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Exclusive! The Long Beach Comic Con 2017 Panels And Programming Schedule

Published Fri, 18 Aug 2017 17:00:25 -0500

Last updated Fri, 18 Aug 2017 19:29:18 -0500

Long Beach Comic Con comes to, well, Long Beach at the Long Beach Convention Center from the 2nd to the 3rd of September. And Bleeding Cool has got the full programming schedule for the show. With guests including Gene Ha, Dave Gibbons, Pierre Bernard, Jr, Pia Guerra and, yes Howard Chaykin, it promises to be a comic book blast. Oh and yes, they have a few folk from TV and films and whatnot… take a look and the programming they have in store.

SATURDAY

THE LAIR

10-11am – Spotlight: MY LITTLE PONY's Tony Fleecs

LBCC welcomes MY LITTLE PONY writer/artist Tony Fleecs to this Long Beach Comic Con spotlight panel for pegasisters/bronies/fans of all ages! Legendary comics editor Barbara Randall Kesel interviews Tony, who will show off his art, tell stories, and answer fan questions.

Barbara Randall Kesel, Tony Fleecs

11am-12pm – Comics For Everyone: When "All-Ages" Means ALL Ages

"All-Ages" comics aren't just for kids – comics can be for everyone without being aimed at little ones. Talented creators Adam Beechen (BATGIRL, TEEN TITANS GO!), Alex Segura (THE ARCHIES), and Chynna Clugston Flores (BLUE MONDAY, SCOOTER GIRL) talk about the challenges and rewards of crafting stories designed to appeal to the widest possible audience.

Ivan Cohen, Adam Beechen, Alex Segura, Chynna Clugston Flores

12-1pm – 40 Years of Star Wars Collecting

2017 marks the 40th anniversary of STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. Join the Science Fiction Coalition in discussing STAR WARS collecting for a fun and fascinating conversation for newcomers to the franchise or those who have been collecting sicne the beginning.

Shane Holly, Shawn Mullen, David Neuhausel, Jacob Dubi

1-2pm – STAR WARS Prop and Costume Making with the 501st Legion

The 501st Legion and Rebel Legion are screen-accurate Star Wars Costuming Clubs – the 501st, the Bad Guys and the Rebel Legion, the Good Guys. We are approved by Lucasfilm and Disney to bear the name of Star Wars to conduct charity events for thousands of organizations worldwide. We provide costumers for an array of charity events including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Relay for Life, the Oscars, and more. Come to this panel to learn more details about the clubs' mission and how you can become a member.

Brandon Jackson, Natalie Benavides, Dawn Bright, Shawn Crosby, Ramey Chanadet

2-3pm – The Writer's Journey: Breaking in and Managing a Career in Hollywood

This panel addresses what new writers need to do once they have material ready to go out to the masses. The shifting 21st-century digital frontier means the age-old methods of building a career have been rendered irrelevant, and this group of Hollywood screenwriters and graphic novel creators share insider information, publishing secrets, and the professional realities on how to develop your ideas into a viable property and market yourself accordingly. Moderated by 2015 Disney/ABC Writing Program winner and 2014 Eisner Award nominee Brandon Easton (MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER), the panel includes TV producer Geoffrey Thorne (THE LIBRARIANS, Marvel Comics' MOSAIC), writer Ubah Mohammed (DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW), writer Brandon Thomas (Image's HORIZON, Lion Forge's NOBLE) actress/writer Erika Alexander (CONCRETE PARK) and artist/writer Tony Puryear (ERASER, CONCRETE PARK).

Brandon Easton, Geoffrey Thorne, Ubah Mohammed, Brandon Thomas, Erika Alexander, Tony Puryear

3-4pm – Licensed to Tell: Licensed Comics

Licensed comics give creators the chance to play with some of the greatest characters in fiction. Beyond classic work-for-hire superheroes, licensed comics allow creators to tell stories of your favorite characters in movies, television, and more. Join writers Jody Houser (STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE, ORPHAN BLACK), Ryan Parrott (STAR TREK: BOLDLY GO, POWER RANGERS: AFTERSHOCK) and Ron Marz (STAR WARS, SKYLANDERS), and artists Cat Staggs (SMALLVILLE) and Jamie Sullivan (STAR WARS) for stories of the highs and lows of playing with someone else's toys.

