WonderCon@Home 2020

WonderCon@Home

Here's our complete schedule of WonderCon@Home video content! These new and exclusive videos, featuring special guests and panels that would have been featured at WonderCon Anaheim 2020. These videos have been specially created for our WonderCon@Home section. It's the next best thing to being there!

Scroll down for the original content we posted during WonderCon Anaheim 2020 weekend (April 10–12), including videos from 2019's event, a pair of Activity Booklets, featuring puzzles and coloring pages, and much more.

Remember to visit our Online Exhibit Hall and check out all the companies, creators, and vendors who have links to their own websites. And also visit our online WonderCon Merch Store for exclusive (and very limited) WonderCon Anaheim 2020 items!

For more WonderCon@Home fun, search #WCA2020 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Check back often for new videos. Capture the magic of WonderCon Anaheim from your couch!


WEDNESDAY, MAY 27

Our Final Group of (18) WonderCon@Home Videos Added!

Welcome back to WonderCon Wednesday! This week we're featuing our final group of 18 new and exclusive WonderCon Anaheim 2020 videos featuring some of the panels we would have featured at this year's cancelled event. Click on the video titles below to go directly to them on our YouTube page or to see all of our videos, click here to visit our Comic-Con/WonderCon Anaheim channel on YouTube!

Over30Cosplay

Over30Cosplay is a global advocacy group with a mission to support and promote cosplayers over the age of 30 in feeling comfortable expressing themselves through costuming and cosplay in conventions, media, and event settings. We offer an informative and safe environment to discuss and collaborate on issues specifically important to cosplayers between 30-90 years old.

Panel contributions will include celebrating the history of comic culture and fandom, couples cosplay ideas, and combating negative age-related stereotypes. Speakers will provide tips on costume choice, age-specific make-up choice, Social media/marketing for the mature cosplayer, and preventing bullying in our community. This panel addresses real issues to prepare, celebrate, and assist Over30Cosplay members and costumers in feeling confident, engaged, and motivated! Our panel and its ever-growing team encourage cosplayers to enter the costuming community ready to contribute to the popular art form and culture we call cosplay. Our community connects over 120,000 cosplayers both nationally and internationally continuously reaching out to both current and new members through such excellent opportunities as Comic-Con and WonderCon Anaheim panels, group meetups, other conventions, and online media. "We are always by your side."

Panel participants:

  • Mary Anne Butler (moderator, editor-in-chief at Aggressive Comix and Writer at Ace Of Geeks)
  • John David Callison (Panel POC first panelist speaking, founder Over30cosplay)
  • Mary Sorenson Schwacher (second speaker, charity cosplayer, @marebear_thats_me)
  • Bernie Bregman (third speaker, Owner Club Comic)
  • Jen Greeley (fourth speaker, Over30cosplay official field reporter and photographer and reporter for G33KHQ), Thomas DePetrillo (fifth speaker, owner Extreme Costumes)
  • Shelly Grace-Bowers (last speaker, executive officer Over30Cosplay).
www.facebook.com/Over30cosplay

Behind the Stream: A Conversation with Twitch Streamers & Digital Content Creators

Streaming is on the rise as an entertainment form, especially as people are consuming more content now than ever. Learn about the challenges, tricks of the trades, opportunities, and performance styles of this diverse range of streamers. Maybe you’ll even find a new favorite person to follow. And if you’re curious about getting into streaming or at-home video production, the streamers on this panel have the answers!

Panelists:

  • Christopher Strickland, aka FyrBorne • Facebook: /FyrBorne/ • Twitch: @fyrborne • Twitter: @FyrBorne - @FyrBorne • YouTube: https://bit.ly/2y7dWU9
  • Ian Degner, aka Activater • Instagram: @twitchactivater • Twitch: @activater • Twitter: @TwitchActivater • YouTube: https://bit.ly/3d7LIre
  • Veronica Ripley, aka Nikatine • Discord: https://bit.ly/2WkZlMT • Facebook: /nikatineprime/ • Instagram: @nikatineprime • Twitch: @nikatine • Twitter: @NikatinePrime • YouTube: https://bit.ly/2KQkVDt
  • Transmission Gaming (co-founder): transmissiongaming.com • Twitch: @team/transmission • Twitter: @TeamTransGaming
  • Remillia Wyhlidko, aka RemiTheSiren • Discord: https://bit.ly/2y8OFsM • Instagram: @remithesiren • Twitch: @remithesiren • Twitter: @RemiTheSiren • YouTube: https://bit.ly/2VTiWVc
  • Samuel Tucker Young, aka SamuelTuckerYoung • Facebook: /samueltuckeryoung/ • Instagram: @samueltuckeryoung • Twitch: @samueltuckeryoung - @samtuckeryoung • YouTube: https://bit.ly/2YpqG2U • Website: http://www.samueltuckeryoung.com/
  • Chris Villain (moderator) • Instagram: @chrisvillain • Facebook: /ChrisVillainOfficial/ • Twitter: @Chris_Villain • YouTube: https://bit.ly/3cZ0S1Q• Website: http://chrisvillain.com/

Produced by Impact24 PR • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/impact24pr

Share your thoughts with the hashtags: #BehindTheStreamWCA #WCA #WCA2020 #WonderCon #WonderConAtHome


Everyone’s a Critic

The past decade has seen an explosion in the scope of journalism-from the rise of citizen-journalism to blogging to vloggers, podcasters, and online-only news sources. This panel of current and past writers and hosts from CBR, Screenrant.com, Geek Magazine, Bleeding Cool, Film Threat, Syfy, and others will talk about the roles new media play between their readers and the industries and communities they serve. Topics will include varying levels of informality versus classic ideas of professionalism, show-specific outlets versus general news sites, and more.

This @Home edition is a bit different than the normal flow as we touch on aspects from events - both convention as well as industry and the impacts they've faced and then we get into how the lockdown has impacted movies and how some films have seen the light of day more than they would have in normal times.

Panelists include:

  • Bill Watters (contributor SyfyWire, Screen Rant, member of the San Francisco Film Critics Circle
  • Mary Anne Butler (editor-in-chief, Aggressive Comix)
  • Bob "Movie Bob" Chipman (film critic & writer The Escapist Magazine, creator of Really That Good?)
  • Alan Ng (editor-in-chief, Film Threat)
  • Thomas Parham (professor, executive director of Screenwriting, Azusa Pacific University)
  • Alexandra August (podcaster and contributor CBR, Screenrant)

Writer’s Coffee House

Led by New York Times bestselling author Peter Clines (Paradox Bound, Terminus, The Fold, the Ex-Heroes series, and countless articles on the film and television industry), this session focuses on the business of prose publishing. The Writers’ Coffeehouse is a bunch of writers sitting around talking about writing. Join authors ML Brennan (Dark Ascension and Generation V), Stephen Blackmoore (Ghost Money part of the Eric Carter series), and Kristi Charish (Voodoo Shanghai part of the Kincaid Strange series) No agendas, no requirements—just chat about markets, pitching and selling, conquering frustration and defeating writer’s block, and all of the good things that come from the community of writers.

  • Peter Clines • www.PeterClines.com • Twitter: @PeterClines
  • ML Brennan • Twitter: @BrennanML
  • Stephen Blackmoore • Twitter: @SBlackmoore
  • Kristi Charish • Twitter: @KristiCharish

Autistic Reality: A Hidden Fanbase

A straightforward discussion on autism and a lesser-known fanbase that attend comic conventions. Moderated by entertainment publicist Gary Miereanu (Piglet’s Big Movie, Pure Country Pure Heart). This group of panelists includes both autistic creators and supporters alike. Writer/director Erica Milsom (So Much Yellow, Loop), writer/animator Bobby Rubio (Tarzan, Float), producer Krissy Cababa (Float, Loop) actor/writer, Joey Travolta (Inclusion Films, HIRE ME), acting coach Diana Elizabeth Jordan (Meet the Biz), and animator Dani Bowman (founder of Danimation). Panel topics include portrayals of autism in pop culture, the importance of accurate autistic representation in Hollywood, and more.


Super Geeked Up: Geeky Improv Comedy!

Join the Super Geeked Up crew as they discuss zany geeky topics and play super-fun geek-themed improv games like Superhero Sound Effects, Ridiculous Rhyming, and the Let's Geek It On Dating Game! If you like Whose Line Is It Anyway?, you'll love these geektastic shenanigans. Featuring Jeff Burns (creator/host of Super Geeked Up, writer/director of Super Knocked Up), Matt Messerman (player on the Knights of the Rolled Table podcast), Vanessa Gritton (host on El Rey Nation, writer at Fangoria), and Omar Najam (co-host on El Rey Nation and TBD Bytes, GM of improvised RPG podcast Thank You For Questing!). Don't miss the zany, geeky fun!

 


Learning Through Playing Games

Role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons make excellent learning tools for students at all levels of abilities and needs. Members of The Game Academy, a 501c3 educational non-profit company, will demonstrate the mechanics of RPGs while incorporating lesson plans to improve critical thinking, enhance social-emotional skills, and increase self-confidence, all while having fun!

