The Art of Brett Ewins

Creators | Former Judge Dredd artist Brett Ewins suffered serious head injuries Saturday after he allegedly stabbed a police officer who responded to complaints about a man shouting throughout the night. Police say when they arrived the 56-year-old Ewins attacked them with a knife. One of the officers received minor wounds during the struggle, but Ewins was hospitalized, where he remains in serious condition. The newspaper report asserts the artist, best known for his work on Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper for 2000AD, has a history of mental-health problems. [Ealing Gazette]

Digital | Salon staff writer Andrew Leonard relates his son’s disappointment upon learning that Viz Media was turning Shonen Jump magazine into an online publication: “The older we are the less we like change. But for every grumbling codger who departs this mortal coil there’s a new baby born who seems to know how to do a two-finger swipe on an iPhone touch screen right out of the womb. And yet here was a clear example of a bond with the printed word, the material object, that transcended generational divisions. Eli told me to he wanted me to sign him up for Shonen Jump Alpha, but he didn’t seem enthused by the prospect of reading the latest installments of his favorite manga on the flat screen. If my 14-year-old could be transformed into a crotchety old codger, then maybe, just maybe, the culture really is losing something valuable as everything goes virtual.” [Salon]

Golgo 13, Vol. 1

Creators | The Sankei Shimbun newspaper profiles Takao Saito, the 75-year-old creator of Golgo 13, who reveals he’s planning the ending for his long-running action manga. Golgo 13, which follows the global exploits of an assassin for hire, debuted in November 1968. [Anime News Network]

Creators | Greg Pak discusses his new Aspen Comics/Valhalla Entertainment miniseries Dead Man’s Run. [USA Today]

Creators | Brian Truitt spotlights Guillaume Bianco, whose graphic novel Billy Fog and the Gift of Trouble Sight was recently released in North America by Archaia. [USA Today]

Creators | Texas artist Trent Westbrook talks about the local success of his comic Corpus Christi. [Caller-Times]

Welcome to another edition of What Are You Reading. Today our guest is cartoonist, musician and publisher Zak Sally. Sally is known outside comics circles as the former bassist for the band Low, but inside comic circles, he’s known for great books like Like A Dog and the Ignatz series Sammy the Mouse, the collected version of which Sally will be releasing any day now from his own La Mano 21 press.

To see what Sally and the rest of the Robot 6 crew have been reading this week, click on the link below.

Dead Man's Run

Tim O’Shea: Dean Man’s Run 1. The nice thing about being a fan of Greg Pak’s writing? Every once and awhile, you luck out and get a sneak peek of his upcoming work. This Wednesday, January 18, marks the first issue of his collaboration with artist Tony Parker for publisher Aspen Comics, in collaboration with Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla on Dead Man’s Run. I’m interested at the set-up Pak has built with this series — hell as a prison with folks looking to break out. Rather than being Con Air Metaphysical or something, the writer casts a guy who happens to be a cartographer the lead of the series. It’s a quirky choice for hero casting (a variation on Amadeus Cho, admittedly) and Pak also constructs a great many monstrous hellmates in the cast that allow Parker to draw some interesting folks. If Pak plans to explore the warden character (as seems to have been teased in this issue) he might the right formula for an engaging series.

Wolverine and the X-Men 4. When has anyone ever described an X-title as fun? It’s an apt term for this Jason Aaron-written series. That’s not to say the read is a goof romp by any measure. While there’s comedic elements, Aaron uses Deathlok as a guest lecturer to great effect in this issue. I’ve not noticed artist Nick Bradshaw prior to this issue, but I like his style.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold 15. The core appeal of this series? Rudimentary tales that are done in one (but that I could see stretched out for four issues in the non-DC Kids/regular DC line). Not to spoil anything but where else could I get a Batman versus Darkseid battle in one regular sized comic book? Thank you writer Sholly Fisch. Side note, the way that Stewart McKenny draws eyes on his heroes reminds me of Fred Hembeck (that’s a compliment in my book).

Secret Avengers 21. This issue has Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen together again. And everybody wins. If Marvel editorial does not get Ellis to write a Steve Rogers miniseries at some point (unless he has no interest, of course) they are idiots. Ellis’ Rogers is not like Brubaker’s (or like anyone else for that matter). Two bits of Rogers dialogue gave me pause: “I don’t believe in torture. It’s ugly, dishonorable and unreliable… So I’m going to let my colleagues do it.” (A line that could also be interpreted as bluffing on Rogers’ part admittedly, until you see the next scene) Or when a battle starts going south for the Secret Avengers and Rogers suggest blowing up the building where the heroes (other than Rogers) are, Hank McCoy says: “Steve, I have the greatest respect for you. But I will not kill again for you. And especially not my own team.” Which prompts Rogers to respond: “Then give me options.” I was reminded of Ellis’ Global Frequency with this set of issues.

The Shade #4

The Shade 4. This is the writer James Robinson I remember from Starman — writing stories that hooked me from the first panel, lacing teasers of other tales in between bits of dialogue. It would be insane if poor sales kill this miniseries. This particular issue is a Times Past flashback to 1944 drawn by none other than Darwyn Cooke (inked by the equally great J. Bone). Longtime Robinson fans will be pleased to see which masked man he works in this issue. The cinematic visuals of this story are made even more juicy by Dave Stweart’s colors and the exquisite lettering of living legend Todd Klein. Seriously, if I am editor Wil Moss I would just be giddy with the talent I get to wrangle on this project. If you are a fan of Cooke’s art, you need to read this issue, for the love of God the man makes shadows fascinating.

Black Panther 528. What’s more fun than watching Spider-Man or Daredevil beat Kingpin? The methodically thorough way in which Black Panther is torturing Wilson Fisk. Writer David Liss infoms readers that T’challa is one of the smartest heroes in the Marvel universe by actions, not by having characters say: “Wow, is he smart.” Am absolutely bewildered as to how industry veteran Michael Avon Oeming was garnered for an arc that almost everyone (I assume) knew was the series’ swan song. Not an insult of Oeming, I love his work on this story, but surprised to see him involved. I hope this arc is not the last we see of Liss in the Marvel U.

Batman & Robin 5. I think it will be a tight race for the first Robot 6 reader who gets to tell me I am mistaken for liking Peter Tomasi’s Batman in this series more than I like Scott Snyder’s Batman. But it’s true. Tomasi effectively juggles the Alfred (as surrogate grandfather), Batdad and Damian dynamics. Also, I am pleasantly surprised at how strong artist Patrick Gleason is with angst-ridden Bats. Looking forward to seeing how things play out with Damian in issue 6.

Captain America 7. Fairly certain that Brubaker could have all the characters singing “Mah Nà Mah Nà” on a continuous loop and as long as Alan Davis was the artist, I would still say: “outstanding read”. Fortunately Brubaker writes more than that. But honestly, Alan Davis inked by Mark Farmer and colored by Laura Martin (with Larry Molinar) is eye candy of the highest caliber. Excuse me while I redrool over some of the pages. Added bonus, Cap rides shotgun while Sharon drives the flying car. Cannot get enough of the SHIELD flying cars (I am a child of 1960s/1970s Marvel, what can I say).

Scarlet Spider 1. Yeah, it’s a spider clone. But by setting the book in Houston — and with the tagline of “All of the power. None of the responsibility.” writer Christopher Yost and artist Ryan Stegman hope to give readers a book unlike any other Spidey title. And after interviewing Stegman, I think they might have what it takes to succeed. This is striving to be a quirky book — the hero rescues an elderly lady and then cusses her out for putting herself in a dangerous situation. I like what I saw in this first issue (an unlikeable character begrudgingly playing hero [granted not a unique concept]) and while not eager to part with $3.99 on a monthly basis quite yet, I will likely be back next month. In the long run, Yost might be too busy working on the Avengers show for Disney XD, but I really want to see Yost’s approach to Marvel characters grow in popularity.

