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Woot! We’ve always enjoyed the adventures of ROB HANES when a new issue comes out.

Randy Reynaldo, writer-artist of the long-running independent small press title, Rob Hanes Adventures, will release issue 11 of the series at the the San Diego Comic-Con International. This year’s show coincidentally marks Randy’s 11th appearance at the show as an exhibitor.

You can meet Randy and pick up the issue at his WCG Comics table in BOOTH S14 in the Small Press Pavilion in the main exhibitor’s hall.

In the new issue, entitled “Rob Hanes and the Pirates,” Rob uncovers evidence of a sophisticated counterfeiting ring being run by a rogue “axis of evil” nation. After he is abducted and imprisoned inside the secluded regime, he finds that his only hope for escape resides in his unlikely alliance with a kidnapped Asian starlet, a disgruntled military officer, and an American defector from the Cold War era!

Launched in the early ’90s, Rob Hanes Adventures is one of the longest running independent titles still being published. Following the exploits of a modern-day soldier of fortune and spy for hire who works for worldwide Justice International, the series takes a serio-comic approach to put a modern-day spin on the classic high adventure strip serial, reinventing and making the genre fresh for modern audiences. Fans of classic comics like Terry and the Pirates or the new Spirit series will love Rob Hanes Adventures.

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[Photo above from los507.]

In about 2 hours 13 minutes and 14 seconds, any mention of last weekend’s New York Comic-Con will be thoroughly passé, as Free Comic Book Day, Iron Man and Stumptown fill the news bins, but in that tiny window I had to get this out of the way, esp. after Kiel Phegley got on my jock about my late con reports. We’ll try to tell this story via areas of the con, using field evidence, i.e. quotes from other blogs.

BIG BOX, BIG PICTURE

Dee Dupuy

BTW, the weather in NYC Thursday through Sunday was absolutely heart-piercingly beautiful. That spring smell on the breeze, daffodils blooming, cherry blossoms in drifts on the wind! The weather magic’ed up everything this trip– it made everything seem fresh and clean, and the people all eager and bubbly. Even a stinky old con hall crammed full of “classic collectors.”

Mike Gold:

Next year, the New York Comic Con will revert back to its February slot – and the first weekend in February at that. This simply sucks: walking towards the Hudson River to get to the Javis Center in winter weather is like dancing in the road show of Doctor Zhivago. Not that there’s a lot of choice: The Javits Center is what it is, and the NYCC deserves better. So does New York, a town that loves to think of itself as the greatest city in the world. If they actually mean it, they should build themselves a world-class convention center that could compete with the likes of Las Vegas and McCormick Place.

Augie De Blieck Jr.

The big talk of the convention on Sunday, though, was the schedule for next year. Someone checked the calendar and realized that it’s on the Super Bowl weekend. If the Giants make a repeat bid for a Super Bowl trophy, the con is going to take a big hit. If the Jets make it to the Super Bowl — wait, no, never mind. That’s not going to happen. What crappy timing for a convention. I guess that’s why they could get the convention center to themselves for the weekend.

So yeah, this year, despite competition from Passover, the timing couldn’t have been better. The first warm weekend of the year sent everyone’s endorphin level soaring, and it was hard to get worked up about anything. Life was good.

Next year? The show takes place not only in winter…but in the DEAD of winter.

It’s a time slot that eventually claimed Fred Greenberg’s old Great Eastern conventions. If they stick with it, eventually, there will be blizzard. I think at this point the show is enough of a name brand to survive some inclement weather — Toy Fair does it regularly,although it has a 100+ year reach advantage — but next year’s show will probably be all about bundling up and traversing the arctic tundras of the West side, and fighting through ice to get to the Irish Rogue before claiming a hot cup of grog and telling tales of the mighty ice-kraken as puddles of slush turn into steam beneath our booted feet. Adventure, lad, adventure!

While you could argue that this or that part of the comics world was not properly represented at the show, this was really the kind of mighty confluence of streams and tribes that only a big city could provide. I hope I will provide no offense to my movie studio pals by saying that the lessened presence of Hollywood types was a refreshing change that allowed source material to shine. There was at least one movie studio press party (for THE SPIRIT) but hardly anyone outside the junket crowd knew—or cared. There may have been others, for all I know, but they were distant rumors, not the stars of the show.

Thus, it was nice to be at a big comic book convention where seeing movie stars was not the main occupation. This show was about comics and cartoonists, and even some curmudgeons noticed. The timing was needle sharp: following Friday’s NY Times story, and a hundred like it in smaller rags, the idea that comics and cartoonists are purveyors of cutting edge culture is a given; it’s a new paradigm that the new less self-esteem challenged generations of cartoonists are taking as their birthright. Which isn’t to say that most cutting edge cartooners aren’t still struggling in La Boheme-like financial situations. But there’s a gold ring for just about everyone dangling out there somewhere.

Comparisons with San Diego are odious though inevitable, but I think moving forward NYCC will stick with a more bookish component, reflecting the New York publishers’ interest in graphic novels. As this little tidbit from Premiere reveals, the studios aren’t quite ready to dive into the deep end of the pool;

A few weeks ago, Fox publicists placed select calls to journalists, polling them to find out whether they thought it was worth David Duchovny’s time to fly to New York for the X-Files presentation at the Con. After all, it’s not San Diego. The final answer must have been no, since neither Duchovny nor his redheaded partner were anywhere in sight during Friday night’s panel. The only ones who did manage to make it were Chris Carter, series creator and the film’s director, and Frank Spotnitz, writer and producer.

The big problem with the show, for all the endorphin-fueled joy, is that it is very very very expensive to exhibit at. A table in Artist’s Alley, many folks told us, is as expensive as a small press booth in San Diego. While fans were surprisingly eager to open their wallets for just about all the exhbitors and small pressers, profits that would have been fab at a smaller show were barely break even at NYCC.

GET ALONG HOME, INDIE, INDIE

Yesterday’s comments from Josh Neufeld brought up the biggest controversy of the show: was it indie friendly or not? Certainly there were a lot of indie comics to be found. Wizard’s Indie Jones found a lot of goodies. Jillian Steinhauer at The Daily Cross Hatch had another view:

Once safely inside, after someone in a giant Uglydoll suit (accidentally) touched my ass, I made my way over to the Small Press and Artist’s Alley areas. Taken aback by all of the energy, noise, commercialism, and excitement of the place, I figured those smaller sections off in the back right corner of the center were where I belonged. As it turns out, the back right corner was something of a microcosm of the larger Con. The people ranged from famous to unknown, and the work from superheroes to inanimate objects come to life, artsy to completely commercial, and hard to resist buying to ‘I think I can safely leave that for someone else to purchase.’ Though I was slightly taken aback by the number of drawings or comics of female superheroes busting out of skimpy outfits, I found solace in a number of genuinely interesting artist or small press tables with exciting work on display.

That’s kind of the big picture. Indie comics and cartoonists of all kinds were on hand; First Second’s Gina Gagliano’s trips back to the office to get more books to sell became the stuff of legend. Admittedly, I didn’t have the most balanced view of the show; I never got to most of the small press or artist’s alley booths. Walking around the part of the show I saw the most of, there seemed to be a lot of those “mid-level” small press genre-oriented comics with CGI’d covers that I find sort of…unenthralling.

If convention organizers didn’t overly promote comics lit types on the guest list, there were none the less a ton of panels spotlighting indie creators and issues. Several people mentioned the small presences for Fantagraphics and Top Shelf, but those companies didn’t really go all-out with their promos for the show either. Yet with 64,000 people at the show compared to MoCCA’s several thousand, I think it’s safe to say that at least 50% of the people who go to MoCCA were at New York Comic-Con, and were wiling to shop. While I find the indie-bashing in the previous comment thread as moronic as Tom does, it’s not true that Star Wars and Final Crisis inevitably drive away indie fans. Quite a few of them seemed to find stuff they liked just fine.

