Thursday programming is up

4 JULY 2019

Happy Independence Day. As expected, CCI has pulled back the curtain on Preview Night and Thursday panels - so put Stranger Things 3 on pause and find out how you'll be spending your first full day at San Diego Comic-Con.


Preview Night Thoughts
We already knew what was on deck, but it's still nice to see. Legendary actress Ruby Rose will blow you away with her performance in Batwoman; the Pennyworth pilot will show us young Alfred's adventures in swinging 60's London; The 100 enthusiasts will get a sneak peek and ditto for Rooster Teeth.

I think this sounds like one of the better Preview Night lineups in a while.

Thursday Panels
This is traditionally one of my favorite days at Comic-Con, with the schedule often peppering good comic book and science panels throughout the day. This is not one of those years. But that's okay because the one panel I have fixated on - a Ray Bradbury panel at noon - is at the museum, which reroutes my day in a fun and meaningful way. Of course my only other panel, The Order, is at 12:30 in the Indigo Ballroom, but that's SDCC for you.


Thursday is also a day attendees often devote to offsites, which I think will definitely be the case this year. Anyhow, let's dive in because there are some good options today.

In the big rooms...

Hall H: Terminator starts the day; the 20th anniversary of Batman Beyond sounds fun, and then we have Marvel Games and Agents of SHIELD; then His Dark Materials. I think this is a decent Hall H day that should allow people to actually get in later in the day.

Ballroom 20: I'll say the same here. I think people will come and go, allowing moderate line times. The lineup includes Musical Anatomy of a Superhero, screenings of Evil and Nancy Drew (2 separate shows, unfortunately), followed by the always fun Syfy's Great Debate; Cobra Kai ends the day.


Indigo Ballroom: Van Helsing will draw people in at 11:15, followed by The Order at 12:30, followed by Undone, The Emergence, Stumptown and... Superstore? Wasn't expecting that.


We also have:

Podcasts and YouTube. Funko is having their first live SDCC podcast at 10 in room 6. On the Mic is back at the library at 1, and then a beauty YouTuber takes over at 3.

A few comic creators get their due. That includes a Jim Lee panel in 6DE at 12:45 and Jim Starlin at 10 in room 7AB. Maggie Thompson is in room 32AB at 10, followed by Rick Geary. Robert Kirkman  is at 3 in room 6A.

We have 2 Stan Lee panels. I thought there would be some kind of special memorial event and maybe there is? For now we have a celebration at 2 in room 5AB; then attendees remember him again at 3:30 in 6BCF.

Other good picks:

My Hero Academia in 6BCF at 10:30.

Comic-Con in the 1970s: Silver nerds gather in room 5AB at 11 to fondly recall the old days. This will be us in 30-40 years, albeit on an asteroid where we explain the concept of "California" to skeptical youngsters.

SuperheroIRL: Avengers of Bullying and Injustice: Joe Gatto from Impractical Jokers and friends talk about fighting bullies, racists and generally bad people.

Ray Bradbury and the World of Comics is at the Museum at noon. Come with me.

Dragon Ball Z turns 30 in 6BCF at 2:15....

.... and Ghostbusters turns 35 at 3 in the Museum.

How Science Fiction Shapes Our Reality: Mensa comes to Comic-Con to reveal the future. Room 24AB at 12:30.

Stargate Command sounds like one of those emotionally rewarding fan treats that make some attendees very happy. Room 7AB at 1.

Syfy's The Great Debate is one of the most fun panels you'll ever go to. Ballroom 20 at 3:30.

Batman and the Secret Origin of Bill Finger is in 23ABC at 4.

Spike and Mike are in 25ABC at room 4.

DC Fireside Chat offers Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo in room 8 at 4:30.

The Art of Ghibli is in the Horton at 4:30. Wish I could go to this.

Geek and Sundry is back in room 7AB at 5.

Nerd Strong talks about living with invisible illnesses in our world. Marriott at 6.

The Shazam Documentary in the Horton at 6 looks amazing.

The Superhero Kung Fu Extravaganza is in room 6A at 8 and I can attest to its funness.

The Banana Splits Movie has its world premiere at 10 in the Horton. I thought I was the only person in the world who knew what the Banana Splits were and now there's a movie about them. Comic-Con is magic.


What are you looking forward to? Is this an inside or outside day for you?

