Legend of Korra Returns for Book 2: Spirits

The Legend of Korra makes its long-awaited return to Nickelodeon for its second season this Friday September 13, 2013 at 7:00 pm EST with a one-hour premiere! Korra Nation has posted an exclusive new trailer featuring unseen footage of Korra, Mako, Bolin, Tenzin, and more! Plus glimpses of the Spirit World and brand-new characters! Click the link to watch it!

In addition they have offered a sneak peek at production material such as early character studies for Tenzin’s older brother Bumi (click the link), storyboards of Bolin meeting new characters Eska and Desna (click the link), background art of the Glacial Spirits Festival (click the link), and the interior of the Southern Water Tribe Palace (click the link)!

For more about The Legend of Korra, sign up for Korra Nation at the link!

 

CA – Art of Legend of Korra Signing

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, creators of Nickelodeon’s hit animated series The Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender, appear at Barnes & Noble along with directors Joaquim Dos Santos and Ryu Ki Hyun on Thursday August 15, 2013 at 7:00 PM to sign The Legend of Korra: Book One: Air: The Art of the Animated Series.

RSVP on Facebook!

Barnes & Noble – The Grove at Farmers Market
189 The Grove Drive Suite K 30, Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-525-0270

Legend of Korra Con-Bends SDCC 2013

Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra, sequel to the popular animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, hits Comic Con International in San Diego once again this year to promote the forthcoming second season as well the newly-released soundtrack and comic books from Dark Horse! Fansite Avatar Spirit.net has consolidated all the official events into one handy list:

THE LEGEND OF KORRA PANEL
Friday, July 19th
11.15am – 12.15pm (PT)
Ballroom 20
Executive producer and creator team Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender) discuss what’s in store for the highly anticipated Book 2: Spirits. The mind-bending panel will be full of never-before-seen artwork and the ultimate of sneak peeks. You’ll also get to hear from your favorite characters, as talented voice actors Janet Varney (voice of Korra), David Faustino (voice of Mako), and P. J. Byrne (voice of Bolin) share their experiences working on the series. Moderated by Bryan Konietzko.

**BREAKING NEWS** The entire first episode of Legend of Korra Book 2: Spirits will screen during the panel!

THE LEGEND OF KORRA SIGNING SESSION
Friday, July 19th
12.45pm to 2.15pm (PT)
Nickelodeon booth (Booth #4113)
Panelists from The Legend of Korra panel will be present to sign autographs. You will also receive this this cool poster! (see above)

AVATAR LEGACY FAN PANEL
Saturday, July 20th
11am – 12pm (PT)
Room 29A
For over 6 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 Fan Artist Alisa Christopher, Martial Arts Coordinator Sifu Kisu, Illustration Team Gurihiru, Writer Gene Luen Yang, Voice Actor Dante Basco and maybe a few surprise guests. There will be a cosplay contest to showcase the fandom’s talented “fabric benders”. In addition to the cosplay contest, there is also a haiku contest and you can read the details over here.

DARK HORSE SIGNING SESSION *ticketed event*
Saturday, July 20th
1pm – 2pm (PT)
Dark Horse booth (Booth #2615)
Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki-Hyun Ryu, Gene Luen Yang, Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano from Gurihiru Studio will be present for this signing. Please take note that this is an ticketed event. Tickets are available the day before and on the day of the signing at the Dark Horse booth. Please take note that Dark Horse discourages lining up early for the signing. As long as you have the ticket, just show up on time for the scheduled signing and you will have those awesome coveted signatures.

JEREMY ZUCKERMAN SIGNING SESSION
Saturday, July 20th
3pm – 4pm (PT)
Nickelodeon booth (Booth #4113)
Jeremy Zuckerman will be hosting an exclusive signing at the Nickelodeon booth. Maybe you can bring the newly released Korra Book One soundtrack for this signing.

**UPDATE** NICK Booth Fans can pick up tickets for The Legend of Korra Signing and the TMNT Signing starting at 10am on Thursday, July 18 and Friday, July 19.There will be 125 tickets available each day per signing There will be a total of 250 tickets available for each signing Tickets are given on a first come, first serve basis Fans have to line up for tickets for each signing separately The Tickets are only for the KORRA Signing that is on the day of the panel, they are not doing a ticketing system for the Korra Soundtrack signing on Saturday.

Dark Horse Announces Signings and Panels Schedule for SDCC 2013

Press Release:

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2013 SCHEDULE!

