WonderCon 2015 starts tomorrow and once again I’m trying to figure out how to fit in all the panels I want to see and still get cosplay photos, geek trinkets, and try to remember to eat something (luckily there’s all those awesome food trucks right outside the front door.)
With that, here’s a teeny fraction of the panels that me and my good buddy Jada would most like to see. Some are going on at the same time, but we’ll either pick one or split up or see if we can hitch a ride on the nearest TARDIS.
ComiXology Submit: The Future of Self-Publishing
ComiXology Submit has released thousands of independent comic books, graphic novels, and manga from celebrated creators and cartoonists such as Shannon Wheeler, Becky Cloonan, Gail Simone, and more. Join comiXology’s co-founder and director of comiXology Submit John D. Roberts and marketing maven Chip Mosher, along with breakout Submit creators Jason Brubaker (reMIND), Joshua Fialkov (The Bunker, The Life After), and Elliot Blake (The Package) for a tell-all discussion on how you too can create, submit, and reach the ranks of comiXology Submit stardom!
Friday April 3, 2015 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Room 209
A lot of people who’ve read comics most of their lives, me included, have tossed around the idea of making one of their own. Self-publishing’s come a long way in the past ten years, maybe it’s time to take some of the ideas that’ve been floating around in my head for a while and do something with them.
IDW Publishing: Focus on Artist’s Editions
Artist’s Edition guru and special projects editor Scott Dunbier lifts back the veil on the secrecy surrounding upcoming Artist’s Editions! There will be announcements, special guests, and a rumored special appearance from IDW president (and art lover) Greg Goldstein.
Friday April 3, 2015 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Room 213
If there’s going to be anything announced about Livio Ramondelli or Alex Milne I want to know about it so I can start throwing money at them.
Special Preview Screenings
WonderCon Anaheim and Warner Bros. Television proudly continue their annual Preview Screenings tradition, with episodes of The Flash and Gotham, plus advance sneak peek screenings of new episodes of iZOMBIE and Teen Titans Go!
The Flash- The Flash is a fast-paced superhero drama that follows the high-speed adventures of the Fastest Man Alive. After the unexpected and devastating explosion of the S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Accelerator, Central City Police Department CSI Barry Allen finds himself suddenly charged with the incredible power to move at super speeds. While Barry has always been a hero in his soul, his newfound powers have finally given him the ability to act like one. However, Barry was not the only one affected that fateful night, and now a rash of super-powered villains are popping up all over Central City. With the help of his friends at S.T.A.R. Labs and his foster-father, Detective Joe West, Barry works to keep his city safe from these “metahumans,” while working to uncover the secrets of and defeat his arch-nemesis, The Man in Yellow, who is responsible for the death of his mother and the wrongful imprisonment of his father. The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
Gotham- Before there was Batman, there was Gotham. The origin story of the great DC supervillains and vigilantes has only just begun. Gotham follows Jim Gordon’s rise through the Gotham City police department and the spawning ground of the world’s most iconic villains. Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX.
iZOMBIE – iZOMBIE makes its WonderCon Anaheim debut with an advance screening of a brand-new upcoming episode. Olivia “Liv” Moore was a rosy-cheeked, disciplined, overachieving medical resident who had her life path completely mapped out . . . until the night she attended a party that unexpectedly turned into a zombie feeding frenzy. Now stuck somewhere between half-alive and undead, Liv transfers her residency to the coroner’s office for access to the brains she must reluctantly eat, but with each brain she consumes, she inherits the corpse’s memories. With her medical examiner boss and a police detective, she now solves homicides to quiet the voices in her head. Based on characters created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, published by DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, iZOMBIE airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
Teen Titans Go!- The Teen Titans are back at it again, in Teen Titans Go!, with all-new comedic adventures both in and out of Titans Tower, and your Titans craving will be satiated by screening of a brand-new episode. Based on DC Comics characters and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Teen Titans Go! airs Thursdays at 6/5c on Cartoon Network.
Friday April 3, 2015 2:30pm – 5:30pm
Arena
I’m always up for a screening. Either it’ll be something awesome that I’ll love (I’m still hanging in there with Gotham), or something that I can chill out with while I rest my feet from all the running.
Class of 1985: The Greatest Geek Movies of ’85: Don’t You Forget About Us
Moderator Scott Mantz (Access Hollywood) discusses the great geek year of 1985 as we go back to the future with such films as Back to the Future, Lifeforce, The Breakfast Club, The Goonies, Clue, Legend, Lifeforce, Rocky IV, Brazil, Commando, Weird Science, Silverado, Fletch, A View to a Kill, Cocoon, Witness, Return to Oz, Re-Animator, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Fright Night, Real Genius, Subway, After Hours, Ladyhawke, Enemy Mine, and, yes, Robert Burnett, just for you: To Live & Die In L.A. And for good measure, you’ll discover a new type of martial arts-Gymkata-and prove to Virginia there really is a Santa Claus: The Movie. Enrolling in the brunch club are rocking Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise), super Steve Melching (Star Wars Rebels), ass-kicking Ashley E. Miller (Thor, X: Men: First Class), dashing Daren Dochterman, gymkataspert Steve Kriozere, and newbie Nikki Griffin (Fast & The Furious 3, Femme Fatales). Charge it to the Underhills!
Friday April 3, 2015 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Room 207
Holy carp, they just listed half the movies that shaped my childhood. Done. I’m there.
Nerdstrong: Getting Fit for Cosplay, Geekdom, and Life
Andrew Deutsch (owner, Nerdstrong Gym), David Nett (writer, actor), Kimi Hughes (cosplayer, goldenlasso.net), Andrew Seely, Christy Black (morethanageekgirl.net), and Scruffy Rebel (cosplayer, geek fashion blogger) discuss and break down the benefits of including fitness in your geek life. Moderated by Tiffany Smith.
Friday April 3, 2015 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Elite Ballroom, Lobby, Anaheim Marriott Hotel
Always nice to have a little extra motivation to work out, putting a geeky spin on it sounds fun.
Fangirl Foods: Pop Culture and Food Collide
In a world where superheroes, Star Wars, Adventure Time, and Doctor Who are taking over the culinary world, it’s no wonder that geeks and nerds are the current reigning champions. We find innovative ways to combine our hobbies with what we love, and in this case, it’s food! Culinary chefs, movie sculptors, and comic book artists actually have more in common than you might think. Ranging from food-themed manga, Martian Manhunter’s obsession with Oreos, and Food Network shows, the topic of what we eat has been creeping into geek lives for years. Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes, Food Network celebrity chef), along with Marvel and DC artists, will partake in a discussion moderated by Jessica Tseang (comic book historian). The foodie in you can learn everything from the secrets of how to bake the perfect cake in TARDIS form to what your favorite artists snack on to fuel their inspiration.
Friday April 3, 2015 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Elite Ballroom, Lobby, Anaheim Marriott Hotel
And after a good workout, one doesn’t have to feel as guilty about having a piece of TARDIS-shaped cake.
The Science of Star Wars
Could lightsabers ever be a reality? Does science matter when designing a Star Wars spacecraft? What does it take to resist the Dark Side of the Force? Fon Davis (production designer, Star Wars prequel movies), Bobak Ferdowsi (NASA flight engineer), Kieran Dickson (editor, Outerplaces.com), Travis Langley (Star Wars Psychology), and moderator Jenna Busch (Legion of Leia) break down the science behind a galaxy far, far away and discuss whether or not Kylo Ren’s Force Awakens lightsaber is sacrilege or genius.
Friday April 3, 2015 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Room 207
I can’t help it, I want to know if a lightsaber could actually exist, and how I can make one. If I was such a person who could make such things. Which I might be, you never know.
Spotlight on Kris Anka
Jake Wyatt (Ms. Marvel) examines, breaks down, and jokes around with WonderCon Anaheim special guest Kris Anka (Uncanny X-Men). Jake will look into the life and education that led to Kris’s career with Marvel. A lot of dumb jokes will most likely happen.
Friday April 3, 2015 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Room 211
I loved Kris’s run on All New X-Factor (I really think his work reminds me a hell of a lot of Aeon Flux) so I really want to hear what’s coming up next for him.
Whovian Costuming for Beginners
Order of Gallifrey Costuming Club members Katie Aiani, Audra Atkins-Reeves, Alex Bagosy, Justin Daube, Cindy Kalionzes, Nathaniel Peinado, and Brian Uiga share information for costuming as characters in the Whovian Universe. The program is particularly geared toward beginners, although all are welcome. This panel will focus on some of the Doctor’s incarnations, but panelists will be happy to answer questions about any Whovian characters or props.
Saturday April 4, 2015 11:00am – 12:00pm
Room 209
They had me at “Whovian.” (But they dragged me to the room and glued me to the seat at “costuming.”)
