Dark Horse Comics Schedule for SDCC 2012

Dark Horse Comics announces their booth signings and panel schedule for San Diego Comic-Con 2012:

Dark Horse Comics Signings (Booth #2615)

Wednesday, July 11

5:30 p.m. — Dragon Age Signing with David Gaider

6:30 p.m. — Orchid Q&A and Signing with Tom Morello and Scott Hepburn *Ticketed by drawing

8:00 p.m. — Mass Effect Signing with John Jackson Miller

 

Thursday, July 12

11:00 a.m.— Mass Effect Signing with Sylvia Feketekuty, Chris Helper, and John Jackson Miller

1:00 p.m. — Angel & Faith Signing with Christos Gage

2:00 p.m. — Fatima Signing with Gilbert Hernandez

3:00 p.m. — Creator-Owned Signing with Eric Powell (The Goon), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), Matt Kindt (MIND MGMT), Tony Puryear and Erika Alexander (Concrete Park), and Sanford Greene (Rotten Apple)

4:00 p.m. — Tarzan 100th Anniversary Event with Thomas Yeates, Ron Ely, Joe Jusko, and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. President and Archivist

5:00-7:00 p.m. — Whedonverse Meet-up and Costume Contest with Shawna Trpcic, main costume designer on Joss Whedon’s Firefly, Angel, Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Dollhouse, and Cabin in the Woods.

 

Friday, July 13

10:00 a.m. — Usagi Yojimbo Signing with Stan Sakai

See a preview of the upcoming Usagi Yojimbo: Way of the Ronin game for smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

11:00 a.m. — Star Wars Signing with Mike Richardson (Crimson Empire), Dave Dorman (Crimson Empire, Darth Maul), Randy Stradley and Doug Wheatley (Dark Times), Dave Wilkins (Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison), Dan Parsons (Dawn of the Jedi), John Jackson Miller (Knight Errant), Michael Atiyeh (colorist), Michael Heisler (letterer) and Tom Taylor (Darth Maul)

12:00 pm. — Valve Signing with Bill Fletcher (“Cave Johnson”), Laura Dubuk (“Caroline”), Andrew Wilson, Wade Schin, and Arsenio Navarro

12:00 p.m. — Axe Cop Signing with Ethan Nicolle

1:00 p.m. — Hellboy, B.P.R.D., and Baltimore Signing with Mike Mignola, Cameron Stewart, and Tyler Crook

1:00 p.m. — Age of Reptiles Signing with Ricardo Delgado

2:00 p.m. — Berserk Signing with Eiko Tanaka (Studio 4C CEO)

2:30 p.m. – Green River Killer Signing with Jeff Jensen

3:00 p.m. – Domo Signing with Domo creator Tsuneo Goda *Ticketed by drawing

3:00 p.m. – Dragon Age Signing with David Gaider

4:00 p.m. – Empowered Signing with Adam Warren

4:00 p.m. – De:Tales Signing with Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon

5:00 p.m. — Creepy and Eerie Signing with Dan Braun, Angelo Torres, and Christopher A. Taylor

5:00 p.m. — Dark Horse Horror Signing with Steve Niles (Criminal Macabre), Eric Powell (The Goon), and Paul Tobin (Colder)

6:00 p.m. – TNT’s Falling Skies Signing with series stars Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Connor Jessup, Colin Cunningham, Sarah Carter, executive producer Remi Aubuchon and more! *Ticketed by drawing

 

Saturday, July 14

10:00 a.m. — Darksiders Signing with David Slagle and Roger Robinson

10:00 a.m. — Aliens Colonial Marines Signing with Josh Williams

11:00 a.m. — Domo Signing with Domo creator Tsuneo Goda *Ticketed by drawing

12:00 p.m. — Joss Whedon Signing *Ticketed by drawing

1:00 p.m. — Whedonverse Signing with Andrew Chambliss, Georges Jeanty, Christos Gage, Jane Espenson, and Drew Greenberg

2:00 p.m – Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra Signing with Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu, and Gurihiru Studios artists Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano *Ticketed by drawing

3:00 p.m. – Valve Signing with Bill Fletcher (“Cave Johnson”), Laura Dubuk (“Caroline”), Andrew Wilson, and Wade Schin

3:00 p.m. — Concrete Park Signing with Tony Puryear and Erika Alexander

4:00 p.m. — Dark Matter Signing with Joseph Mallozzi

4:00 p.m. — Exile to Babylon Signing with Domagoj Mazuran, Matt Savelloni, and Helen Darras

5:00 p.m. – Mass Effect Signing with Sylvia Feketekuty, Chris Helper, and John Jackson Miller

6:00 p.m. — The Goon Signing with creator Eric Powell

 

Sunday, July 15

10:00 a.m. — Beanworld Signing with Larry Marder

11:00 a.m. — Mass Effect Signing with Sylvia Feketekuty, Chris Helper, and John Jackson Miller

12:00 p.m. — The Guild Signing with Felicia Day *Ticketed by drawing

1:00 p.m. — The Strain Signing with Guillermo del Toro *Ticketed by drawing

2:00 p.m. — Emily the Strange Signing with Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner

3:00 p.m. — Doug Sneyd Signing

 

*Events are subject to change. Some restrictions apply.

