San Diego is calling all geeks! Comic-Con 2011 is so close yet so far away, But the amount of fun we are planning on having is going to be epic. Comic-Con International has unleashed the full schedule for Saturday July 23rd, and of course it’s going to be another great day at the con, and since it’s Saturday it will also be the most crowded. Here’s a an example of what you will be going down… Immortals, Snow White and the Hunstman, Alcatraz, Terra Nova, Family Guy, Marvel TV, Community, Knights of Badassdom, Grimm, Kevin Smith and more!

I’ve gone through the list and put stars next to all of the events and panels that we want to cover. Let us know what panels and events you would like to know about and we will try and get them covered for you! If you are actually going to be at the con, what will you be checking out?

GeekTyrant will once again be at Comic-Con in full force this year, bringing you the best maximum super rad coverage. We always work our asses off, but we have a blast doing it.

We will also be having the annual GeekTyrant meet-up again this year, which we announce soon. But we know it will take place on Wednesday night. 

See you at San Diego Comic-Con 2011!

10:00-11:00 DC: Talent Search— DC’s editorial art director, Mark Chiarello, presents an informative orientation session to explain how DC’s Talent Search works and discuss the different needs of DC Comics, Vertigo, and MAD magazine. If you want to learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional, this is the panel for you. If you want to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.)  Room 4 

10:00-11:30 Activision— Legends from across the Marvel landscape and the entertainment industry come together in one epic panel to discuss their roles in upcoming Activision Marvel video games X-Men Destiny and Spider-Man: Edge of Time. Comic book legend Stan Leereflects upon the latest adventures of his creations with famed Marvel writer Peter David(creator of Spider-Man 2099) and Marvel VP of Games TQ Jefferson. Dee Brown, studio head of Beenox, and Jullian Spillane, project director of Silicon Knights, give everyone an inside look into how they balance staying true to the Marvel universe while bringing something original and exciting to fans in a video game. A talented voice cast of known celebrities rounds out the legends to discuss bringing Marvel characters to life in the games (check Facebook.com/HeroHQ for announcements). Finally, see an exclusive preview of never-before-seen footage for the upcoming games, and enter a chance to win a one-of-a-kind poster signed by Stan Lee himself at the panel! Moderated by Ryan Penagos, editorial director of Marvel.com. Room 5AB 

10:00-11:00 From Buddha to Batman: Deepak Chopra and Grant Morrison Discuss The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes— Five years ago, New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned spiritual guru Deepak Chopra joined legendary comic book writer Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, Supergods) at Comic-Con to discuss the role superheroes play in the social fabric. What started as a thought-provoking panel discussion has since become a profound new teaching manual for discovering the superhero within — Chopra’s new book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes. Now Chopra and Morrison are back to elaborate on what the superhero archetype means for us today. Joined by Deepak’s son Gotham Chopra (founder of Liquid Comics) and moderated by Chris Carle (editorial director of IGN Entertainment), the discussion will cover the seven essential laws that govern the realm of superheroes and the cultural importance of superheros — why they matter, why they will always be with us, and what they tell us about who we are…and what we may yet become. Q&A to follow. Room 6A 

10:00-11:00 DC: Green Lantern— Enlist in the Corps at DC’s annual Green Lantern panel! DCU executive editor Eddie Berganza, Green Lantern Corps writer Peter Tomasi, Red Lanterns artist Ed Benes, and others offer a look at the aftermath of “War of the Green Lanterns” and more! Room 6DE 

10:00-11:00 Immortality— An obsession with “youth” has always been part of our culture. In this panel, authors explore the concept of “immortality” as a cultural fascination and as it is represented in their work, with a particular focus on paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy novels. Panelists discussing their immortal works include: David Goyer and Michael Cassut(Heaven’s Shadow), Jason Starr (The Pack), Drew Magary (The Postmortal), Rachel Caine(The Morganville Vampires series), Heather Brewer (The Vlad Tod series), Michael Carroll(Superhuman, Judge Dredd), and Alma Katsu (The Taker). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 7AB 

10:00-11:00 Spotlight on Jerry Robinson— Comic-Con special guest Jerry Robinson, creator of the Joker, will discuss his legendary career from Batman to Broadway and beyond with the publisher of Dark Horse Comics and Emmy Award winner Mike Richardson in this one-on-one interview and Q&A session.Room 9 

*** 10:00-10:45 Chuck Screening and Q&A— Comic-Con fan-favorite Chuck returns with a bang for its farewell panel to celebrate its fifth and final season. Executive producer and co-creator Chris Fedak, along with series stars Zachary Levi (Alvin and the Chipmunks),Yvonne Strahovski (upcoming My Mother’s Curse), Joshua Gomez (Without a Trace), Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence (The Pursuit of Happyness), Vik Sahay (Good Will Hunting), Scott Krinsky (The O.C.) with Sarah Lancaster (The Good Doctor), and Adam Baldwin (Serenity), offer a Q&A with fans and an unforgettable video presentation. Produced by Fake Empire, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television,Chuck airs Friday at 8:00 ET/PT on NBC, and Chuck: The Complete Fourth Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD this fall. Ballroom 20 

10:00-11:00 Steampunk Influences on Mainstream Media and Entertainment— Phil Foglio (Girl Genius), Kaja Foglio (Girl Genius), Greg Broadmore (WETA), Lon Muckey andAaron Ginn-Forsberg (Mantecoza), and Thomas Willeford (Brute Force Leather) discuss the appeal of the Steampunk aesthetic and the reasons for its increasing popularity in media, the arts, and the entertainment industry, including literature, graphic novels, costuming, props, prosthetics, Internet, and film. Room 23ABC 

10:00-11:30 50 Years of Comic Fandom: The Founders— It’s hard to believe but it’s been fifty years (more or less) since that peculiar institution called Comic Book Fandom was born. Meet some of those who were there at the inception, including Jean Bails, Paul Levitz, Dickand Pat Lupoff, Richard Kyle, Bill Schelly, Roy Thomas, and Maggie Thompson along with moderator Mark Evanier, as they discuss how fandom came to be and just what it was. Room 24ABC 

10:00-11:00 Motion Picture and Television Production Designers— In collaboration with a highly skilled art department, the production designer lays out the designs that will guide a small army of decorators, carpenters, sculptors, painters, and artisans of all sorts, to bring into existence those fantastic worlds that fire everyone’s imagination. Panelists include moderator John Muto (Terminator 2:3D), Cece DeStefano (Alias), Jim Bissell (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), Edward Thomas (Torchwood, Dr. Who), and Greg Melton (The Walking Dead). Room 25ABC 

10:00-11:00 Attack of the Show! Attacks Comic-Con— G4′s Attack of the Show is TV’s first — and only — live daily show dedicated to the “digital generation.” From breaking the hottest web videos to reviewing the latest tech, movies, and videogames, AOTS takes its audience to the virtual water cooler — where you can then tweet your friends that you saw it on AOTS first! Kevin Pereira, Candace Bailey, Sara Underwood, Blair Butler and AOTSexecutive producers bring you the closest thing to being on a live Attack of the Show, an interactive Comic-Con panel! And don’t miss the giveaways, stunts, audience games, and a special screening of upcoming comedy for Attack of the Show. You’ll also get a chance to grill the hosts and producers of the show and find out the dirty secrets and television tricks behind Attack of the Show. With over 1,000 shows to choose from, there’s got be something you wanna know! Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

10:00-11:00 Comic-Con Film School 103: Working with Actors and a Crew— Day 3 of our course on micro-budget moviemaking deals with how to direct actors, organize a crew, and keep them all happy without anybody making a dime. Panelists for the class include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Perilseries), Vera Vanguard (writer/producer of Goth Girl), Jack Conway (writer/producer of Fear News), Sean Rourke (writer ofBallistica), and actors Susan Smythe, Brian Stevenson, Kat Steel, and Brad Upton.Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

*** 10:30-11:30 Marvel Television— Marvel’s head of TV Jeph Loeb brings the inside scoop on Marvel’s latest series that take your favorite heroes from page to screen. Get a first look at the premiere of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes season two, a sneak peek at a certain ultimate webslinger, and a few other surprises from Marvel Television. Room 6BCF 

10:30-11:30 The Return of Action-Adventure Animation— The pendulum of audience and network taste in animation regularly swings between wacky comedy, comedy-adventure, and true action-adventure. And that’s where it seems to be heading right now. The Writers Guild of America’s Animation Writers Caucus returns to Comic-Con with a panel of animation writers and studio and network executives discussing whether it’s really changing and what to expect. Panelists include moderator Craig Miller (Beast Wars, G.I. Joe), Stan Berkowitz (The 99, Justice League), Steven Melching (Transformers Prime, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Warner Bros. Animation’s director of series and shorts Jeff Prezenkowski (Thundercats, Green Lantern), and others. Room 8 

