DC Comics

Publishing | DC Comics will roll out a marketing campaign next month in support of its new $2.99 price initiative. The campaign, apparently revealed in a communique to retailers, will include online banners, ads in January issues of Comics Buyer’s Guide, Comic Shop News and Wizard, in-book ads, and in-store posters, shelf talkers and cards. [Crimson Monkey]

Libraries | The Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation has pledged $250,000 over five years to the new Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum facility, part of the Sullivant Hall renovation at The Ohio State University. [The Daily Cartoonist]

Broadway | The father of Christopher Tierney, the 31-year-old aerialist who fell a week ago during a performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, offers a full account of his son’s injuries: a hairline fracture in his skull, a broken scapula, a broken bone close to his elbow, four broken ribs, a bruised lung and three fractured vertebrae. Timothy Tierney said his son underwent back surgery on Wednesday, and took his first steps on Friday with the aid of a brace and walker. Doctors are “cautiously optimistic” that Christopher Tierney will eventually resume his performing career. [Arts Beat]

Captain America #602

Politics | Salon includes last February’s Captain America-tea party controversy in its rundown of “the year in trumped-up pseudo-scandals.” [Salon.com]

Best of the year | Dave Ferraro selects the 10 best manga of 2010. [Comics and More]

Best of the year | Lore Sjöberg names the best new webcomics of 2010, from Axe Cop to Bad Machinery to Scenes From a Multiverse. [Underwire]

Best of the year | Chantaal and Dee at Girls Read Comics Too choose the best comics of the year, divided into categories. [Girls Read Comics Too]

Retailing | Kris Turner briefly spotlights Comic Relief in Flint, Mich. [The Flint Journal]

Brenda Starr

Comic strips | R.C. Harvey begins a two-part essay on Brenda Starr, which ends its 70-year run on Sunday. [TCJ.com]

Creators | Steve Niles talks about his collaborations with horror legend Bernie Wrightson: “Every Friday night Bernie and I have a Scrabble night at my house with his wife Liz and my girlfriend Monica. Really, these books came out of those nights with us talking plot points between Scrabble turns and pizza and beer. If we laughed, it went in the book. I know this sounds a little to simple, but the friendship plays so much into the collaboration now it’s almost too fun to call work.” [Hero Complex]

Creators | Robert Kirkman chats briefly about the success of The Walking Dead television series, and his plans for 2011. [The Courier-Journal]

Gerard Way

Creators | My Chemical Romance frontman and comics writer Gerard Way talks about his favorite music, comics, prose and more. [The New York Times]

Comics | Douglas Wolk recounts what he’s grateful for in comics: “The general shift toward the rights of individual creators is a very good long-term sign. The most talked-about comics-inspired projects in other media this year were Kick-Ass, Scott Pilgrim and The Walking Dead–all of which are properties owned by the particular people who created them. That’s a huge change.” [Techland]

Comics | Ben Morse assembles a Jewish Justice League. [The Cool Kids Table]

My Chemical Romance by Becky Cloonan

Demo and recent Northlanders artist Becky Cloonan shares a poster she created for the British music magazine Rock Sound. The poster features the band My Chemical Romance in their “Danger Days” identities, as we’ve seen recently in the killer videos featuring super villain Grant Morrison.

Cloonan, as you may have heard, is the artist for the upcoming Killjoys comic by MCR frontman Gerard Way and co-writer Shaun Simon. “Featuring Gerard and Mikey Way, Frank Iero and Ray Toro as they’ll appear in the comics, this is the first glimpse of what they’ll look like in 2D format when the stories surface next year,” the Rock Sound website reads. Announced in 2009, Killjoys was initially set to show up this year but was delayed due to Way’s music schedule.

Grant Morrison by Becky Cloonan

Looks like mine wasn’t the only mind blown by the appearance of Grant Morrison as a villain in the trailer for My Chemical Romance’s upcoming album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Demo artist Becky Cloonan took a crack at drawing Morrison’s dandy-in-the-underworld alter ego on the Drawbridge blog. And since Cloonan is supposedly involved in some sort of Killjoys comics project from MCR frontman/Umbrella Academy writer Gerard Way and co-writer Shaun Simon, methinks this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this world via Cloonan’s brush…

Grant Morrison

My Chemical Romance, the band fronted by Umbrella Academy writer Gerard Way, has posted a video teaser for their new album on their website. The clip features fast cars, loud music, pirate radio, gun play and a silver-faced Grant Morrison as, apparently, the villain.

Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys comes out later this year. Watch the full clip after the jump.

*****

Brightest Day #7 (August's top-selling comic)

Retailing | Laura Hudson surveys a handful of retailers about what part higher cover prices may have played in August’s plummeting comics sales. “This summer has underperformed, and I think [the $3.99 price point] is a big part of it,” says Chris Rosa of Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles, “but also I think the lack of an event and the fact that the big books at both [companies] are extended denouements to events. There’s nothing really inspiring people to run out to the stores. People are tired of buying four Avengers titles at $3.99 a pop.” [Comics Alliance]

Publishing | Tom Mason looks at the return of Atlas Comics: “If you were 13 years-old in 1975 when the original books were out, you’d be 48 today. In other words, the age of the average direct market fanboy. But in order for these new books to succeed, they’d have to appeal beyond nostalgia because with most Marvel and DC comics at $4.00 a pop, you’ve got to have something special and excellent to lure some of those buyers into your own circus tent.” [Comix 411]

Retailing | Johanna Draper Carlson offers advice for aspiring comics retailers. [Comics Worth Reading]

Detective Comics #871

Creators | Scott Snyder discusses American Vampire and his upcoming run on Detective Comics in an interview from Comic-Con International: “… I want it to be back to basics and have it be anchored in Gotham. Batman solving mysteries as the greatest detective in the world. I wanted it to be street level crime, a couple new villains that are a little bit above the sidewalk level, but at the same time, it’s going to focus on Batman solving crime in Gotham using new tech. It will be old fashioned in terms of its format, but high tech in terms of his gadgets for a new twist.” [AICN]

Creators | Alex Deuben interviews Dame Darcy and Dan Goldman. [Suicide Girls]

Creators | Gerard Way talks briefly about The Umbrella Academy. [The Star]

Tintin

Comics | Claudia Massie details why she loves Hergé: “The visual style of the Tintin books is one that looks enormously simple: it is rather muted in colour; the black lines are neat and constant. The predominant tones are those of the up-market paint company Farrow & Ball and dominated by gentle browns, yellows, blues and greens. Most frames restrict their colour spectrum to just two or three different tones and. unlike some other comic styles, much importance is given to empty space, meaning Hergé is happy to offer a blank sky or wall as a backdrop to a small detail of action or expression. Not for Tintin the graphic pyrotechnics of Marvel Comics; our Belgian boy hero operates against a tranquil canvas of meticulous order.” [The Spectator]

Comics | Author David Lipsky sings the praises of Runaways, Vol. 1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona: “… I bear the books a grudge. Marvel collected them — because their biggest fans were female teenagers — in tiny digests with girlish covers that were intensely embarrassing to read on the subway. I kept locking eyes with people I could swear had just shaken their heads. And, alright, I fell a little in love with one of the female leads: the great flying beauty Karolina Dean. Who turned out to be gay. A hardship I’d steered clear of in real life, and there I was stumbling into it in a damned graphic novel (OK, comic book). Runaways — while a consistently brilliant reading experience — has been an embarrassment festival. Way beyond a guilty pleasure. It has been a fount of guilt, awkwardness and grave personal doubts. Which is to say, it turned me teenaged again.” [NPR]

Comic-Con International

Like clockwork, Comic-Con organizers have released the schedule for the third day of the convention, Saturday, July 24.