 

Dark Horse/Partner PANELS

 

Thursday, July 12

10:30-11:30 Books and Hollywood: Literary Franchises in Television and Film— Room 24ABC

Authors discuss their work transitioning across various mediums, from screenwriters to novelists turning popular books into hit TV series and Hollywood films. How does the creative process differ when writing a screenplay as compared to a novel? Authors describing the process of adapting novels for the big screen include Rebecca Serle (When You Were Mine), Margaret Stohl (co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series), Scott Speer (Immortal City), Tony DiTerlizzi (The Search for WondLa series), Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz (Colin Fischer), Mike Richardson (president of Dark Horse), and Mark Frost (The Paladin Prophecy). Moderated by Geoff Boucher (Los Angeles Times).

 

11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Becky Cloonan— Room 32AB

Comic-Con special guest Becky Cloonan, one of the most versatile artists in comics today, talks to Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider podcast host) about her career in comics and illustration, collaborating with writers, artists, and musicians, and the dark secrets she learned through 15 years of self-publishing.

 

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Geof Darrow— Room 8

Comic-Con special guest Geof Darrow is known for his wildly imaginative and intricately detailed artwork. Geof talks about his comics career, including his current work for Dark Horse, Shaolin Cowboy, in this special spotlight presentaton.

 

12:00-1:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #2: Once More, with Comics: How the Whedon Universes Continue in Comic Book Form— Room 26AB

Authors Katrina Hill (Action Movie Freak, GeekNation.com), Jennifer K. Stuller (Ink-StainedAmazon, GeekGirlCon), and Traci Cohen (CSU-Sacramento) examine how comic books and graphic novels provide a new form of media adaptation in which the graphic novel form furthers the canon or official continuity of television series as sequels to the original material. Creator Joss Whedon’s television universes enjoy new life in print (e.g. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9). Sharing their own thoughts on these Whedon comic book follow-ups are comic book writer/actress Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow and Tara), editors Scott Allie (Dark House) and Mariah Huehner (IDW), and actors Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring It On) and Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cabin in the Woods).

 

1:00-2:00 100th Anniversary of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars— Room 8

He wrestled lions, poachers and ran through fire barefoot without a stunt-double or CGI. Actor Ron Ely will discuss filming Tarzan in the jungles of Latin America with writer Mark Evanier and Burroughs illustrator Tom Yeates. Also featuring David Lemmo, co-author of the new book, Tarzan: His First 100 Years. How Ancient Literature Became Modern Mythology and Created an Ape-Man Mecca in Southern California, coming from Angel City Press in 2013. Plus a 100-years of Tarzan and John Carter slide show included.

 

1:00-2:00 Dark Horse: Powered by Creators- Room 23ABC

An In-Depth Look at the Best in Creator-Owned Comics— Just over 25 years ago, Dark Horse arrived with a different agenda than any other publisher in comics. The young company was founded on the belief that comics creators should have the option to retain the rights to their own work, and today it continues to be a highly fertile breeding ground for new characters and concepts. Self-publishing sensation Sam Humphries introduces Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, along with a cast of top talent from around the industry. Expect exclusive announcements, and much, much more!

 

2:00-3:00 The Sergio and Mark Show— Room 8

An annual Comic-Con tradition! The folks who give you Groo the Wanderer on occasion will tell what’s up with Groo and their other projects and will entertain you with glorious anecdotes and silly stories. Those folks are celebrated cartoonist Sergio Aragonés, his co-conspirator Mark Evanier, Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai, and the hardest-working man in comics, Tom Luth.

 

5:00-6:00 Uncle Creepy Presents— Room 9A stellar panel of ghoulish creators discuss Warren’s Creepy and Eerie, which have been relaunched at Dark Horse in hardcover archival editions, new comic books, and artist compilation formats. Discover all the exciting things coming up in the Creepy universe. Moderated by Overstreet’s J. C. Vaughn and featuring New Comic Company’s twin engines Dan Braun (Creepy) and Josh Braun (Button Man) and super special guest MAD and Creepy artist Angelo Torres (Mad), plus writer Christopher A. Taylor and some very special unannounced guests. Plus, there will be Creepy trivia questions with tons of giveaways, swag and prizes.