10:30-12:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #9: Sequential Artistry— Keegan Lannon (Southern Illinois University) uses Craig Thompson’s Blankets as a case study to analyze how the relationship between the frame and the gutter, and individual frames themselves, can suggest duration and create the passage of time. Fabio Luiz Carneiro Mourilhe Silva (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro) applies Gaston Bachelard’s concept of rupture to comics, showing the evolution of comics along with their evaluation in terms of the instant and the articulation of time. Tof Eklund (Full Sail University) turns the work of Thierry Groensteen, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, and Donald Ault onto Alex Robinson’s Too Cool to bBe Forgotten, revealing a narrative that is by turns eerie, enlightening, and wrenching, and, most of all, illustrative of the function and potential of time in comics.Martin Schuewer (German Society for Comics Research) explores how the graphic construction of space contributes to the narrative in comics, looking particularly at perspective drawing and at how spatial fragments are linked to form a coherent narrative in the work of such experimental artists as Windsor McCay and in more conventionally narrative comics.Room 26AB 

10:30-12:00 Comic-Con How-To: Sketching with Adam Hughes— Award-winning artistAdam Hughes demonstrates sketching with grayscale Copic Markers. Adam is best known for his cover art for DC Comics, some of which was collected in Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes, a hardcover coffeetable book. Room 28DE 

10:30-12:00 Comic Book Law School 303: To Tweet or Not to Tweet— And other important questions facing creators and business owners each day in our uber-connected world. Creators aren’t the only ones facing potential problems and issues — publishers, distributors, retailers, and even the ultimate consumers can find themselves facing legal issues they never expected. Infringements, misuse, tarnishment, dilution, knockoffs, lawsuits, satires, parodies, fair use, blogs, podcasts, tweets, and cybersquatters are just some of the many potential problems that may arise once creative works and products become accessible to others. Noted attorney Michael Lovitz, author of the sold-out The Trademark and Copyright Book comic book, addresses some of the more advanced (and often complicated) issues facing the creative community, particularly in light of the ever-expanding worlds of new media. And this time, he’s not alone, as attorneys David Branfmanb, David Lizerbram, andMarc Greenberg join him toshare insights into some of the more interesting and cutting-edge legal issues faced by the creative and business communities. Plus, time permitting, they’ll discuss recent legal decisions and pending cases that are likely to affect the field of popular culture and how they might play an important role in your creative and business plans. Note: The Comic Book Law School seminars are designed to provide relevant information and practice tips to practicing attorneys, as well as practical tips to creators and other professionals who may wish to attend. [This program is approved for 1.5 credits of California MCLE.] Room 30CDE 

11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Ernie Chan— Comic-Con special guest Ernie Chan has done it all! Known for his stunning run of covers at DC in the 1970s, he also did a huge amount of work at Marvel on everything from Conan to Luke Cage. Ernie talks about his career in comics and what he’s up to now. Room 4 

11:00-12:00 MTV Comics— Join executive editor Tom Akel to hear about new and ongoing titles with MTV creators. Marc Silvestri will discuss the new MTV/Top Cow collaborationSeptember Mourning, a multiplatform project blending comics and music through video, comic books, and live events. And the legendary Stan Lee will reveal the story behind MTV Comics’ upcoming digital book The Seekers and let artists and writers know when to start sending submissions to collaborate with Stan on the comic! Room 7AB 

11:00-12:00 Will Eisner: Visionary— Will Eisner — artist, storyteller, entrepreneur — played a central role in comics from the Golden Age to the Computer Age. During his career, Eisner reinvented sequential art and himself to overcome obstacles and create new media. A combination of idealist and realist, he led the way and helped create the comics and graphic novels that we know today. Learn about Will Eisner from those who personally knew and worked with him. Join moderator Charles Brownstein (executive director of the CBLDF, author of Eisner/Miller), Denis Kitchen (artist, author, publisher, Eisner’s agent and longtime friend), Paul Levitz (writer, former president/publisher of DC Comics), Scott McCloud (artist, author, theoretician about comics and sequential art), Diana Schutz (executive editor, Dark Horse Comics), and Jeff Smith (writer/cartoonist, Bone, Rasl) to learn more about the “Father of the Graphic Novel.” Room 9 

*** 11:00-12:00 Terra Nova— Star Stephen Lang (Avatar), executive producer Rene Echevarria (Castle, Medium, The 4400, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), executive producerBrannon Braga (24, Star Trek: Enterprise), and co-executive producer Jose Molina (Haven, Castle) premiere footage from the highly anticipated epic adventure series 85 million years in the making, set to premiere this September on FOX. This new event drama from the minds of Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, The Pacific) and Peter Chernin follows an ordinary family on an extraordinary journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a part of a massive expedition to save the human race. Ballroom 20 

11:00-12:00 Archie Comics: The Future of Riverdale and Beyond— Archie Comics has continued to be a trailblazing publisher in comics, and there’s much more in store! Archie’s co-CEO Jon Goldwater, president Mike Pellerito, and editor-in-chiefVictor Gorelick, iVerse’s Michael Murphey, creators Dan Parent(Kevin Keller) and Michael Uslan (Batman, Life with Archie), and Archie executive director of publicity and marketing Alex Segura(Archie & Friends) present a look into the future of Archie stories, major announcements, special guest stars, digital plans, and much more! Room 23ABC 

11:00-12:00 Marvel vs. Capcom— Fighting fans! Come to this panel to hear the fantastic news about this legendary fighting game franchise straight from producer Ryota Niitsuma. Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek as well as a chance to come onstage to showcase your fighting skills against each other for fantastic prizes. Followed by a Q&A session.Room 25ABC  

11:00-12:00 Sanctuary— Thrilling action, revolutionary green screen sets, and more bumps in the night than you can count. Catch Amanda Tapping (Helen Magnus), Robin Dunne (Will Zimmerman), and moderator Josh Gates (Destination Truth) as they take you inside Syfy’s hit series Sanctuary. Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

11:00-12:00 Avatar: The Last Airbender Fan Gathering—Enjoy the company of fellow fans and discuss the original series, upcoming Dark Horse comics, and the future Legend of Korra. Moderator Avatar_Mom chats with MC Victor Sgroi (Cabbage Merchant), Michael Kirkpatrick (Props), Kevin Coppa(Puppetbenders), fan artist Kim Miranda (Isaia), writer John O’Bryan (Avatar the Last Airbender), and storyboard artist Ian B. Graham (Avatar the Last Airbender). Come for the conversation and stay for the cosplay contest. Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

11:15-12:15 Spotlight on Sherrilyn Kenyon— The New York Times bestselling author and Comic-Con special guest Sherrilyn Kenyon talks about the joys of juggling numerous series, family life, and a collection of swords (we’re pretty sure she doesn’t really juggle the swords). With books that cross over into manga and graphic novels, Kenyon has captured the number-one bestselling slot 14 times in the past two years! Room 6A 

11:15-12:30 DC Comics – The New 52— DC Comics explodes in September with 52 new number one issues and one panel is not enough to cover it! With a “DC Comics – The New 52″ panel each day, there’s sure to be something for everyone! Join Dan DiDio, DC Entertainment Co-Publisher, Bob Harras, DC’s Editor-in-Chief, and DC Comics Executive Editor, Eddie Berganza, for an up-close look at this unprecedented wave of new series, from the first-ever re-launches of Action Comics and Batman titles to the latest thrills from comics’ cutting-edge!Room 6DE 

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Steranko— Comic-Con special guest Steranko, the Eisner Hall of Fame-winning writer/illustrator/filmmaker/escape artist, presents a provocative forum featuring his work on Captain America, X-Men, S.H.I.E.L.D., The Shadow, Indiana Jones and more, including a new series ofBatman covers and his groundbreaking graphic novel Red Tide. Moderator J. David Spurlock promises to reveal a new storm of secrets from the Steranko bag of tricks. Room 5AB 

11:30-12:30 Top Cow: We Create…Excitement— Join Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri(The Darkness, X-Men/Dark Avengers: Utopia), president Matt Hawkins (The Darkness II: Confession), and publisher Filip Sablik (Last Mortal), along with a bevy of Top Cow creators, for the most dynamic, news-packed hour at Comic-Con! Be the first to get exclusive news about the future of the Top Cow Universe, the announcement of the 2011 Pilot Season titles and creative teams, and a metric truckload of Top Cow film and television announcements. Plus special surprise guests and a free gift for every attendee! Room 8 

