Boom! Studios first panel of Wondercon 2017 may not have been filled with ground shaking announcements, but what it lacked in fancy headlines it more than made up for with a dais of its most innovative creators currently making eye-opening comics. The group consisted of : Delilah S. Dawson (Ladycastle), president of publishing Filip Sablik, editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon, Sam Sykes (Brave Chef Briana), Simon Spurrier (Godshaper), Kurt Lustgarten and Kirsten Smith (Misfit City).
Writers from three of the four Boom! imprints began things by talking about how they got into comics and origins of their fandom. Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon grew up in a boring town and found Garfield comic strip collections as his introduction to the art form while Kirsten Smith, a writer coming from the world of screenwriting had a more recent revelation to comics through the Boom! hit Lumberjanes.
Top brass and moderator of the panel Filip Sablik gave an impassioned view of what comics as a medium should be before he showed off art and asked questions of his panel. The Boom! philosophy and one comics as a whole strive towards was summed up, “We think comics are for anyone, so we make comics for everyone.”
Simon Spurrier talked about Godshaper. He called the book, a world without technology about a central character who can’t own any wealth but shapes the lives of others accompanied by the only god without a believer. It’s an interesting pitch which we won’t have to wait too long as the book is set to release soon.
Delilah S Dawson talked about the unconventionalness of Ladycastle. A medieval story about damsels far from distress. Comparing one of her characters to Sarah Conner. The book has been raved about by many and in Dawson’s view a story that flips every trope from Disney to action movies on its ear.
The only exclusive note from the panel consisted of a look at David Peterson’s upcoming Mouse Guard Alphabet Book. It’s one of the first times David Peterson is having an artist illustrate one of comics most beloved creator-owned properties. The artist doing the honors, Serena Malyon, was not in attendance but Philip did show some of the art going into the book.
Boom! will have more panels throughout the weekend and we’ll share some sights from the floor later on today.