Panelists:

  • Emily Nguyen-Hoai (social media coordinator, The Game Academy)
  • Keenan Kibrick (Game Master, The Game Academy)
  • Fiona Rene (board member, The Game Academy)
  • Aaron Vanek (board secretary, The Game Academy)

Blades in the Dark: www.evilhat.com/home/blades-in-the-dark/


Prop Shop Talk with the Women of SheProp

Can you walk that prop AND talk that shop, but feel like an outsider in many maker forums? Join members of SheProp!, the prop-making forum for women and LGBTQIA+ artists and creators as we answer all of your cosplay related questions, free of judgment. Come and join the discussion about why SheProp! has quickly become a vital presence within the cosplay community, providing a space for accessible and inclusive support for prop makers, costume designers, cosplayers of all skill levels, and more.

SheProp Community: facebook.com/groups/424232608006976/


Legion M

Have you ever wanted to own your own entertainment company? Be a part of the film/TV industry? Are you an ultra-fan of movies and TV? Then you’ll love Legion M, the world’s first FAN-OWNED entertainment company. With a community of over 25,000 investors and 100,000+ free members, Legion M seeks to “open the gates of Hollywood” and create incredible content, events, and experiences for their community of fans. Learn more about their previous endeavors, projects currently in development, and what’s on the horizon from Legion M’s top execs:

Panelists (In order of appearance):

  • Terri Lubaroff (COO)
  • Paul Scanlan, (CEO), Jeff Annison (president)
  • David Baxter (VP of development), Taylor Gledhill (director of social media)
  • Mandy Bardisbanian (VP of merchandise).

To learn more about Legion M visit www.LegionM.com • Instagram: @legionmofficial • Twitter: @legionmofficial


Writers of Color Book Debuts: New Decade, New Voices

A new decade ushers in a strong wave of change in the literary world, with diverse and female voices leading the charge. 2020 Debut authors Suzanne Park (The Perfect Escape, Loathe At First Sight), Jessica Kim (Stand Up, Yumi Chung!), Julie Abe (Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch series), and Namina Forna (The Gilded Ones) talk with Ken Choy (Essential Quintessential Harry Potter Collector).


Hip-Hop And Comics: Cultures Combining

Hip-Hop and comics share influences and inspirations and have regularly intersected over the last five decades: rappers and graffiti artists utilize cartoon imagery; producers assemble new universes with sound; comics and animation incorporate Hip-Hop's music and visual vocabulary; both forms reconfigure existing elements to create vital new works, and passionate fandoms have formed around their characters and personalities. Here, in the first-ever online iteration of this popular WonderCon program, curator and historian Patrick A. Reed brings together a group of acclaimed and innovative creators to discuss the intertwined history of these two creative cultures. Moderated by Patrick A. Reed (Depth Of Field Productions, Twitter: @djpatrickreed) with participants Kenny Keil, Angelina Villalobos/179, LiKWUiD, and James Reitano.


Tarzan, Carson of Venus, Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe and More

It's a great time to be an Edgar Rice Burroughs fan! Stay on top of the BREAKING NEWS with Joe Jusko (artist), Matt Betts (author), Mike Wolfer (graphic designer/editor-in-chief, American Mythology Productions), Jim Sullos (president, ERB, Inc.), Cathy Wilbanks (VP of Ops, ERB, Inc.), and Christopher Paul Carey (director of publishing, ERB, Inc.) as they discuss new releases in the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library, the official launch of the ERB Universe, and other upcoming developments.


BOOM! Studios: Discover Yours

A star-studded panel including Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl, The Avant-Guards), Noah Hayes (The Avant-Guards), Ryan Parrott (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Go Go Power Rangers), Sina Grace (Go Go Power Rangers), Nicole Andelfinger (A Thief Among The Trees: An Ember in The Ashes Graphic Novel) and Matt Gagnon (editor-in-chief, BOOM! Studios) deliver a first look at the year’s biggest new comics! Moderated by Filip Sablik (president, publishing & marketing, BOOM! Studios).


The Importance of Online Branding and Professionalism

If the “Full-Time Creative Work on a Part-Time Schedule” panel is for any group with a goal, then this “Importance of Online Branding and Professionalism” is for anyone with a goal. It can be argued that online branding and acting professionally are as important as the actual work itself you do. It certainly is what helps you move to the next project or get people to notice your current one. Online branding is a collection of tools to get the good kind of attention focused on us or our projects. Knowing the most effective use of the platforms, websites, and tips on how to use the internet is as important as the quality of the work itself often. Professionalism is vital because acting like a professional is key to keeping your job, getting people to work with you , and getting people to call you back for the next job. This panel is stacked with people with a large amount of experience on either topic.

Panelists:

  • Moderator Ron Coleman Ph.D. (molecular geneticist and comic writer)
  • Gene Turnbow (founder/station manager Krypton Radio, editor-in-chief Helium Beach Press: kryptonradio.com and heliumbeach.com)
  • Dr. Renah Wolzinger (owner Renzone Music, ed tech manager, digital media faculty: www.Renah.com)
  • June Bayha (CEO Bayha Group, www.BayhaGroup.com)
  • Sean Glumace (Adobe education leader, comic book letterer, Glumace.com)
  • Topher Davila (art director, GeekdomWear.com, writer, TheComicsJunky.com, starting July 2020)

IDW 2020: The Future of Comics … Today!

You asked the questions, and IDW’s Chris Ryall (IDW’s president, publisher, and chief creative officer) and John Barber (IDW’s editor-in-chief) are here to give you the answers! The president/publisher/CCO and editor-in-chief of IDW Publishing (respectively) sit down for a Q&A, fielding questions submitted by fans on social media! From Locke & Key to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from Sonic the Hedgehog to Usagi Yojimbo, there’s nowhere better to get a behind-the-scenes look at these IDWprojects and many, many more!

Panelists:

  • Chris Ryall (IDW’s president, publisher, and chief creative officer)
  • John Barber (IDW’s editor-in-chief) • Twitter: @thejohnbarber

Career Paths into Game Development

As the business of video games now surpasses the annual revenues of both film and music combined, public interest in pursuing a career in the game industry has staggeringly increased in recent years. This has spawned a wide variety of educational and vocational options for individuals to pursue game development, but how exactly does one get the knowledge they need and then find a job in this very competitive industry? Learn from veteran game industry professionals about what it takes to launch a game development career and how there are many paths into the industry.

Panelists:

  • Kate Edwards (executive director, Global Game Jam)
  • Peter Alau (director of business development, SpiritAI)
  • Chris Avellone (narrative designer, Freelance)
  • Chris Morris (player investment designer, Sony Santa Monica Studio)
  • Estelle Tigani (associate producer, Sony Santa Monica Studio)

Keeping it Kinetic

A discussion on the symbiotic relationship between martial arts, stunt work, dance, and animation. Featuring panelists Joesar Alva (Kinjaz), Tong Bui (Guardians of the Galaxy Animated Series), Lee Chelsey (Jumanji: The Next Level), Chris Copeland (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts), Christian Howard (Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist), Gary Peebles (Avengers: Endgame), Peter Sudarso (Power Rangers), Yoshi Sudarso (Buffalo Boys), Jose Zelaya (Mickey and the Roadster Racers), and moderator Ryan Nichols (Delta Anthology).


The Science of Star Wars

The Skywalker film saga has culminated in The Rise of Skywalker while Baby Yoda wins hearts on Disney +'s The Mandalorian, but does any of it make any real sense? Ever wondered if lightsabers could one day be a reality? Curious about which Star Wars droid NASA would take into space? And how does that green baby's age fit with Yoda's? Expert panelists Travis Langley (editor, Star Wars Psychology), Kieran Dickson (strategist, Columbia University), Fon Davis (Star Wars production designer), Steve Huff (fight choreographer and weapons expert), Eliot Sirota (VFX expert), and host Jenna Busch (creator, Legion of Leia) act as your Bor Gullet into the mind of Star Wars creators and break down the science behind a galaxy far, far away.


WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

19 New & Exclusive WonderCon@Home Videos Added!

Welcome back to WonderCon Wednesday! This week we're featuing 19 more new and exclusive WonderCon Anaheim 2020 videos featuring some of the panels we would have featured at this year's cancelled event. Click on the video titles below to go directly to them on our YouTube page or to see all of our videos, click here to visit our Comic-Con/WonderCon Anaheim channel on YouTube!

Cereal Killer

Join the Cereal Killer duo, Anastasia Washington (Anastationtv, Cereal Killer) and Maria Spiridigliozzi (Cereal Killer, One More Drink), and special guests Melissa Howland (host, writer), Blake Schultz (One More Drink, Hollywood Already did it), Jeffrey Henderson (actor, writer), and Jay Washington (Host, Stand Up) as they discuss True Crime in comics. An interactive panel with guests, prizes and yes ... Cereal.