Chris Mautner: I’ve spent most of this week reading Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics, a new, analytical look at the work of the famed Invisibles author by Marc Singer. Singer might be best known for his blog, I Am Not the Beastmaster, where he regularly writes about comics (when he’s not busy teaching that is). Singer has always been one of the smarter comics bloggers out there, so it should be no surprise that Morrison is a highly insightful, erudite examination of one of the more popular writers in comics today. Singer hurtles himself chronologically through just about the entirety of Morrison’s bibliography, making the larger point that Morrison’s great feat might be in the manner he takes abstract and challenging modes of expression and applies them to mainstream comics. And though Singer throughs out the occasional bit of jargon, his book remains an engaging read. Anyone interested in Morrison’s work should read this book.

Zak Sally: Strangely, i’ve been reading books without pictures; I know for a lot of cartoonists, they say “comics; I don’t read comics in my spare time, I read REAL BOOKS.” Whereas for me, I read comics constantly. So I actually got to the point recently where I thought I’d better back off a little, since I hadn’t read a straight prose/no pictures book in some time.

Clans of the Alphane Moon

So, right now I’m almost finished with this Little, Big book by John Crowley and … the whole way through, I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. and now I’m almost at the end and thinking that maybe it’s the latter.

Also, dipping (well, diving, really) into some heavy Philip K. Dick research. Not so much his novels (although I just cracked Clans of The Alphane Moon, which I’d somehow missed in the past 26 years) but re-reading a lot of biographical material about him — Lawrence Sutin’s excellent Divine Invasions bio, and I Am Alive and You Are Dead by this French guy Emmanuel Carrere (which is pretty good as well). Also the 4 volumes of Selected Letters of Philip K. Dick that Underwood-Miller did in the 80s (anyone out there looking to get rid of their copy of 1938-71?), and a couple other things as well. Why? Because i’m going to make a BOOK WITH PICTURES out of it, of course. It’s a huge undertaking and you got to dive deep, with that stuff.

I also just got a bunch of whacked-out Hollow Earth theory books– you know, where there’s another world inside the earth, accessible via deep tunnels at the earth’s poles. It’s well documented, and apparently quite nice in there, real temperate and lush, and I plan to visit at my earliest convenience.

It strikes me as I write this that the theme is: “crackpots” taking unpopular and/or bizarre notions and creating real, living valid worlds for themselves out of it.

Yup. makes sense.

Blackest Friday

ComiXology has a bunch of digital comics for 99 cents today. DC Comics is holding a Blackest Friday sale, allowing you to buy each issue of the Blackest Night crossover for 99 cents each. Marvel has Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four issues on sale for 99 cents, while IDW has their Star Trek comics on sale.

Dark Horse is running a pretty amazing digital comics sale for Black Friday only: A megabundle of all the single-issue Star Wars comics available in their digital comics store, over 130 issues altogether, for $100. That’s 3,274 pages of Star Wars comics, in case you’re counting, and it’s $166 less than you would pay if you bought them all separately.

They have also figured out how to run a doorbuster special digitally: On Cyber Monday (Nov. 28), the first 500 customers through their checkout will get a 50% discount. There’s a $20 minimum, and the deal runs for 24 hours beginning at midnight PST on Nov. 28; you’ll also need a coupon code, which is provided at the link.

Khepri Comics is putting comics on sale and helping to save the cheetahs, with different sales all weekend and into Cyber Monday:

Fri 25 Nov – Black Friday – Please Enjoy 40% OFF HARDCOVERS with coupon CHEETAH40FRI
Sat 26 Nov – Small Biz Saturday – Enjoy 50% OFF SELF-PUBLISHED with coupon CHEETAH50SAT
Sun 27 Nov – Adjectiveless Sunday – Enjoy 40% OFF CREATOR-OWNED with coupon CHEETAH40SUN
Mon 28 Nov – Cyber Monday – Please Enjoy 40% OFF EVERYTHING with coupon CHEETAH40MON

Midtown Comics has comics, graphic novels and statues on sale.

Things from Another World has steep discounts going right now for selected items, plus $10, $5 and $1 doorbusters.

Chuck BB is holding a Black Metal Black Friday Super Brutal Blind Art Sale, where you can buy pages from Black Metal and get a sketch for $50.

Top Cow will have stuff in their online store discounted all weekend …

…as will Aspen Comics.

Jeff Smith’s Boneville site is holding a signature sale through mid-December, where every book ordered will be signed by Smith.

Fantagraphics minicomics

Don’t forget about Fantagraphics special mini-comics offer through their online store.

Mimoco has all their designer flash drives for 25 percent off, which include drives based on Batman, Green Lantern, Star Wars and more.

Threadless is holding a $10 T-shirt sale this weekend, so you can get those cool robot shirts by Ethan Nicolle, Becky Cloonan, JR Goldberg and Jhonen Vasquez for cheap.

MattyCollector has a ton of action figures on sale, including some of their past San Diego Comic Con exclusives and several Justice League Unlimited packs. Plus, the Rockers!

For more deals and bargains, check out the lists at The Beat and ComicsAlliance. And if you’ve seen any that I’ve missed, please post them in our comments section. Happy shopping!

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

Broadway | Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the retooled $75 million Broadway musical, took in $1.7 million for the week ending this past Sunday, which is above the $1.2 million the producers have indicated they need to reach to stay viable. The amount made it the No. 3 musical for the week, after Wicked and The Lion King. [Associated Press]

Legal | Robert Corn-Revere, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s general counsel, discusses the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. EMA, which sought to ban the sale of violent video games to minors. He notes that the court drew upon the history of comic book censorship in reaching its conclusion to reject the ban: “Citing the amicus brief filed by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, it noted the crusade against comics led by Dr. Frederic Wertham and observed that it was inconsistent with our constitutional traditions. The Court traced the history of censorship that targeted various media directed toward the young and held that restricting depictions of violence could not be justified under established principles of First Amendment law.” [CBLDF]

CBLDF advertising

Legal | Toronto comics retailer Chris Butcher comments on the CBLDF’s efforts to help a U.S. man facing criminal charges in Canada for possession and importation of child pornography because of comics that were found on his computer: “If you are a fan of any manga or anime, if you are a fan of comics, if you have even one comics page, anime clip, or ‘dirty’ picture on your computer, tablet, or phone, this is about you. This is about you being pulled aside, searched, your electronics confiscated to be sent away for weeks and months, all because you’ve got scans of Naruto on your desktop. This isn’t about ‘child porn’ or any variation thereof, this is about legally equating a description of a thing–written or drawn–with the real thing.” In related news, the Bonfire Agency has created ads for the CBLDF focused on this issue. [Comics212]

Webcomics | Greg Rucka and Rich Burchett have set up a site for their webcomic Lady Sabre and the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether, which was announced in April. The strip begins July 11 [Lady Sabre and the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether]

Creators | Public Radio International recently interviewed Shigeru Mizuki, creator of Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, the story of a doomed battalion in World War II that was recently published here by Drawn + Quarterly. [PRI's The World, via The Manga Critic]

Hark! A Vagrant

Criticism | Kristy Valenti analyzes Kate Beaton’s “voice” in Hark! A Vagrant. [comiXology]

History | Douglas Wolk traces how comics moved from being primarily aimed at kids to a more adult-oriented medium [Huffington Post]

Manga | Johanna Draper Carlson chronicles the history of josei manga (manga written for adult women) in the U.S. Sadly, it is mainly a story of good starts and poor follow-through. [Comics Worth Reading]

Comics | Robot 6 contributor Matt Seneca discusses the hardcover collection of Thor Godstorm, modern superhero comics and the art of Steve Rude. [Death to the Universe]

Reviews | Comic writer and soda blogger Neil Kleid yields to the taste of Dunkin’ Donut’s Captain America Cherry Coolata: “’Terrible’ would be spinning it politely. ‘Undrinkable’ hit the target more accurately, for after the fourth attempt and a rush of pounding drums to my cranium married with tense, shaking utensils I once called ‘fingers’ forced the expulsion of the remainder of the cup into the nearest trash receptacle.” [SodaBlog]

Business | Dean Haspiel and Seth Kushner join fellow Brooklyn entrepreneurs in a discussion of the secrets to success for small businesses. [Inc.]

