On July 13, lucky fans at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con were able to enjoy the Nerd HQ panel, hosted by Zachery Levi (“Chuck” (2007), ‘Tangled’ (2010), starring geek god Nathan Fillion (“Firefly“ (2002), “Castle“ (2009) and fan favorite Adam Baldwin (“Firefly,” “Chuck”). The panel was also streamed live online to be enjoyed from coast to coast.

The format of the panel is similar to other ones at San Diego Comic Con. Fillion and Baldwin sat down and selected questions from audience members and answered them with plenty of jokes and interesting anecdotes. The fans’ questions ranged from personal to work-related and were delightfully diverse rather than simply focusing on the actors’ work on Joss Whedon’s “Firefly,” which incidentally had a reunion panel earlier that day. The highlights of the panel are below.

One fan asked Fillion and Baldwin what they considered to be the best lines from “Firefly” and ‘Serenity’ (2005), and if they could act them out. Baldwin did the infamous “we get paid” line from the pilot episode and then Fillion did Jayne’s line about his “very favorite gun” from “Our Mrs. Reynolds,” and then closed out the reenactment with the famous, “I’ll be in my bunk” quote that all fans know and love.

Another fan asked about what kind of pranks went on during the filming of ‘Serenity.’ Fillion was eager to tell them about how he copied some photos of a teenaged, goofy looking Alan Tudyk and then plastered the pictures all over the back of the bar scene in ‘Serenity’, which utterly confused Tudyk when he saw them and caused the crew to crack up when Tudyk confronted him.

Someone asked Fillion what his thoughts were on George R. R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones,” both the novels and the HBO series, and Fillion was excited to share how he got into it and demonstrated the many range of emotions he goes through while watching an episode. He noted that he is particularly fond of Tyrion Lannister.

A “Castle” fan asked if “Castle” season five would deal with Castle’s father, whom he does not know but was suggested to be involved with the CIA, and Fillion confirmed that it would be addressed later on in some capacity.

Fillion also pointed out a few “Castle” cast members he would like to see return like Adam Baldwin’s character, Ethan Slaughter, who appeared in season four, Michael Trucco’s character Det. Demming, who appeared in season two, and Fillion even said he’d love to see Zachary Levi join the cast in the future. Levi eagerly accepted the invitation.

Speaking of Levi, Fillion also said he has dreamt of being able to voice a character in a Disney/Pixar film, which amused Levi as he voiced the roguish thief Flynn Rider in Disney’s ‘Tangled.’

A young boy named Connor asked Fillion if he was excited about voicing Hal Jordan, aka the Green Lantern, in two DC Animated Original films, and the actor confirmed this by revealing how he wore his Green Lantern shirt in the recording booth each time he went in. He then started to say the oath, but then changed it into a hilarious little parody poem instead.

One of the “Firefly” fans asked where Fillion and Baldwin thought Mal and Inara would be five years after the events of ‘Serenity’ and both men agreed that by then, the pair would have consummated their relationship, but would not have settled down for a normal life.

The panel was topped off by a fan donating $1000 to charity in order to see Fillion and Baldwin give Zachary Levi a smooch each. Both men tossed down their own cash and planted big wet ones on Zachary, who sheepishly complied to the request, which set the room ablaze with laughter and applause. The panel could not have ended on a better note.

San Diego Comic Con 2012 is still underway so more news of the “Firefly” veterans will be coming in over the weekend. Stay tuned.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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San Diego, U.S.A. — At the San Diego Comic-Con International, the world’s largest pop culture convention, 343 Industries and Microsoft unveiled the official trailer for ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn,’ the landmark live-action digital series based on the best-selling Xbox franchise. The series will be initially distributed worldwide by Machinima, debuting on its new channel, Machinima Prime, as well as on Halo Waypoint, on Oct. 5, 2012.

‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ will unfold through a series of five episodes, setting the stage for the worldwide launch of ‘Halo 4′ on Nov. 6. The official ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ trailer is now available on Machinima Prime and on Halo Waypoint. Machinima will also be releasing exclusive content, backstory and character pieces leading up to the launch of this highly anticipated series.

‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ tells an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice on a scale never before seen in the Halo universe, taking fans back to the beginning of the human and Covenant war and leading into the events of ‘Halo 4.’ Set against the backdrop of a United Nations Space Command (UNSC) military academy, a group of highborn cadets are training to be the next generation of soldiers in the UNSC’s ongoing war with insurrectionists in the outer colonial planets.

Among these cadets, Thomas Laskystruggles with his doubts about this war, and with the burden of expectations he may not be able to carry. As Lasky comes to terms with his potential as a military leader, the terrifying alien alliance known as the Covenant arrives and turns his world upside down. Inspired by the Master Chief, he must decide what it means to be a hero. ‘Halo’ fans who experience Lasky’s thrilling origin story in ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will be rewarded with special insights into the story of ‘Halo 4′ and the “Halo Infinity Multiplayer” experience.