The Music of Captain Marvel, Stranger Things, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Music of Captain Marvel, Stranger Things, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars features panelists Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel, Stargirl), Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (Stranger Things), and Kevin Kiner (Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Moderated by Chandler Poling of White Bear PR.


How to Get Press Coverage

Small press publishers: What makes the difference between an item that will get news coverage, previews, and interviews and what doesn’t? A lot of publishers have no idea what to submit to the press, how to submit it, or why they are being overlooked for coverage. Comics journalist Rik Offenberger (First Comics News, Archie Comics) moderates this panel on just what it takes to get coverage, with the comic journalists themselves telling you what they are looking for in your submission. Panelists include (in alphabetical order) Tim Chizmar (First Comics News, Fangoria), Glenn Hauman (ComicMix), Jez Ibelle (First Comics News, Geek-a-pedia), Jason LiVecchi (NBC News), Heidi MacDonald (The Beat), Francis Sky (First Comics News), and Josh Waldrop (Red Gorilla Comics). Find out what it takes to self-promote and make a significant impact on your ability to sell your comic.


How True Is True? Writing and Drawing the Comic Memoir

When we draw from life, there are various challenges and rewards to digging deep to get to the truth. Memoirs have always been a staple of comics. We all have a story to tell and these slice of life observations—some are large. some small and some intensely personal—can have great universal appeal. But it’s no easy feat to mine your own heart and expose it to the world. What are ways that you can tell all and also keep some privacy for yourself? How do we get to the truth of a story when we all know that the truth gets diffused by time and experience and memory can be fallible? And how does telling our own story tell a larger story and not fall into navel gazing? Join a diverse group of creators as they discuss getting close to the heart and bravely deconstructing their own lives panel by panel.

Panelists:

Cecil Castellucci • www.cecilcastellucci.com

Girl on Film • Twitter: @MissCecil • Instagram: CecilCecil

AJ Dungo • www.ajdungo.com/

In Waves • Instagram: @AgeDungs

Sina Grace • sinagrace.com

Nothing Lasts Forever • Twitter: @SinaGrace • Instagram: @SinaGrace

Tracy Edmunds • www.tracyedmunds.com

Educator


Swipe Right for Superheroes

In Quest of Geek (@inquestofgeek) brings you another Swipe Right for Superheroes panel! Alix, Cole, and Jason are joined by the cast of Perception Studio (@perceptstudio) to judge which fictional characters we deem datable or not.

To follow everyone on the panel:

  • Alix: @alixwithanoy
  • Cole: @colegarrison23
  • Jason: @jaepeagee
  • Willow: @yer_a_willow (Puppeteered by Amber Reeder-Vega @ambulartastic)
  • Chunk: @chunkerrific (Puppeteered by Art Vega @artvega)
  • Cucumber: @cucumberlives (Puppeteered by Danny Montooth @dmoontooth on Instagram, @dannymontooth on Twitter).

Action Movie World Roleplaying Game Panel

Calling all ‘80s action movie fans! Join the panelists for this amazing roleplaying game that's all about over-the-top action and blowing stuff up! The panelists will roleplay as movie stars playing the roles of kick-butt characters in an 80s action movie they make up on the spot. Featuring Jeff Burns (creator/host of Super Geeked Up, writer/director of Super Knocked Up), Malika Lim Eubank (CEO of Hyper RPG, game master of Power Rangers HyperForce), Matt Messerman (player on the Knights of the Rolled Table podcast, improviser and director at the National Comedy Theatre in San Diego), Omar Najam (co-host on El-Rey Nation and TBD Bytes, GM of improvised RPG podcast Thank You For Questing!), and game master John Miewald (writer/artist for Uber Geek Comics). So, grab your ‘80s mix tape, ready your best one-liners, and watch the most amazing action movie ever!

www.supergeekedup.com

Uniting Schools, Libraries, and Indie Comics

Comic books are making their way into libraries and classrooms, providing new educational opportunities for readers of all ages. But, with librarians and teachers facing financial limitations and ordering restrictions, often only mainstream publishers are forging a path into these venues. Led by Barbra Dillon (editor-in-chief, Fanbase Press), this panel includes Frederick Luis Aldama (Eisner Award-winning writer, Latinx Superheroes in Mainstream Comics), Dr. Katie Monnin (writer, DC Comics Teaching Guides), Moni Barrette (board member, ALA's Graphic Novel & Comics Roundtable), Dr. Theresa Rojas (professor, Modesto Junior College), Henry Barajas (writer, La Voz de M.A.Y.O.), and Sebastian Kadlecik (Eisner-nominated creator, Quince), and features a joint panel of librarians, educators, and indie creators discussing where exciting, new indie comics can be found and how new pathways can be forged to bring these diverse and educational comics to a larger audience.


How Does Love Influence Our Favorite Disney and Other Characters?

WonderCon Anaheim: How does love influence our favorite Disney and other  characters? Why do we love the Evil Queen but not Snow White? Or Elsa and Anna but not Donald Duck or Nemo? Disney characters have been a major influence in our culture for the past 90 years. These character preferences inform everything from movie spin-off ideas, game alignment, and toy production, to sales. Keith W. Beard, Psy.D. (professor, department of psychology, Marshall University), April Fugett, Ph.D. (professor, department of psychology, Marshall University), and Britani Black, Psy.D. (instructor, Joan C. Edwards school of medicine, Marshall University) will discuss results from a study of over 1,000 participants examining 5 styles of love with selection of preferred Disney characters. Findings demonstrate how love informs our choices of the Disney characters we love and follow as well as our relationships with one another. Additional results and other psychological/personality factors will be discussed, including a review of the most (and least) popular Disney characters based on research results for the last few years. There will also be a comparison between Disney character ratings and several other very prominent and popular franchises (such as DC, Marvel, Nickelodeon, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.) in order to better explore overall preference and exposure of some of the most prominent and pervasive pop culture icons of the last 100 years.


You Have to Read the Pictures, Too: Visual Literacy and Analyzing Graphic Texts with Students

In this crash course in text analysis for graphic novels, educators demonstrate techniques and tools for building students' critical literacy skills with graphic texts at all grade levels. Join us as we demonstrate how to lead students in analyzing the elements of comics and the unique combination of art and text, share resources, and discuss challenges. We share tips, activities, and vocabulary you can use with your students tomorrow!

Panelists include Laurence Tan (LAUSD and Teaching Tolerance Teacher of the Year), Derek Heid (high school English Language Arts, TVUSD), Shveta Miller (literacy specialist and author), Jennifer Naumann (7th Grade ELA), Tracy Edmunds (Graphic Novels Are Elementary!), and moderator Betsy Gomez (Banned Books Week).

All slides and resources from the panel can be found here: http://www.tracyedmunds.com/home/wondercon-you-have-to-read-the-pictures-too


New Tolkien on the Horizon

Staff from TheOneRing.net breakdown all the news coming out of New Zealand regarding Amazon Prime's upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel TV Series. We'll discuss the known cast and crew and all the details about what parts of Tolkien's works have been licensed for this project. And then we present a timeline of possible events from Tolkien's mythos that could be the sort of storylines we see.


Gay Geeks and Where to Find Them

Discussion on how to turn your favorite geeky fandom's into flourishing careers, the challenges & rewards of growing up gay, and how being a member of the LGBT community influenced their work. Panelists include Ted Biaselli (executive of development, Netflix), Josh Ropiequet (casting associate: Umbrella Academy, Inhumans), Chandler Poling (publicist: White Bear PR), Regina Carpinelli (executive producer: Saturn Awards, LA Haunted Hayride), Randy Frank (president, Lambda Quadrant), Chris Riley (host, X-Reads Podcast) and moderated by Julian Jetson.


Alterna Comics: Celebrating 14 Years of Comics Innovation

While others depend on legacy characters in limited genres and licensed properties, multiple covers and other gimmicks, the company that brought back newsprint thrives by publishing quality original stories across a wide spectrum of genres for an affordable price. Find out from creators David Lucarelli (Tinseltown: Losing the Light), Ryan Winn (Gods & Gears), & Terry Mayo (The Wicked Righteous) why Alterna's best days are yet to come!

www.alternaaccess.com/

Ryan Winn • YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCDfDG48B2CVNQrOQEsRmrdQ

Terry Mayo • Twitter: @MayOTL • YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC87PSn0V9RvpdNDx1DXfuVQ


Valiant: The Craft of Comics Panel

What does a comic book editor do every day? What makes the perfect comic script? How does an artist put their own spin on a superhero? Find out in Valiant's WonderCon at Home panel, The Craft of Comics!