Digital | Aspen Comics, which recently inked digital distribution deals with comiXology and iVerse, completes the triumvirate by signing with Graphic.ly as well. [CBR]

If you are a comics creator or publisher, and you’re planning to bring something new to the con — a sketchbook, a print, a graphic novel debut, etc. — then we want to hear from you. Drop me an email at jkparkin@yahoo.com and let me know if you’ll have something cool on hand that attendees should know about. Feel free to send any artwork as well.

*****
Aspen Comics sends word of two variant covers they’ll have at the show, for Executive Assistant Iris and Charismagic

Executive Assistant Iris by Joe Benitez

Charismagic by Khary Randolph

*****

A Treasury of Murder: The Lives of Sacco & Vanzetti

NBM Publishing writes to let us know: “We’ll be debuting Rick Geary’s latest Treasury of Murder volume, The Lives of Sacco & Vanzetti and offering copies of a limited (to only 25 copies) hardcover edition of the book, bound in cloth with a silver-stamped jacket. Each copy will have an original plate signed and numbed. Rick will also be at SDCC and will be happy to personalize them as well.”

*****

And creator Mary Bellamy will be in the small press area with her new sketchbook and a plush toy line: “I have a table over in Small Press under Zorilita-Mary Bellamy and I’ll be debuting my new sketchbook: Sugar Bits, a 150 page sketchbook full of sketches, inked drawings ranging from super cute to pin ups. I also will have volumes 1-3 of Faux Facts – The Truth Can Be Strange! and volumes 1-2 of Ah Heck!! The Angel Chronicles. I also have my brand new plush toy line available this year.”

Titles now available on the Comics+ app for the various iOS devices include Fathom, Executive Assistant: Iris, Soulfire and Shrugged. comiXology announced last month that they would be carrying Aspen titles as well.

You can find the complete press release on the iVerse announcement after the jump.

Update: Aspen Comics are also available on Graphicly.

*****

ASPEN COMICS EXPANDS ITS DIGITAL PRESENCE TEAMING UP WITH IVERSE MEDIA
Popular Independent Publisher Brings Classic and New Titles to One of the Most Successful Digital Platforms

Waco, TX/Los Angeles, CA – 6/21/11 – iVerse Media is happy to announce they are expanding their digital presence by adding Aspen Comics to the already impressive list of publishers currently listed in the Comics+ app. Aspen will also be participating in the Diamond Digital retailer initiative with iVerse and Diamond Distribution, to be launched later this summer.

“Aspen is extremely pleased to be partnering up with iVerse Media to bring our growing library of titles to their awesome platform, “said Aspen Editor-In-Chief Vince Hernandez. “We look forward to providing brand new as well as popular existing Aspen content for their customers, who can expect the same level of quality we’re known for on all our future digital releases with iVerse.”

iVerse Media CEO, Michael Murphey, said “We couldn’t be more excited to have Aspen on board. These are some of the highest quality books on the market today – and they just pop digitally. They’re beautiful books, and an essential addition to our digital comics offerings.”

The initial list of books to be released today in the Comics+ app include:
Executive Assistant: Iris Preview FREE
Executive Assistant: Iris #0 FREE
Executive Assistant: Iris #1 $1.99
Executive Assistant: Iris #2 $1.99

Fathom Vol.1 #0 FREE
Fathom Vol.1 #1 $1.99
Fathom Vol.1 #2 $1.99

Shrugged Preview FREE
Shrugged #0 FREE
Shrugged #1 $1.99
Shrugged #2 $1.99

Titles are available now in the Comics + Application for iOS. For more information visit: http://comicspl.us

About Aspen Comics

Aspen MLT, Inc. is an entertainment publishing company founded in January 2003 by superstar comic artist Michael Turner. Aspen produces the popular series Fathom, the hit fantasy series Soulfire, the smash hit Lady Mechanika, the acclaimed series Shrugged, as well as new series such as Broken Pieces, Charismagic, Dellec, Executive Assistant: Iris, Mindfield, and The Scourge in association with Valhalla Motion Pictures. As well as publishing their own line of books, Aspen MLT Inc. continually collaborates on the comic industry’s most exciting titles including Marvel’s Civil War and World War Hulk, and DC Comics’ Identity Crisis and Brightest Day events. Aspen has branched into other media forms and continues to do so. Aspen has produced original content and designs for such clients as Marvel Comics, DC Comics, NBC, American Express and more.

About iVerse Media

iVerse Media is a digital content distributor focused on the world of comics and popular culture. Founded in 2008, the company was one of the first to launch digital comics on Apple’s iOS platform. As of June 2011 almost 5 Million products in the iOS App Store have been downloaded that are powered by iVerse, making the “iVerse Engine” one of the most popular and widely used platforms for reading digital comics. The company is principally located in Waco, TX.

Comic Book Resources’ Steve Sunu recently talked with Executive Assistant Iris creator David Wohl, who is working on volume 2 and planning a big event for this summer.

Aspen is a small publisher, but it collaborates on DC and Marvel comics, and has some projects in development for other media. This move obviously gives the company a boost, bringing its comics to a larger audience, and it’s a nice get for comiXology as well, further enriching its stable of publishers.

McG

Wonderland Sound and Vision, the company founded by producer and director McG, is partnering with Aspen Comics on a new comics imprint “to create transmedia properties out of original ideas,” Deadline reports.

As the term “transmedia properties” suggests, these are projects created with an eye toward film and television. First up is Haunted City, based on an idea by screenwriter Chap Taylor (Changing Lanes) and Wonderland’s Peter Johnson, which will be developed simultaneously as a feature script, television pilot and video game.

Wonderland has produced such films as Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle and We Are Marshall and such television shows as Human Target, Supernatural and Chuck.

“As a filmmaker, I want to work with talent like Chap to build new models that allow us to create more freely,” McG tells Deadline. “By creating our own original properties, we can guide their development across several media simultaneously and kick off a whole new chapter of our company as a full-spectrum content provider. It also allows me to home-grow the movies I want to direct in the future.”

Comic-Con International

As we inch another day closer to Comic-Con International, which kicks off in just 13 days, organizers have released the schedule for Friday, July 23.

Below you’ll find highlights of the comics-related programming, which range from a panel on AMC’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Walking Dead to spotlights on such creators as Chris Claremont, Moto Hagio, Paul Levitz, C. Tyler and Stan Lee to, of course, peeks at publishing plans for companies ranging from Marvel, DC and BOOM! to Dark Horse, IDW and Top Shelf.

The full programming schedule for Friday can be found here.