Thursday programming summary

25 JUNE 2015

Let's just get down to it. Below are just panel highlights; there are far more that I didn't mention here, so check out the entire list.


First, the big rooms.

In Hall H we have: Mockingjay and The Last Witch Hunter at 12; Trailer Park at 1:30; Doctor Who at 2:15; Con Man at 3:45; THUNDER Agents and Scooby-Doo and Kiss Rock and Mystery at 6.

Ballroom 20 kicks off with one of the top panels of SDCC: Captain Kirk himself reading from his autobiography. Then it's colonized by CBS with Limitless; Scorpion; Extant, The Zoo and Under the Dome. That's followed by Sherlock at 3:45, then Teen Wolf at 5 and then the Hall H and Ballroom 20 panel playback.

In the Indigo Ballroom: Grant Morrison at 10; Pixar at 11; Voice actors teach their craft at noon; you can visit with Geek and Sundry at 1, then there's the new TVland at 2. Annual Musical Anatomy of a Superhero is at 3, Comedy Central's Moonbeam City is at 4, followed by First Look at Crackle's Super Mansion and finally more Comedy Central with Drunk History and Another Period at 6.

That's a very mixed day in all 3 rooms, so expect to see the crowd flowing in and out.



The Comics front is pretty strong today.

Grant Morrison kicks off the day at 10:00 by discussing his latest project, 18 Days: The Mahabharata. He's also going to make an announcement on a "groundbreaking, mythic/sci-fi project" with Graphic India. In the Indigo.

God Is Disappointed In You is at 11:00 in 28DE. At the same time: the Peanuts 65th Anniversary! in 5AB.

Joe Phillips will talk about his long comics career, the LGBT nerd community, and his new character the Midsummer's Knight. 11:30 in room 4.

The CBLDF has a panel at noon on free speech in 30DE, followed by a panel on the banning of diverse books at 1. Then at 4 they have a podcast with banned authors in the library.

Comics for Impact: STEM Education is at noon up at the library.

Dark Horse Presents is also at noon in 23ABC. Later at 3 they get literary in 23ABC with The New Mainstream.

Remember when Oni Press opened up submissions a few months ago? They'll have a noon panel about that in room 9.

Skybound is also at noon in 7AB, as is ComiXology's podcast panel at the library. ComiXology also has an Ask Me Anything at 2:30 in room 8.

The Previews panel is in room 8 at 12:30.

Boom! talks about editing comics at 1 in 28DE.

Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction have a 1 pm panel in the room 2.

Image has what will be an incredibly packed panel at 2 pm in 23ABC. Chip Zdarsky, Marjorie Liu.

Find out how DC writers are exploring sci-fi in comics at 2 in 6DE. Or you can talk about faith-based comics at 2 in the library.

If you want to explore the Female Gaze in Manga, report to room 29AB at 3.

Titan has a panel at 2:30 in room 4. So does VIZ Media in 7AB.

Max Brooks will talk new projects at 4:30 in room 8.

Prism will have a 5 pm panel.... And so will Jhonen Vasquez in 32AB.

Look ahead with Dynamite - specifically their next 10 years - at 5:45 in 6DE.



Hollywood, Gaming and Cultural panels:


The Buffy Effect: Teen Heroines Then and Now. Apparently the legacy of Buffy is "strong and snarky female characters who are not the sidekicks." I honestly can't remember the pre-snark era. 10:00 in 28DE.

The Wrath of Con Bloggers will talk SDCC blogging at 10 in 14 A.

This should be lively: a Battlestar Galactica panel at 10:30 in 6BCF that will include BSG videos and a discussion of the BSG future.

The obligatory Cosplay 101 panel is in 14A at 11.

The Player is at 11:15 with Wesley Snipes in 6A, followed by Gravity Falls at 12:30.

Street Fighter V has a panel at 11:45 in 6BCF.

Call of Duty Black Ops III Zombie World is at 1 in 6BCF.

Geek Fashion will show you how to be a stylish nerd at 1 in 14A.

Mattel and WWE return at 1 in 5AB, with guest appearances and sneak peeks.

Resurgence of Science Fiction is at 1 pm in 32AB.

The Last Ship is at 1:45 in 6A.

Building the Holodeck is at 2 pm in 32AB; "how recent developments like Oculus Rift headsets enable the holodecks of today." Then NASA comes back at 4:45 to talk about turning science fiction into science fact in 6BCF.