With moderator Emily Hecht (Valiant social media manager), Lysa Hawkins (Valiant senior editor), Heather Antos - (Valiant senior editor), Cullen Bunn (writer, Punk Mambo, Shadowman), Jon Davis-Hunt (artist, Shadowman),and Tim Seeley (writer, Bloodshot).

valiantentertainment.com

Twitter: @ValiantComics • Instagram: @ValiantEntertainment

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ValiantComics


Full Time Creative Work On A Part Time Schedule

This panel is for any group with a goal. That claim may sound lofty, but there is a reason this panel has been lucky enough to be on San Diego Comic Convention’s schedule for 12 years and WonderCon’s schedule for 7 years. This panel is a unique approach of talking about vital, but base concepts which means the covered topics can apply to any project size or scope in any media or anything in creative or geek culture from purely fun to high end professional quality hobbies to profit generating professional endeavors. How is the information that widely applicable? No matter what your project is there is always the challenges of time management, resource management and communication. Anyone working on any of the following could use the information covered: comic books, TV/film, animation, podcasts, costuming/cosplay, fan groups, music, illustration. blogging, music or web comics. This time we are part of The Con Guy to produce the best content both brands can talk about. The panelists are: Luke Cheeseman (director of media, TheConGuy.com), Sean Glumace (Adobe Education Leader, Comic Book Letterer, Glumace.com), Dr. Renah Wolzinger (owner Renzone Music, Ed tech manager, Digital Media Faculty,  Renah.com), Gene Turnbow (founder/station manager Krypton Radio, editor-in-chief Helium Beach Press, kryptonradio.com and heliumbeach.com), Topher Davila (art director, GeekdomWear.com & writer, TheComicsJunky.com, starting July 2020) and moderator Derek Samms (TheConGuy.com).


Legendary Comics Monsterverse Publishing 2020

A walk through Legendary Comics and Insight Editions publishing plan for Legendary Entertainments and Warner Bros. upcoming film Godzilla Vs. Kong. Our global teams will offer you a sneak peek into what we are working on. Participants include Robert Napton (SVP, Legendary Comics), Nikita Kannekanti (editor, Legendary Comics), Jann Jones (manager of brand development and publishing operations), Greg Keyes (writer), Drew Johnson (artist), Marie Anello (writer), ZID (artist), Kiki Thorpe (writer), Nidhi Chanani (artist), Chris Prince (executive editor, Insight Editions), and Dan Wallace (writer).


Star Trek Comics: To Deep Space and Back Again

Join the creative crews of the USS Enterprise and Deep Space 9 as IDW Publishing takes you to the farthest reaches of the final frontier! The think tank behind the ongoing Star Trek: Year Five comic book series share command of this panel with the team behind the all-new Deep Space Nine miniseries (plus longtime Trek artist J.K. Woodward), giving fans an insider’s perspective on the ongoing adventures of Starfleet’s finest!

Panelists:

  • John Barber (IDW’s editor-in-chief) • Twitter: @thejohnbarber
  • Jackson Lanzing (writer of Star Trek: Year Five) • Twitter: @jacksonlanzing
  • David Tipton (co-writer of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Too Long a Sacrifice) • Twitter: @david_tipton
  • Scott Tipton (co-writer of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Too Long a Sacrifice) • Twitter: @scott_tipton
  • Collin Kelly (writer of Star Trek: Year Five) • Twitter: @cpkelly
  • Brandon Easton (writer of Star Trek: Year Five) • Twitter: @brandoneaston
  • J.K. Woodward (artist of Star Trek: Mirror Broken) • Twitter: @jk_woodward
www.idwpublishing.com

Twitter: @IDWPublishing • Facebook: IDW Publishing • Instagram: @IDW Publishing


The Spaceship Is a Metaphor for My Feelings: Indie Sci-Fi/Fantasy Graphic Novels

As our world spins through a bizarrely science fictional new reality, Top Shelf authors offer a fascinating range of imaginative new graphic novels. Growing out of the creative explosion of millennial webcomics, these works blend the indie aesthetic of eye-popping visuals and emotionally rooted storytelling with fascinating new worlds: secret queer gladiators, postgraduate spellcasters, dystopian testing facilities, and gravitational disconnection.

Panelists:

  • Leigh Walton (moderator)
  • Hannah Templer (Cosmoknights) • Twitter: @hannahtempler
  • Jenn Jordan (An Embarrassment of Witches) • Twitter: @jennlynnjordan
  • Sophie Goldstein (An Embarrassment of Witches) • Twitter: @redinkradio
  • Allison Conway (The Lab) • Twitter: @allistrations
  • Kate Glasheen (A Radical Shift of Gravity) • Twitter: @katiecrimespree
  • Nick Tapalansky (A Radical Shift of Gravity) • Twitter: @nicktapalansky

Gorilla With A Pen: World We Are In

William "Upsidedowncakes" Alspaugh (professional esports gamer/content creator/shoutcaster) Markius Scales (Prime House CEO/former financial analyst for Walt Disney, Universal Music Group), Sebastian "Jeikostate" Villaseca (professional esports gamer/content creator/Shoutcaster), Husks (formerly with Universal Music Group/recording artist/composer) providing an overview of what Esports is, the opportunities in the Esports community and how to brand yourself.


The Science of Westworld 

Past and future collide in the fictional park called Westworld, where living out a Wild West fantasy requires robots with advanced artificial intelligence. What is the appeal of live action roleplaying? What does gaming research predict about far people will pursue violent delights? When is artificial intelligence simply intelligence? And what happens when AI characters break out of the game and into the real world? For a look at mysteries of human nature past, present, and future—and maybe some insight to the possibilities of self-aware beings who will be more than human—Dr. Travis Langley (Westworld Psychology: Violent Delights) assembles a team of experts wearing both white and black hats: Erin Currie (MyPsychgeek), Anthony Francis (robotics expert), Allen Pan (Sufficiently Advanced), Tamara Robertson (Science Channel).


WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

17 New & Exclusive WonderCon@Home Videos Added!

Welcome back to WonderCon Wednesday! This week we're featuing 17 more new and exclusive WonderCon Anaheim 2020 videos featuring special guests and some of the panels we would have featured at this year's cancelled event. Click on the video titles below to go directly to them on our YouTube page or to see all of our videos, click here to visit our Comic-Con/WonderCon Anaheim channel on YouTube!

DC One-on-One: Brian Michael Bendis and Gene Luen Yang

Whether it’s in the pages of Superman, Action Comics, New Super-Man, or Superman Smashes the Klan, award-winning writers, and WonderCon Anaheim Special Guests Brian Michael Bendis and Gene Luen Yang have made an indelible mark on one of popular culture’s most important and enduring icons. Join these two storytelling legends for an in-depth discussion of what the Man of Steel means to them and how they’ve kept “the never-ending battle for truth and justice” just as vital and relevant now as it was when Superman burst onto the scene in April 1938.


Spotlight on Gene Luen Yang

MacArthur Grant recipient and Former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Gene Luen Yang (a WonderCon Anaheim 2020 special guest) talks with his good friend and longtime collaborator Thien Pham about his two most recent graphic novels: Dragon Hoops (March 2020 from First Second Books) and Superman Smashes the Klan (May 2020 from DC Comics). Listen to Gene and Thien reminisce about past comic book conventions and debate whether Fantastic Four sucks or rules.


Science Fiction You Can Hear

New York Times best-selling author Peter Clines (Paradox Bound, Dead Moon) and award winning Audible narrator and actor Ray Porter (LOST, Monk) in conversation about Peter’s latest Audible Original, TERMINUS, their years collaborating together, and the process of creating Science Fiction & Fantasy stories that come to life for millions of listeners.


Inglorious Treksperts: Wars Stories

The #1 Star Trek podcast celebrates May the 4th with a rare foray into the world of Star Wars as we send in the clones in celebration of May the 4th as Inglorious Treksperts Mark A. Altman (The 50 Year Mission, Free Enterprise) and Daren Dochterman (Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Director's Edition) are joined by special guest Henry Gilroy (The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels) and Ashley E. Miller (Thor, X-Men: First Class) to discuss the incredible legacy of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Room 66.


Mulan Star Tzi Ma Talks with Ken Choy

Tzi Ma currently can be seen in Wu Assassins as well as the movie, Tigertail, both on Netflix. The live action version of Disney’s Mulan is slated to open July 24, 2020. The veteran actor joins Ken Choy in an exclusive WonderCon@Home 2020 conversation.


The Nacelle Company: A Toy Store Near You (and more!)

Brian Volk-Weiss (creator/director), Richard Mayerik (producer/brand ambassador), Billy Galaxy (toy store owner), and David Vonner (toy designer/writer) join Robin Henry (writer/producer) for a roundtable Nacelle Company update! The logistics may have temporarily changed, but Nacelle is working harder than ever to bring more fun and informative pop-culture hits your way. Hear the latest about the upcoming toy store showcase series for Covid-19 relief, A Toy Store Near You, and so much more!


Transformers–Crossover & Roll Out!

