San Diego FRIDAY Programming: Star Wars Day

It’s up!

Quick highlights:

10:00-11:00 Publishing Comics— Four publishers—Matt Gagnon (BOOM!), Gary Groth (Fantagraphics), Dallas Middaugh (Del Rey Manga), and Mark Siegel (First Second Books) — each from a different part of the comics industry, discuss what’s involved in running a publishing company and in creating and fostering a unique comics ideology. Moderated by Graeme McMillan (Techland). Room 8

10:30-11:30 Nappy Hour— Keith Knight (the Knight Life, the K Chronicles, MAD) brings his informal gathering of African American creators out of the bar and onto the stage for an hour of tips, hints, secrets, and thoughts on how to make it in the comics biz. With Ned Cato, Jr. (GeekRoundTable.com), David Walker (BadAzzMofo.com), Spike Trotman (Templar AZ), and Dwayne McDuffie (Static Shock, Justice League).  Room 3

10:30-11:30 Spotlight on Moto Hagio— Comic-Con special guest Moto Hagio is considered to be the mother of shōjo (young girl) manga. Her large body of work is renowned the world over, and Fantagraphics Books is publishing a new collection of her short stories, Drunken Dreams. Celebrate her first-ever visit to the U.S. at this special Q&A session, moderated by Matt Thorn, associate professor in the department of manga production at Kyoto Seika University in Japan. (Thorn decided to translate shōjo manga into English after reading Thomas no Shinzō by Moto Hagio in the mid-1980s). Room 5AB

10:30-11:30 Retailing in the Digital Age— Publishers are looking at more digital comics releases, and the comic book apps are among the most popular on the iPad and iPhone. How can comic book stores update their retail practices to stay involved with digital distribution? What are publishers doing to encourage new digital readers to pick up print comics? Jim Lee (co-publisher, DC Comics) and John Rood (executive VP of sales & marketing, DC Entertainment), along with Jim Sokolowski (COO Marvel Comics), Chip Mosher (director of marketing, BOOM! Studios), and David Steinberger (founder, comiXology.com), talk about upcoming promotions aimed at sending readers to comic book stores. Moderated by Joe Field (ComicsPRO president, Flying Colors Comics, Concord, CA). Room 12

10:30-11:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #5: Moving Beyond the Comic Book— A comic book artist, a comics publisher, a law professor, a transmedia scholar, and an anthropologist walk into a…panel at Comic-Con. Is this a joke? No, this is a discussion about the inherent cross-media nature of comics. Comic-Con special guests Phil Jimenez (Astonishing X-Men) and Paul Levitz (DC Comics), Patricia Williams (Columbia University), Henry Jenkins (USC), and Stanford Carpenter (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) discuss the reemergence of comics as a mainstream popular art form through the democratization of production and distribution processes in conjunction with new e-readers and the corporate synergy of media conglomerates.  Learn how comics are creating new worlds across the mediascape. Room 26AB

11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Vanessa Davis— One of the brightest new cartoonists of her generation, who has been featured in Tablet, Vice, Bust, and Bitch Magazines, Comic-Con special guest Vanessa Davis will be debuting her new book Make Me a Woman and discussing the book and its process with a charming and funny slide show about being young, Jewish and single.  Room 4

11:30-12:30 Dark Horse Comics: Make Contact in 2010— Couldn’t get into the Dark Horse panel last year? Well, here’s another chance to be at the forefront of breaking news from comics’ most dynamic publishing house. Dark Horse president and publisher Mike Richardson, plus a host of the industry’s top creators, present a firsthand look at the future of the medium. Featuring everyone from Eisner award winner Gerard Way to New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich, this is one panel you don’t want to miss.