Terry Brooks will talk about Shannara at 3 in the Horton Grand.

Then the Con gets scary with Ghost Asylum at 4 in 5AB, while Horror and Thriller Authors in Discussion are in 25ABC talking about "what motivates them to scare you."

Discuss fitness, cosplay and body image in NerdStrong at 4 in 14A. Or you can discuss Star Trek love in 23ABC.

Is fandom your fandom? Discuss the evolution of fan creativity at 5 in 14A.

Talk female villains in The Most Dangerous Women at the Con at 5 in 25ABC.  Sense8, which has been causing a lot of talk, is also at 5 in 5AB.

Creative panels. Lots of these today.


Maxwell Alexander Drake is back with his amazing name and his advice on the axiom Show, Don't Tell.  10:00 in Room 2.

Douglas Neff tells you how to turn your creative dreams into reality into From Fan to Creator. Also at 10:00 in 23ABC.

How to Get News Coverage: various creators and journalists discuss the art of stealing the spotlight. 10:30 in room 8.

David Aja is at 11 in 32AB talking about building comics.

Whether you manage talent or are a creator yourself, this should be useful: Nurturing Talent: What It Takes To Be a Decision Maker. 11 in 29AB.

As should this: How Creatives Are Using New Means to Connect With Their Audience.  11 in 7AB.

Kelly Sue DeConnick is at 11 am in Room 2, with a two-hour writing workshop.

The Nuts and Bolts of Comic Creation is at 11:30 in 24ABC.

Want to break into comics? Find out how at noon in 28DE. You can also get Marvel's spin on this at 1 in 7AB.

The Pitching Hour is also at noon in 5AB: making your way "through the creative battleground of the entertainment industry."

The Comics Creator Connection panel is at 1:30 in room 8. This is not the actual event where you look for collaborators, but an opportunity to hear success stories and get prepared for your own participation.

Are you a fanfic practitioner? Report to the Horton Grand at 1:30.

Greenlight Your Passion Project is at 2 pm in 7AB.

Visual artists will like this: Digital Color Comics at 2 in 30CDE.

And writers might like this: Writing for Tomorrow's Women at 2 in 25ABC.

Learn how to build worlds at 3 pm in 25ABC. Moderated by Charlie Jane Anders, who's joined by authors. I bet this will be packed.

You can also find out how about "Making the Leap to Creator-Owned Properties" at 3 in 28DE.

Another writing 101 panel is at 3, this one from Marv Wolfman. Writers have the best names. 30CDE.

A specific panel on TV kids' animation is at 3:30 in 24ABC for those of you who want to break into the biz.

Find out how you can make a living as a comic book artist at 4 in 30CDE.

Not just for LGBTQ: Writing Transgender Characters is at 5 in 28DE.



Evening Panels

Then the sun goes down and we have...

The LGBTQ Geek Year in Review. 6 in 28DE.

NASA talks about our upcoming voyages to Mars, including in the context of The Martian. 6 in 6BCF.

Vertigo talks comics at 6 in 5AB.

This should be contentious: a panel on geek ethics, from Gamergate to the Hugo Awards. 6:30 in 24AB.

A panel on PR and marketing in comics at 6:30 in room 8.

A panel called So, The Internet Ruined My Life is at 6:30 in 26AB for people who have "experienced the wrath of the Internet firsthand."

Look for a 666 on your skull: Damien will be at 6:45 in 6A.

Geek and Sundry has a trivia game at 7 in 23ABC.

PodCRASH with Chris Gore will be at 7 in 25ABC.

There's a Dark Matter panel at 7:15 in 6BCF.

The Cartoon Network Adventure Time Royal Ball is at 8 in 7AB, with the world premiere screening of We Bare Bears.

Nerdist Comics is also at 8 in 23ABC.

Dominion is at 8:15 in 6DE.

If you like telling stories about aliens, or just want to know what to expect when they arrive, Alien Civilizations is at 8:30 in room 8.

Dr. Horrible's Sing A Long will be at 8:30 in 6BCF.

Nerdist Gaming will be in room 23ABC at 9, while the Floyd Norman documentary will be in room 9.

And finally, a special screening of Spirited Away is at 9 at the Horton Grand.


So what do we think? I like science and creative panels, so obviously I'm ready to panel it up on Thursday - but this might not strike you Hollywood fans as having the kind of megawattage as Friday and Saturday. Just be aware that smaller panels can be the most interesting ones, and that you really don't want to spend all 4 days of the Con in Hall H and Ballroom 20 anyhow.

