My latest Life in Comics is up at Publishers Weekly!
I did something for Comic-Con that I haven’t done in a long time: I made note of those I’d like to attend. Because of baby-imposed limitations, I probably won’t get to some of those that will require standing in line for long periods of time, but we’ll see how it goes. Here are the ones I picked out:
THURSDAY
10:00-11:00 The Spark of Imagination— Peek inside the minds of leading authors and filmmakers to explore how imagination informs the creative process. New York Times bestselling children’s author Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles) details the precedent-setting augmented reality used in his new Simon & Schuster novel The Search for Wondla; LAIKA president/CEO Travis Knight (lead animator, Coraline) explains his studio’s commitment to bold subject matter; artist/writer Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) pinpoints how and where inspiration strikes; director John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda) explores how creativity is enhanced by artistic collaboration in moviemaking; and graphic novelist and Comic-Con special guest Doug TenNapel (Earthworm Jim) describes exactly how a blank page comes to be inhabited with his compelling imagery. Join moderator Geoff Boucher, reporter and HeroComplex.com blogger with The Los Angeles Times, for this fascinating panel discussion and Q&A. Room 25ABC
MY NOTES: I would have liked to see some women on this panel, to perhaps see how women and men develop their creativity differently. Being creative is often very self-centric — you have to believe that what your mind invents is engaging and important enough for others to be interested in it, and I think that boys and men are often socialized in such a way that makes it easier for them to accept such a belief. (I won’t be able to attend this panel because I won’t arrive in San Diego until 3.)
10:30-11:30 Danny Elfman— From Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure to Alice in Wonderland, composer Danny Elfman discusses his 25-year collaboration with director Tim Burton. Their legendary partnership includes such films as Beetle Juice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Joining Mr. Elfman will be Warner Brothers Records executives to announce their plans to celebrate this quarter-century milestone. Room 6BCF
MY NOTES: I’ll have to choose between this panel and the preceding one. Honestly, this is the one I’d drop. I love music, but I’m not a musician (I play the piano at a shaky intermediate level), so I think the other panel will be more relevant to my interests.
1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen— Pinocchio the Vampire Slayer creators and Comic-Con special guests Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen are spotlighted in a panel moderated by Heidi MacDonald. The pair talk about the origins of their project, their reactions to the positive feedback — which included having their debut graphic novel from SLG Publishing named as one of the top 10 best graphic novels for teens by the Young Adult Library Service — and show art from the upcoming sequel. Room 3
MY NOTES: I’ve mentioned before that when my boss told me about Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer
6:00-7:00 Universal: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World— Genre-bending filmmaker Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), graphic novel author Bryan Lee O’Malley, and the cast of Universal Pictures’ Scott Pilgrim vs. the World provide a sneak peek of summer 2010′s epic of epic epicness. Joining Wright will be our hero, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera of Superbad); Scott’s two current girlfriends, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead of The Thing) and Knives Chau (Ellen Wong of Unnatural History); his band, SEX BOB-OMB: Kim Pine (Alison Pill of Milk) and Stephen Stills (Mark Webber of Broken Flowers); SEX BOB-OMB super-fan Young Neil (Johnny Simmons of Jennifer’s Body); Scott’s awesome roommate, Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin of Igby Goes Down); and four of Ramona’s seven evil exes: Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha of Fair Game), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh of Superman Returns), Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman of Funny People) and Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman of Parenthood); plus Scott’s younger sister, Stacey Pilgrim (Anna Kendrick of Up in the Air), and the obnoxious Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation). Q&A to follow. Hall H
MY NOTES: I don’t anticipate being able to get into this one, not even if I say something like, “C’mon, I liked Bryan Lee O’Malley
FRIDAY
10:00-11:00 From Fan to Creator: Goal Setting for Creative Types— Which side of the convention table do you want to be on, artist or fan? And what’s keeping you from getting there? If you have a project in mind that you’ve had trouble bringing into reality, you might benefit from this fun and practical goal-setting workshop, designed specifically for the Comic-Con crowd. Hailed as the “Tony Robbins of Geeks,” motivational speaker Douglas Neff will give you simple, proven techniques for achieving your most important goals. Whether you want to write your own screenplay, draw your first comic, or shoot your independent film, you’re sure to get something useful from this informative and energizing workshop. Room 24ABC
MY NOTES: I’m not so keen on someone branding themselves the “Tony Robbins of Geeks,” but we’ll see how this goes. I like workshops. I have an MFA, after all.