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Paul Levitz— Paul Levitz has been a comics fan (The Comic Reader fanzine, NY Comic Art Convention committee), editor (Batman), writer (Legion of Super-Heroes), and executive (DC Comics, including publisher from 1989 to 2010). Now he’s interviewed by favorite writer and DC chief creative officer Geoff Johns about his varied career and his return to writing Legion and other DC projects, including a coffee table book history of the company. Room 5AB

11:30-12:30 AMC’s The Walking Dead— Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually), Jon Bernthal (The Pacific), Sarah Wayne Callies (Prison Break), Laurie Holden (The Mist), Emma Bell (Law & Order), series creator/director/executive producer Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), executive producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator), executive producer Robert Kirkman (creator/writer of The Walking Dead comic), makeup artist Greg Nicotero, and Joel Stillerman (AMCs senior VP) discuss the making of AMC’s series The Walking Dead, based on the Image comic book series created and written by Robert Kirkman, premiering in October on AMC. Room 6BCF

12:00-1:00 Spotlight on C. Tyler— Comic-Con special guest C. Tyler is known for her personal brand of storytelling. Her latest book, You’ll Never Know, Book 1: A Good and Decent Man chronicles the story of her father’s life during World War II and interweaves it with her own story. Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth interviews Tyler about her work. Room 4

12:00-1:00 Archie Comics: Cooler Than Ever!— It’s been an exciting year for Archie Comics, but that’s just the start, with plenty of surprise announcements about the future of Archie Comics, including the latest news about Archie on television and in feature films! Panelists include executive producer of The Dark Knight and Archie writer Michael Uslan, Archie Comics co-CEO Jon Goldwater, iVerse CEO Michael Murphy, IDW Publishing COO Greg Goldstein, Dark Horse Comics VP of business development Michael Martens, Archie Comics president/editor-in-chief Victor Gorelick, and Archie Comics VP/managing editor Mike Pellerito. The panel will feature a Q&A session. Room 24ABC

12:00-2:00 CBLDF Master Session: Jill Thompson: Secrets of Watercolor Technique— Bring your sketchbooks and learn the secrets of expressive watercolor from one of the medium’s top practitioners! Renowned for her work on Beasts of Burden, Scary Godmother, and Sandman, Jill Thompson shows you the intricacies of the watercolor medium and how to apply it to making masterful comics and covers. The original art from this session will be auctioned off on Saturday night at the CBLDF’s Art Auction! Room 30CDE

12:30-1:30 Remembering Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson— The late legendary artists Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson will be remembered by their friends and colleagues during this memorial panel. A giant of comics and book illustration, Frank Frazetta was a major influence on countless comic artists. From his early work at Magazine Enterprises and EC Comics to his Warren Publications and Conan paperback covers, Frazetta’s art was monumental in scope, design, and execution. He passed away on May 10. Al Williamson was an artists’ artist, with a clean, elegant style. He’s most famous for his work with EC Comics and in the syndicated comic strip world, with Secret Agent Corrigan and Star Wars. He passed away on June 12. Moderator Arnie Fenner (co-author/editor of the Frazetta books Icon, Legacy, and Testament, and director of Spectrum Fantastic Art) talks to writer/artist Mark Schultz (Xenozoic Tales, writer of Prince Valiant), artist/illustrator William Stout (Dinosaur Discoveries, Prehistoric Life Murals), and publisher J. David Spurlock, whose Vanguard Productions recently launched a number of Frazetta books, including a complete reprinting of Johnny Comet, the artist’s syndicated daily comic strip from the mid-1950s. Room 3

12:30-1:30 DC Focus: Grant Morrison— The mastermind behind bestselling hits such as Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, Joe the Barbarian, Final Crisis, Arkham Asylum, All-Star Superman, and many more invites you to this rare sit-down. You won’t want to miss this candid chat about projects past, present and future, with glimpses into what goes on in the mind of Grant Morrison as he crafts some of the world’s most thought-provoking comics! Hosted by DC’s senior story editor Ian Sattler. Room 6DE

12:30-1:30 Spotlight on the Immonens: Sex, Lies and Comic Books— Kathryn Immonen (Heralds) and Stuart Immonen (New Avengers) enter the ring with the peerless John Siuntres (wordballoon.com) to talk about working for Marvel, publishing with Top Shelf, and sleeping with the enemy. See new work unveiled! Bring your questions! Room 9