 

7:00-8:00 Indie Comics Marketing and PR 101— Room 8

Need tips on how to market your comic? Have questions about doing PR? This is the panel for you! Some of the best and brightest in comics today present a roundtable discussion, revealing all the secrets of doing marketing and PR for your comics. comiXology marketing and PR maven Chip Mosher is joined by Dark Horse’s director of PR Jeremy Atkins, Image Comics’ PR and marketing director Jennifer de Guzman, IDW Publishing’s VP of marketing Dirk Wood, Archaia’s Marketing Manager Mel Caylo and comics writer David Gallaher (Box 13, the Harvey Award-winning High Moon, and Marvel’s Darkstar and The Winter Guard) for a wide-ranging discussion you will not want to miss!

 

Friday, July 13

11:00-12:00 Mike Mignola and Friends— Room 4

As we watch the world collapse in the pages of B.P.R.D.-Hell on Earth and gear up for the most-anticipated series in Hellboy’s history later this year, this may be the most important panel in the history of one of modern comics’ most storied series. Join creator Mike Mignola, editor Scott Allie, Cameron Stewart, James Harren, B.P.R.D. artist Tyler Crook and others, for exclusive news and insight into why the world of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. is truly “going to hell in 2012″!

 

11:15-12:15 Join the Revolution! Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra— Ballroom 20

The cast and crew of Legend of Korra offer an in-depth discussion of Nickelodeon’s hottest new series. Executive producer and creator team Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino (Avatar: The Last Airbender) are joined by co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender) as they discuss the creative process that brought the first book in the Korra series to life. You’ll also get to hear from your favorite characters as talented voice actors Janet Varney (Korra), David Faustino (Mako), P. J. Byrne (Bolin) and Seychelle Gabriel (Asami) will be featured on the panel and renowned voice director Andrea Romano (Avatar: The Last Airbender) will direct the actors in a live performance from the series. And if you’re extra nice, Mike and Bryan may even drop a hint or two about Book 2. So don’t miss out! Moderated by Rich Magallanes, senior VP of current series for Nickelodeon.

 

12:00-1:00 Lenore Turns 20— Room 23ABC

Celebrations are in order! Lenore is 20 years old in 2012. Roman Dirge discusses his new Lenore collection Swirlies, upcoming comics, merchandise, and more. Join the artist/magician himself for this exclusive journey into the unique world of Roman Dirge, with a one-on-one interview with moderator Andrew Sumner plus a Q&A session.

 

12:30-1:30 Firefly 10-Year Anniversary Reunion— Ballroom 20

Calling all Browncoats to unite! It has been 10 years since the crew of the Serenity took flight in the now infamous show Firefly. Science Channel will reunite, for the first time ever, Captain Mal Reynolds and the crew from the ship. Join Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and many more for a trip down memory lane, some special surprises, and exclusive Science Channel giveaways. SHINY.

 

1:30-2:30 Comic Book Entrepreneurs— Room 8

Get a rare look behind the scenes as the comic book industry’s leading entrepreneurs share their secrets of building successful businesses around the love of comic books. Author and futurist Rob Salkowitz (Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture), CEO and co-founder David Steinberger of comiXology, Dark Horse Comics publisher Mike Richardson, Peter Levin of Nerdist Industries, and comics retailer Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics (who also founded Free Comic Book Day and helped run WonderCon for 15 years), offer a unique view of the business side of comics.

 

2:30-4:00 Eisner Spirit Award Video Viewing— Room 18

The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award is the industry’s “Hall of Fame” for progressive retailers. Spirit Award facilitator and award recipient Joe Ferrara (Atlantis Fantasyworld, CA) presents the videos for this year’s award finalists, with discussion about each nominated retailer, the store’s display techniques, and other unique features every attending retailer can learn from. Hey, retailers: this is a great place for getting new ideas!

 

3:00-4:00 The Future of Star Wars Publishing: Dark Horse & Del Rey— Room 7AB Find out what’s coming up in the Expanded Universe of Star Wars publishing. Editors Randy Stradley and Dave Marshall from Dark Horse Comics discuss what’s next for Agent of the Empire, Dawn of the Jedi, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and Darth Maul, as well as reveal a new secret title that’s on the horizon. From Del Rey Books editors Frank Parisi and Erich Schoeneweiss, along with author Troy Denning (Apocalypse), look at new novels coming later this year from fan-favorite authors Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston, as well as give a peek into 2013. Also on the panel is Jennifer Heddle, senior editor at LucasBooks. Moderated by author Pablo Hidalgo (Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion).

 

3:00-4:00 Drawing on Your Nightmares: Horror in Comics— Room 23ABC Throughout comics’ storied history, horror has been an important part of the medium. In the fall of 2012, Dark Horse unveils a whole slate of new titles guaranteed to have you running for the covers. Dark Horse horror line editor Scott Allie is joined by actor-turned-comics writer Lance Henrikson and creators Eric Powell (The Goon), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre), Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash), Paul Tobin (Colder), and others for an exciting look at this year’s most promising four-color thrills and chills!

