Comic-Con International’s WonderCon returns to the Anaheim Convention April 3-5, 2015, which has been its home since 2012, to the delight of many in Southern California and to the disappointment of many in Northern California. Fans come to celebrate their pop-culture obsessions, honoring what has come before and learning what new things they can discover. While I am interested in taking part in a number of WonderCon events, the programs I am most intrigued by are listed below.
Friday
Star Trek: They’re Not Really Dead As Long As We Remember Them
Friday April 3, 2015 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 207
While I read and collected comics as a young kid, Star Trek was my gateway drug into fandom so I will pay my respects along with Edward Gross (The 50 Year Mission from St. Martin’s Press), Chase Masterson (Deep Space Nine, The Flash), Daren Dochterman (visual effects supervisor, ST:TMP director’s edition) and Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise, ST: TNG Blu-ray editions) to recently deceased members of the Trek family: Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek movie auteur Harve Bennett (Star Trek II, III, IV, V), and Maurice Hurley (creator of the Borg and the ST:TNG showrunner for season one and season two). They’ll also look back at the 50th anniversary of Trek‘s second pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” as well as the 35th anniversary of Star Trek The Motion Picture.
The Last Man on Earth
Friday April 3, 2015 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Room 300AB
Creator Will Forte stars in one of my favorite shows of the year as the title character of this FOX comedy. It would be enough to hear him and directors/producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord talk about the show, but of a never-before-seen upcoming episode two days early seals the deal.
World Premiere: Batman vs. Robin
Friday April 3, 2015 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Arena
Repeated Sunday April 5, 2015 2:45pm – 4:45pm
CCI has had a great relationship with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and at both events attendees have been fortunate to have access to the World Premieres of DC Universe Original Movies. Set for release on home video on April 14, the official synopsis of Batman vs. Robin:
Damian Wayne, now bearing the mantle of Robin, blazes a headstrong and sometimes reckless trail alongside his father, Batman. While investigating a crime scene, Robin encounters a mysterious figure, Talon, who leads him on a life-altering course through the depths of Gotham’s secret society, known as The Court of Owls. It’s a dangerous journey that will force Batman and Robin to face their most dangerous adversary: each other!
On Friday, there will be a panel led by the voices of Batman, Jason O’Mara (Terra Nova, Complications), Robin, Stuart Allan (Son of Batman), and Sean Maher (Firefly/Serenity, Much Ado About Nothing), respectively, alongside producer James Tucker (Justice League: Throne of Atlantis), director Jay Oliva (Batman: Assault on Arkham), Eisner Award-winning writer J.M. DeMatteis (Justice League, Teen Titans Go!), character designer Phil Bourassa (Justice League: Throne of Atlantis), dialogue director Andrea Romano (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), and some special guests.
Saturday
Superman: The Richard Donner Years Celebrity Super Reunion
Saturday April 4, 2015 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 300AB
Although I am more of a Marvel man, I did enjoy the first two Superman movies and am interested to hear Margot Kidder, Sarah Douglas, Valerie Perrine, Diane Sherry, Marc McClure, Jack O’Halloran, Aaron Smolinski, David Michael Petrou, and Ilya Salkind discuss their experiences filming Superman-The Movie and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut under the direction of director Richard Donner.
Warner Bros. Presentation
Saturday April 4, 2015 1:00pm – 1:30pm
Arena
Although it’s a surprisingly short panel from the studio, that there will be footage from Mad Max: Fury Road is all I need to read since it became my most anticipated film of the year after I fell under the spell of its compelling trailer.
No Tow Trucks Beyond Mars
Saturday April 4, 2015 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Room 213
While many dream of outer space, David Rosing (JPL system and opto-mechanical engineer), Shonte J. Tucker (JPL thermal engineer), and Tracy D. Drain (Juno system engineer at JPL) work in it and will share “stories from the trenches of the heartbreaks, close calls, and adventures of real-life solar system exploration.”
Sunday
World Premiere of Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts
Sunday April 5, 2015 11:30am – 1:00pm
Room 300AB
Set for release on May 12, 2015, this superhero team-up finds Batman, Flash, Green Arrow, Nightwing, and Red Robin taking on animal-inspired villain squad known as the Animilitia made up of Silverback, Cheetah, Killer Croc, and Man-Bat. After the film, there will be a panel featuring the voice of Batman himself,Roger Craig Smith (Batman: Arkham Origins),Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10 franchise, Naruto), screenwriter Heath Corson, and other guests.
Warner Archive Collection’s More Than Sidekicks!
Sunday April 5, 2015 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 300AB
Look like I won’t need to leave my seat for the next panel, which will shine a spotlight on superhero sidekicks from DC-based TV series. Warner Archive Collection podcasters D. W. Ferranti and Matthew Patterson are joined by voice of Robin, Loren Lester (Batman: The Animated Series), Eisner Award-winning writer J.M. DeMatteis,and a myriad of special guests.
Each day’s programming can be accessed through the links above. Whether going or not, lets us know what panels are you most interested in?