But the reality is that shows like MoCCA, APE, SPX and this weekend’s eagerly awaited Stumptown are a separate economy. For small companies with limited budgets, the guaranteed fiscal impact of a small press show is always going to be more attractive than at an expensive show like NYCC. Overall, I think that all levels of the business were represented at the show, but the emphasis on big ticket spenders like Marvel. DC and video games is here to stay.

Conversely, while manga companies didn’t have a huge, huge presence at the show — many are saving their shekels for Anime Expo and September’s New York Anime Festival — it was, as previously noted, hard to miss the huge manga/anime influence on convention goers. Those hats with ears were everywhere, and while anime battles didn’t out duel the Jedi battles in the hall ways, it seemed to be a very common sight. We have met The New Mainstream, and it is from Japan.

WHAT IS A HEADLINE, ANYWAY?

[Photo by Tony Mark]

My panel on online news, with the top guys at CBR, Newsarama
, IGN’s comics site, Daily Cross Hatch and ComicMix and myself, went well, I thought, although many the surface was barely scratched on many topics . Rick Marshall concurred:

The big-site/small-site dynamic formed the basis for much of our “Choosing the News: The Changing Face of Online Journalism” conversation, as the unique opportunities and obstacles inherent to each environment played big roles in determining each panelist’s take on the issues. The specific topics, however, covered a wide variety of interesting subject matter, including viral marketing, contributor compensation and how to develop and differentiate your site’s identity. Our conversation could have gone on another two hours and I would not have minded it a bit. I’ve posted some images from the panel at the end of this article.

I was particularly happy just to get that mix of panelists in a room. As we all said, the news business has changed incredibly in five years — or even three. Coming out of the show, I was struck by just how hard it is to cover comics news any more. Some big stories — say, Grant Morrison doing three new books for Vertigo — are relegated to a line in a panel report, and finding out what the actual announcements are at a show now requires either a) sitting in panel after panel or b) reading endless reports on panels. As I think I said in some previous comments, the headlines on all the mini sites were all “The Dark Horse Panel” and not “Dark Horse to collect MySpace Comics.” And I’m not sure that’s all that effective for PR.

I don’t know whether this is really just my own problem as a blogger, or a larger problem, but given the micro-management by the PR departments at most comics companies these days, it’s surprising that they don’t steer the headlines more. This could be due to the micro-size of these departments given the macro demands on them, but in order for comics news to compete with posters of Angelina Jolie — admittedly a difficult task — I’d hope to see what the actual stories are made clearer in the future. But like I said, maybe that’s just my own hang-up.

And yes, it is absolutely impossible to cover a show single-handed any more. A team of less than 10 is just inadequate.

SUNNY DAY, SWEEPIN’ THE CLOUDS AWAY

I expect that the feel good energy from this con will continue to spill out for the next few days, but I’ll try to weave my future observations into the evolving narrative of How Comics Took Over The World. This was, above all, one of the most fun cons I’ve been to in a long long time. Part of it was the great weather and the excitement of having a home town show. But it was just a lot of fun overall. I didn’t get to see half the people I should have, but I did a few good deeds that made me feel I was pulling my weight, like helping one company PR person with a last minute computer disaster, steering people to the right panels, making introductions, and so on. I was happy to have substantial conversations and not just convention drive-bys with Craig Yoe, Whitney Matheson, Jim Valentino, Ross Richie and Paul Levitz, and any time you get to do that, it’s good. I was happy to have drive-bys with a lot of other people, and got to say hello most of the time without feeling hopelessly stressed.

And, in the classic sense, it was a place to see old friends. It was great to see my homegirl Zena again. The hang outs at the various bars around the con were great, especially with the influx of foriegn pals like Esad Ribic, David Lloyd, Jamie McKelvie, Matteo Casali, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and many more. I finally got to hang out with Tony Lee, and find out what a swell gent he is. And so on.

I know there are a lot of people I should thank, but you know who you are, and I really want to thank EVERYONE. I love this crazy business, and the last weekend was a big reminder why. That’s the biggest story of all.

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Were indies and lit comics squeezed out of New York Comic-Con? Josh Neufeld says yes. Discuss.

I hate to be a hater, BUT I THOUGHT THE NEW YORK COMIC-CON SUCKED! I’ve written approvingly of the con in the past, but it’s been steadily going downhill, and this past weekend was its nadir. When they started the show in 2006, they made a concerted effort to attract alternative and “literary” publishers and cartoonists, which they balanced with an understandably mostly mainstream vibe, and I appreciated the influx of potential new readers.

But then last year, the show began seriously tilting toward the same superhero/manga/gaming/merchandising thrust of the other mega-cons like San Diego and Chicago; and this year, it was full-bore. In 2007, although it was a bit of a pain squeezing through the crowds, I was still able to see friends and compatriots like Chris Staros of Top Shelf, Sheila Keenan at Scholastic, Mark Siegel at First Second, and the like; this year, I couldn’t find any of them. (I know, I know, Sheila is no longer with Scholastic, but you get the point.) Granted, I showed up with Phoebe at about 1 pm on Saturday, which was probably the craziest time, but it was a madhouse, a zoo, a freak show, a … you get the drift. I can’t say enough how unpleasant it is to be jostled, squeezed, and b.o.-bombarded by hordes of Star Wars stormtroopers, flabby people in superhero suits, and wannabe Suicide Girls!

I saw a small Fantagraphics table, but absolutely no other representatives of — or cartoonists from — the alternative industry. Even the Vertigo booth (they were kind enough to provide me a free pass due to my work on American Splendor) was so packed and chaotic, that I didn’t dare venture in there to say hi to editors Jonathan Vankin and Mark Doyle. (I did spot dangoldman, signing copies of Shooting War, and briefly spoke to man_size before he did a panel, but that was really it in terms of folks I knew.) I guess after last year, there was a general consensus by folks with non-mainstream agendas to skip this show. I wish I had gotten the memo!

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Special Beat Correspondent Steve Bunche went to the closely-watched “Women Who Kick Ass” panel and explains what happened:

Is there any more tired panel that gets regularly dusted off at comics conventions than the totally-beside-the-point “women in comics” forum? When it comes to creating comics, and most other things for that matter, gender is irrelevant and the main factor to consider is the validity of the creator’s vision and intent rather than whether or not the talent possesses twig & berries or “the Holiest of Holies,” as Pulp Fiction’s Jules would put it. Honestly, I’ve long thought the only way to kick start some life into that moribund mainstay would be if I were to put on a taffeta ball gown, pad my bra a little — believe me, it wouldn’t take much — and haul my high-yellow tuchas onto the podium and began to rail on about how Stan Lee was an unsung feminist whose unknowing depiction of females was actually a subtle call for empowerment. Of course that’s complete and utter horse hockey, but then again so was the “Girls Who Kick Ass” panel at the Javits Center’s New York Comicon.

Billed as a sounding board for women in the funny books biz, the panel garnered a bit of controversy for its placement of former adult film star Jenna Jameson among the likes of Colleen Doran, Louise Simonson, and Amanda Conner. Jameson, a funny and intelligent speaker, is quite lively in her own right, but her presence was guaranteed to detract from the other panelists and attract a legion of devotees of “one-handed” cinema, many of whom couldn’t have cared less about the creative process of comics and paid their admission fee in hopes of worshipping at Jameson’s tenderloin flick altar. I have absolutely no problem with Jameson’s porn past, in fact I’m a staunch advocate of such fare, but the inherent sensationalism that comes with her simply doesn’t jibe with a panel aimed at women being taken seriously in the medium. No matter how sincere her intentions may be, the vast majority will most likely not be able to embrace Jameson in any real capacity as a creator and see her as anything other than a “tainted” woman who splayed her naughty bits on camera for the, er, amusement of folks living in a hypocritically anti-sexuality culture. Just ask Traci Lords.

