Recommendations from the Comic-Con panel | KPBS Public Media

International Comic-Con starts Thursday and here are my recommendations for some signs to look out for.

I rarely go to any panel anymore. Trying to cover the news means I don’t have time to queue for big panels or free up a few hours each day to attend smaller ones, but I always try. And, I have always been rewarded by the panels in which I participate.

So if you’re looking for panels that are small and intimate, to dive deep into something, or panels that look intriguing, here’s my suggestion for Thursday. I will post other suggestions for the rest of the convention as well as booth recommendations.

To start, here’s a warning for one of the hidden treasures of the convention, it’s the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival (CCI-IFF). This takes place daily and each day begins at 10:00 a.m. with a Comic-Con Film School panel on different topics followed by a themed film block at 11:05 a.m.

CCI-IFF takes place at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Hotel, adjacent to Concourse A of the Convention Center. The Film Festival Hall is on the second level of the Marriott Grand Ballroom 6. With the awards ceremony Sunday at 11:00 a.m. So watch the program and make time to check out some of the shorts, feature films and documentaries that will be featured.

Below are the Thursday panels with times, locations and program descriptions.

Representation of disability on and off screen
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Room 6A

This panel will explore the representation of disability both on screen and behind the camera and will serve to raise the profile of disability as a key pillar of diversity, it will also celebrate the diversity that exists within the disability community. . This panel will feature talent such as Lauren Ridloff, Steve Way, Josh Feldman, Jillian Mercado, Timothy Omundson and moderator Abbey White.

Comics Arts Conference Session #1: Tezuka 33 years later
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Room 26AB

This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the loss of Osamu Tezuka, the god of manga and father of anime. Bill Field (Institute of Comics Studies) leads a discussion on Osamu Tezuka’s legacy that intersects comics and animation with Kuni Tomita (Akira), Karen Green (Columbia University), Ron English (Popaganda), and Jerry Beck (Woodbury University).

Write for the young you
11:00 – 12:00
Room 5AB

Stories have the power to transport you to many places, including taking you back in time to when you were a child. Comic-Con special guests Tomi Adeyemi, Lorena Alvarez, Soman Chainani, Keithan Jones and Lilah Sturges are joined by moderator Katie Pryde (Owner, Books with Pictures, Portland, OR) to discuss how they craft the stories that attracted them in their youth and created the tales they missed.

The forgotten trio: letters, colorists and inkers
11:00 – 12:00
Room 9

Comics bring us much more than superheroes. Jessica Tseang (International Comics Historian) chats with Dave Lanphear (Letterer, DC Comics, Marvel), Beth Sotelo (Colorist, DC Comics, Marvel) and veteran inkers about the importance of their careers in bringing stories to life, the impact of their work in recent years and what we can expect in the future. Discover what it takes to stand out and be noticed by publishers of all sizes. (NOTE: Highly recommend for a deep dive into an aspect of comics you may not know much about.)

Collecting comics from A to Z
12:00 – 13:00
Room 28DE

Jeff Shinn (San Diego-based comic book store owner, Into the Void Comics; professional comic presser), Harry Lee (San Diego-based comic book dealer, major West Coast convention dealer, salesman online), John Cunningham (San Diego-based high profile comic book collector, investor), Richard Guevara (San Diego-based high profile collector, speculation market expert, comic book seller, investor) and Nathalie Chavez (ShortBoxed Team Member, Content Creator, Chat with Nat Instagram Live Show Host, Top Collector) discuss all aspects of comic book collecting in today’s market.

Picture Comics

Diversity and comics: Multimodal media and comics
12:00 – 13:00
Helen Price Reading Room, San Diego Central Library

Aaron Grizzell (NorcalMLK Foundation, Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival) hosts a conversation with David F. Walker (“Naomi,” DC; “Bitter Root”), Angelique Roché (“Marvel Voices”; “My Super Hero is Black”) , Marco Finnegan (“Lizard in a Zoot Suit,” “The Keeper”), Angela Sanchez (“From Cocinas to Lucha Libre Ringsides: Latinographix Stories of Sports,” “Food & Madness”), and Stanford Carpenter (Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival) on how the construction of various modes of communication and information transfer has affected and socialized our culture and how comics and picture stories are powerful tools for visual communication and expression.

Spotlight on Jim Lee
12:45 – 13:45
Room 6DE

DC comic artist, writer, editor and chief creative officer Jim Lee (“Batman,” “Superman,” “Justice League,” “Suicide Squad”) talks about his more than 25 years in the entertainment industry comic and draw your favorite characters live on the big screen in this captivating panel.