 

3:30-4:30 The Art of Death and Darksiders II— Room 5AB

A lively demonstration on bringing 2D comic art to 3D graphics and back again-Joe Madureira (Vigil Games Darksiders creator; artist for Avenging Spider-Man, Ultimates, X-Men), and Han Randhawa (Vigil Games, Darksiders I and II creative director) use exclusive examples from the creative development process to show how they bring a unique comic inspired vision to 3D life in the new Darksiders II video game from THQ, where you become Death, the most feared rider from the legendary Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. In part two, representatives from Dark Horse Comics demonstrates how they took this highly stylized universe in 3D, converted it back to a 2D comic book series, and expanded on the mythos, revealing scenes and storyline threads that complement the events of the video game. Working closely with the Darksiders team at Vigil Games, Dark Horse Comics is creating an important component to complete Joe Mad’s original vision.

 

4:30-5:30 Falling Skies: The Battle Is Just Getting Started— Room 6BCF

Continuing the fight against alien invaders, TNT’s Falling Skies follows a band of human survivors on their quest to outrun and outwit the powerful alien force that invaded Earth. Join stars Noah Wyle (ER), Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation), Will Patton (Armageddon), Drew Roy (Secretariat), Colin Cunningham (Living in Your Car), Sarah Carter (The Vow), and Connor Jessup (The Saddle Club), and show runner Remi Aubuchon (Caprica), with Q&A hosted by Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Big Bang Theory). Watch never-before-seen clips and be treated to an in-depth discussion on Falling Skies season 2.

 

5:00-6:00 Breaking into Comics Right Now!— Room 9

If you’re an aspiring comic book creator, this is a panel you don’t want to miss! Some of comic book publishing’s top decision makers, including IDW chief creative officer Chris Ryall, BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon, Dark Horse managing editor Scott Allie, and Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik, give you up-to-date and practical advice on how to break into the comic book industry. Learn what you need to do to make your comic book dreams come true in a world where the Internet and social media have changed everything. This won’t be your grandfather’s “breaking into comics” panel.

 

5:30-6:30 Dark Horse: Joss Whedon— Ballroom 20

Long before directing the biggest superhero film in history, Joss Whedon rewarded fans the world over with some of the most compelling characters and plotlines in the history of comics, television, and movies. Here’s your chance to find out what he has in store for us next, and hear exclusive insight into Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the ever-expanding number of titles in Dark Horse’s line of Season 9 comics.

 

5:30-6:30 Berserk— Room 32AB

At long last, the dark fantasy epic Berserk, by creator Kentaro Muira, comes to the silver screen! Join Dark Horse Comics and VIZ Media in a rare interview with Eiko Tanaka, founder and CEO of Studio 4°C (Tekkonkinkreet, Animatrix, Batman). Find out what it really takes to transform this stark manga into an animated feature.

 

6:00-7:00 Are Digital Comics Expanding the Market?— Room 9

Digital comics are the hottest trend in publishing today, exploding onto the screens of iPads, tablets, and phones everywhere. How is digital distribution transforming the industry and the market? Is digital opening the medium to a vast new global audience, or is it the death knell of comics as we know them? Author and futurist Rob Salkowitz (Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture) leads a provocative, no-holds-barred discussion with the leaders of the digital comics revolution: comiXology co-founders David Steinberger and John D. Roberts, Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, and IDW publisher Ted Adams.

 

7:30-8:30 Making a Living in Manga— Room 8

Now that Japanese comics have been available in English for over 30 years, several generations of artists inspired by manga are trying to live the Bakuman dream of being full-time comics creators. But in the superhero-centric North American comics market, are they fighting the odds? Comics creators Adam Warren (Empowered), Becky Cloonan (Demo, Conan the Barbarian), Fred Gallagher (Megatokyo), and Audra Furuichi (Nemu-Nemu), along with industry pros Christopher Butcher (blogger, Comics212.net; director, Toronto Comic Arts Festival), JuYoun Lee (senior editor, Yen Press), Erik Ko (editor-in-chief, UDON Entertainment), and moderator Deb Aoki (Manga editor, About.com), explain the ins and outs and ups and downs of making a living as a manga creator in North America.

 

8:00-10:30 Syfy Presents the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards— Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

The 24th annual Eisner Awards (the “Oscars” of the comics industry) honor comics creators and works in 28 categories. Presenters will include British talk show host/comics writer Jonathan Ross, actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Family Guy, Pee Wee’s Playhouse), and special guests Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Lynn Johnston (cartoonist, For Better or For Worse), Eric Powell (The Goon), Sergio Aragonés (cartoonist, MAD), Bill Morrison (creative director, Bongo Comics), Michael Uslan (movie producer, Batman films), plus some special surprises! Other prestigious awards to be given out include the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comics Writing, and the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award.

