Not everything showbiz related at Comic-Con is innately douchey. There are even some panels that sound downright FASCINATING. Like these. But get there early. Also check out my PW story on the top COMICS panels of the show.
THURSDAY
10:30am – 11:30am
Legends of TV Land Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Get up close and personal with icons of television! Superstar Betty White (The Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland) and other TV celebs will answer questions about their work and making history on television. Plus, get a special sneak peek at the animated episode of TV Land’s original sitcom Hot in Cleveland, airing July 30th.
Betty WHite. The last living Golden Girl. I’d go.
1:30pm – 3:00pm
Comedy Central: Key & Peele and Introducing Moonbeam City! Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Key & Peele stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who are best known for their impressive ability for improv, celebrity impressions, and conjuring up original characters including “Obama and Luther,” “The Valet Guys,” “Mr. Garvey, the Substitute Teacher” and the players from the annual “East/West College Bowl.” Whether it’s satirizing the President, spoofing musical acts, or taking on religion, Key & Peele showcases their chemistry, camaraderie and unique point of view, born from their shared background and experiences growing up biracial in a not quite post-racial world. Join the stars of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele as they go behind the scenes, reveal details on their upcoming new season, and more! Panel to be moderated by actor and comedian, Tom Lennon. – The party continues with a FIRST EVER look at Comedy Central’s newest animated series Moonbeam City. Moonbeam City is an absurdist take on the gritty, sex-drenched crime dramas from the 1980s. The series follows undercover detective Dazzle Novak (voiced by Rob Lowe), a handsome idiot who commits more crimes than most criminals. His tyrannical chief, Pizzaz Miller (Elizabeth Banks), won’t get off his back, and hotshot rookie Rad Cunningham (Will Forte) is dying to see him fail. With the world against him, Dazzle is thrust into a living nightmare: having to do actual police work. Join series creator and executive producer, Scott Gairdner and the voice of Dazzle, Rob Lowe, as they reveal details for the first time on Comedy Central’s next big animated series! Panel to be moderated by Moonbeam City head-writer, Tommy Blacha.
Somewhere back in the Aughts there was a very brief period when the BBC showed up at Comic-COn and brought their old TV shows with them. This led to big SDCC welcomes for The Mighty Boosh and Look Around You. It was so awesome and I couldn’t wait for them to get to Garth Marenghi, Black Books, Nathan Barley, Peepshow and so on…but…they didn’t. However, Key and Peele are just as funny as the great Brits, although with a uniquely American spin, because we’re uniquely f-ed up about race. PLus, Fargo.
FRIRDAY
2:00pm – 3:00pm
1984′s Greatest Geek Movies: Big Brother Wasn’t The Only One Watching While Doves Cried Room 5AB
While Eurasia was still at war with Eastasia and Big Brother was watching you, some amazing movies slipped into cinemas and our panel of experts are going to wax on, wax off about the great geek year of 1984 as they look back at such films as The Terminator, Gremlins, Repo Man, Ghostbusters, Dune, Splash, This is Spinal Tap, Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, Star Trek III, Buckaroo Banzai, Body Double, The Karate Kid, Red Dawn, Night of the Comet, Once Upon a Time in America, This is Spinal Tap, and, of course, the incomparable Purple Rain. Celebrating the fact that they still love the ’80s will be Ashley E. Miller (Thor, new Terminator TV series), David E. Williams (editor, GEEK magazine), Robert Meyer Burnett (Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu-rays), Marc Berandin (The Hollywood Reporter), Steve Melching (The Clone Wars, Transformers Prime), Joe Kraemer (Jack Reacher), and moderator Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise, DOA: Dead or Alive). This panel is sure to get turned up to 11.
I’m old. And so are you.
7:00pm – 8:00pm 1
Neil Gaiman Documentary Room 4
Neil Gaiman is one of our most beloved modern storytellers, crafting amazing fantasy worlds across comics, novels, films, and music. But what is his story? This new documentary takes you along for the ride on Neil’s record-setting 2013 signing tour, and explores a life as fantastical as one of his stories. Filmmakers Patrick Meaney (Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods) and Jordan Rennert (Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts), Neil’s “Pepper Potts” Cat Mihos, and a special guest present an exclusive first look at the film.
Support my peeps Patrick and Jordan! Don’t leave them eating scraps!