Personally I think the big rooms look great for Thursday. But if you don't feel the same, consider making a Thursday a day when you take in 1 or 2 panels, then thoroughly examine the Exhibit Hall and hit some outside activities.

And Day 1 is done

24 JULY 2014



Well, almost. You might still be winding down the MTV party or the CBLDF party, or heading to Nerd HQ.  I'm about to go swimming and maybe hit the Hyatt bar.

So first let me retract my statement yesterday (itself a retraction) that Preview Night was as crowded as a regular day. Today in the Exhibit Hall quickly reminded me that no, it can get much worse. Oh my god, the humidity.  Everyone looked damp and rumpled. I didn't see much cosplay, and I'm thinking the temps were just too uncomfortable for elaborate costumes.

Let's talk lines. So we all woke up to the news that people had started lining up in the late afternoon/early evening hours yesterday for today. I was astonished that I had been so wrong about the lines for Thursday panels. But as it turned out, the line were partly unnecessary and people wound up getting into Hall H and Ballroom 20 quite quickly at later points in the day. I got an excellent front section seat for Penny Dreadful with maybe 20 minutes in line total and then the Hannibal panel before it.

But people didn't line up in time for the NASA panel. I arrived 2.5 hours in advance and sat through 2 panels; the people who were the last to get in had waited 90 minutes, and said there was an epic line of people stretching down to the boats. Maybe they all thought they were the only space nerds at the Con. Not so - the audience was very emotional and excited about this panel.

The NASA panel was also electric in part because of the different personalities and philosophies of the presenters. You had the pro-Europa Bobak Ferdowsi, the inspiring and humble Mike Finke, Dr. Jim "The solar system is ours and we will colonize it and move on" Green and of course Buzz Aldrin, whose facial expressions didn't seem too appreciative of Seth Green's jokes. Let's hope this means more good science panels next year.

(As for what I sat through to see it - the Legend pilot seemed all guns, grenades and "covert operations." An FBI agent has to strip down and give a lap dance as part of the plot, Sean Bean swaggers and out-alphas another alpha male, you get the idea. The Last Ship panel was ok. I'm normally a sucker for plague shows but this seemed a bit humdrum.)

Penny Dreadful was good. No Eva Green, unfortunately, but it was a lively panel that was by turns thoughtful and entertaining - much like the show. The audience questions were insightful too, particularly in addressing the show's pansexual content. "I feel people behave in the moment in a way that is true to them," was creator John Logan's response. We also saw a nicely gothic clip from Season 2.

Onto tomorrow. I know you superfans are already under the tents for Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Kevin Smith in Hall H, Big Bang and Korra in Ballroom 20, and animation everything in the Indigo Ballroom. BUT we also have some fantastic Star Wars panels, Bates Motel, and a lot of great panels for writers and artists, with topics that range from the creative to the pragmatic.

Last but not least we have the iZombie pilot screening at 11:30 and a cast panel, including future star/current hottie Rahul Kohli (below.) Rahul is one of us and so he's pretty stoked to be here: "For years I've been watching Comic-Con on YouTube and trying to catch the latest trailers so this is a dream come true." Who doesn't love a nerd actor?

Have fun tonight, campers.

Thursday programming summary

10 JULY 2014



And we're off to the races.

To rehash what we already knew: Preview Night Pilots in Ballroom 20 are The Flash, Constantine, and iZombie , with a new episode of Teen Titans Go!  Onto the cornucopia that is Thursday.


Hall H will have Dreamworks at 11:30, The Giver at 1:30, Paramount Pictures at 3, EW at 4:30, Batman '66 with Julie Newmar and Adam West at 6:00.

I'll say it again: I saw the original Batman show/cast panel last month and they were fantastic. Lots of energy from the cast and audience.

Ballroom 20 has 24 at 10, Under the Dome at 11:15, Scorpion (world premiere) at 12:05, Reign at 1:15, Community/Greendale Forever at 2:15, Teen Wolf at 3:30, Hannibal at 4:45 and Penny Dreadful at 6.

Oh, how I wish I could get  into Penny Dreadful. Maybe all the Teen Wolf fans will clear out and open up the room. But most of the Hannibal fans will probably stay for it.