IDW Publishing’s Transformers comics are hotter than ever, and this year, the Robots in Disguise aren’t alone – they’re teaming up with magical ponies and cybernetic organisms! Get an inside look into the Transformers vs. The Terminator with David Mariotte and the My Little Pony/Transformers crossover with Sam Maggs, plus visit with Brian Ruckley, architect of the ongoing Transformers comic storyline, and longtime Transformers mastermind Simon Furman!

Panelists:

  • John Barber (IDW’s editor-in-chief)Twitter: @thejohnbarber
  • David Mariotte (co-writer of Transformers vs. The Terminator)  • Twitter: @IDW_David_M
  • Sam Maggs (co-writer of My Little Pony/Transformers)Twitter: @sammaggs
  • Brian Ruckley (writer of Transformers)Twitter: @brian_ruckley
  • Simon Furman (writer of Transformers ‘84: Secrets & Lies)Twitter: @simonfurman3

@SuperheroIRL! Avenging Loneliness: Resilience in the Age of COVID-19

Feeling the effects of isolation, financial instability, and loss? By popular demand, join Pop Culture Hero Coalition, the hilarious and inimitable Joe Gatto (Impractical Jokers), and the brilliant & iconic Brandon Routh (Legends of Tomorrow, Superman Returns) for this powerful discussion on resilience, empathy, and connection. Featuring Dr. Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy, Dark Agents), Rachel Miner (Supernatural), Anne Wheaton (Piggy & Pug), and Brandon & Vanee Mataslia (Teachers; Women in Comics). Moderated by Coalition Founder Chase Masterson (Star Trek, Doctor Who Big Finish). Tune in — and don’t miss this life-changing talk on how to access your superpowers!


The Beauty of Horror: Haunt This Panel

Join hard-rocking horror aficionado Alan Robert, creator of the horror coloring book phenomenon The Beauty of Horror (and bassist/songwriter for the legendary metal band Life of Agony), to explore the creation of his bestselling adult coloring book series and its 2020 expansion into a variety of exciting spin-off projects! Moderator Justin Eisinger helps you get creative insight directly from Alan, guaranteed to unleash your inner artist… or perhaps a possessing spirit!

Panelists:

  • Justin Eisinger (IDW’s editorial director of graphic novels & collections and co-writer of They Called Us Enemy) • Twitter: @justineisinger
  • Alan Robert (creator of Beauty of Horror and founding member of Life of Agony) • Twitter: @arobert

www.idwpublishing.com
Twitter: IDWPublishing • Facebook: IDW Publishing • Instagram: IDW Publishing


Black and Queer in Popular Media

Queer people of color are making a huge impact within geek culture. However, diverse characters and stories continue to be limited or absent from wider discussion and mass media. Join Prism Comics and moderator Viktor Kerney (creator of StrangeLore and co-host of the MEGASheen podcast) and panelists Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies, Check All That Apply), Nick Porter (co-host of the MEGASheen podcast), Ed Williams (Mayke Entertainment) as they discuss a myriad of topics from portrayals of queer people of color across media platforms to the contributions to the Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics genres.

Panelists:

Mayke Entertainment: wearemayke.com edwilliams.me

Prism Comics: prismcomics.org Twitter: @prismcomicsFacebook: Prism Comics


Cardboard Superheroes: Creating Life-Sized Models of Your Favorite Characters!

Connor Lee and Bauer Lee (co-founders) share how they started their journey of cardboard building. Come watch and see their life-sized models of Iron Man, Wonder Woman, Baby Yoda, Groot, Baby Groot, C-3PO, R2D2, Black Manta, Wall-E, Hulkbuster, and more.

Connor and Bauer Lee (cofounders) • www.cardboardsuperheroes.com • Instagram: @cardboardsuperheroes


Final Fantasy Mythology

From the basis of the four elements to the summons we all love, there are many legends and myths that the Final Fantasy series pays homage to. This panel will explore that myths and legends ensuring that the fantasy worlds that have given us countless hours of gameplay will never be final. Hosted by Jared the Greek (Eat the Magic).


Archie Superheroes: 80th Anniversary of the Shield

In 1940 MLJ Comics, the company later rebranded as Archie Comics, published Pep Comics #1 and created the First Patriotic superhero, The Shield. They would go on to create a pantheon of superheroes including fan favorites like the Comet, Hangman, the Fly, Lancelot Strong and many more. These heroes have appeared in both Archie Comics and DC Comics. They have been reprinted in England, France, Germany, and Brazil. They have crossed over to radio, film and the pulps. Presented here is the 80 year history of the greatest superheroes of the Archie Universe from the people who brought you the MLJ Companion, Rik Offenberger (Archie Comics), Paul Castiglia (Archie Comics), Jon B. Cooke (Tomorrows Publishing), and Golden Age comic experts J.C. Vaughn (Gemstone Publishing).


So They Say you Shouldn't Cosplay

Ivy Doomkitty (intl. professional cosplayer, body positive advocate), DPiddy (Youtuber, intl. professional cosplayer), David Baxter (Legion M, Larger Than Life Cosplay), Lucky Grim (Award-winning cosplayer, professional seamstress/stylist), and Knightmage (cosplayer, deputy sheriff) discuss the many different things people may tell you that you can't cosplay, being your skin color, body type, age, size, disability, being LGBTQ+. We will cover how to push past boundaries others try to place against you and discuss various techniques to build confidence. After all, cosplay is for everyone. It is not limited to one demographic.

Panelists:

  • Ivy Doomkitty • Twitter: @ivydoomkitty • Instagram: @ivydoomkitty
  • David BaxterInstagram: @ltlcosplay
  • Dpiddy Twitter: @_dpiddy • Instagram: @_dpiddy
  • Lucky Grim Twitter: @luckygrim • Instagram: @luckygrim
  • Knightmage Twitter: @knightmage1 • Instagram: @knightmage1

Gaming in the Time of Covid

Juliana Moreno Patel and Ariel Rubin (Wild Optimists, Escape Room In A Box) join panelists Tommy Honton (Stash House, Museum of Selfies), Cara Mandel (Meow Wolf, Interwoven Immersive), Noah Nelson (No Proscenium, HERE Festival), and Giz Gewitz (Niantic Labs) for a discussion on what has changed since the pandemic, how creators are responding, and how they envision the future of interactive and immersive gaming. 

Links mentioned in the panel:


Women Rocking Hollywood: Supporting Female Fronted and Helmed Film and TV

2020 was meant to be a banner year for women in film. This January, the press out of Sundance offered glowing reviews and suggested a promising future for genre, mainstream, and indie movies helmed by women. Then the pandemic swept the world. It has halted production, is actively changing the future for all film professionals, while also greater amplifying streamed content. Hear from a talented collection of female filmmakers about the current and future release of their projects, as well as how advocacy groups like ReFrame, Glass Elevator, and Women in Film: LA are helping women working in the industry, to not only cope with an uncertain present, but change the landscape as it reforms, and thrive as productions begin anew. Joining in the conversation are Jen McGowan (director: Rust Creek, upcoming season 2: The Twilight Zone), C Fitz (director, Jewel’s Catch One, Queen Sugar), Hanelle Culpepper (director, Star Trek: Picard, upcoming season 2: NOS4A2) and Rosemary Rodriguez (The Walking Dead, Home Before Dark). Moderated by Leslie Combemale, (film critic/journalist: The Alliance of Women Film Journalists, founder: Women Rocking Hollywood)

Panelists:

  • Hanelle Culpepper • Twitter: @Hillview798 • Instagram: @hanelleculpepper
  • Rosemary Rodriguez Twitter: @rosemarydirects • Instagram: @rosemarydirects
  • Jen McGowan • Twitter @IAmJenMcG
  • C Fitz • Twitter: @CFitz_
  • Leslie Combemale • Twitter: @WomenRockFilm and @CinemaSirenNews

Don't Tell Your Story, Show It! 

Ever wonder how the really good books suck a reader in and hold their attention page after page? It might not be the characters, nor even the plot of the book. It could be the way in which the author writes that separates their story from the pack. Join award-winning author and former Lead Fiction Writer for Sony's EverQuest Next, Maxwell Alexander Drake, as he presents his class "Don't Tell Your Story, Show It!" During this class, you will gain insight into how to put your story together in a compelling way that will have your readers turning page after page to see what happens next.

www.MaxwellAlexanderDrake.com www.DrakeU.com  www.FiendFolly.com


WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

Ten More New, Exclusive WonderCon@Home Videos Added!

Welcome back to WonderCon Wednesday! This week we're featuing ten more new and exclusive WonderCon Anaheim 2020 videos featuring special guests and some of the panels we would have featured at this year's cancelled event. Click on the video titles to go directly to them on our YouTube page or to see all of our videos, click here to visit our Comic-Con/WonderCon Anaheim channel on YouTube!


Spotlight on James Rollins

WonderCon Anaheim Special Guest James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. Nowadays, Rollins shares his home up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with his two golden retrievers, Echo and Duncan. He also enjoys scuba diving, spelunking, kayaking, and hiking. Of course, he loves to travel and experience new places around the world, which often inspire his next globe-trotting adventure. Moderated by Maryelizabeth Yturralde.

