You've heard about the "teenagers with attitude," but do you know how they came to be? Welcome to the world of Japanese TV known as Tokusatsu. Panelists Stan Oh,Deborah Lo, and Rammy Rivera of Scarlet Rhapsody explain the history and characteristics of Tokusatsu, including shows like Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and Ultraman, and Kaiju movies, and compare them with the Power Rangers. Moderated by Jared Griego (Scarlet Rhapsody).
Friday March 31, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 207
The authors of the critically acclaimed bestselling two-volume series from St. Martin's Press The Fifty-Year Mission,Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise, The Librarians) and Edward Gross (Empire Magazine) along with Access Hollywood's Scott Mantz look back at 50 years of Star Trek and speculate on where the franchise will boldly go over the next 50 years including the latest news from the set of Star Trek: Discovery as well as why we need Trek today more than ever.
Friday March 31, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 207
Strong female protagonists provide inspiration in resistance and persistence to readers of all genders. Authors Mercedes Lackey (Hunter,Elite), E.K. Johnston (Spindle), Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex), Connie Willis (Crosstalk), and C. B. Lee (Not Your Sidekick) discuss the ordinary and extraordinary accomplishments of fictional women with moderator Maryelizabeth Yturralde (Mysterious Galaxy).
Friday March 31, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 207
James Dashner's The Maze Runner series has become a breakout hit, with the books ranking on bestseller lists and a thriving film franchise. Entertainment Weekly's Anthony Breznican presents a one-on-one interview with James, covering his writing career, inspiration, and the book-to-film process, and concluding with a Q&A session.
Friday March 31, 2017 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 207
UPDATED: Fri, Mar 24, 11:59PM Action figures, statues, busts, and prop replicas inspired by DC's iconic characters and stories—DC Collectibles has them all and more! Join the DC Collectibles crew, including VP of Creative Services Kevin Kiniry, Director of Creative Services Jim Fletcher and a few surprise guests, to hear how they create and develop so many incredible collectibles, and what's coming up from the award-winning line of collectibles directly from the source—DC Entertainment!
Friday March 31, 2017 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 207
Bill Watters (Bleeding Cool), Mary Anne Butler (Aggressive Comix), Jeff Bond (Geek Monthly), Bill Hunt (The Digital Bits), Alexandra August (Comic Book Resources), and Thomas Parham (APU) discuss the expansion of journalism over the past decade, from the rise of citizen journalism to blogging to vloggers, podcasters, and online-only news sources. This panel of nationally known writers and hosts will talk about the roles new media play between their readers and the industries and communities they serve, varying levels of informality versus classic ideas of professionalism, show-specific outlets versus general news sites, moving from hobbyist to being a professional, and more.
Friday March 31, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 207
Are you a fan of Supernatural, Westworld, Game of Thrones, or Sherlock? Do you love Daredevil, The Walking Dead, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage? If so, come join a team of psychologists and TV writers as they discuss the psychology behind these shows. Psychologists Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy, Star Wars Psychology), Dr. Travis Langley (Doctor Who Psychology, Star Trek Psychology), Travis Adams (Department of Veterans Affairs), and TV writers Adam Glass (Supernatural, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders), Jose Molina (Agent Carter, Firefly), Christine Boylan (Castle, Once Upon a Time), and host Jenna Busch (Legion of Leia, Star Wars Psychology) geek out and discuss your favorite TV shows. Dr. Billy San Juan (Doctor Who Psychology, The Walking Dead Psychology) moderates.
Friday March 31, 2017 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 207
Mark A. Altman (The Fifty-Year Mission) and Edward Gross (Empire Magazine), authors of the upcoming oral history of Battlestar Galactica, Launch All Vipers from Tor Books, present a tribute to the legendary 1978 series and star Richard Hatch with this unprecedented look back at the creation and making of the original and groundbreaking lonely quest that changed science fiction television forever. Other panelists include Alan J. Levi (director, "Gun on Ice Planet Zero"), Herb Jefferson, Jr. (actor, Boomer), Terrence McDonnell (story editor, Battlestar Galactica), and Scott Mantz (film critic, Access Hollywood).
Friday March 31, 2017 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 207
Music lovers rejoice! An incredible lineup of musicians will talk about how they transitioned from famous rock stars to some of the most successful film and TV composers of our generation. They'll share stories from on the road, in the studio, and much more as they discuss the differences between working in the music, film, and TV industries. Panelists include Jeff Russo (Tonic, Legion,Fargo), Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails, the Saw franchise, Wayward Pines), Mac Quayle (Rise Robots Rise, Mr. Robot, American Horror Story), Siddhartha Khosla (Goldspot, This Is Us,The Royals), Jeff Cardoni (Alien Crime Syndicate, Silicon Valley,Training Day), and Alec Puro (Deadsy, The Fosters,Sweet/Vicious) with celebrity moderators Stephanie Corneliussen (Mr. Robot,Legends of Tomorrow) and Amber Midthunder (Legion, Hell or High Water).
Saturday April 1, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 207
Licensed fiction authors discuss writing the interior landscapes of fan-favorite and original characters. Chuck Wendig (Star Wars: Aftermath: Empire's End), Delilah S. Dawson (Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon), Cecil Castellucci (Shade, the Changing Girl), E. K. Johnston (Star Wars Ahsoka), and R. A. Salvatore (Hero: Homecoming, Book III, Homeland: The Legend of Drizzt, Book I) discuss the protocols and joys of playing in someone else's sandbox with moderator Maryelizabeth Yturralde (Mysterious Galaxy).
Saturday April 1, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 207
Concept artist and visual development supervisor for Marvel Studios films (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Thor: Ragnarok) and former comic book artist (Tomb Raider), Andy Park has worked on every single Marvel Studios film since 2010. Join Andy and moderator Pat Loika (Four Color Realities) for this visual presentation interview and Q&A session. There will be surprise giveaways at the end of the panel.
Saturday April 1, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 207
Ivan Van Norman (Game the Game), Erika Ishii (Game Together), Hector Navarro (Dick & Johnson), Stef Woodburn (Mines 'n Crafts), and Eric C. Campbell (Eric's TBD RPG) discuss what it takes to make broadcast magic happen, as well as the the future of live programming. The Twitch crew will engage in a Q&A session moderated by Sax Carr (supervising producer, Twitch).
Saturday April 1, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 207
Honest Trailers creator Andy Signore, writers Spencer Gilbert andJoe Starr, and editor/producer Dan Murrell present a special live Movie Fights and never-before-seen Honest Trailer with special guests.
Saturday April 1, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 207
Been bullied? Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Legends of Tomorrow) invites you to turn kryptonite into your own personal strength with Pop Culture Hero Coalition's powerful panel, back by popular demand! Featuring activists Anne Wheaton,Dr. Janina Scarlet (author, Superhero Therapy), Dr. Andrea Letamendi (Under the Mask Online, The Arkham Sessions), Matt Langdon (Hero Round Table), a rep from Amnesty International, and welcoming back NOH8 Founders Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley. Moderated by Chase Masterson (Star Trek,Doctor Who: Big Finish). Topics include geek, cyber, sexist, and LGBTQ bullying; racism; misogyny-and heroism IRL.
Saturday April 1, 2017 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 207
Are comics mightier than the sword? Can comics be calls for action, or catalysts for resistance, revolution, and change in a divided society? Now more than ever, comic artists and writers are claiming their diverse identities, writing their own histories, and using the artform to build empathy and understanding. Join Prism Comics, moderator Elizabeth Beier (Bisexual Trials and Errors), and a diverse panel of LGBTQ comics creators as they explore comics as a source of power and change. Panelists include Marc Andreyko (Love Is Love), Tara Madison Avery (Gooch, Alphabet, publisher Stacked Deck Press), Ajuan Mance (1,001 Black Men), and Sonya Saturday (2016 Republican Presidential Candidates Coloring Book). Prism Comics will announce the recipient of the 2017 Prism Comics Queer Press Grant at the end of this panel.
Saturday April 1, 2017 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 207
Beware the man in black for speculation, predictions, and reflections on sci-fi's most exciting new series, Westworld. This panel of experts from Geek Magazine will discuss the past, present, and future of HBO’s hit new series and go beyond Westworld, discussing the history of automatons run amok in sci-fi history as well as futureworlds. Geek journalists Nikki Griffin,Alexandra August, and Edward Gross along with cyborg scribe Ashley E. Miller (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), and filmmaker Charles de Lauzirika join moderator Scott Mantz (film critic, Access Hollywood) for some reveries. Are they real or are they robots? Brought to you by Delos.
Saturday April 1, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 207
If writers' rooms were like superhero teams, this would be the Justice League and The Avengers, here to provide an all-star insider look at your favorite TV series. The scribes behind some of today's hottest genre shows share their candid thoughts on how to write, rewrite, and actually produce the series you love (and sometimes loathe). Find out the deep, dark secrets (and low-calorie snacks) of the writers' room-and what happens after your script hits the stage and why editing is considered the final rewrite. The heroic line-up this year includes Gabrielle Stanton (Time After Time,The Flash), Michael Narducci (The Originals, Medium), Sarah Watson (The Bold Type, Parenthood), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman, Lost), Ashley E. Miller (Black Sails, Fringe), Steve Melching (Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Jose Molina (Agent Carter, The Tick), and Mark A. Altman (The Librarians, Agent X).
Saturday April 1, 2017 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 207
Alicia Lutes (Nerdist managing editor and host of Fangirling) and special guests Cory Bird (co-producer, Colony), Naren Shankar (showrunner, The Expanse), and Mackenzie Donaldson (producer, Orphan Black) as they dissect how on-screen technology has changed TV stories . . . and even the world, followed by a Q&A moderated by Alicia Lutes.
Saturday April 1, 2017 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 207
Margaret Stohl (Mighty Captain Marvel comic, Black Widow novels) and Mark Waid (Black Widow, Avengers, Jughead comics) talk all things Widow and writing. Join Margie and Mark for this one-on-one interview and Q&A session!
Sunday April 2, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 207
Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author and Grand Master of Science Fiction Connie Willis answers questions about her new novel Crosstalk, her other works, her writing process, the Black Death, romantic comedies, time travel, near-death experiences, UFOs, World War II, movies, and anything else you might want to ask her.
Sunday April 2, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 207
New York Times bestselling author Chuck Wendig, who has written everything from novels to comics to games, from Star Wars to YA to horror, will answer whatever questions you want to throw at him. He'll answer fan questions, writing questions, Star Wars questions-anything and everything.
Sunday April 2, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 207
Some say the most important part of any comic book is the cover. If that's so, we need to talk more about cover designs-and talk we will with these acclaimed cover creators: Michael Cho (Civil War II, DC reprint series), Sanford Greene (Power Man and Iron Fist, Runaways), Phil Jimenez (Wonder Woman, The Invisibles), Bob Layton (Iron Man, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter), and Lissa Treiman (Slam!, Lumberjanes). Your moderator as usual is Mark Evanier.
This was originally going to be moderated by my dear chum Matt Fraction but he sadly had to cancel so instead it’s being moderated by … let’s see … Mark Waid? Is that right? Oh for f—
Using Batman: The Animated Series to help educate audiences about real-world psychology and mental health, the hit podcast The Arkham Sessions has created a unique niche where science meets art. But Batman isn't the only popular animated series that can help us learn more about ourselves and those around us. Join co-hosts Dr. Andrea Letamendi and Brian Ward as they dive into the importance of shows that are often mistakenly seen as "just for kids." Special guests include writers Eric and Julia Lewald (X-Men: The Animated Series), Henry Gilroy (Star Wars Rebels), and David Wise (Batman: The Animated Series).