Below you’ll find highlights of the comics-related programming, ranging from movie panels for Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern and Marvel’s Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger to Joe Quesada’s traditional “Cup O’ Joe” and “Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour vs. The Fans.”

The full programming schedule for Saturday can be found here.

10 to 11 a.m. Spotlight on Carla Speed McNeil — Comic-Con special guest Carla Speed McNeil is best known for her creator-owned title Finder. A few years back, Carla took new stories of Finder to the Internet, and the result was an Eisner Award  for best webcomic of 2008 and a new series of reprints from Dark Horse. Carla talks about her work and what’s next in this Spotlight panel. Room 3

10 to 11 a.m. The Black Panel 2010 — This year’s Black Panel will be one for the ages. The focus will be on empowerment, education, real-world networking, and finally but never last, fun. The panelists include entertainment attorney Darrel Miller, novelist Nnedi Okorafor, artist Denys Cowan and writer/producer/director Reggie Hudlin, with moderator Michael Davis. Once they answer life’s burning questions, they’ll chill with a salute and Q&A from the audience with actor/writer/director Bill Duke. As always, surprise guests who will rock your world. Room 5AB

10 to 11 a.m. Marvel Comics Writers Unite! — The third in Comic-Con’s series of “Year of the Writer/Comics Writers Unite!” panels focuses on Marvel Comics and includes Comic-Con special guests Brian Michael Bendis (Avengers, New Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man), Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man, Thor) and Chris Claremont (X-Men Forever, X-Women) in a discussion with writer Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Irredeemable). Room 6DE

10 to 11 a.m. Mad about MAD! — MAD magazine has established itself as the original and most imitated and influential satirical publication across generations. This fall, MAD returns to TV screens with a new show for the next generation! MAD magazine editor John Ficarra, MAD art director Sam Viviano, legendary MAD artist Sergio Aragonés, current MAD artist Tom Richmond, MAD story editor/producer Kevin Shinick and your host, Warner Bros. Animation senior VP Peter Girardi offer a light-hearted look at the future of an American institution. Room 7AB

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. DC Talent Search 3 — 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

Shonen Jump

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump Panel — Shonen Jump is the source of the world’s most popular manga, including Naruto, Bleach and more. In this exclusive panel, fans will get the latest manga and anime news, insider information and on-the-spot surprises. Special guest: Stan Lee, comics legend and co-creator of Ultimo! Room 9

11 a.m. to noon Spotlight on Jillian Tamaki — Comic-Con special guest Jillian Tamaki has taken both the illustration and comics worlds by storm. Her graphic novel Skim was a New York Times Best Book of the Year, and also was nominated for a Governor General Award and for three Eisner Awards. Her drawings can be found in the New York Times, Oprah, New Yorker and Esquire. Tamaki will discuss the process of Skim, collaborating with a writer, and the difference between comics and illustration. Room 3

11 a.m. to noon Comics in the Library — How are comics used in libraries? This panel discusses the variety of ways that libraries around the countries have begun to integrate comics into their collections and programming. Special attention is paid to the following subjects: comics for early readers; nonfiction comics, comics for adult readers. Presented by Francisca Goldsmith (Infopeople), Merideth Jenson-Benjamin (Glendale Public Library), JoAnn Jonas (San Diego County Library), Tuan Nguyen (Texas Maverick Graphic Novel List), Jill Patterson (OC Public Libraries) and comics creator Raina Telgemeier (Smile). Moderated by John Hogan (The Graphic Novel Reporter). Room 8

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Comic-Con How-To Session: Adam Hughes — Award-winning artist Adam Hughes will demonstrate sketching with grayscale Copic Markers. Adam is particularly known for his cover art, some of which has been recently published into a hardcover coffeetable book. Room 18

11 a.m. to noon Spirituality in Comics — How can comics help communicate timeless truths through new media to new audiences? Discuss the latest trends of spiritual themes in comics with moderator Scott Shuford of the Christian Comic Arts Society and panelists Holly Golightly (School Bites), K. J. Kolka (Cardinal Adventures) and Clint Johnson (Faithwalker). Santa Rosa Room, Marriott Hotel and Marina

Cup O' Joe

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Marvel: Cup O’ Joe — This is it, Mighty Marvel fans — the no-holds-barred, anything-goes, full-of-surprises panel you’ve waited for all year! Marvel’s EEK (editor-in-chief) and CCO 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

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Spotlight on Gerard Way — Comic-Con special guest Gerard Way, writer/creator of The Umbrella Academy, is joined by guests in a 60-minute deconstruction of the comic book industry, featuring helicopter rides and Jonesy the Human Ferret. Room 6DE

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Will Eisner, The Dreamer — Will Eisner played a central role in the first seven decades of comics history. Many times during his career, he reinvented sequential art and himself to overcome new challenges. He was a true dreamer, and these panelists hope to show you that side of him: Denis Kitchen (artist, author, publisher, and Will Eisner’s agent and longtime friend), Scott McCloud (artist, author, and theoretician about comics and sequential art), Dennis O’Neil  (comic book writer and editor for Marvel Comics and DC Comics), Paul Levitz  (writer, former president/publisher, DC Comics) and Michael Schumacher (bestselling author and Biographer with a new biography of Will Eisner due out this fall). This is your chance to learn more about the “Father of the Graphic Novel.” Room 4

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal — Author/designer Chip Kidd (Mythology, Bat-Manga, Rough Justice), author/producer Michael Uslan (Archie Marries…) and Charles Kochman (executive editor, Abrams ComicArts) celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Big Red Cheese in this panel and slideshow discussion celebrating Kidd’s upcoming fall release from Abrams ComicArts, Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal. Room 9

Green Lantern

11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Warner Bros.: Green Lantern, Sucker Punch, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Warner Bros. showcases three eagerly awaited upcoming new films in this Hall H presentation!

• Green Lantern — Get a first look at the upcoming sci-fi action adventure Green Lantern, directed by Martin Campbell. Green Lantern is an epic adventure that crosses galaxies to bring to life the legendary Silver Age superhero Hal Jordan, who is chosen by the ring itself to become the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps and take on the vast and powerful Parallax as it threatens to destroy the world. The film stars Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, Blake Lively as Carol Ferris, Peter Sarsgaard as Dr. Hector Hammond and Mark Strong as Sinestro.

• Sucker Punch — Fasten your seatbelt for a sneak peek at the dark action fantasy Sucker Punch, from director Zack Snyder, who previewed his films 300 and Watchmen at past Comic-Cons. A group of young girls escape the dark reality of their lives through their vivid imagination, which takes them to various fantasy locations in different realms. The ensemble cast features Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Vanessa Hudgens, Carla Gugino, Jena Malone, Jamie Chung and Jon Hamm.

