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The convention season never stops, and West Coasters will be enjoying the sights and sounds of the Long Beach Comic Con on September 27-28th at the Long Beach Convention Center. Now in its sixth year, LBCC has found a spot for itself as a comics focused show on a seaside setting. You can check out the eclectic line-up of  guests of honor in the PR below, and the programming is beginning to be announced, with two panels that regular Beat readers will probably enjoy, focusing on banned books and YA graphic novels.

Saturday the 27th at 2 PM room 103C

Forbidden Knowledge: Banned Books Week Event

Literature was the first form of entertainment and education passed down through the generations. Sometimes the books that have given so much to so many need protecting. Find out how you can help make sure the books you love will always be available to new readers. Joshua Hale Fialkov (THE BUNKER; THE LIFE AFTER) and SALON contributor and novelist Samuel Sattin (THE LEAGUE OF SOMEBODIES) will talk with moderator Alan Kesinger
Sunday the 28th at 3 PM Room 103A/B

YA Riot: Stories for a Young Adult Audience
Join best-selling YA novelists Leigh Bardugo, Cecil Castellucci, Melissa de la Cruz, Michael Johnston, and Margaret Stohl as they discuss the variety of forms young adult writing takes, from fantasy, to graphic novel and more, and their own approaches to writing in the constantly shifting world of YA.
Robin Benway, moderator

And here’s the genreal info:

To celebrate its sixth year, Long Beach Comic Con is unveiling new initiatives including the show’s first ever Guests of Honor, this year’s official sponsors including media sponsor the Los Angeles Times’ Hero Complex and programming devoted to a broad range of attendees — from cosplay enthusiasts to young adult readers. Long Beach Comic Con will be held on September 27 and 28, 2014 at the Long Beach Convention Center, where exhibiting publishers will include Archie Comics, Aspen Comics, Bottled Lightning, PaperFilms, Skybound Entertainment, Storm King Productions, Top Cow, and Valiant Entertainment, among others.

For the first time in its history, Long Beach Comic Con is announcing guests of honor for this fall’s show:

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Archie Comics’ AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE)

Mike Allred (Marvel Comics’ SILVER SURFER)

Laura Allred (Marvel Comics’ SILVER SURFER

Sandy King Carpenter (Storm King Production’s ASYLUM)

Joe Casey (Man of Action)

Amanda Conner (DC Entertainment’s HARLEY QUINN)

Chris Dingess (Skybound Entertainment’s MANIFEST DESTINY)

David Gallaher (Bottled Lightning’s THE ONLY LIVING BOY)

Joe Kelly (Man of Action)

JT Krul (Aspen’s JIRNI)

Mike Mignola (Dark Horse Comics’ HELLBOY)

James O’Barr (THE CROW)

Jimmy Palmiotti (PaperFilms’ SEX & VIOLENCE)

Jamie S. Rich (Oni Press’ Archer Coe and the Thousand Natural Shocks)

Duncan Rouleau (Man of Action)

Steven T. Seagle (Man of Action)

Marc Silvestri (Top Cow)

Richard Starking (Image Comic’s ELEPHANTMEN)

Babs Tarr (DC Entertainment’s BATGIRL)

“We’re thrilled to have more guests at this year’s show than we’ve ever had before,” said Martha Donato, Long Beach Comic Con Executive Director and Co-Founder. “We recognize that attending conventions is a major commitment for comic book creators and we want to honor and celebrate some of the people who’ve joined us for six years running, as well as the writers and artists who are traveling across the country to attend our convention for the first time.”

As in past years, attendees will be treated to a wide array of programming. Highlights include:

* Panels devoted to fan favorite comic book characters including Batman, the Crow and Hellboy.

* Comic Book Publisher Spotlights moderated by BLOODY DISGUSTING, COMICVINE, IGN, THE NERDIST and others.

* Hero Complex moderated panels of pop culture, running the gamut from Robot Chicken to Young Justice to Women in Comics.

* A Young Adult panel featuring best-selling novelists Leigh Bardugo, Robin Benway, Cecil Castellucci, Melissa de la Cruz, Michael Johnston, and Margaret Stohl

* A Banned Books Week discussion led by the Newport Beach Branch Library

* Cosplay panels.

* Horror programming with guests like Dan Brereton (NOCTURNALS) and Mike Huddleston (THE STRAIN).

* Kids programming with KaBOOM! and creators like Eric Esquivel (BRAVEST WARRIORS), Travis Hanson (TANNER JONES AND THE QUEST FOR THE MONKEY STONE), Mike Kunkel (HEROBEAR)  and Hannah Nance Partlow (ADVENTURE TIME). There will also be interactive panels where Tone Rodriguez will teach kids how to draw the Simpsons and Futurama characters and Peter Paul will teach “how to draw your dragon.”

* Animation panels dedicated to popular cartoons like GARGOYLES, SPECTACULAR SPIDER MAN, YOUNG JUSTICE, X-MEN and DISNEY AFTERNOON, and appearances by Greg Weisman and the Man of Action.

* Screen Junkies Presents: Honest Trailers The Panel

* #MakeComics workshops where aspiring writers and artists can learn from comic book greats including Jon Bogdanove (POWER PACK), Tim Bradstreet (HELLBLAZER), Brian Buccellato (DETECTIVE COMICS), Joshua Fialkov (THE BUNKER) and Whilce Portacio (THE PUNISHER). Over two days, workshops will walk through the entire #makecomics process: from writing and drawing to running a Kickstarter and even publicizing the comic.  

“Our programming has been a huge growth area for us this year,” said Phil Lawrence, Co-founder and Sales Director of Long Beach Comic Con. “We’re running more than 80 high quality panels over two days. There’s something for every fan, whether you want to hear about the latest from Image Comics or need tips for designing and building your first cosplay.”

Growth also extends to the show’s official sponsors. The CW’s The Flash, GenZe by Mahindra, the Laugh Factory, SGX Print, and the SUN NEWS have already signed on as official sponsors, and additional announcements are expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Enjoy an exciting weekend full of exceptional guests and exhibitors, and engaging panels, at Long Beach Comic Con, Saturday, September 27 from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm and Sunday, September 28 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm at the Long Beach Convention Center. Tickets are available now through the website: www.longbeachcomiccon.com.

“Our ticket sales are significantly up from last year at this same time,” said Donato. “If you’re thinking about attending this year’s show, I recommend buying your tickets in advance before we sell out and arriving both days before the show opens.”

Follow Long Beach Comic Con on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and information.

With 2013 barreling along, it's time to start looking at some of books that are going to make it a notable year, and here's one that has flown mostly under the radar until now: Who is AC? by Hope Larson with art by Tintin Pantoja, to be published by Atheneum on April 16th. It's Larson's first original GN since Mercury, she she describes it thusly: