The schedule for this year’s events for Wonder-Con 2012 have been announced by comic-con.org.
Check out the list below (subject to change):
FRIDAY, MARCH 16
12:30-1:30 IDW Presents: THE IDW Panel!— Chief creative officer Chris Ryall and sergeant of marketing Dirk Wood, give out prizes, make announcements, and evade questions! Featuring a host of creators, including Steve Niles, Ben McCool, Jason Ciaramella and more! All this, plus the Smoke & Mirrors boys, Mike Costa and Jon Armstrong, perform live magic! Yes, you read that right! Room 203
Tags: Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
12:30-1:30 TheOneRing.net Hobbit Movie Insider’s Preview— Ringers everywhere are eagerly awaiting Peter Jackson’s new Hobbit films during the 75th anniversary year of the book’s publication! Staff writers and scholars from TheOneRing.net web portal invite you to join this lively panel revealing film production surprises and a zealous shredding of rumors! Led by Clifford Broadway (Ringers: Lord of the Fans), Josh Rubinstein (Star Trek: TNG Blu-ray), Cathy Udovch (Cruise to Middle-earth), and Mike Urban (The People’s Guide to J. R. R. Tolkien). Room 207
Tags: Fandom | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy
12:30-1:30 Insight into Indy Publishing— The Antidote Trust, America’s #1 indy collective, returns with more insights on everything related to independent comics. Professional screenplay writers of Leverage, Ben 10, and other programs, published novelists (Book Strand), an online comics award nominee, and a winner of the inaugural Glyph award for Indy comics are among the half-dozen panelists who share their input and experiences on everything needed to create, produce, market, and distribute comics in multiple media. You’re invited to share your insights, too! Room 208
Tags: Comic Books
12:30-1:30 CAC Session 1: Iron Man, Robopocalypse, and the Future of Humanity— In E. Paul Zehr’s speculative nonfiction book Inventing Iron Man: The Possibility of a Human Machine, the real-life implications of linking humans to robotic technologies in the form of brain machine interface are explored. Daniel H. Wilson’s novel Robopocalypse is set in a future where human biology and technology have become seamlessly integrated. Society has become increasingly reliant on automation and robotics and comes face to face with its own extinction when a sentient artificial intelligence is unleashed on the world. This panel contains a discussion on robotics and technological fusion now and in the future using concepts in Iron Man comics, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, robotics, and the dystopian novel Robopocalypse. Room 210
Tags: Comic Books | Comics Arts Conference
12:30-1:30 Hollywood and Comics— With its combination of words and visuals in one attractive package, a comic book can be a great sales tool when pitching your project to studios. To sell the movie rights to your comic you need to know how Hollywood deal making really works. Join comic creators who have successfully navigated the movie business in this discussion of best practices. Panelists include Martin Shapiro (Chopper), Scott Mitchell Rosenberg (Cowboys and Aliens), Jesse Berger (untitled Tom Cruise sci-fi project), Andrew Cosby (Eureka), Derek Hoffman (X-Men: First Class), Chris Tongue (Dark Horse), and Benjamin Jackendoff (Zenescope). Room 211
Tags: Animation | Comic Books | Movies | Television
1:00-2:00 DC Comics: All Access— A lot can happen in a year! Come by for unfiltered access to DC editors as they talk all things DC! Find out what they have to share from behind the scenes at your favorite and most talked about comics publisher. Joining the All-Access party will be some of the industry’s top talents, so don’t miss out! Room 204
Tags: Comic Books
1:00-2:00 Richard Hatch: So Say We All— Actor, author, and director Richard Hatch (Capt. Apollo, Tom Zarek, So Say We All) hosts a discussion and Q&A on the past, present, and future of Battlestar Galactica, including BG trailers, comic reels, and special surprise guests. Room 213
Tags: Fandom | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
1:30-2:30 Indy Toymaker Roundtable— Independent toymakers spill their secrets on how to successfully create and market awesome plush and vinyl toys. Learn from toy world luminaries Nitin Bhargava (Kidrobot), Dan Goodsell (Mr. Toast), Kerry Horvath and Darth Rimmer (Evil Ice Cream), Patrick Lam (Munky King), Kris Schantz (Happy Worker), and Doug Gauthier (Hey Soupface). Moderated by Wendy Bryan (I Heart Guts). Turn your sketches into something you can hold! Room 203
Tags: Art & Illustration