Jody Houser, Ryan Parrott, Cat Staggs, Ron Marz, Jamie Sullivan

4-7pm – Pierre Bernard Jr. Figure Drawing Panel

An LBCC favorite returns, as artist Pierre Bernard Jr. (LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN) showcases his artistic chops and teaches beginners of all ages the secrets of life drawing (supplies – and models – provided) in this fun and interactive lesson. Find him in Artists' Alley (table #D32) to learn this years' theme and begin the lesson and then join him and his modeling crew for a group session.

Pierre Bernard Jr.
THE BRIDGE

11:30am-12:30pm – Fanbase Press Presents: Things that Go Bump in Horror Comics

We all enjoy a good scare, whether sitting around a campfire sharing ghost stories or in a darkened cinema watching alien species hunt their prey. Join writers Bryant Dillon (SOMETHING ANIMAL; IDENTITY THIEF) and David Lucarelli (CHILDREN'S VAMPIRE HUNTING BRIGADE), artist Megan Hutchison (WILL O' THE WISP), INVADER ZIM's Dave Crosland, and the HIGH MOON team of David Gallaher and Steve Ellis as they share what inspires them to write and illustrate horror in the sequential art medium, the challenges and benefits they face while working in the genre, and what they foresee in the future of horror comics.

Michele Brittany (Fanbase Press Editorial Manager), Bryant Dillon, David Lucarelli, Megan Hutchison, Dave Crosland, David Gallaher, and Steve Ellis

12:30-1:30pm – Extreme Studios 25th Anniversary Celebration

It's the 25th anniversary of Extreme Studios, and four veterans of the glory days – Matt Hawkins, Todd Nauck, Shannon Eric Denton, and Norm Rapmund – share stories of their groundbreaking studio and the unforgettable era that changed comics for decades to come.

Matt Hawkins, Todd Nauck, Shannon Eric Denton, Norm Rapmund

1:30-2:30 – Comics On the Edge of Forever: STAR TREK in the Age of Discovery

With William Shatner at Long Beach and a new STAR TREK TV series premiering in just a few weeks, some of the best of modern Star Trek comic book writers and artists come to LBCC to celebrate the ever-expanding final frontier. Writer/producer Mark A. Altman (FREE ENTERPRISE, THE LIBRARIANS) welcomes Ryan Parrott, Scott and David Tipton, J.K. Woodward, and cartoonist Malachi Ward to The Bridge.

Mark A. Altman, Ryan Parrott, J.K. Woodward, Scott Tipton, David Tipton, Malachi Ward

2:30-3:30 – Howard Chaykin Spotlight

Writer/artist Howard Chaykin's work includes DC Comics' first miniseries, THE WORLD OF KRYPTON, the original STAR WARS adaptation and ongoing series for Marvel Comics, and an unforgettable string of revolutionary series and miniseries, including AMERICAN FLAGG!, THE SHADOW, TWILIGHT, and BLACK KISS. Over the past decade, he's created projects for Marvel, BOOM!, and Image, most recently THE DIVIDED STATES OF HYSTERIA at Image and THE NEWSBOY LEGION AND THE BOY COMMANDOS SPECIAL for DC Comics as part of the publisher's Jack Kirby centennial tribute. We'll go deeper than the highlights in a rare spotlight panel, with a boisterous Q&A.

Howard Chaykin

3:30-4:30 – Galaxy Quests: The Humor of STAR TREK (and beyond!)

Humor was always an integral part of the original STAR TREK, but the influence of its comedy has permeated popular culture in new and unexpected ways. From SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE to GALAXY QUEST, THE BIG BANG THEORY to FREE ENTERPRISE to THE ORVILLE, and even BREAKING BAD and MAD MEN (come see for yourself), our panel of Treksperts, comedians, and filmmakers discuss comedy in and about STAR TREK. Join David A. Goodman (executive producer, THE ORVILLE, FUTURAMA), Dave Rogers (director, THE OFFICE and THE MINDY PROJECT), Daren Dochterman (visual effects supervisor, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE – DIRECTOR'S EDITION), Roger Lay (producer, THE ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK) and moderator Mark A. Altman (writer/producer, FREE ENTERPRISE, THE LIBRARIANS) as they discuss the lighter side of Trek.