Scheduled to start at 7PM, the panel didn’t get underway until nearly a half hour later for no adequately explained reason. While not packed, the hall was dense with fans of Jameson’s video output, curiosity-seekers, and about twenty or so comics enthusiasts who actually showed up to hear what the panelists had to say, and as the minutes dragged on past the announced start time their was a palpable anticipation permeating the atmosphere. Would the discussion be a train wreck of epic proportions, or would the panelists rock the audience’s collective world with gems of unforeseen profundity? Sadly, the event turned out to offer neither thanks to Simonson and Doran bailing for unknown reasons, leaving Amanda Conner as the sole voice of comics biz legitimacy at the mercy of an audience that for the most part didn’t care about what she may have had to say and the three would-be humorous handlers, presumably connected to Jameson, who were annoying in that “God damn it, I want to punch you until you scream” way popularized by that towering douchebag Ryan Seacrest.

When Jameson finally showed up, dozens of camera-wielding arms thrust up, bringing to mind a more desperate analog to the paparazzi that trail Paris Hilton. When the horn dog contingent got over its photographic priapism Jameson and Conner took their places at the dais and waited while the would-be Seacrests thrilled the audience with a clip from Jameson’s new movie, Zombie Strippers, a film that looked like exactly what one would expect from a film with such a trite title. Thankfully, the clip was over quickly and the panel proper got started. Jameson played to the crowd, attempting to win them over with her professed confusion over the status of the term “fanboy” as a pejorative. There to shill both Zombie Strippers and the comic book that she supposedly created — Shadow Hunter, a book that looked to me like yet another entry from the school of Witchblade knockoffs — Jameson displayed far more passion for and knowledge of horror movies than she did for comics, quite obviously betraying an ignorance of the medium and allowing Conner to field most of the questions relating to the stuff that the real fans and creators would know and understand. When describing her collaboration with Shadow Hunter’s scripter, Witchblade co-creator Christina Z, it was apparent to many in the audience that Jameson most likely had never even spoken to the writer, at which point what little credibility Jameson had built up with the comics cognoscenti present rocketed down the proverbial bowl. Swiftly attempting to regroup, Jameson then elaborated about the political undertones found in Zombie Strippers, declaring her role in the movie was great because she got to “eat a man’s penis off.”

As you can no doubt judge from that off the cuff remark, there was little prudery involved in the discussion — although the Seacrest brigade did caution the audience to keep things somewhat clean — but the real shame of the event was that Conner has a fabulously smart, ribald and downright prurient sense of humor that could more than easily have matched Jameson’s japery note for note, but the majority of the crowd was there for Jenna and they would have willingly sat there with rapt attention while she read aloud the label on a box of Ex-Lax. Conner’s efforts were valiant, but, for all intents and purposes, for what may have been the first time in her life, Amanda was the smart, talented, and funny wallflower in the eyes of a room full of wolves sniffing around the dance’s popular “hot” girl in a futile omega mating display.

When the event finally ended, it was as though a silent voice had said, “And now…GO!” at which point the dais was swarmed by joystickers with their cameras at the ready, each seeking a shot of or with Jameson. I went up and sat next to Amanda and chatted with her as the scene began to resemble the famous POV shot from the original Night of the Living Dead in which the grasping arms of hungry zombies jutted through the heroes’ makeshift barricade of pitiful two-by-fours. Realizing I would probably have to wait for at least an hour to get a shot of Amanda and Jameson together, I asked Conner to tap Jameson for a quick snap of the two of them, after which I left the hall to go get smashed with the crew headed down to Garth Ennis’ local.

So did this forum contribute anything to increasing the awareness and credibility of females in the comics biz? Despite Amanda’s best efforts, I have to answer that question with an unequivocal “no,” and I have to say the whole thing would have worked a hell of a lot better by catering to Jameson’s fan base and not attempting to get the comics fans into the dubious mix. I’m a fan both of adult film industry women who are comfortable with and in full charge of their sexuality (retired or otherwise) and comics as an art form, but in this particular instance the attempted meeting of those two worlds amounted to naught but something that could have been launched via a late night infomercial, leaving the actual comics professional out of the equation altogether.

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You must see high quality photo streams by

Kevin Church — above Bully!

And Seth Kushner in a new series he calls “Fandom.”

Some more: Marion Vitus with some great photos including the above that shows that the range of diversity in hair color on display from Women in Comics is greater than ever before!

Dave and Raina.

Finally, our favorite costume of the show, Yorick and Ampersand from Issue #2 of Y THE LAST MAN. Photo by Steve Bunche.

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[Photo by John Nee]

Don’t laugh: it was magical.

NYCC was magical. A lot of it had to do with the weather, which was completely utterly magical. A full moon, dry crisp air, flowers in bloom. Sparkling lights, a bracing breeze that promised adventure. Sunlight that promised laughter. Yesterday morning as I walked to catch a cab, apple blossoms were falling down like a warm, spring snow…it’s a magical time of year in New York City, and New York Comic-Con managed to ride the crest of the wave.

We’re working on our own wrap-up report, and catching up on 3,492 blog postings about the show. For now some of the most astute observations from other observers.

Valerie really nails the big movement in youth culture now.

If the big theme of San Diego Comic Con last year was regarding its “Hollywoodification,” this year it must have been its heavy Japanese/youth culture influence.
The biggest thing that struck me about this convention was the heavy manga/Japanese culture presence, and how successful it was. I remember seeing this gigantic line bisect the convention floor, and wondering who everybody was waiting for. Neil Gaiman? Jim Lee? Ron Perlman?

No, they were waiting for Japanese pop singer T.M. Revolution. A good portion of those in line were Japanese, but certainly not all.

This DESPITE there not even being a particularly big manga presence at the show. TPop, CMX and Yen were there, but Viz had only a lounge on the floor — although plenty of big announcements and movie screenings. No matter — there were cosplayers EVERYWHERE, and the Japanese influence is bigger and wider than it has ever been. This is the mainstream.

But there were other voices as well, Chris Mautner of Blog@ reports:

I did notice a large percentage of what I would term the “Old School” or “Classic Collector” fan at the show. These were the people (usually middle aged or older, though not always) eager to have get a few words with Mort Walker or Jim Sterenko, or stop by the Classic Comics Pressbooth and gush about how much they love Leonard Starr and not so much concerned about the Secret Invasion blah de blah. There was apparently a long line for Mark Evanier’s signing of his new Kirby book, for example. Oh, by the way, Classic Comics Press is planning on publishing the daily run of Roy Crane’s Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy, which is awesome news.

Tom Spurgeon makes a mockery of my own scrambled mental state with no less then 50 cogent observations on the show. I find Tom’s thought particular interesting since he has (rightly) been skeptical of some of the support for the show despite the disasters that befell the first year. His report is mostly positive, but it didn’t have to be. This show was relatively big disaster free although there were plenty of small ones.

Indeed, the show as a gestalt seemed to overwhelm the components. I’m not entirely sure what the big story of the con was, or even the big announcements. The news headlines on the mini sites announce panels, not what was said on the panels. If there was one big log-line for the show — and I heard this from ALL levels of the industry — it’s that comics themselves were the draw. The movie stuff was important but it didn’t overwhelm the rest of the show. I heard scattered accounts of what did well and what didn’t — a lot of people made money BUT booth costs were very high. But there were crowds, and fans and buyers and costumes for ALL kinds of material.

After my side trip to Bucks County, PA on Saturday I arrived back at Penn Station around 7:30 just as the show had let out. The train station was full of people wearing con badges, wearing costumes. As we went out on the street there were even more con related people. The Tick Tock diner was chock full of people from the show.

For the first time ever in New York, you got some of that San Diego feeling where the con takes over the town and you can run into anyone on the street. Obviously, New York is bigger than any convention, bigger than any concert, bigger than the Pope, bigger than dirt, really. But this show did a good job of ranging from the Lower East Side to Midtown to Hell’s Kitchen. It really was a New York show. And it was about comics, first and foremost.

I’ll leave you for now with this shot of JG Jones and Grant Morrison, surely the best dressed big comics event creative team.

