Comic-Con 2010: Day 1 schedule announced

We covered Comic-Con 2009 here, here, here, and here. Last year, the buzz was about Avatar, Iron Man 2, Sherlock Holmes, 2012, and District 9. What about this year (7/22–25)?

There’s already a rumor courtesy of Geoff Boucher at the always excellent Hero Complex:

This Thursday, the first-day schedule for Comic-Con International will be announced, but already all over Los Angeles, studio insiders are playing a game of “show me yours and I’ll show you mine” with their programming plans for film and television. One of the interesting tidbits we keep hearing about is the rumor that Entertainment Weekly is hosting a two-man panel that must come close to the elusive state known as Nerdvana: J. J. Abrams and Joss Whedon!

Abrams and Whedon together? Be still my heart!

Here are some sessions from Day 1 (July 22) that look to be most relevant to the craft of writing and storytelling:

10:00–11:00 The Spark of Imagination — Peek inside the minds of leading authors and filmmakers to explore how imagination informs the creative process. New York Times bestselling children’s author Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles) details the precedent-setting augmented reality used in his new Simon & Schuster novel The Search for Wondla; LAIKA president/CEO Travis Knight (lead animator on the Oscar-nominated stop-motion movie Coraline) explains how his studio will continue to take bold chances in the animated feature film world; and graphic novelist and Comic-Con special guest Doug TenNapel (Earthworm Jim) describes exactly how a blank page comes to be inhabited with his compelling imagery. Geoff Boucher, reporter and HeroComplex.com blogger with the Los Angeles Times, moderates this fascinating panel discussion and Q&A. Room 25ABC 

10:15–11:15 DC Comics Writers Unite! — Originally a successful panel at WonderCon 2010, “Comics Writers Unite!” (see the Comic-Con Souvenir Book for a transcript) brought together a number of special guests to talk about the art of writing. Part of a series of programs at this year’s Comic-Con celebrating “The Year of the Writer,” this panel features special guests Paul Levitz (Legion of Super-Heroes), Dennis O’Neil (Batman, The Question), and J. Michael Straczynski (Superman, Wonder Woman), along with Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Secret Six), Judd Winick (Justice League: Generation Lost, Power Girl), and moderator James Robinson (Starman, Justice League of America). Room 6DE 

10:30–11:30 The Power of Myth — Fantasy authors discuss claiming world mythology to shape one’s own stories. Authors include Comic-Con special guest Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series), Amber Benson (the Calliope Reaper-Jones Novels), Esther Friesner (Sphinx’s Princess), Thomas Greanias (The Promised War), Lev Grossman (The Magicians), Les Klinger (editor, The New Annotated Dracula), Seanan McGuire (the October Daye novels), Michael Scott (the Secret of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series), and Thomas Sniegoski (Where Angels Fear To Tread). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 24ABC 

10:45–11:45 Cuckoo Nest Films: Hoohah! Heroes Behind the Heroes — This preview of the new film Hoohah! Heroes Behind the Heroes delves into the lives of the creators responsible for writing and drawing some of comics’ most beloved heroes and villains, from the whimsical and humorous to the terrifying. It’s through their stories in comic books that we come to know these writers and artists on a personal level. Panelists Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Mark Evanier (Groo the Wanderer), Bill Morrison (Simpsons Comics), Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex), and Scott Shaw! (Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!) engage in a discussion and Q&A session with director Jerry Hogrewe. Room 6A 

11:30–12:30 Spotlight on Kurt Busiek — The Eisner Award–winning writer and Comic-Con special guest discusses his career — past, present, and future — in comics. With a résumé that includes Superman, Justice League/Avengers, Conan, and his own creator-owned projects Astro City and Arrowsmith, Kurt Busiek is one of comics most popular writers! Room 8 

12:00–1:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #2: So You Think You Can Make Transmedia Entertainment? — Over the past few years, the American entertainment world has discovered the power of transmedia entertainment, with more and more stories getting integrated across film, television, games, the web, and of course, comics. Each new franchise — from The Matrix to Heroes and Lost, from District 9 to Avatar — has shown us something new about the ways transmedia franchises can be organized. In a talk addressing fans and media producers alike, Henry Jenkins (USC), author of Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, offering a vocabulary for discussing how we can tell if it is done well or not. Room 26AB 