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Every saga has a final chapter. Kick off the year of Harry Potter with a first look at the coming screen adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with a program created just for Comic-Con fans. One way. One hero. One destiny. Don’t miss it! Hall H

noon to 1 p.m. Spotlight on Peter Bagge — Comic-Con special guest Peter Bagge talks to Fantagraphics’ Jason T. Miles about his work, including the legendary Buddy Bradley stories in Hate and his new graphic novels, Apocalypse Nerd and Other Lives. Room 3

noon to 1 p.m. IDW Publishing: Infestation 2011 — In 2011, IDW will infest the comics world in new and exciting — and potentially disturbing — ways. EIC/CCO Chris Ryall, editors Andy Schmidt and Scott Dunbier and creators offer a lively discussion of IDW’s upcoming titles, including at least two big and unexpected announcements, as well as the first hint of “Infestation,” IDW’s big 2011 event! Room 8

noon to 1 p.m. CBLDF Master Session: Terry Moore: Drawing Characters with Character — Learn what it takes to draw characters whose distinctive actions define them on the page. In Echo and Strangers in Paradise Terry Moore has established himself as a master for expressing a wide range of emotions through his characters. Bring your sketchbook and follow along as Moore shows you the secrets of how to make your characters “act” on the page in this CBLDF Master Session. The original art from this session will be auctioned off on Saturday night in the CBLDF’s Art Auction! Room 30CDE

12:30 to 1:45 p.m. DC Universe: Event Horizon — Ian Sattler, senior story editor, and your favorite writers and artists are here for the main event: The DC Universe! What lies ahead for your favorite heroes and series? Got a question for your favorite DCU creator? Come on by! There’s no greater gathering of top-tier creative talent! Room 6A

12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Quick Draw! — It’s just about the most fun you can have sitting down at Comic-Con! Host Mark Evanier keeps Sergio Aragonés, Scott Shaw! and this year’s guest artist and dinosaur expert William Stout on their toes as they draw — real quick! — whatever he tells them to draw! Room 6BCF

Brian Michael Bendis

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Spotlight on Brian Michael Bendis — The controversial Marvel writer and Comic-Con special guest Brian Michael Bendis turns his spotlight panel into a live taping of the popular Word Balloon Bendis tapes. Word Balloon podcast host John Suitress will moderate the panel and take questions from the audience, with nothing off limits. Bendis will also be giving away limited-edition variant covers of his new creator-owned series Scarlet. Room 6DE

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Stan Lee  @ BOOM! — Stan Lee and Mark Waid reveal the details behind Stan Lee’s new series at BOOM!, including two special mystery guests that will blow your mind. This is it, people. You wanted to know who is writing the other two books alongside Waid? Now you’ll know! Room 9

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Comics Across all Media — Paul Feig (creator of Freaks & Geeks), Chip Kidd  (Shazam!: The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal), Whitney Matheson (USA Today’s Pop Candy blog), Brad Meltzer (The Inner Circle) and Michael Uslan (The Dark Knight) are five superstars who make headlines in television, the graphic arts, journalism, novels and film. But they all have comics in common. As they reunite for another visit, join them for a discussion of all things nerd. It’ll be like a 21st century Breakfast Club — but with even better references. Moderated by audiobook star Scott Brick (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant). Room 24ABC

1 to 2 p.m. Spotlight on Gabrielle Bell — Join Comic-Con special guest Gabrielle Bell  (Cecil and Jordan in New York, Lucky). Gabrielle Bell has been featured in McSweeneys, Vice and the Believer. The title story of her most recent book, Cecil and Jordan in New York has been adapted for the screen by Michel Gondry in the triptych Tokyo!  She is currently serializing her Ignatz award-winning autobiographcal comics Lucky online. Gabrielle Bell will present a slideshow and discuss her work with Tom Spurgeon (www.thecomicsreporter) Room 3

1 to 2 p.m. CBLDF Master Session: Darick Robertson: Body Language in Sequential Storytelling — Bring your sketchbook and learn how to express action, attitude, and meaning through your characters’ body language in this CBLDF Master Session. In his work on The Boys, Transmetropolitan and Conan, Darick Robertson has had to express story through his drawings of a wide variety of characters. Follow along as he demonstrates how body language can add dimension to your sequential storytelling. The original art from this session will be auctioned off on Saturday night in the CBLDF’s Art Auction. Room 30CDE

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Comics Criticism — Comics are a staple of the arts and book review sections of everything from The New York Times and Publishers Weekly to a current golden age of published biography and history, such as Gerard Jones’s Men of Tomorrow, R. C. Harvey’s Meanwhile …, and David Michaelis’s Schulz and Peanuts. Some of the nation’s leading critics discuss the state of the art and the state of its journalism, 2010. Panelists include Gary Groth (The Comics Journal), Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics), Brian Doherty (Radicals for Capitalism), Ben Schwartz (editor, Best American Comics Criticism) and R. Fiore (Funnybook Roulette). Room 4

Top Cow

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Top Cow: “We Create” Multimedia — Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri (Pilot Season, X-Men/Dark Avengers), president Matt Hawkins (Alibi) and publisher Filip Sablik offer an exciting and lively multimedia presentation about Top Cow’s plans for 2010 and 2011 in comics, film, television, and much more. Be the first to hear announcements and updates on film projects including Witchblade, Magdalena, Alibi, Wanted and A-Team, plus announcements on new comic projects with creators including Ron Marz (Artifacts), Jeff Katz (American Original) and Phil Hester (The Darkness), along with surprise guests including directors, screenwriters, producers and more! Room 9

2 to 3 p.m. Tokyopop Panel — Tokyopop editorial staff, including senior editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl, will announce new book publishing acquisitions and digital products, followed by a prize giveaway and Q&A session. Get the latest news about ongoing Tokyopop series, including updates to Hetalia and Priest. Room 3

2 to 3 p.m. Green Lantern: Emerald Empire — No evil shall escape this panel’s sight as the top creative teams on the Green Lantern books drop hints on upcoming stories and take on your questions! Led by group editor Eddie Berganza with Geoff Johns  (Green Lantern, The Flash), Tony Bedard (Green Lantern Corps), Joe Prado (Brightest Day) and Ivan Reis  (Brightest Day). Room 6A

2 to 3 p.m. Spotlight on Dave Dorman — Eisner Award-winning illustrator and Comic-Con special guest Dave Dorman is best known for his stunning depictions from the Star Wars universe. Dave talks about his paintings and his comics work, including the eagerly awaited sequel to his Steampunk graphic novel Rail — continuing stories set in his creator-owned universe, The Wasted Lands. Room 8

2 to 3 p.m. Spotlight on Milo Manara — Known the world over for his elegant and erotic art and storytelling techniques, Milo Manara  is a Comic-Con special guest for the very first time! Manara will talk about his long and varied career, which now includes a Marvel Comics book, X-Women, written by fellow special guest Chris Claremont. Room 25ABC

2 to 3 p.m. Writing Seminar with Marv Wolfman — Marv Wolfman (God of War, Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinite Earths), in this annual writing seminar, returns to basics as he discusses the building blocks of putting together a story, creating tension, and what the “three act structure” really means. There will also be time for a Q&A session. Room 30CDE

2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Partners in Image Comics — Image Comics partners Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon), Todd McFarlane (Spawn), Marc Silvestri (Witchblade) and Jim Valentino (ShadowHawk) get together for a boisterous discussion of all things Image. Join the partners as they talk about ongoing and future projects, and become part of the discussion during a Q&A session. Room 9