July 10, MILWAUKIE, OR— It’s here! San Diego Comic-Con 2013 is upon us, and Dark Horse Comics is delivering a full slate of signings from your favorite creators!

 

DARK HORSE SIGNINGS

IMPORTANT:  All giveaway, limited edition, and exclusive items are available while supplies last.  Free prints, comics, or posters are provided for each signing while supplies last. You may bring items to sign or purchase them at the Dark Horse Store or Dark Horse Exclusives Store. We reserve the right to restrict the nature and/or limit the number of items to be signed, at our discretion.  Signing lines will be closed as needed.

Ticketed signings are noted below. Drawings for these events will begin at show opening the day before and day of each signing.  Come to the Dark Horse booth early for your best chance to get a ticket.

Events are subject to change. Some restrictions apply. Please see Dark Horse staff for details.

 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17

Special Preview Night Signings for Exclusives and Limited Editions

6:00 p.m.            LAST MAN STANDING: KILLBOOK OF A BOUNTY HUNTER: Daniel LuVisi

Free print. Limited edition hardcover for sale at Dark Horse Exclusives Store.

7:00 p.m.            PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES: Paul Tobin

Free print. San Diego Comic-Con International Exclusive Plants vs. Zombies comic for sale at show opening at Dark Horse Exclusives Store (two per person limit).

8:00 p.m.            MASS EFFECT: Cosplayer Holly Conrad as Commander Shepherd

Free double-sided Mass Effect/Dragon Age poster. Limited edition Mass Effect Bronze Alliance Normandy SR-1 Ship Replica on sale at show opening at Dark Horse Exclusives Store (two per person limit).

THURSDAY, JULY 18

 10:00 a.m.            LAST MAN STANDING: KILLBOOK OF A BOUNTY HUNTER: Daniel LuVisi

10:00 a.m.            THE STRAIN: Mike Huddleston, E.M. Gist

11:00 a.m.            LONE WOLF AND CUB: Kazuo Koike

11:00 a.m.            DRAGON RESURRECTION: Lin Zhang

12:00 p.m.            X: Duane Swierczynski, Eric Nguyen, Dave Wilkins

12:00 p.m.            DRAGON AGE: THE WORLD OF THEDAS: Ben Gelinas, Nick Thornborrow

1:00 p.m.            BLOOD BROTHERS: Andrew Waller, Mike Gagerman

2:00 p.m.            HALO: INITIATION: Terry and Rachel Dodson

2:00 p.m.            LONE WOLF AND CUB: Kazuo Koike

3:00 p.m.             CATALYST COMIX: Joe Casey, Ulises Farinas

3:00 p.m.            BEANWORLD: Larry Marder

4:00 p.m.             BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL & FAITH: Georges Jeanty, Christos Gage

5:00 p.m.            PICTURES THAT TICK: Dave McKean

5:00 p.m.            DYNAMICS PRESENTS CONAN: THE PHANTOMS OF THE BLACK COAST: Attila Futaki

6:00 p.m.             THE BLACK BEETLE: Francesco Francavilla

                                   DREAM THIEF: Jai Nitz

BUZZKILL: Donny Cates

6:00 p.m.            CREEPY, EERIE: Dan Braun, Jason Shawn Alexander, Chris Zephro, Justin Mabry

 

FRIDAY, JULY 19

10:00 a.m.            CREEPY, EERIE: Dan Braun, Glenn Hetrick, Chris Zephro, Justin Mabry

10:00 a.m.            THE MONKEY KING: Katsuya Terada

11:00 a.m.            LONE WOLF AND CUB: Kazuo Koike

11:00 a.m.            SACRIFICE: Sam Humphries

12:00 p.m.            THE GUILD: Felicia Day *Ticketed event

12:00 p.m.            MIND MGMT: Matt Kindt

1:00 p.m.            STAR WARS: LEGACY: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman

1:00 p.m.            BANDETTE: Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover

2:00 p.m.            THE LAST OF US: Neil Druckmann, Faith Erin Hicks *Ticketed event

2:00 p.m.            LONE WOLF AND CUB: Kazuo Koike

2:00 p.m.            MASS EFFECT: Courtenay Taylor (voice actor of Jack), Mike Gamble