11:30-12:30 Bill Blackbeard: The Man Who Saved Comics— In the 1960s, while writing a history of the American comic strip, Bill Blackbeard learned that most of the nation’s libraries were discarding their newspaper archives in favor of microfilm, destroying countless pages of comics in the process. Over the course of the next three decades, Blackbeard and his volunteers at the San Francisco Academy of Comic Art amassed a collection of more than 2.5 million comics, including virtually every comic strip ever syndicated in U.S. newspapers. When he passed away earlier this year, Blackbeard had contributed to more than 200 comic strip collections, including the beloved Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics, and his work had inspired generations of cartoonists, historians and fans. Cartoon Art Museum curatorAndrew Farago, publishers Gary Groth and Dean Mullaney, editor and herstorian Trina Robbins, and Jenny Robb, curator/assistant professor from Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum celebrate Blackbeard’s life and legacy. Room 24ABC 

11:45-1:00 Quick Draw!— It’s the annual Heavyweight Championship of Cartooning as three of the fastest minds (with the fastest pens) go mano a mano to create cartoon mirth before your very eyes! Be there as Sergio Aragonés (MAD magazine), Scott Shaw! (The Simpsons), and Mike Kazaleh (Futurama) are put through their paces by the Quizmaster of Quick Draw himself, Mark Evanier! Room 6BCF 

*** 11:45-12:45 TWIXT: Francis Ford Coppola and Dan Deacon— Legendary filmmakerFrancis Ford Coppola and acclaimed musician Dan Deacon present sequences from Coppola’s latest film, TWIXT, and involve the audience in a dress rehearsal of the completely unique and innovative way they plan on performing it. Plus a Q&A session. Hall H 

12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Yves Bigerel— An international champion at the forefront of digital comics, Comic-Con special guest Yves “Balak” Bigerel talks to writer/editor Mark Waidabout the differences (and similarities) between digital and “traditional” on-paper storytelling. Take note of his “do’s and don’ts” of digital art, and watch as he demonstrates how a print story can be told on-screen using the unique tools digital allows. Your understanding of how the electronic format can enhance the reading experience without simply mimicking a paper comic will be transformed. Room 4 

12:00-1:00 Creative Design: Showcasing Techniques That Foster New Ways of Approaching Design— Presenters Neville Page and Scott Robertson are professional educators with a collective 32 years of teaching experience, including colleges in Europe. Additionally, they have done workshops for corporations such as Mattel, BMW, Jakks Pacific, Nokia, Bose, Design Continuum, Patagonia. They explain ways to generate radically new aesthetics and concepts using some unusual approaches that involves everything from the latest technology to found objects. This one has always been a hit with both the novice designers and well-established professionals. Room 7AB  

12:00-1:00 Terry Moore— Cartoonist Terry Moore fills you in on the latest news about his upcoming new series, Rachel Rising, as well as updates on the Echo movie and plans for celebrating the 20th anniversary of Strangers in Paradise in 2013. Room 9 

12:00-1:00 The Art of Adapting Comics to the Screen— It’s a landmark summer for comic-based films and with millions of dollars and the reputations of the properties being adapted at stake, it’s important to examine the process by which these films come to life. Moderator Jeff Goldsmith (host of The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith podcast) interviews screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (co-writers of Cowboys and Aliens) andChristopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Captain America) as they shed light on their unique screenwriting habits and process of adaptation. Room 23ABC 

12:00-1:00 Kick Buttowski: XD Animation Panel— Live ’til it hurts! NBA All-Star Dwight Howard teams up with the cast and crew of Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil to answer your questions about Disney’s XD action-packed animated hit. CreatorSandro Corsaro will be on hand with Charlie Schlatter and Matt Jones (the voices of Kick and Gunther), revealing footage from the show. Arrive early to catch an exclusive sneak peek at Disney XD’s upcoming animated hits Motorcity and Tron: Uprising. Moderated by Eric Coleman, SVP, original series for Disney TV Animation. Room 25ABC 

12:00-1:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #10: The Wit, Whimsy, & Wisdom of Weisinger— Comic book historian and illustrator Arlen Schumer (The Silver Age of Comic Book Art) presents the work of Mort Weisinger, editor of the Superman line for 30 years (1940-1970), told in Weisinger’s own words and artist Curt Swan’s images.Room 26AB 

12:00-1:00 CBLDF Master Session 5: Matt Wagner— For more than three decades, Matt Wagner has developed a singular approach to depicting heroism through a unique design ethic that couples muscularity with precision. Witness how his approach to line, color, and form combine to produce heroic results at this CBLDF Master Session. The pieces created during this event will be available for bidding in Saturday’s CBLDF Benefit Auction!Room 30CDE 

*** 12:00-1:00 Being Human— Find out why Being Human is harder than it looks — especially when you’re a vampire, werewolf, or ghost. Don’t miss Sam Witwer (Aidan), Meaghan Rath(Sally), and Sam Huntington (Josh) as they join executive producers Jeremy Carver andAnna Fricke on Syfy’s first Being Human panel, moderated by award-winning writer Nadira Hira (expert on Generation Y; contributor, Fortune magazine).Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

12:00-1:00 Twilight Fan Panel— ScarlettLetters (Wild Swan), ArcadianMaggie (I Wept Not), MJinAspen (Reality Minus Expectations), Rochelle Allison (Stary Eyed Inside),magnolia822 (A Quit Fire), Belladonna1472 (The Cullen Campaign) and Einfach Mich(Confessions of a Difficult Woman) make up this year’s panel of Twilight fan fiction authors. They’ll answer questions about the challenges and joys of writing derivative fiction in theTwilight fandom. Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

*** 12:15-1:00 Futurama— Futurama is back! Again! On stage will be creator/executive producer Matt Groening, executive producer David X. Cohen, and stars Billy West (Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg), Katey Sagal (Leela), John DiMaggio (Bender), andMaurice LaMarche (Kif Kroker, Calculon, Morbo). Get a sneak peek at never-before-seen footage of Futurama reincarnated as Japanese anime, along with a thrilling preview of this summer’s new season on Comedy Central. Moderated by Bill Morrison. Ballroom 20 

12:30-1:30 Making Up Goofy Stuff for a Living: All Your Questions Answered by New York Times Bestselling Author Christopher Moore— Comic-Con special guest Christopher Moore is tired of funny books not being funny. So, he has decided to take nearly any road, to use nearly any device, to get the funny stuff on the page. If he has to break a few rules here or there, or go against a few conventions, or make it inconvenient for someone to write a paper about one of his books because it doesn’t fit conveniently in the “theme, plot, character” box, well so be it. And now he’s coming to Comic-Con International. And we promise he’ll make you laugh. Or at least snicker a little. Room 5AB 

12:30-1:30 Marvel Interactive: Marvel Video Games— Learn all about Spider-Man: Edge of Time, X-Men Destiny, Captain America: Super Soldier, Super Hero Squad Online, Super Hero Squad 3DS and uDraw, Marvel Pinball, and the Marvel Universe MMO. Also, find out some exciting new details about the future of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and other Marvel games via exclusive trailers, surprise reveals, and Q&A with the game creators from some of the industry’s top publishers. Room 6A 

12:30-1:30 Diversity in Young Adult Works— It’s not all about being torn between vampire and werewolf boyfriends. This panel is a celebration of different genres, protagonists, and media for young adult readers. The diverse authors participating include Cindy Pon (Fury of the Phoenix), Kiersten White (Supernaturally), Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), Vera Brosgol (Anya’s Ghost), Gene Yang (Level Up), and Elizabeth Bunce (A Curse Dark As Gold). Moderated by Malinda Lo (Huntress). Room 8 

12:30-1:30 Fantagraphics 35th Anniversary— Fantagraphics Books was founded in 1976 with the launch of their first publication, The Comics Journal. Since then, they’ve grown to become one of the world’s foremost publishers of literary comix and comic strips. PublishersGary Groth and Kim Thompson offer a multimedia presentation highlighting their favorite works from the past 35 years, as well as previewing some of their upcoming favorites. Expect a major announcement or two, as well! Room 24ABC 

12:45-1:45 DC: The Dark and The Edge— From the shadowy corners of the new DC Universe comes a startling array of new series featuring some of comics’ top creators! Join DC Editor Pat McCallum and get acquainted with new DC titles from “The Dark” and “The Edge,” including Swamp Thing, written by Scott Snyder, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. andAnimal Man, written by Jeff Lemire, Deathstroke, written by Kyle Higgins, Demon Knightsand Stormwatch, written by Paul Cornell, I, Vampire, written by Josh Fialkov, Suicide Squad, written by Adam Glass, Swamp Thing, drawn by Francesco Francavilla, All Star Western drawn by Moritat, and more! Room 6DE 