Directed by Stewart Hendler (‘H+,’ ‘Sorority Row’) and written by Todd Helbing and Aaron Helbing(“Smallville,” “Spartacus”), ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ features a diverse cast of established and up-and-coming Hollywood talent, including Tom Green (‘Dance Academy’) as Thomas Lasky, Anna Popplewell (‘The Chronicles of Narnia’) as Chyler Silva, Daniel Cudmore (‘X2,’ ‘X-Men: The Last Stand,’ ‘The Twilight Saga’) as the Master Chief, Ayelet Zurer (‘Angels & Demons,’ ‘Munich’) as Mehaffey, Mike Dopud (‘Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol’) as General Black, Enisha Brewster (‘Footloose’) as April Orenski, Masam Holden (“Grey’s Anatomy,” ‘Elizabethtown’) as Michael ‘Sully’ Sullivan, Osric Chau (’2012′) as JJ Chen, Iain Belcher (“Supernatural”) as Vickers, and Kat De Lieva as Dimah.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” is backed by a top-tier production team led by executive producers Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman, former Warner Bros. and Playtone executives, respectively. Continuing its involvement with the ‘Halo’ franchise, Legacy Effects (‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘The Avengers,’ ‘Avatar’) is creating specialized costumes and armor, and visual effects are being designed by an award-winning team led by John Sullivan (‘The Pacific’). Production services are provided by Herzog & Co.

An extended, 90-minute Special Edition featuring additional footage and bonus content will be availableNov. 6 in the “Halo 4″ Limited Edition and on on-demand video services.

The article Halo 4 Trailer Released at San Diego Comic-Con appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For the final day of the 2012 San Diego Comic Con, Dark Horse Comics and its partners are hosting a last round of panels, Sunday, July 15.

10:00-11:00 Emily the Strange— Room 23ABC

Be a part of the Emily the Strange panel experience, where you have the chance to prove your knowledge of Strange and win prizes, learn what’s new in Emily’s oddball universe (including a sneak peek at the new Emily and the Strangers comic book series), and Q&A with Emily’s creator Rob Reger and writer Jessica Gruner. Did we mention you will get some cool stuff just for showing up and being Strange?

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Tom Yeates— Room 8

Seasoned comics, fantasy, and book illustrator and Comic-Con special guest Tom Yeates will discuss his 35-year career, from attending the first year of Joe Kubert’s school with Steve Bissette and Rick Veitch to Swamp Thing, Tarzan, Zorro, and Prince Valiant. Writer, journalist, editor, and Thomas’s longtime friend Steven Ringgenberg will moderate. A slide show of Yeates’s art career and influences will be included.

12:45-1:45 CBLDF Rock Art Jam— Room 5AB

Explore the creative process of top cartoonists who’ve made their mark on the worlds of comics and music! Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá, and Nate Powell talk about the influence of music in their work and draw live art showcasing their love of sound and vision! Get a chance to watch live art made before your eyes, and bid to win the pieces made here to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!

2:15-3:15 Buffy Turns 20: Celebrating 20 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer— Room 6BCF

Once upon a time, Buffy Summers became the Slayer, the Chosen One who proved a young heroine could battle the forces of darkness instead of playing damsel in distress. Stars from the hit TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Nicholas Brendon, Clare Kramer) join forces with Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, writer/producer Jane Espenson, illustrator Georges Jentry, and the original Buffy herself (Kristy Swanson, star of the 1992 motion picture), not to mention a surprise guest or two, to celebrate 20 years of slayage.

3:00-4:00 Axe Cop— Room 6DE

Ethan Nicolle (Bearmageddon, Chumble Spuzz) discusses the growing world of Axe Cop, including the new President of the World miniseries from Dark Horse comics and his involvement the TV show in production at FOX. With a possible appearance in person or digitally from his brother/co-creator Malachai Nicolle plus possible surprise guests.

Image Courtesy of   insidethemagic

The article San Diego Comic Con: Dark Horse Sunday Panels 2012 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For Saturday, July 14, of the 2012 San Diego Comic Con, Dark Horse Comics and their partners are planning the following panels which will bring you exciting unique content and discussion about the comics and the industry.

10:30-11:30 Dark Horse: Bioware— Room 24ABC

Dark Horse and Bioware have come together once again to provide fans with exclusive news on Dragon Age, and the ever-expanding Mass Effect universe. Join Dark Horse director of public relations Jeremy Atkins and editor Dave Marshall, along with Dragon Age writers David Gaider and Sylvia Feketekuty, BioWare art director Derek Watts, moderator “Evil Chris” Priestly, and a cast of other celebrity geeks and surprise guests for an exciting look into the Dark Horse/BioWare universe. Attendees can be sure to expect a spirited discussion on the ongoing link between comics and gaming, with exclusive news and more.