 

Saturday, July 14

10:30-11:30 Dark Horse: Bioware— Room 24ABC

Dark Horse and Bioware have come together once again to provide fans with exclusive news on Dragon Age, and the ever-expanding Mass Effect universe. Join Dark Horse director of public relations Jeremy Atkins and editor Dave Marshall, along with Dragon Age writers David Gaider and Sylvia Feketekuty, BioWare art director Derek Watts, moderator “Evil Chris” Priestly, and a cast of other celebrity geeks and surprise guests for an exciting look into the Dark Horse/BioWare universe. Attendees can be sure to expect a spirited discussion on the ongoing link between comics and gaming, with exclusive news and more!

 

11:00-12:00 Avatar the Last Airbender: Beginning and Beyond— Room 28E

For over 5 years, the organizers of this fan panel have been bringing together both fans and professionals. Moderated by Avatar_Mom, this year’s panel will include Bobby Rubio (Avatar the Last Airbender, Pixar, Alcatraz High), freelance concept artist DJ Welch (Dark Kenjie), Kevin Coppa (Puppet Benders), and actor/voice actor Dante Basco (Avatar the Last Airbender), and a few more surprise guests. If that isn’t enough, there will be a cosplay contest to showcase the fandom’s talented “fabric benders.”

 

11:00-12:00 Geek & Sundry— Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), Wil Wheaton (Big Bang Theory, Eureka), director Daniel Strange (Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis), and the cast of The Guild — Vince Caso, Jeff Lewis, Amy Okuda, Sandeep Parkih, and Robin Thorsen — make some big announcements and offer an exclusive sneak peek at what’s to come. Moderated by Kim Evey (producer, Geek & Sundry).

 

12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Gary Gianni— Room 4

Comic-Con special guest Gary Gianni discusses his work illustrating one of Ray Bradbury’s last published books, painting the Game of Thrones 2014 calendar, and the future of illustrated storytelling in the digital realm.

 

2:00-3:00 Will Eisner and the Graphic Novel— Room 23ABC

Moderator Paul Levitz (writer, 75 Years of DC Comics, Legion of Super-Heroes, former Eisner publisher), Klaus Janson (artist/inker, Daredevil, The Dark Knight Return, comics educator, SVA), Denis Kitchen (artist, author, publisher; Eisner’s agent and longtime friend), Charles Kochman (editorial director, Abrams ComicArts), and Diana Schutz (comics educator; executive editor, Dark Horse Comics; Eisner’s editor) explore the pivotal role Will Eisner’s evangelism of the comics artform plays in the evolution of the American graphic novel, followed by a short Q&A period.

 

5:00-6:00 Mass Effect: Past, Present, and Future— Room 25ABC

Developers from Mass Effect offer an exciting look at the evolution of the Mass Effect franchise. Mike Gamble (producer), Corey Gaspur (senior combat designer), Parrish Ley (lead cinematic animator), Sylvia Feketekuty (writer), Chris Helper (writer), Jessica Merizan (community manager) and Chris Priestly (community specialist) discuss the history of the series, beloved characters, multiplayer gaming and hints at upcoming DLC. Don’t forget to bring your emergency induction port!

 

8:00-9:00 Occupy Comics: Activism, Kickstarter, and Comics— Room 4

Get the story behind the historic Occupy Comics project that inspired dozens of top comics pros to take a stand, bummed out Frank Miller, and brought Alan Moore and David Lloyd back together in the same book for the first time since the Occupy-inspiring V for Vendetta. With a star-studded roster featuring Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Art Spiegelman (Maus), Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night), and many more, Occupy Comics raised nearly three times its Kickstarter fundraising goal, with all revenue beyond hard costs being donated to Occupy protesters. Organizational spearhead Matt Pizzolo (Godkiller, president Halo-8) will be joined by contributors Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Tyler Crook (Petrograd, B.P.R.D.), Brea Grant and Zane Grant (We Will Bury You, Suicide Girls), Joshua Dysart (Swamp Thing, The Unknown Soldier), Zoetica Ebb (Biorequiem), Mark L. Miller (The Jungle Book), and others special guests to discuss counterculture art, creating activist comics without being annoying, and tips on how to fundraise for your own comics.

 

Sunday, July 15

10:00-11:00 Emily the Strange— Room 23ABC

Be a part of the Emily the Strange panel experience, where you have the chance to prove your knowledge of Strange and win prizes, learn what’s new in Emily’s oddball universe (including a sneak peek at the new Emily and the Strangers comic book series), and Q&A with Emily’s creator Rob Reger and writer Jessica Gruner. Did we mention you will get some cool stuff just for showing up and being Strange?