SATURDAY
11:00am – 12:00pm
Temple of Art Room 25ABC
Temple of Art is an ongoing 2-year art and photography project, a unique conversation among over 50 artists that includes original work incorporating multiple modalities and disciplines. The show currently has a book published by Baby Tattoo, bicoastal gallery openings, and a feature-length documentary. Creator Allan Amato (commercial photographer, Justified, Wilfred, Necessary Roughness ) will be curating, discussing art as a battleground between ego, alchemy, and discipline. The panel features such greats from both the comics industry and the fine art world as Dave Mckean (Mirror Mask, Sandman), Barron Storey (Sandman:Endless Nights, Marat-Sade Journals), Kent Williams (Kent Williams: Opthalm, The Fountain), Jason Shawn Alexander (Abe Sapien, Batman: End Game), David Mack (Kabuki, Daredevil), Bill Sienkiewicz (Electra Assassin, The New Mutants),Grant Morrison (Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Filth, Happy), Jim Mahfood (Clerks, Tank Girl), Stephanie Inagaki (fine artist, Miyu Decay), and Ryan Graff (designer, publisher). Moderated by Jon Schnepp. A video presentation of original works from the show and preview of the documentary will be played as well. Giveaway T-shirts, postcards, and posters.
Uh…GREATEST PANEL EVER! Jesus this should be on every list!
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Spotlight on Bryan Lee O’Malley Room 28DE
Comic-Con special guest Bryan Lee O’Malley, creator of the bestselling Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, discusses his newest project, Seconds, with Laura Hudson (Wired).12:00pm – 1:00pm
Spotlight on Drew Friedman Room 23ABC
Comic-Con special guest Drew Friedman (author/artist of Heroes of the Comics) and Gary Groth (publisher of Fantagraphics Books) discuss Friedman’s new book Heroes of the Comics, debuting at Comic-Con. Friedman and Groth will discuss many of the comics legends portrayed in the book, including some they have known personally, among them Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Will Eisner, and Harvey Kurtzman.
Choose your poison.
3:00pm – 4:00pm
ComiXology Submit: The Future of Self-Publishing Room 23ABC
Think you have what it takes to be comics’ next indie-creator superstar? Then this panel is for you! Since its launch at SXSW in 2013, comiXology Submit has released over 1400 independent comic book series. ComiXology’s marketing & PR maven Chip Mosher and comiXology co-founder and Director of comiXology Submit John D. Roberts are joined by such breakout Submit superstars as the sensational writer and co-creator of The Bunker Joshua Fialkov, Eisner Award-winning cartoonist behind The Mire Becky Cloonan, and the artist/writer team of the Eisner Award-nominated series Watson & Holmes, Brandon M. Easton and N. Steven Harris, for a discussion on how you too can join the ranks of comiXology Submit stardom!
This isn’e showbiz but it is interesting. As Tood Allen pointed out, the DIY aspects of Comixology are one of the most attractive elements to Amazon as maker culture goes universal.
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Inside the Making of Twin Peaks-The Entire Mystery Blu-ray Room 5AB
Go behind the scenes of the unprecedented collection of the groundbreaking cult phenomenon from David Lynch and Mark Frost, Twin Peaks-The Entire Mystery. Join actress Kimmy Robertson (“Lucy Moran”), Blu-ray producer Charles de Lauzirika, Blu-ray co-producer Brian Kursar, and restoration and remastering executive project managers David Grant and Ryan Adams. Get an advance look at not only the staggering results of the high-definition upgrade of both the series and feature film, but also an exclusive sneak peek at the Blu-ray’s massive array of bonus features, including the “holy grail” of Twin Peaks fandom, The Missing Pieces, the long-awaited deleted and extended scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, directed and edited by David Lynch himself! Moderated by Robert Meyer Burnett.
I have to admit, I thought the Twin Peaks dads would be a big deals SDCC. I haven’t seen the show floor yet, but this panel seems to be it. But it is enough. Counting the minutes until I see the restored Fire Walk With Me.
2:00pm – 3:00pm
DC Comics: New Places for Familiar Faces Room 6DE
DC Comics is proud to have Greg Capullo, David Finch, and John Romita Jr. working on the three greatest heroes of our generation: Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. For the first time ever, these three all-star creators sit down and discuss what it is like to work on the Trinity and what is in store for everyone’s favorite characters.