1:00-2:00 Spotlight on Michael Zulli— Artist and Comic-Con special guest Michael Zulli is best known for his work on Sandman with Neil Gaiman. Zulli talks about his career and what’s coming next, including his new book, The Fracture of the Universal Boy. Room 4

1:00-2:30 Comic-Con How-To Session: Whilce Portacio and Francis Manapul— Acclaimed artists Whilce Portacio (Uncanny X-Men, Image United) and Francis Manapul (The Flash, Adventure Comics, Superman/Batman) will demonstrate how to create and draw characters for comic books. Room 18

1:30-2:30 A Tribute to Ken Krueger— He was the “go-to guy” and the “adult in the room” when Comic-Con first started 41 years ago. Ken Krueger was a dynamo who helped launch the country’s largest comics and popular arts convention in 1970. Comic-Con friends and associates pay tribute to the life of this larger-than-life retailer, publisher, and fan in this special panel. Moderated by author Greg Bear (author, Quantico), and featuring fellow early Comic-Con committee members Scott Shaw! (Oddball Comics), Jim Valentino (Shadowhawk), J.M. Towry, Janice Campbell, and Wendy All. Room 3

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Jerry Robinson— One of the true legends of comics, Comic-Con special guest Jerry Robinson is a writer, artist, historian, curator and creator rights activist. Jerry discusses his 70 years in comics—from his contributions to the Batman mythos to the creation of the Joker and development of Robin, Alfred, Penguin, Scarecrow and Two-Face. Jerry is interviewed by Michael Uslan, the executive producer of the Batman movies, comics historian, and author of the upcoming Archie Marries… (Abrams). In their discussion, Robinson and Uslan will take the audience from behind the scenes of the Golden Age of comics to the filming of The Dark Knight and Jerry’s latest book projects.  Room 9

2:00-3:00 Graphic Novels: The Personal Touch— You know when you read it: that certain something that sticks out in a graphic novel. It’s the personal touch, a work that draws on the life of the creator or the people around him or her. Call the work autobiographical, call it reality—many times it results in truly personal and inspiring comics. Comics creator and journalist Shaenon Garrity (Narbonic, Skin Horse) talks to Comic-Con special guests Gabrielle Bell (Cecil & Jordan in New York), Howard Cruse (Stuck Rubber Baby), Vanessa Davis (Make Me a Woman), Larry Marder (Beanworld), Jillian Tamaki (Skim), and C. Tyler (You’ll Never Know Book 1: A Good and Decent Man) about their very personal work. Room 4

2:00-3:00 Spotlight on Stan Lee— Comics legend and Comic-Con special guest Stan Lee discusses some of his latest projects at POW! Entertainment and the future of comics and new media distribution, including challenges today’s writers and artists face. Join Stan and company, including Gill Champion (COO POW! Entertainment) for this special panel, which includes a Q&A with “The Man” himself. Room 6BCF

2:00-3:00 Peanuts Turns 60— On October 2, 1950 the Peanuts comic strip launched in seven American newspapers. Little did anyone know the impact this comic strip would have around the world for decades to come. Nearly 60 years later, Peanuts appears in over 2,200 newspapers, in 75 countries and 21 languages. The animated specials have become a seasonal tradition and thousands of consumer products are available in every country around the world. Moderator Jerry Beck (animation historian/cartoon producer/consulting producer to Warner Bros., Universal, and Disney), Comic-Con special guest Jeannie Schulz (widow of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz), Paige Braddock (creative director of Charles M. Schulz’s studio in Santa Rosa), Andy Beall (fix animation lead for Ratatouille, Wall-E, UP), Stephan Pastis (creator of Pearls Before Swine), and Marge Dean (general manager, W!ldbrain Animation Studios), present an in-depth foray into the work of Charles M. Schulz and what new things fans can look out for from Peanuts. Warner Premiere is joining the celebration with a sneak peek of something all new from Peanuts that fans won’t want to miss. Room 25ABC

2:00-3:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #8: Where Are the Action Chicks?— Katrina Hill (ActionFlickChick.com), Jill Pantozzi (MTV Splash Page), Adrianne Curry (America’s Next Top Model), Cindy Morgan (Tron), Luci Romberg (Zombieland), Jen Stuller (Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors), Gina Misiroglu (Encyclopedia of Women in Popular Culture), Marjorie Liu (Black Widow), and J. Michael Straczynski (Wonder Woman) discuss why comics, television, and movies do not depict more action heroines and look specifically at why movies starring traditional comic book superheroines are nearly nonexistent. Room 26AB

2:30-3:30 The Image Comics Show— Image Comics promises a slew of exclusive announcements about upcoming projects, updates about ongoing projects, and a Q&A session with some of Image’ best writers. Don’t miss your chance to find out about what Image is up to before anyone else does, get exclusive giveaways, and ask questions of your favorite creators! Panelists include Marc Guggenheim (Resurrection, Web of Spider-Man), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants), Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible), John Layman (Chew), Ben McCool (Choker, Memoir), and Nick Spencer (Existence, Morning Glories). Room 3

2:30-3:30 Spotlight on Steve Rude— Award-winning artist and Comic-Con special guest Steve Rude describes the high points of his career, including how he broke into comics; the various comics he’s worked on, including Nexus, World’s Finest, and Space Ghost; and the trials of working on them. Plus Steve gives his thoughts on today’s current comics and artists. A “big surprise” will also premiere at this panel. Room 9

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Émile Bravo— Eisner Award 2010 nominee — three nominations for My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill (Fanfare/Ponent Mon) — and Comic-Con special guest Émile Bravo makes an illustrated presentation: “Graphic Writing, Comics as Calligraphy,” with Michele Foschini (BAO Publishing, Italy) and Stephen Vrattos (Captain Gravity; www.heroesinmycloset.com), followed by a Q&A. Room 4

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Chris Claremont— Comic-Con special guest and world-renowned writer Chris Claremont talks about his career in this special Spotlight panel. Claremont’s incredible body of work, including his many years writing the X-Men and his newest collaborations with Tom Grummet (X-Men Forever) and fellow special guest Milo Manara (X-Women), are fan-favorites. Room 24ABC

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on the Adams Family: Neal, Jason, Joel, and Josh— Comic-Con special guests Neal, Jason, Joel, and Josh Adams make up one of the first families of comics. Neal started his career in the medium in the late 1950s and is famous for his depictions of Batman and numerous other characters. Sons Jason, Joel, and Josh have followed in their dad’s rather large footsteps to carve out careers of their own in sculpture, animation, and comics. Be a part of this first time ever “family reunion” as the Adams Family gets together at Comic-Con! Room 25ABC

3:00-4:00 Hi-Fi Color for Comics— Every month your favorite comic books must be colored before going to press, but just how are comic books colored? Learn about the creative art of comic book coloring from Hi-Fi’s Brian Miller (Legion of Superheroes) and Kristy Miller (Birds of Prey), as Brian demonstrates the step-by-step transformation of a comic book page from black and white to full color. Learn the basics of flatting, rendering, color holds, and special effects and top digital coloring tips. Q&A if time permits. Room 30CDE

3:00-4:00 Digital Comics and You— A panel of industry professionals ranging from creators to publishers to retailers to entertainment agents discuss the benefits and drawbacks of digital comics and ultimately how digital comics can and will affect you, now that the digital comics revolution has begun. Ben Templesmith (co-creator, Choker, Fell, 30 Days of Night), James Sime (retailer, Isotope: The Comic Book Lounge in San Francisco), Micah Baldwin (Graphic.ly), Scott Agostoni (entertainment agent, William Morris Endeavor), and more surprise guests will discuss, argue and hopefully hear what you think in this honest, no-holds-barred conversation moderated by Ron Richards (iFanboy). Room 32AB