Stan Lee

2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Archie: Stan Lee Comics Debuts — Stan Lee, Andy Heyward and Jon Goldwater introduce an exciting new line of comics from the mind of comics legend Stan Lee. Stan will talk about Stan Lee’s Super Seven and all the other new titles coming from Stan Lee comics over the next year. Be the first to get in on this exciting new project from the one and only Stan Lee! Moderated by Rik Offenberger. Room 24ABC

3 to 4 p.m. Spotlight on Ray Bradbury — He was at the very first Comic-Con and we kind of think he’ll be at the very last one, too, far off in the future. Science fiction author Ray Bradbury is literally a national treasure. Ray talks with biographer Sam Weller and moderator writer/producer Arnold Kunert in his yearly visit with his fans at Comic-Con. Room 6DE

3 to 4 p.m. DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection: Jonah Hex, Green Arrow, and Beyond! — Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation roll out the next wave of DC Showcase animated shorts with the world premiere of Jonah Hex, an advance look at Green Arrow, and details regarding the upcoming compilation Blu-ray/DVD release anchored by Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam. Executive producer Bruce Timm (DC Universe Animated Original Movies), Jonah Hex voice Thomas Jane (Hung), producer Alan Burnett (The Batman), acclaimed comics writer and fiction author Joe Lansdale, and writer/producer Greg Weisman (Young Justice) present a peek at three never-before-seen shorts. Room 7AB

3 to 4 p.m. Comics Reprint Revolution — For comics fans, the vintage reprint revolution keeps getting bigger and better! Comics Reporter’s Tom Spurgeon talks with Craig Yoe  (Krazy Kat, Popeye, Jetta), Dean Mullaney (editor of Library of American Comics for IDW: Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, Secret Agent Corrigan), Daniel Herman (Hermes Press: Buck Rogers, The Phantom), Gary Groth (Fantagraphics: Peanuts, Prince Valiant, Captain Easy), Peggy Burns (Drawn and Quarterly: John Stanley Library, Walt & Skeezix), Steve Saffel (Titan Books, Beetle Bailey, Simon & Kirby Library) and Charles Pelto (Classic Comics Press: Mary Perkins, On Stage, The Heart of Juliet Jones, Big Ben Bolt) about their publications reprinting some of the very best of comic books and comic strips. Room 8

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. International Comics and Graphic Novels — Comics are popular the world over and Comic-Con always includes an impressive gathering of worldwide talent. Journalist Tom Spurgeon talks with special guests Moto Hagio (Japan: Drunken Dreams), Émile Bravo (France: My Mommy is in America and she Met Buffalo Bill),  Milo Manara (Italy: Click!), and Kathryn and Stuart Immonen (Canada: Moving Pictures, Russian Olive to Red King) about graphic novels with a more international flavor. Room 4

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. DC Universe Online: The Next Legend Is You! — Superstars Jim Lee (Batman: Hush) and Mark Hamill (voice of The Joker, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: The Animated Series) join forces with the DC Universe Online development team to reveal the exciting backstory of this action MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) game. Jim, Mark and key members of the development team from Sony Online Entertainment discuss how an earth-shattering chain of events will make you the key to the salvation or ruin of the DC Universe when the game launches this November. All attendees will receive a DCUO VIP Beta Key! Room 5AB

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Robert E. Howard in Comics: Then. Now. Always. — Robert E. Howard is seen as the grandfather of the sword and sorcery fiction genre. He’s created such classic characters as Kull the Conqueror, Red Sonya and Conan the Barbarian that have lived in comics for more than 40 years! Explore worlds of magic, bravery, and savage revenge as this panel delves in to Robert E. Howard’s timeless fiction in comics of the past, present and future. Room 24ABC

4 to 5 p.m. Comics After Paper — Some forward-thinking cartoonists are designing their work to be experienced on computers, e-readers, mobile phones and touchscreens. R. Stevens (Diesel Sweeties), Dylan Meconis (Family Man), Joshua Hale Fialkov (Tumor) and Robert Berry (Ulysses Seen), join moderator Douglas Wolk (Techland) to discuss making comics for new media. Room 3

4 to 5:30 p.m. 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 to 5 p.m. Taking Back the Knight: Batman in the 1970s and Beyond — The 1960s Batman TV show — fun as it was — left the public thinking the Caped Crusader was more of a clown than a crimefighter. In the 1970s, editor Julius Schwartz, along with writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Neal Adams (mostly in collaboration with inker Dick Giordano), decided to take back the Knight to his darker origins. The resulting character became the template for the next three decades, a time span marked by Batman’s huge success in films and other media. Moderator Mark Evanier talks with Comic-Con special guests Dennis O’Neil  and Neal Adams about their rebirth of the Bat and with Paul Levitz  on how that re-creation took Batman to even greater heights. Room 8

Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 6

4 to 5 p.m. Scott Pilgrim Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour vs. The Fans — It’s been six years and six volumes spanning over 1,000 pages, and you’ve been there since the beginning! But there’s always been one burning question itching at the back of your brain that you thought would never be answered. Think no more! Ready your Q’s, mind your P’s, and join Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley for a battle royale as he quibbles the quips of his worst enemies … his fans!  Room 25ABC

4 to 5 p.m. Writing for Comics — Top comics writers Brian Michael Bendis (New Avengers, Powers, Secret Invasion), Marc Guggenheim (Wolverine, Resurrection) and Peter David  (Incredible Hulk, X-Factor) offer a discussion and instructive tips on the art of writing for comics. Writers and editors speak about the process of writing and how the game is played. Want to know how stories come about and learn how to do it yourself. This is the place to start! Moderated by Comics Experience’s Andy Schmidt (X-Men, Annihilation). Room 30CDE

4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Marvel Animation: Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes — Enter the Avengers Mansion and become a part of the team! Celebrity voice talent introduce you to top-secret Avengers files, including never-before-seen footage and two full-length episodes from the all-new Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes animated series premiering on Disney XD this fall. The road to the Avengers starts here! Room 6DE

4:30 to 6 p.m. Remembering Shel Dorf — Shel Dorf, who passed away on November 9, 2009, took a group of young comics and science fiction fans and helped mold their ambitions and passions into Comic-Con back in 1970. Shel was a lover of all things pop culture, especially comics and movies, and he helped set the bar early on for Comic-Con to be an event that focuses on a variety of the popular arts. A panel of Shel’s friends — many of whom worked with him on the early Comic-Cons — gather to pay tribute to him, including moderator Mike Towry and Shel’s brother Michael Dorf, along with Richard Alf, William Clausen, George Clayton Johnson, Greg Koudoulian, Matt Lorentz, Clayton Moore, Mike Pasqua, David Scroggy and Phil Yeh. Room 5AB

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Spotlight on J. Michael Straczynski — J. Michael Straczynski speaks (despite requests to the contrary) about his work on (and on and on) such comics as Superman (well, we guess it had to happen eventually) and Wonder Woman (at least they have the same fashion sense), his movies, including Shattered Union (shattered hopes that he wouldn’t show up), Forbidden Planet (is that still going on?), and more he will be announcing here for the first time. Get the inside skinny on the writer’s life from one of Hollywood’s most prolific and hardworking writers (because you always have to work twice as hard when you don’t know what you’re doing). (Bob, very funny, just remember to edit this back to normal before uploading it to the Comic-Con schedule.) Room 6A