Website:  jamesrollins.com/  • Twitter: @jamesrollins • Instagram: @authorjamesrollins

Publisher website: www.harpercollins.com/author/cr-101112/james-rollins/
Twitter: @WmMorrowBooks

Maryelizabeth Yturralde entered the Southern California independent genre bookstore community in 1993, and co-founded Creating Conversations in Redondo Beach in 2011. She is a regular contributor to programming at literary conventions all over the country. She is passionate about connecting readers and stories, and received a Comic-Con Inkpot Award for her contributions to the SF/F community in 2019.

website: creatingconversations.org


IDW’s Artist’s Editions and Iconic Myth-Makers

Do you love Artist’s Editions and the work of iconic creators like Walter Simonson and John Layman? Scott Dunbier, IDW’s director of special projects, joins these superstar creators to provide the inside scoop on highly-anticipated upcoming Artist’s Editions and series including Ragnarök, Batman/The Maxx, and Bermuda!

Panelists:

  • Scott Dunbier (IDW director of special projects) • Twitter: @sdunbier
  • Dirk Wood (creative director at IDW:PDX) • Twitter: @idirkwoodpdx
  • Walter Simonson (writer/artist of Ragnarök) • Twitter: @waltersimonson
  • John Layman (writer of Bermuda) • Twitter: @themightylayman
www.idwpublishing.com

Twitter: @IDWPublishing • Instagram: @IDWPublishing • Facebook: IDWPublishing


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & The Last Ronin, Featuring Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz

The highly-anticipated miniseries event, TMNT: The Last Ronin, is almost here! Springing from a lost 1987 storyline by TMNT co-creators Eastman & Laird, the oversized comic book epic may be headed your way this summer… but here’s your chance to get a firsthand account of its inception from Kevin Eastman himself, joined by his Last Ronin writing collaborator (not to mention the writer of 100 issues of IDW’s ongoing TMNT series), Tom Waltz!

Click here to check out a preview for the first issue!

Panelists:

  • Tom Waltz (co-writer of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin) • Twitter: @tomwaltz
  • Kevin Eastman (creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) • Twitter: @kevineastman86
www.idwpublishing.com

Twitter: @IDWPublishing • Instagram: @IDWPublishing • Facebook: IDWPublishing


Rhapsody PR’s ULTRASONIC: Behind the Music Panel

Join this extraordinary group of composers as they take you behind-the-scenes of some of the most popular series and films today. The panel will highlight the music of fan-favorite shows and films including Star Trek: Picard, Fargo, Jessica Jones, Carnival Row, This Is Us, The Witcher, The King’s Man, and more! Moderator: Chris Sullivan (Emmy-nominated for his role as Toby on This Is Us)

Composer Panelists:

  • Sean Callery (Marvel’s Jessica Jones; Homeland)
  • Jeff Russo (Star Trek: Picard; Star Trek: Discovery; Fargo)
  • Nathan Barr (Carnival Row; The Great; Hollywood)
  • Siddhartha Khosla (This Is Us; Looking for Alaska; Marvel’s Runaways)
  • Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli (The Witcher; The Romanoffs)
  • Dominic Lewis (The King’s Man; Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaways)

Advanced Dungeon Mastering

Join some of Saving Throw's premier game masters as they cover a variety of topics designed to help you become a better Dungeon Master. From the importance of safety tools to balancing combat and RP, this group shares their experience in a candid discussion. Moderated by Rick Budd (GM of Tempting Fate), with Aabria Iyengar (DM of Pirates of Salt Bay), Steven Pope (GM of New Pantheon), and Reuben Bresler (DM of The Broken Pact).


The Technology Behind Spider-Man's Rogues Gallery

The Brain Trust from the popular podcast FGGGbT will take a look at some of the most notorious villains in Spider-man's rogues gallery and tell you how to replicate their powers in real life. They will take a look at the electrifying powers of Electro, the mind-manipulating abilities of Mysterio, and the sinister source of Shocker's sonic gauntlets. The panel will include famed physicist Dr. Michael Dennin, rocket scientist Ben Siepser, and analytical mastermind Daniel J. Glenn.

Panel participants:

Daniel J. Glenn

Daniel J Glenn is the host and executive producer of the podcasts Fascinating Nouns, which is a podcast that profiles strange and unusual topics, and Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear-based Technologies which explains the science behind pop culture technology.

Twitter: @danieljglenn • Instagram: @thedanieljglenn • Facebook: @analyticalmastermind

Dr. Michael Dennin

Dr. Dennin is known as the friendly skeptic on Ancient Aliens, and has appeared as a physics expert on several science documentaries including The Science of Superman, Batman Tech, Spider-Man Tech.

Twitter: @denninmichael • Instagram: @denninmichael • Facebook: @profdenninmichael

Ben Siepser

Former SpaceX rocket scientist, currently works at a tech start-up exploring the convergence point between man and machine, AKA Cyborgs

Twitter: @bsiepser • Instagram: @bsiepser

FGGGbT Podcast Show
www.fgggbt.com

Twitter: @fgggbtpod • Facebook: @fgggbt


Kodansha Comics Got Weird Manga: Not Your Usual Manga Recommendations

Have interest in Manga stories, but don’t really know how to dive in? WE’RE HERE TO HELP! Join the manga experts at Kodansha USA Publishing including Misaki Kido, Tomo Tran, and Ivan Salazar as they recommend the wildest, weirdest, and shmoopiest manga that Kodansha Comics and VERTICAL have to offer. These aren't your usual manga recommendations!


Psychology of Cult TV Shows and How to Cope with the Ending of Series

From Supernatural, to Arrow, and Agents of SHIELD, the ending of our favorite TV shows and characters can be experienced as a painful loss. This panel will focus on how we can celebrate our beloved fandoms and find support even as our favorite series come to an end. Join psychologists Dr. Janina Scarlet (Dark Agents; Supernatural Therapy), Dr. Billy San Juan (Doctor Who Psychology; California Screamin’), as well as actors Austin Basis (Supernatural) and Rachel Minder (Supernatural), and writers Deric Hughes (Arrow, Flash), Jonathan Maberry (VWars; Black Panther), and Jenna Busch (Womanthology; Supernatural Therapy) as they discuss the mental health benefits of your favorite TV shows and how we can cope with the series finale. Dustin McGinnis (Superhero Therapy podcast) moderates.


Mental Health and the Power of Comics Featuring Dark Agents

Janina Scarlet, Ph.D. (author; Superhero Therapy, Dark Agents Book I) and Vince Alvendia (artist; Harry Potter Therapy, Dark Agents) discuss their new graphic novel, Dark Agents Book I: Violet and the Trial of Trauma and the impact of comics as a mental health tool for therapy and healing. Joining the discussion are Harpreet Malla, Ph.D.(registered psychologist) and Chase Masterson (actor; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). The panel is moderated by Dustin McGinnis (songwriter and musician).


Where Do Ideas Come From?

Does the COVID-19 shutdown have you cowering under your desk, unable to think? Let Editrix Barbara Randall Kesel, Princess of Positivity, Informal Incentivizer of Ideas, coax you out to look around again and get started on your next project!


WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29

Five New Exclusive WonderCon@Home Videos Added!

Welcome to WonderCon Wednesday! We're pleased to be presenting five more new and exclusive videos featuring some of our WonderCon Anaheim 2020 special guests and some of the panels we would have featured at this year's cancelled event. Click on the video titles to go directly to them on our YouTube page or to see all of our videos, click here to visit our Comic-Con/WonderCon Anaheim channel on YouTube!


Spotlight on Michael Cho

WonderCon Anaheim 2020 special guest Michael Cho (DC/Marvel cover artist) talks about his art and career with Gary Sassaman, the curatorial director of the Comic-Con Museum. Michael shows and discusses numerous covers and illustrations in this discussion, and runs through the process of creating one of his Batwoman covers.

Instagram: @michael_cho_art/ • Website: www.michaelcho.com


Transformers: Cyberverse—Racing into Season 3

Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and the rest of the Autobots have found the Allspark and are en route to save Cybertron ... but what will be waiting for them when they arrive? Transformers: Cyberverse returns for season 3 and the writing team and voice talent behind Hasbro and Cartoon Network's hit series will be on hand to talk story, character, writing and of course some big surprises with moderator Jack Conway (head writer), Randolph Heard (staff writer), Gavin Hignight (staff writer), Zac Atkinson (staff writer), Mae Catt (staff writer), Dan Salgarolo (staff writer), and voice talent: Jeremy Levy (Bumblebee, Perceptor, Jetfire) and Ryan Andes (Grimlock, Shockwave).

Watch Transformers: Cyberverse on Cartoon Network and Hasbro Transformers Official YouTube Channel!


Drawn to Story: Pictures and Words

Join this group of dynamic and award nominated comics creators (writers, artists, writer/artists) who tell stories across many genres (from the contemporary to the fantastical, these creators cover it all) as they discuss how they draw out compelling stories making use of all the tools that the comics medium has to offer. Learn how they collaborate and /or fly solo to build worlds and create great characters and communities within their stories.