Mark A. Altman, David A. Goodman, Dave Rogers, Daren Dochterman, Roger Lay

4:30-5:30 – Writers' Room: Where do Storytellers Come From?

Four writers with very different career paths share their origins and discuss their newest projects. Writer/producer Sandy King Carpenter, animation and comics writer Adam Beechen, actor/novelist Neo Edmund, and comics and video game writer Tony Bedard tell their stories.

Sandra King Carpenter, Adam Beechen, Neo Edmund, Tony Bedard

5:30-7 – The Video Games
What if the fate of your favorite video game characters rested in your hands? Take control as they take the stage in THE VIDEO GAMES, a parody of THE HUNGER GAMES. The tributes participating in the Battle to the Death have been substituted for video game characters from all the popular video game franchises. Princess Zelda, Queen of the Console, is celebrating the 64th Annual Video Games and needs the audience's assistance (through social media) to ensure that this year's Games are bigger, badder, and bloodier than the year before! By voting for their favorite characters, the audience will to alter the course of events throughout the performance. It's a different show every night as iconic pixelated heroes and villains, such as Donkey Kong, Lara Croft, the Master Chief, and more compete to win the coveted title of Player One.

Jared Pixler and David Stolworthy

THE WARDROBE

10-11am – Cosplay Survival Tactics

Spending all day in a costume can be exhausting both physically and emotionally. Join Beauty and the Beard Cosplay and The San Diego Stitches Cosplay Repair Team as they provide tips and tricks to survive a day in cosplay from start to finish including self-care and emergency repairs.

11am-12pm – Aliens & Creatures of Cosplay

Special guest star Keaghan Ashley from FACE OFF! Aliens and Creatures of Cosplay will discuss the process of using prosthetic make up such as sculpting, molding and castng techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects as well as cover the basics of body painting and airbrushing techniques. Displays will be provided and attendees are invited to interact with a Q&A session after.

Crystal Rose Creations, Nikki Bee, Amelia Ramirez-Eller, Ashley Kamali-Jones, Keaghlan Ashley

12-1pm – Creating a Character with Make Up Effects

Make Up Effects Artist, Jeff Barkley, will demonstrate how to use premade prosthetics to create your cosplay character. Joined onstage by Cosplayers: Trey Barkley (Sparrows Flight), Desiree Preston (Enasni Volz), Lexi Smith, and Sean Schaefer.Make Up Effects Artist, Jeff Barkley, will demonstrate how to use premade prosthetics to create your cosplay character.

1-2pm – Plus Size Cosplay: Love the skin you're in!
Being plus size in the world of cosplay is often shunned and ridiculed we say no more! Our panelists will discuss how to work with posing, constructing, and rocking your cosplay to the next level while being plus sized.

2-3pm – Anyone Can Cosplay

Four very different cosplayers discuss whhy they joined the cosplay community, what keeps them in it, and where its taken them. Panelists focus on the idea that there is no right or wrong way to cosplay, and anyone can be a cosplayer.

Angi Viper, Linz Stanley, Kelly Rose Curtiss, and Chris Riley

3-4pm – Fashion Show Panel

Do you love fashion? Want to learn the tips, trick and how tos? Are you aspiring to be in the fashion industry? Do you already work in the industry and want to grow your business & network? We would like to welcome you to "How to Design Geek: Fashion Design" where 6 of our Geek Fashion Designers of LBCC Fashion Show 2017 will open the doors of fashion in the geeky world. The designers will be discussing the inspiration, how to master that perfect instagram shot, steps to building your business from the ground up, how to make your impact in the industry, and many more!

Stephanie Sandmeier, Robin Walker, Lisa Heredia, Jen Egermeier, Elizabeth Yada, Samantha Peltz, Camille Falciola

5-6:30pm – Cosplay Contest Pre-Judging

7-8:30pm – Cosplay Contest Hosted by Bernie Bregman and Nicole Marie Jean
THE GARAGE

10:30-11:30am – Geeks Got Your Back

Anti-harassment has become a hot topic within the geek community over the last several years. Whether it is anti-harassment policies or grassroots awareness (such as Cosplay Is Not Consent), more and more geeks are looking for ways to make the yheir community a better place to everyone. Come join us as we discuss ways in which we can all just be a little more excellent to each other.

Tina Beychok

11:30-12:30pm – Playing Well with Others: Creators on Collaboration

Three acclaimed creators who have worked solo AND with others discuss the differences between being the solo name above the title and sharing the creative responsibilities, and you get to be a part of it! Join Howard Chaykin (AMERICAN FLAGG!, THE DIVIDED STATES OF HYSTERIA), Gene Ha (TOP TEN, MAE), and Dean Haspiel (THE RED HOOK) for a freewheeling conversation.

Howard Chaykin, Gene Ha, Dean Haspiel

12:30-1:30pm – Writing for Video Games: The Real Behind the Virtual

While stunning game play and graphics are the sizzle of a video game, story and characters make the difference between a fad and a franchise. Three writers – Shawn Kittelsen (INJUSTICE 2), Tony Bedard (AGENTS OF MAYHEM), and Jon Callan (RAW DATA) – share how they put their skills to work in some of your favorite games in a panel moderated by Cryptozoic co-CEO John Nee.

John Nee, Tony Bedard, Shawn Kittelsen, Jon Callan

1:30-2:30pm – The Expanding Universe of Video Games

Story in video games is frequently extended into prose publishing, graphic novels, tabletop games, and merchandise. Cryptozoic co-CEO John Nee moderates an extraordinary panel with writers Marv Wolfman, Flint Dille, Shawn Kittlesen, and Francesca Smith, all of whom have experience telling stories that expand narratives beyond the original games.

John Nee, Marv Wolfman, Flint Dille, Shawn Kittelsen, and Francesca Smith

2:30-3:30pm – Filipino Americans in Comics and Animation

Filam Creative hosts this unique panel that will take a look at the contributions of Filipino Americans in comics and animation. Join special guests Whilce Portacio (Creator of Bishop, WETWORKS, artist on X-MEN, X-FACTOR, and smany more), Leo Partible (animation and comic-book writer), Van Partible (creator of JOHNNY BRAVO), and other special guests as they talk about the history of Filipinos in comics/animation, their own contributions to the arts, how they got their start, and much more.

Whilce Portacio, Leo Partible, Van Partible

3:30-4:40pm – Pitch, Pitch, Pitch: How to Sell Your Story

You have an idea for a story but nothing more. You have a fleshed-out idea, but don't know how to cut it down to a size an editor will even CONSIDER reading. Join comics writer and editor Alex Segura (the DARK CIRCLE line), writer/editor Shannon Eric Denton (Alan Tudyk's SPECTRUM), and editor Barbara Randall Kesel for advice and anecdotes about how to give your story the best chance of success in the brutal world of pitching.

Barbara Randall Kesel, Shannon Eric Denton, Alex Segura

4:40-5:30pm – Creating the Perfect Portfolio

Eisner Award winner Pia Guerra (Y: THE LAST MAN) joins acclaimed writer and editor Barbara Randall Kesel to help aspiring artists understand what makes for the perfect portfolio: how to prepare and choose art that best showcases their talent in a way to show prospective editors or clients just what they're capable of.

Barbara Randall Kesel, Pia Guerra

5:30-6:30pm – Women on the Dark Side

A great success at LBCE and Comic-Con International: San Diego returns to Long Beach! Not all female artists/creators are about unicorns and glittery vampires and silly pseudo-bondage. Some women create truly dark and challenging art and content, with just enough humor and whimsy to counterbalance all that darkness. Whether it's comic books, novels, or art, these are some of the women who are creating content that connects with the deeper, darker side of all of us.

Barbra Dillon (Fanbase Press), Susan Lee (WRAITH OF LOVE, SHADOW OF THE KNIGHT); Madeleine Holly-Rosing (BOSTON METAPHYSICAL SOCIETY); Janet Joyce Holden (ORIGIN OF BLOOD series, CAROUSEL); Christie Shinn (PERSONAL MONSTERS, SEPULCHRE)
THE FINAL FRONTIER

11am-12pm – NASA's Dawn Mission

What do TIE fighters and Dawn have in common? Is there a Hoth-like planet hidden in the main asteroid belt? Find out the answers to these questions and learn more about the Dawn spacecraft, which has been orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres since March 2015. In this talk, follow along with Dawn's journey through time to explore some of the largest objects in the main asteroid belt and learn about the engineering behind the mission and the science that's come out of it, including all of the latest mission updates!