1:00-2:00 Spotlight on Anders Nilsen— Comic-Con special guestAnders Nilsen debuts his magnum opus, the 800+-page Big Questions, which he began self-publishing over 10 years ago and which quickly placed Nilsen at the forefront of alternative cartoonists. He is part of the Chicago comics collective The Holy Consumption with Jeffrey Brown, John Hankiewicz, and Paul Horsnchemeier and was recently featured in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Join him as he presents a slideshow of his work from his haunting postmodern fable. Room 4 

1:00-2:30 Cartoon Voices I— Meet some of the folks who speak for your favorite animated superstars…folks like Wally Wingert (The Avengers), Saratoga Ballantine (Spider-Man),Tara Strong (The Powerpuff Girls), Townsend Coleman (The Tick), Rob Paulsen (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Robin Atkin Downes (Thundercats). They’ll be interrogated by moderators Mark Evanier and Earl Kress. Room 6BCF 

1:00-2:00 Remembering Harvey Pekar— The legendary Harvey Pekar died in July 2010, leaving behind a huge legacy of work with a veritable who’s who list of comics collaborators on his American Splendor and graphic novels. Joyce Brabner and Danielle Batone join editorCharles Kochman and moderator Jeff Newelt to talk about Harvey’s life and comics career. This is an open invitation to anyone whoever worked with Harvey or cared about him to come and share their memories. Room 7AB 

1:00-2:00 Minimates: Nine Years, 1,000 Tiny Toys— Some of the men behind the popular Minimates line are here to unveil upcoming products and answer your questions about the 2-inch, fully articulated minifigures. Diamond Select Toys director Chuck Terceira, Art Asylum founder Digger, and prototype painterJason Wires will share insider info, submit to a Q&A session, and debut the first stop-motion animated Minimates MAX movie! Plus, there’ll be a Minimates prize drawing at the end of the panel. Moderated by Zach Oat (ToyFaremagazine). Room 9 

*** 1:00-1:45 The Simpsons— Now entering its record-annihilating 23rd season on FOX and airing its landmark 500th episode on February 19, 2012, The Simpsons has won 27 Emmy awards, was the subject of an international film smash in 2007, and inspired a ride you ride again at Universal Studios. Plus, Homer Simpson was named the greatest television character of the last 20 years byEntertainment Weekly. Get insight into the daily doings of this series from creator Matt Groening, showrunner Al Jean, co-executive producer Rob Lazebnik, co-executive producer Matt Warburton, supervising producer Mike Anderson, and producer/panel moderator Tom Gammill. Ballroom 20 

1:00-2:00 Designing the SuperHero Costume: Costume Designers, Costume Illustrators and Superhero Costume Builders— Costume designers work with costume illustrators to translate graphic artists’ renderings into wearable, functioning, cinematic costumes. Hear the inside stories from the people who bring the superhero costume to life. Moderator Deborah Nadoolman Landis (member of Costume Designers Guild, Local 892, costume designer, Raiders of the Lost Ark, director of the David C. Copley Center for Costume Design at UCLA) is joined by costume designers Christine Bieslin-Clark (co-costume designer, Tron: Legacy) and Ellen Mirojnick (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Christian Beckman of Quantum FX, Inc. (specialty costume fabricator, Tron: Legacy, Watchmen), costume manufacturers Mary Ellen Fields of Bill Hargate Costumes (Iron Man 2), andMarilyn Madsen (Star Trek TV series), and costume illustrators Constantine Sekeres (Thor, Green Lantern) and Christian Cordella (GI Joe 2: Cobra Strikes, Captain America: The Last Avenger). Room 23ABC  

*** 1:00-2:00 Robert Kirkman— One of the most prolific writers in comics today, Robert Kirkman is known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible, Super Dinosaur, Astounding Wolf-Man, Marvel Zombies, and the upcoming series with Rob Liefeld, The Infinite. After becoming an Image Comics partner in 2009 and introducing the internationally renowned hit TV show based on the comic he created, The Walking Dead on AMC, he has proven to be an unstoppable creative force. In 2010, Kirkman launched his own imprint at Image Comics, Skybound, providing him the opportunity to hand pick up-and-coming creators and maintain an active role in promoting and expanding their properties as Skybound Originals. Here he offers fans some insight behind their favorite hit comics. Room 25ABC 

1:00-2:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #11: Psychology of the Dark Knight: How Trauma Formed the Batman and Why He’s Got a Thing for “Bad Girls”— How realistic is it that a young Bruce Wayne would vow to spend the rest of his life avenging his parents’ murders and “warring on all criminals”? How did these seminal events shape the man Wayne becomes? And why is he attracted to “bad girls”? For answers to these and other questions, psychologists Travis Langley (Henderson State University) and Robin Rosenberg (Psychology of Superheroes) ask Batman writer Grant Morrison, one-time Catwoman Lee Meriwether (Batman: The Movie), journalist Jill Pantozzi (Newsarama), and executive producer Michael Uslan (The Dark Knight Rises). Room 26AB  

1:00-2:30 Comic-Con How-To: Sketching with Allison Sohn— Trading card and sketch card artist Allison Sohn demonstrates sketching with color Copic Markers. Allison works primarily with Copic Markers for her printed works as well as her sketchcards. Room 28DE 

1:00-2:00 CBLDF Master Session 6: Camilla d’Errico— Working at the nexus of fine art, western comics, manga and illustration,Camilla d’Errico fuses a diversity of influences into a style that speaks to the heart of 21st Century aesthetics. Get an inside look at d’Errico’s approach to designing characters with an emphasis on eyes, and her original headpiece creations at this CBLDF Master Session. The pieces created during this event will be available for bidding in Saturday’s CBLDF Benefit Auction. Room 30CDE 

*** 1:00-2:00 Relativity Media: Immortals— Visionary director Tarsem Singh transports viewers in this epic tale of treachery, vengeance, and destiny in this stylish and visually spectacular 3D action adventure. The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion and his murderous Heraklion (Mickey Rourke) rampage across Greece in search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus vows to avenge his mother, who was killed in one of Hyperion’s brutal raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle Phaedra, her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final, desperate battle for the future of humanity. Stars Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans,Kellan Lutz will participate in this panel alongside producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton. Hall H 

*** 1:00-2:00 Community— The cast and creative team from Sony TV’s critically acclaimed NBC series — Joel McHale (The Soup), Chevy Chase (Hot Tub Time Machine), Donald Glover(30 Rock), Yvette Nicole Brown (Rules of Engagement), Danny Pudi (Greek), Gillian Jacobs (Choke), Alison Brie (Mad Men), and Ken Jeong (The Hangover Part II), and executive producers Dan Harmon (The Sarah Silverman Program), Joe Russo (Arrested Development), Anthony Russo (Arrested Development), Neil Goldman (Scrubs), Garrett Donovan (Scrubs) and Russ Krasnoff (The Soloist) — come together for an animated discussion and Q&A session about what’s in store for viewers this fall!Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

1:00-2:00 Little Lulu Fan Group— One of the most memorable kids’ comics ever created,Little Lulu has generated a fan following around the world. Learn more about this classic comics character and the renewed interest in the other delightful works of the great John Stanley, and join in for the annual scripted reading of a Golden Age Little Lulu story. All are welcome! Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Tsuneo Goda— Comic-Con special guestTsuneo Goda (Domo) discusses his creation, Domo-kun, from its humble beginnings to its now worldwide popularity. He’ll cover all the finer points of this internationally recognized and beloved character, as well as some of his new projects and engage in a Q&A session. Room 5AB 

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Peter Kuper— From MAD to World War 3 Illustrated, Comic-Con special guest Peter Kuper (Spy vs. Spy) has for three decades been blowing up spies and politicians and creating graphic novels ranging from Franz Kafka adaptations to autobiographies that would scare Kafka. Get an inside look at how he comes up with Spy vs. Spy ideas and his other idiotic projects!Room 8  

1:30-2:30 Is the Comic Book Doomed?— Is the 32-page, stapled, monthly serial comic book reaching the end of its long road? What might force it out of existence — and what might keep it alive for another generation? And if the comic book as we once knew it vanishes, what does that mean for the future of the comics medium? Mark Waid (Irredeemable), Vijaya Iyer (Cartoon Books), Laura Hudson (Comics Alliance), Amanda Emmert (ComicsPRO), and moderator Douglas Wolk hash it out. Room 24ABC 