1:30-2:30 Monsters Anonymous— Comics and prose authors discuss the pros and cons of world-building with monsters and whether or not to make them known to that world’s public. Panelists include WonderCon special guest Mike Mignola (Hellboy), with Amber Benson (How to Be Death) and Christopher Farnsworth (The President’s Vampire), in discussion with Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 207
Tags: Comic Books | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
1:30-2:30 Pitching Diversity— You made it through the iron gates to pitch your project. When do you bring up the diversity of your characters? Forcefully at the outset, scribbled on a well-hidden Post-It note, or in a closing utterance as you flee out the door? How do diverse actors pitch themselves for all roles? Widelantern.com delves into this topic as its writer Ken Choy moderates a roundtable discussion with Brandon Easton (Shadowlaw, Thundercats), Randall Park (Supah Ninjas), Teresa Huang (Knight Rider remake), Charles Howard (Producers Guild of America Diversity Committee), Adam Wolman (Widelantern co-founder; creative consultant), and Frank Gonzalez (director, talent development and diversity, Disney/ABC Television Group). Room 208
Tags: Movies | Television
1:30-2:30 CAC Session 2: All I Really Need to Know, I Learned from Batman and Bart, Man: Embiggening Brains Without Crayon Implants— Sure, they’re entertaining, but can comic book superheroes and cartoon characters teach us anything useful in the real world? A trio of professors discuss how they’re using fictional characters to introduce students to nonfictional subjects. Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) and Dr. E. Paul Zehr (Becoming Batman, Inventing Iron Man) explore the psychology and biology of Gotham’s Dark Knight, his allies, and his many foes. Dr. Karma Waltonen (The Simpsons in the Classroom) explains how instructors can use comics as a jumping-off point to introduce concepts in literature, composition, linguistics, cultural studies, gender studies, and media appreciation. Room 210
Tags: Comic Books | Comics Arts Conference
1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Mark Waid— WonderCon special guest Mark Waid is the author of Daredevil, Kingdom Come, Irredeemable, and much, much more. Mark will discuss his 25-year career in comics, peppering the discussion with advice, inside stories, and talk of his vision of the medium’s future — where he will announce his biggest undertaking yet! Room 211
Tags: Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
2:00-3:00 Quick Draw!— It’s another battle to the death with Sharpies at twenty paces! Three of the fastest cartoonists alive draw and duel in what is always a standing-room-only event at Comic-Con in San Diego. This time, we have Scott Shaw! (The Simpsons), Disney legend Floyd Norman, and a player to be named later, all sketching like mad on the command of Mark Evanier. If you’ve never seen one of these, you need to experience it! Room 204
Tags: Cartooning and Comic Strips | Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
2:00-3:00 Cartoon Network: Regular Show— Ooooohhhh! Come check out the most awesome Regular Show Q&A ever, featuring show creator and voice of Mordecai, J. G. Quintel. You wanna know who else is regular? (ok, we couldn’t resist). Seriously, come to the panel to hear what’s up with super slackers Mordecai and Rigby and more! Room 213
Tags: Animation | Television
2:30-3:30 Spotlight on Ryan Sook— WonderCon special guest Ryan Sook, current DC The New 52 cover artist, participates in a Q&A session about his art and career. Find out about his process in creating covers for the Justice League Dark and DCU Presents. Learn who his favorite artists are and what comics he loves, and hear what he has to say about whatever other topics you want to bring to the discussion. Room 203
Tags: Art & Illustration | Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
2:30-3:30 MARVEL: House of Ideas— Love having the best comics in the industry on your mobile devices? Want to know how Marvel stays on the cutting edge of technology while bringing you fans what you’ve come to love? Well, this panel is for you, True Believer! Get exciting news on what’s happening on the Marvel Comics App, Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, and more in this can’t miss panel. Room 207
Tags: Comic Books
2:30-3:30 Shonen Jump Fan Meet-Up— Listen to a thrilling pitch about the benefits of being an SJ Alpha member! Grill the Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha editors in a live Q&A session! Then hang out with them and a room full of Shonen Jump fans! Win prizes at the trivia contest! Join the live fan art jams! Celebrate all things SJ-related! Meet Urian Brown, lead hype-man of #TEAMJUMP, specializing in video games, anime, and wacky antics, and Misaki Kido, female leader of #TEAMJUMP, and challenge her manga knowledge or ask for advice about your own manga…if you dare! Room 208