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Disney Epic Mickey — Warren Spector (creative director, Junction Point — Disney Interactive Studios) and Peter David (award-winning comics writer and author of upcoming Disney Epic Mickey comics) share their insights about bringing the world and characters of the Disney Epic Mickey video game to life in two media — video games and comic books. Warren and Peter explore “Wasteland,” a world of forgotten, retired and rejected creative efforts from the Disney archives, and discuss the joy and challenges associated with writing for Mickey Mouse and his “brother,” Walt Disney’s first cartoon star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The panel includes discussion, gameplay demo featuring never-before-seen areas, concept art, previews of comic pages and Q&A. Room 9

4:30 to 6 p.m. Comic-Con How-To Session: Jason Kruse and Rob Worley — Artist/animator Jason Kruse and writer Rob Worley will cover the collaborative creative process for making comic books for young readers. The two recently collaborated on the Ape Entertainment comic Scratch9. Room 18

Complete Paradise Too

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Spotlight on Terry Moore — Terry Moore (Echo) has been a fan favorite since beginning his classic series Strangers in Paradise in 1993. His hit series Echo has won fan and critical acclaim and will wrap up in early 2011. Find out what’s next for Moore as he heads toward the Echo movie and the 20th anniversary of Strangers in Paradise. The Q&A is not to be missed! Room 26AB

4:45 to 5:45 p.m. Universal: Paul and Cowboys & Aliens — Universal presents two upcoming films in this exclusive Hall H presentation.

• Paul — Scheduled to appear for Universal Pictures’ sci-fi comedy-adventure Paul are a who’s who of film comedy. Director Greg Mottola (Superbad) will be joined by cast members Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz), Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead), Kristen Wiig (Date Night), Bill Hader (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Jeffrey Tambor (The Hangover), Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models), Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet) and Sigourney Weaver (Baby Mama) as they discuss the movie about two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage to Comic-Con ultimately takes them to America’s UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who takes them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever. Q&A session to follow.

• Cowboys & Aliens — Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man series) discusses what’s happening behind the scenes of Universal Pictures and DreamWorks’ action-thriller Cowboys & Aliens, based on Platinum Studios’ graphic novel. Currently shooting in New Mexico, Cowboys & Aliens stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and takes audiences into the Old West, where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. Q&A session to follow. Hall H

5 to 6 p.m. Dark Shadows: The Classic Series, the Comic Books, and the Upcoming Film — Hermes Press celebrates Dark Shadows with a panel discussing the past, present, and future of the series. Join series stars Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins, via special video appearance), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans/Josette), with Jim Pierson (Dark Shadows) and Daniel Herman (publisher, Hermes Press) for a discussion and Q&A session. Room 3

5 to 6 p.m. Webcomics Lightning Round — The forces behind Webcomics.com, Scott Kurtz (PvP), Robert Khoo (Penny Arcade) and Brad Guigar (Evil Inc), present a primer on webcomics from all aspects: creative, technical and business. Each panelist will answer in thirty seconds or less, without repeating previous points, so expect a fast-paced tour of the subject from start to finish. Room 8

Hellboy: The Storm #1

5 to 6 p.m. Hellboy, The BPRD, and Beyond — As Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo near the end of their epic Hellboy trilogy (Darkness Calls, The Wild Hunt and now The Storm), join them and long-suffering editor Scott Allie in a Q&A session covering the entire Hellboy universe, plus Mignola’s new series Baltimore: The Plague Ships. Room 25ABC

5 to 6 p.m. Building Your Art Portfolio — The most useful panel you’ll ever attend as an artist. Comics superstars Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon, Amazing Spider-Man), C. B. Cebulski (Marvel talent scout and manager), Scott Dunbier (special projects editor, IDW Publishing) and Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Welcome to Hoxford, Choker) cut through everything else and get right to getting you work! They’ll cover what to include in tour portfolio, where to get good scripts to draw from, what not  to include, and how to handle a portfolio review in a professional manner (in other words, how to turn a negative into a positive!). Room 30CDE

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Bill Everett: From Sub-Mariner to Daredevil — Bill Everett created the Sub-Mariner for Marvel Comics #1 back in 1939 and co-created Daredevil in 1964. Author Blake Bell and Bill’s daughter Wendy Everett celebrate the life of her late father, discussing the release of Bell’s latest book, Fire And Water: Bill Everett, The Sub-Mariner, and the Birth of Marvel Comics Room 9

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Avatar Press and Max Brooks—  Max Brooks (World War Z) leads off the Avatar panel with one of his legendary Zombie Survival talks and a Q&A session. Then editor-in-chief William Christensen fills you in on all the upcoming Avatar projects with Mike Wolfer (Gravel, Wolfskin, Lady Death) and Jacen Burrows (Crossed, Neonomicon). Room 26AB

5:45 to 7:15 p.m. Gays in Comics: Year 23! — This all-star panel examines the rising diversity in the comics world today as the long-running “Gays in Comics” panel continues into its third decade at Comic-Con. As mainstream companies DC and Marvel continue to frontline gay characters such as Batwoman and Northstar and hire top-level gay or gay-friendly creators, independent publishers and creators are publishing unequivocal content spotlighting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters, to the cheers of the thousands of fans who are out of the comic book closet. Welcome a top-level panel of GLBT and straight creators, who will give amazing insights and glimpses of surprises to come! Joining founding moderator Andy Mangels, the USA Today best-selling author of Star Trek novels and Iron Man: Beneath The Armor, are Howard Cruse, creator of Stuck Rubber Baby and Barefootz, founder of Gay Comix, and godfather of the gay comic movement; Geoff Johns, writer of Green Lantern, Flash, Brightest Day and DC Entertainment’s chief creative officer; Marjorie M. Liu, the New York Times bestselling author and writer of Black Widow, X-23 and co-author of Dark Wolverine; Daniel Way, writer of Wolverine  and Deadpool and co-writer of Dark Wolverine; Jim McCann, writer of Hawkeye & Mockingbird, Dazzler and Return of the Dapper Men; Charles “Zan” Christensen, co-creator of Mark of Aeacus, founding member of PRISM Comics and new publisher of gay-themed Northwest Press; Dan Parent, writer and artist for Archie and Betty & Veronica and creator of Archie’s new gay character, Kevin Keller; and Tim Fish, creator of Cavalcade of Boys and writer/artist for X-Men: Nation X and Iron Man: Designed Intelligence! Plus, there’s always  a surprise or two! Afterward, stick around for the hour-long gay comics fan mixer/social, hosted by PRISM Comics, with prizes and surprise special guests! Room 6A

6 to 7 p.m. Roddenberry Presents — Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry (CEO, Roddenberry Productions), Trevor Roth (head of development, Days Missing) and Tory Mell  (production supervisor, Trek Nation) are taking the name that created Star Trek and bringing it to levels not seen since the original days of the genre-changing television show. Join them for some awesome discussions and a chance to win a free iPad! Also on the panel: Phil Hester (Days Missing, Green Arrow), Dave Marquez (Days Missing, Syndrome), Stephen Christie (Archaia Publishing) and Paul Morrissey (editor, Days Missing). Room 25ABC