5:00-6:00 Girls Gone Genre: Movies, TV, Comics, Web— Meet and talk with women who write, read, game, and perform in arenas that are historically and statistically dominated by men. What’s it like to try and get a job in a field where most of your competitors and colleagues are guys? Can women write men, and vice versa? And what happens when traditionally “male” genres are reinvented by female writers and embraced by female fans? Sex and the City it ain’t! Meet the women who like to play with trucks and Barbies…and Wolverine action figures. And flux capacitors. Featuring Felicia Day (writer/producer, The Guild; actress, The Guild, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog), Kathryn Immonen (writer, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds), Laeta Kalogridis (screenwriter/producer, Shutter Island, Ghost in the Shell, Avatar), Marti Noxon (screenwriter/producer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Mad Men, I Am Number Four, Fright Night), Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter/producer, Dexter, The Twilight Saga), and Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey).Moderated by Io9′s Annalee Newitz. Room 24ABC
MY NOTES: Oh, so there are the women I hoped would be on that first panel! I do think giving women their own forum to talk about creative work in male-dominated industries is smart, but wouldn’t it be nice if it weren’t necessary?
SATURDAY
12:45-1:30 Futurama— Celebrate Futurama‘s triumphant re-return to the airwaves! World-premiere footage will offer an exciting and informative glimpse of Comic-Con in the year 3010. Panelists include executive producers Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, cast members Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, and Maurice LaMarche, director Crystal Chesney-Thompson, writers Ken Keeler and Patric M. Verrone, and animation producer Claudia Katz. Ballroom 20
MY NOTES: I went to the very first Futurama panel at Comic-Con way back when (at least I think it was the first one), and it was loads of fun. They had an advance screening of a new episode. “These balls are making me testy!”
1:30-2:30 Comics Criticism— Comics are a staple of the arts and book review sections of everything from The New York Times and Publishers Weekly to a current golden age of published biography and history, such as Gerard Jones’s Men of Tomorrow, R. C. Harvey’s Meanwhile…, and David Michaelis’s Schulz and Peanuts. Some of the nation’s leading critics discuss the state of the art and the state of its journalism, 2010. Panelists include Gary Groth (The Comics Journal), Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics), Brian Doherty (Radicals for Capitalism), Ben Schwartz (editor, Best American Comics Criticism), and R. Fiore (Funnybook Roulette). Room 4
MY NOTES: Mmmm… seriousness. I’ve been considering how to get started at writing comics criticism professionally. My background is in literature , so I know how to read and analyze. I’ve been wary about conflict of interest because of my job, but I’m starting to think that doesn’t matter.
3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Ray Bradbury— He was at the very first Comic-Con and we kind of think he’ll be at the very last one, too, far off in the future. Science fiction author Ray Bradbury is literally a national treasure. Ray talks with biographer Sam Weller and moderator writer/producer Arnold Kunert in his yearly visit with his fans at Comic-Con. Room 6DE
MY NOTES: Ray Bradbury!
3:00-4:00 NBC’s Community Cast and Creative Team— The cast and producers — Joel McHale (The Soup), Chevy Chase (Hot Tub Time Machine), Donald Glover (30 Rock), Yvette Nicole Brown (Rules of Engagement), Danny Pudi (Greek), Gillian Jacobs (Choke), Alison Brie (Mad Men) and executive producers Dan Harmon (The Sarah Silverman Program), Joe Russo (Arrested Development), Anthony Russo (Arrested Development), Neil Goldman (Scrubs), Garrett Donovan (Scrubs) and Russ Krasnoff (The Soloist) — are on hand for an animated discussion and Q&A session about what’s in store for viewers this fall. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront
MY NOTES: God, I love Community. It’s streets ahead any new show out there. It taps into pop culture in a way that’s funny and sweet, and somehow it reminds me of the best parts of John Hughes movies. (With the improvement that the people of color aren’t there just for… well, color.)
3:30-4:30 Comics in the Classroom— Comics are becoming increasingly common in elementary and secondary classrooms. But how can teachers incorporate comics into their course curriculums? This panel provides practical strategies for teachers to do just that. Presented by Anastasia Betts (UCLA), Christina Blanch (Ball State University), Deborah Ford (San Diego Unified School District), and Tracy White (NYU). Moderated by Chris Butcher (The Beguiling). Room 26AB
MY NOTES: Once upon a time, my ambition was to be a college professor or high school English teacher. My interest in academia is long-standing, but I’m not sure what I might get out of this, seeing as I’m not a college professor or high school English teacher. Maybe I will be someday, though, who knows.