Indigo Ballroom has Legends of TV Land with Betty White at 10:30, Dig at 11:30, Sony/Goosebumps/Jack Black/Pixels at 12:30, Key & Peele at 1:30, The 2nd Annual Musical Anatomy of a Superhero at 3, George RR Martin at 4, the Hobbit at 5, and Goonies Never Say Die at 6.

Random panel called out for its sheer awesomeness: NASA's Next Giant Leap. Report to room 6A at 3:00 to discuss NASA's plans for the future and see Buzz Aldrin, Seth Green and famous-for-5-minutes Bobak Ferdowsi, he of the Mohawk fame. I can't decide if I'm semi-unique in my bloodlust to see this, or if other attendees will be just as excited and line up well in advance. Probably the latter. NASA at Comic-Con! I hope they pass out t-shirts.

Anyway.

Hollywood and pop culture panels roll out with:

"#FreeBabylon5: A Fan Campaign" is from 10 - 11 am in 29A.

"Mattel & WWE" - I'm not sure how to classify this, since it includes TV, books and video games, but Hulk Hogan, Daniel Bryan, Michael Cole and Paul Heyman will all be there. 10:15 in 6DE.

"Toy Story That Time Forgot" is at 11:15 in 6A and will show a sneak peek at the upcoming holiday special.

"The Legacy and Return of Battlestar Galactica" is at 10:30-11:30 is in 6BCF. Richard Hatch will be there and they'll discuss both the series you loved and the upcoming movie. Fingers crossed that beautiful cylon Tricia Helfer will be a "surprise guest;" we know she's going to be at Saturday's Syfy Ascension panel.

Kaiju forever! "Godzilla and the Master of Monsters" will show rare footage of how the original Godzilla movies were made. 23ABC at 11.

"1984's Greatest Geek movies" is in 5AB at 2. I swear we had the exact same panel last year. I'm surprised that mainstream blockbusters like Indiana Jones, Repo Man and Gremlins are categorized as "geek cinema" but well, nostalgia is a powerful drug.

"The Art of Big Hero Six" - Disney shares its magic at 2 in room 7AB.

More animation: "Meet the Flintstones and George Jetson" talks about Hanna Babera's beginnings at 3 in 30CDE.

"Star Trek at 50". 23ABC at 4:00.

"Breaking Barriers: Transgender Trends in Pop Culture." 5:00 in 28DE. I love that CCI is getting more and more inclusive of LGBTQ content.

"Costume Designer's Guild" is at 5 in 23ABC.

"Witches of the East End" is at 5:45-6:45 in 6DE.Looks like the cast will be there, which is nice for Twin Peaks fans who'd like to see Madchen Amick.

"Children's Hospital Special Video Presentation" is at 6 in 25ABC.

"Heroes of Star Wars Rebels" is at 6 in 6BCF and will show an exclusive preview.

"LGBT Geek Year In Review" is at 6 in 28DE.

"Firefly Online!" 6:30 in 24BC.

"The 90's Live On": Clinton-era collectibles. 7:00 in 29A.

"PodCRASH with That Chris Gore Live" is at 7:00 in 25ABC.

"Sharknado 2" is at 7:15 in 6BCF. Seriously? Sharknado got a bigger room than American Horror Story? I wonder if AHS was a last-minute addition, because I'm baffled that the most ridiculous show on television, Reign (don't get me wrong, I still watch it) is in Ballroom 20 and Ryan Murphy's crown jewel is a room that seats fewer than 900. That has to be it.

"Freddy Vs Jason" is at 8 in 7AB.

"Nerdist Science" is at 8 in 25ABC. "The science hidden in your favorite fandoms." I think that might be a polite way of calling out all the terrible non-science parading through our favorite shows and movies.

"Psychology of Cult TV Shows." 8 in 23ABC.

"Adventure Time Royal Ball" is at 9 in 7AB. Wear your favorite AT outfit and you could win a prize; even if you don't, you still get to see some of your favorite episodes.



On the publishing, comic book side and toy side:

"God Is Disappointed In You" is at 10 in 32AB.

The Witcher panel will show upcoming publications and a demo of the new video game. 10:00 in 6A.

"Hasbro: Transformers" is in 25ABC at 11.

"Charles Schulz and Social Commentary" is in 25ABC at noon.

Lots of panels on Digital this year, including: "The Switch to Digital" in 7AB at noon and "ComiXology: Ask Me Anything" which invites your digital questions at 2:30 in room 8.

