frank Beddor (creator/author/producer, The Looking Glass Wars). The panelists will discuss how teachers, librarians, retailers, authors, artists, and publishers can work together to bring comic books into the classroom for use as an innovative and motivating cross-curricular teaching tool and a vehicle for promoting reading and literacy. Through a multimedia presentation, personal remarks, and a question-and-answer session, the speakers will present an overview of the medium and highlight specific ways that comic books and graphic novels have been used to engage a variety of learners. Breakout sessions will follow the main presentation. The 70-page resource book The Secret Origin of Good Readers is available online for free download -
click here to download it, courtesy of XMission.com. Room 3 Categories: Comic Books Educators/Outreach

12:30-2:00 Pro/Fan Trivia Match: The Multiverse— The Purple Pros (Len Wein, creator of Wolverine; Mark Waid, writer of 52, and two versions from parallel worlds to be named later) take on the Black Ink Irregulars (Tom Galloway, Terence Chua, David Oakes, and Hal Shipman) in a contest of trivia about the Multiverses of both DC and Marvel, moderated by Keith DeCandido (Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Deathless). Room 4 Categories:
Comic Books Fandom

1:00-2:00 Vertigo: Fables Forum— The fan favorite panel from last year returns with a bigger cast of characters! Fables is not just another series; it’s an institution with successful spinoffs such as Jack of Fables and graphic novels such as Fables: 1001 Nights. Vertigo group editor Shelly Bond is joined by Bill Willingham (Fables, Shadowpact), Mark Buckingham (Fables), and Matthew Sturges (Jack of Fables) as they guide you trough the magic world of Fables. Room 5AB Categories:
Comic Books

1:00-2:00 What’s Happening in Kids’ Comics Today?— Some of the most creative work in the industry is being done in kids’ comics. Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!), Debbie Huey (Bumperboy), Kazu Kibuishi (Flight, Amulet), George O’Connor (Journey into Mohawk Country), and Gene Yang (American Born Chinese) talk with moderator Dave Roman (Nickelodeon) about the importance of kids’ comics—and the fun they have creating them! Room 8 Categories:
Comic Books Kids

1:00-2:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #15: What’s the Big Idea?— Alex Boney (Ohio State University) examines the origins of the absurdist “Godot Effect” of unchanging stasis without resolution as a necessary trope in the superhero genre and explores the darker undertones of tragedy that emerge from characters perpetually trapped in this state of arrested development. Clare Pitkethly (La Trobe University, Australia) lays out the dual vision of America as utopia and dystopia presented in Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman comic books and, treating them as post-colonial literature, examines the association between imperial ideology and post-colonial utopianism in the American imagination. Chuck Huber (UC—Santa Barbara) compares images of ultimate evil in Jack Kirby's "Fourth World" mythos and J. R. R. Tolkien's "Middle Earth" mythos that suggests that both authors saw free will at the core of humanity and located ultimate evil in the domination and subjugation of the will of others as symbolized by Kirby in the "Anti- Life Equation" and Tolkien in the One Ring of Sauron. Room 30AB Categories:
Comic Arts Conference Comic Books Science Fiction & Fantasy

1:30-3:00 Cover Story: Art of the Cover— They lied. You really can tell a book by its cover, and
Mark Evanier is going to talk to some of the best cover artists in the comics biz about it. Join Mark along with fellow Comic-Con special guests Adam Hughes (Catwoman, Wonder Woman), Joseph Michael Linsner (Dawn), Joe Jusko (Tomb Raider, Marvel Masterpieces), Rowena (renowned fantasy cover illustrator), Matt Wagner (Grendel, Batman), J. H. Williams (Promethea), and others as they tell their own cover stories. Room 1AB Categories: Art and Illustration Comic Books Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances Science Fiction & Fantasy

2:00-3:00 Secret Origin Breakouts— This year's Secret Origin of Good Readers program offers an extended opportunity for attendees to learn and network through select breakout sessions following the main presentation. Participants will be able to choose from two intriguing options: "Promoting Tolerance with The Scrapyard Detectives" with Bill Galvan (creator/artist), Jesse McCann (noted children's author), and Dr. Robyn A. Hill (teacher educator), or "Building Comics & Graphic Novels Collections in Classrooms and Libraries" with Mimi Cruz (Night Flight Comics) and Nancy McCann (Comics Unlimited). Room 3 Categories:
Comic Books Educators/Outreach