3:00 p.m.            THE FIFTH BEATLE: Vivek Tiwary, Andrew Robinson

3:00 p.m.            NUMBER 13: David Walker, Robert Love

4:00 p.m.            DRAGON AGE: Claudia Black (voice actor of Morrigan), Ben Gelinas, Nick Thornborrow *Ticketed event

4:00 p.m.            THE MONKEY KING: Katsuya Terada

5:00 p.m.            DARK HORSE PRESENTS: Shannon Wheeler (Villain House), Ulises Farinas and Erick Freitas (Gamma), Geoffrey Thorne and Todd Harris  (Genre 19)

5:00 p.m.            STAR WARS: Carlos d’Anda and Gabe Eltaeb (Star Wars), Randy Stradley and Doug Wheatley (Dark Times), Dan Parsons and Wes Dzioba (Dawn of the Jedi), Mark Irwin (Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin), Dave Wilkins (Legacy), Zack Giallongo (Ewoks: Shadows of Endor)

6:00 p.m.            TNT PRESENTS FALLING SKIES: Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, and  Falling Skies cast *Ticketed event

6:00 p.m.            CONCRETE PARK: Tony Puryear, Erika Alexander

 

SATURDAY, JULY 20

9:00 a.m.            LAST MAN STANDING: KILLBOOK OF A BOUNTY HUNTER: Daniel LuVisi

10:00 a.m.            EMILY AND THE STRANGERS: Rob Reger, Jessica Gruner

11:00 a.m.            ELFQUEST: Wendy and Richard Pini

11:00 a.m.            VALVE PRESENTS:  Jay Pinkerton, Erik Wolpaw, Heather Campbell, Tristan Reidford

12:00 p.m.            CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT: Josh Williamson, Raymond Swanland

BLACKOUT: Frank Barbiere, Micah Kaneshiro

THE OCCULTIST: Tim Seeley, Mike Norton

1:00 p.m.            AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, LEGEND OF KORRA: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki-Hyun Ryu, Gene Luen Yang, Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano from Gurihiru Studio

2:00 p.m.            THE GOON KICKSTARTER TEAM: Eric Powell, Tim Miller and Jeff Fowler from Blur Studio

3:00 p.m.            UNDERGROUND: Andrew Vachss

3:00 p.m.            BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL & FAITH: Georges Jeanty, Andrew Chambliss

4:00 p.m.            HOUSE OF GOLD & BONES: Corey Taylor *Ticketed event

5:00 p.m.            HELLBOY, B.P.R.D., ABE SAPIEN, BALTIMORE: Mike Mignola

5:00 p.m.            ITTY BITTY HELLBOY: Art Baltazar

6:00 p.m.            THE SHAOLIN COWBOY: Geof Darrow

6:00 p.m.            THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS: Becky Cloonan

 

SUNDAY, JULY 21

10:00 a.m.            BUNNY IN THE MOON: THE ART OF TARA MCPHERSON: Tara McPherson

10:00 a.m.            LAST MAN STANDING: KILLBOOK OF A BOUNTY HUNTER: Daniel LuVisi

11:00 a.m.            Joss Whedon *Ticketed event

12:00 p.m.            R.I.P.D.: Peter Lenkov

1:00 p.m.            ALIENS: INHUMAN CONDITION: John Layman

1:00 p.m.            47 RONIN: Mike Richardson, Stan Sakai

2:00 p.m.             EMILY AND THE STRANGERS: Rob Reger, Jessica Gruner, Buzz Parker

2:00 p.m.            HUSBANDS: Jane Espenson, Brad Bell, Sean Hemeon

*Events are subject to change.  Some restrictions apply.

 

DARK HORSE/PARTNER PANELS

 

Thursday, July 18 

11:45am – 12:45pm - Inside the Looking Glass: Building Halo Worlds and Wonders, Past, Present…and Future

Room 6BCF

Spartans Unite! Frank O’Connor (franchise development director), Dan Ayoub (executive producer), and other 343 Industries personnel celebrate and discuss the exciting new addition to the Halo universe Halo: Spartan Assault, the new comic book series from Dark Horse Comics, Halo: Initiation, and with some “Mega” surprises. Panelists include Nick McWhorter (director of custom programs, Dark Horse Comics), Graeme Jennings (senior producer, 343 Industries),Martin de la Ronde (creative director, Vanguard), and Brian Reed (franchise writer, Halo).