Keri Bean- Doawn Science Planning & Sequencing (JPL)

12-1pm – Teenage Rover-13 Years on Mars

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been exploring the surface of Mars for over 13 years now. What exactly has this plucky, solar-powered rover been doing? How do you drive a Mars rover? Is Opportunity experiencing the temperamental teenage years? Come find out from multiple team members how the rover is doing, what it's been up to, and how they control the day to day life of Opportunity.

Doug Ellison – Engineering Camera Payload Uplink Lead, Curiosity and Opportunity Mars Rovers (JPL), Keri Bean – MER Tactical Uplink Lead (JPL), Ashley Stroupe – Curiosity/Mars Science LaboratoryRover Planner, Mobility-IDD Lead, Opportunity/Mars Exploration Rovers (JPL), Tanya Harrison – Director of Research, Arizona State University NewSpace Initiative, Mike Seibert – Rover Driver and Lead Spacecraft Systems Engineer for Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity(JPL)

1-2pm – Virgin Orbit: Expanding Access to Space from Long Beach to Orbit

Small, affordable satellites are revolutionizing the way we explore space and study our home planet-but only if they can find an affordable, reliable way to launch into orbit. Virgin Orbit is developing LauncherOne, a new dedicated small-satellite launch vehicle. In design and construction in Long Beach, LauncherOne will be air-launched from a 747 and deliver satellites for space-based

Matt Wierman – ‎Propulsion Design & Analysis Engineer (Virgin Orbit) , Hannah McCallum – Propulsion Design and Analysis Engineer(Virgin Orbit)

2-3pm – Exploring the Science & Technology of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory

As far as mad scientists go, William "Willy" Wonka is as delightful as the come, but behind that wry smile, and impish behavior lies the mind of a chemical & technological genius. We will be discussing the Everlasting Gobstopper, the candy that never gets smaller, Fizzy Lifting Drinks, a liquid concoction that makes you float, Wonkavision, which sends physical objects across space, and finally the Great Glass Elevator, a transportation device that can take you anywhere with the push of a button. Come listen as Dr. Michael Dennin – World Renowned Physicist, Ben Sieper – Rocket Scientist and Daniel J. Glenn – Analytical Mastermind explain all these miraculous innovations, and show how his chocolate factory has more in common with DARPA than a conventional confectioner's creation.

Daniel J. Glenn – Analytical Mastermind, Dr. Michael Dennin – World Renowned Physicist, Ben Sieper – Rocket Scientist

3-4pm – So you want to build an R2D2?

Did you know there's a whole club of people dedicated to building R2-D2 and the other droids of Star Wars? Come learn the basics and see what it takes to build your own Astromech droid from folks that are building their own!

Members of the R2D2 Builders Club

4-5pm – Kids Can Cosplay: From the Parents Perspective
Join Kids and parents as they discuss all the hot buttons that come with kids and cosplaying.

Jay Holliday, Mireille Hundric, Julliette Hundric, Richard Morales, Gabriela Morales

5-6pm – Live Painting with Camilla d'Errico

Join Pop Surrealist painter and author Camilla d'Errico for a live painting demonstration of techniques from her how-to-paint book, Pop Painting. Have Q&A with Camilla while a new painting comes to life using her signature, eco-friendly, water-soluble Holbein Duo oil paints.

Camilla d'Errico
SUNDAY

Arthur Suydam will be drawing free sketches for the first 150 kids ages 14 and under who come to his table on Sunday between 11 and 4.

THE LAIR

11am-12pm – Hey! Kids' Comics!

The acclaimed creators of some of today's best comics for kids (grown-ups like them, too) take part in a memorable LBCC panel. MY LITTLE PONY's Tony Fleecs, educational comics editor and artist Jason Rodriguez, and recent Eisner Award nominee Norm Harper (RIKKI) talk about telling stories for some of comics' most hard-to-please readers.

