Only a few more days until NC Comiccon: Bull City begins! This year’s panels have a little something for everyone, including story writing discussions, cosplay tips, horror how-to’s, and conversations with a few of your favorite creators, including the author of Fight Club: Chuck Palahniuk! Click the jump for a rundown of all the panels at this year’s convention.
(Note: All panel times/details are subject to change.)
Friday November 9th, 2018
1:00 PM – Cinema One
Adaptation with Chuck Palahniuk and Robert Venditti
Movies like Fight Club, Choke, and Surrogates started out as books – talk to Robert Venditti and Chuck Palahniuk about the ups and downs of seeing your stories on the big screen!
2:00 PM – Cinema One
Horror
Halloween may be over, but we still love getting scared! Come talk to writers and artists about the spooky stuff they make and what your next pick should be for a late-night read!
2:00 PM – Cinema Two
Illustrated History
Join a discussion with the creators of sci-fi comic, Tuskegee Heirs, as they talk about how a futuristic book helps modern readers connect to history.
3:00 PM – Cinema One
James Robinson: Star Man to Star Girl!
Sit in on a conversation with James Robinson about a career spanning from the groundbreaking Star Man series to his new role on the live-action Star Girl!
3:00 PM – Cinema Two
Hawk(man) Talk With Robert Venditti
Hawkman is reborn! For, like, the kerjillionth time… But this time he means business! Hawkman’s continuity is a spacetime-jumping hot mess, but seasoned super scribe Rob Venditti is on the case – unifying all the lore into an epic Hawkman for the ages. The series’ author is joined by Nerdy Show’s Cap Blackard to discuss how this new iteration of Hawkman took wing and where he’ll soar to next.
3:00 PM – Connie Moses
Color of Fandom presents Strong Female Characters
Recent years have seen not just an uptick in female protagonists, but a wider range of characteristics that embody a strong female character. Join us as we talk about what we look for in a female comic characters and share some of our favorites.
3:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room Two
Let’s Get Spooky!
Do you enjoy being scared during the movies? Do you like to play Silent Hill with the lights off? Do you believe you are a long-lost member of the Addams Family? Well, you’ve come to the right place! We will talk about all the spookiest of fandoms like video games, movies, podcasts, and more!
4:00 PM – Cinema One
Talking Science with Tamara Robertson and Friends
It’s the old adage of the chicken and the egg – what comes first – the superhero or the science? For generations science has been inspiring superhero technology and powers while comics have been inspiring kids to pursue STEM.
Join Tamara Robertson, EIT ( Scijinks, Mythbusters, Chem & Bio Engineer ) and special guests – Jeremy Whitley (Unstoppable Wasp, Princeless, Rainbow Brite), Chris Sims ( Guardians of the Galaxy, Darkhawk, Sleepwalker), Dr. Kanton Reynolds (Director – Undergraduate Programs, NC State University), Dr. Shari Brady (Educator, Founder of TheScienceOf.org) as they discuss Superhero Science and the effect real world science has on the fictional worlds they’re creating. Q&A session to follow.
4:00 PM – Cinema Two
First You MARCH, Then You RUN
The groundbreaking graphic novel MARCH brought readers the inside story of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of one of its most iconic figures, Congressman John Lewis. Now, Lewis’s story continues in the highly-anticipated sequel, RUN. Join Internet Picnic Podcast hosts Cliff Bumgardner and Brad Hennigan in conversation with illustrator Afua Richardson about the process and experience of bringing the story and struggle to life on the page.
4:00 PM – Connie Moses
Future Quest: A Conversation With Jeff Parker And Doc Shaner
Writer Jeff Parker and artist Evan “Doc” Shaner brought your favorite Hanna-Barbera characters to life in Future Quest, and they’re going to tell you all about it in this revealing interview!
4:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room One
Foam: Prime, Paint, and Seal
Caz Cosplay and guests will discuss in detail multiple types of primers, paints, and sealants. In additional to sharing the wide range of materials a cosplayer can utilize, they’ll also delve application techniques using aerosol spray cans, critter guns, and airbrushing, along with wet/dry brush application. From creating a convincing high shine metallic armor from foam to making real rust on your props, they’ll hit a lot of bases.
5:00 PM – Fletcher Hall
Collaboration
What’s it like to work with Gerard Way, Becky Cloonan, Tommy Lee Edwards, or Shawn Crystal on a comic? Join them tonight and hear about how they share in creating the art you love so much!
5:00 PM – Cinema Two
From Screen to Sheet: Adapting Your Favorite Characters for D&D
Many comic fans are tabletop gamers and vice versa. This panel will show how players can creatively bring their fandoms together for more exciting tabletop gaming experiences. We will give tips on how to make comic, movie, and video game characters fit into their games in a cohesive way, and will also include a demonstration by converting Batman into a Dungeons and Dragons character.