 

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Tom Yeates— Room 8

Seasoned comics, fantasy, and book illustrator and Comic-Con special guest Tom Yeates will discuss his 35-year career, from attending the first year of Joe Kubert’s school with Steve Bissette and Rick Veitch to Swamp Thing, Tarzan, Zorro, and Prince Valiant. Writer, journalist, editor, and Thomas’s longtime friend Steven Ringgenberg will moderate. A slide show of Yeates’s art career and influences will be included.

 

12:45-1:45 CBLDF Rock Art Jam— Room 5AB

Explore the creative process of top cartoonists who’ve made their mark on the worlds of comics and music! Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá, and Nate Powell talk about the influence of music in their work and draw live art showcasing their love of sound and vision! Get a chance to watch live art made before your eyes, and bid to win the pieces made here to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!

 

2:15-3:15 Buffy Turns 20: Celebrating 20 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer— Room 6BCF

Once upon a time, Buffy Summers became the Slayer, the Chosen One who proved a young heroine could battle the forces of darkness instead of playing damsel in distress. Stars from the hit TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Nicholas Brendon, Clare Kramer) join forces with Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, writer/producer Jane Espenson, illustrator Georges Jentry, and the original Buffy herself (Kristy Swanson, star of the 1992 motion picture), not to mention a surprise guest or two, to celebrate 20 years of slayage.

 

3:00-4:00 Axe Cop— Room 6DE

Ethan Nicolle (Bearmageddon, Chumble Spuzz) discusses the growing world of Axe Cop, including the new President of the World miniseries from Dark Horse comics and his involvement the TV show in production at FOX. With a possible appearance in person or digitally from his brother/co-creator Malachai Nicolle plus possible surprise guests.

Avatar Legacy Fan Panel Scheduled for SDCC 2012

Avatar Legacy Fan Panels returns to San Diego Comic Con for the fifth year with an event dedicated to the fans of the Nickelodeon cartoons  Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra! Moderated by superfan Avatar_Mom, this year’s panel includes special guests Bobby Rubio (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Pixar Studios, Alcatraz High), Freelance Concept Artist DJ Welch (Dark Kenjie), Kevin Coppa (Puppet Benders), and Actor/Voice Actor Dante Basco (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Legend of Korra), and perhaps a few more surprise guests.  If that isn’t enough, there will be a cosplay contest to showcase the fandom’s talented “fabric benders.” The action takes place in Room 28E on Saturday July 14, 2012 from 11:00am – 12:00pm!

JUST ADDED: Gurihiru Studios artists Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano (artists of the Dark Horse comic series ATLA: The Promise) have been added to the panel!

Legend of Korra Panel Details for SDCC 2012

Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender co-creator Bryan Konietzko announced exciting news on his tumblr about the panel he, fellow co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino, and several cast and crew members will host at Comic Con this year:

Hello, everyone! I wish I had some time to draw something new for the blog, but I’ve been buried in all sorts of work. So in an effort to post something related to the Book 1 finale this Saturday, here is the rough concept for the press art I posted last week. It might be interesting to those of you who like to see this sort of process work.

I have some more specifics on our San Diego Comic Con activities to share:

WHAT:  The Legend of Korra Comic-Con Panel WHEN: Friday, July 13 from 11:15a – 12:15p WHERE: Ballroom 20 WHO:  Co-creators and executive producers Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos (co-executive producer), Janet Varney (Korra), David Faustino (Mako), P.J. Byrne (Bolin), Seychelle Gabriel (Asami), and Andrea Romano (voice director).  The panel will include an in-depth discussion of Book 1 and a live performance by the voice actors.

WHAT:  The Legend of Korra Comic-Con Signing WHEN: Friday, July 13 beginning at 2:30 p.m. WHERE: Nickelodeon booth

I’ve been told that Ballroom 20 holds 4300 people, so just get 4300 people to hold your places in the Game of Thrones line for Hall H, and pop over to Ballroom 20 for a spell. Among other things, Andrea is going to lead the actors in a live table read of some key scenes from Book 1. We’ve never done that sort of thing at a panel, so it should be really fun.

***Remember: The actors are not the characters, so be nice to David. He isn’t Mako. He just plays one on TV.

Nickelodeon Announces Legend of Korra Premiere Date

Press Release:

The mythology of the beloved animated franchise from Avatar: The Last Airbender creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, continues with the Nickelodeon premiere of The Legend of Korra on Saturday, April 14, at 11:00 AM (ET/PT), with a one-hour television event featuring back-to-back episodes.  The all-new series centers around a new Avatar named Korra, a 17-year-old headstrong and rebellious girl who continually challenges and bucks tradition on her quest to become a fully realized Avatar in a world where benders are under attack.  The Legend of Korra will air regularly on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

“Mike and Bryan created an incredibly layered world with the animated Avatar franchise — rich with mythology and artistry,” said Brown Johnson, President, Animation, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group.  “The Legend of Korra takes their vision even further, into a more modern world led by a new Avatar who is a fearless and spirited teenage girl.”