10 to 11 a.m. DC Talent Search 2 — DC’s editorial art director Mark Chiarello presents an informative orientation session that will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and discuss the different needs of DC Universe, Vertigo, WildStorm and MAD magazine publications. 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! 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

X-Men: Curse of the Mutants

10 to 11 a.m. Marvel X-Men —  Following “Second Coming,” Marvel’s merry mutants are unable to catch a quick breather. As “Curse of the Mutants” begins, there’s no telling what the vampires have in store for the X-Men … or is there? You’ve got questions & these people have answers! VP/executive editor Axel Alonso is joined by a host of creators to lay out what’s going on with the X-Men. Panelists include Matt Fraction (Uncanny X-Men), Victor Gischler (X-Men), Marjorie Liu (Dark Wolverine), Daniel Way (Deadpool), editor Nick Lowe and more for this all-new, all-deadly panel! Room 6DE

10 to 11 a.m. Publishing Comics — Four publishers — Matt Gagnon (BOOM!), Gary Groth (Fantagraphics), Dallas Middaugh (Del Rey Manga) and Mark Siegel (First Second Books) — each from a different part of the comics industry, discuss what’s involved in running a publishing company and in creating and fostering a unique comics ideology. Moderated by Graeme McMillan (Techland). Room 8

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nappy Hour — Keith Knight (the Knight Life, the K Chronicles, MAD) brings his informal gathering of African-American creators out of the bar and onto the stage for an hour of tips, hints, secrets and thoughts on how to make it in the comics biz. With Ned Cato Jr. (GeekRoundTable.com), David Walker (BadAzzMofo.com), Spike Trotman (Templar AZ) and Dwayne McDuffie (Static Shock, Justice League).  Room 3

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Spotlight on Moto Hagio — Comic-Con special guest Moto Hagio  is considered to be the mother of shōjo (young girl) manga. Her large body of work is renowned the world over, and Fantagraphics Books is publishing a new collection of her short stories, Drunken Dreams. Celebrate her first-ever visit to the U.S. at this special Q&A session, moderated by Matt Thorn, associate professor in the department of manga production at Kyoto Seika University in Japan. (Thorn decided to translate shōjo manga into English after reading Thomas no Shinzō  by Moto Hagio in the mid-1980s). Room 5AB

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Batman: The Brave and the Bold Screening and Q&A — The Caped Crusader swings back into San Diego as Batman: The Brave and the Bold returns to Comic-Con for its third consecutive year, with an advance screening of an upcoming episode as well as a lively discussion with voice of Batman Diedrich Bader (Surf’s Up), executive producer Sam Register (Teen Titans), producers James Tucker (Justice League Unlimited), and Michael Jelenic  (The Batman) and voice director Andrea Romano (Superman Doomsday). As a special bonus for fans, the panel will also screen the world premiere trailer for the upcoming and highly anticipated Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation series Young Justice … don’t miss this Comic-Con exclusive! From Warner Bros. Animation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold airs Fridays at 7:30 pm ET/PT on Cartoon Network, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold — Season 1, Part 1 will be released on DVD Aug. 17. Room 6A

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Neal Adams and Stan Lee: They Spoke Out — Against the Holocaust — Neal Adams (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow) and Holocaust historian Dr. Rafael Medoff unveil the new series of educational “motion comics” they are creating with ABC News about Americans who spoke out for the rescue of Jews from the Holocaust. They will be joined on the panel by Stan Lee  (co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men) and will screen an episode from the upcoming series, illustrated by Neal Adams and narrated by Stan Lee. Room 9

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Retailing in the Digital Age — Publishers are looking at more digital comics releases, and the comic book apps are among the most popular on the iPad and iPhone. How can comic book stores update their retail practices to stay involved with digital distribution? What are publishers doing to encourage new digital readers to pick up print comics? Jim Lee  (co-publisher, DC Comics) and John Rood (executive VP of sales & marketing, DC Entertainment), along with Jim Sokolowski (COO Marvel Comics), Chip Mosher (director of marketing, BOOM! Studios), and David Steinberger (founder, comiXology.com), talk about upcoming promotions aimed at sending readers to comic book stores. Moderated by Joe Field (ComicsPRO president, Flying Colors Comics, Concord, California). Room 12

11 a.m. to noon BOOM! Studios/BOOM Kids! Panel — The BOOM! team — Mark Waid, Ross Richie, Matt Gagnon and Chip Mosher — take over Comic-Con for one full hour. Learn what is next for BOOM! History will be made. New titles will be announced. Heads will explode! And comics will never be the same again! Room 8

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dark Horse Comics: Make Contact in 2010 — Couldn’t get into the Dark Horse panel last year? Well, here’s another chance to be at the forefront of breaking news from comics’ most dynamic publishing house. Dark Horse president and publisher Mike Richardson, plus a host of the industry’s top creators, present a firsthand look at the future of the medium. Featuring everyone from Eisner Award winner Gerard Way to New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich, this is one panel you don’t want to miss. Room 3

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Spotlight on Paul Levitz — Paul Levitz has been a comics fan (The Comic Reader fanzine, NY Comic Art Convention committee), editor (Batman), writer (Legion of Super-Heroes) and executive (DC Comics, including publisher from 1989 to 2010). Now he’s interviewed by favorite writer and DC chief creative officer Geoff Johns about his varied career and his return to writing Legion and other DC projects, including a coffee table book history of the company. Room 5AB

The Walking Dead

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. AMC’s The Walking Dead — Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Jon Bernthal (The Pacific), Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Laurie Holden (The Mist), Emma Bell (Law & Order), series creator/director/executive producer Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), executive producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator) executive producer Robert Kirkman (creator/writer of The Walking Dead comic), makeup artist Greg Nicotero and Joel Stillerman (AMCs senior VP) discuss the making of AMC’s series The Walking Dead, based on the Image comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman, premiering in October on AMC. Room 6BCF

noon to 1 p.m. Spotlight on C. Tyler — Comic-Con special guest C. Tyler  is known for her personal brand of storytelling. Her latest book, You’ll Never Know, Book 1: A Good and Decent Man chronicles the story of her father’s life during World War II and interweaves it with her own story. Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth interviews Tyler about her work. Room 4

noon to 1 p.m. IDW and Their ‘Bro — Representatives from IDW and Hasbro discuss what’s coming up next in the world of Transformers, G.I. Joe, and the impending relaunch of Dungeons & Dragons. IDW’s Andy Schmidt moderates a panel with D&D editor Denton Tipton and writers John Rogers and Alex Irvine, G.I. Joe artist Robert Atkins, writer Mike Costa, and more! Room 8

noon to 1 p.m. Archie Comics: Cooler Than Ever! — It’s been an exciting year for Archie Comics, but that’s just the start, with plenty of surprise announcements about the future of Archie Comics, including the latest news about Archie on television and in feature films! Panelists include executive producer of The Dark Knight and Archie writer Michael Uslan, Archie Comics co-CEO Jon Goldwater, iVerse CEO Michael Murphy, IDW Publishing COO Greg Goldstein, Dark Horse Comics VP of business development Michael Martens, Archie Comics president/editor-in-chief Victor Gorelick, and Archie Comics VP/managing editor Mike Pellerito. The panel will feature a Q&A session. Room 24ABC

noon to 2 p.m. CBLDF Master Session: Jill Thompson: Secrets of Watercolor Technique — Bring your sketchbooks and learn the secrets of expressive watercolor from one of the medium’s top practitioners! Renowned for her work on Beasts of Burden, Scary Godmother and Sandman, Jill Thompson  shows you the intricacies of the watercolor medium and how to apply it to making masterful comics and covers. The original art from this session will be auctioned off on Saturday night at the CBLDF’s Art Auction! Room 30CDE