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Show runner Lance Fensterman blogs:

At least 64,000 people attended New York Comic Con this weekend. We have more details to pour through from retailers and on site tickets sales, but as of tonight we know that at least 64,000 attendees were in the building over the weekend. That’s an intense jump from 49,000 last year and it seems to say this crazy little party we call New York Comic Con continues to grow as fast as a speeding bullet.

Stay tuned for final numbers in the next few days.

Fensterman is also interviewed at ICv2:

We tried to build in common space near the back of the exhibit hall that gave you a little bit of breathing room. At one point I was watching with Public Safety, because I wanted them to be involved in the process, and we all felt pretty good. We put a 20 foot aisle down the middle, which helped. But then at the busy intersections around some of the major booths, it was very tight, but when you looked at the floor as a whole, and you looked around those edges and in those common space, you could see carpet, and that’s the most important thing.

I didn’t hear too many issues of overcrowding. Exhibitors want it to be very busy but not so busy they lose control, and no-one gave me feedback that they felt that way, so I was very pleased with the traffic.

Fensterman doesn’t really address the panel room mess, but that was a sidelight to the overall success of the con.

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We spent Saturday sitting on a sunny river bank watching loons dive and skim over the surface of the Delaware River.

Meanwhile tens of thousands of comic fans were sitting on a sunny glass-enlosed river bank watching loons of another sort duck and dive. (Photo via ComicMix.)

We weren’t there, but apparently yesterday at the show was mad crazy, packed and busy as hell. There were, however, crowd control issues — the hall leading to the panels had to be shut down — and snafus — presentations in the IGN Theater ran an hour late.

But what we got from all the people we talked to last night was that it was an upbeat show, propelled by a love for COMICS. In addition the party scene was hopping last night. Image, Dark Horse, Yen Press and Marvel all had bashes, and most were packed, although the Dark Horse party had a last minute change of venue and wasn’t as crowded as the other two. Nonetheless, by 11:30 just about all the people we wanted to see were there, from Scott and Ivy McCloud to retailer Chris Powell. Everyone was in a good mood, and while no event can really take over a metropolis like New York City, comics had made a good start.

The big question; did exhibitors make money? New York booth prices are very, very expensive, and all the good will in the world won’t keep publishers and artists coming back if they lose money.

We’ll be on the floor today to find out the answer.

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§ Venture Brothers Season Three Preview soon to be removed by the PTB, for sure.

§ New SPIRIT trailer!

§ Marvel announced Monkey thing.

§ Brian Heater interviews Douglas Rushkoff and Scott McCloud and has a podcast of their panel

§ Wilson Tortosa will draw the Wolverine manga for Del Rey.

§ Tokyopop’s new line of color manga.

§ Joan Hilty returns to Vertigo, new graphic novel initiative launches.

§ Ender’s Game at Marvel.

§ Steve Gerber’s ashes come to panel

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Well, with New York Comic-Con it’s always something. As far as we know, everyone got into the SHOW on Saturday, but gridlock erupted somewhere else.

Friday night we wrote:

Panels were all well attended — there was a HUGE line to get into the Neil Gaiman speech, while an equally huge crowd was filing out from a Marvel panel. In fact the corridor outside the panel rooms was the most consistently jammed part of the show, which people filing in and out past clumps of folks meeting and greeting.

Saturday this area had to be shut down:

Between 4 and 5 p.m., the Venture Bros. were in one panel room, while Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia was in another. At 5 p.m., a Robot Chicken panel featured Seth Green, while other panel rooms previewed various movies that crowds wanted to see. Cup O’ Joe started at 5:30, and other premiers and Hollywood presentations soon followed.

“We had to cut everyone off and let them in a little at a time. We had to. It was just wall-to-wall people. Basically, we had to make sure the people are safe,” Bouchahine said. No Fire Marshall came, as far as Bouchanie knew, but the staff themselves made the decision to stop the crowds.

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Occasional Superheroine: New York Comic Con, Part One
Occasional Superheroine Photos
ComicMix Photos 1.0
ComicMix Photos 1.1

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(Above photo taken during the trade only part of theshow…it got WAY more crowed very soon.)

Well, we’re just about all paneled out after today. Our day started at 11 am with the “mid sized publishers” panel. Brave Eric Lieb (our boss at Fox Atomic) and heroic James Lucas Jones from ONi made it to the panel, and since both are loquacious gents, they just took the ball and ran with it. The conversation perhaps veered too far into the comics-to-Hollywood connection, there was much interesting talk on screenwriters moving into comics, the continued viability of the pamphlet, and Scott Pigrim. Asked what trends he saw, Jones mentioned that “post apocalyptic stories are the new zombies” in terms of the submissions he sees.

(Photo by Jody Culkin.)

After an hour spent taping a video for future broadcast on the Publishers Weekly channel, along with plucky Laura Hudson, and a brief episode of losing our cel phone, we were back downstairs for the McCloud/Rushkoff summit. Honestly, this could have gone on much longer; it was lively, thought provoking stuff. (We hear someone recorded it for later podcast.) The two talked about not only comics as a medium but the strengths and failings of the internet. Rushkoff mentioned that “comics are the pill Hollywood should not swallow,” claiming that their guerilla energy is too much for the media machine to digest. He also pointed out that back in 1984-1994 when he first got on the internet he felt energized and part of a community after going online; now after a few hours he just feels exhausted.

Which is exactly how we felt at the subsequent “online comics journalism panel” which included all-stars Matt Brady, Johan Wieland, Brien Heater, Rick Marshall and Richard George of IGN. We don’t know if this was as interesting for the audience as it was for the panelists but it was another lively, frank discussion of reporting the news and the constraints therein. Brady mentioned that it is very difficult to get loose from the constraints of major media companies who want their news packaged exactly the same from everyone; protests are met with the reaction “You’re the only one who is complaining” — a statement which may not even be true. The importance of blogs was also mentioned, and a strange viral marketing letter from DC which everyone has received was also dissected. Reportedly the payoff is at the show, in which case irt should have been sent out this week.

We had a two hour panel break and wandered the floor, greeting people and seeing the sights. At one point someone asked “Do you want to meet Milo Ventimiglia?” to which we could only say…no. We’re sure Mr. Ventimiglia is a wonderful fellow, but it just wasn’t the proper moment. We did however spot Larry Hama at the Devil’s Due booth and blabbed with him for a while. He mentioned that while he was on staff at Marvel he could never get a job writing comics there; it took Louise Simonson at another company to give him a writing job. He was then given GI JOE to write, but only as an afterthought. “It’s okay though,” he said. “I got to have a great life,” he added, referring to his exploits in music, acting, comics and raising a family. Once again, Larry Hama shows today’s comics crossover people how it’s done!

After the schmooze hour it was off to the “Women in Comics” panel with Abby Denson, Gail Simone, Becky Cloonan, Karen Green, Shelly Bond and Jen Gruenwald. While we didn’t like the “Comics c. 1987″ title, this was an awesome panel with awesome people on it, and we were proud to be speaking with them.

BTW, an aside about Jen Gruenwald. It was brought to our attention that one of the reasons she is widely suspected of being rogue blogger Marvel Boy is that the supposed Marvel traitor mentioned that “Jen Guenwald is the cutest girl in comics,” to which we can just say…Jen would not say that but someone else would! Come on now, people.

By then it was time to hit the cocktail hour. We ended up at a nearby watering hole where all the Brits and freelancers who didn’t go to the DC Party at the Empire State Building were hanging out. It was loud and boistrous…like the show.

News? You want news? Nothing earth shattering hit our ears, but THIS from Chris Butcher may be the big big news leak:

The con was really interesting today. I had a good conversation with Marc Weidenbaum, editor of Shonen Jump and Shoujo Beat. Viz has just started a new original content line, graphic novels etc. More to come on this. Don’t send pitches, just approach him with printed work.

Viz’s formidable marketing and publishing chops behind original materials could be VERY interesting.