 1:00pm – 2:00pm - Dark Horse: (Super)Powered by Creators

Room 23ABC

The latter half of 2012 saw the return of two of Dark Horse’s classic characters, Ghost and X, the appearance of new faces like Michael Avon Oeming’s The Victories and Francesco Francavilla’s The Black Beetle, and the reimagination a hero from yesteryear, Captain Midnight! Join Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, PR director Jeremy Atkins, and a cast of the industry’s top talent, including Joe Casey (Catalyst, Sex), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), Duane Swierczynski (X, Two Past Midnight), Joshua Williamson (Captain Midnight, Masks and Mobsters), Tim Seeley and Mike Norton (Revival, The Occultist), along with comics newcomer Donny Cates (Buzzkill), for a look at an exciting new cast of characters!

2:00pm – 3:00pm - The Writer’s Journey: Breaking into Hollywood and Comic Scriptwriting

Room 9

As we move from the Insight to Indies panel, we’ll address the question every aspiring writer wants answered: “How do I break into the business?” If you are an unpublished writer with dreams of making it in the transmedia marketplace and you don’t know how or where to begin, this is the panel for you. Hollywood screenwriters and graphic novel producers Brandon M. Easton (ThunderCats (2011), Transformers: Rescue Bots), Geoffrey Thorne (TNT’s Leverage, Ben 10), Jonathan Callan (Ben 10, Generator Rex), veteran screenwriter Tony Puryear (the Schwarzenegger film Eraser), and actress/writer Erika Alexander (Maxine Shaw from Living Single and Concrete Park graphic novel from Dark Horse) share insider information, publishing secrets, and the professional realities on how to develop your ideas into a viable comics proposal. Topics include how to hire artists and build a strong contract, how to seek out a publisher, and how to navigate the tough new world of intellectual property management in the digital frontier.

4:30pm – 5:30pm - Creepy and Eerie REBORN and UNDEAD

Room 24ABC

Are you ready to experience the Creepiest of the Creepy? An evil assemblage of ghoulish creators discuss all things Creepy and Eerie. Artist Jason Shawn Alexander (House of Gold and Bones), Creepy writer and editor Dan Braun, producer Josh Braun (Button Man), and moderator J. C. Vaughn (Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide) discuss the influence of the original Warren Creepy and Eerie magazines relaunched at Dark Horse in hardcover archival editions, new comic books, and artist compilation formats. They’ll also divulge details about the upcoming Creepy feature film. With very special guests and extra-spooky giveaways!

6:00pm – 7:00pm - The Goon Kickstarter and Beyond with Eric Powell and Blur Studios

Room 9

Back in November, legions of fans rallied together to raise over $400,000 to put together a story reel for the David Fincher-produced feature film based on Eric Powell’s hit comic book series The Goon! Now, Kickstarter supporters and Comic-Con attendees alike will have a chance to catch an exclusive glimpse of this work in progress! Creator Eric Powell, Blur Studios owner Tim Miller, and veteran visual effects guru Jeff Fowler present an update on this crowdfunded full-length motion picture.

 

Friday, July 19

 10:00am – 11:00am - Star Wars Comics: Here and Now

Room 7AB

What is the current state of Star Wars comics? Join Dark Horse editor Randy Stradley and Star Wars creators Carlos D’Anda, Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman, Doug Wheatley, Gabe Eltaeb, Tom Taylor, Zack Giallongo, and others for the lowdown on what’s up, what’s coming up, and why you should be reading!

2:00pm – 3:00pm - A Tribute to Kim Thompson of Fantagraphics Books

Room 25ABC

Gary Groth, Eric Reynolds, and Mike Catron of Fantagraphics Books are joined by Dark Horse’s Diana Schutz and Love and Rockets co-creator Gilbert Hernandez to celebrate the life and career of Kim Thompson, whose legacy as co-publisher of Fantagraphics and bande dessinée‘s greatest ambassador in America spanned five decades.

3:00pm – 4:00pm - Four Colors of Fear: Horror in Comics Past and Present

Room 23ABC

Throughout comics’ storied history, horror has been an important part of the medium. In 2012 Dark Horse released its most ambitious horror publishing slate to date. Now, Dark Horse unveils a whole slate of new titles guaranteed to have you running for the covers! Join Dark Horse horror line editor Scott Allie, along with Eric Powell (The Goon), Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash/Ex Sanguine),Paul Tobin (Colder), Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko (Station to Station), and others, for an exciting look at this year’s most promising thrills and chills!