Cecil Castellucci

Books: Batgirl, The Plain Janes, Female Furies, Girl on Film

Twitter: @misscecil • Instagram: @cecilseaskull • Website: www.cecilcastellucci.com

Victoria Ying

Film Credits: Tangled, Wreck it Ralph, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Moana • Books: Diana Princess of the Amazons, City of Secrets

Twitter: @victoriacying • Instagram: @victoriacying • Website: www.victoriaying.com

Jose Pimienta

Books: Suncatcher, Soupy Leaves Home, The Leg, From Scratch

Twitter: @joepi • Instagram: @thejoepi • Website: www.josepimienta.com/comics

MT Anderon

Books: Daughters of YS, The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, Yvain, The Knight of the Lion

Website: www.mt-anderson.com


Selling the Hit: What you Always Wanted to Know About the Stunt Industry (In Memory of Eric Cajiuat)

Stuntmen and Stuntwomen from Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Walking Dead, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., MacGuyver, and many more, discuss their experiences and offer advice in getting into and navigating the stunt industry in movies and TV, as well as how the industry has changed and is changing. Panelists include Brian Danner, Joette Nicole Ormon, Tammie Baird, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, Michael DeCamp, and Justin Chavers. Moderated by Justin T. Bowler.


Con Guy Virtual Power Rangers Panel 

Join six of your favorite Power Rangers from across the years, including two from the current season, in our Ultimate Power Rangers Throwdown! Join Ben Kleiwer (actor/comedian) as he mixes it up with Ciara Hanna and Cameron Jebo from Power Rangers Megaforce; Brennan Mejia and Claire Blackwelder from Power Rangers Dino Charge; and Jacqueline Scislowski and Abraham Rodriguez from the current season, Power Rangers Beast Morphers! Tune in and hear tales about the 30th anniversary crossover event, props they got to take home, behind-the-scenes hijinks, and everything else. It’s Morphin’ Time with the ultimate Power Ranger Throwdown!


FRIDAY, APRIL 24

WonderCon@Home Returns with New Exclusive Videos

We’re pleased to announce that we’re premiering three brand-new, exclusive videos today featuring special guests and panels that would have appeared at WonderCon Anaheim 2020. And best of all, there’s more coming your way! Check out this list and click on the links to YouTube (in each title) to watch these videos!

To see all of our videos, click here to visit our Comic-Con/WonderCon Anaheim channel on YouTube!

For individual videos, click on the titles listed below.

Spotlight on Steenz & Trungles: A Conversation

WonderCon Anaheim 2020 special guests Steenz and Trungles have a conversation about each other’s careers and journey into the comics industry. Christina “Steenz” Stewart is a St. Louis-based cartoonist, editor, and professor. She's the co-creator of Dwayne McDuffie Award-winning graphic novel Archival Quality and is featured in several short story anthologies such as the Eisner and Ignatz Award-winning Elements: Fire, and the new horror anthology Dead Beats. Steenz launched and edited the popular RPG periodical Rolled & Told, creates community-building comics-related programming, and teaches cartooning from the elementary to the collegiate level. Trungles is a comic book artist and illustrator working out of Minnesota. He received his B.A. from Hamline University in 2012, majoring in studio art with a concentration in oil painting and minoring in art history. He has contributed work for Oni Press, Boom! Studios, Limerence Press, and Image Comics. He has a graphic novel coming out from Random House Graphic later this year. In a cozy atmosphere, join them as they discuss juggling a career in cartooning, editorial, and comics education.

Christina “Steenz” Stewart

Twitter: @oheysteenzInstagram: @oheysteenzFacebook: /Trill.Steenz • Website: www.oheysteenz.com

Trung (Trungles) Le Nguyen

Twitter: @TrunglesInstagram: @trunglesFacebook: /trungles • Website: www.trungles.com


CBLDF: Community Is Our Superpower

Learn how the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is helping during the crisis, with brand new programs for educators, retailers, and readers! See how you can become a part of our free League of Graphic Novel Educators. Get the low-down on our practical workshops about how to get government aid. See how retailers are sharing their skills with brand new training tools. And, of course, learn about the latest trends in comics censorship, where Identity Censorship is rampant and CBLDF is on the front lines. Join CBLDF's community development manager Siena Fallon, education coordinator Karen Evans, and executive director Charles Brownstein for this short, fun look at how the CBLDF is helping, how you can help, and how together community is our superpower!

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics medium. Our work takes us into courtrooms, classrooms, conventions, and libraries all over the United States where we provide legal aid, education, and advocacy to protect the First Amendment rights of the readers, creators, retailers, publishers, and librarians of comics, manga, and graphic novels. The fight against censorship is a costly business. By becoming a member of the CBLDF, you can play a vital role in the future of the comics. Starting at $30, the Fund’s membership program ensures that we can defend the First Amendment rights of the comics community.


Star Wars Law: Solo Practitioner

Joshua Gilliland, Esq., co-founder of The Legal Geeks, takes on Star Wars law in Solo Practitioner! Do droids have civil rights? What are the employee safety issues in Jabba the Hutt's palace? Join Josh for war crimes and the Han Solo's legal justification to shoot first.

More exclusive NEW videos are coming soon ... check back often for more content!


 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

WonderCon@Home Cosplay Challenge Winners

Click here to see the winners of our WonderCon@Home Cosplay Challenge!


SUNDAY, APRIL 12

More Videos from WCA 2019!

Here are two more videos from fan-favorite TV shows. Click on the description titles to watch the videos on YouTube!

Inside The Big Bang Theory’s Writers Room

The Big Bang Theory writers took a behind-the-scenes look at TV's #1 comedy one final time before the series signed off in May 2019. From huge guest stars to the final goodbye, find out what it took to bring this show from a theory to the longest running multi-camera comedy in television history. This discussion with the show's executive producers and writers takes you inside the writers' room for a lively discussion. From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.


AMC's Fear the Walking Dead

Fear the Walking Dead cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Garret Dillahunt, Jenna Elfman, join showrunners and executive producers Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, and others to preview the series' fifth season, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes and much more.


WonderCon@Home Panel Videos

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

WonderCon@Home Panel Videos: The Sequel

We’re back with two more great panels from WonderCon Anaheim 2019! Click on the titles to watch the videos on YouTube!

Twentieth Century Fox: X-Men: Dark Phoenix

The X-Men: Dark Phoenix panel featured a Q&A with the filmmakers and members of the cast, including stars Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One), Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class), writer/director Simon Kinberg, and producer Hutch Parker.


Warner Bros./New Line 2019 Presentation

A special look at upcoming projects (circa 2019) from Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.


 

WonderCon@Home Presents Starship Smackdown Quarantine Edition

SUNDAY, APRIL 12:

Starting@2:00 on Twitter: Starship Smackdown: Quarantine Edition!

Get ready for a WonderCon@Home version of long-time panel favorite Starship Smackdown (as featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered”), with a special Quarantine Edition! If you’ve never been to this panel, get ready to set your Phasers on FUN! Expert Starship-ologists will let you help decide which spaceships, pitted against each other, will win the coveted Smackdown title. 

The fun begins TODAY at 2:00 PM PDT on Twitter! Follow these handles to be a part of this online battle and see which Starship will reign supreme!

MARK A. ALTMAN (author, Nobody Does It Better, The Fifty-Year Mission) @markaaltman

ASHLEY E. MILLER (screenwriter; Thor, X-Men: First Class) @ashmasterzero

KATHRYN REINDL (writer/producer, Freaked, Swamp Thing) @toepick5

DAREN DOCHTERMAN (concept artist, Westworld, Star Trek: Picard) @darendoc

SHAWNA BENSON (writer, The 100, Star Trek Animated) @shawnabenson

ROBERT MEYER BURNETT (host, The Burnettwork) @burnettRM

Lend your voice to the battle, and be sure to also follow #starshipsmackdown and #WCA2020 to keep abreast of all the interstellar action!

 


 

WonderCon@Home Activity Booklet #2

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

Ready for another WCA@Home Activity Booklet?

Put aside those chocolate bunnies and get out the pencils, markers, and crayons because we’re back with a second all-new Activity Booklet! Once again, we’re featuring a puzzle based on one of our WonderCon Anaheim 2020 special guests, a 3-panel draw your own story prompt, and a coloring page featuring Stan Toucan!

Click here to download our WC@Home Activity Booklet #2!

 


 

WonderCon@Home Videos

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

WonderCon@Home Panel Videos

One of the best things about WonderCon Anaheim is the programming, and we’re definitely missing presenting another stellar schedule of panels to you this weekend. So let’s dig into the WonderCon Archives and give you a treat: Some panels from last year! We’ll be posting three times today, featuring two videos each time, so check back later for more updates.