Tony Fleecs, Norm Harper, and Jason Rodriguez

12-1pm – Publishing Your First Comic Book

Screenwriter Rylend Grant (whose first comic title, ABERRANT, will be released by Action Lab Entertainment this winter), hosts a panel of creators–many with backgrounds in film and television–who share how they developed their comic book ideas and ultimately found publishing success. Learn how to find a penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, and designer; submit material to publishers; and figure out how to position your project in today's marketplace!

1-2pm – The Art of Character Design

What goes into designing your favorite characters? Creators and producers from the worlds of comic books and animation draw back the curtain on how they design characters that capture the imaginations of readers and viewers. Dave Crosland (INVADER ZIM), Logan Lubera (Nickelodeon, Loot Crate), artist Jamie Sullivan and animation producer Craig Miller take part in a wide-ranging discussion.

Dave Crosland, Logan Lubera, Craig Miller, Jamie Sullivan

2-3pm – Politics and Pop Culture

How do politics and popular culture depend on each other? An in-depth discussion explores political satire, comedy sketches, and the world of politics and explores what the interconnections mean for government and pop culture going forward.

Karina Perez, Travis Wester (actor, SUPERNATURAL), now part of his local govt, Adam Yenser (writer, ELLEN), Estevan Montemayor (Los Angeles City government spokesperson), comic-book and prose writer Amanda Deibert.

3-4pm – Am I Allowed To Like Anything? Loving What You Love in the Golden Age of Geek

For fans of superheroes, science fiction, animation, and cosplay, it's a golden age. But hand-in-hand with geek domination of the popular arts has come a very hostile environment for being openly enthusiastic about your favorite things. You like the "wrong" Doctor Who? You dug VALERIAN? You think the new season of TWIN PEAKS is the best one? Join creators (and unashamed fans) David Gallaher, Jon Callan, and more for a guilt-free celebration of the things LBCC and its attendees love most.

Ivan Cohen, Todd Nauck, David Gallaher, Jon Callan
THE BRIDGE

11am-12pm – Everything ARCHIE

With the hit CW drama RIVERDALE raising awareness, Archie and his friends are more popular then ever. What can fans expect from the publishing side of Archie Comics? The company's SVP – Publicity and Marketing, Alex Segura, hosts a lively discussion that spotlights the publisher's latest offerings, including his own new ongoing series, THE ARCHIES, featuring the biggest rock band in Riverdale going on tour!

Alex Segura

12-1pm – Dave Gibbons Spotlight

The acclaimed co-creator of WATCHMEN and THE SECRET SERVICE (adapted into the movies KINGSMEN and KINGSMEN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE) and artist on dozens of others takes part in a wide-ranging conversation about his career, including some of his famous collaborators, his work on superhero titles in America and the UK, and the upcoming return to print of his creator-owned title THE ORIGINALS in 2018.

Dave Gibbons

1-2pm – Music in Comics

Music in comics can sometimes be a losing proposition (hard to crank up the volume), but these creators have made it work. Join writer/artist Chynna Clugston Flores (BLUE MONDAY), writer Alex Segura (ARCHIE MEETS RAMONES), and Burger Records founders Sean Bohrman and Lee Rickard for a freewheeling playlist of a panel.

Chynna Clugston Flores, Alex Segura, Sean Bohrman, Lee Rickard

2-3pm – Comics and Cuba: Separating Fact from Fiction

In May of this year, 11 members of the U.S. comics creative and business community participated in the C3 Havana Edition conference, meeting with 50 Cuban comics creators at Havana's National Animation Studio for an in-depth discussion of topics relating to comics, animation, video game development, storytelling, and film production. Now Martha Donato, President of MAD Event Management (which runs Long Beach Comic Con) and many of her fellow C3 Havana participants – among them writer Ron Marz (WITCHBLADE, DREAD GODS), artist Dennis Calero (MASKS, X-FACTOR), and Cryptozoic co-CEO John Nee – discuss the trip and the changing landscape of U.S.-Cuba relations in the creative arts going forward.

Martha Donato, Dennis Calero, Ron Marz, Matthew Wierman, John Nee, Marty Glynn

3-4pm – Talking Deadpool

Long Beach Comic Con welcomes two of today's top artists – Scott Koblish (DEADPOOL) and Todd Nauck (SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL) – to share stories of drawing the exploits of the beloved movie-star "Merc with a Mouth." What's the most disturbing thing they've ever been asked to draw? Did anything cross the line? Secrets WILL be revealed!