5:00 PM – Connie Moses
Pitching Comics
Join Internet Picnic Podcast hosts Cliff Bumgardner and Brad Hennigan as they pick the brains of Skybound Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall and Oni Press’s Sarah Gaydos about all things pitching: from how to format your work to catch an editor’s eye to what you must include (and what you must leave out), this panel is a must for anyone wanting to get their work seen and published.
5:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room One
From Zero to Cosplay
Have you wanted to start cosplay but don’t know where to begin? Well, look no further! This is Cosplay 101! We will introduce you to the cosplay world, giving you tips, tricks, and show you a few basic sewing and building tutorials.
6:00 PM – Cinema One
Willow
Forget all you know, or think you know about Willow! The beloved 1988 Lucasfilm fantasy epic is full of untold tales and roads not taken. Before you watch the film, experience the Expanded Edition with the cast of State of the Empire: A Lucasfilm Podcast. What’s Bavmorda’s backstory? Who’s Sorcha’s dad? What happens when you cast enough Nelwyns to actually populate a village? And… how many acorns were there again? #WillowWatch
6:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room One
Bad Fanfiction Dramatic Readings
This panel will be an 18+ humorous improvisation event with audience participation. Panelists will conduct dramatic readings of strange, adult-rated fan fiction in narration and voice styles suggested by the audience. Audience members will then be invited to take the stage to participate in the readings.
6:00 PM – Connie Moses
Fanboy Faceoff
Fanboy Faceoff is an interactive debate panel based on the Screen Junkies / CleVVer Movies web series. Participants will have the chance to convince the audience of their characters supremacy for the chance to win prizes. The Panel is Hosted by Fanboy Faceoff Screenwriter Hector Miray.
6:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room Two
The Rogue 105th Script Reading
One year later the 105th squad is back! On this anniversary panel they are bringing new talent and pop culture voices to the bull city! Reading the script to Pulp Fiction, this is guaranteed to be a spicy disaster!
Saturday November 10th, 2018
10:00 AM – Fletcher Hall
Finding Inspiration
What inspires artists like Gerard Way, Becky Cloonan, Tommy Lee Edwards, Matt Kindt, and Jeff Lemire? How do you turn your everyday experience into art?
10:00 AM – Cinema One
Chuck Palahniuk
Join a once-in-a-lifetime conversation with the legendary writer of works like Fight Club and its comic sequels!
10:00 AM – Main Hall Panel Room One
The Horror, The Horror!: Comics Books, Censorship, and the Comics Code
In the 1950’s, Frederic Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent was at the center of a firestorm of anti-comics hysteria in the U.S. Come find out how comics nearly became the first medium to have their content strictly regulated by the federal government and how the industry was nearly destroyed by this panic. Find out how, comics publishers founded Comics Code Authority as a means to circumvent government censorship and trace the CCA’s rise and eventual fall as a regulating body for the industry.
10:00 AM – Connie Moses
MISSrepresented
Explore the history of the representation of women through comics, video games, television and movies. How have things changed over the years, and what’s getting better? How can consumers and fans of these media help to improve the representation available?
11:00 AM – Fletcher Hall
Magic Wheelchair
See the jaw-dropping builds Magic Wheelchair provides for kiddos with wheelchairs. “Our vision is to put a smile on the face of every child in a wheelchair by transforming their wheelchairs into awesomeness created by our hands and their imaginations.”
11:00 AM – Cinema One
Lemire and Kindt
Join a one-of-a-kind conversation with two of the biggest names in comic writing today, Matt Kindt and Jeff Lemire!
11:00 AM – Main Hall Panel Room One
Lightning Dogs: Tails From The Wasteland
A squad of canine commandos are trapped on a post-apocalyptic Earth – can they defeat Glampire’s mutant armies and return home? Lightning Dogs is the greatest animated series you’ve never seen. Join the creators of this TV show from an alternate 80s timeline (Cap Blackard, Doug Banks, and Tony Baldini) as they share production art, the media and toys that inspired the series, journeys into the animation wasteland, and dog puns… lots of dog puns.
11:00 AM – Connie Moses
Finding God In Comics
Comics, graphic novels, movies and gaming are fun and help our imaginations thrive, but have these stories ever moved you into going deeper with questions about philosophy, theology and a bigger story that shapes our lives? Regardless of faith or no-faith background you are welcome to gather with us as we explore the larger story behind the stories we love and the stories of our lives. Most of this panel will be “question and response” and crowd-sourcing your ideas, thoughts and what stories inspire you. Panelists will include Will Rose, pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Chapel Hill, Tim Brown, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Raleigh, and Rhonda Hatton, pastor at Celebration Ministries in Durham.