1:45-2:45 Vampires and Others— How do you make a relationship work when you or your significant other lack a pulse or face other mortal-challenged issues? Get relationship advice from Patricia Briggs (The Mercy Thompson series), Nancy Holder (The Crusade series),Linda Thomas-Sundstrom (The Golden Vampire), S.G. Browne (Fated), Clay and Susan Griffith (The Vampire Empire series), and Christine Cody (Bloodlands). Moderated byMaryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 6A 

2:00-3:00 Spotlight onern to becoming one of the industries most successful and popular pencillers working today. Join Jamal and writer/moderator Keith Dallas for an entertaining one-on-one interview and Q&A session filled with stories, laughs, and brutal honesty! Room 4 

2:00-3:00 Spotlight on Garth Ennis: Crossed, Stitched, and Beyond— Superstar writer and Comic-Con special guest Garth Ennis has created quite a home for himself at Avatar Press with the runaway success of Crossed, a brutal, uncompromising vision of a world overrun by pure, sadistic evil. As the Crossed comic series grows into a fearsome franchise featuring the hottest talents in the industry (David Lapham, Si Spurrier, Jacen Burrows), Ennis has expanded into film work, writing and directing Stitched, a chilling horror tale that premieres at Comic-Con and continues in an ongoing monthly comic book. Join Garth as he discusses his future plans with Avatar. Room 6DE 

2:00-3:00 Spotlight on J. Michael Straczynski— Comic-Con special guest J. Michael Straczynski (Thor movie and comic,Superman Earth One, World War Z movie, Babylon 5) talks about…well, we’re never quite sure. He’s fairly incomprehensible. Have you heard him? Stunning, really. Can’t make out a word. We imagine he’ll be talking about writing for movies, TV, comics and so on, but honestly, he could be talking about hydroponics for all we can tell. Translators may be provided if we can ever figure out what language he’s speaking. Room 7AB 

2:00-3:00 Hasbro: Marvel— The marketing and design teams for this year’s Thor, Captain-America: The First Avenger, Spider-Man and Marvel Universe lines present all the latest toys. Also, get a sneak peek into the 2012 lines! Includes Q&A time. Room 9 

*** 2:00-2:35 Family Guy— Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Adam West (Batman), and executive producers Mark Hentemann, Steve Callaghan, and Kara Vallow present a sneak peek at the new episode Stewie Goes for a Drive, featuring voice guest star Ryan Reynolds, followed by a Q&A session. Ballroom 20  

2:00-3:00 Rethinking the Online RPG: How Guild Wars 2 Explores New Dimensions in Social Gaming— Are you tired of grind, repetitive combat and no community in your fantasy RPG? Learn how Guild Wars 2 will set a new standard for social play in online fantasy RPGs. Accompanied by stunning concept art, key creators Colin Johanson (lead content designer),Bobby Stein (lead writer), Kekai Kotaki (concept art lead), Kristen Perry (character artist) and Leah Rivera (game designer) examine how the lore, design, and gameplay of Guild Wars 2 offer a fresh, social-driven approach to cooperative online fantasy RPGs. Room 23ABC  

2:00-3:00 Why We Create with Don Hahn— Legendary Disney filmmaker, author, and Academy Award nominee Don Hahn explores why we create. With awe-inspiring unseen images from the Disney vaults to world-renowned art, contemporary ads, graphic novels, and a little music tossed in, this is a rare opportunity to hear Don share his unique outlook on creativity and how to navigate it in today’s results-driven world. Room 25ABC 

2:00-3:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #12: Poster Session— Want to go in depth with a comics scholar? Or a whole room of comics scholars? Rather than presenting from the stage, the Poster Session scholars will be ranged around the room to discuss their presentations in small-group and one-on-one discussions. Marko Head andNicole Smith (Henderson State University) present “The Workday Comic,” an 8-hour student-project variation on Scott McCloud’s 24-Hour Comic, including the daunting task of painting original art drawn by special guest contributor Kabuki artist David Mack.

Real-World Consequences Poster Group- Kalani Largusa (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) explores the significance of Kato in his role as the Green Hornet’s sidekick and the shaping of Asian identity; Nathan Wilson(The Comics Journal) looks at the real-world consequences of the representation of Native Americans in comics.

Medical Issues Poster Group- Erica Ash (Henderson State University) traces the history of addiction and drug use in comics in the context of the Comics Code; Brian Lott (Henderson State University) outlines how Harvey Dent/Two-Face changed to meet criteria for dissociative identity when he became The Judge. 

Adaptation Poster Group- Joyce Havstad (University of California, San Diego) charts the role of comics as a hybrid medium in facilitating adaptation to and from other media; David Mitchell (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) critically reads Enki Bilal’s epic Nikopol Trilogy and its film adaptationImmortal to consider how the comic seamlessly integrates the unreal with the real, whereas the film separates the real and unreal between live action and CGI. 

Superheroes Poster Group- Renee Lynn Couey and Lauren Penick(Henderson State University) surveyed college students, prison inmates, and fan convention attendees to examine correlations between respondents’ self-concepts and their character preferences; Evan Moreno-Davis(University of Southern California) examines the assumptions of the genre that drive role-playing game designers; Dana Anderson (Maine Maritime Academy) defines the superhero phenomenologically through the visceral experience of “superheroness” in the world. 

Comics History Poster Group- Adriana Estrada (University of Houston) uses moral panic theory and labeling theory to investigate the social construction of deviance that became associated with comic books in the anti-comics crusade of the 1940s and 1950s; Sam Doerge (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) finds Marvel’s creation of the anti-heroic superhero rooted in the national identity crisis of the Cold War era. 

Queer Poster Group- Courtney Schneider (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) compares the treatment of homosexuality in mainstream and nonmainstream serialized media; Ashley Pitcock (Henderson State University) asks whether Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s movement into bisexuality was a sign of the times or a gimmick to sell Season Eight comics;Michael Harrison (Monmouth College) investigates how Spanish comics authors La Penya in Mondo Lirondo and Ivan Garcia in Capitan Eclipse use fantasy in distinct ways to communicate a 21st century queer Spanish identity. 

Gender Poster Group- April Murphy (University of North Texas) seeks to examine how fears of female power, depicted in the new Batwoman and the relaunched Wonder Woman, are tied to a pattern of historical uneasiness with same-sex bonding; Independent scholar Ariel Schudson argues that the figure of Hit-Girl in Kick Ass maintains more positive iconography than negative and is really only behaving in a kind of “teen superhero normalcy,” even if it does seem a bit violent. 

Manga Poster Group- George Tsouris (Touro College) examines shared features of Yokoyama’s manga and interviews to imagine what his manifesto for neomanga might look like; Kotaro Nakagaki (Daito Bunka University) focuses on the viewpoints of shojo in Sirato Sanpei’s A Vanishing Girl and Kono Fumiyo At the Corner of This World to examine war representations, reconstruction and economic growth, and racial/social minorities and discriminations in war manga Room 26AB 

2:00-3:00 WOW! ZAP! BANG!: Prismacolor Tips and Techniques— Shelley Minnis, Prismacolor specialist, demonstrates products and techniques that will make your comic drawings come to life. Samples and door prizes included with the presentation. Room 30CDE 

2:00-3:00 Legendary Comics— For its inaugural year at Comic-Con, join iconic writer/artistFrank Miller (300), Legendary Comics editor-in-chief Bob Schreck (All-Star Superman), and other artists from the Legendary stable to find out about upcoming releases, including Miller’sHoly Terror. Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

2:00-3:00 Lost: A Year Later with Jay and Jack— Along with special guests, podcastersJay and Jack Glatfelter (The Lost Podcast) discuss ABC’s television series Lost a year after its controversial finale and check in to see what former Lost cast members are involved in now.Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

*** 2:15-3:15 Knights of Badassdom— In this humorous fantasy adventure from IndieVest Pictures, Joe (Ryan Kwanten) is a heavy metal rocker who’s just gone through a painful breakup with his girlfriend, Beth (Margarita Levieva). His concerned roommates (Steve Zahn, Peter Dinklage) kidnap him to their LARP (Live Action Role Playing) gathering, where he enters a realm of fantasy escapism in which pretend knights, elves, and barbarians clash with foam weaponry on a mock battlefield. When Joe’s “sorcerer” roommate (Zahn) inadvertently summons a deadly succubus that takes Beth’s seductive form, bloody reality crashes down on their fantasy world. Once LARPers start to turn up dead, the make-believe wizards and warriors must become the real-life heroes they have been pretending to be in order to conquer the evil that has been unleashed. The panel will include a Comic-Con exclusive trailer and a discussion/Q&A with stars Ryan Kwanten (HBO’s True Blood, Red Hill), Peter Dinklage(HBO’s Game of Thrones, Station Agent), Steve Zahn, pending availability (HBO’s Tremé, Saving Silverman), Summer Glau (Firefly, Serenity, The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Danny Pudi (NBC’s Community), Jimmi Simpson, pending availability (A&E’s Breakout Kings, Date Night), Margarita Levieva (The Lincoln Lawyer, Adventureland). and director Joe Lynch(Wrong Turn 2). Knights of Badassdom will be released in Spring 2012. Hall H 