4:00pm – 5:00pm - The Art of Video Games

Room 7AB

Quite a bit has changed since Dark Horse first published Mass Effect in 2010, as the publisher has grown this line of books to include franchises like Last of Us, Dragon Age, Bioshock, The Legend of Zelda, and most recently, HALO and Tomb Raider! From canonical comics to beautiful hardcover art books, Dark Horse has firmly established that there is life for popular gaming franchises far beyond the games themselves. Dark Horse PR director Jeremy Atkins, creators Faith Erin Hicks and Neil Druckmann (The Last of Us),PopCap Games- Plants vs. Zombies Franchise Art Director Jeremy Vanhoozer, 343 Studios- Halo Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor and some surprise guest writers and artists offer a look at what’s to come.

5:00pm – 6:00pm - Breaking into Comics Right Now

Room 32AB

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 BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon, Dark Horse editor-in-chief Scott Allie, IDW Publishing chief creative officer and editor- in-chief Chris Ryall, and Archaia editor-in-chief Stephen Christy, give you up-to-date practical advice on how to break into the comic book industry.

6:00pm – 7:00pm - Rise of the Independents

Room 32AB

Word Balloon host John Suintres moderates a conversation with some of the brightest minds in independent comic publishing, including Image Comic’s director of business development Ron Richards, Dark Horse’s director of publicity Jeremy Atkins, BOOM! Studios’ VP of publishing and marketing Filip Sablik, and IDW’s VP of marketing Dirk Wood, discussing what they are doing to expand the marketplace.

6:15pm – 7:15pm - Dark Horse: Joss Whedon

Ballroom 20

Joss Whedon has 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 next, and get exclusive insight into Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, and much more!

6:45pm – 7:45pm - Animation Domination High-Def

Room 6DE

Nick Weidenfeld, head of FOX’s all-new Saturday late-night animation programming block, Animation Domination High-Def, will show an exclusive advance preview of two new animated series, Axe Cop and High School USA!, premiering July 27 on FOX. Joining Weidenfeld on the panel Q&A will be Axe Cop executive producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser (Drawn Together), High School USA! creator Dino Stamatopoulos (Community), Axe Cop comic creator Ethan Nicolle, and special surprise appearances by the series’ voice talent.

8:00pm – 9:00pm - Axe Cop

Room 6DE

Join brothers Ethan Nicolle and Malachai Nicolle, the 32-year-old and 9-year-old creators of the Dark Horse comic series Axe Cop, with surprise guests to celebrate the premiere of the new Axe Cop TV series as part of Animation Domination Hi-Def, beginning Saturday, July 27 on FOX. Panel events will include a live Ask Axe Cop Q&A, a series of staged battles between cosplayers choreographed by Malachai, and a screening of the premiere episode of Axe Cop.

8:00pm – 9:00pm - Husbands: The New Marriage

Room 7AB

The hit series Husbands has just completed filming its first new content under its exciting new relationship with the CW, and has already had a big year with the release of the hardcover Husbands comic book. Hear about the bouquet of new plans, new stories from the set, and the show’s ring of bigger-than-big guest stars. Creators Jane Espenson and Brad Bell are joined by Husbands’ co-stars Alessandra Torresani and Sean Hemeon, director Jeff Greenstein, and upcoming guest star Amy Acker (Angel, Dollhouse, Much Ado About Nothing)to discuss the much-anticipated future happiness of the comedy. Moderated by Jeff Jensen (Entertainment Weekly).

8:00pm – 10:00pm - Syfy Presents the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

The 25th annual Eisner Awards (the “Oscars” of the comics industry) honor comics creators and works in 30 categories. Presenters will include British talk show host/comics writer Jonathan Ross, bestselling author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neverwhere), actor John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Arrow), TV host Chris Hardwick (The Talking Dead, The Nerdist), nominee artist Becky Cloonan (Conan the Barbarian), Hall of Fame cartoonist Sergio Aragonés (Groo, MAD), writer/artist Bill Morrison (Bongo Comics), and voice actors Maurice LaMarche (Pinky and the Brain, Futurama), Lauren Tom (Futurama, King of the Hill), and David Herman (Office Space, Futurama), 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 20

11:00am – 12:00pm - Avatar the Last Airbender: Beginning and Beyond
Room 29A

This panel is for fans who can’t get enough of the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. Moderator Avatar_Mom, Kevin Coppa (Puppetbenders), Alisa Christopher (FatCat Gameworks), Gene Luen Yang (writer, The Promise/The Search), Gurihiru (artist team Sasaki and Kawano, The Promise/The Search), Sifu Kisu (martial arts coordinator), and Dante Basco (voice of Zuko/General Iroh) will be on hand to share their experiences and answer questions. Who knows, perhaps a surprise guest or two might stop in! Finally, the panel will end with a show of talented cosplay contestants.