Not showbiz but you can bet this will be the most quoted comics panel of the weekend.
5:00pm – 6:00pm
Disney’s Gargoyles 20-Year Anniversary Room 25ABC
“Twenty years ago, superstition and the sword ruled. It was a time of darkness. It was a world of fear. It was the age…of Gargoyles!” Help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Disney Animation television series Gargoyles with members of the cast and crew, featuring series creator Greg Weisman, supervising producer Frank Paur, and others.
I’m old and so are you, but I’mglad people still like Gargoyles, because that was a great show.
7:00pm – 8:00pm American Horror Story: Coven Room 6DE
Who’s the baddest witch in town? For the first time ever, the critically acclaimed miniseries visits Comic-Con with an exclusive look back at AHS: Coven followed by an all-star panel featuring AHS cast members Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Michael Chiklis, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts, and executive producer Tim Minear. The panel will also treat fans to some exclusive secrets from the set of the next franchise instalment, AHS: Freak Show.
I’m surprised the very popular AHS didn’t get a Ballroom 20 slot! I predict this will be a line waiting disaster and next time they will. Also Angela Bassett! Kathy Bates! Sarah Paulson! Emma Roberts!
7:00pm – 8:00pm
Comics & Pop Music! Room 28DE
Comic books and pop music are uniquely American artforms, with many common inspirations and a large shared audience. Patrick A. Reed (Depth of Field magazine) brings together a group of artists, writers, publishers, and musicians to talk about the long, strange history of music-based comics and how these two media continue to inform and impact each other.
No deets on this, but Patrick’s panels are always star studded and insightful affairs.
SUNDAY
11:00am – 12:00pm
Spotlight on Chuck Dixon Room 28DE
Comic-Con special guest Chuck Dixon (Batman, Punisher, Winterworld, Bad Times) will conduct his own informal Q&A about comic book writing, the creation of Bane, how to live in Florida but write about life in a world of constant winter, and what it’s like to be a lightning rod of controversy in a world of make-believe.
This should be interesting.
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Spotlight on Michelle Nolan Room 4
Author/journalist and Comic-Con special guest Michelle Nolan (Love on the Racks) will join moderator Maggie Thompson (former editor of Comics Buyer’s Guide) and Bud Plant (45 years of Bud Plant Comic Art) for a discussion and Q&A about Michelle’s more than 50 years as a comics historian/entrepreneur.
Deep magic from before the dawn of time.
Blue Water Productions will donate part of the sales of 
Looking at the comments section for our 
To be fair, we’re in a period where the larger publishers are very prolific, and that’s affecting the Top 300 lists. In June, only 15 publishers made the Top 300, with 10 publishers accounting for 291 entries on the list.
I don’t know about Bluewater specifically, but there are are publishers whose sales stayed the same or increased that have nonetheless dropped out of the 300 as a result of the volume of releases.
I did a graph on this once, which I need to get around to updating, but you can see the trend:
http://www.comichron.com/vitalstatistics/itemcount.html
Oh, and viva Betty White. Check out her YouTube “Tattletales” appearances with husband Allen Ludden…
That 15-publisher month was a record, by the way, for the Diamond era — smallest number of publishers ever to capture the entire 300.
This, again, brings to light the question of where one fits in the industry… and in this case how awareness can or cannot traverse across media. I’ve always given Bluewater their respect, mainly because I believe in diversity in comics and since very few, if at all, are filling this niche then I say more power to them.
As for the top 300, Miller is spot on again, and for that we owe him because there’s nothing better than real knowledge. I wonder how long the iCv2 top 300 will be relevant? Perhaps it should be expanded to get the full range of industry sales data and tracking.
“I’ve always given Bluewater their respect, mainly because I believe in diversity in comics and since very few, if at all, are filling this niche then I say more power to them.”
Niche of ripping off naive artists? Naw, I think plenty of companies are doing that. However, I think their offer to pay an artist for some work with two comics (value: $4) was outstanding…
@ Charles, I’m sure you know I was talking about the *end product* niche market, not their behind-the-scenes operations with talent (which I can’t seem to connect the two topics beyond a personal jab at the company).
As for how they treat their artists; I’m not advocating what they’ve done is right, however, this topic wasn’t about that.