Captain America: The First Avenger

6 to 7 p.m. Marvel Studios: Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger—  Producer Kevin Feige and special guests give you an inside look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hall H

6:15 to 7 p.m. Human Target Screening and Q&A — Based on the DC Comics title, Human Target is an action-packed thrill ride about a mysterious private contractor who will stop at nothing to keep his clients alive — even if it means literally becoming a “human target.” The series moves to a new night this fall — Fridays at 8pm ET/PT on FOX — and executive producer Matthew Miller (Chuck) joins series stars Mark Valley (Fringe), Chi McBride  (Pushing Daisies) and Jackie Earle Haley (A Nightmare on Elm Street) for a Q&A with fans and to screen a special video presentation. Human Target is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Television. Human Target: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD Sept. 21. Room 6BCF

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. WildStorm: Storm Front — What’s new in the WildStorm Universe? VP/general manager Hank Kanalz  and senior editor Ben Abernathy bring you up to speed with this inside look into DC’s wildest imprint. Joining Hank and Ben will be Adam Beechen (WildCats), Kurt Busiek  (Astro City), Darick Robertson (Fringe: Tales From the Fringe), Tom Taylor (The Authority), Tim Seeley  (WildCats), Adam Archer (Ratchet and Clank), Cruddie Torian (Gen13) and others. Room 4

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Kickstart Your Comic! — Producing an independent comic requires not only a huge time commitment but also a sizable financial investment to cover the printing, promotion, and distribution costs incurred before your book even hits the shelves. Recently, some creators have discovered a new and effective way to raise start-up capital for their comics online. Since it’s founding in 2009, Kickstarter.com has been helping artists in all media find financial backing for their projects through user donations. Kickstarter advisor Andy Baio and comic creators Kody Chamberlain (Sweets), Steve Earnhart and Pat Loika (The Villain) and Steve Bryant (Athena Voltaire) discuss their highly successful Kickstarter campaigns and offer advice to help you fund your own comic through Kickstarter.com. Room 7AB

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Ghetto Comics One-on-One: Eric Clement and Chris Miller — Eric Clement and Chris Miller present the new animated series The Adventures of Captain Save a Hood and Peter Proper, based on the independent graphic novel series about two superheroes who have no superpowers. Eric and Chris preview their animated series, along with a Q&A session. Room 9

6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Fables Forum 2010 — The Fables Forum returns to San Diego! The Fables creative team will be on hand to answer your most pressing Fables questions. Featuring the creators behind Fables, Jack of Fables and Cinderella, this panel is sure to have plenty of surprises. Moderated by group editor Shelly Bond, with Bill Willingham (Fables), Steve Leialoha (Fables), Chris Roberson (Cinderella), Matthew Sturges (Jack of Fables), Chrissie Zullo (Cinderella) and others. Room 6DE

7 to 8 p.m. Halo-8 Comics and Illustrated Films — Art and cinema collide at Halo-8, where stories are created simultaneously as comic books and “illustrated films,” merging motion comics with 3D-CGI, intense voice performances, and cinematic storytelling. Following the breakthrough success of Godkiller, Halo-8 president Matt Pizzolo (writer/director, Godkiller) presents the studio’s bold new slate of comics and illustrated films, unveiling never-before-seen art and announcing new projects with fellow panelists, creators Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night) and Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash), producers Brian Giberson (Godkiller) and FJ DeSanto (The Spirit, upcoming The Shadow), Godkiller stars Danielle Harris (Halloween) and Justin Pierre (Motion City Soundtrack) and more special guests. A limited-edition mystery gift will be available exclusively to panel attendees. Room 8

7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Gays in Comics Mixer and Silent Auction — A reception hosted by PRISM Comics, the nonprofit organization that supports gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered comics, creators, and readers. Mingle with comics fans and creators. Plus stay for the special drawing of a “Comics Gift Basket” and the silent auction of hot comics items! Room 6A

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. CBLDF Benefit Auction — This is it, the CBLDF’s biggest auction of the year! Support free speech and walk away with incredible original art! Highlights include original art by Arthur Adams, Paul Pope, Tara McPherson, Ben Templesmith, Jim Rugg, David Hine, Shaky Kane and many more. This auction includes highlights from auction initiatives by TFAW.com, Image Comics and SeenAllOver.com, as well as original art created at the CBLDF Master Sessions. Stop by CBLDF booth (#1920) for a complete auction list. All proceeds from this auction will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Room 3

7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Remembering Dick Giordano — Penciller, inker, editor, mentor. Dick Giordano, who passed away on March 27, was a lot of things to a lot of people. A panel of comic luminaries and friends gather to pay tribute to the man who left a huge impact on the world of comics. Moderator Mark Evanier talks to Neal Adams, Paul Levitz, Pat Bastienne, Bob Layton and Joe Rubinstein about this comic book renaissance man. Room 4
7:30 to 8:30 p.m. 12-Gauge Comics: Boondock Saints: The Comic Series! — Troy Duffy, the writer/director of the cult-hit films The Boondock Saints and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, takes you behind the scenes of his comic trilogy, In Nomine Patris. Find out what’s next for the McManus Brothers and Il Duce, as Duffy and comic series co-writer J.B. Love fill you in on their plans for the next exciting storyline. But that’s not all … get a sneak peek at the new Boondock Saints iPhone game with developer Terrence Myers, and as an extra-special treat, David Della Rocco (the beloved “Rocco” from the films) will be taking your questions during the Q&A session! Moderated by comic series producer Eben Matthews and 12-Gauge publisher Keven Gardner (The Ride). Room 9

7:30 to 8:30 p.m. After Hours with the Christian Comic Arts Society — Creators and fans alike are invited to attend an open meeting of the Christian Comic Arts Society for an informal time of Christian fellowship, networking, laughter and prayer. (Think of it as the social hour after church … just with comic books instead of coffee, cookies and punch.) Room 24ABC

8:30 to 10:30 p.m. With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story — With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story is a feature-length documentary on Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, the co-creator of Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Hulk and over 500 other comic book characters. Learn how Stan rose from his humble Brooklyn beginnings to co-creating many of the world’s most well known characters! Following the screening will be a brief panel with Stan “The Man” Lee himself, executive producers Michael Uslan (The Dark Knight) and Tom DeSanto (X-Men, Transformers), actor Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk TV show), illustrator Jim Lee (Marvel, DC), writer Paul Levitz  (former president and publisher of DC Comics), Jack Kirby biographer Mark Evanier, and the With Great Power producing team of Terry Dougas, Nikki Frakes and Will Hess. You won’t want to miss this one! Room 6BCF

Bone: Quest for the Spark

San Diego Comic-Con is always a wild ride filled with crazy cosplayers, Hollywood hype and just generally somewhat-controlled chaos. In the midst of it all, a few comic book announcements managed to sneak out.