Scott Koblish, Todd Nauck
THE WARDROBE

11:30am-12:30pm – Fashion Show Panel

Linda Heredia, Robin Walker, Jen Egermeier, Elizabeth Yada, Steven Lopez, and Camille Falciola

12:30-1:30pm – The Many Colors of Cosplay

This panel will lead a discussion about being a person of color in cosplay. Panelists will give their own stories about how being a part of the cosplay community has changed their lives in both negative and positive ways. Panelists will give their own tips and tricks regarding manners concerning cosplay equality and accepting everyone in all fandoms as family.

Crystal Rose Creations, Brandon Jackson, Dawn Carroll, Francesca Taylor and Kylee N.

1:30-2:30 – Armor Making

From basics of foam to working with plastics, metal and more! Learn tips and tricks to enhance your hobby or become a trade professional with our panel of experienced prop makers from both the cosplay and TV/Film worlds!

Tony Swatton, Edgar Mayoral from Cosplay Melee, Igor Pinski of Mr. Pinski Props

2:30-3:30pm – Cosplay and Gaming

What do gaming and cosplay have to do with eachother? Technically, any character from any media can be cosplayed! Join us to discuss cosplay and how it relates to the gaming world!

Harley Quinn SLC, Zabracus and Trina

3:30-4:30pm – Making the Con with Krystle Starr

Making the Con is a new reality show with Orlando Jones & Krystle Starr powered by the Cosmunity app. This panel talks about Con experiences and is audience participation! Making the Con will share the real-world stories of individuals on their way to the biggest con in the world! Cosplayers, Artists and SUPERFANS with unique stories of how their passion has changed the course of their life! There will be a short video talking about "Making the Con" with Cosmunity, and how YOU can be a part of it!

Krystle Starr
THE GARAGE

11am-12pm – Making a Scene

How do writers and artists work together to create compelling scenes that build the narratives of your favorite comics? Acclaimed writer Jody Houser (FAITH AND THE FUTURE FORCE) and THE ONLY LIVING BOY team of David Gallaher and Steve Ellis share their favorite scenes and tell the stories behind their stories.

Jody Houser, David Gallaher, Steve Ellis

12-1pm – The Webcomics Advocates Present: The Webcomics Gathering

Join the Webcomics Advocates for our twice-annual gathering of webcomics creators and fans. This is your chance to learn about creating webcomics, network with other artists, and maybe even pitch your webcomic idea in front of a room full of potential new readers!

Phil Vecchio, Brendan Creecy, Madeleine Holly-Rosing, Patrick Scullin, Eddie DeAngelini

1-2pm – All Comics Are Digital: The Present and Future of Digital Comics

As readers increasingly look at comics on computers, tablets, and smartphones, and artists create pages without using "real" pencils and inks, is the comic-book medium changing? Join comics innovators Dean Haspiel (ACT-I-VATE, TRIP CITY), D.J. Kirkbride (AMELIA COLE, THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN), James Gilarte (VENGADOR), and the team of David Gallaher and Steve Ellis (HIGH MOON) for an insightful discussion of what comes next in digital comics.

Dean Haspiel, D.J. Kirkbride, James Gilarte, David Gallaher, Steve Ellis

2-3pm – Show AND Tell: Solo Storytelling

Three cartoonists with very different styles and backgrounds share anecdotes, examples, and insights into the challenges of telling stories without a partner. Chynna Clugston Flores (BLUE MONDAY), Dean Haspiel (THE RED HOOK), and Malachi Ward (FROM NOW ON) take the stage for a sure-to-be-memorable LBCC panel.

Chynna Clugston Flores, Malachi Ward, Dean Haspiel

3-4pm – From Sydney to Long Beach: Self-Publishing with James Gilarte

All the way from Sydney, Australia, comes James Gilarte, who over the past decade has written and produced an astonishing array of comics, including VENGADOR, A FRACTURED MIND, SPOOKS COLLEGE, and TIME VOX. In this eye-opening panel, James shares the story of his career and provides a first-hand look at his creative process, revealing tips of the trade on how to breathe life into new characters.