12:30–1:30 Sci-Fi That Will Change Your Life — What makes sci-fi great, other than
awesome explosions and hot aliens? Sometimes it makes you reimagine your place in the universe. Join io9.com staff and friends as they recommend sci-fi from the past year that will entertain you — and then change your life. Panelists include io9 staff writers Annalee Newitz, Charlie Jane Anders, Meredith Woerner, and Cyriaque Lamar, plus io9 pals Marc Bernardin (The Authority, The Highwaymen), Bonnie Burton (StarWars.com), and Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). Room 7AB 

1:00–2:00 Spotlight on Charlaine Harris — Author and Comic-Con special guest Charlaine Harris gathered a huge fan base with her novels and stories featuring her characters mystery-solving librarian Aurora Teagarden; Shakespeare, Arkansas resident Lily Bard; and the telepathic barmaid who befriends vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, Sookie Stackhouse. Once Sookie and company moved to the small screen with HBO’s True Blood, Harris entered the superstar realm. Be a part of the very first Spotlight panel devoted to Charlaine and hear what she has to say about what comes next for Sookie and everyone else! Room 6BCF 

1:00–2:00 USA Network’s Burn Notice — Bruce Campbell (Sam Axe), Matt Nix (creator and executive producer), and Alfredo Barrios, Jr. (executive producer) host a panel discussion and answer questions about the creative process of evolving an embryonic idea into a finished episode of cable’s #1 show. Fans will gain an intimate look inside the world of Burn Notice, complete with war stories from the writer’s room and filming on location in Miami. Exclusive video content will include tips on how to survive Comic-Con from your favorite burned spy, Michael Westen (played by Jeffrey Donovan), highlights from all four seasons and an exclusive sneak peek at upcoming episodes. Ballroom 20 

2:00–3:00 Radical Publishing Panel — Hosted by Ain’t It Cool News’s very own Harry Knowles, Radical Publishing presents an all-star panel lineup with plenty of surprises, special announcements, and a free raffle ticket for everyone who attends. Panel guests include Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex), co-creator and co-writer of Time Bomb; Rick Remender (Punisher), creator and writer for The Last Days of American Crime, soon to be a major motion picture produced by and starring Avatar’s Sam Worthington; Peter Milligan (Hellblazer), writer for After Dark, co-created by director Antoine Fuqua and Wesley Snipes; Arvid Nelson (Rex Mundi), writer for the upcoming Oblivion from TRON: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski; Nick Percival (Judge Dredd), creator and artist for Legends: The Enchanted, soon to be a major motion picture from Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment; David Hine (Spider-Man Noir), writer of Ryder on the Storm and FVZA; Matt Cirulnick (True Crime: New York City), creator and co-writer for Earp: Saints for Sinners; and Keith Arem (Call of Duty series), one of the gaming industry’s leading director/producers as well as co-creator for the upcoming Exile. Room 32AB 

2:30–3:30 State of the Geek Report: From Avatar to Zardoz — A panel of experts examine the state of science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film and TV, from the living-ever-longer-and-prospering Star Trek franchise to the future of Star Wars to what the success of Avatar means for the future of movies. Some of geekdom’s biggest luminaries, including Steve Melching (The Clone Wars), Ashley E. Miller (Thor, X-Men: First Class), Steve Kriozere (Elvis Van Helsing), Jeff Bond (former Geek Monthly editor), and Bill Hunt and Todd Doogan (Digital Bits), talk about the lackluster state of sci-fi film and television, the rise, fall and rise of Star Trek, and the hits and misses of 2010 that made their midicholorian (and cholesterol) counts rise to dangerous levels this summer. Room 4 

3:00–4:00 Kiss Them or Kill Them? Conflict Management for the Creatures Among Us — Urban fantasy and paranormal romance authors discuss when to kill the monster, date the monster…or both and in what order. Authors include J. F. Lewis (ReVamped), Maria Lima (Blood Line series), Adrian Phoenix (the Maker’s Song series), Kat Richardson (the Greywalker novels), Diana Rowland (Kara Gillian — Detective and Demon Summoner series), Samantha Sommersby (the Forbidden Series), Anton Strout (the Simon Canderous urban fantasy series), Linda Thomas-Sundstrom (Wolf Moons series), and Rob Thurman (author of the Cal Leandros Novels and The Trickster Novels). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 25ABC 