Here are 15 of those announcements (in no particular order) that Kevin Melrose, Chris Mautner and I were happy to hear:

1. New Bone books
So it looks like one of those new books isn’t going to be comics but a novel written by Tom Sniegoski and illustrated by Smith. Which is a bit of a bummer, but only a bit. I’m still pretty psyched to see more stories set in that universe and Sniegoski has proven himself to be an able and witty writer on stuff like the Stupid Stupid Rat Creatures mini series, which, by the way, will be included in the Tall Tales book. So yeah, this is great news all around. I’m eager for more Bone. –Chris Mautner

2. Petrograd, by Philip Gelatt and Tyler Crook
I piped up the moment JK Parkin posted his interview on Thursday with Petrograd writer Philip Gelatt. The book, which examines the events surrounding the murder of Grigori Rasputin in 1916, hits the right historical note with me, of course. But it was the art by Tyler Crook that really drew me in. Beautiful stuff, that. Plus, it doesn’t hurt — in my book, at least — that Gelatt is taking a factual approach to the life, and death, of the Mad Monk. –Kevin Melrose

American Gothic

3. Kurt Busiek’s Wildstorm titles
Fresh off the weekly Trinity series, Kurt Busiek had two announcements on Saturday at the Wildstorm panel. First, Astro City is going monthly. After wrapping up the Dark Age tales he’s been telling in various mini-series over the last few years, and doing an Astra two-parter and a Silver Agent special, Busiek will pick the Astro City monthly series back up with issue #23. Brent Anderson is still on board for the art, with Alex Ross on covers.

But that’s not all. Busiek also has a brand new title called Kurt Busiek’s American Gothic, featuring artwork by Connor Willumsen. It’s an ongoing due sometime next year, and will feature tales of American mythology — truck drivers driving the dead to their final resting place, fishing village residents finding Thor living on an island off the coast of Rhode Island, that sort of stuff. I also understand Busiek will be writing some prose to go along with it.

More Busiek is always a good thing, and more of Busiek doing his own stuff is a really great thing. –JK Parkin

From "Blacksad," by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido

4. Blacksad from Dark Horse
If you were to only read a description of Blacksad, the French-published, award-winning series by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, you might discount it as silly. I mean, a noirish crime comic set in 1950s America and starring a cast of anthropomorphized animals? But one glimpse of Guarnido’s lush, moody and, yes, realistic art immediately wipes away any doubts about the premise. Of Blacksad‘s three volumes — Somewhere Within the Shadows, Arctic Nation and Red Soul — only the first two have been translated into English because of the bankruptcy of the previous North American rights-holder. Dark Horse plans to remedy that. – Kevin Melrose

5. Daniel Clowes’ Wilson
His stint for The New York Times Magazine aside, we haven’t had any new comics from Dan Clowes in a dog’s age. It’s not like he’s the speediest of cartoonists or anything. So the news that he is in fact working on a new graphic novel and that it will be out in less than a year from now is excellent news. Sure to be the most talked about book in 2010. –Chris Mautner

Killjoys

6. The Killjoys, by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan
Gerard Way proved with his work on Umbrella Academy that not only does he know how to make comics, but he knows how to make them fun, engaging and a little bit twisted. “If Umbrella Academy is me taking a look at, among many other things, Doom Patrol, Killjoys is me, with my co-writer Shaun Simon, taking a look at when the best stuff was going on in the ’90s, things like Invisibles and stuff like that,” he told Comic Book Resources.

Of course, it also really, really helps that Becky Cloonan is drawing it. That’s worth the price of admission right there. –JK Parkin

7. 6th Gun, by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt
As I mentioned on Saturday, I’m an easy mark when it comes to supernatural stories in a historical setting. So I immediately took notice when Oni Press released promotional art for 6th Gun, the new project from The Damned team of Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt. According to CBR’s panel report, 6th Gun is a fantasy/Western that “follows the story of six terrible handguns and how one falls into the hands of an innocent girl.” Sold! – Kevin Melrose

8. The Anchor by Phil Hester and Brian Churilla
“God’s own leg breaker.” Coming from BOOM! Studios, this new title details the main character’s fight to keep demons and monsters from spilling out of hell and onto the Earth. Or, in the words of BOOM! CEO Ross Richie, “Monsters get punched.” This seems a bit different from what you’d typically expect from BOOM!, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of it. – JK Parkin

Nancy!

9. Complete Nancy from Fantagraphics
I’m pretty much a neophyte when it comes to Nancy. I’ve read slivers of the strip here and there but not enough to really get a feel for it, apart from the fact that it’s a bit … off-kilter. A lot of people seem to really worship it however, so I’ll be sure to be checking out this collection to see if I agree with the comics cognoscenti or not. –Chris Mautner

10. Revolver by Matt Kindt
Matt Kindt, creator of Super Spy, makes this graphic novel must reading already. And the description, courtesy of Graphic Content, sounds like a lot of fun and something that’s right up his alley:

Sam, a 20-something living in Seattle, wakes up one morning to a world where things are out of control—the stock market has crashed, there’s a bird-flu epidemic in Asia and radioactive material has gone missing in Russia. Next, Sam wakes up and the world is fine. REVOLVER, written and illustrated by Eisner Award nominated Matt Kindt, is a tale of two realities and how they both test Sam’s limits until he makes a move that changes his path forever.

Vertigo has announced several new titles recently I’m really looking forward to — I, Zombie, Sweet Tooth — and this is one more for the buy pile. –JK Parkin

"Furry Water" poster, by Rafael Grampá

11. Furry Water, by Rafael Grampá and Daniel Pellizzari
I’ve been banging the drum for Furry Water from the moment Rafael Grampá posted the first character sketch on his blog in early June. Almost two months have passed and I still don’t know much about the six-issue Dark Horse miniseries, other than it centers on five weapons-wielding brothers in a postapocalyptic setting. That’s not much to go on, but I enjoyed Grampá’s previous work Mesmo Delivery (which Dark Horse will re-release), and I’m a big fan of his artwork. That’s enough to convince me to go along for the ride. –Kevin Melrose

12. Don Rosa’s Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck in hardcover
This is a good thing because a) my paperback copy is falling apart; and b) it suggests that BOOM! has a real interest in making sure that Rosa’s (and by extension Carl Barks’) work remains out in the public eye. I’m hoping that this is merely the beginning of more good things to come, duck-wise that is. –Chris Mautner

Deathlok

13. Deathlok by Charlie Huston
This announcement may have gone under the radar a bit, as it was made at the Cup ‘o Joe panel where Marvel’s big Marvelman announcement was made. While I’m not sure what to feel about that announcement until we know exactly what Marvel’s plans are — if the Moore and Gaiman stories end up back in print, then I reserve the right to update this list at a later date — I do know that I’m happy about the new Charlie Huston/Lan Medina Deathlok series that was announced.

What can I say? Ever since I first saw him in the pages of Captain America, I’ve always liked Deathlok. –JK Parkin

14. The serialization of Bakuman in Shonen Jump
I’m not typically a fan of the metafictional self-absorption that typically accompanies authors penning stories starring authors who struggle with writer’s block, fame, fandom, what have you (sorry, Stephen King fans). It’s just a little … much. However, I’ll make an exception for Bakuman, which follows two ninth-grade boys who dream of becoming mangaka. That’s because it’s by Death Note creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, who get as much leeway as they want went it comes to subject matter. – Kevin Melrose

15. The Scott Pilgrim video game
Seriously, how can you not want to play this? –Chris Mautner

No doubt Dark Horse will have all sorts of cool stuff to buy, look at and pick up for free at their booth as well. Check out their complete schedule after the jump.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 (Preview Night):

Domo raffle! Come to our booth to win one of our San Diego Exclusive Domo Figures!