Tags: Anime & Manga | Comic Books | Fandom
2:30-4:00 CAC Session 3: Comics and Form— Ever consider how comics work? This panel examines the structures that create the stories. Amber Bowyer (University of Southern California) explores the relationship among comics, semiotics, continuity, and history to better imagine the history of comics’ materiality, interactivity, and affect. Dr. Kathleen Dunley (Rio Salado College) looks at Seth’s The Great Northern Brotherhood of Canadian Cartoonists as a palimpsest, in which as the new text is written, the original text remains visible, creating a ghosting between past and present. She explores how Seth’s visual representation of the palimpsest relates to how the past is created and reconfigured across the narrative. Dr. Nhora Serrano (California State University, Long Beach) looks at Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, and in particular the veiled and unveiled narrator, arguing that this self-portrait is a representation of the concealment, exposure as well as erasure, that is inherent in comics. Room 210
Tags: Comic Books | Comics Arts Conference
2:30-3:30 Spotlight on Eric Powell— Special guest Eric Powell (The Goon) and his collaborator Tracy Marsh (Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters) discuss things they don’t like over pastries and disillusionment. New projects might also be discussed. If this isn’t the most fun panel at WonderCon, it will without doubt be the worst episode of Intervention ever. Room 211
Tags: Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
3:00-4:00 It Was 30 Years Ago Today: Celebrating 1982 — Greatest Geek Year Ever!— It’s time to celebrate, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to fete (not Boba, just fete) the greatest geek year ever; three decades later and we’re all here to tell about it. Geek Monthly editor Jeff Bond is joined by screenwriter Ashley E. Miller (Thor, X-Men: First Class), director Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise, The Hills Run Red), writer Steve Melching (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers: The Series), Daren Dochterman (ST: TMP Special Edition), and Bill Hunt (The Digital Bits) along with guests as they discuss the year that gave us Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Blade Runner, E.T., Tron, Poltergeist, Conan: The Barbarian, The Road Warrior, The Thing, Liquid Sky (Liquid Sky? Really?!?), Battletruck, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and many more. Plus a look forward at the summer of 2012, including The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man, Prometheus, Dark Shadows, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Can it compare? You be the judge. On second thought, they’ll be the judge. Room 204
Tags: Comic Books | Fandom | Movies
3:00-4:00 Creating Animated Series— What does it take to create or develop an animated TV series? Do you have to be a writer? An artist or animator? Both? Neither? What do you have to have to pitch an idea, and what are the studios and networks looking for? Members of the Writers Guild of America’s Animation Writers Caucus who have created and developed series and network/studio executives who buy them talk about it and answer your questions. Featuring Craig Miller (Beast Wars, Curious George), Stan Berkowitz (The 99, Justice League), and Duane Capizzi (Transformers Prime, The Batman). Room 213
Tags: Animation | Television
3:30-4:30 comiXology Open Discussion: Everything Digital!— Digital comics are the hottest topic and fastest-growing segment of the comic industry — with comic fans, retailers, and publishers embracing this new distribution and retail model. From self-publishing to same-day-as-print sales, digital retailer storefronts, and more, comiXology is the undisputed leader in this, the digital charge. Join CEO and co-founder of comiXology David Steinberger along with guest panelists for an open discussion on everything digital. All topics are game! Room 203
Tags: Comic Books
3:30-4:30 Spotlight on J. Michael Straczynski— Normally, special guest JMS does his spotlights all by himself. This year, the event is moderated by DC editor-in-chief Dan DiDio, who will attempt to get pertinent information by asking impertinent questions about the writer, his work, and his life. We expect this to end in a Tunguska-sized crater. Room 207
Tags: Comic Books | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances | Television
3:30-4:30 Making Animation History with The Last Unicorn— The classic 1982 animated fantasy is literally being pulled apart and remade on a frame-by-frame basis, using groundbreaking techniques and technologies to upgrade the look and feel of the film. This new enhanced/extended version will premiere theatrically in both 2D and 3D in 2014. Learn what’s being done from creators Peter S. Beagle (novelist and screenwriter), Connor Cochran (director), and Terri Kempton and Suren M. Seron (co-producers). Room 208