Have they settled those lawsuits with Lady Gaga and Justin Beiber’s management yet? Pehaps this new comic is intending to defray the court costs.
Agreed–Betty White rocks now, and she has always rocked, but it sure would be better if the pictures in the biocomic looked like her.
And you still give them press coverage….
Heidi, you just backed off your earlier claim of banning the Bluewater articles!! And all this from peer pressure from the Hollywood sites!!!
The terrorists just won.
The issue is whether mainstream press coverage of a comics publication results in more sales of that publication. In Bluewater’s case, the press coverage apparently doesn’t. The possible reasons for that are worth examining. Simply mentioning Bluewater’s Betty White comic is hardly the same as promoting it. There’s no “so bad it’s good” aspect, apparently no controversial statements about White. There’s no reason to buy it unless one wants limited biographical info about White in a comics format. Perhaps the comics format and the lack of controversial content explain the low sales.
SRS
Please note: anyone who is a total asshat in this thread is going to get banned.
>>Jimmie Robinson: I wonder how long the iCv2 top 300 will be relevant? Perhaps it should be expanded to get the full range of industry sales data and tracking.
Diamond does some intermittent expansions to the list where they’ll release the Top 50 “Small Publisher” titles — small defined as publishers under 1% dollar market share. I list them every month on Comichron when they release the data. But the Small Publisher list isn’t released every month, and the result is a ranking with skips, so we’ll see #301 and #304 but not #302 and #303.
Capital City used to list nearly everything it sold, down to very small numbers. I have one (and only one) of those months online, here:
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/1995/1995-01Capital.html
It’s pretty difficult to work with lists that long, at least from my POV; it’s what’s taken so long to get more of them online. Publisher names often have to be located from the catalogs — not many would remember that Piffle Publishing was responsible for the 100 copies Capital sold of its 597th place comic book, “Phineas, Magician for Hire” #2.
An additional hundred entries from Diamond would be helpful these days and capture a couple of extra percent of the market, but the WHOLE list would be pretty messy, now that reorders are in the mix. As it is now, when a book re-charts just because of reorders, some people think that’s all it sold because they don’t think to look at the previous month. There’s no easy way to flag the reordered books.
Technically, Bluewater’s comics are books, as each has an EAN. Does ICv2 differentiate between a 32-page graphic novel and a 112-page graphic novel?
June 2009 (comics)
#283 WILLIAM SHATNER PRESENTS TEK WAR #1 (MR) $3.99 3,790
No Bluewater titles in the April-July 2010 Top 300 GN lists, where the cutoff is usually 350 copies.
What does BookScan say?
According to WorldCat, Bluewater’s most successful title is the Female Force collection (Palin/Obama/Clinton/Kennedy) found in 94 of the member libraries.
BN.com lists the Lady Gaga comic as the current bestseller. Amazon: Pattinson.
I give them props for their PR, but the sales team is dropping the ball. Where are the digital comics to satisfy the curiosity of the general public? Where’s the newsstand distribution? Sure, these are “books”, but what bookstore will stock a 32-page comic book on a book shelf? And how much wear-and-tear will the returned copies experience?
(Bluewater gets the chutzpah award… their Pattinson preview on Amazon features ads for other BW titles, as well as an HBO True Blood ad!)
Oh, and really, they should be marketing the heck out of the rock and roll comics. That is the most mainstream product they sell, but hardly anyone, comics press or otherwise, has noticed them.
What most people fail to realize is that comic book exposure across platforms is necessary to gain an enhanced appreciation of the media by the populous.
Comic book people are always saying “Why don’t people like comics more and give us the respect we deserve?”
The narrative art comic medium is probably the most powerful media on the planet and they don’t like us because we are too self-inclusive with our super-heroes and cult junkies. If you really want to break out of the backstreets and hit the mainstream. You have to have these niche markets that put you there. The more you help them, the more they help you.
And believe me, there are a lot of niche markets that no one has discovered yet. Any questions? Just ask.
I find it hilarious that “The Beat” can’t even muster up the courage to address their utter hypocrisy and complete lack of conviction on this matter. I also find it interesting that most of the comments give her a free pass on it. But then again, this is the site for unparalelled comic snobbery and it always lives up to my expectations.
Being a hypocrite is apparently accepted behavior but commenting on that hypocrisy is “frowned upon”. Interesting.