1:30pm – 2:30pm - Star Wars vs. Serenity
Room 24ABC

Without question, Serenity fans and Star Wars devotees are two of most passionate groups in fandom. From the ongoing charity work of the Browncoats and the 501st/Rebel Legion alike, fans have taken these two massive science fiction franchises far beyond the screen. Now, Dark Horse is set to bring these two groups together for exclusive announcements, games, prizes, and more. Join Dark Horse PR director Jeremy Atkins, editor-in- chief Scott Allie, and Dark Horse resident Jedi Randy Stradley, a cast of writers and artists, and even a few surprise guests, for what is sure to be one of these year’s most memorable programs!

3:00pm – 4:00pm - Hellboy 20th Anniversary Panel
Room 4

This year’s Comic-Con marks the 20th anniversary of Mike Mignola’s best-loved beast. Hellboy has achieved the status in the industry typically reserved for characters created 40 years before him. Following up on the first arc on one of his most popular miniseries to date, the all-new Abe Sapien ongoing series, and the continuing adventures of the supporting cast of the BPRD, this will be one of the biggest Hellboy panels to date! Join creator Mike Mignola and Dark Horse editor-in-chief Scott Allie, for an open forum on your favorite cast of characters.

Sunday, July 21

10:00am – 11:00am - Emily the Strange Panel Experience
Room 23ABC

Join Emily the Strange creator Rob Reger and special guests to see the premiere of the Emily and the Strangers FIRST animated music video and single. See and hear private, behind-the-scenes footage in the recording studio and “making of” the animation. Take a sneak peek at the new comic book Emily and the Strangers #3 by Dark Horse Comics and hear more about the making of this new series and how it comes to life with Emily’s new band. There will be time for Q&A, including updates on the development of the motion picture with Universal Pictures and Dark Horse Entertainment. Reger will be encouraging “audience participation” to get giveaways, so bring on your strange and show him what you’ve got!

Dark Horse Announces Legend of Korra Art Book

Press Release:

Following the incredible success of the New York Times best-selling series of Avatar: The Last Airbender comics and the Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Art of the Animated Series art book, Dark Horse and Nickelodeon are collaborating on a gorgeous new art book that reveals previously unpublished art from the Legend of Korra animated series.

The Legend of Korra animated television series premiered four years after the conclusion of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series, elevating the Airbender franchise to a whole new level. Ever since the conclusion of season one, its insatiable fan base has been hungry for more!

This beautiful hardcover contains hundreds of pieces of never-before-seen artwork created during the development of season one of the show. With commentary from show creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko throughout, this is an intimate look inside the creative process that brought the mystical world of bending and a new generation of heroes to life!

The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series—Book One: Air is a must-have for any Airbender fan! This is the latest release in an ongoing partnership between Nickelodeon and Dark Horse to bring you the very best in Airbender books.

The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series—Book One: Air will be available for purchase on July 24.

Look for Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Art of the Animated Series now at a bookstore near you.

The Legend of Korra takes place seventy years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and follows the next Avatar after Aang—a girl named Korra 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 nonbenders from all nations live and thrive. Korra quickly discovers that the metropolis is plagued by crime as well as a growing antibending revolution that threatens to rip the city apart. Under the tutelage of Aang’s son Tenzin, Korra begins her airbending training while dealing with the dangers at large.

For an exclusive sneak peak at some interior pages from The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series-Book One: Air, check out Kotaku!

About Dark Horse Comics 

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of licensed comics material.

Legend of Korra at SDCC 2012

One of the big draws of this year’s Comic Con International was The Legend of Korra, Nickelodeon’s highly anticipated sequel to the popular cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender. With the first season recently concluded, Korra fans swarmed Comic-Con for panels and signings to grill the creators, artists, and voice over actors for hints to what may befall the new Avatar and her friends in the upcoming season. Series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko hosted a panel on Friday to reveal some details and animatics from the new season, titled “Spirits.” They were joined by co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos, voice director Andrea Romano, and voice actors David Faustino (Mako), P.J. Byrne (Bolin), Seychelle Gabriel (Asami), and Korra herself, Janet Varney. Many fans (including your intrepid reporter) were unable to get into Ballroom 20 for the panel (possibly because of all the Browncoats squatting. for the Firefly panel immediately following) but never fret because naturally the panel has been posted to the internet.