2:00-3:30 Scribe Awards Media Tie-in Writers— Attend the first annual presentation of the IAMTW "Scribe" awards, followed by a panel of nominees, including Donald Bain (Murder She Wrote), Marv Wolfman (Superman Returns), David R. George III (Star Trek Crucible: McCoy—Provenance of Shadows), Jeff Mariotte (30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead), Nathan Long (Warhammer: Orc Slayer), Christina York (Alias: APO: Strategic Reserve), Alice Henderson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Portal Through Time), and moderator Max Allan Collins (The Pink Panther). Andy Mangels (Star Trek: Excelsior) will present the awards. Room 5AB Categories:
Animation Comic Books Gaming Horror and Suspense Movies Science Fiction & Fantasy Television

2:30-4:00 Starship Smackdown Ultimate Episode 4: The Final Showdown— A Comic-Con favorite returns with ships, aliens, computers, and robots, oh my! The original Starship Smackdown is back in San Diego and it's never been smackier (or snarkier). Watch as the Enterprise battles Gort, Robby the Robot goes mano e mano with Hal 9000, and Death Star does the Klingon Empire. It's the ultimate conflagration for the supreme winner of Starship Smackdown. This time it's war, with an expert panel of spaceship-ologists, including Robert Meyer Burnett (director, Free Enterprise), Chris Gossett (creator, The Red Star), Steve Melching (writer, Star Wars: Clone Wars, X-Men Animated, The Batman), Daren Dochterman (Hollywood conceptual designer on Get Smart, X2, Master & Commander), Jeff Bond (editor, Geek Monthly), and the Richard Dawson of the stars, moderator Mark A. Altman (producer, DOA: Dead Or Alive). It's Starship Smackdown, Robot Rumble, Alien Armageddon, and Computer Crashdown all in one 90-minute panel! Our prediction for the fight: pain! Room 2 Categories:
Fandom

2:30-4:30 Browncoats Fan Group Meeting— Browncoats are fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly and Serenity. Fans new and old are welcome to join the California Browncoats as they announce the prize drawing winners! Tickets for the drawing are available at tables, A7 and A8. After the winners are announced, stay to hear from some of the movers and shakers in the 'Verse as they tell you about upcoming events and products you'll really love. Be there for a special announcement about another joint campaign between the California Browncoats and Adam Baldwin. And last but not least, come to hang out with all the great Browncoats at the Con! Room 24A Categories:
Fandom Movies Science Fiction & Fantasy Television

2:30-3:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #16: The Culture of Popular Things: Ethnographic Examinations of Comic-Con 2007— Comic-Con offers students of popular culture an amazing venue to study how culture is marketed to and practiced by its fans. The presentation caps a weeklong for-credit field-study course and presents the trained observations of undergraduate students. Their instructor Dr. Matthew J. Smith (Wittenberg University) provided a framework, guidance, and transitions among the participants, and readings on popular culture and ethnographic methods as well as a number of on-site lectures and discussions. Students extended the analysis of Matthew Pustz (Endicott College) in Comic Book Culture: Fan Boys and True Believers (2000), which examined aspects of fan culture but did not include on-site analysis of cons. The students were encouraged to explore the intersection of fan practice (e.g., costuming) at the nexus of cultural marketing (e.g., the exhibit hall sales booths) and were free to select a number of aspects of fan culture to examine. Pustz himself serves as respondent on the panel. Students include Nicholas Langley (Henderson State University), Melissa Andrada (University of Washington), Cameron Catalfu (Wittenberg University), W. Stephen Combs (Wittenberg University), Pamela Geranios (Wittenberg University), Julia “Kit” Moran (Wittenberg University), and Karen Stover (Wittenberg University). Room 30AB Categories:
Comic Arts Conference Comic Books Costuming Fandom

3:00-4:00 San Diego Museum of Art: Contemporary Art and Animation— Recently, the San Diego Museum of Art has seen an increase in production of animation works by contemporary artists working within the gallery system. This panel considers one strand of this explosion, focusing on artists who are shifting painting and drawing to the time-based practice of handmade and digital animation, while also accessing popular culture and music. This panel is organized in conjunction with the San Diego Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibition Animated Painting, on view from October 13, 2007 to January 13, 2008, to include works by 14 international contemporary artists including William Kentridge, Julian Opie, Kota Ezawa, Jeremy Blake, and Ruth Gómez. Moderator Calvin Reid (artist, art critic, and co-editor of the online comics newsletter PW Comics Week) talks to panelists Betti-Sue Hertz (curator of contemporary art, San Diego Museum of Art), Lisa Cartwright (professor of communication, University of California), and Jody Culkin (artist and assistant professor of media arts, Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York). Room 3 Categories:
Animation Art and Illustration Educators/Outreach

3:00-4:00 Comic-Con Talkback II— If there’s anyone present who has a complaint, a comment, a compliment, or just an FYI about Comic-Con, here’s your last chance. Speak now or forever hold your peace. Comic-Con representatives will be present to hear your feedback. Room 4 Categories:
Talkback

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