Overall…the place is jammed. Panels were all well attended — there was a HUGE line to get into the Neil Gaiman speech, while an equally huge crowd was filing out from a Marvel panel. In fact the corridor outside the panel rooms was the most consistently jammed part of the show, which people filing in and out past clumps of folks meeting and greeting.

Oh here’s our weird photo of the day: while Bryan Hitch signed, Orson Scott Card read Jane Austen. Go figure.

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Live blogging from the PW booth #1164. Event coordinater Ada Price just wandered back into the booth and murmured “It has started.” The general public was let in about 30 minutes ago and the floors are crowded — not TOO crowded, mind, but crowded. “Bigger space, more costumes,” PWCW writer Trevor Soponis muttered. Indiana Jones, Dragonball Z, stormtroopers, sand people, Storm, Jack Sparrow Lara Croft and a Nazi have all been spotted.

This show is big. Much bigger than last year with book publishers, toy manufacturers, video games, movie companies and all the various comics publishers thrown together in either a tasty gumbo or mind-frying miasma, depending on your viewpoint.

Our panels this morning went off well. The McCloud/Rushkoff panel was packed — thanks! Everyone showed up for the journalism panel, and a lively discussion ensued on viral marketing, objective journalism and whether you whouldread your comments section or not.

Big ups to Roger Bilheim of Reed and his staff for all their help.

We’ll be back with more from the floor when the coast is clear.

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Just as a reminder although its listed on the website as being tomorrow, this is actually being held today:

Friday 1:00 PM Room 1E16
Scott McCloud and Doug Rushkoff
Join Scott McCloud and Douglas Rushkoff for an hour of debate, theory and commentary on the state of the inudstry. The panel will be moderated by NYU’s Marianne R. Petit.

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The Beat is going to be tied up most of the day but we’ll update when we can with the latest news. In the meantime both Newsarama and CBR have spiffy new mini-sites to update the show. Live blogging cons? Hey where did THAT idea come from? Anyway, keep checking back!

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Superstar Jeff Kinney appear Sunday only at the Abrams booth, while Kyle Baker, Mark Evanier and legenadry Joe Simon appear throughout the weekend.

Harry N. Abrams, Inc., is excited to announce their participation in New York Comic Con 2008. This year marks Abrams’ third year holding court at New York Comic Con, having hosted a booth each year since the New York Con launched in 2006. In addition to hosting their own booth (#1825) devoted to the HNA imprints Abrams, Abrams Image, and Amulet Books, a number of the publisher’s authors will be participating in panels and signings. Wimpy Kid (#1 New York Times children’s bestseller) author Jeff Kinney, revered comic artist Kyle Baker (Nat Turner), and Mark Evanier (author of the landmark biography Kirby: King of Comics) and comics legend Joe Simon are among the authors scheduled. (See schedule of events below).

Harry N. Abrams publishes innovative works in the areas of comics, graffiti, fantasy and science fiction, and film. Their Spring 2008 list includes the immensely successful Kirby: King of Comics; the stunning graphic novel M by Jon J Muth; Kyle Baker’s highly anticipated graphic novel Nat Turner (in both paperback and hardcover); Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels by David A. Beronä; Erotic Comics by Tim Pilcher; Graffiti Paris by Fabienne Grevy; The Animation Bible by Maureen Furniss; Child’s Play: The Berenstain Baby Boom by Mike Berenstain; and Wacky Packages by the Topps Company (which includes an introduction by Art Spiegelman). Says Senior Editor Charles Kochman, “There really is something for everyone on this list—books for all ages and for all tastes—each title unique and crafted in the classic Abrams tradition that readers have come to expect from us.”

Since the company’s inception in 1949, Harry N. Abrams has identified and celebrated contemporary and groundbreaking art, championing burgeoning creative forms and presenting them to the public in high quality, beautifully produced, and authoritatively written illustrated books.

In 1973, Harry N. Abrams published The Art of Walt Disney, clearly defining animation as fine art and presenting it to the public and media in that light. The book was a success, with 50,000 copies printed in its first year of publication. Since then Abrams and its imprints have been responsible for many books on comics art, championing the genre in the world of fine art with titles such as Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman by Patrick McDonnell, and Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades by Les Daniels.

Harry N. Abrams New York Comic Con 2008 Events Schedule

Friday, April 18
1:00―3:00 PM: Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules signing at Books of Wonder, 18 West 18th St., New York, NY. 212-989-3270
1:00–2:00 PM: Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics, signing at Abrams booth (#1825)
2:30–3:30 PM: Kyle Baker, author of Nat Turner, signing at Abrams booth (#1825)
5:00–6:00 PM: Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics, moderates panel “The State of Animation” in room 1E16
7:00―9:00 PM: Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics, signing at Jim Hanley’s Universe, 4 West 33rd St., New York, NY. 212-268-7088

Saturday, April 19
11:00 AM–12:00 PM: Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics, moderates panel “Steve Gerber Memorial” in room 1E16
12:00 noon–12:30 PM: David Beronä, author of Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels, signing at Abrams booth (#1825)
1:00–2:00 PM: Joe Simon joins Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics, for a special signing at Abrams booth (#1825)
2:30–3:15 PM: Mike Berenstain, author of Child’s Play, signing at Abrams booth (#1825)
3:15–4:00 PM: Mark Chiarello (artist) & Jack Morelli (author)… Heroes of the Negro Leagues, signing at Abrams booth (#1825)

Sunday, April 20
10:00 AM–11:00 AM: Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules signing at Abrams booth (#1825)
11:30–12:00 PM: Jeff Kinney participating in Comic Con Workshop as part of Kids Day, at Kids Stage on the main floor of NYCC
12:00 noon–1:00 PM: Author Mark Evanier hosts panel on Kirby: King of Comics in room 1E10-1E11
1:00–2:00 PM: Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: King of Comics signing at Abrams booth (#1825)

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From Garth Ennis to Jeffrey Brown, the Midtown Comics Booth is presenting it’s own little mini-convention wth a wide array of guests. The complete signing schedule can be found at the Midtown website.:

Midtown Comics, a leading comics retailer, will be hosting top comic creators for autographing sessions at New York Comic-Con as well as selling exclusive merchandise, including:

• Secret Invasion #1 Exclusive NYCC Midtown Comics 2008 Leinil Francis Yu Variant Cover
• Flash Gordon #0 NYCC 2008 Edition
• X-O Manowar Birth HC Midtown Comics Premier Exclusive

Special guests include Garth Ennis, signing his groundbreaking work, The Boys, by special arrangement with Dynamite Entertainment, and best-selling authors Terry Brooks (Dark Wraith of Shannara) and Peter David (X-Factor, Hulk).

Additionally, Midtown will host well-known creators Murphy Anderson (Captain Action), Jim Butcher (Dresden Files), J.G. Jones (Wanted, Final Crisis), Greg Pak (World War Hulk, Incredible Hercules), and Walter Simonson (World Of Warcraft, Thor).

Flash Gordon #0 creators Brendan Deneen and Paul Green will be on hand to sign their Midtown exclusive book, along with artist Sean Chen (Nova), who provided a brand new cover to the X-O Manowar: Birth HC.

Other guests include Mahmud A. Asrar (Dynamo 5), Jeffrey Brown (Little Things, Clumsy), Yildiray Cinar (Noble Causes), Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards), Sam Enthoven (Tim, Defender Of The Earth), Jay Faerber (Dynamo 5, Noble Causes), Peter Fernandez (voice of Speed Racer), Kazu Kibuishi (Flight, Amulet), Ariel Schrag (Awkward & Definition), Mark Sparacio (Captain Action), plus a special surprise guest from the Flight anthologies. Full schedule is available online at www.midtowncomics.com

“We’re creating a show-within-the-show,” said Gerry Gladston, co-owner and CMO of Midtown Comics. “We want to be a place where fans can meet their favorite creators, buy their works and have them autographed on the spot.”