4:00–5:00 Robert Kirkman — He examines survival among The Walking Dead. He makes superheroes relatable in Invincible. He made lycanthropy dramatic in The Astounding Wolf-Man. Join Image Comics for an in-depth discussion and Q&A with writing juggernaut Robert Kirkman. Moderated by Sina Grace. Room 5AB 

4:00–5:00 Twisting Genres — Fantastic fiction authors talk about pushing the envelope on genre, not confining it to one definition. Participants include China Miéville (Kraken), Justin Cronin (The Passage), Naomi Novik (Tongues of Serpents), Daryl Gregory (The Devil’s Alphabet), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Cold Black Hearts), Robert Masello (Blood And Ice), Keith Thompson (The Leviathan trilogy), and Scott Westerfeld (The Leviathan trilogy). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 25ABC 

4:30–5:30 Writing Workshop with James Hudnall — Comics writer James D. Hudnall (Espers, The Psycho) explains the fundamentals of writing effective fiction and characters. James details the core principals you will need in order to write strong, meaningful stories, including how to make your ideas work to their best effect, how to make a character believable, and how to make the reader care. Find out some of the most important things a writer can learn in just one hour’s time. Room 30CDE 

4:45–5:45 Our Heroes Have More Fun: the Anti-Heroes of Showtime — The 21st century anti-hero has become one of the driving forces in recent pop culture. When it comes to the television anti-hero, Showtime has the winning formula. Hear firsthand from the showrunners, creators, and actors who have helped define this phenomenon. Dexter’s Michael C. Hall and showrunner Chip Johannessen (24) delve into the phenomenon of Dexter Morgan, the serial killer you can’t help rooting for; David Duchovny and Tom Kapinos of Californication discuss why Hank Moody is the “bad boy” we love despite his obvious shortcomings; and Mary-Louise Parker and Jenji Kohanof Weeds interpret pot-dealing soccer mom Nancy Botwin’s moral decisions, as the line between right and wrong is not always as simple as black or white. Plus: Nurse Jackie — despite a little pill-popping along the way — is a smart no-nonsense nurse, who if you’re ever taken to the hospital, you had better hope she’s the first person you see. With heroes like these, who needs villains? Breaking the occasional promise, law, or commandment is all in a day’s work, and one thing’s for sure — Showtime heroes never let doing the right thing get in the way of having a good time. Ballroom 20 

5:30–6:30 Creating the New Mythology — Top comic creators Peter David (Incredible Hulk, X-Factor) and Marc Guggenheim (Wolverine, Resurrection) reveal the ins and outs of working within creative teams — and how those relationships lead to the creation of today’s modern myths and what it means to be working in mythology. Moderated by Comics Experience’s Andy Schmidt (X-Men, Annihilation). Room 30CDE 

6:00–7:00 Writing Queer: Creating and Writing LGBT Characters — Creating genuine and well-rounded LGBT characters is a challenge for writers, as they must give voice to a population whose stories have been kept hidden for so long. How do writers, both queer and straight, as well as mainstream and independent, create narratives that reflect the diversity and humanity of LGBT individuals, as well as the obstacles they face? Moderator Justin Hall (Glamazonia, Prism Comics’ talent chair) leads a spirited conversation with some of the best writers working in comics today: Paige Braddock (Jane’s World), Howard Cruse (Stuck Rubber Baby), Gilbert Hernandez (Love and Rockets), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics), Gail Simone (Wonder Woman), and Judd Winick (Pedro and Me). Room 32AB 

6:30–7:30 Origins and Evolutions of a Video Game Super Hero — Sucker Punch Productions, the developer behind the critically acclaimed PS3 summer blockbuster inFamous, takes you behind the scenes in the making and evolution of superhero Cole MacGrath. Unlike most superheroes, Cole and the inFamous universe were designed from the ground up as a video game, rather than as a scripted linear book or show. Key members of the Sucker Punch team discuss how this video-game-first approach affects every aspects of the creative process — including character designs, super powers, architecture, morality, and the narrative structure. Additionally, attendees will get a first look at the 2D graphic cut scenes from inFamous 2, as well as have an opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A. Room 7AB

For the complete Thursday, July 22 line-up, go here.

For a little historical perspective, here is the Wikipedia post on Comic-Con.

The official Comic-Con site.

Who’s going to Comic-Con 2010? What are you most excited about experiencing there?

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