First up from WonderCon  2019:

DreamWorks She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Executive producer Noelle Stevenson, Aimee Carrero (Adora/She-Ra), AJ Michalka (Catra), Karen Fukuhara (Glimmer), Marcus Scribner (Bow), Lauren Ash (Scorpia), and Merit Leighton (Frosta) gave attendees a sneak peek of Season 2 of the critically acclaimed Netflix original series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Everyone was invited . . . even Kyle!

Also from 2019:

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returned to WonderCon Anaheim with another show-stopping event in 2019! The panel included Clark Gregg, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker, Henry Simmons, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, and Jeff Ward, along with executive producers Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, Jeff Bell, and Jeph Loeb in a fun and lively Q&A. This action-packed series will return this summer for its final season on ABC.

 


 

WonderCon@Home
WonderCon@Home So Far …

Happy Easter to everyone! Today we’re continuing our WonderCon@Home online convention, with more content to come on what would have been the final day of WonderCon Anaheim 2020.

Scroll down to see what we posted on Friday and Saturday, including:

  • Video presentations of Sense of Wonder: The Art of WonderCon Anaheim with artist Jen Bartel and The Art of Shag with Shag himself, artist Josh Agle
  • The opening of our WonderCon Merch store (click to visit), featuring exclusive items from this year’s convention
  • Our first Activity Booklet, with a puzzle page, a comic strip drawing prompt, and a coloring page; a second booklet is coming later today
  • Our Cosplay Challenge, playing out right now in Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
  • A special WonderCon@Home badge that you can print out and wear at home and on social media
  • Special WonderCon Zoom meeting backgrounds
  • And, of course, our Online Exhibit Hall, which features links to many of our exhibitors’ websites, where you’ll find exclusive merchandise, art, and much more

Finally, just below this post is info on today’s Starship Smackdown Quarantine Edition on Twitter! Check out that post for complete info on how to participate in one of  WonderCon (and Comic-Con) most fun panels!

Check back all day long for more posts and fun things to do and watch!


 

WonderCon@Home Presents Starship Smackdown Quarantine Edition

SATURDAY, APRIL 11:

Tomorrow@2:00: Starship Smackdown: Quarantine Edition!

Get ready for a WonderCon@Home version of long-time panel favorite Starship Smackdown (as featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered”), with a special Quarantine Edition! If you’ve never been to this panel, get ready to set your Phasers on FUN! Expert Starship-ologists will let you help decide which spaceships, pitted against each other, will win the coveted Smackdown title. 

The fun begins Sunday at 2:00 PM PDT on Twitter! Follow these handles to be a part of this online battle and see which Starship will reign supreme!

MARK A. ALTMAN (author, Nobody Does It Better, The Fifty-Year Mission) @markaaltman

ASHLEY E. MILLER (screenwriter; Thor, X-Men: First Class) @ashmasterzero

KATHRYN REINDL (writer/producer, Freaked, Swamp Thing) @toepick5

DAREN DOCHTERMAN (concept artist, Westworld, Star Trek: Picard) @darendoc

SHAWNA BENSON (writer, The 100, Star Trek Animated) @shawnabenson

ROBERT MEYER BURNETT (host, The Burnettwork) @burnettRM

Follow the action and lend your voice to the battle, and be sure to also follow #WCA2020 to keep abreast of all the interstellar action!

 


 

WonderCon@Home Online Exhibit Hall

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

Don't Forget to Visit our Online Exhibit Hall!

Right about now you'd be thinking about making one last long stroll through the WonderCon Anaheim 2020 Exhibit Hall to check on that one item that's been on your mind since you first saw it.

Well, guess what? You can still do that! Visit our Online Exhibit Hall and check out all the great exhibitors, Artists' Alley and Small Press creators, and Fan Groups that links in their listings to their own websites. You may find great bargains, exclusive items, and much more ... so start clicking on the links below to visit each of our pages! And don't forget our exclusive WonderCon Merch store right here!

Exhibitors • Artists’ Alley • Small Press • Fan Groups


 

WonderCon@Home Zoom Backgrounds

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

WonderCon@Home Zoom Meeting Backgrounds  

Want to WOW your next Zoom Video Conference? Let's pretend you were at WonderCon Anaheim 2020 this weekend and use one of our special background graphics, featuring photos from past WonderCons. You'll be the envy of your office meeting!

Click here to see our special Zoom background graphics!

 


 

WonderCon@Home Activity Booklet

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

Take a Break with our WCA@Home Activity Booklet!

Want to take a break from the online and streaming world and exercise your mind? Here’s a solution: Download our first WonderCon@Home Activity Booklet, which contains a puzzle, a story prompt for a 3-panel comic strip, and our old buddy Stan the Toucan (all decked out in his WonderCon T-shirt!) to color. Break out your pencils, crayons, markers and pens and flex your biggest muscle: your brain!

Click here to download today's Activity Booklet!


 

WonderCon@Home: The Art of Shag Video

Art © Shag

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

The Art of Shag Video Presentation

"The Art of Shag," a Comic-Con Museum gallery exhibition, featured works from Josh Agle (Shag) himself. Imbued with a distinctive attitude and sly sense of humor, the works of Shag blend pop culture, Tiki culture and the Mid-Century Modern aesthetics. His unique pieces are unmistakably of our time, but reminiscent of animation and commercial art from the 1950s and ‘60s. The exhibit displayed signature prints, originals, merchandise, and book samples from Shag’s career that portrayed his distinctive colorful style and sense of retro decadence. This presentation by Shag was a Facebook Live broadcast on Feb. 1, 2020, and features the artist discussing his career and influences, with an emphasis on his art.


 

WonderCon Anaheim 2020 Merch

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

Exclusive WonderCon Anaheim 2020 Merch Now Available!

We’re missing you this weekend, but here’s a chance to bring a little bit of WonderCon Anaheim 2020 home to you! We had some very special items ready for the big show, and now they are in our online Merch Store ready for purchase! In addition to traditional convention merch, we’ve created an exclusive, available in limited quantities, #WCA2020 T-shirt to celebrate the launch of WonderCon@Home. Capture the magic of WonderCon Anaheim from your couch!

Click here to access our exclusive WonderCon Merch store!


 

WonderCon@Home Badge

ALWAYS WEAR YOUR BADGE!

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

WonderCon@Home Badge

Although there won’t be a security guard checking your badge at the door, here’s a WonderCon@Home printable badge to wear all weekend! Simply download the PDF, print, and cut to size. Make sure your printer settings are not set to “Fit” … print at “Actual Size.”

Once you’ve got your all-couch access pass, take a selfie with it and post it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #WCA2020 to let us know you’re participating in WonderCon@Home!

Click here to download your WonderCon@Home badge!


 

WonderCon@Home Cosplay Challenge

Photo from the WonderCon Anaheim 2019 Masquerade • “Caterina Sforza” Re-creation from Trinity Blood anime and manga, worn and made by Nina London Cosplay

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

WonderCon@Home Official Cosplay Challenge

Don’t put your cosplay away just yet! We may not be gathering around the fountains this weekend, but we miss our fans and want to see the great cosplay you had ready for WonderCon Anaheim 2020! This weekend we are having our first WonderCon@Home Official Cosplay Challenge and eager fans only need to do the following to participate:

  1. Post a picture of yourself in your WonderCon Anaheim cosplay on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter (all-ages appropriate, please!)
  2. Tag WonderCon Anaheim in your post
  3. Include the #WCA2020 hashtag in your post (this is a must!)

Challenge ends at 12:00 PM PDT on Monday, April 13. Ten creative cosplayers will be selected at random to be featured on our WonderCon@Home website with their Instagram or Twitter handles! If selected, winners will be notified via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

We can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on!


 

WonderCon@Home Sense of Wonder Interview with Jen Bartel

FRIDAY, APRIL 10

Sense of Wonder: The Art of WonderCon Anaheim with Jen Bartel Video Presentation

In February 2020, the Comic-Con Museum premiered a new gallery exhibition called “Sense of Wonder: The Art of WonderCon Anaheim.” The exhibit showcased rare, behind-the-scenes art from the WonderCon Program Book covers from 2010 through 2020. The 2020 cover was designed and illustrated by artist Jen Bartel, who was present at the opening night reception. Here’s a recording of a Facebook Live interview done with Jen talking about her work on the cover and her career in comics and beyond.


 

WonderCon@Home Online Exhibit Hall

FRIDAY, APRIL 10

WonderCon Anaheim Online Exhibit Hall

One of the best parts of WonderCon Anaheim is its giant Exhibit Hall. Now you can visit some of the great creators, companies, and vendors that were going to exhibit at this year's event! We've set up our Online Exhibit Hall based on our Exhibitor, Artists' Alley, Small Press, and Fan Group pages, all of which feature links to many of our exhibitors.

Click on the links below to visit these pages. Companies will be added as we get their information. Please check back if you don’t see your favorite exhibitor’s listing!

Exhibitors • Artists’ Alley • Small Press • Fan Groups