Midtown Comics, having opened its first store in 1997, has grown to be the leading comic book retailer in the U.S., selling online as well as at two landmark NYC locations, Times Square and Grand Central. Midtown is committed to providing great service at reasonable prices, and making the shopping experience as much fun as reading and collecting.

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Steranko, Carmine Infantino, Frank Brunner, Rich Buckler, KErry Gammill and Basil Gogos will be appearing at the Vanguard booth, along with J. David Spurlock. If you’ve never met one of these pioneers, you really should.

Vanguard Productions is the world’s leading producer of quality art book biographies on illustrators and cartoonists. This year’s New York Comic-Con has worked closely with Vanguard to present a history making line up of talent as Featured Guests.
See these stars and more at Vanguard booth 1857.
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Steranko: Illustrator, musician, escape artist, filmmaker, and publisher…as artist-writer on Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D., CAPTAIN AMERICA, and X-MEN revolutionized the comics form; painted 30 SHADOW paperbacks; his work has been exhibited in more than 200 exhibitions worldwide, including the Louvre in Paris and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington; he has collaborated with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Francis Ford Coppola on some of their most popular movies; cited by Michael Chabon as an inspiration for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and, by WIZARD as one of the Top Five Most Influential Comic-book Artists of All Time.
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Carmine Infantino: Legendary Flash, Batgirl, Poison Ivy and Deadman creator, with 3 US Postage Stamps to his credit, will always be remembered as the personification of DC Comics¹ Silver Age. As Publisher and President of DC, he launched the socially-relevant Adams-O¹Neil GREEN LANTERN-GREEN ARROW series, Jack Kirby¹s FOURTH WORLD saga, the revival of SHAZAM, pay raises, royalties, DC-Marvel crossover books including SUPERMAN vs. SPIDER-MAN (for which he designed the cover) and the return of original art. Infantino’s film and TV credits include SUPERMAN film I & II, SUPER-FRIENDS, ISIS & SHAZAM. COMICS BUYERS GUIDE’s Millennium poll ranked Infantino and Jack Kirby the two greatest comic-book artists of all time.
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Basil Gogos: The World’s most famous monster artist and legendary cover
artist of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, movie posters and CD covers.
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Kerry Gammill: Power Man & Iron Fists, Indiana Jones,
X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman and Hollywood designer.
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J. David Spurlock : This acclaimed author, artist, editor, creator of the Space Cowboy, and champion for creator rights, served as President of the Dallas Society of Illustrators and founded the Wally Wood Scholarship Fund. Current projects include books with Joe Kubert, and Frank Frazetta.
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FRANK BRUNNER: Classic Dr. Strange, Red Sonja, Howard The Duck, Conan, Man-Thing, and Elric artist, Frank Brunner will be sketching and signing his acclaimed new art-book, MYTHOS: Fantasy Art Realms of Frank Brunner, at the Vanguard booth (1857).
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Rich Buckler: Has had a significant career in comics for decades with major runs on
many DC and Marvel titles and his cyborg creation, Deathlok. His inclusion in both the DC
and Marvel the US Postage Stamp sets is a worthy accolade for his long career.
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Other legendary Vanguard related guests include Neal Adams and Joe Kubert,
Arthur Suydam and Michael Golden.

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Multiple Eagle Award nominee AAM/Markosia will be at booth 1756 for New York Comic Con April 18 - 20. The publisher of acclaimed titles such as Starship Troopers, Kong: King of Skull Island and The Boy Who Made Silence will be featuring many top notch creator signings and a $5 sale on selected trade paperbacks. In addition, every trade paperback purchase at the table will entitle the buyer to three free comics!

Publisher Harry Markos says “We’re delighted to be back in New York again for our third year, and very excited with what we have going on this time around. We’ve been here so many times now it’s become our second home! We have some great offers this year, with anyone purchasing a trade paperbacks also receiving three free comics from our back catalog. To sum it up, you can buy up to $28 worth of books for just $5! We are also offering a 20% discount on some of our newer trades and comics, so there’s plenty of quality bargains to be had for everyone. We’re looking forward to catching up with creators and friends alike, so pop by and say hello!”

Featured creators include Eagle Award nominees Tony Lee and Thomas Mauer, Joshua Hagler and Scott Larson, who will all be signing at booth 1756 throughout the weekend.

Founded in 2005, AAM/Markosia is one of the leading independent publishers in the market today. 2008 promises to be a banner year, as AAM/Markosia plans to launch several new series, such as Lazarus: Immortal Coils, Eleventh Hour and N-Guard.

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Dan Dare, Jenna Jameson, and Grant Morrison – Can you imagine the buddy pic? Morrison teams up with Virginonce more to announce an animation project with the company. More details in the jump.

Here’s a taste of how you can experience Virgin Comics first-hand at the Con. Be sure to check out our various panels and stop by the Virgin Comics booth (# 1415) to pick up some free Comic-Con goodies!

Friday, 4/18 6pm - 7pm Room 1E15: “INDIA’S EDGE is India’s Fantasy - Shakti”

Join legendary comic author Grant Morrison (Batman: Arkham Asylum, Doom Patrol, The Invisibles) as he exposes the Indian influences in his work and introduces his new animated project with Virgin Comics. Joining Grant is Virgin’s Chief Creative Officer Gotham Chopra and Sharad Devarajan, Virgin Comics CEO, as they discuss their line of Indian-infused fantasy comics called SHAKTI (including Ramayan 3392AD Reloaded, Devi, Deepak Chopra’s Buddha, Project: Kalki and others). Pronounced shuk-TEE, an ancient Sanskrit word meaning Power, these comics tap into thousands of years of storytelling, folklore and mythology.

Friday 4/18, 7pm - 8pm Room 1E15: “Girls Who Kick Ass”, featuring the Shadow Hunter herself… Jenna Jameson!

How do the ladies creating comics do it? They’re constantly blowing us away with the most outrageous and provocative titles. Jenna Jameson (Shadow Hunter), Colleen Doran (Distant Soil, Reign of the Zodiac), Amanda Connor (Birds of Prey, Painkiller Jane, Lois Lane), Louise Simonson (New Mutants, X-Factor, Superman) and special guests reveal why they know what Fan-Boys want.

Friday 4/18 8pm - 10pm IGN Theater: Free copies of The Stranded at “SCI FI Friday Night Screening”

SCI FI is hosting a special advance screening of Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who, and each attendee will receive a special The Stranded mini comic. Written by Mike Carey, this collaboration between SCI FI Channel and Virgin Comics has oficially been picked up as a 2 hour pilot for SCI FI!

Saturday 4/19 1:30pm - 2:30pm Room 1E12-13-14: DAN DARE: BRITIAN’S GREATEST HERO - What Americans Need to Know!

This is the one you’ve been waiting for. Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher, John Woo’s Seven Brothers) will be making his first U.S. public appearance in many years to discuss the brilliance of Dan Dare’s enduring legacy and why he needed to write this quintessential British story for readers in the U.S. In Garth’s own words, “He’s our Captain America, our Superman, our Batman, he’s all of them rolled into one. He’s the original and the best.” Joining Garth is Peter Hampson, whose father, Frank, created Dan Dare in 1950 and Larry Lieberman, Chief Marketing Officer of Virgin Comics.

Also, keep an eye on www.nycomiccon.com for information on special autograph sessions with Garth Ennis and Jenna Jameson.

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Chris Brandt’s documentary about indie comics, THE INDEPENDENTS, years in the making,has a screening at NYCC and you can buy the finished DVD at the Top Shelf booth. More here.

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Movie screenings and guests like Justin Cook, Rachael Lillis, Jamie McGonnigal, Sean Schemmel, Mike Sinterniklaas, Veronica Taylor, Tom Wayland, Sean Michael Wilson, Steve Yun, and Tommy Yune highlight the extensive offerings fore the anime/manga crowd. There will be COSPLAY!