The Legend of Korra takes place 70 years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and follows the next Avatar after Aang – a girl named Korra (Janet Varney) who is from the Southern Water Tribe.  With three of the four elements under her belt (Earth, Water and Fire), Korra seeks to master Air.  Her quest leads her to Republic City, the modern “Avatar” world that is a virtual melting pot where benders and non-benders from all nations live and thrive.  Korra quickly discovers that the metropolis is plagued by crime as well as a growing anti-bending revolution that threatens to rip the city apart.  Under the tutelage of Aang’s son, Tenzin (J.K. Simmons), Korra begins her airbending training while dealing with the dangers at large.

In the premiere episode, “Welcome to Republic City,” Korra leaves the safety of her home and travels to bustling Republic City to begin her airbending training.   Once there, she is shocked to find a big city full of dangers, including criminal bending gangs and a vocal anti-bending revolution.  In episode two, “A Leaf in the Wind,” Korra is living with her airbending teacher Tenzin on Air Temple Island.  Frustrated with her inability to master airbending, she turns her attentions to Republic City’s famous Pro-bending Arena.  There she befriends two brothers, Mako (David Faustino) and Bolin (P.J. Byrne), who compete in professional bending matches.  Korra is immediately drawn to Pro-bending’s dynamic fighting style.

The Legend of Korra cast includes Janet Varney (Dinner and a Movie) as Korra, David Faustino (Married…with Children) as Mako, P.J. Byrne (Horrible Bosses) as Bolin, J.K. Simmons (The Closer) as Tenzin, Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop) as Amon, Lance Henriksen (Aliens) as The Lieutenant, Mindy Sterling (Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery) as Chief Lin Beifong, Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0) as Hiroshi Sato, Seychelle Gabriel (Falling Skies) as Asami Sato and Eva Marie Saint (Superman Returns) as Katara.  The series is co-created and executive produced by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, co-creators of the Emmy Award-winning Avatar: The Last Airbender.  Joaquim Dos Santos is co-executive producer.

Starting today, fans can work to unlock an exclusive sneak peek of The Legend of Korra premiere at korranation.com.  Beginning April 1, fans may log on to nick.com for an interactive experience and introduction to Republic City.  Show information, fun facts, micro games and additional new content make up this “Welcome to Republic City” online experience.  Also leading up to the television series premiere, Xbox users will have the opportunity to download the first episode and trailer for free and purchase episodes from Avatar: The Last Airbender.  The first The Legend of Korra episode will be available on VOD.  In conjunction with the series premiere, Nick’s mobile channel NIMO, will have a live simulcast of the first two episodes.

Launched in February 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon and was consistently ranked among the top five animated properties on television among boys 2-11 and 6-11.  Avatar: The Last Airbender was the inspiration for the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies live-action epic adventure, The Last Airbender.  In 2007, the series was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Animated Program and took home the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation.  In 2008, Avatar: The Last Airbender won a Peabody Award.

An award-winning filmmaker, DiMartino was a director at Film Roman for six years, working on the prime-time animated series King of the Hill, Family Guy and Mission Hill.  During his tenure there, DiMartino animated and directed the short animated film Atomic Love, which has gone on to screen at festivals across the country including Sundance and the Los Angeles Film Festival.  It also aired as part of the Nicktoons Animation Festival.

Konietzko began his career in animation as a character designer at Film Roman for Fox’s prime-time series, Family Guy.  He soon moved to the post of assistant director for two more Film Roman shows, Mission Hill and King of the Hill, working beside animation director DiMartino.  Konietzko then became a storyboard artist and later an art director for the Nickelodeon animated series Invader Zim.

The Legend of Korra is being produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif.

Nickelodeon, now in its 32^nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

FL – How to Make Comics

Gene Luen Yang appears at Alachua County Library on Thursday January  26, 2012 at 6:30 PM!

Press Release:

Gene Luen Yang is a comic artist, graphic novelist and educator. He teaches computer science at a high school in Oakland, California. Mr. Yang’s interest in comics started in 5^thgrade when he started reading and drawing them. It was further inspired in high school after he took a comics class.

In 2006, Mr. Yang was named a finalist for the National Book Award in the young people’s literature category for his graphic novel, American Born Chinese. This was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award. He also won the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award for young-adult literature for the same novel, a first for a graphic novel.

Mr. Yang’s other graphic novels include Prime Baby which addresses the topic of sibling rivalry with a science fiction twist, Eternal Smile with Derek Kirk Kim and Level-Up, illustrated by Thien Pham. One reviewer notes that Level-Up “confronts the tension between staying true to yourself on the one hand, and being committed to familial duty on the other.”

Join us for an evening with Mr. Yang on Thursday, January 26, @ 6:30 PM in Meeting Room A for a workshop on How to Make Comics and an opportunity to ask him about his work.