Aspen

noon to 1 p.m. The Official Aspen Comics Panel — Creators Frank Mastromauro (Dellec, Shrugged), Peter Steigerwald (Soulfire, Brightest Day), Vince Hernandez  (Dellec, Fathom: Kiani), Mark Roslan (Heroes, Brightest Day), J.T. Krul (Mindfield, Green Arrow), Joe Benitez (Soulfire, Lady Mechanika), David Schwartz (Fathom: Blue Descent, Meltdown), David Wohl (Executive Assistant: Iris, Witchblade), Micah Gunnell (Dellec, Shrugged), Alex Konat (Mindfield), Eric Battle (The Scourge), Beth Sotelo (Soulfire, Fathom), and surprise guests are on hand to unveil Aspen’s all-new properties for 2010 and beyond! See never-before-seen covers and art, hear firsthand from the creators their plans for exciting new properties, and ask them questions directly in a special Q&A session. All fans in attendance will receive an exclusive gift courtesy of Aspen Comics. Room 32AB

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Remembering Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson — The late legendary artists Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson will be remembered by their friends and colleagues during this memorial panel. A giant of comics and book illustration, Frank Frazetta was a major influence on countless comic artists. From his early work at Magazine Enterprises and EC Comics to his Warren Publications and Conan paperback covers, Frazetta’s art was monumental in scope, design, and execution. He passed away on May 10. Al Williamson was an artists’ artist, with a clean, elegant style. He’s most famous for his work with EC Comics and in the syndicated comic strip world, with Secret Agent Corrigan and Star Wars. He passed away on June 12. Moderator Arnie Fenner (co-author/editor of the Frazetta books Icon, Legacy and Testament, and director of Spectrum Fantastic Art) talks to writer/artist Mark Schultz (Xenozoic Tales, writer of Prince Valiant), artist/illustrator William Stout (Dinosaur Discoveries, Prehistoric Life Murals) and publisher J. David Spurlock, whose Vanguard Productions recently launched a number of Frazetta books, including a complete reprinting of Johnny Comet, the artist’s syndicated daily comic strip from the mid-1950s. Room 3

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. DC Focus: Grant Morrison — The mastermind behind bestselling hits such as Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, Joe the Barbarian, Final Crisis, Arkham Asylum, All-Star Superman and many more invites you to this rare sit-down. You won’t want to miss this candid chat about projects past, present and future, with glimpses into what goes on in the mind of Grant Morrison as he crafts some of the world’s most thought-provoking comics! Hosted by DC’s senior story editor Ian Sattler. Room 6DE

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Spotlight on the Immonens: Sex, Lies and Comic Books — Kathryn Immonen (Heralds) and Stuart Immonen (New Avengers) enter the ring with the peerless John Siuntres (wordballoon.com) to talk about working for Marvel, publishing with Top Shelf, and sleeping with the enemy. See new work unveiled! Bring your questions! Room 9

12:45 to 1:45 p.m. Marvel Animation — Hosted by an all-star cast of Marvel Animation talent and featuring a special guest of legendary proportions, this interactive game-show panel will get you more than excited about Marvel’s new and continuing animated series. Here’s your chance to snag some sweet Marvel merchandise! Come be a part of the action, with all new seasons of The Super Hero Squad Show and Iron Man Armored Adventures as well as Marvel Knights, Marvel Anime and other upcoming Marvel Animation properties! Room 6BCF

1 to 2 p.m. Spotlight on Michael Zulli — Artist and Comic-Con special guest Michael Zulli  is best known for his work on Sandman with Neil Gaiman. Zulli talks about his career and what’s coming next, including his new book, The Fracture of the Universal Boy. Room 4

Berkeley Breathed

1 to 2 p.m. Bloom County’s Berkeley Breathed: The Secret Sex Tapes — The creator of the 1980s’ most-enduring strip act, Comic-Con special guest Berkeley Breathed, reveals all the behind-the-scenes shockers … and some never-before-seen tests of the Miramax Opus movie that was eventually killed by the Deptartment of Homeland Security. Plus, Bill the Cat’s private home videos of Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Diane Sawyer and Barbara Bush. Room 6A

1 to 2:30 p.m. Comic-Con How-To Session: Whilce Portacio and Francis Manapul — Acclaimed artists Whilce Portacio (Uncanny X-Men, Image United) and Francis Manapul (The Flash, Adventure Comics, Superman/Batman) will demonstrate how to create and draw characters for comic books. Room 18

1 to 2 p.m. Yen Press — Catch up with the Yen Press crew to discuss new licenses, answer questions, and of course be there for the ever-important distribution of swag! Panelists include publishing director Kurt Hassler,  senior editor JuYoun Lee, assistant editor Tania Biswas and editorial assistant Abby Blackman. Room 25ABC

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. A Tribute to Ken Krueger — He was the “go-to guy” and the “adult in the room” when Comic-Con first started 41 years ago. Ken Krueger was a dynamo who helped launch the country’s largest comics and popular arts convention in 1970. Comic-Con friends and associates pay tribute to the life of this larger-than-life retailer, publisher, and fan in this special panel. Moderated by author Greg Bear (author, Quantico), and featuring fellow early Comic-Con committee members Scott Shaw! (Oddball Comics), Jim Valentino (Shadowhawk), J.M. Towry, Janice Campbell and Wendy All. Room 3

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Spotlight on Jerry Robinson — One of the true legends of comics, Comic-Con special guest Jerry Robinson is a writer, artist, historian, curator and creator rights activist. Jerry discusses his 70 years in comics — from his contributions to the Batman mythos to the creation of the Joker and development of Robin, Alfred, Penguin, Scarecrow and Two-Face. Jerry is interviewed by Michael Uslan, the executive producer of the Batman movies, comics historian and author of the upcoming Archie Marries … (Abrams). In their discussion, Robinson and Uslan will take the audience from behind the scenes of the Golden Age of comics to the filming of The Dark Knight and Jerry’s latest book projects.  Room 9

Batman and Robin #13

1:45 to 2:45 p.m. Batman: The Return — As Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne rages on, follow the Bat-Signal to this panel and uncover clues about the future of the Dark Knight from some of the A-list talent behind the publishing line. If you think you know where this story’s headed — Think again! Hear it here from group editor Mike Marts, Paul Dini (Batman: Streets of Gotham), David Finch (Batman), Grant Morrison (Batman & Robin), Dustin Nguyen (Batman: Streets of Gotham) and others. Room 6DE

2 to 3 p.m. Graphic Novels: The Personal Touch — You know when you read it: that certain something that sticks out in a graphic novel. It’s the personal touch, a work that draws on the life of the creator or the people around him or her. Call the work autobiographical, call it reality — many times it results in truly personal and inspiring comics. Comics creator and journalist Shaenon Garrity (Narbonic, Skin Horse) talks to Comic-Con special guests Gabrielle Bell (Cecil & Jordan in New York), Howard Cruse  (Stuck Rubber Baby), Vanessa Davis  (Make Me a Woman), Larry Marder  (Beanworld), Jillian Tamaki (Skim) and C. Tyler (You’ll Never Know Book 1: A Good and Decent Man) about their very personal work. Room 4

2 to 3 p.m. Spotlight on Stan Lee — Comics legend and Comic-Con special guest Stan Lee discusses some of his latest projects at POW! Entertainment and the future of comics and new media distribution, including challenges today’s writers and artists face. Join Stan and company, including Gill Champion (COO POW! Entertainment) for this special panel, which includes a Q&A with “The Man” himself. Room 6BCF

2 to 3 p.m. Peanuts Turns 60 — On October 2, 1950, the Peanuts comic strip launched in seven American newspapers. Little did anyone know the impact this comic strip would have around the world for decades to come. Nearly 60 years later, Peanuts appears in over 2,200 newspapers, in 75 countries and 21 languages. The animated specials have become a seasonal tradition and thousands of consumer products are available in every country around the world. Moderator Jerry Beck (animation historian/cartoon producer/consulting producer to Warner Bros., Universal and Disney), Comic-Con special guest Jeannie Schulz (widow of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz), Paige Braddock (creative director of Charles M. Schulz’s studio in Santa Rosa), Andy Beall (fix animation lead for Ratatouille, Wall-E, UP), Stephan Pastis (creator of Pearls Before Swine) and Marge Dean (general manager, W!ldbrain Animation Studios), present an in-depth foray into the work of Charles M. Schulz and what new things fans can look out for from Peanuts. Warner Premiere is joining the celebration with a sneak peek of something all new from Peanuts that fans won’t want to miss. Room 25ABC