A signing followed at the Nickelodeon booth, upon which convention staff required tickets to be handed out to cut down on lage, aisle-blocking crowds. Unfortunately this news came down first thing that morning meaning everyone at the panel missed out and many people who expected a first-come, first-serve signing. The giveaways posters featured either the cast of Legend of Korra or adult renditions of the original cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The following day saw the Avatar Legacy Fan Panel which played to an overflowing audience and hosted special guests Bobby Rubio (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Pixar Studios, Alcatraz High), freelance concept artist DJ Welch (Dark Kenjie), Kevin Coppa (Puppet Benders), Gurihiru Studios artists Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano, and voice actors Dante Basco (Prince Zuko, General Iroh II) and Mae Whitman (Katara). Festivities included a martial arts demonstration by series consultant Sifu Kisu, a costume contest, and a live reading of the Dark Horse comic The Promise featuring Basco and Whitman reprising their roles as Zuko and Katara respectively and a lucky fan very aptly steping into the role of Avatar Aang. Big thanks to organizer Avatar_Mom for putting the whole thing together.

After that was a signing at the Dark Horse Booth with DiMartino, Konietzko, Dos Santos, Gurihiru, and series director Ki Hyun Ryu. This one was ticketed as well but that fact had been well advertised beforehand. Even so the long line was packed and shuffled around by Dark Horse staffers. By all indications the Korra fanship is growing and Nickelodeon, Dark Horse, and Comic-Con itself would be well-advised to take that into consideration when assigning them panel space and accomodating signing lines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

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).

Character of Music Panel at SDCC 2011

 

Press Release:

BMI and White Bear PR are proud to announce “The Character of Music” panel at Comic-Con International, the world’s largest pop culture convention. The panel will take place Thursday, July 21 at 2:30 p.m. in Room 6A at the San Diego Convention Center.  BMI composers Dan Licht, Jeremy Zuckerman, Benjamin Wynn, and Noah Sorota will discuss the importance of music in film and TV alongside their executive producer counterparts Sara Colleton (Emmy-winning Dexter), Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino (Emmy-winning Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Mark Verheiden (Falling Skies). Panelists will also discuss their working relationships, how music plays a character in their stories and the intense process of scoring their projects.  The panel discussion will be lead by Anne Cecere, Director of Film/TV Relations, BMI. The event is open only to Comic-Con badge holders; in addition to the insight of the panelists, attendees will also get sneak peeks into the participants’ current projects, as well as exclusive, free gifts.

The 2011 BMI “The Character of Music” Panelists

Dan Licht is an American film composer and musician, best known for composing the score for Showtime’s Emmy-winning series Dexter. Dan Licht’s numerous film and television credits include Hellraiser Bloodline, Stephen King’s Thinner and Permanent Midnight starring actor Ben Stiller. Licht has also written the music for several TV series including the new ABC drama Body of Proof, Jake in Progress and Kitchen Confidential. He is currently scoring the videogame Silent Hill: Downpour for Konami, which will be released this October. In addition, Licht scored the new documentary Dumbstruck, which explores the world of ventriloquists. Most recently, Licht was awarded two BMI Film & TV Awards for his work on Dexter and Body of Proof; he is also an Emmy contender for those two TV shows this season in the dramatic underscore category. The sixth season of Dexter premieres this fall and ABC recently renewed Body of Proof for a second season.

Jeremy Zuckerman is a highly-accomplished composer and electric guitarist whose work has been heard across the country, from the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He graduated magna cum laude with his bachelor’s degree in Music Production & Technology and Synthesis from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied with electronic music composer Richard Boulanger. His desire to delve further into composition and sound design within the context of new technologies led him to the other coast, to the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with composers Morton Subotnick and Mark Trayle, and earned his master’s degree in Composition New Media. He occasionally returns to CalArts as a guest lecturer. In addition to his work with the Track Team, Jeremy has collaborated with choreographers, theater directors, and rock artist David Lee Roth. As a performer, he has played guitar, synthesizers, Hammond organ and Rhodes piano. He has also studied and played the Chinese guzheng and pipa, and the Armenian duduk for his original compositions. In 2009, Jeremy was chosen to be an artist-in-residence at the prestigious Djerassi Arts Program in Northern California. He plays guitar in the L.A.-based funk band Cousin Junebug, and likes to get his hands dirty building his own guitar pedals.