The New York Comic Con (NYCC) today announced many of the anime events going on at its 2008 event — April 18-20 at the Jacob Javits Center. New York Comic Con is a showcase for the biggest and the best of American pop culture, and anime and manga, long a driving force in what’s hot and popular, are represented through a number of New York Comic Con events, exhibitors, and guests. New York Comic Con is the second largest popular culture event in the United States and features guests including Neil Gaiman, Mike Mignola, Grant Morrison, and J-Pop star T.M.Revolution.

The creators of New York Comic Con also produce the New York Anime Festival. NYAF’s 2008 event takes place September 26-28 at the Jacob Javits Center.

T.M.REVOLUTION CONCERT:

T.M.Revolution, a powerful voice in the Japanese musical world, is known around the world for “INVOKE,” the theme song to the anime series Gundam SEED, “Ignited,” the theme to its sequel, Gundam SEED Destiny, and “Heart of Sword,” the ending theme to the anime Rurouni Kenshin. New York Comic Con is proud to play host to T.M.Revolution’s first concert in the United States since 2004 — and first ever in New York City. T.M.Revolution’s concert takes place at 9 PM on Saturday, April 19th in New York Comic Con’s 3,000-seat IGN Theater.

LUCKY STAR PREMIERE:

Lucky Star’s the slice-of-life story of Konata Izumi, a Japanese highschooler who — while smart and athletic — doesn’t do all too well in school or at sports. What’s the reason? She’s an anime fan. Lucky Star follows Izumi, her friends, and their quirky, clever, and so very, very cute adventures through adolescence. Bandai Entertainment is showing it for the first time in America at 6 PM on Friday, April 18th in Room 1E04.

EMMA PREMIERE:

Emma is the strikingly simple and sweet story of a house maid who falls in love with an aristocrat in 19th Century London. It’s one of the most tender, touching, heart-felt, and purely genuine animations to come out of Japan in recent (and long-term) memory, and while it lacks giant robots, busty schoolgirls, and all the other traditional anime trappings, it deserves a viewing. Rather, because it lacks giant robots, busty schoolgirls, and all the other traditional anime trappings, it deserves a viewing. Right Stuf is showing it for the first time in America at 12 PM on Saturday, April 19th in Room 1E04.

CODE GEASS PREMIERE:

CODE GEASS is the story of war, revenge, and robots with character designs by legendary manga studio CLAMP. In the year 2010, the Holy Empire of Britannia invades Japan , crushing all opposition with their robotic soldiers, the Knightmare Frames. But while Japan is enslaved under Britannia’s rule, the Japanese Resistance is about to receive help from the most unlikely of sources, the son of Britannia’s Emperor. Bandai Entertainment is showing it for the first time in America at 1 PM on Saturday, April 19th in Room 1E04.

THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME PREMIERE:

When high school student Makoto Konno gains the power to (literally) leap back and forth through time, she uses the ability to make her life a little bit more comfortable, yet when she realizes her power is limited and there are unexpected consequences from her each and every leap, she strives to make the world right before her ability runs out. Bandai Entertainment is showing it for the first time in America at 5 PM on Saturday, April 19th in Room 1E10.

AMURI IN STAR OCEAN PREMIERE:

In 2012, a great solar wind poured down on the Earth, devastating humanity. To prevent this cataclysm from ever returning, a solar station was built as a shield, but when an unknown entity plots to demolish the station and destroy humanity, the fate of the entire world lies within three girls. NEW YORK-TOKYO is showing it for the first time in America at 12 PM on Sunday, April 20th in Room 1E07.

ANIMENEXT MANGA LIBRARY:

AnimeNEXT’s manga library will set up at New York Comic Con. Fans can come here to get caught up with all their favorites and discover some new books they can’t live without. The Manga Library will be open throughout the show in Room 1E01.

COSCLIPS.COM COSPLAY CONTEST:

Costume Play (or Cosplay) is a large part of anime fandom, and Cosclips.com presents a costume contest open to all anime fans (and costume fans) at New York Comic Con. Do you make a fetching Urahara? Maybe you’re the ultimate Rei Ayanami? Or maybe you make a sweet, sweet Superman? Whatever the case, if you’re decked out in costume, come to the Variant Stage at 3 PM on Saturday.

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The first look at Frank Miller’s THE SPIRIT movie and big sneak peeks at HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY and THE INCREDIBLE HULK are the most sure-to-be-blogged about presentation at New York Comic-Con. It isn’t quite up to the level of San Diego’s star fest, but it’s getting there, for better or worse. All details in the jump.

The full schedule of movie trailers and special sneak peek previews which will be featured in the IGN.com Theater at New York Comic Con has been announced for the first time today by NYCC officials. The screenings will be one of the highlights of activity in the convention’s main auditorium and will provide a revealing look at some of Hollywood’s biggest upcoming blockbusters, including Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, The Incredible Hulk, and Will Eisner’s The Spirit, among others. In addition to the highly anticipated sneak peek previews, convention officials note that stars and top talent from movies and television will be taking part in programs and panels throughout the weekend, affording fans a unique and special opportunity to meet the creators behind some of this summer’s most eagerly anticipated new releases.

“I am thrilled that we are able to offer such terrific previews and screenings at New York Comic Con this year,” notes Lance Fensterman, Event Director for New York Comic Con. “The quality of our Hollywood-based entertainment programming is awesome and it underscores the fact that we have become a show with broad based appeal. This is a great vote of confidence from Hollywood and I’m incredibly grateful to the movie and television industries and all their talent for offering their valuable time and energy on our behalf.”

Some of the highlights taking place in the IGN.com Theater include:

• SCI FRIDAY NIGHT – BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and DOCTOR WHO: All new episodes of Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica premiere every Friday on SCI FI. Now Comic Con fans can be the first to catch the latest adventure. Join SCI FI for an exclusive preview screening of Friday night’s episodes.

• 20th Century Fox Presents – X-FILES 2 Preview: An exclusive sneak peek at the new X-Files film with creator Chris Carter and director Frank Spotnitz.

• Disney: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN and WALL•E: One year later for the Pevensie siblings. 1,300 years later in Narnia. Watch exclusive new film footage from this epic adventure series and join Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian), William Moseley (Peter Pevensie), Peter Dinklage (Trumpkin), and producer Mark Johnson for an exclusive audience Q & A.

From Academy Award®-winning director, Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), WALL•E is the story of one robot’s comic adventures as he chases his dream across the galaxy. Be the first to see exclusive new footage of Disney-Pixar’s next adventure!

• The SciFi Channel Presents – BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: Join fans from around the world as the series Entertainment Weekly hails as a “fan-frakking-tastic” show on television,”* returns to New York Comic Con for its 2nd annual appearance.

• STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES: What’s Hot from Lucasfilm: There are few movie franchises, if any, that have captured popular culture more completely than Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Lucasfilm’s Steve Sansweet will showcase the exciting year that’s coming for fans.

• Universal Studios Presents – WANTED and HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY: WANTED - James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie star in a action-thriller with a hero for a new generation. Based upon Mark Millar’s graphic novel series and directed by stunning visualist Timur Bekmambetov, WANTED uncovers one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an enforcer of justice. Mark Millar and Timur Bekmambetov are scheduled to appear.

HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY - With a signature blend of action, humor and character-based spectacle, the saga of the world’s toughest, kitten-loving hero from Hell continues to unfold in Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Director Guillermo del Toro, creator Mike Mignola, and stars Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss are scheduled to appear.

• Marvel Studios and Universal Present – THE INCREDIBLE HULK: An all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular Super Heroes of all time. Director Louis Leterrier and producers Gale Anne Hurd and Kevin Feige are scheduled to appear.

• Warner Bros. Presents – SPEEDRACER and THE DARK KNIGHT Previews: A sneak peek at two eagerly anticipated new blockbusters.