2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The Image Comics Show — Image Comics promises a slew of exclusive announcements about upcoming projects, updates about ongoing projects, and a Q&A session with some of Image’ best writers. Don’t miss your chance to find out about what Image is up to before anyone else does, get exclusive giveaways, and ask questions of your favorite creators! Panelists include Marc Guggenheim (Resurrection, Web of Spider-Man), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants), Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible), John Layman (Chew), Ben McCool (Choker, Memoir) and Nick Spencer (Existence, Morning Glories). Room 3

2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Spotlight on Steve Rude — Award-winning artist and Comic-Con special guest Steve Rude describes the high points of his career, including how he broke into comics; the various comics he’s worked on, including Nexus, World’s Finest and Space Ghost; and the trials of working on them. Plus Steve gives his thoughts on today’s current comics and artists. A “big surprise” will also premiere at this panel. Room 9

3 to 4 p.m. Spotlight on Émile Bravo — Eisner Award 2010 nominee — three nominations for My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill (Fanfare/Ponent Mon) — and Comic-Con special guest Émile Bravo makes an illustrated presentation: “Graphic Writing, Comics as Calligraphy,” with Michele Foschini (BAO Publishing, Italy) and Stephen Vrattos (Captain Gravity; www.heroesinmycloset.com), followed by a Q&A. Room 4

3 to 4 p.m. Superman: Man of Tomorrow — It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s The Man of Steel — and he’s back on Earth and primed to take 2010 by storm! Don’t miss members of the exciting new Superman creative teams as they discuss their plans for Superman, Lex Luthor, Superboy, Supergirl and more led by DC group editor Matt Idelson, with Paul Cornell (Action Comics), Shane Davis (Superman: Earth One), Sterling Gates (Supergirl), Jeff Lemire (Superboy), J. Michael Strazcynski (Superman: Earth One, Superman) and others. Room 6DE

Jim Lee

3 to 4 p.m. Comic-Con How-To Session: Jim Lee — This is your opportunity to see Comic-Con special guest Jim Lee draw for an hour! Room 18

3 to 4 p.m. Spotlight on Chris Claremont — Comic-Con special guest and world-renowned writer Chris Claremont talks about his career in this special Spotlight panel. Claremont’s incredible body of work, including his many years writing the X-Men and his newest collaborations with Tom Grummet (X-Men Forever) and fellow special guest Milo Manara (X-Women), are fan favorites. Room 24ABC

3 to 4 p.m. Spotlight on the Adams Family: Neal, Jason, Joel, and Josh — Comic-Con special guests Neal, Jason, Joel and Josh Adams make up one of the first families of comics. Neal started his career in the medium in the late 1950s and is famous for his depictions of Batman and numerous other characters. Sons Jason, Joel, and Josh have followed in their dad’s rather large footsteps to carve out careers of their own in sculpture, animation, and comics. Be a part of this first time ever “family reunion” as the Adams Family gets together at Comic-Con! Room 25ABC

3 to 4 p.m. Digital Comics and You — A panel of industry professionals ranging from creators to publishers to retailers to entertainment agents discuss the benefits and drawbacks of digital comics and ultimately how digital comics can and will affect you, now that the digital comics revolution has begun. Ben Templesmith (co-creator, Choker, Fell, 30 Days of Night), James Sime (retailer, Isotope: The Comic Book Lounge in San Francisco), Micah Baldwin (Graphic.ly), Scott Agostoni (entertainment agent, William Morris Endeavor) and more surprise guests will discuss, argue and hopefully hear what you think in this honest, no-holds-barred conversation moderated by Ron Richards (iFanboy). Room 32AB

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Spotlight on Nicholas Gurewitch — Comic-Con special guest Nicholas Gurewitch is the Eisner and Harvey Award–winning cartoonist behind the hilarious online comic strip The Perry Bible Fellowship. Now being reprinted by Dark Horse, Gurewitch’s twisted strips are fan-favorites the world over. Hear what’s next from Gurewitch in this exclusive Spotlight panel. Room 5AB

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Comics Design — How do pages of art become a book? Six designers — Mark Chiarello  (DC Comics), Adam Grano (Fantagraphics), Chip Kidd (Random House), Fawn Lau (VIZ), Mark Siegel (First Second Books) and Keith Wood (Oni Press) — discuss what’s involved in the process of comics design, and the importance of design to a book’s critical and consumer reception. Moderated by Chris Butcher (The Beguiling). Room 26AB

4 to 5 p.m. Krazy Kat’s 100th Anniversary Celebration! — An exclusive multimedia show of unpublished strips, drawings, and paintings presented by Craig Yoe, author of Krazy + Ignatz in Tiger Tea (IDW) and the forthcoming Krazy Kat and The Art of George Herriman: A Celebration (Abrams ComicArts). The panel will explore a century of Krazy-ness, with Greg Goldstein (IDW), R. C. Harvey (The Art of the Funnies), Charles Kochman (Abrams ComicArts) and Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). Plus a thrilling bonus: a never-before-seen home movie of Krazy’s kreator George Herriman! Room 4

Criminal: The Sinners #2

4 to 5 p.m. Spotlight on Sean Philips — Comic-Con special guest, artist Sean Phillips (Criminal, Marvel Zombies) and moderator/artist Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy, Jay and Silent Bob) have known each other for over twenty years. Hear Duncan ask Sean questions that Duncan already probably knows the answers to! See lots of Sean’s art you haven’t seen before! (Unless you read his blog.)  Room 8

4:15 to 5:15 p.m. DC Nation Special Edition — It’s the DC Nation State of the Union address as DC co-publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee  join forces to give fans all the info they can handle! With those two leading the Nation, expect the unexpected … The Nation welcomes all! Room 6DE

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Indy Comics Writers Unite! — Another in our series of “Year of the Writer” events, this panel focuses on independent comics writers (and some writer/artists!). Moderator Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Irredeemable) talks to Van Jensen  (Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer), Larry Marder (Beanworld), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder) and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, Echo) about the fine art of writing comics without capes (on the protagonists, not the writers themselves). Room 3

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Archaia: Lucid — Lucid, the first comic book project from Archaia’s partnership with Before the Door, is finally here! Lucid creator and writer Michael McMillian (True Blood) and BTD partners Zachary Quinto  (Star Trek, Heroes), Neal Dodson and Corey Moosa share cool, behind-the-scenes info and other interesting tidbits about the making of the comic. Moderated by Archaia editor-in-chief Stephen Christy. Room 25ABC

5 to 6 p.m. Girls Gone Genre: Movies, TV, Comics, Web — Meet and talk with women who write, read, game, and perform in arenas that are historically and statistically dominated by men. What’s it like to try and get a job in a field where most of your competitors and colleagues are guys? Can women write men, and vice versa? And what happens when traditionally “male” genres are reinvented by female writers and embraced by female fans? Sex and the City it ain’t! Meet the women who like to play with trucks and Barbies … and Wolverine action figures. And flux capacitors. Featuring Felicia Day (writer/producer, The Guild; actress, The Guild, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog), Kathryn Immonen (writer, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds), Laeta Kalogridis (screenwriter/producer, Shutter Island, Ghost in the Shell, Avatar), Marti Noxon (screenwriter/producer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Mad Men), Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter/producer, Dexter, The Twilight Saga) and Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey). Moderated by Io9′s Annalee Newitz. Room 24ABC