Tags: Animation | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy
3:30-4:30 Spotlight on Rebekah Isaacs— WonderCon special guest Rebekah Isaacs (artist of Angel & Faith) discusses her artistic process, breaking into the comics industry, and being a cat lover in a dog lovers’ world. Audience Q&A will follow. Room 211
Tags: Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
4:00-5:00 How to Get a Job in the Video Gaming Industry— Francis Mao (CAPCOM) leads a panel of industry insiders from a variety of game companies and industry outlets to share how they got to “play video games for a living,” and the wide assortment of career paths that are available. You don’t have to be a programming whiz or a stellar digital artist to have a fun career in the video game industry. Hear about jobs in the areas of public relations, marketing, retail, publishing, editorial, and more! Plus a Q&A session. Room 204
Tags: Games
4:00-5:00 Michael Golden Workshop— WonderCon special guest and famed comics artist Michael Golden talks about his art and design process in this workshop. Room 210
Tags: Art & Illustration | Seminars & Workshops | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
4:00-5:00 MARVEL: Amazing Spider-Man— It’s Spider-Man’s 50th anniversary and Marvel is celebrating all year long! With Peter Parker about to go to “The Ends of the Earth” in a battle against Doctor Octopus, they’re only getting started! Join superstar artist Humberto Ramos (The Amazing Spider-Man) and others as they give you insight into what’s down the line for everyone’s favorite web-slinger. And with issue #700 just a few months away, there’s no telling what may happen before then! Room 213
Tags: Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
4:00-5:30 Exclusive Warner Bros. Television Screenings: Person of Interest and The Secret Circle— For the third straight year, Warner Bros. Television kicks off WonderCon with exclusive preview screenings of upcoming original episodes of fan-favorite series. For 2012, WBTV will screen episodes of the first-year hit dramas Person of Interest and The Secret Circle.
Person of Interest: Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line), Comic-Con favorite Michael Emerson (Lost) and Taraji P. Henson (Hustle & Flow) team up in this thought-provoking crime action-drama from The Dark Knight’s Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions (Fringe, Lost, Alias). Set in New York City, with all of its multifaceted elements of justice (cops, criminals, corruption), Person of Interest centers on an ex-CIA agent, presumed dead, who partners with a mysterious billionaire to prevent violent crimes, and the detectives tracking them. Person of Interest makes its WonderCon debut with a screening of a complete episode to kick off WonderCon 2012. In addition to Caviezel, Emerson, and Henson, Kevin Chapman (Rescue Me) also stars in Person of Interest, which airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS. Jonathan Nolan, J.J. Abrams (Star Trek), Greg Plageman (Cold Case), and Bryan Burk (Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol) are the executive producers of the series, from Bonanza Productions in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
The Secret Circle: The ordinary becomes the extraordinary in The Secret Circle, a drama full of mystery, intrigue, and danger from executive producer Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries) and based on the book series by L. J. Smith (The Vampire Diaries). The series chronicles the story of a young girl who discovers not only that she is a witch and part of a secret coven but that she is the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil. WBTV has conjured up a WonderCon exclusive premiere screening of the “Cursed” episode, a full six days in advance of its on-air debut Thursday, March 22, at 9/8c on The CW. Britt Robertson (Scream 4), Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Gale Harold (Queer as Folk), Phoebe Tonkin (H20: Just Add Water), Shelley Hennig (Days of Our Lives), Jessica Parker Kennedy (50/50), Chris Zylka (upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man), and Natasha Henstridge (Species) star in the series, which is executive produced by Williamson, Andrew Miller (Nothing), Andrea Newman (Human Target), Leslie Morgenstein (The Vampire Diaries), and Gina Girolamo (The Lying Game). From Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, The Secret Circle airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.