"Batman in the 70's" is in 5AB at 1.

CBLDF shares the "History of the Comics Code" at 1 in 30CDE.

Fans of Dark Horse horror will want to go to "Drawing on Your Nightmares: Modern Horror in Comics" at 1 in 23ABC. And then they'll want to hit "Reinventing Horror" at 7 in 5AB.

"Female Heroes, Then and Now" - sexism, comic books, geeks and science fiction. 32AB at 1:00.

Avatar Press brings us Alan Moore, Max Brooks, Garth Ennis and others at 1:30 in room 4. Is one hour really enough for all of that literary wattage?

Blizzard Entertainment shows off its upcoming collectibles, books and more at 2:15 in 6BCF.

"Maybe you didn't win tickets to the Outlander premiere, but you can hear Diana Gabaldon read aloud from her 8th installment at 3:00 in the Horton Grand Theatre.

"When Magic & Myth Meet Main Street" - Jim Butcher again, with Seanan McGuire, Amber Benson and current It boy Greg van Eekhout. 25ABC at 3.

"Batman 75" has Scott Snyder, Neal Adams, Greg Capullo, Frank Miller, Grant Morrison - you get the idea. 3:30 at 6BCF. Once again, it just seems cruel to stuff that many visionaries in a room and only give them an hour to divide up between them.

Skybound's The Walking Dead is at 4:15 in 6A. Yes, Robert Kirkman will be there.

"The World of Capcom" is at 4:45 in 6BCF.

"Skylanders" is in 7AB at 6.

Vertigo "is ready to blow your mind" at 6 in room 5AB.



Thursday has always been a creative-heavy day and this year is no different. On the writer/artist side of things we have:


"Don't Tell Your Story, Show It!" 10:00 in room 2.

"Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way" is also at 10 in 7AB. Later we have "The Writer's Journey: Breaking into Comic Books and Scriptwriting" at 3 in 32AB, then "Breaking into Comics Right Now" at 1 in 28DE and "Breaking into Comics and Staying In" at 4 in 30CDE.

"Wonderbook: Writers on Creativity and Inspiration" is also at 10 in 25ABC. Jeff Vandermeer (whose Booklife I recommend to every writer) will lead, but Charles Yu, Lev Grossman and other writers will be there. This could be one of those "obvious is obvious" panels but the caliber of panelists make me think it will be a thoughtful and useful discussion.

"Taming the Web: the Nuts and Bolts of Web Series Creation" is at 10:30 in 24ABC.

"Comic Book Law School 101" is back at 10:30 in 30CDE.

"Comic Creator Connection All-Stars" is at 11 in 32AB. If you're considering being a walk-in at CCC, this panel could help you decide.

"Point of View: What's the Point" is in room 2 at 11 and led by Maxwell Alexander Drake, which is probably the best writer name I have ever heard.

How "Fan Fiction Can Lead to Being a Professional" is at 11 in 29A.

"Science Fiction and Fantasy Lit" is at 11 in 5AB with Marie Lu, Rachel Caine, Jim Butcher, Jason Hough, Dr. David Brin and other writers. So far all of the creative panels sound great, but there's no doubt this will draw fans and writers in like flies.

"How to Get News Coverage" is at 11:30 in room 8. Panelists cover the gamut from HuffPo to Comic Book Resources to the Mary Sue to Broadsword Comics, so I'm guessing they'll share some valuable wisdom.

It's unfortunate that "The Pitching Hour" is at the exact same time in 5AB, because a lot of creatives would probably like to attend both.

"Color Me RADD" is at noon in room 9 and focuses on colorists and storytelling.

At the same time is "Editing Comics the BOOM! Way" in 28DE and "Advanced Digital Inking Techniques" is at 12:15 in Room 2.

"Beyond Cliches: Creating Awesome Female Characters" is in 28DE at 2. I'll interject here that this panel isn't just for women, it's for everyone. Back when I read manuscripts from unpublished authors, a depressing number of heroines were virtually interchangeable.

"I Can't Write, I Can't Draw But I Love Comic Books" is a job panel for those who can't, well, you know. 3:00 in Room 9.

"Insights for Indie Creators" is at 4 in 32AB and "Indie Comics Marketing & PR" is at 6:30 in room 8.