3:30-4:30 Spotlight on Nicholas Gurewitch— Comic-Con special guest Nicholas Gurewitch is the Eisner and Harvey Award–winning cartoonist behind the hilarious online comic strip The Perry Bible Fellowship. Now being reprinted by Dark Horse, Gurewitch’s twisted strips are fan-favorites the world over. Hear what’s next from Gurewitch in this exclusive Spotlight panel. Room 5AB

3:30-4:30 Comics Design— How do pages of art become a book? Six designers — Mark Chiarello (DC Comics), Adam Grano (Fantagraphics), Chip Kidd (Random House), Fawn Lau (VIZ), Mark Siegel (First Second Books), and Keith Wood (Oni Press)—discuss what’s involved in the process of comics design, and the importance of design to a book’s critical and consumer reception. Moderated by Chris Butcher (The Beguiling). Room 26AB

4:00-5:00 Krazy Kat’s 100th Anniversary Celebration!— An exclusive multimedia show of unpublished strips, drawings, and paintings presented by Craig Yoe, author of Krazy + Ignatz in Tiger Tea (IDW) and the forthcoming Krazy Kat and The Art of George Herriman: A Celebration (Abrams ComicArts). The panel will explore a century of Krazy-ness, with Greg Goldstein (IDW), R. C. Harvey (The Art of the Funnies), Charles Kochman (Abrams ComicArts), and Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). Plus a thrilling bonus: a never-before-seen home movie of Krazy’s kreator, George Herriman! Room 4

4:00-5:00 The Center for Cartoon Studies— Comic-Con special guest James Sturm, known for his graphic novels such as The Golem’s Mighty Swing, is also the director of The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS), a school located in the historic downtown village of White River Junction, Vermont. The school offers a two-year course of study that centers on the creation and dissemination of comics, graphic novels, and other manifestations of the visual narrative. The faculty includes renowned comics artists such as Stephen Bissette and Jason Lutes. James will talk about the school and the books the students have produced. Room 7AB

4:00-5:00 Spotlight on Sean Philips— Comic-Con special guest, artist Sean Phillips (Criminal, Marvel Zombies) and moderator/artist Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy, Jay and Silent Bob) have known each other for over twenty years. Hear Duncan ask Sean questions that Duncan already probably knows the answers to! See lots of Sean’s art you haven’t seen before! (Unless you read his blog.)  Room 8
Categories:  Art and Illustration | Comic-Con Special Guest Spotlights & Appearances | Comics | Superheroes

4:00-5:00 Entertainment Weekly: Girls Who Kick Ass: A New Generation of Heroines— EW moderates this discussion with Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), Anna Torv (Fringe), Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass), Adrianne Palicki (Red Dawn and Friday Night Lights), and Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) about the next generation of female action heroes and the power and privilege of playing young women who are nobody’s arm candy. Moderated by Nicole Sperling. Ballroom 20

4:30-5:30 Indy Comics Writers Unite!— Another in our series of “Year of the Writer” events, this panel focuses on independent comics writers (and some writer/artists!). Moderator Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Irredeemable) talks to Van Jensen (Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer), Larry Marder (Beanworld), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, Echo) about the fine art of writing comics without capes (on the protagonists, not the writers themselves). Room 3

4:30-5:30 Archaia: Lucid— Lucid, the first comic book project from Archaia’s partnership with Before the Door, is finally here! Lucid creator and writer Michael McMillian (True Blood) and BTD partners Zachary Quinto (Star Trek, Heroes), Neal Dodson, and Corey Moosa share cool, behind-the-scenes info and other interesting tidbits about the making of the comic. Moderated by Archaia editor-in-chief Stephen Christy. Room 25ABC

5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Drew Struzan— See the premiere screening of excerpts from Drew: The Man Behind the Poster, a feature-length documentary film about the career of movie poster artist and Comic-Con special guest Drew Struzan, featuring exclusive interviews with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Q&A will include Struzan and filmmakers Erik Sharkey (director), Charles Ricciardi (producer), Greg Boas (editor and cinematographer), and Marc-Antoine Serou (cinematographer). Room 7AB