6:00 – 7:00 Charles Vess: Drawing Down The Moon
7:00 – 8:00 Bryan Talbot: Grandville

THURSDAY, JULY 23:

*11:00 – 12:00 Sergio Aragones: Groo
12:00 – 1:00 Dean Motter: Mister X, Electropolis
1:00 – 2:00 Steven Daily: It Ate Billy On Christmas
1:00 – 2:00 Scott Allie: Solomon Kane, Exurbia
2:00 – 3:00 Eric Powell: The Goon
2:00 – 3:00 Jill Thompson: Beasts of Burden
3:00 – 4:00 The Cleaners: Mark Wheaton & Rahsan Ekedal
3:00 – 4:00 Aliens & Predator: Raymond Swanland, Mark Irwin & Chris Warner
4:00 – 5:00 Gabriel Ba & Fabio Moon: Umbrella Academy, Pixu, MySpace Dark Horse Presents, B.P.R.D.
4:00 – 5:00 Joshua Dysart: B.P.R.D., Conan
5:00 – 6:00 Dave Gibbons: Martha Washington
5:00 – 6:00 Rick Remender: Fear Agent, End League, Gigantic
6:00 – 7:00 David Lloyd: Kickback

FRIDAY, JULY 24:

10:00 – 1:00 Stan Sakai: Usagi Yojimbo
11:00 – 12:00 Applegeeks: Ananth Panagariya & Mohammad F. Haque
11:00 – 12:00 Ricardo Delgado: Age of Reptiles
12:00 – 1:00 Adam Warren: Empowered
1:00 – 2:00 Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Jane Espenson & Georges Jeanty
1:00 – 2:00 Thomas E. Sniegoski: Lobster Johnson – The Satan Factory
2:00 – 3:00 Steve Niles: Criminal Macabre
2:00 – 3:00 Matt Wagner: Grendel
3:00 – 4:00 Yasuhiro Nightow: Trigun (*ticketed event: See Dark Horse employee for details)
4:00 – 5:00 Mass Effect: Omar Francia & Mac Walters
5:00 – 6:00 Creepy: Mike Woods, Joe Harris, Neil Kleid, Jason Shawn Alexander, Eric Powell, Dan Braun & Hilary Barta
5:00 – 6:00 Unbound Saga: Joe Linsner, Lienil Yu & Mike Kennedy
6:00 – 7:00 Umbrella Academy: Gerard Way & Gabriel Ba (*ticketed event: See Dark Horse employee for details)

ALSO, FRIDAY, JULY 24TH IS STAR WARS DAY! STAR WARS CREATOR SIGNINGS ALL DAY:

11:00 – 12:00 Jeremy Barlow, Rick Lacy & Michael Atiyeh: Star Wars Adventures
12:00 – 1:00 Rob Chestney & Alex Sanchez: Star Wars – Old Republic
3:00 – 4:00 Colin Wilson & Tom Taylor: Star Wars – Invasion
4:00 – 5:00 Matt & Shawn Fillbach: Star Wars – Clone Wars Adventures

SATURDAY, JULY 25:

10:00 – 11:00 John Landis: Ground breaking filmmaker
11:00 – 12:00 Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Jane Espenson & Georges Jeanty
11:00 – 12:00 Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Dave Filoni, Henry Gilroy & Steven Melching
12:00 – 1:00 Bryan Talbot: Grandville
12:00 – 1:00 Star Wars: Old Republic – Rob Chestney & Alex Sanchez
1:00 – 2:00 Ricardo Delgado: Age of Reptiles
2:00 – 3:00 Dethklok Vs. The Goon: Eric Powell & Metalocaplypse Director Jon Schnepp

Saturday afternoon celebrates Dark Horse Originals!

2:00 – 3:00 Citzen Rex: Mario & Gilbert Hernandez
3:00 – 4:00 Insomnia Café: M.K. Perker
3:00 – 4:00 3 Story: Matt Kindt
3:00 – 4:00 Rick Geary: The Adventures of Blanche
3:00 – 4:00 Mike Mignola: Hellboy (*ticketed event: See Dark Horse employee for details)
4:00 – 5:00 SUPER SECRET ANNOUNCEMENT PANEL (see Dark Horse Panel for details!) Gerard Way, Shaun Simon & Becky Cloonan (*ticketed event: See Dark Horse employee for details)
4:00 – 5:00 Larry Marder: Beanworld
5:00 – 6:00 365 Samurai: J.P. Kalonji
5:30 – 7:00 Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog: Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Joelle Jones (*ticketed event: See Dark Horse employee for details)
6:00 – 7:00 Matt & Shawn Fillbach: Werewolves on the Moon: Versus Vampires

SUNDAY, JULY 26:

11:00 – 12:00 Bryan Talbot: Grandville
11:00 – 12:00 Star Wars: Invasion: Colin Wilson & Tom Taylor
12:00 – 1:00 Pixu: Gabriel Ba, Fabio Moon, Becky Cloonan & Vasilis Lolos
12:00 – 1:00 Furry Water: Rafael Grampa & Daniel Pellizzari
1:00 – 2:00 Emily the Strange: Creator Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner
1:00 – 2:00 David Lloyd: Kickback
2:00 – 3:00 Tara McPherson: Lost Constellations
2:00 – 3:00 Nathan Fox: Pigeons From Hell
3:00 – 4:00 Dean Motter: Mister X, Electropolis
3:00 – 4:00 Unbound Saga: Joe Linsner, Lienil Yu, Mike Kennedy

And Check out these Dark Horse Related Panels and Events!

THURSDAY JULY 23

Action Figure Times present the Toy Maker Q&A
(featuring Dark Horse’s David Scroggy)
11:00 – 12:00 Room 32B

Free Screening: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog with Musical Commentary!
8:00pm – 10:00pm Room 6A

FRIDAY JULY 24

Comic-Con in the 80’s (featuring Dark Horse’s David Scroggy)
12:00 – 1:00 Room 2

Creepy Panel
3:30 – 4:30 Room 3

Joss Whedon Panel
4:00 – 6:00 Ballroom 20

Eric Powell’s Goon Panel
6:00 – 7:00 Room 8

SATURDAY JULY 25

Dark Horse Panel!

Dark Horse: We Love Comics, Too! Join Publisher Mike Richardson, Director of Public Relations Jeremy Atkins and Senior Managing Editor Scott Allie, along with a cast of top creators, for an exclusive preview of all that Dark Horse has to offer in the coming year. THIS IS THE BIG ONE. Dark Horse breaks the mold with a format you’ve never seen. Make sure you’re able to say you were there when a new era in panels was ushered in. With breaking news on all of your favorite Dark Horse titles, major announcements and surprise guests, be the first to know about heroes, horror and more!
11:00 – 12:00 Room 2

Gerard Way Panel
2:15 – 3:15 Room 6DE

Hellboy Panel
4:30 – 5:30 Room 4

El Cortez Memories (Featuring Moderator David Scroggy, of Dark Horse)
5:00 – 6:00 Room 2

SUNDAY JULY 26

Emily the Strange Panel
11:00 – 12:00 Room 2

Usagi Yojimbo 25th Anniversary Panel
1:30 – 2:30 Room 8

“Grandville and the Art of Anthropomorphic Comic Tradition”
A presentation by Bryan Talbot
3:30 – 4:30 Room 3