"Tips on Pitching" is in room 2 at 4:45. Last year SDCC had a pitching workshop before Comic Creator Connection; they did away with that this year, but you've got 2 panels today to help you with this specific skill.

"Artist as Brand: Rise of the Artist Entrepreneur." 7:30 in room 8. Much as I hate the title of this panel, it reflects an accurate reality.




That, my friends, is a whole lot of panels. CCI is continuing to add more panels in the evening hours, which I really like. And while there are some tough choices to be made, on the whole it looks like people will be able to fit in panels for all their different interests.

I think this stands as proof that there's nothing second-rate about having a Thursday badge. While this day may not offer the same Hollywood starpower as Friday and Saturday, it still serves up high-profile shows & movies - and the workshops and panels for creatives can't be beat.

Thursday summary

18 JULY 2013


And we're off to the races. Well, the rest of you are. I'm still recovering from my extended Ballroom 20 experience. 

This was the first day of any Con ever that I did not set foot into the Exhibit Hall so I shall rely on you to tell me how it was. What I did see: Intelligence's pilot was quite predictable but enjoyable. They called it "cyber-Sawyer" but Josh Holloway's character is actually nothing like his Lost character. Starcrossed was hilariously bad (to be fair, the people around me were not its intended audience, hence our endless snickering) and Psych was probably the most energetic, successful panel I saw. The X-Files Anniversary panel was a bit of a letdown - I expected some kind of reel or montage but it was just talking and fairly low-key at that. They wouldn't confirm a third X Files movie. If you missed this, and you would like to see Chris Carter and Gillian Anderson, they'll both be at the X Files comic book panel tomorrow.

A note on lines, since I was one of the people lining up at 4:30 a.m. One, Twilight's departure has restored some sanity to the whole process. Hardly anyone was in the Hall H overnight, and most people began to arrive at dawn. My line was much longer, but included Ballroom 20, pre-sales, the Exhibit Hall, etc, until they split us up.  I ended up sitting next to a girl who got in line at 9:30 am, made it into the back of Ballroom 20 around 11:15 and worked her way up front for the 3:30 X Files Panel. Basically we got the same seats and she shaved 5 hours off her waiting time.

Let's hope this means people are getting sick of the overnight lines and showing some restraint. But I'll believe it when I see how early people line up for Hall H tomorrow.

Also - just as they made (some) Preview Night attendees march around in a parade before entering the Exhibit Hall, they did the same thing with general attendees today. Apparently this is a thing now. If you don't feel the burning need to enter the Exhibit Hall right when it opens, you might want to wait a bit and skip this step. I'm going to.


What's going on tonight:

Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation is at 7:15 in 6BCF. 

Hall H and Ballroom 20 panels will be played back in 25ABC from 8:00 - 11:00 pm., as they will be every night. Please remember that you won't see any trailers or other footage.

Dead Central Ghost Tours invites you to experience a real haunted house - that being the William Heath Davis House. $60 a head.

The Walking Dead Fan Meet-Up & Party – 5:00-7:30pm at The Corner at 369 10th Ave. $45+

SherlockeDCC – 6:00 pm at Brick + Mortar at 820 5th Ave.  $15-$30

W00tstock 5.0 - 7:00 pm at Balboa Theatre at 868 4th Ave. Featuring Paul and Storm, Wil Wheaton, Adam Savage, and guests. $37.50

Concert: Distant Worlds, Music From Final Fantasy with San Diego Symphony Summer Pops is at 8:00 pm at Embarcadero Marina Park, behind the convention center. Tickets are $25-$89.

Lady Geeks’ Thursday Night Mixer is at 8:00 pm at Hyatt Grand Lobby Bar.

Munky King Party is at 8:30pm at Basic Bar & Pizza at 410 10th Ave. Free.

The Dark Side goes from 9 pm – 2 am at El Dorado, 1030 Broadway. The Howls, Black Lodge, Neighbors to the North, Flaggs and Night Ritual. 

Insidious 2 Haunted Loft Event is tonight. You were supposed to get tix on their Facebook page

The Black Sails Screening is at 8:30 pm at Reading Cinemas at 701 5th Ave.

Mad Cats Unveiled - 8:00 at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center at 1875 El Prado. $50

30 Minute Musicals: Jurassic Park is at 6:00 pm at Horton Grand Theatre at 444 4th Ave. $25

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is holding a Comic-Con Welcome Party - 8:00 pm at Westgate Hotel at 1055 Second Avenue. Free for members, suggested donation of $10-20 for non-members.