5:30-6:30 Vertigo: On the Edge— Find out what compelling tales comics’ edgiest imprint has in store for you in the months to come! Led by senior VP/executive editor Karen Berger, the all-star lineup of talent includes Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire), Gabriel Bá (Daytripper), Cliff Chiang (Neil Young’s Greendale), Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition), Joshua Dysart (Neil Young’s Greendale, Unknown Soldier), Peter Gross (The Unwritten), Matt Kindt (Revolver), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Peter Milligan (Greek Street, Hellblazer), Fabio Moon (Daytripper), Chris Roberson (iZombie), Scott Snyder (American Vampire), Matthew Sturges (Jack of Fables), Jill Thompson (Little Endless), Bill Willingham (Fables) and others. Room 6DE

5:30-6:30 Top Shelf 2010: Sweden, Japan, and so much more!— The crew at Top Shelf Productions celebrate their most international year yet, discussing their hit “Swedish Invasion” initiative, the acclaimed graphic novel The Playwright from British-Australian expats Eddie Campbell and Daren White, and their brand-new book of cutting-edge manga, Ax. They’ll dish all the digital details on the exciting new Top Shelf apps for iPhone and iPad! And they’ll show off exclusive sneak previews of upcoming books from Robert Venditti (The Surrogates), Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Marshal Law), Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots), Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Sweet Tooth), Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), and so much more! Plus Top Shelf’s hottest creators take your questions! Room 9

5:45-6:30 Branching Out: The National Comic Book Store Franchise— David Wheeler (Dragon’s Lair, TX and WA) talks about his emerging national franchise of comic book stores and the challenges and benefits of operating multiple locations, along with two-store owner Carr D’Angelo (Earth-2 Comics, Sherman Oaks and Northridge, CA). The panel is aimed at retailers who are interested in opening a second store and also at new entrepreneurs who are interested in joining a new national franchise. Room 12

6:30-7:30 The Future of Manga— When many people today think of “comics,” they think of webcomics and indy releases, but Japanese comics still seem like a distant world of print-based megapublishing and tattered copies of Shonen Jump. Think again. The manga world in Japan is changing due to competition from ebooks, cell phones and online comics, and the old manga magazines may not be the same for much longer. How are Japanese artists today publishing their works, and what will the manga of the future look like? A visual presentation by Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide). Room 3

7:30-8:30 Klingon Lifestyles: IKV Stranglehold— The latest mission of the Stranglehold finds the crew pitted against Starfleet in trying to posses a mysterious object that could mean the possible death of anyone. Can the return of Eeba and Merkin help or hinder this? All species are welcome to experience the ongoing voyage and adventure of life aboard a Klingon vessel. Room 6A

7:30-8:30 Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods— Get a first look at the upcoming feature-length documentary chronicling the life and work of one of comics’ greatest writers, Grant Morrison. Featuring extensive interviews with Morrison himself as well as key collaborators, the film takes you inside Morrison’s creative process and explores how his life and work have become inextricably intertwined. Moderated by FJ De Santo (producer, The Spirit), the panel features Patrick Meaney (director), Jordan Rennert (DP/producer), and a special guest! Room 9

8:30-11:30 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards— The 22nd annual Eisner Awards, the “Oscars” of the comics industry, will be given out at a gala ceremony at the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront. This year’s special theme is “Comics Fiesta.” The masters of ceremony are Bongo Comics’ Bill Morrison and voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Pinky and the Brain, Futurama). Presenters include writer/actor Thomas Robert and Ben Garant (Reno 911, Balls of Fury), cartoonist Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County), comedian/voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Family Guy, MadTV), comics writer James Robinson (Starman, Justice League of America), with many more to be announced. Other prestigious awards to be given out include the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award and the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award. Admission to the Eisners is free to all Comic-Con attendees — just be sure to bring your badge. Doors open for pro and VIP seating at 7:30 and for attendees at 8:15. All those who attend will receive a free Will Eisner graphic novel. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront