Comic-Con 2013

Kick off your Comic-Con Friday inside the mind of the legend himself on a journey through the inimitable Stan Lee's World of Heroes. Stan Lee and several of his World of Heroes collaborators recap the YouTube channel's exciting first year. Enjoy a special performance by Cosplay Piano star Sonya Belousova, and catch a sneak peek of upcoming programing and announcements. Moderator Ben Gigli (Five Second Films) will guide panelists through discussions of popular shows like Bad Days, How It Should Have Ended Crossover, Cosplay Piano, Superhero and Supervillain Speed Dating, and several new shows. Remember, Q&A with Stan always provides some juicy surprises.

UPDATED: Fri, Jul 05, 03:09PM
Fan Art can be more than a hobby, pastime or training exercise.  Learn how fan art can turn you into a contributor to the business world of comics and pop culture in this follow-up to last year’s highly popular Fan Art Law panel. Featuring Joshua Wattles, advisor in chief to deviantART and professor of copyright at USC, Brian Kesinger, renowned animator and author of Walking Your Octopus, Guy Brand and James Kim from Mighty Fine Inc., Bob Self, owner/publisher Baby Tattoo Books, Kay Purcell, also from deviantART and a Fandom expert, and Stanley Lau (artgerm), creative director and co-founder of Imaginary Friends Studios that produces artworks for the likes of Capcom, DC Comics, Square Enix and other giants in the entertainment and gaming industry.

"Digital First" comic releases have electrified fans by breaking print publishing conventions and pushing the boundaries of comic storytelling. Now you can join the major players in the "Digital First" movement-comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger, SVP Vertigo & Integrated Publishing for DC, Hank Kanalz, Thrillbent co-founder and Eisner Award-winning creator Mark Waid, MonkeyBrain Comics co- publisher Allison Baker, and IDW director of ePublishing Jeff Webber -- to hear all about the future of the medium! Moderated by Rob Salkowitz, futurist and author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture.

The Thrilling Adventure Hour World Domination Tour Created in 2005 by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, The Thrilling Adventure Hour (TAH) is a popular staged production in the style of old-time radio. It has since also become a much- downloaded podcast with Nerdist Industries, and-premiering here at Comic-Con-a stunning graphic novel anthology! Each show consists of a selection of genre- bending stories, advertisements from fictional sponsors, musical numbers, and more, performed by a core group of actors known as the WorkJuice Players, and featuring cameos by stars from Firefly, Doctor Who, Community, and many more. Last fall, Acker and Blacker launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a TAH graphic novel, and they set a record at the time for the fastest graphic novel campaign to reach its goal. Now, almost a year later and with award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment on board to publish the book, the graphic novel is ready to debut! Acker, Blacker, and panelists who may include editor Joe LeFavi; WorkJuice Players Paget Brewster, Mark Gagliardi, Marc Evan Jackson, Joshua Malina, Autumn Reeser, and Paul F. Tompkins; and artists Casey Crowe, Joanna Estep, Lar deSouza, Natalie Nourigat, Chris Moreno, and Jeff Stokely share behind-the-scenes stories about The Thrilling Adventure Hour show, podcast, and graphic novel.

A new digital series from Divide Pictures and CW Seed (The CW Network's digital studio) for CWTV.com, The Paranormal and Extraterrestrial Squad chronicles the misadventures of a ragtag group of ex-community college students as they search for paranormal and extraterrestrial (PET) activity. Join DiVide Pictures producers Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) and Russ Cundiff (Ultradome), along with writers/directors/actors John Dale (Funny or Die) and Michael Hobert (Scrubs), as they present new episodes and answer fan questions.

Are you an aspiring artist trying to make a career in the arts? Learn the "Tricks of the Trade" from professional artists working in the entertainment industry. Discussions will include advice on how to get started and maintain a career, as well as tips in the art of self-promotion. Panelists include Randy Martinez (illustrator, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Topps Trading Cards), Vince Hernandez (editor, writer, art director at Aspen Comics), Alexis Cruz (actor, director, producer), Ashley Eckstein (actress, entrepreneur), Bonnie Burton (author, host of Geek DIY, crafter), J. C. Riefenberg (filmmaker), Jennifer Landa (actress, vlogger, crafter), Tone Rodriguez (artist, art director), Elisa Teague (editor-in-chief at Cupcake Quarterly, creative director for Gamesmith), and Michelle Smart (artist management and art publishing, Marvel Fine Art). Moderated by Denise Vasquez (actress, artist, designer, writer, musician, manager, promotions specialist, founder of WO+MEN 4 A CAUSE).

The "Rock Stars of Science" show surprise viral videos as they unlock some of the most outrageous acts and unbelievable finds on the Internet. Ever wonder how a man can successfully jump from a 20-foot platform into a 2-foot-deep pool of water? Interviews and unbelievable breakdowns from Science Channel's hit show Outrageous Acts of Science will explain the science behind this and many more YouTube sensations. Submit your citizen science videos and pictures from the Exhibit Hall with #CitizenScience for a chance to be on the big screen during the panel. Autographed prizes and exclusive giveaways will be handed out to audience members in a way unlike any other panel at Comic-Con!

When digital comics first came on the scene everyone said it would be the end of print comics. Now not only are digital comic sales booming, but print sales are at highs not seen in a generation. So, are digital comics really a threat to print? Is digital the hero comics needs? Or can print and digital coexist? J. K. Parkin from Comic Book Resources and the Eisner Award- nominated blog Robot 6 moderates this panel with some of the comic industry's leading figures in print and digital, including comiXology co-founder John D. Roberts, Thrillbent co-founder and Eisner Award-winning creator Mark Waid, director of digital publishing at Top Shelf Chris Ross, IDW Director of ePublishing Jeff Webber, and legendary retailer and creator of Free Comic Book Day Joe Field from Flying Color Comics.

The hit series Husbands has just completed filming its first new content under its exciting new relationship with the CW, and has already had a big year with the release of the hardcover Husbands comic book. Hear about the bouquet of new plans, new stories from the set, and the show's ring of bigger-than-big guest stars. Creators Jane Espenson and Brad Bell are joined by Husbands' co-stars Alessandra Torresani and Sean Hemeon, director Jeff Greenstein, and upcoming guest star Amy Acker (Angel, Dollhouse, Much Ado About Nothing)to discuss the much-anticipated future happiness of the comedy. Moderated by Jeff Jensen (Entertainment Weekly).

Science fiction legends Marc Scott Zicree (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Dave Dorman (Star Wars), Michael Reaves (Batman), and Geoff Mark (Battlestar Galactica) premiere footage from the highly anticipated epic adventure series that spans 150 years of galactic history. Stars Doug Jones (Falling Skies), Mira Furlan (Babylon 5), Sybil Danning (Grindhouse), Katharine McEwan (Alien Armageddon), and Dean Haglund (X-Files) will discuss their roles, with music by David Raiklen (Omega). The visionary team gives you an early look at the stunning character design, costumes, and state-of-the-art visual effects plus the grand design of the series; a revolution in film funding and distribution, made by A-list creators for the fans. Gifts and other surprises!