Ballroom, Third Level
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
4:30-5:30 Spotlight on Renae De Liz— Meet one of the rising stars of the industry! Acclaimed artist and WonderCon special guest Renae De Liz (The Last Unicorn) was building a rabid following even before she masterminded the Kickstarter runaway smash success project Womanthology! Room 203
Tags: Art & Illustration | Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
4:30-5:30 Spotlight on Mike Mignola— Hellboy creator and WonderCon special guest Mike Mignola talks about his signature creation and the upcoming year in the Hellboy universe, when the big red horned guy visits…Hell! Room 207
Tags: Animation | Comic Books | Movies | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
4:30-5:30 Triumph of the Small Screen— Angry Birds and Pocket God are just two entertainment brands that were born as smartphone apps before jumping to the worlds of comic books, animation, movies, plush toys, and more. Chris Ulm (former editor-in-chief, Malibu Comics), Farzad Varahramyan (designer, Aliens vs. Predator, Jumanji, Escape From Witch Mountain, The Thing), Emmanuel Valdez (game director, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, Darkwatch, Bourne Conspiracy), and Paul O’Connor (game designer, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, author of the Longbox Graveyard comic book blog) will discuss the promise and special challenges of this exploding new art form. Room 208
Tags: Animation | Comic Books | Games
4:30-5:30 The Writer’s Journey: Breaking into Comic Book and Hollywood Scriptwriting— Every aspiring writer wants to know one thing: “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 (Warner Bros. Animation’s ThunderCats), Geoffrey Thorne (TNT’s Leverage), Keto Shimizu (Syfy’s Being Human), and Jonathan Callan (Generator Rex) 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. Room 211
Tags: Comic Books | Movies | Television
5:00-6:00 The Visual Technology Behind Action, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Filmmaking— Action, sci-fi, and fantasy are all genres that depend heavily on visual effects to effectively portray the vast fictional worlds in which they take place. Join the film industry’s leading visual technology and previsualization experts to learn the latest and greatest technology trends and advances behind some of the biggest fan-favorite blockbusters such as Avatar and Cowboys & Aliens and upcoming films such as Battleship and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two. This panel offers audience members a new behind-the-scenes perspective using the latest technology, revealing never-before-seen footage, and more! Daniel Gregoire, founder and CEO of Halon Entertainment has worked side by side with the most highly respected directors in the business, including Steven Spielberg (War of the Worlds and Indiana Jones 4) and Jon Favreau (Cowboys & Aliens); Brad Alexander, CG supervisor on James Cameron’s Avatar and exciting upcoming films; and Patrice Avery, a producer with over 20 years of experience in feature/TV animation, VFX and video game production, will lead a group of top VFX and technology artists in this panel. Room 204
Tags: Animation | Games | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
5:00-6:00 Marv Wolfman: Writing Q&A— For years WonderCon special guest Marv Wolfman (writer/editor in comics, animation, video games, and other media) has conducted writing seminars at Comic-Con International as well as many other conventions around the world. This time, rather than give a formal writing lecture, Marv wants to answer your questions (specific to material you’re working on or more general in nature) and discuss how to think about your writing even before you begin. Please come to the workshop with questions. Room 210
Tags: Animation | Comic Books | Games | Seminars & Workshops | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
5:00-6:00 Famous TV Theme Music— Composers of popular television theme songs discuss their writing process and their influences. Charles Fox (The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, Love Boat, Happy Days), Jeremy Zuckerman & Benjamin Wynn (Avatar the Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra), and additional panelists discuss their contributions to TV theme music. Moderated by Anne Cecere, director of Film & TV relations of BMI, and Chandler Poling, White Bear PR founder. Attendees will get see a select clip from the new series The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra. Room 213
Tags: Animation | Television
5:30-6:30 BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM! Panel— Join BOOM! Studios as they take over Room 203 at WonderCon for one full hour. Learn what is next from BOOM! as Ross Richie and Matt Gagnon run down the most exciting new projects from BOOM! Studios, KaBOOM!, And BOOM! Town. Room 203
Tags: Comic Books
5:30-6:30 Vertigo: New Blood— They come from the cutting edge of comics…and Vertigo has never been edgier, with thought-provoking titles from some of comics’ most acclaimed creators. Senior editor Will Dennis, all-star writer and WonderCon special guest Scott Snyder (American Vampire), and others appear on this must-see panel featuring the latest news on all your favorite Vertigo titles, plus details about the new, upcoming wave of Vertigo titles! Room 207