Filipino voices in pop culture
13:00 – 14:00
Omni Grand Ballroom DE, 4th Floor, Omni Hotel

Filipino/Filipino-American influences can be found in all facets of pop culture. But were there times when this culture was left out of representation? Does the general population know how many Filipinos are behind their favorite media? Alix Catherine (content creator, “The Welcome Party”) is joined by Earl Baylon (voice actor, “Tomb Raider” series), Mitch Narito (actor, “The Good Place”), Andrea A. Walter (director and photography), Law Sharma (Senior Content Producer, Cinemablend), and JPG (Pop Culture Consultant, InterMyth) for a fun and educational all-Filipino panel.

Turning knowledge into something more: a myth reimagined in fantasy fiction
13:00 – 14:00
Room 32AB

Storytelling has long played a central role in the formation of cultural identity. Tomi Adeyemi (“Children of Virtue and Vengence”), Wesley Chu (“The Art of Prophecy”) and Rebecca Roanhorse (“Fevered Star”) discuss the role tradition plays in their work and why to return and reinvent figures and themes traditions, and stories are important both in commemorating the past and creating the future. (NOTE: I’ll moderate this one.)

The Art of the Holocaust: Art as a Lifeline
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Bedroom 4

David Beck Brown (Artist/Creator, “The Unknown Artist-History Erased”), Sandra Scheller (USC Shoah Foundation Interviewer), Stephen D. Smith (CEO, StoryFiles), and Heidi S. Straus (USC Interviewer Shoah Foundation, Holocaust Educator) examine and discuss drawings, illustrations, and graphics made by Holocaust prisoners facing life-threatening consequences. They will discuss imprisoned artists such as Horst Rosenthal, Dina Babbitt and Otto Ungar and offer a special tribute to Neal Adams, creator of the Auschwitz Artist graphic.

The Early Years of the SDCC El Cortez Hotel
14:00 – 15:00
Room 23ABC

As we mark the 50th anniversary of the first con to be held at the San Diego El Cortez Hotel, come hear interesting, humorous, and amazing stories from the people who were there during those magical early years. Panelists: Mike Towry (SDCC Founder), Jackie Estrada (Eisner Awards Trustee, Attended All SDCCs), Scott Smith (SDCC Media Department Founder and Former Board Member), Clayton Moore (Artist and former SDCC committee member), Milt Gray (1972 SDCC host and guest). Paul Sammon (writer and director) and Greg Koudoulian (longtime SDCC participant and friend of George Clayton Johnson).

Kiss

Up from The Depths: Toho’s Godzilla: Collectibles Past, Present, and Future
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Room 29CD

Chris Mowry (Creative Head of Toho International and host of the web series Godzilla CHOMP) is joined by Brian Flynn (Founder of Super7), Hector Arce (Mondo), Jody Dankberg (Stern Pinball), famed artists SHAG and Attack Peter, and Jazmine Joyner (IDW Publishing) discusses the collectibles side of Godzilla and why classic movies continue to inspire products in new and creative ways.

Hernandez Brothers Spotlight: Love and Rockets 40th Anniversary
15:00 – 16:00
Room 25ABC

Award-winning artists Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez discuss 40 years of creating their iconic comic book series. They’ll be joined in conversation by Carol Hernandez (photographer and actress) as they talk about comics, the punk scene and creating art over the decades.

Todd McFarlane Celebrates Spawn’s 30th Anniversary
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Room 6DE

Megastar Artist, CEO of McFarlane Toys and President of Image Comics, Todd McFarlane (“Spawn”, “Venom”) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the debut of Image Comics and Spawn, which changed comics forever!

women on the dark side
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Room 24ABC

Whether it’s comics, movies, novels, or art, these women create content that connects with the deepest, darkest side of us all. With Sandy King Carpenter (President, Storm King Productions), Anne Toole (“Horizon Zero Dawn”), Debbie Smith Daughetee (CEO, Kymera Press), Dr. Suzana Flores (“Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wovlerine”). Moderated by Susan Lee (Founder, Women on The Dark Side).

Celebrating Indigenous Comics and Pop Culture
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Bedroom 2

This panel of Indigenous writers and illustrators celebrates Indigenous comics! Among the participants are Sonny Chargualaf (Chamorro illustrator of “Guam”, “The Dark Reaches”), Aaron Cuffee (co-founder of IndigiPop X, Indigenous Comic Convention), Mark Nazal (Diwata Komiks) and Dr. Stanley Rodriguez (professor and Kumeyaay expert and member of the tribe).

Jaws: the trial
19:00 – 20:00
Grand 12 and 13, Marriott Marquis Marina San Diego

The town of Amity is being sued by the families of shark attack victims! Was it fair for Mayor Vaughn to keep the beaches open after Chrissie Watkins died? Was the medical examiner right to change Watkins’ cause of death to a boating accident? Lawyers Michael Dennis, Mark Zaid, Danna Nicholas and Kathy Steinman argue in front of Judge Carol Najera. Starring Valerie Tosi as Mrs. Kitner and Jeff May as Mayor Vaughn. Organized by The Legal Geeks. (NOTE: These are always fun and you will learn something about the law.)