• Lionsgate Films Presents – Will Eisner’s THE SPIRIT: Lionsgate and Odd Lot Entertainment present an exclusive first look at The Spirit, based on the classic comic book series by Will Eisner, featuring the world premiere of the film’s teaser trailer. Writer-director Frank Miller and actress Eva Mendes will be on hand to speak about their involvement in the upcoming major motion picture, along with the film’s producers, Odd Lot Entertainment co-CEO Deborah Del Prete and Michael Uslan. The panel will be moderated by MTV News Correspondent Kurt Loder.

• New Line Cinema Presents – HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY: Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay marks the triumphant return of the original and outrageous anti-heroes we first met on the road to WHITE CASTLE. New Line Cinema will show exclusive footage from the film and John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris, along with writers and directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, will be there to discuss the film.

• New Line Cinema Presents – JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH 3D: Based on the classic Jules Verne novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” Journey 3-D, the first live action digital 3-D movie, is an exhilarating adventure staring Brendan Fraser as a science professor whose untraditional hypotheses have made him the laughing stock of the academic community. Journey 3-D is directed by Academy Award-winning visual effect veteran Eric Brevig (Total Recall, Pearl Harbor.) The film which is a co-venture between New Line Cinema and Walden Media is scheduled to be released on July 11, 2008. New Line Cinema will show EXCLUSIVE footage, and star, Brendan Fraser, along with director, Eric Brevig, and producer, Charlotte Huggins, will be there to discuss the film!

• IGOR – A Sneak Preview and Discussion: This animated take on the classic character Igor (voiced by John Cusack) is a humorous tale of his dreams of winning first place at the annual Evil Science Fair. Join the cast and creators for a Sneak Preview of this new animated tale from The Weinstein Company.

• SPECIAL – A Movie Premiere: Les Franken (Michael Rapaport) leads a painfully unremarkable life until he enrolls in a drug study for an experimental anti-depressant. An unexpected side effect of the drug convinces Les he is developing special powers and must quit his job to answer his new calling in life. From Magnolia Pictures.

New York Comic Con officials note that while this represents the full schedule of guests and events at this point, new additions are being made to the program on a daily basis and some major Hollywood talent may still be added to the final program. In addition, not all of the movie and television activity taking place at the convention will be in the IGN.com Theater. “Our Hollywood programming is spread out and we will have panels and screenings taking place in a variety of venues throughout the weekend,” Fensterman states. Some of the additional panels and previews include: First Look at Nickelodeon’s The Mighty B!; Nickelodeon’s Favorite Party Animals: Back at the Barnyard; ABC TV/Stage 9 Digital Media Present – Trenches; ABC Presents – Eli Stone; The Sci Fi Channel Presents – Ghost Hunters; and Sneak Preview – Starship Troopers: Marauder.

For a full recap of ALL programming at New York Comic Con, including a full list of time and location for each event, go to www.nycomiccon.com and click on “Programming”.

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PR:

ASP announces its plan for this year’s New York Comic Con (Apr 18-20). We’ll not only have creator appearances galore at our booth #1713, but also be participating in a few panels as well.

Panels
**A. David Lewis, hot on the heels of his Graven Images conference (http://www.bu.edu/luce/calendar/religionincomics.html), will be moderating a panel on Saturday, Apr 19 at 5 p.m. in room 1E02. It’s a discussion of Chris Knowles’s book Our Gods Wear Spandex. G. Willow Wilson will be on the panel with Dave, along with Douglas Rushkoff (Testament) and Denny O’Neil.

**David Petersen (Mouse Guard) and Mark Smylie (Artesia) will be on the panel Let the Magic Begin — Fantasy in Comics: Creating Alternate Worlds on Sunday, Apr 20 at 1 p.m. in room 1E03, along with Kazu Kibuishi (Flight, Amulet) and librarian and graphic novel expert Robin Brenner. Moderated by Liz Gorinsky.

Creator Appearances
Want to meet the creator of your favorite ASP book? Want to get your book signed? Want a quick sketch? Then check out this list of creators appearing at the ASP booth #1713:

Jeremy Bastian, creator of CURSED PIRATE GIRL
Jason Becker, writer of KILLING PICKMAN
Rebekah Brem, creator of MISERICORDIA
Chandra Free, creator of THE GOD MACHINE
Kate Glasheen, artist of HYBRID BASTARDS!
Josh Hechinger, writer of THE GRAVE DOUG FRESHLEY
A. David Lewis, writer of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS, SOME NEW KIND OF SLAUGHTER
Marvin Mann, artist of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS, SOME NEW KIND OF SLAUGHTER, THE GRAVE DOUG FRESHLEY, INANNA’S TEARS
Alexis “Matz” Nolent, writer THE KILLER
David Petersen, creator of MOUSE GUARD
Rob Randle, writer of THE BLACK KNIGHT
Jennifer Rodgers, colorist of THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS
Dave Rodriguez, writer of STARKWEATHER: IMMORTAL
Mark Smylie, creator of ARTESIA
Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn, creators of AWAKENING
Brandon Thomas, writer of MIRANDA MERCURY
Juda Tverski, creator of TRIAL BY FIRE
Sean Wang, creator of RUNNERS

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Boom! rolls in with signings from:

Rafael Albuquerque, cover artist on 2 GUNS, artist on SAVAGE BROTHERS
Paul Azaceta, artist on POTTER’S FIELD
Kevin Church, co-writer of COVER GIRL
J.M. DeMatteis, writer and co-creator of STARDUST KID and HEROES SQUARED
Michael Fiffe, artist on FALL OF CTHULHU
Tim Hamilton, artist on DOMINION and FALL OF CTHULHU
Mike Leib, writer of TAG: CURSED
Chip Mosher, writer/creator LEFT ON MISSION
Michael Alan Nelson, writer of FALL OF CTHULHU / DOMINION / X ISLE / SECOND WAVE
Cris Peter, colorist on SAVAGE BROTHERS
Tom Sniegoski, writer and co-creator of TALENT
Wilfredo Torres, artist on SALEM: QUEEN OF THORNS
Mark Waid, writer of POTTER’S FIELD - SATURDAY ONLY!

Schedule in the jump

Friday April 18th
3pm-4pm - Kevin Church - COVER GIRL, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!
4pm-5pm - Michael Alan Nelson - FALL OF CTHULHU / DOMINION / X ISLE / SECOND WAVE
5pm-6pm - Chip Mosher - LEFT ON MISSION
6pm-7pm - Mike Leib - TAG: CURSED
Wilfredo Torres - SALEM: QUEEN OF THORNS
7pm-8pm - TALENT Signing with writer/co-creator Tom Sniegoski & artist Paul Azaceta

Saturday April 19th
10am-11am - Mike Leib - TAG: CURSED
11am-12pm - J.M. DeMatteis - STARDUST KID- both TPB & HC will be in stock!
12pm-1pm - FALL OF CTHULHU / DOMINION signing with writer Michael Alan Nelson and artists Tim Hamilton & Michael Fiffe
1pm -2pm - POTTER’S FIELD / TALENT Signing! Featuring Mark Waid, writer of POTTER’S FIELD, Tom Sniegoski, writer of TALENT and Paul Azaceta, artist on both POTTER’S FIELD & TALENT!
2pm-3pm - Rafael Albuquerque - cover artist on 2 GUNS, artist on SAVAGE BROTHERS and Cris Peter - colorist on SAVAGE BROTHERS
3pm-4pm - Wilfredo Torres - SALEM: QUEEN OF THORNS
4pm-5pm - Kevin Church - COVER GIRL, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!
5pm-6pm - BOOM PANEL - Join Mark Waid, Ross Richie and Chip Mosher for special announcements that will make your head explode in Room 1E09!

Sunday April 20th
10am-11am - Michael Alan Nelson - FALL OF CTHULHU / DOMINION / X ISLE / SECOND WAVE
Kevin Church - COVER GIRL, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!
11am-12pm - Mike Leib - TAG: CURSED
12pm-1pm - Chip Mosher - LEFT ON MISSION
2pm-3pm - TALENT Signing with writer/co-creator Tom Sniegoski & artist Paul Azaceta

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