Big Hero 6: The Art of the Story
Head of story Joe Mateo (Big Hero 6, Tangled), Brian Kesinger (Big Hero 6, Frozen), and Normand Lemay (Big Hero 6, Frozen) share how Disney Animation brings stories to life through the art of storyboarding, collaboration, and art.
Saturday April 4, 2015 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Room 300AB
Hard to resist anything that promises to tell how a movie like Big Hero 6 came about. Add Tangled in there and I’m set.
Comics Arts Conference Session #5: Super Heroines to the Rescue!
Given the acclaim that Jill Lepore’s The Secret History of Wonder Woman is receiving, the attention given to the new female Thor, a controversial Spider-Woman cover, and the burgeoning of the “Carol Corps” movement, the “super heroine” is back in the spotlight of academia and popular culture. Susan Kirtley (Portland State University), Nhora Lucía Serrano (Harvard University), and Andréa Gilroy (University of Oregon) present a roundtable exploration of representations and archetypes of the super heroine from early incarnations like Wonder Woman to the newest version of Batwoman (and beyond), in order to debate the kinship between reader expectation, popular culture, feminism, and cultural theory.
Saturday April 4, 2015 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Room 210
I throw around a lot of opinions when it comes to women in comics. I think the industry has come a hugely long way, but there’s a long way to go. I like the phrase “reader expectation,” because what we want isn’t necessarily the same thing as what we expect. I really think I need to go hear this one.
Warner Bros. Presentation
With San Andreas and footage for Mad Max: Fury Road.
Saturday April 4, 2015 1:00pm – 1:30pm
Arena
Fury Road? Done. I’m there.
Trailer Park
See the latest and greatest trailers with all of your pop culture-loving friends here on the big screen at WonderCon Anaheim.
Saturday April 4, 2015 1:45pm – 2:15pm
Arena
This is always fun, just one awesome trailer right after another.
Convergence
The comics community is on the edge of their seats as they wait to find out what Convergence will mean for the DC Universe. Jeff King (Convergence) offers fans a taste with a special lineup featuring Dan Jurgens (Booster Gold), Marc Andreyko (Batman and the Outsiders), Len Wein (Swamp Thing), and Scott Lobdell (Convergence). This is one panel you won’t want to miss!
Saturday April 4, 2015 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Room 300AB
I’ve read up on it, seen the interviews, watched the videos, and talked with fellow geeks. And I still have no idea what’s going on with Convergence. Clearly, I need to see this panel.
Spotlight on Phil Noto
WonderCon Anaheim special guest Phil Noto will be talking about his career in comics and his animation background and will show examples of his digital art process.
Saturday April 4, 2015 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Room 208
I love Phil’s work in Black Widow, but somehow I missed the fact that he has an animation background. I really hope they show samples…
IDW Publishing: The Best Panel You’ll Ever Attend
Join VP of marketing Dirk Wood, senior book editor Justin Eisinger, special projects editor Scott Dunbier, and a bevy of special guests for a wild presentation filled with announcements, sneak peeks and Q&A! Think you know what IDW is up to this year? You won’t REALLY know unless you’re in the room for this one!
Saturday April 4, 2015 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Room 213
Special guests. Does that mean Livio Ramondelli or Alex Milne? I know, I’m obsessed. I need help. I also need autographs.
Gotham Special Video Presentation and Q&A
Before there was Batman, there was Gotham. The origin story of the great DC Super-Villains and vigilantes has only just begun. Series stars and producers offer a Q&A discussion and special video presentation. Be among the first to find out what’s in store for the exciting conclusion to the first season. Gotham follows Jim Gordon’s rise through the Gotham City police department and the spawning ground of the world’s most iconic villains. From Warner Bros. Television, Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX, with all-new episodes returning Monday, April 13.
Saturday April 4, 2015 3:45pm – 4:45pm
Arena
Out of all the new geek shows that came out in 2014, Gotham is the one I still think is the strongest. (Sorry, Flash fans, nothing wrong with our boy Barry, I still like Gotham better.)
Marvel: Next Big Thing
From Star Wars to the Avengers, this panel has you covered! Editor Will Moss, Sam Humphries (Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men: The Black Vortex), Greg Weisman (Star Wars: Kanan-The Last Padawan), Rick Remender (Avengers: Rage of Ultron), and other Mighty Marvel guests take on questions about Marvel’s biggest series and events!