2:30-3:30 TV Guide Magazine Presents: Super Supernaturals— Moderated by TV Guidesenior editor William Keck, this panel features the most super supernaturals, super witches, and super werewolves from new series and returning favorites. Panelists include John Barrowman (Torchwood), Kristin Bauer (True Blood), Thomas Dekker (The Secret Circle),David Greenwalt (Grimm), Theo James (Bedlam), Jim Kouf (Grimm), Britt Robertson(The Secret Circle), Phoebe Tonkin (The Secret Circle), and Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf).Room 5AB 

2:30-3:30 Digital Disruption: Comics, Webcomics, and the Business Model of the Future— The explosion of online digital distribution — not all of it authorized — has created both challenges and opportunities for comics creators and publishers. What is the business model of the future? What can we learn from the webcomics movement? How have other media created innovative money-making solutions for creators? Comics industry legend Mark Waid (Daredevil) and webcomics pioneer Scott Kurtz (PvP) conduct a no-holds-barred discussion on competing with “free,” confronting the torrents, and bringing marketable value to the comics audience today. Moderated by Bruce Lidl (PeerPress.net). Room 8 

2:30-3:30 The Art of the Graphic Novel— Andrew Farago (curator, Cartoon Art Museum) talks with graphic novelists Chester Brown (Paying for It), Seymour Chwast (Dante’s Divine Comedy), Eric Drooker (Blood Song), Joyce Farmer (Special Exits, A Memoir), Joëlle Jones(Troublemaker), Jason Shiga (Empire State: A Love Story (Or Not)), and Craig Thompson(Habibi) about their work in the genre that has elevated comics to mainstream bookstores all over the world. Room 24ABC 

2:30-5:00 Comic-Con How-To: Mixing Color with Felipe Echevarria— This expanded demo/session will open your eyes to a foolproof method for mixing color based on what actually happens when paint is mixed, rather than elusive color theories. Artist Felipe Exchevarriademonstrates the breakthrough Michael Wilcox Bias Color Wheel system, which is for beginners and professionals alike and is applicable for any pigmented media (watercolors, oils, acrylics, printer’s inks, gouache, etc). Room 28DE 

2:35-3:15 American Dad— Catch a preview of the Season 7 premiere of American Dad, featuring guest star Cee-Lo Green as a singing hot tub, followed by a Q&A with cast membersWendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, Rachael MacFarlane, and Dee Bradley Baker and executive producers Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman, and Kara Vallow. Ballroom 20 

*** 2:45-3:45 Marvel: Cup O’ Joe— This is it, Mighty Marvel fans — the no-holds-barred, anything goes, full of surprises panel you wait all year for! Marvel’s chief creative officer Joe Quesada takes on all questions, shocks the audience with jaw-dropping announcements, and keeps you guessing with surprise guests. You never know who will show up, but you better be here, because this is the panel that everyone will be talking about! Room 6BCF 

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Mell Lazarus— Legendary cartoonist and Comic-Con special guest Mell Lazarus talks to Tom Gammill(The Simpsons) about his long career in newspaper strips, from his early years with Al Capp (Li’l Abner) to his own work on the comic strip smashes Miss Peach and Momma. Room 4 

3:00-4:00 Cartoon Network: Adventure Time— What time is it?! It’s Adventure Time…Comic-Con style! See what’s in store for Finn, Jake, and all their friends from the mystical Land of Ooo as Cartoon Network’s breakout hit comes to you live with a star-studded panel of talent, including show creator Pendleton Ward,Jeremy Shada (Finn), Hynden Walch (Princess Bubblegum),Olivia Olson (Marceline the Vampire Queen), Kent Osborne(storyboard artist), and others. If you want to see sneak peaks of upcoming episodes (and we know you do!), be the first to learn about upcoming special events (don’t deny it!), and want to get your hands on some algebraic Adventure Time gear (Hammacow!), you do not want to miss this totally out-of-this-world panel! Room 6A 

3:00-4:00 Creator-Owned Comics with Robert Kirkman— Image Comics partner and bestselling writer Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) is joined by Image Comics publisherEric Stephenson and some very special guests to discuss the exciting present and future possibilities of creator-owned comics. Be one of the first to hear some major announcements from the leading publisher of creator-owned comics. Plus: an exclusive print for first 100 attendees! Room 7AB 

3:00-4:00 CBLDF: 25 Years of Protecting Creativity— When the CBLDF was established in 1986 it was to defend a retailer who faced jail time for selling mature comics to an adult reader, because the common belief was that comics were for kids. Today, comics are a widely respected literary form, and they got there in part thanks to the Fund’s 25 years of protecting the industry’s creativity in court. Learn how the CBLDF has stood up for comics in this informative presentation of its history, and look ahead toward the issues facing readers today. Room 9 

3:00-4:00 The Write Stuff III: Writing for Genre Television and Beyond— Meet the writers and producers who make genre entertainment what it is today, and get an incredible insider look from the scribes behind some of today’s hottest genre shows as they share their candid thoughts on how to make the series we love (and sometimes loathe). Find out the secrets to getting TV shows made and how to break in and break out in today’s highly competitive broadcast environment — and why network executives actually care about what you write on message boards. No canned speeches and press releases here — get the straight scoop from television’s most talented writers and producers, including Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman, Lost), Ashley E. Miller (Fringe, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Alphas, The Gates, Riverworld), Steve Kriozere (NCIS, Femme Fatales), Steve Melching (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers: The Series),Gabrielle Stanton (The Vampire Chronicles, Haven), Jose Molina (Firefly, Terra Nova), Amy Berg (Eureka, Leverage), and Mark A. Altman (Femme Fatales, Castle). Moderated by Jeff Goldsmith (The Q&A With Jeff Goldsmith) hosts. Room 23ABC 

3:00-4:00 Assassin’s Creed: The Creation of a Universe— The writers behind Assassin’s Creed Revelations discuss and answer your questions about the thrilling fourth installment in the critically acclaimed entertainment franchise. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Ezio’s final journey will unfold as he walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altair, on a perilous journey of doubt and discovery. Watch the exclusive preview of Assassin’s Creed Embers, the animated short film and explore how the Ubisoft Montreal development team has created an Assassin’s Creed universe that weaves real world history and global conspiracies into an ancient war between Assassins and Templars through a variety of media. Panelists will include creators of the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Revelations game, animated short film, and comic book. Room 25ABC 

3:00-4:00 Resin Casting and Silicone Moldmaking— Jeff Broz has presented eight previous seminars about plastics and casting at Comic-Con. Sam Girgis produces large-scale garage kits. Whether you want to produce a garage kit model, reproduce your sculpture, or reproduce vintage Steampunk, this year’s seminar will cover new materials and tips from previous seminars about silicone mold design and casting techniques. Learn from the presenters’ own pitfalls with short-run 3D duplication, garage kits, and industrial design. They will also talk more about vendors, guides, and material choices to cast your sculptures or models. Room 30CDE 

3:00-4:00 Dark Horse: Joss Whedon— Long before signing on to helm one of the most anticipated superhero films in history, Joss Whedon rewarded fans the world over with some of the most compelling characters and plot lines in the history of comics, television, and movies. Here’s your chance to find out what he has in store for us next, including a sneak peek at the brand-new Angel & Faith and Buffy Season 9 comics, plus exciting news about Buffydigital comics! Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

3:00-4:00 SoCal Hosts— Zanney Sperber (Honey), Ryan Silva (Kyouya), Rae Morgan(Renge), Aubrie Hollands (Tamaki), Amanda Coleman (Haruhi), and Jeriko Serranilla(Mori) are the SoCal Host Club: a group of handsome hosts with way too much time on their hands that entertain ladies who also have way too much time on their hands. Join the host club you know and love from the popular anime series Ouran High School Host Club for an hour of entertainment and roleplay! Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Marquis & Marina  

3:15-4:15 Calling all Lost Fans: Once Upon a Time— Moderator Damon Lindelof (co-creator, Lost) introduces you to the magical story of two parallel worlds: one in a distant fairytale land, the other in a present-day reality. Following the exclusive screening of Once Upon a Time, join co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis (Lost, Tron: Legacy) and Adam Horowitz (Lost, Tron: Legacy) along with Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love), Jennifer Morrison (House), Robert Carlyle (SGU: Stargate Universe), Lana Parrilla (24), and Josh Dallas (Thor), for a Q&A about this modern fairytale turned on its head. All attendees will get a limited-edition Comic-Con giveaway! Room 6DE 

3:15-4:00 Amazon Studios: Opportunities for Filmmakers and Screenwriters— Amazon Studios offers monthly and annual awards totaling more than $ 2.5 million to filmmakers and writers and is seeking top projects to produce as feature films. Learn more in a Q&A with Amazon Studios chief Roy Price, senior content manager Michael Lewis, and Amazon Studios award winners Alex Greenfield and Gary Milin.Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

3:30-4:30 Spotlight on Peter Tomasi: Questions and Answers— Comic-Con special guest Peter J. Tomasi established his own corner of the DC Universe, currently writing for DC’s top franchises (Batman and Robin, Green Lantern Corps, and Brightest Day), along with critically acclaimed creator-owned projects (The Mighty and Light Brigade). Join Peter for a lively session about writing for comics and other media. Room 5AB 

3:30-4:30 Love & Comics Panel— Who’s showing the love in comics? Comics creators extraordinaire Jason Shiga (Meanwhile; Empire State), Kazu Kibuishi (Explorer, Amulet, Copper, Flight), Amy Kim Kibuishi (Sorcerers and Secretaries), Raina Telgemeier (Explorer, Smile, The Baby-Sitters Club), and Dave Roman (Explorer, Astronaut Academy, Agnes Quill) talk about how their love of comics plays out in the game of life, about how the collaborative process works, and about their most important pictures from the heart. Panel moderated bySheila Keenan, senior editor, Abrams ComicArts. Room 8 

3:30-4:15 The Vampire Diaries Screening and Q&A— All the way from Mystic Falls, the cast and creative team behind The Vampire Diaries descend on Comic-Con for a third time! Series stars Nina Dobrev (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Paul Wesley (Roll Bounce), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Candice Accola (Juno), and Joseph Morgan (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) join executive producers/writers Kevin Williamson (Scream) andJulie Plec (Kyle XY) to enthrall fans with a season two highlight reel and Q&A session. This edgy, romantic drama remains the number-one series on The CW and promises another round of twists, turns and “triangles” in season three. From Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment, and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, The Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW, and The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Second Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD August 30. Ballroom 20 

3:30-4:30 How to Get News Coverage— Small press publishers: what makes the difference between an item that will get news coverage, previews, interviews and one that won’t? A lot of publishers have no idea what to submit to the press, how to submit it, and why they are being overlooked for coverage. Comic journalist Rik Offenberger (First Comics News, Archie Comics) moderates this panel with the comic journalists themselves telling you what they are looking for in your submissions. Panelists include Holly Golightly (BroadSword Studios), Laura Hudson (Comics Alliance), Rich Johnston (Bleeding Cool), Kiel Phegley (CBR), Alex Segura(Newsarama, Wizard, Archie Comics), Chris Thompson (First Comics News), and J. C. Vaughn (The Scoop). Find out what it takes to self-promote and make a significant impact on your ability to sell your comics project. Room 24ABC 

3:30-4:30 Spotlight on Anina Bennett and Paul Guinan— Join Comic-Con special guests Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett with moderator (and Eisner Award nominee) Shannon Wheeler for a multimedia panel spotlighting the creative couple’s past and future work. Paul and Anina will perform excerpts from their bookBoilerplate, which has been optioned by J. J. Abrams; talk about their comic book careers and becoming accidental apostles of steampunk; and give a sneak peek at their upcoming book Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention. Room 26AB 

*** 3:30-4:15 Universal Pictures: Snow White and the Huntsmen— Universal Pictures is bringing the stars and filmmakers of its epic action-adventure film based on the script Snow White and the Huntsman to Comic-Con. Scheduled to appear to discuss their roles in this breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale are Kristen Stewart (Twilight), Oscar winnerCharlize Theron (Prometheus), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides). Director Rupert Sanders (Halo 3 campaign) and other filmmakers will also be on hand to reveal exclusive footage. Q&A session to follow. Hall H 

4:00-5:00 Bent Comix: The Next Wave of Gay Cartooning— A small band of independent gay cartoonists joined forces in 2008 to create Bent Comix. Initially intended as a distribution cooperative, Bent has morphed into something much more dynamic: a true creative community. Last year they created Bent Con, the world’s first queer comics show. Now they’re expanding the convention, their membership, and their mission. In a world where the queer media are disintegrating and publishing is a risky venture, Bent Comix shines a light. Moderator J. D. Glass (Core, Prism Comics secretary) grills the panelists about their part in creating the future of gay comics. The include Dave Davenport (Hard to Swallow), Jeff Krell(Jayson), Steve MacIsaac (Shirtlifter), Brad Rader (Harry and Dickless Tom), Jody Wheeler(DoorQ.com), and Sean Z (Myth). Room 4 

4:00-5:00 Finally! Nickelodeon: The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra: Exclusive First Look— Creator team Bryan Konietzkoand Michael Dante DiMartino, co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos, supervising producer Ki-Hyun Ryu, and composing team Ben Wynn and Jeremy Zuckerman give an exclusive sneak peek at the continuation of this element-bending saga. Moderated by Megan Casey, executive in charge for Nickelodeon.Room 6BCF 

4:00-5:30 Scott Shaw!‘s Oddball Comics— As seen in the pages of Geek Monthly magazine, cartoonist Scott Shaw! (Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, Bart Simpson Comics, Simpsons Summer Shindig) brings back his ever-popular digital slide show featuring “the craziest comic books ever published!” See why Stan Lee said, “Wow, True Believers, I thought I’d seen it all, but Scott Shaw’s hysterically hilarious Oddball Comics is the wildest, wackiest exposé of some of the craziest comic books I’ve ever seen! Or, to put it mildly, Scott’s outrageous opuses are a blast!” Room 7AB 

4:00-5:00 IDW Digital— The IDW digital team lives on the bleeding edge where creativity meets technology. From iPads to phones to game devices to TVs, each platform brings something different to the digital comics experience. And what about original digital comics? Learn all from IDW’s director of ePublishing Jeff Webber, iVerse CEO Michael Murphey, andDr. Who writer Tony Lee, along with special announcements and surprise guests! Room 9 

4:00-5:00 Dark Horse and BioWare: A Comic and Video Game Partnership— Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect are creations of one of the most distinguished developers in video games — BioWare! Join Star Wars: The Old Republic senior writer Alexander Freed,Mass Effect 3 lead writer Mac Walters, Mass Effect comics scripter John Jackson Miller, Dark Horse editor Dave Marshall, and a cast of celebrities, as BioWare and Dark Horse announce their next collaboration and reveal exclusive details about the games and comics they’re working on. Room 23ABC 

4:00-5:00 A VIP Look at the Upcoming Entries in Namco Bandai’s Multimillion-Selling Fighting Games— Director Katsuhiro Harada discusses the development of Tekken across Transmedia entertainment, including a sneak peek at the Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D movie with special guests Blood Vengeance screenwriter Dai Sato and two voice actresses from the movie, Carrie Keranen and Cristina Vee. Producer Hiroshi Matsuyama unveils details and a preview of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, and producer Hisaharu Tago shows the latest on Soulcalibur V. Namco Bandai vice president of marketing Carlson Choi and community manager Richard Bantegui (aka Filthierich) lead the discussion to offer insights on the creative process and development of fighting games in this era. Room 25ABC

4:00-5:00 How to Create a Children’s Book— Brianne Drouhard (Billie the Unicorn), Mike Collins (Monster Mythos), Eric Gonzalez and Erich Haegar (Rosita Y Conchita), Beth Sleven(Cryptid Case Files), and Steph Laberis (Ghost Chef) discuss the process of creating a children’s book from scratch. Topics include designing a character and its world, choosing illustration materials, and creating a story. The panel participants have backgrounds in animation and gaming and will discuss how this influences their art. Development art will be presented, followed by Q&A. Room 30CDE 

4:00-5:00 The Guild Season 5: Convention Timez!— In their upcoming season five, the lauded web series breaks out from behind the computers and takes the cast on a fun-filled road trip to a fan convention. Writer/producer Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible, Eureka, Guild), producer Kim Evey, director Sean Becker, and the cast of The Guild offer a discussion and Q&A, along with the debut of never-before-seen content, announcements, and other surprises! Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront  