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Vertigo: On the Edge — Find out what compelling tales comics’ edgiest imprint has in store for you in the months to come! Led by senior VP/executive editor Karen Berger, the all-star lineup of talent includes Rafael Albuquerque  (American Vampire), Gabriel Bá (Daytripper), Cliff Chiang (Neil Young’s Greendale), Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition), Joshua Dysart (Neil Young’s Greendale, Unknown Soldier), Peter Gross (The Unwritten), Matt Kindt (Revolver), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Peter Milligan (Greek Street, Hellblazer), Fabio Moon (Daytripper), Chris Roberson (iZombie), Scott Snyder (American Vampire), Matthew Sturges (Jack of Fables), Jill Thompson (Little Endless), Bill Willingham (Fables) and others. Room 6DE

Ax

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Top Shelf 2010: Sweden, Japan and so much more! — The crew at Top Shelf Productions celebrate their most international year yet, discussing their hit “Swedish Invasion” initiative, the acclaimed graphic novel The Playwright from British-Australian expats Eddie Campbell and Daren White, and their brand-new book of cutting-edge manga, Ax. They’ll dish all the digital details on the exciting new Top Shelf apps for iPhone and iPad! And they’ll show off exclusive sneak previews of upcoming books from Robert Venditti (The Surrogates), Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Marshal Law), Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots), Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Sweet Tooth), Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), and so much more! Plus Top Shelf’s hottest creators take your questions! Room 9

5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Marvel: The Heroic Age: Avengers — The Heroic Age is here! Heeding the call, Earth’s Greatest have assembled for the most anticipated comic’s event in a decade! With Steve Rogers back leading the charge, what kinds of threats can his teams expect to face? Find out here as the creators behind your favorite Marvel heroes answer your questions and let you in on what happens next! Editor-in-chief and CCO Joe Quesada, Marvel’s talent liaison C. B. Cebulski, and creators Brian Michael Bendis,(Avengers), Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man), Jim McCann (Hawkeye & Mockingbird) and more shed some light on the Heroic Age. Room 6BCF

6 to 7 p.m. The Goon Film Panel — The Goon creator Eric Powell joins Tim Miller and Jeff Fowler from Blur Studio to discuss the animated feature film adaptation of the comic book series. Room 24ABC

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Future of Manga— When many people today think of “comics,” they think of webcomics and indy releases, but Japanese comics still seem like a distant world of print-based mega-publishing and tattered copies of Shonen Jump. Think again. The manga world in Japan is changing due to competition from ebooks, cell phones and online comics, and the old manga magazines may not be the same for much longer. How are Japanese artists today publishing their works, and what will the manga of the future look like? A visual presentation by Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide). Room 3

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet’s RAW Entertainment — Join the crew from RAW Entertainment as they discuss their exciting slate of current and upcoming projects in comics and film. Moderated by Thomas Jane (Hung, The Punisher) and Tim Bradstreet (The Punisher), panelists include Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein), Bruce Jones (Twisted Tales), James Daly (Bad Planet), William Stout (Pan’s Labyrinth), Mark Schultz (Cadillacs & Dinosaurs), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and a surprise guest! Room 4

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Archaia: All Access — Get updates and new information on all of your favorite Archaia titles, including Awakening with writer Nick Tapalansky and artist Alex Eckman-Lawn; Critical Millennium: The Dark Frontier with writer Andrew E. C. Gaska and artist Daniel Dussault; Feeding Ground with creators Chris Mangun, Swifty Lang and Michael Lapinksi; God Machine with creator Chandra Free; Gunnerkrigg Court with creator Tom Siddell; Hybrid Bastards! with writer Tom Pinchuk; The Killer with writer Matz; Killing Pickman with writer Jason Becker; Titanium Rain with writer/artist Josh Finney and artist Kat Rocha; and Starkweather: Immortal with writer David Rodriguez and Patrick McEvoy. Room 9

7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods — Get a first look at the upcoming feature-length documentary chronicling the life and work of one of comics’ greatest writers, Grant Morrison. Featuring extensive interviews with Morrison himself as well as key collaborators, the film takes you inside Morrison’s creative process and explores how his life and work have become inextricably intertwined. Moderated by FJ De Santo (producer, The Spirit), the panel features Patrick Meaney (director), Jordan Rennert (DP/producer) and a special guest! Room 9

7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Udon: 10 Years of Comics and Games — Celebrating Udon’s 10th anniversary, Erik Ko (Udon chief), Jim Zubkavich (Udon project manager), Omar Dogan (Street Fighter Legends, Robotech), Chamba (Street Fighter II Turbo), Joe Ng (Street Fighter IV, Transformers) and others share tips and tricks they’ve learned working with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Capcom, Marvel, Hasbro and Blizzard. Find out how to break into the biz, and get a sneak peek at Udon’s upcoming projects. Room 3

8 to 10 p.m. World Premiere: Batman: Under the Red Hood — Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present the World Premiere of Batman: Under the Red Hood, the eighth entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 movies. In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened. The stellar voice cast is led by Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek), Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Jason Issacs (the Harry Potter films) and Vincent Martella (Phineas & Ferb). Executive producer Bruce Timm (DCU films), director Brandon Vietti (Superman: Doomsday), award-winning comics writer Judd Winick, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano (DCU films) and members of the voice cast will be around for a post-screening panel that will reveal details behind the making of the film, a glimpse of the 2011 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, and a first look at the next DCU film, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. Warner Home Video will distribute Batman: Under the Red Hood on Blu-Ray and DVD, OnDemand and For Download on July 27, 2010. Note: a second encore screening will take place in the same room beginning at 10:15.  Ballroom 20

8:15 to 9:15 p.m. Marvel: Iron Man Anime — Witness the dawn of Marvel Anime with the world premiere of the highly anticipated full-length pilot episode of Iron Man! Also: an exclusive first look at upcoming designs produced by the world-renowned Japanese animation studio Madhouse, whose notable films (to name a few) include hits such as Ninja Scroll and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Room 6DE

8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards — The 22nd annual Eisner Awards, the “Oscars” of the comics industry, will be given out at a gala ceremony at the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront. This year’s special theme is “Comics Fiesta.” The masters of ceremony are Bongo Comics’ Bill Morrison and voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Pinky and the Brain, Futurama). Presenters include writer/actor Thomas Robert and Ben Garant (Reno 911, Balls of Fury), cartoonist Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County), comedian/voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Family Guy, MadTV), comics writer James Robinson (Starman, Justice League of America), with many more to be announced. Other prestigious awards to be given out include the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award and the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award. Admission to the Eisners is free to all Comic-Con attendees — just be sure to bring your badge. Doors open for pro and VIP seating at 7:30 and for attendees at 8:15. All those who attend will receive a free Will Eisner graphic novel. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront

Casanova: Luxuria #1

• Marvel confirmed the long-awaited third volume of Casanova, the critically acclaimed spy-fi series by Matt Fraction, Gabriel Bá and Fabio Moon, will debut in July through its Icon imprint. The issues originally published in the Image Comics “slimline” format — 16 pages of story for $1.99 — will be re-colored, re-lettered and repackaged. “It’s going to be in full color,” Fraction told Comic Book Resources. “It’s hand-lettered by Dustin Harbin, who’s an amazing cartoonist and a very old friend of mine. So it’s really an entirely new presentation of the material. The color is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s going to be produced at full size. So what was once Casanova #2-3 will now be issue #2 of the Icon Casanova, and so on. You’ll be getting 32 full color pages for full price.”