Under the name Deru, Benjamin Wynn is signed to the label Mush Records and has released three albums, as well as many remixes and compilations for labels such as Merck and Ghostly International. His style might be best described as an amalgam of hip-hop and electronica, and as Deru, Wynn plays live in clubs and festivals in the U.S. and Europe. Wynn grew up in Chicago, where his earliest influences came across the airwaves of the legendary University of Chicago radio station WHPK, and JP-Chill.  He continued his sonic explorations at the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied synthesis, signal processing, acoustics, music theory, and composition, and earned a bachelor’s degree in music technology. While at CalArts, Ben also delved into world music, studying Balinese gamelan, African drumming and hand percussion. Ben’s multi-layered musical sensibility combines hip-hop, electronic, world music and classical composition. In 2007, Ben collaborated with composer Joby Talbot on the score to Wayne McGregor’s ballet, Genus, based on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, commissioned by the Paris Opera Ballet. The ambitious eight-part score combines electronics with 10-part choir, and string instruments. That score is available on Ant-Zen and Dear Oh Dear Records.

After two years working as a staff composer at a music library, Noah Sorota’s music caught the ear of Hans Zimmer, who asked him to come to Remote Control Productions.  There he worked on a number of major motion pictures and other projects including Transformers, The Simpsons Movie, The Dark Knight, Angels and Demons, Henri IV, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Clash of the Titans, Rango (videogame), and X-Men: First Class. Noah was also a featured violinist on Guy Richie’s Sherlock Holmes, Game of Thrones, and 3 Musketeers. In 2010, Steven Spielberg gave Noah his first major composition project: Falling Skies. Noah continues to work on a wide variety of film and television projects in addition to writing concert music when time permits.

Sara Colleton is an American television and film producer. She has worked as an executive producer on the Showtime drama series Dexter since 2006 and has received several Emmy nominations for her work on the series. Colleton joined the crew of Dexter as an executive producer for the pilot episode in 2006. She returned as an executive producer for the first season. She has remained an executive producer since. As an executive producer she was co-nominated for the Outstanding Drama Series award at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Bryan Konietzko is the co-creator and executive producer of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. He has also worked as a character designer at Film Roman for Family Guy and as Assistant Director for Mission Hill and King of the Hill. He was a Storyboard Artist and Art Director for the Nickelodeon animated series Invader Zim. Konietzko also has a band for which he has released several albums, including Our Ancestor’s Intense Love Affair and At Night, Under Artificial Light. In a 2010 interview the president of Nickelodeon, Cyma Zarghami, confirmed that Bryan Konietzko and Avatar: The Last Airbender co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino are developing a new series for the network, called The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra. Konietzko graduated from Roswell High School in Roswell, Georgia, north of Atlanta, and then went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1998. Brian Konietzko is also an independent music producer under the name Ginormous.

Michael Dante DiMartino is an American animation director, best known as the co-creator, executive producer and story editor of the hit TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender on Nickelodeon. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design with Bryan Konietzko, with whom he created Avatar. Before Avatar, Mike worked for twelve years at Film Roman, helping to direct King of the Hill, Family Guy, and Mission Hill in addition to his own animated short, Atomic Love, which was screened at a number of high profile film festivals. In a 2010 interview the president of Nickelodeon, Cyma Zarghami, confirmed that Michael Dante DiMartino and Avatar: The Last Airbender co-creator Bryan Konietzko are developing a new series for the network, called The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra.

Mark Verheiden is the co-executive producer and writer for the new TNT hit drama series Falling Skies.  Falling Skies comes to TNT from DreamWorks Television and Executive Producer Steven Spielberg.  Verheiden served as a writer and co-executive producer for three seasons of the Peabody Award-winning series Battlestar Galactica, writing nine episodes. He was also consulting producer/writer for seasons three and four of Heroes and writer/co-executive producer for the first three seasons of Smallville. In addition, he created the series Timecop for ABC. Previously, Verheiden wrote the screenplays for the feature films Timecop, The Mask and My Name is Bruce. He has also written many graphic novels, including the bestselling Dark Horse series Aliens and Predator, Superman and Superman/Batman, as well as his own creation, The American.

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