4:00-4:45 How to Get an Audience into Your Main Character’s Shoes— Whether your main character is a hero, a villain, a sidekick, or a one-of-a-kind original, empathizing with him or her is essential if you want your audience to experience your story at a personal level. This workshop by Chris Huntley (award-winning story development consultant) gives you several surefire, practical techniques to get your audience squarely involved in your main character’s personal issues. Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

4:00-5:00 Indiana Jones Fan Group— The fans with the hats are back! Join the Indyfans as they celebrate 30 years of adventure! Director Brandon Kleyla (Indyfans) returns to discuss all things Indiana Jones, with giveaways…and you never know who may show up and join the fun! Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Marquis & Marina 

*** 4:15-5:15 Grimm: World Premiere Pilot Screening and Q&A with Cast and Producers from the New Supernatural Series— From the creative minds behind fan-favorite seriesAngel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and X-Files, comes a new world of police work where all cases have a storybook connection…but not always happily ever after. Grimm, debuting on NBC this fall, is a provocative police procedural with a supernatural mythology, inspired by the classic Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales. Those weren’t stories — they were warnings. Be the first to watch the pilot episode and participate in a Q&A session with the cast and producers: David Giuntoli (Turn the Beat Around), Russell Hornsby (Lincoln Heights), Bitsie Tulloch(Quarterlife), Silas Weir Mitchell (Prison Break), Reggie Lee (Persons Unknown), and Sasha Roiz (Caprica) and executive producers/writers Jim Kouf (Angel) and David Greenwalt(Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Room 6A 

4:30-6:00 Spotlight on Walter and Louise Simonson— Comic-Con special guests Walter & Louse Simonson recount their various adventures through the comics landscape both together and apart, at Marvel, DC, Warren, and several points in between. Plus, Walter will be giving away an autographed copy of the newly released Walter Simonson’s The Mighty Thor: Artist’s Edition to one random fan in attendance. Moderated by IDW special projects editor Scott Dunbier. Room 5AB 

*** 4:30-5:30 DC Focus: Jim Lee— Comic-Con special guest Jim Lee is by far the most in-demand artist in comics, from his spectacular work on Batman, Superman, WildC.A.T.S. and so many other comics to his groundbreaking designs for the DC Universe MMO game. Now, as co-publisher of DC Entertainment, Jim has led the way to the start of DC Comics – The New 52 with his exciting new looks for the World’s Greatest Super Heroes. Room 6DE 

4:30-5:30 Top Shelf Productions— Join Top Shelf PR guy Leigh Walton and an all-star cast of creators! You’ll hear from incredible author/artists with brand-new books, including Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung Fu), Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole, Any Empire), Robert Venditti(The Surrogates, The Homeland Directive), Mike Huddleston (The Homeland Directive), andJames Kochalka (Johnny Boo, Dragon Puncher, American Elf)! Plus some wicked video trailers, a look at the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: 1969, and sneak peeks at what’s coming next from Top Shelf! Room 8 

*** 4:30-5:15 Fringe Screening and Q&A— Fringe returns to Comic-Con with series stars Anna Torv, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole, and John Noble and executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman for a Q&A with fans and an exclusive video presentation. Delve into parallel universes and alternate doppelgangers and join the discussion about this critically acclaimed thriller as Fringe continues to explore otherworldly cases with endless impossibilities. From Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Fringe airs Fridays at 9/8c on FOX, and Fringe: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 6. Ballroom 20  

4:30-5:30 The Vinyl Frontier— The Vinyl Frontier is a documentary film exploring the exciting world of designer vinyl toys. Director Daniel Zana and artists Frank Kozik, Tara McPherson, Keith Poon, and Jermaine Rogers discuss the film and their experiences working in this fascinating artistic medium. Excerpts from the film will be shown and there will be a Q&A following the discussion. Room 24ABC 

4:30-5:30 Transforming Super-Powered Comic Book Readers into Super-Powered Comic Book Writers— This presentation focuses on how parents, teachers, and librarians can build on the popularity of graphic novels and transform present-day readers of graphic novels into future writers of graphic novels. Panelists include Dr. Katie Monnin (Teaching Graphic Novels, Teaching Early Reader Comics and Graphic Novels), Belle Yang (Forget Sorrow: An Ancestral Tale), Dr. James Bucky Carter (Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels), John Hogan (editor at graphicnovelreporter.com), Eric Wight (Frankie Pickle), Jimmy Gownley (Eisner Award-nominated graphic novelist of Amelia Rules!), Matt Holm (Babymouse, Squish), and Meryl Jaffe (Teaching Content Area Graphic Novels).Room 26AB 

4:30-5:30 Further over the Rainbow: A First Look at Dorothy of Oz— Join the author and creator, Roger Baum (great grandson of L. Frank Baum), songwriter, producers, and various cast members of Summertime Entertainment’s Dorothy of Oz, as they discuss the many angles of creating the anticipated new 2012 animated musical starring Lea Michele (Glee), Megan Hilty(Wicked, Spielberg’s Smash), Martin Short (How I Met Your Mother, Frankenweenie), and Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: TNG, X-Men). Be the very first to see the footage, hear the music, and witness a surprise new casting announcement. Q&A to follow. Hall H 

5:00-6:00 How comiXology Is Empowering Retailers to Sell Digital Comics to Increase Sales for All!— A traditionally fragmented market, the comic book industry has come a long way in terms of closing the gap between publishers, retailers, and creators. comiXology’s recently announced Digital Storefront Affiliate program has further catapulted the industry into transition by empowering publishers and retailers to strengthen synergies and tap into the vibrant digital marketplace to sell more comics. On the verge of another breakthrough within the industry, creators and independent publishers will soon be able to increase visibility in the digital marketplace through a standard format and ubiquitous platform using comiXology’s Guided View Authoring Tools. Learn more with David Steinberger (CEO of comiXology), P. J. Bickett (CEO of Archaia), Riley Brown (comic artist), and more to gain an inside perspective on how our recent programs are empowering and unifying the comic book industry to leverage the full the power of the digital marketplace. Room 4 

5:00-6:00 BOOM! Studios/KABOOM!/BOOM! Town Panel— The BOOM! team — Ross Richie, Matt Gagnon, and Chip Mosher — take over Comic-Con for one full hour. You will not believe what you will hear at this panel. The publisher that is full of surprises…surprises once again! It’s not a panel. It’s a publishing event as the team at BOOM! take publishing panels to the next level. You will never be the same after this one! Room 9 

5:00-6:00 Costume Designers & Costume Illustrators— Meet the men and women who are the costume designers and costume illustrators on this year’s blockbuster films. Moderator Susan Nininger (member of Costume Designers Guild, Local 892; costume designer, The Bodyguard) talks to panelists and costume designers Julie Weiss (Twelve Monkeys, The Ring), Joseph Porro (Stargate, Ultra Violet), Wendy Chuck (Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Twilight), and costume illustrators Christian Cordella (G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes, Captain America: The Last Avenger), Constantine Sekeres (G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes, Superman: Man of Steel, Thor, Green Lantern), Phillip Boutte (Superman: Man of Steel, Twilight Saga), and Brian Valenzuela (Super 8, Mission Impossible 4). Room 23ABC 

5:00-6:00 Webcomics Weekly Live!— Join Scott Kurtz (PvP), Kris Straub (Chainsawsuit),Dave Kellett (Sheldon), and Brad Guigar (Evil Inc) for a live performance of their rollicking podcast. They’ll discuss the latest in webcomics and digital downloads and end with a lightning-round Q&A. Room 25ABC 

5:00-6:00 Pitch Perfect— Andy Schmidt (Comics Experience founder, former Marvel and IDW editor) and panelists John Layman (Chew) and Mike Costa (G.I. Joe: Cobra) reveal the keys to creating the perfect pitch for a comics publisher: what must you have, what to leave out, and how to conduct yourself with interviews and correspondence. This might be the most valuable panel you ever attend! Room 30CDE 

*** 5:00-6:00 Charlie’s Angels— The cast and creative team from Sony TV’s highly anticipated action-packed series Charlie’s Angels for ABC — Annie Ilonzeh (General Hospital), Minka Kelly (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights), Rachael Taylor (Grey’s Anatomy), Ramon Rodriguez (The Wire, Daybreak) and executive producers Alfred Gough (Smallville) andMiles Millar (Smallville) come to Comic-Con to discuss their new series. The series is also executive-produced by Drew Barrymore (Charlie’s Angels movies), Leonard Goldberg (the original Charlie’s Angels), Nancy Juvonen (Charlie’s Angels movies), and Marcos Siega (Vampire Diaries, Dexter). Join the cast & producers for a dynamic discussion and Q&A session about what’s in store for viewers this fall!  Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront&nbs

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