• Via video, writer Allan Heinberg provided details of Marvel’s Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, the miniseries announced in October that reunites him with Young Avengers artist Jimmy Cheung. The bimonthly, nine-issue limited series that builds on plot threads dating back to House of M, and involves Wiccan attempting to find and redeem the Scarlet Witch.

• Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada revealed that “O.M.I.T.” — the mysterious acronym we’ve seen on guitar picks and in comic-book ads — stands for “One Moment In Time,” and deals with the controversial “One More Day” story that erased the wedding day of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. Serialized in The Amazing Spider-Man #637-640, the new arc by Joe Quesada and Paolo Rivera will turn back the clock to show the events on what should have been the couple’s wedding day.

• Oni Press announced Yo Gabba Gabba! Story Comic Book Time, an anthology based on the wildly popular preschool television series. The 128-page hardcover will be released this fall.

• Writer Roy Thomas will return to Conan the Barbarian in December with Dark Horse’s Conan: Road to Kings, a 12-issue miniseries with artist Mike Hawthorne.

• Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Icon series Criminal and Incognito will be available as digital apps via Panefly, iVerse and comiXology.

• Marvel Vice President-Executive Editor Tom Brevoort announced a new Invaders miniseries spearheaded by Christos Gage and Alex Ross, and revealed the full line-up for Secret Avengers, the much-teased series by Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato: Steve Rogers, Sharon Carter, War Machine, Nova, The Beast, Moon Knight, Valkyrie, Black Widow and the Irredeemable Ant-Man.

• Wildstorm revealed that B. Clay Moore and Tony Harris are collaborating on “a pulpy 1940’s noir, wartime London story” called The Further Adventures of the Whistling Skull.

The Calling #1

• Following up on its teaser, BOOM! Studios announced The Calling: Cthulhu Chronicles, an ongoing series written by Michael Alan Nelson and Johanna Stokes. The publisher also unveiled plans for a Farscape event called The War for the Uncharted Territories.

• Nick Spencer, writer of Existence and Forgetless, will join with artists Joe Eisma and Rodin Esquejo for Morning Glories, an ongoing series debuting in August from Image Comics. It’s described as Runaways meets Lost.

• In August, Archaia will release Syndrome, a graphic novel by Daniel Quantz, R.J. Ryan and David Marquez that explores the idea of scientifically explaining what causes evil.

• Aspen Comics announced the fall debut of Lady Mechanika, Joe Benitez’s series about a part-mechanical occult investigator in turn-of-the-century England.

Comic-Con

The programming schedules for Saturday and Sunday have been released.

What was once the most insane day at the con is now the most pleasant one to spend on the dealer room floor, for the most part … with every single day being a sellout, the crowds never let up, but last year there were so many huge media panels on Saturday that you could actually walk across the movie section of the dealer room floor and get a decent look around. So bring on those pilot premieres and Q&A’s, Hall H ….

Here are some of the Saturday highlights:

• Comic-wise, you’ve got publisher panels for Wildstorm, SLG Publishing, Dark Horse, IDW’s Angel panel, Marvel’s Dark Reign event, BOOM!’s Farscape books, Aspen, Del Rey Manga and Del Rey Comics, Archaia, American Original and DC’s Blackest Night event, among others. Gerard Way will be announcing his next project, while Terry Moore will talk about Echo.
• Marvel and DC also have panels for their big upcoming video game releases, Marvel Ultimate Alliances 2 and the DCU MMORG.
• There are lots of TV panels on Saturday, for old con stalwarts like Lost, Heroes, Chuck, Spongebob SquarePants, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Ben 10, Venture Bros. and Futurama as well as new shows like Eastwick, The Cleveland Show, Glee, Warehouse 13, Human Target, The Vampire Diaries, V and Marvel’s The Super Hero Squad Show.
• Movie wise, look for panels on Iron Man 2, Zombieland (which has a great trailer here), 2012, Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day and Emo Boy.
• Saturday’s spotlight panels, which get up close and personal with the con’s special guests, include Ray Bradbury, Lewis Trondheim, Hope Larson, Francis Manapul, Gary Gianni, James Jean, Dennis Kitchen, Doug Moench, J. Michael Straczynski and Seth.
• Saturday night brings The San Diego Comic-Con International Masquerade, which should be on every comic fan’s bucket list. There’s also a screening and panel of the Watchmen movie director’s cut.

Sunday, meanwhile, is Kid’s Day, and after my quick glance through the programming, it’s probably the most kid-friendly day at the con since I’ve been attending. Let’s have a look:

• As I said, Sunday is loaded with kid stuff, including numerous comics and graphic novel panels, the Spectacular Spider-Man animated series panel, a couple of Nickelodeon panels and a Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins DVD panel.
• On the comics front, Dan DiDio will host his usual and always delightful Sunday Conversations panel. There’s also the annual Jack Kirby tribute panel, a CMX panel, a Making Webcomics panel, a Women of Marvel panel and a Q&A with Bryan Talbot.
• Television wise, there are panels for Supernatural, Ghost Whisperer, American Dad and Smallville.
• It looks like there are only three spotlight panels on Sunday: Bill Willingham, Stan Sakai and David Petersen.

In case you missed them, you can check out my rundowns of Thursday and Friday.

Iron and the Maiden #2

The creator of the comic Iron and the Maiden calls the trademark-infringement lawsuit filed by heavy-metal band Iron Maiden “outrageous” and “completely without merit.”

The band wants to prevent Iron and the Maiden LLC from using the “confusingly similar” name to sell comic books, video games and other merchandise. It also seeks undisclosed damages.

“The Iron and the Maiden legal team believes that this case is completely without merit,” a spokesperson for creator Jason Rubin said in a statement. “It is outrageous to claim ownership of the well-known term ‘Iron Maiden,’ a medieval torture device that predates rock and roll by centuries and is part of world culture, legend and lore.”

Released through Aspen Comics in 2007, Iron and the Maiden centers on the characters Michael Iron and Angel Chase, who are caught in the middle of a war between the government, a religious sect and a criminal organization in an alternative-universe 1930s.

“The title is a play on the torture device,” the spokesperson said. “Any rational person who looks at the property at www.ironandthemaiden.com will immediately understand how ridiculous the assertions made in the complaint are.”

Let’s see what will be going on …

• Marvel’s been absent from WonderCon for the past couple of years, and while they don’t appear to have a booth, they do have a presence this year. Both Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction are guests of honor, and it looks like Jeph Loeb, Mark Paniccia and Axel Alonso, among others, will also be there. Of note is a discussion between Fraction and author Michael Chabon on Saturday that will likely be worth the price of admission alone.

• Speaking of special guests, Brian Azzarello and Dave Johnson are also attending and will host a panel on 100 Bullets on Saturday … followed by a night at Isotope Comics. And although Dan DiDio won’t be at the con this year, DC’s got Jim Lee, Will Dennis, Ian Sattler, James Robinson and Aaron Lopresti, among others.

• Oni Press, IDW, Dark Horse, BOOM!, SLG, Aspen and Top Cow will also be on hand, both on the floor and at various panels to talk about their latest projects.

• And rounding out the special guest list are Sergio Aragonés, Mark Evanier, Gary Friedrich, Wendy Pini, Trina Robbins, Alex Robinson, Stan Sakai, Jill Thompson and Roy Thomas, all of whom will have a spotlight panel. San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum will kick off a Stan Sakai art exhibit that weekend as well, so if you’re in town, be sure to check it out.

• In the “other media” area, or to answer the question “So what’s happening in the big room?” … it looks there will be panels on Watchmen, Star Trek, Chuck, Terminators Sarah Connor Chronicles and Salvation, Pixar’s UP, a showing of the Wonder Woman animated DVD and the Black Panther animated show.

• Our own Matt Maxwell, creator of Strangeways, has a booth this year, so be sure to drop by and say hi if you’re going.