Hello from San Diego! I am happy to once again cover a Comic-Con though I don’t know if I ever covered one quite like this. As you all are likely aware both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are on strike, leading to the cancellation of some of the big movie and TV panels. But when one door closes, another opens. There is still so much going on at the convention and much of the smaller panels have been elevated into prime spotlight! Here’s a smattering of panels I’m most looking forward to.
THURSDAY
The Her Universe Fashion Show – This is a slightly shameless promotion but I actually am going to be in the fashion show this year! I am very excited to show off what I’ve been tirelessly working on and for folks to see the other incredible designers work.
FRIDAY
The Black Panel
The Black Panel’s 26th year introduces a new format. The 2023 agenda: (1) Blackballing Black comics creators in Hollywood; (2) That N-word’s crazy-racial gaslighting mental illness is the new Black . . . list; (3) Advent Comics: 15 years strong; (4) Commentary: 30 years of Milestone, a founder looks back. Panelists include Tony Kittrell (publisher, Advent Comics), Zennie Abraham (CEO of the Zennie62Media group of companies), and Jeff Carroll,(writer, Hip Hop Comix; media producer, Showtime at the Apollo). Hosted by Michael Davis.
Wētā Workshop: Celebrating 20 years of Middle-earth
Wētā Workshop presents a 20-year retrospective on creating imaginary worlds. Richard Taylor (co-founder and CEO, Wētā Workshop), Gino Acevedo (senior prosthetics supervisor, LOTR; WētāFX creative art director), Daniel Falconer (senior designer, Wētā Workshop), and some of their crew take a look behind the scenes in this The Lord of the Rings 20th anniversary year. Jed Brophy (actor, stuntman, LOTR trilogy) will host a Q&A, and there may be a surprise return to the stage for a fan favorite! They will also reveal our ROTK 20th Anniversary Masters Collection collectible.
SATURDAY
Star Trek Universe
As previously announced by Paramount+, the fan-favorite Star Trek universe returns to San Diego Comic-Con, featuring exclusive reveals and surprises from upcoming and current seasons of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Fans in attendance will also be the first to see the highly anticipated Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover episode with a special Hall H premiere screening!
From Concept to Reality: How Costume Design Helped Shape the Second Age of Middle-earth
Explore the fascinating and whimsical process of costume designer Kate Hawley, known for her work on Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Learn firsthand about how she designed over 2, 000 costumes for the series’ inaugural season and the craftsmanship that went into creating the lavish, unforgettable Second Age of Middle-earth. Kate’s iconic work has also been seen in such visually spectacular films as Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak and Warner Bros.’ Suicide Squad. Moderated by Spencer Williams from The Art of Costume Blogcast.
SUNDAY
Pitching Film, Television, and Animation
Pitching is a critical skill for a career in screen or television writing. Writers Douglas J. Eboch (Sweet Home Alabama, The Hollywood Pitching Bible), J. Holtham (Supergirl, The Handmaid’s Tale), Mae Catt (Transformers: Cyberverse, 50 States of Fright), and Eugene Son (Blade Runner: Black Lotus, The Legend of Vox Machina) discuss pitching original ideas as well as pitching to win assignments for movies and television. They’ll delve into how to identify what’s unique and marketable about your concept, how to construct a compelling pitch, and how to present it effectively.
Gaaays In Spaaace: Our Future Begins Now
The reality of the burgeoning space tourism industry and the creation of the global competition series Space Hero, has begun to erase the line between today’s world and the future depicted in sci-fi franchises like Star Tek and Orville. The question that we face now is how to ensure that universal equality is part of this new frontier for humanity. Yetidea Badaki (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), Michelle Hanlon (Space Lawyers, For All Moonkind, CEO), Karissa Winters (Innovation Collective), and Rhonda Stevenson (Above Space Development, president), discuss what we can do today to build an inclusive future to make sure that space will truly belong to everyone! Moderated by Dan Deevy (GIS, founder).