12:00 PM – Cinema One
Dark Horse Daily Grind
Have you always wondered what working at a comics publishing company is like? Dark Horse wants to give you insight on the many opportunities waiting for you in the comic industry! Join Conventions and Events Manager Katie Bednark, Publicity Manager Megan Connor, Conventions and Events Coordinator Cat Haber, and Graphic Designer Brennan Thome for a conversation about working at Dark Horse Comics and what it takes to make your favorite books!
12:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room One
Comics For Kids!
Hey, kids! If you like comics, come meet people who make them and learn how to make your own!
12:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room Two
Ben Bishop Draws Rad Stuff
His lines have brought to life Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Drawing Blood‘s comic biz satire, and the choose-your-own-adventure comic The Aggregate – hang out with artist Ben Bishop and Lightning Dogs‘ Cap Blackard for discussions on comic craft, and how to go from fan art to fan-favorite.
12:00 PM – Connie Moses
Black Lightning Fan Panel
Black Lightning, the latest in a surge of superhero themed TV shows, brings a metahuman lens to real world issues. The hosts of comics podcasts Diversity Issues and Villians in Vinyl give their take on the first season and it’s complex cast of characters.
1:00 PM – Cinema One
Valiant: The Craft Of Comics
From the award-winning industry veterans behind the Valiant Universe’s greatest hits, find out just what it takes to put together a compelling story from start to finish, how to make your series stand apart, and how the editorial process functions at the highest levels. Great for aspiring comics creators, people who are curious about the comics-making process, and Valiant fans!
1:00 PM – Connie Moses
Disability
How do people with disabilities experience Con life, and how can everyone make sure that Cons are accessible to every fan?
1:30 PM – Cinema Two Lobby
Rainbow Brite Signing
Come get your copy of Rainbow Brite signed before you watch her movie on the big screen!
2:00 PM – Fletcher Hall
Animation
Talk to working creators like Tommy Lee Edwards, Jim Mahfood and Shawn Crystal about animation and what makes it so different than any other medium.
2:00 PM – Cinema One
The Stories of Jeff Lemire
Eisner Award Winning Writer/Artist Jeff Lemire is one of the hottest talents working in comics today. From projects at both Marvel and DC (Old Man Logan, Animal Man) to his creator-owned properties (Sweet Tooth, Black Hammer) to his recently concluded Royal City, Jeff has proven himself to be one of the best storytellers working in the medium of comics these days. Come join us as we learn how he balances working for “the big two” with his own projects and, hopefully, shares some of his storytelling secrets.
2:00 PM – Connie Moses
1990-NOW!
They brought back the X-Men cartoon. They brought back Darkhawk. Now, they’re running Sleepwalker through the Infinity Wars crossover! What’s next for the 90s in modern Marvel?
3:00 PM – Cinema One
VIP Question and Answer with Gerard Way
If you have a VIP ticket, this is your chance to ask anything you want to creators like Gerard Way, Becky Cloonan, Tommy Lee Edwards, and Matteo Scalera!
3:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room Two
Podcasting 101
The hosts of The Joy of Geek and Name Redacted are back for another epic discussion on the ins and outs of starting your own podcast. This panel will focus on everything from starting out to building an audience. Don’t miss it!
4:00 PM – Cinema One
The Science of Aquaman
Join Tamara Robertson, EIT (Scijinks, Mythbusters, Chem & Bio Engineer ) as she takes a deep dive with special guests Dr. Matt Brady (Educator, Founder of TheScienceOf.org), Afua Richardson (Black Panther: World of Wakanda, The Book Of Mer), Dr. Steven Hall, PE (Associate Professor and Director – Marine Aquaculture Research Center (MARC) NC State University Professor(s)) to explore the hidden world and Science of Aquaman. Q&A session to follow.
4:00 PM – Connie Moses
From Dr. Dre to Dr. Doom: The History of Hip Hop and Comics
Ever wonder why Ghostface Killah goes by Tony Stark? Who’s Jean Grae? Welcome to villains and vinyl where we study the relationship between hip hop and comics.
5:00 PM – Fletcher Hall
Find Your Voice
How do creative greats like Gerard Way, Tommy Lee Edwards, James Robinson, and Jeff Parker find their own unique voices when using established characters?
5:00 – Cinema One
Chewing the Fat With John Layman
Talk with John Layman about his experience writing the epic food thriller, Chew, and find out what’s on his next course!
