Carter, TimmyT and I are road tripping it to San Francisco at the end of the Month to go to Wonder-Con. This is the little sister of the San Diego Comic-Con. Wonder-Con might be smaller, but I am pretty sure it is going to be chalk full of nerd. Carter and I looked over the schedule that just got posted. We are actually having a hard time trying to decide what to see, since a bunch of things overlap… Here are some preliminary choices, with a few conflicts… There is also gaming tables, so we are going to have to make some super tough nerd calls… Do we Play D&D or listen to a panel about the latest Marvel Developments in the X-Men line… Grrrr… Life is hard.
Friday:
1:00-2:00 Sony Pictures Television, 20th Century Fox, and FOX: Sit Down, Shut Up—Get ready to Sit Down, Shut Up with the cast and producers of the newest animated comedy series to hit FOX on Sunday, April 19 at 8:30 pm. Here’s your chance to ask burning questions about the show’s origin and first season, interact with the voice talent, learn more about their characters, and catch an exclusive sneak peak at the series! Executive producers Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development) and Josh Weinstein (The Simpsons) will be joined by voice talent Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants). Moderated by Animation Magazine editor Ramin Zahed. Room 103\\
2:30-3:30 Spotlight on Matt Fraction—One of the hottest writers in comics, the uncanny and invincible Matt Fraction (Uncanny X-Men, Invincible Iron Man) comes to WonderCon as a special guest for the very first time. Fraction will talk about his work and answer questions in this Spotlight panel. Room 104 – Probably Skip this in favor of the Fraction / Chabon panel on Saturday.
2:30-3:30 Real Archaeology of Indiana Jones—Daryl G. Frazetti of the Department of Anthropology at Lake Tahoe Community College discusses the actual archaeology found in the Indiana Jones films. The world’s most famous archaeologist may be fictional, but much of the archaeology mentioned in the films is oh so very real and just as exciting. Actual sites and actual mysteries are explored. Find out what is happening in biblical archaeology, explore the real Temple of Doom, go on the quest for the Holy Grail, and delve into the mystique of the actual crystal skulls. This discussion encourages participation in this presentation of real adventure and discovery. Room 236/238
5:00-6:00 Marvel: Ultimate Comics—Marvel told you the Ultimate Universe was no more, and Ultimatum is proving that. As an era ends, Ultimate Comics begins. But line editor Mark Paniccia and Ultimatum writer and architect Jeph Loeb are here to drop an even bigger bombshell as they are joined by a surprise guest to make a jaw-dropping announcement! Room 103
5:00-6:00 Big! Bold! BOOM!—BOOM! Studios’ Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Potter’s Field), Ross Richie, Chip Mosher (Left on Mission), and a very special guest reveal what will be the biggest news coming out of WonderCon. Dare we say anymore? Room 232/234 – Carters Favorite Comic Publisher – Hands down… They do 2 different Monthly Cthulhu books.
6:00-7:00 Resident Evil 5—Get a sneak peek at one of the most anticipated video game releases of 2009 and get a chance to see actual gameplay of Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 before it goes on sale in March. Some lucky audience members will get hands-on game time. Capcom’s product managers, Mike Webster and Matt Dahlgren and creative director Francis Mao, provide insider info on all the great new features on this first original Resident Evil game for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Plus see behind-the-scenes graphics, view all the Kijuju viral videos that are burning up the Internet, and learn everything you want to know about RE5 in the Q&A session! This panel is recommended for mature audiences. Room 103
8:15-9:45 Star Wars: Last Fan Movie Standing—Choose the last Star Wars fan movie standing at this friendly competition hosted by Lucasfilm’s Mary Franklin. The Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge, now in its eighth year, honors promising moviemakers who do outstanding work, with the top prize each year chosen by Star Wars writer/director George Lucas. How do your movie tastes compare? Come and show your support for your favorites, and you just might take home a Star Wars souvenir from the event! Esplanade
Saturday
11:30-12:30 Warner Bros.: Watchmen—Warner Bros. and WonderCon present a panel devoted to the most eagerly awaited movie of 2009: Watchmen! Visionary director Zack Snyder brings the classic graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons to vivid life on the big screen, opening March 6. Join Zack Snyder and members of the film’s cast LIVE on the WonderCon big stage for this exclusive panel presentation! Esplanade
12:30-1:30 Matt Fraction and Michael Chabon—It’s a meeting of the writers’ minds, as comics writer Matt Fraction talks with Pulitizer Prize–winning author Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay) about comics and much more. Room 103 - Super Awesome Comic writer AND a Pulitizer winner… I am actually reading Kavalier and Clay right now, and i didn’t even know Chabon was going to be at Wonder-Con