Alachua County Library
401 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 334-3900

CA – Avatar: The Promise Launch Party

Gene Luen Yang signs at Flying Colors Comics on Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 1:00pm until 4:00pm!

RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

Join us at Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff on Saturday January 28 at 1PM when we welcome back award-winning writer/cartoonist GENE LUEN YANG, the writer of AVATAR The Last Airbender: The Promise Volume One!

AVATAR The Last Airbender is enjoyed by millions of fans all over the world— and we’re thrilled to host this release event kicking off a new round of AVATAR graphic novels.

GENE LUEN YANG will be here to sign your copies of this new graphic novel. Flying Colors will have an exclusive special book plate that GENE will be signing!

Also, Flying Colors and Dark Horse Comics will be giving away a number of very cook AVATAR prizes, including a very limited edition AVATAR print, Art of AVATAR books— and a surprise or two!

So how can you win?

1) If you are under the age of 12, enter the Flying Colors/Dark Horse Comics AVATAR coloring contest! Details and entry forms available soon!

2) If you are over the age of 12, enter our first-ever COSPLAY Contest! Come as you favorite AVATAR character— or any other comics or animation character, for a chance to win.

It will be a party– and we invite you to be here for it!

Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff
2980 Treat Blvd (at Oak Grove Rd), Concord, CA 9451

CA – Asian Americans, Airbenders & Comics

Gene Luen Yang appears at Fantastic Comics in Berkeley on Saturday February 11, 2012 at 2pm to celebrate the release of Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Part 1! He will do a presentation titled Asian Americans, Airbenders, and Comics with a short signing afterward.

Fantastic Comics
2026 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
510-848-2988

ConScene Review: ATLA: The Promise

With the conclusion of Nickelodeon’s popular television series Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) in 2008 legions of fans clamored to know what happened to its characters and whether or not the unresolved questions would ever be answered. In response Nickelodeon has teamed with Dark Horse Comics to produce a series of graphic novels featuring the further adventures of Avatar Aang and his friends picking up where the show left off and bridging the gap to the upcoming spinoff, The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra, which takes place 70 years after ATLA.

The first book in this new comic series, ATLA: The Promise, is set to release on January 25, 2012 and Dark Horse has graciously given Convention Scene an advance peek at the book. Written by critically acclaimed cartoonist Gene Luen Yang, the comic begins with an homage to the opening of each episode of ATLA, a brief explanation of the world built by series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino and a rundown of the main characters and events of the show. This is expedient because the main action of the comic picks up with the final shot of the show and dives into a heavily continuity-laden plot regarding the fallout of the war and Aang, Zuko, and the Earth King resolving the issue of Fire Nation colonies within the Earth Kingdom’s borders.

Yang presents a very complex problem with no easy solution but does so in a manner that is accessible to younger readers while not speaking down to older fans. There is a fine line for any writer looking to appeal to all-ages but Yang has walked it well for years garnering high praise and several awards for his own comics including Level Up, The Eternal Smile, and the indie darling American Born Chinese. While a vocal protestor of the film adaptation’s casting practices, Yang certainly proves himself a fan of the original series with spot-on characterizations of not only the main cast but secondary and tertiary characters as well. He also does an excellent job of laying the groundwork for themes and plots that have been revealed in the promotional material for Legend of Korra.

The ladies of Gurihiru Studios have been tapped for the artwork on this comic and their fun style blending Manga with conventional Western comics is very effective and reflects the feel of the original series. They capture the action scenes well and do a particularly good job of including Appa and Momo, Aang’s pet sky bison and bat-winged lemur respectively, as characters rather than set pieces, a difficult position for non-speaking roles. Veterans of ATLA already (they drew stories for Nickelodeon Magazine collected in Dark Horse’s ATLA: The Lost Adventures) the cast is presented as older while staying on model.

Overall this series will be a must-have for any fans of the show. It complements the original series perfectly and whets the appetite for the new spinoff. Be sure to ask your local comic shop to reserve a copy for you on January 25th!

CA – All-Ages Comics Signing

Celebrated cartoonists Lark Pien, Jason Shiga, Thien Pham and Gene Luen Yang speak on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 6:30pm.

Guests’ work includes: American Born Chinese, Level Up, Empire State, and Mr. Elephanter.

This is an all-ages program. A book sale and signing follows the program.

Piedmont Branch Library
160 41st Street, Oakland, CA 94611

SF – Leveling Up

Gene Luen Yang writes on his blog:

On Saturday 11/5/2011, I’ll be presenting at the San Francisco Public Library.  I’m going to talk about Asian Americans and the comics industry.  I’ll also read from a few a my graphic novels and sharing some behind-the-scenes material from my upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender project!

Sat 11/05/2011, 1pm – 2:30pm
Latino/Hispanic B
San Francisco Main Library
100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA

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