5:00 PM – Connie Moses
Mettlesome Comedy Collective presents Golden Age
Mettlesome Comedy celebrates artists with a brief talk show segment about what they create and how, then turning that into a comedy sketch before your very eyes! See them work their funny magic with Con guests!
6:30 PM – Fletcher Lobby
Gremlins Signing
Sunday November 11th, 2018
12:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room One
The Science of Jeff Lemire
Jeff Lemire’s stories always have a thread of either real or well thought-out science woven throughout. Come join us The Science Of’s Matt Brady sits down to talk with Jeff about his science interests and ho how he manages to keep the science believable without making the story suffer. This one’s sure to be filled with all kinds of science facts and references, so make sure to wear your thinking cap!
12:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room Two
Storytelling
Artists Tommy Lee Edwards and Shawn Crystal teach visual storytelling by walking the audience through making their next great story.
1:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room One
Queer Comics
Join a lovable bunch of queer creators and fans as they talk to you about the best and worst of comics for the LGBTQIA+ community!
1:00 PM – Main Hall Panel Room Two
Superhero Justice
Join our panel of enthusiasts from a variety of backgrounds as part of our continuing conversation about that core element of superheroes — justice — and how the philosophies and goals of the characters we revere build our own understandings and compare with the justice we practice in the real world.
2:00 PM – Fletcher Hall
TV Adaptation
How do creators like Gerard Way work with their stories from comic pages to the TV screen? Tommy Lee Edwards hosts this eye-opening panel!
2:00 PM – Cinema One
The Science of Venom with Tamara Robertson
Ever wonder what it would be like to wear an Alien Symbiote from the Marvel Universe? Well the technology doesn’t exist to allow this, YET. But our panel of scientists and cosplay experts will talk you through how symbioses works and the best ways to use new and old Earth materials to turn yourself into the the most famous Symbiote out there — VENOM! Join Tamara Robertson, EIT (Scijinks, Mythbusters, Chem & Bio Engineer) and a panel of potential human hosts — Dr. Tori Miller (Assistant Professor – Material Science and Engineering, NC State University), Caz Cosplays (Founder Caz Cosplays Props) – as they unravel the symbiotic science and art of Venom. Q&A session to follow. Bonus: any Venom cosplayers out there are invited to take a group pic at the end!
2:00 PM – Cinema Two
Using the Creative and Inspiring Art of Spoken Word to tell the Story
Spoken word is a style of performance art that focuses on word play for story-telling. As an artistic storyteller, the spoken word performer expresses themselves by weaving in poetic components-such as rhyme, repetition, rhythm, improvisation, intonation and voice inflection as well as other traditional elements of poetry. Unlike written poetry, spoken word has less to do with physical on the page aesthetics and more to do with the aesthetics of sound.
2:00 PM – Connie Moses
Valiant: 101 and BEYOND
New to the Valiant Universe? With Valiant’s all-new and exciting “BEYOND” initiative in full swing, there’s never been a better time to become a fan! Jump on board right here with a concise and fun-filled introduction to the origins of Valiant’s greatest and most iconic heroes, complete with suggestions of where to start reading. Plus, check out the new titles in the “BEYOND” slate, along with sneak peeks of other upcoming books!
3:00 PM – Cinema One
Henry and Gerard design D&D Characters
Henry Edwards and Gerard Way design D&D characters while Tommy Lee Edwards brings them to visual life before your eyes!
3:00 PM – Cinema Two
The Working Artist
Do you love to draw but get stumped when it comes to getting your work out there? A panel of professional artists will talk about the realities of the business, with pointers on how to get published and what they wish they’d known at the start!
3:00 PM – Connie Moses
Publish, Print and Prosper: Self-publishing for Artists
Ready to share your artwork, stories or photos with the rest of the world, but not sure how to do it? The team at Lulu has got you covered! Learn more about how to utilize self-publishing to get your work into the hands of potential fans everywhere and make money doing it in this interactive conversation about the practical parts of the creative publishing process!
4:00 PM – Fletcher Hall
Cosplay Contest
Watch the best of the best cosplayers show off their creativity in a stunning cavalcade!
4:00 PM – Cinema Two
Black Animation Renaissance
This one of a kind panel brings together some of the most experienced and exemplary talents on the Black independent comic book scene to discuss the West’s checkered past of Black representation in the animated medium as well as its amazingly bright future! Like the Harlem Renaissance before it, the Black Animation Renaissance is on the verge of changing the way the Black community and the world at large looks at creativity of African descended creators in a medium that has always suffered from a lack of adequate and flattering representation.
If you want ALL the info about NC Comicon: Bull City RIGHT NOW, check out their amazingly helpful website.