San Diego Comic Con returns to the San Diego Convention Center and surrounding area. Friday’s programming schedule has been revealed and a couple Sentries who are attending will be sharing their thoughts on the panels they hope to attend at the convention. But will they? Only time and their post-convention posts will tell. You can follow them on X: Gordon S. Miller and Shawn Bourdo.
Spotlight on… Choices – 12:00pm – 1:00pm – Various
- Bill Amend: The creator of the FoxTrot comic strip looks back at his 36-year career of injecting pop culture nods and geekiness into America’s newspaper funny pages.
- Gerry Conway: May be best known to fans as co-creator of the Punisher, Killer Croc, Power Girl, and Firestorm, among many others—as well as “The Man Who Killed Gwen Stacy.” Gerry began writing comics at the age of sixteen—making him both the youngest (and in later years, the oldest) writer to have a run on Spider-Man. He’s also spent twenty years writing for film and TV. He really needs to get more sleep.
- Klaus Janson: As he talks about his process and theories on visual storytelling for comics, his 50-years-plus career, and his favorite covers and pages with an “ask me anything” audience participation portion.
- Tim Powers: The Anubis Gates author reviews some of the ways fantasy fiction works and fails to work. Join Tim for this humorous overview and Q&A session.
Whoever is making the schedule, clearly has no desire to make it easy for me. How is someone supposed to choose between these talented individuals? Will have to see if they appear on other panels to help narrow down my choices.
MeTV Toons: The New Destination for Your Favorite Classic Cartoons – 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Room 6A
MeTV, America’s No. 1 classic television network, has launched a new sister network: MeTV Toons, an all-cartoon channel with a schedule of more than 40 different classic animated series airing each week, sourced from every major animation studio in Hollywood. The network will feature dozens of characters from Woody Woodpecker and Bullwinkle to Speed Racer and Scooby-Doo to Popeye and Bugs Bunny—who celebrates his 84th “birthday” on Saturday, July 27, with a one-hour original special premiering on MeTV Toons. MeTV vice-chairman Neal Sabin, actors Bob Bergen (Space Jam, Looney Tunes: Back in Action), Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes Cartoons, Muppet Babies), Jeff Bergman (Tiny Toon Adventures, Our Cartoon President) and Candi Milo (Space Jam: A New Legacy), animation historian/journalist/expert Jerry Beck, and moderator Michael Schneider (Variety) explore and celebrate many of the greatest classic animation series and characters, now seen on their new home, MeTV Toons. All panel attendees will receive an exclusive MeTV Toons giveaway item!
Buy 200 Classic Cartoons DVDAlthough this new 24-hour cartoon channel debuted less than three weeks ago, it still seems like it’s well worth celebrating it. They had me before “giveaway,” but now I want to attend even more.
You’re Wrong, Leonard Maltin – 4:00pm – 5:00pm – Room 23ABC
You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.—Harlan Ellison. Longtime film critic and historian Leonard Maltin is the ultimate movie fan. His reviews are legendary, but . . . are they right? In the spirit of good sportsmanship and with the understanding that film is subjective and opinions come in all shapes and sizes, “You’re Wrong, Leonard Maltin” gives audience members a rare opportunity to challenge the movie master himself on his categorical cinematic conclusions. It’s a conversation between battling beliefs—and possibly the only chance you will get in your life to convince Leonard Maltin that his movie methodology is mortally mistaken and, in fact, WRONG. Perhaps best known for his eponymous annual book of movie capsule reviews, Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, which was published from 1969 to 2014, Leonard and his daughter Jessie, who together host the Maltin on Movies podcast, are willing to take on all comers who have an axe to grind over one of Leonard’s reviews. Marquis of Queensbury rules will be enforced, but anyone who wants to have a lively discussion is welcome to spar (verbally) with America’s best-known film reviewer.
Buy Leonard Maltin’s 151 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen bookThis sounds like Maltin taking on an Internet comment section, which has great potential for chaos and laughs. Might have to do some research and see where we disagree.
Fifty Years of Comic-Con Masquerades – 6:00pm – 7:00pm – Room 28DE
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Comic-Con’s first Masquerade, added to the convention events back in 1974 when the entire convention was a mere 1,900 people. There’s been a cosplay competition every year since then, and both the show and costuming itself have changed along the way. From modest beginnings staged at the El Cortez Hotel, then later at the old convention center, Symphony Hall, and the Civic Theater, to where it gains overflow crowds today, panelists reflect on 50 years of fan costuming, the show’s enduring appeal, its continual evolution, and its cultural significance to Comic-Con’s very devoted attendees. Panelists include artists and writers Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio (MCs since the 1990s), Robin Donlan (president, San Diego Comic Convention), and Alan Lavigne (contestant from 1978 to 2018). Moderated by Martin Jaquish (Masquerade coordinator since 1992, Comic-Con International and WonderCon).
Buy See You At San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture bookHaving recently become a fan/attendee of the Masquerades at Comic-Con and WonderCon, I am very curious to learn about the early days of the event
Screening: Ultraman Blazar the Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown – 9:15pm – 10:45pm – Room 6DE
See the official North American premiere of the live-action Blazar tokusatsu feature film! A wave of deadly Kaiju attacks Tokyo, prompting Capt. Gento and SKaRD to engage in relentless battle. As Ultraman Blazar rises to the challenge in his inimitable way, our heroes must solve the final mysteries of the Blazar series to find a key to stopping the giant monster onslaught. This is the excellent English-language simuldub. Hosted by Ultraman Connection and featuring voice actors from the film and live appearances by Ultraman and other Ultra Heroes!
Buy Ultra Man: The Complete Series Blu-rayHaven’t watched Ultraman since the original ’60s show. Am curious what they are doing with the franchise so hope this movie makes for a great re-introduction.