James Gilarte
THE FINAL FRONTIER

11:00a-12:00p – Cassini's Grand Finale as Told from a "Spacecraft Pilot's" Perspective

NASA's Cassini spacecraft is the first robotic explorer to orbit Saturn, and it began the first in-depth and up-close study of Saturn, its moons, and its rings in 2004. Since then, Cassini's onboard science instruments have returned an abundance of scientific data that has led scientists to astonishing discoveries. After nearly 20 years of spaceflight, the Cassini mission is coming to a triumphant end on September 15, 2017, when the spacecraft will plunge into Saturn's atmosphere, from which there is no return. Cassini's ultimate sacrifice will ensure the protection of Saturn's ocean worlds, and will give scientists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collect Saturn atmospheric data during the final plunge. Luis Andrade is a member of the Spacecraft Operations team and the lead Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) engineer in charge of Cassini's final sequence of commands. In his presentation he will share what it has been like to "pilot" Cassini for the past four years, and the challenges of maintain control of the spacecraft during the plunge, all the while resisting Saturn's shearing winds which will ultimately destroy the long-lived robotic explorer.

Luis Andrade – Lead Attitude Control Engineer in charge of developing Cassini's final sequence(death plunge into Saturn)(JPL)

12:00p-1:00p – Deep Space Navigation at NASA/JPL

NASA has long explored the solar system and beyond with their robotic spacecraft since the beginning of the space age. Starting with the first interplanetary probe Marine 2, NASA missions have a record of reaching all planets in the solar system including Pluto, now designated as a dwarf planet. In this talk, Yu Takahashi from JPL will give an overview of how the teams at JPL navigate their spacecraft in deep space. He will particularly draw on his experience from Dawn and Juno missions, which are missions to dwarf planet Ceres and Jupiter.

Dr. Yu Takahashi – Juno Navigation Engineer(JPL)

1:00p-2:00p – Earths Above: from Mars and Titan to Exoplanets

Join Dr. Bonnie J. Buratti, a leading planetary astronomer, on this personal tour of NASA's latest discoveries. Moving through the Solar System, she underscores NASA's search for life outside the Earth, from Mars and Saturn's giant moon Titan – an Earth in deep freeze – to newly found exoplanets. She gives vivid descriptions of landforms that are similar to those found on Earth but that are more fantastic. Active gullies on Mars, huge ice plumes and tar-like deposits on the moons of Saturn, hydrocarbon rivers and lakes on Titan, and nitrogen glaciers on Pluto are just some of the marvels that await you. Discover what it is like to be involved in a major scientific enterprise, with all its pitfalls and excitement. Dr. Buratti shows how science fiction has both motivated many rocket scientists and anticipated and propelled discoveries. Once her talkis over, Join Dr. Buratti in the Space Expo booth space for a book signing!

Bonnie J. Buratti, PhD, Senior Research Scientist – Principal Scientist and Supervisor: Comets, Asteroids, and Satellites Group (JPL)

2:00-3:00p – Comics, Games, and VR: The Future of Transmedia

The biggest company in Virtual Reality is entering the world of comics, and they're here to talk about why! Survios' smash hit Raw Data was the first VR game to reach #1 on the Steam Global Sales charts. Then this summer the company debuted seven comics stories set in the world of Raw Data. Now they're joined by the book's creators, as well as some experts in transmedia, to talk about what one has to do with the other!

Jonathan Callan – Senior Writer (Survios), Emmett Furey – Transmedia Expert,Nick Bragg – comics writer (television's "The 100"), and Eric Carrasco – comics writer (BOOM! Studios' Maze Runner Graphic Novel, CW's "Supergirl"), Anne-Mortensen Agnew ("VAST, "Thunderbirds Are Go!")

3-4pm – NASA's James Webb Space Telescope

Join some of the very engineers working on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, a successor to the Hubble Telescope and 100 times more powerful, as they give out the latest news and updates. The James Webb Space Telescope is humanity's newest, greatest tool to observe the universe, allowing us to look further into space than we ever have before.

Engineers working on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope

4-5pm – Writers You Should Know: Animation

The next generation of comics and animation writers answer your questions on what it takes to build a career when you're starting out. People at the top may not know how to succeed in the current market. But these writers tackle the tough issues, like: how to get your first credit, how to transition into being a full-time writer, and how to convince employers to take you seriously!

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