WonderCon 2024: Most Anticipated Panels
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Is it time for WonderCon already? It feels like it has been both eons and no time at all since last year’s WonderCon. I will be attending the convention once again and am very much looking forward to being back amongst my people. There’s a really fascinating breadth of programming this year so it was tough to only pick five panels to highlight. Brevity is the source of wit however, so here’s the five panels I’m most looking forward to ad WonderCon.
From Candyman to The Blackening
Dr. Vanessa Hintz (Umm . . . About That! Podcast) and Victor Dandridge, Jr. (Vantage:Inhouse Productions) discuss the spectrum of Black horror. The duo will focus on both film and TV, discussing representations of Blackness in horror, and the subsequent impacts on racial identity and mental wellness.
Monster Makers of Film and Television
For as long as movies have been made, there have been monsters captivating and terrorizing audiences. From classics like King Kong and Godzilla to modern-day monsters such as the Predator and Xenomorphs from Aliens, one thing they all have in common is the ability to keep moviegoers on the edge of their seats. Concept artists from the Art Directors Guild/IATSE Local 800 discuss their contributions to the creation of new iconic monsters, as well as modernizing legacy creatures that have become integral parts of pop culture. Neville Page (multiple Star Trek entities, Avatar, Prometheus), Constantine Sekeris (Avatar: The Way of Water, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Predator), Zachary Berger (Avatar: The Way of Water, Kong: Skull Island, The Mummy), and Crash McCreery (all Jurassic Park films, The Mummy, Kong: Skull Island) are joined by moderator Tim Burgard (Mufasa: The Lion King, Justice League, Fantastic Four) to delve into their careers of creature conceptualization and the creative processes behind making a monster.
2nd Annual Scene Breakdown: Behind the Camera of Film and TV Shows
Hear from experts across the industry, including editors, directors, writers, production designers, and more, as they break down their work and scenes from popular entertainment projects. With producer Blaine Morris (Dark Obsession), director Chris Dane Owens (Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic), editor Eric Litman (One Piece), production designer Gary Kordan (Key & Peele), editor Kristi Shimek (Arcadian), and composer Nicolas Repetto (Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic). Moderated by writer and producer Victoria Male. Part 2 of Impact24 PR’s Panel Superblock.
John Wells III (The Kalib Andrews Chronicles), Paul S. Levine (executor of the Jack Kirby Estate, The Black Panther, X-Men, Captain America), LaDarrion Williams (Blood at the Root), Amanda Ross (The Witchkind Series, In the House of Transcendence), Jonathan Yanez (international and USA Today bestselling author), Isabelle Olmo (The Queens Red Guard Series), Natalia Hernandez (The Follower of Followers, The Name Bearer), and Alexandra Walker (Spider-verse Unlimited) discuss diversity in fantasy and what diverse authors owe their own cultures when writing diverse characters. Q&A session moderated by Tiffie Starchild (content creator).
If something happens to me, please delete my Kindle history. Since Twilight was published in 2005, fan fiction has helped progress romantasy from 50 Shades of Grey to A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) to Haunting Adeline. #BookTok and #Bookstagram allow readers to share their love for their new favorite books at the speed of a reel and access them at the speed of a download via products such as Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible. These books often showcase inclusivity (looking at all those beautiful, curvy heroines) and representation (female-male, female-female, male-male, female-male-male-male-male-male, and omegaverses for all). But they also breed (see what we did there) questions about feminism, misogyny, and why readers may feel the need to mask their literary interests. Dr. April Fugett (professor of psychology, Marshall University), Dr. Britani Black (assistant professor, Marshall University School of Medicine), and Dr. Keith W. Beard (professor of psychology, Marshall University) will explore some of these issues in the context of psychological factors such as love and personality. Particular focus will be placed on some of the most common romantic literary tropes, and maybe a few opportunities to add to your TBRs.
Special Panel Shoutout
Her Universe Fashion Show Update
Ashley Eckstein (Her Universe founder) will moderate a discussion with industry professionals from Her Universe and Hot Topic and the 2023 Her Universe Fashion Show winners: Rachel Petterson and Raeven K. The group will discuss the winners’ processes for designing a collection with Her Universe for Hot Topic. They will also discuss the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Her Universe Fashion Show at Comic-Con 2024.
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