Saturday April 4, 2015 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Room 300AB
Remember what I said about not having a clue about Convergence? I have a slightly better idea when it comes to Secret Wars, but not by much. Hopefully they’ll get into that here.
Science in Science Fiction
Kyle Kurpinski and Terry Johnson (How to Defeat Your Own Clone: And Other Tips for Surviving the Biotech Revolution) discuss the discoveries and innovations that inspire science fiction and the ways that science and engineering are depicted in popular television shows, comics, movies, and more. After a brief presentation, these UC Berkeley bioengineers will be available to answer questions about your favorite science fiction or real-world breakthroughs.
Saturday April 4, 2015 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Room 213
I know everyone likes to go on about “why don’t we have flying cars and hoverboards” but it really is fun to talk about how close we are to certain science-fiction technologies. I know the holodeck is a bit more fiction than science, but we’ve gotta be close to a sonic screwdriver, right?
DreamWorks: Dragons, Dinos, and More!
Get a first look at DreamWorks Animation’s amazing original series for Netflix, including a WonderCon Anaheim exclusive peek at the soon-to-premiere Dragons: Race to the Edge, along with the new adventure series Dinotrux. Plus, there will be glimpses into what’s in store for fan-favorite characters like King Julien and Puss In Boots. Even more surprises await as host Eric Bauza and Dragon executive producers Art Brown and Doug Sloan take you behind the scenes of these Netflix original series! Attendees will receive a WonderCon Anaheim exclusive Dragons print from DreamWorks Animation and a special gift from Netflix (supply limited to room capacity).
Sunday April 5, 2015 10:30am – 11:30am
Room 300AB
I’d have gone to this panel anyway because it has “Dragons” and “DreamWorks” in the same sentence. But if all goes well I’m going to interview Art Brown and Doug Sloan, so now I REALLY have to hit this panel.
The Nerdist Panel with Chris Hardwick
Chris Hardwick (Comedy Central’s @Midnight, AMC’s Talking Dead) is joined by Jessica Chobot (Nerdist News) and the editorial team from Nerdist Industries-including Brian Walton (Overheard @ Nerdist), Dan Casey (The Dan Cave), Malik Forté (Nerdist Play), Matt Grosinger (Nerdist Sessions), Kyle Hill (Because Science) and Rachel Heine (Overheard @ Nerdist) for a lively conversation about the big things to come for Nerdist in the near future. Surprises, announcements, and, of course, quemments await!
Sunday April 5, 2015 11:00am – 12:00pm
Arena
The line to get into this one is going to be really long, but a girl can dream. Plus I got to see Chris Hardwick last year outside Comic-Con from all the way across the street as his security tried to keep fangirls from pouncing on him, so it’d be neat to catch a glimpse of him again.
Comics Arts Conference Session #8: The Walking Dead Psychology: Psych of the Living Dead
The Walking Dead explores ways people struggle to survive and hang onto their humanity in the worst situations. Psychology professionals Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight), Elizabeth Ann (NerdLush), Josué Cardona (Geek Therapy), Patrick O’Connor (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology), Billy San Juan (Community Research Foundation), and Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy) use examples from the comics to discuss the psychology of trauma and triumph. They will be joined by novelist S. G. Browne (Breathers) and journalist Janey Tracey (Outer Places). Why do horrific circumstances bring out the worst in some people and the best in others? Is there hope?
Sunday April 5, 2015 11:30am – 12:30pm
Room 210
Janina Scarlet has been on the Comic-Issues podcast twice now, and she’s wonderful to talk to, I’m really looking forward to this panel. And having JUST watched the last episode of the season (…geez…) I’m already jonesing for more, and it’s gonna be a long wait. This promises to tide us over at least a little.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
WonderCon Anaheim is going out on a high note! Whedonopolis and FandomCharities.org, the folks who bring you the Buffy musical Once More With Feeling, to close out the San Diego Comic-Con, present an interactive screening of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog! Come and revel in the musical genius of The Whedons! But remember, the best part of the show is up to you! Cheer for Dr. Horrible! Cheer for Penny! Cheer for Moist! Cheer for the Freeze Ray! Cheer, or whatever, for “Captain Hammer, Corporate Tool!” Just have fun and be sure to make Bad Horse gleeful. There will be audience participation; it isn’t just for Rocky Horror and mob riots anymore.
Sunday April 5, 2015 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Room 300AB
What a great way to wrap up WonderCon; watching Doctor Horrible with a room full of like-minded nerds. Joss Whedon, music, and Nathan Fillion talking about his hammer. I’m in.