2:00-2:45 Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment: Star Trek—A vision by J. J. Abrams, featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no one has gone before. The film stars John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin, with Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy. Be among the first to see exclusive sneak peak footage from this exciting adventure before its May 8 release. Plus a special guest you won’t want to miss, appearing live on the WonderCon stage. Esplanade
3:30-4:30 Disney•Pixar: UP—From Disney•Pixar comes UP, a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 9-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. From the Academy Award-nominated director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.), Disney•Pixar’s UP invites you on a hilarious journey into a lost world, with the least likely duo on Earth. Join director Pete Docter as he presents a look at UP, which opens on May 29 and will be available in select theaters in Disney Digital 3D. Esplanade
4:30-5:30 Warner Bros: Terminator Salvation—It’s a brand-new start for one of the most explosive movie franchises ever! Terminator Salvation introduces the adult John Connor (played by Christian Bale) in the future, fighting to save humanity from Skynet and the machines. In theaters on May 22, here’s a special WonderCon panel with director McG and cast members LIVE on the big stage! Esplanade
5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Ed Brubaker—WonderCon special guest Ed Brubaker (Incognito) brings his own special guest, actress Zoë Bell (Death Proof), with a sneak peek of the first episode from their highly anticipated, action-packed, online series Angel of Death for Crackle.com. Q&A session to follow. Room 103 – Brubaker is a great writer, even though he killed Captain America… His Criminal series is pulpy crime noir awesomeness.
Sunday
11:30-12:30 If Comics Are for Kids, Where Are the Books?—With so much attention being paid to "all ages" books, what comics are actually out there for kids, whom are these titles actually for, how are publishers responding to demand, and what’s coming up in the future for this emerging market? Traci Todd (VIZ), Randal C. Jarell (Oni Press), Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin, Polly and the Pirates), and Alyson Matthews (Contra Costa Public Library) discuss the books being released for children and how—and to whom—these books are being marketed. Room 232/234
1:00-2:00 Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker—One’s a Casanova, the other’s a Criminal, and we’re not sure if they’ll show up Incognito or as their true selves, but we do know it’s going to be a fascinating hour. WonderCon special guests and sometime-collaborators Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker sit down for a talk about comics and other stuff they both love. Room 103
1:15-2:00 Chuck Special Presentation and Q&A—Chuck makes its first appearance at WonderCon with a Q&A and special screening of an extended trailer. Co-creator/executive producer Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl) and co-creator/executive producer Chris Fedak will be on hand to talk to fans about the second season of the popular action-comedy, which features all-new guest stars. Airing Mondays at 8:00 PM on NBC, Chuck is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television. Esplanade
2:00-2:45 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Q&A —Join executive producer Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds [2005]) as he previews the rest of this exciting season and answers questions from fans. Airing Fridays at 8:00 PM on FOX, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is produced by Bartleby Company and The Halcyon Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Esplanade – Carter and I love this show… How about you?
2:00-3:00 IDW Summer Movie Preview: G.I. Joe, Star Trek, and Transformers—IDW editor Denton J. Tipton hosts writers Chris Mowry (Transformers Movie Prequel) and Mike Johnson (Star Trek: Countdown), and artist Andrew Griffith (Transformers Movie Prequel) for a discussion about their books that lead in to this summer’s biggest blockbusters. Room 104 – Big. Dumb. Eye Candy.
3:00-4:00 Cartoon Network: League of Super Evil—Get ready to root for the bad guys! Nerd Corps Entertainment presents League of Super Evil, a diabolical new animated series coming this spring to Cartoon Network. Join executive producer Asaph Fipke (Storm Hawks) and co-producer/story editor Rob Hoegee (Teen Titans) for a sneak peek at four bumbling supervillains who have set their sights on nothing less than total neighborhood domination! Between using a Shiruken anime robot to win a playground slam dunk competition, inventing a super-computer to protect Voltar’s sweet new evil BMX bike, or hosting a neighborhood barbeque and evilly not inviting any of the neighbors, L.O.S.E. struggles ever-onward to its goal of total mindless fun! Isn’t it time the villains got their due? Room 104