Tags: Comic Books | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances
5:30-6:30 The Future of Tabletop Gaming— Tabletop games such as Dungeons and Dragons have been declining in popularity since the 1990s and are in danger of being replaced by both console games and MMORPGs. Will tabletop gaming survive the 21st century, will it be completely replaced by computer games. or will it survive as a new interactive role-playing experience? A panel of game designers discuss the future of role-playing games. Room 208
Tags: Games | Science Fiction & Fantasy
5:30-6:30 CBLDF: History of Comic Censorship— Learn the shocking history of comics censorship and how even today comics and the people who make, sell, and read them are still threatened. CBLDF executive director Charles Brownstein tells the sordid tale, from the public book burnings and Senate hearings that led to the Comics Code Authority in the 1950s through the attacks on retailers in the 1980s, artists in the 1990s, and readers today that the CBLDF is working to combat! Room 211
Tags: CBLDF | Comic Books
5:30-6:30 Spotlight on Wil Wheaton— Fan-favorite actor/writer and mega-fan himself Wil Wheaton comes to WonderCon as a special guest for the very first time! Wil talks about his mutli-hyphenate career as actor (Star Trek: TNG, The Big Bang Theory, The Guild), author, blogger, and pioneer Twitter tweeter! Ballroom, Third Level
Tags: Fandom | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances | Television
6:00-7:00 Comics on Comics LIVE!— ComicsOnComics.com, the innovative web series that matches comedians against comic book creators in geek debates, makes its first appearance at WonderCon. Host Jonathan London (Geekscape.net) and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Middleman, Ramiel: Wrath of God) engage with the greatest comic minds and the greatest minds in comics! Room 204
Tags: Comic Books | Fandom
6:00-7:00 Animation Voice-Over— Everyone wants to do voices for animation, right? Hear what some animation veterans and awesome newcomers have to say regarding what this work is like, what it takes, and what the heck producers are looking for! Panelists include Katie Leigh (Gummi Bears, Darkwing Duck, Muppet Babies), Ben Bledsoe (Ronal the Barbarian, scratch artist for Disney feature animation, founder of Unireach Media), Lisa Biggs (Adventures of Toby and founder of www.voxyladies.com), Rob Paulsen (Pinky and the Brain, Jimmy Neutron, Animaniacs), Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Simpsons) Mick Wingert (“Po” on Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness), and director/writer/performer Phil Lollar (Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi Show, The Mr. Men Show, Olivia!, The Little Angels, Adventures in Odyssey). Room 210
Tags: Animation | Movies | Television
6:00-7:30 The Write Stuff IV: Writing and Selling Genre Television & Beyond— Get an incredible insider look from the scribes behind some of today’s hottest genre shows as they share their candid thoughts on how to make the series we love (and sometimes loathe). Find out the highly classified secrets of getting TV shows made and how to break in and break out in today’s highly competitive broadcast environment, the deep dark secrets (and snacks) of the writer’s room, and why network executives actually care about what you say on message boards. Panelists include Ashley E. Miller (Fringe, Transformers: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Jesse Alexander (Lost, Heroes), Steve Kriozere (NCIS, Femme Fatales), Steve Melching (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers: The Series), Gabrielle Stanton (The Vampire Chronicles, Haven), Dave Simkins (Blade, Human Target), Jose Molina (Firefly, Terra Nova), Amy Berg (Eureka, Leverage), Charles Murray (V, Castle), and Mark A. Altman (Necessary Roughness, Femme Fatales). Room 213
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
6:30-7:30 TV Horror Hosts— John Stanley (Creature Features, 1971-1984), Mr. Lobo (Cinema Insomnia), Tom Wyrsch (writer/director), and Strephon Taylor (November Fire) will present a history of television horror hosting. Vampira, Zacherley, Ghoulardi, Svengoolie, Bob Wilkins, Elvira, and many more will be covered in a historical journey illuminating a genre of television that should never be forgotten. Introduced by John Stanley and Mr. Lobo. Video history by Tom Wyrsch and Strephon Taylor. Room 203
Tags: Fandom | Horror and Suspense | Movies | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
6:30-8:00 Detecting Deviants in the Dark Knight: Profiling Gotham City’s Serial Killers— From the dark corners of Crime Alley to the bleak cell blocks of Blackgate Penitentiary, Gotham City has been plagued by murderous villains who stalk the night. Mr. Zsasz, Abbattoir, and even Commissioner Gordon’s son, James Jr., have preyed on Gothamites for reasons that seemingly defy logic. How should Batman, the world’s greatest detective, apprehend these and other notorious serial killers? With updated content, the forensic psychiatrists of Broadcast Thought, H. Eric Bender, M.D., Praveen R. Kambam, M.D., and Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., team up with Mark E. Safarik, M.S., V.S.M., and FBI (retired) supervisory special agent, Behavioral Analysis Unit (Killer Instinct), to explore the dark world of Gotham City’s serial killers. Are serial killers psychotic, psychopathic, or neither? Do Gotham City’s serial killers have real-world counterparts? Are common traits shared among serial killers, and can “profiling” lead to their successful apprehension? Learn how real FBI agents profile and arrest serial murderers. With that knowledge, don the mantle of the Bat, profile the Dark Knight’s deadliest villains, and plan their capture. Bring your questions and your curiosity, and discover once again that real life is, in fact, stranger than fiction! Room 207
