The Future Of The MCU – and a Mike Mignola Tote Bag – This Weekend

"Bobby and I realized we had the opportunity to re-invent LightBox Expo, following last fall's incredible launch in Pasadena," said Convention Director and Emerald City Comic Con founder, Jim Demonakos. "The best part of this virtual event is that we can include artists and designers from around the globe, many of whom may have otherwise been unable to attend. At the same time, we're using the site to create a robust experience for attendees who want to learn more about the process of creating art."

Other programming highlights of note include:

• A Multi-Artist Discussion & Drawing Session

NEO-GRiOT-LUTION – Multi-Artist Discussion & Drawing Session

Wacom will be hosting multiple artists to join in on a discussion about black artists in the industry. They'll also be collaborating on a Wakanda-themed painting while they carry out the discussion! Artists include Everett Downing, Chrystin Garland, Justin Copeland, Chase Coneley, Ifesinachi Orjiekwe, Kofi Ofosu, Sanford Greene, DJ Welch, Brie Henderson, Marlon West, Mike Uwandi, Dwight Clark, Phil Boutte Jr.

Friday @ 6pm-7pm pt pm – Friday 7:00 pm pt

• An Animation Mukbang: Parasite

Join Maggie Kang (Director, Sony Animation), Donna Lee (Story Artist, Walt Disney Animation Studios), Yingjue Linda Chen (Art Director, Dreamworks TV), Victoria Ying (Writer and Illustrator) and Mingjue Helen Chen (Production Designer, Walt Disney Animation Studios) as they eat the Parasite famed dish Jjapaguri and break down the Academy Award winning film Parasite from a story and design standpoint.

Saturday @ 1pm-2pm pt

• A Conversation with the Marvel Studios Visual Development Team

They're the team of concept artists currently envisioning the future of the MCU! Join VisDev artists Ryan Meinerding, Andy Park, Jackson Sze, Rodney Fuentebella, Anthony Francisco, Ian Joyner, and Jana Schirmer; along with Karla Ortiz, Phil Saunders, Jerad Marantz, Imogene Chayes, Constantine Sekeris, Alexander Mandradjiev, Keith Christensen, John Staub, Phil Boutte, Musk Rizvi , Tully Summers, Mike Uwandi, Saskia Gutekunst, and Henrik Tamm as they discuss their experiences as Visual Development artists.

Saturday @ 4pm – 5pm pt

• The Concept Art Awards

LightBox Expo Online will present the Concept Art Awards, hosted by Max Greenfield (New Girl) and Carla Renata (Superstore). The Concept Art Awards is the first of its kind to recognize and bring increased awareness of the role of concept artists throughout the world of movies, television, video games, VR and more. This year's Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to creator and Co-Founder of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away) and legendary fantasy artist Brian Froud (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth). Miyazaki will attend the award ceremony, via a video presentation.

Saturday @ 6 pm– 7:30 pm pt

• The Animals of Yellowstone National Park

Join Aaron Blaise and Manny Carrasco as they recap a recent Camp and Draw trip to Yellowstone. Learn about some of the parks' wildlife, get some sketching tips and a listen to a few hilarious stories about a group of artists seeking adventure in Montana.

Sunday @ 12pm-1pm pt

• Three Days of Programming From KitBash3D

KitBash3D's GameDay stage at LightBox Expo is jam packed with three days of industry all-star artists from movies and video games like Avatar, Halo, Star Wars, Cyberpunk 2077, The Last of Us Part II, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and so much more! Legendary Artists like David Levy, Jama Jurabaev, James Paick, Sparth, Vitaly Bulgarov, Beeple, and many more will bring live world building, tag team demos, career development interviews, giveaways, an interactive chat, and a new contest, right to your home in real time!

Many of the programs throughout the weekend will include interactive or downloadable elements to enhance the learning experience, all of which will be available from the LightBox Expo website.

"LightBox Expo Online will be an unforgettable way to discover all the artists and exhibitors who are participating in the event," said LBX Creative Director, Bobby Chiu. "We've created an experience that is unlike anything else out there. The virtual artist alley and show floor works on any web browser, your phone, and is even compatible with VR headsets for a truly awesome experience."