There's a Samsung party as well, and while it's not exactly invite-only, I think you have to be a techno-geek to go. That describes everyone I know who is going, at least.

MTV2's Party in the Park is in Petco Park at 7:00 pm - free food, drinks, music. Open to all badge holders.

And if you're too tired for any of that, order room service and watch Sharknado. Syfy is airing it again tonight.

See also this interesting graphic on Comic Con growth.

Comic Con Thursday summary

12 JULY 2012


Happy first full day, newbies. :)

Today seemed a bit brighter, though it still feels like this year's Con's volume has been toned down a bit. (I don't mean that literally. The Exhibit Hall is obnoxiously loud in the middle.)

General updates:

Much as I've despised Tim Burton in recent years, the Frankenweenie clip didn't look too bad.

Good news for Neil Gaiman fans: he's signed a multi-book deal with Harper Collins.

More good news for vampire and Anne Rice fans: a graphic novel version of Interview with a Vampire will debut in the fall. It seems to me there might already be one out there, because I have a graphic novel of The Vampire Lestat, and it seems odd they would do a graphic novel for just that, a sequel, and not the first book. Regardless, this should be popular.

People are griping about non-attendees who are just wandering down to the area to enjoy all the parking lot events. It annoys me too, but honestly, I'd probably do the same thing if I was local.

The hottest books so far seem to be Adrian Tomine's new book (Drawn and Quarterly) and No Straight Lines (Fantagraphics). I haven't yet discovered the hot new rising star book, of which there is one each Con - one year it was Blankets, and so on. Probably one will emerge by Sunday. Feel free to nominate in the comments.

If you love Love & Rockets, and who doesn't, they have new books and new t-shirts - and we all want to take home a new t-shirt from Comic Con, right? This is a good choice.

I can't find anyone who's actually done The Walking Dead Escape thing. If you or someone you know did it, please tell us about it and if it was worth the $$.
ETA: I suspect this didn't sell as well as they thought it would. Walk-up tickets are still available and the price to be a "survivor" (i.e., get chased by zombies) dropped back down to $75. And it's now only $15 to be a spectator.

What is worth seeing (and it's free): the Batmobiles on display between the convention center and Hilton.

Didn't see it, but supposedly the Dexter panel was good, with the first look at Season 7.

In what might turn out to be my favorite panel all week, the Archer panel delivered an exclusive clip of Archer mocking the audience and a season four preview. News includes that the season will feature "an epic underwater battle" and Mallory getting married. January is too far away.

A lot of people are discussing the Twilight fan's death, with fingers pointing in varied directions. Apparently there was a moment of silence at the Twilight panel.


Questions:

As to whether you can "barter" in the Exhibit Hall, the answer is: sort of. It's not a flea market. A lot of vendors will look annoyed if you point to an action figure clearly marked $35 and ask if they'll take $25 - if you ask on Thursday. But on late Saturday and Sunday, prices become more flexible because vendors want to unload as much as possible. Tons of stuff will be marked down, especially heavy books. It doesn't hurt to ask then.

There are exceptions to this, of course. If you're buying multiples from one booth, you might try asking for a volume discount (or just pretend to decide between them, and they'll usually propose one.) Comic book back issues can also be more negotiable, and of course, anything you're trying to sell to a vendor will be haggled over. Just be courteous and reasonable.

As to all the "when do I need to get in line" questions - sorry, I just don't know. Once again, people seem to be upping the ante here, as they do every year. This is what has made the Con such a nightmare. People see that a line has formed four hours in advance, and they think, "Next year, I will be here six hours in advance!" and so every year it gets worse. Trust me, it was not nearly this bad 5 years ago. My best advice is to just monitor the situation visually if you can. We really need a line cam.

As for the stench - people, this is nothing. Wait until Saturday around one p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. You will never want to breathe again. Seriously, if you have a sensitive nose, bring some kind of scent and pat it under your nose or into a little hankerchief. It does help. I suspect women are more sensitive to the Con odor than men because every year when I do this trick, at least several girls in obvious distress rush up to me and beg to borrow whatever I'm using. It's that bad.

As for where the cheapest place to eat is - I'm guessing the Horton food court? Or buying stuff at Ralph's.

Rest up for tomorrow, everyone. Unless you're already in line for Hall H, in which case you won't be resting much at all. ;)