Tags: Comic Books
6:30-7:30 The Science of Battlestar Galactica— Look past FTL travel and artificial gravity, and the science in Battlestar Galactica was very robust for television. Join Dr. Kevin Grazier (Battlestar Galactica), co-author of The Science of Battlestar Galactica, along with a guest star for this presentation, chapter reading, and Q&A session. Room 208
Tags: Fandom | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Television
6:30-7:30 Prism Comics: The Bad and The Bold: Pushing the Boundaries with LGBT Characters— There are more LGBT characters in mainstream comics, independents, Yaoi, and Yuri than ever before. Some comics push for truer portrayals of all people in the LGBT community and others push for shock and awe. How do you balance portrayals of LGBT characters in today’s comics market? Prism Comics (the nonprofit organization promoting awareness of LGBT comics, creators, and fans), Brian Andersen (So Super Duper), Marc Andreyko (Manhunter, Torso), Tara Madison Avery (Gooch), Agnes Czaja (Acrobats), Jim McCann (Mind the Gap, Return of the Dapper Men), Bob Schreck (Legendary Comics), and other creators explore what makes a strong, realistic depiction of an LGBT character, what makes or breaks an edgy depiction of an LGBT character, and what is going too far. Moderated by Charles “Zan” Christensen (publisher, Northwest Press, Mark of Aeacus). Room 211
Tags: Anime & Manga | Cartooning and Comic Strips | Comic Books
6:30-8:00 WonderCon Exclusive World Premiere: Superman vs. The Elite— Be among the first to see the latest release from the popular series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies when Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation present the World Premiere of Superman vs. The Elite. In the film, Superman’s effectiveness as a superhero comes into question when a new group of super-powerful crusaders, known as “The Elite,” appear on the scene. As superheroes, the Elite know no bounds and are more than willing to kill, even on a massive scale, to stop villainy — putting them on a collision course with the ever-ethical, preferably nonlethal Man of Steel. The voice cast is led by George Newbern (Father of the Bride), reprising his Justice League/Justice League Unlimited role as Superman, NCIS star Pauley Perrette as Lois Lane, and versatile voice actor Robin Atkin Downes (Batman: Year One, Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Manchester Black, the leader of The Elite. Award-winning comics writer Joe Kelly has adapted his original story from the heralded Action Comics #775 (“What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way”) into a script directed by Michael Chang (Batman: Brave and the Bold) and executive produced by Bruce Timm (Batman: Year One). See the film, then stay for the panel, where members of the filmmaking team and voice cast will take questions from moderator Gary Miereanu and the audience. Prizes will be awarded, and new details about future DC Universe films will be revealed! Ballroom, Third Level
Tags: Animation | Comic Books | Movies
7:00-8:00 IDW: Artist’s Editions— IDW senior editor Scott Dunbier presents an in-depth discussion of the publisher’s massively successful Artist’s Edition line! Launching in 2009 with Dave Stevens’ Rocketeer and continuing last year with Walter Simonson’s The Mighty Thor and this year with John Romita’s Amazing Spider-Man and a host of others, these brilliant tomes have turned the industry on its ear by having their pages scanned directly from the original art. Come hear exciting announcements about upcoming additions to the line, including one from a surprise guest you won’t believe! Room 204
Tags: Comic Books
7:00-8:00 Gaia Online— Chris Castagnetto (DJ Helsing) moderates the official Gaia Online panel. This is your chance to meet the Gaia staff, get your burning questions answered, and take a sneak peek at some of the great stuff Gaia has planned for 2012. Expect plenty of fun and some great prizes. Room 210
Tags: Fandom
Celebrity appearances and program schedule are subject to change. All event and program rooms have limited capacity as set by the fire marshal. Even though your badge is needed to get into all events, it does not guarantee you access to any event if the venue has reached its capacity. Rooms are not cleared between events. Most autograph signings are limited — your badge does not guarantee autographs at any signing event. Please…absolutely no recording of the video footage or images presented by the studios on the screens.
2012 DATES
Friday, March 16:
12-7 PM*
Saturday, March 17:
10 AM-7 PM*
Sunday, March 18:
11 AM-5 PM
*Nighttime programs and events Fri. and Sat.
LOCATION
ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER
800 West Katella Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92802