11:00-12:00 Avatar the Last Airbender: Beginning and Beyond— Room 28E

For over 5 years, the organizers of this fan panel have been bringing together both fans and professionals. Moderated by Avatar_Mom, this year’s panel will include Bobby Rubio (Avatar the Last Airbender, Pixar, Alcatraz High), freelance concept artist DJ Welch (Dark Kenjie), Kevin Coppa (Puppet Benders), and actor/voice actor Dante Basco (Avatar the Last Airbender), and a few more surprise guests. If that isn’t enough, there will be a cosplay contest to showcase the fandom’s talented “fabric benders.”

11:00-12:00 Geek & Sundry— Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), Wil Wheaton (Big Bang Theory, Eureka), director Daniel Strange (Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis), and the cast of The Guild — Vince Caso, Jeff Lewis, Amy Okuda, Sandeep Parkih, and Robin Thorsen — make some big announcements and offer an exclusive sneak peek at what’s to come. Moderated by Kim Evey (producer, Geek & Sundry).

12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Gary Gianni— Room 4

Comic-Con special guest Gary Gianni discusses his work illustrating one of Ray Bradbury’s last published books, painting the Game of Thrones 2014 calendar, and the future of illustrated storytelling in the digital realm.

2:00-3:00 Will Eisner and the Graphic Novel— Room 23ABC

Moderator Paul Levitz (writer, 75 Years of DC Comics, Legion of Super-Heroes, former Eisner publisher), Klaus Janson (artist/inker, Daredevil, The Dark Knight Return, comics educator, SVA), Denis Kitchen (artist, author, publisher; Eisner’s agent and longtime friend), Charles Kochman (editorial director, Abrams ComicArts), and Diana Schutz (comics educator; executive editor, Dark Horse Comics; Eisner’s editor) explore the pivotal role Will Eisner’s evangelism of the comics artform plays in the evolution of the American graphic novel, followed by a short Q&A period.

5:00-6:00 Mass Effect: Past, Present, and Future— Room 25ABC

Developers from Mass Effect offer an exciting look at the evolution of the Mass Effect franchise. Mike Gamble (producer), Corey Gaspur (senior combat designer), Parrish Ley (lead cinematic animator), Sylvia Feketekuty (writer), Chris Helper (writer), Jessica Merizan (community manager) and Chris Priestly (community specialist) discuss the history of the series, beloved characters, multiplayer gaming and hints at upcoming DLC. Don’t forget to bring your emergency induction port.

8:00-9:00 Occupy Comics: Activism, Kickstarter, and Comics— Room 4

Get the story behind the historic Occupy Comics project that inspired dozens of top comics pros to take a stand, bummed out Frank Miller, and brought Alan Moore and David Lloyd back together in the same book for the first time since the Occupy-inspiring V for Vendetta. With a star-studded roster featuring Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Art Spiegelman (Maus), Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night), and many more, Occupy Comics raised nearly three times its Kickstarter fundraising goal, with all revenue beyond hard costs being donated to Occupy protesters.

Organizational spearhead Matt Pizzolo (Godkiller, president Halo-8) will be joined by contributors Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Tyler Crook (Petrograd, B.P.R.D.), Brea Grant and Zane Grant (We Will Bury You, Suicide Girls), Joshua Dysart (Swamp Thing, The Unknown Soldier), Zoetica Ebb (Biorequiem), Mark L. Miller (The Jungle Book), and others special guests to discuss counterculture art, creating activist comics without being annoying, and tips on how to fundraise for your own comics.

Image Courtesy of    heath_bar

The article San Diego Comic Con: Dark Horse Saturday Panels 2012 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For the San Diego Comic Con 2012, Dark Horse Comics is hosting the following Dark Horse/Partner Panels on Friday, July 13, for fans of the incredible work by creators of Dark Horse favorites and for those who wish to know what’s at the top of the comics industry agenda this year.

11:00-12:00 Mike Mignola and Friends— Room 4

As we watch the world collapse in the pages of B.P.R.D.-Hell on Earth and gear up for the most-anticipated series in Hellboy’s history later this year, this may be the most important panel in the history of one of modern comics’ most storied series. Join creator Mike Mignola, editor Scott Allie, Cameron Stewart, James Harren, B.P.R.D. artist Tyler Crook and others, for exclusive news and insight into why the world of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. is truly “going to hell in 2012.”

11:15-12:15 Join the Revolution! Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra— Ballroom 20

The cast and crew of Legend of Korra offer an in-depth discussion of Nickelodeon’s hottest new series. Executive producer and creator team Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino (Avatar: The Last Airbender) are joined by co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender) as they discuss the creative process that brought the first book in the Korra series to life.

You’ll also get to hear from your favorite characters as talented voice actors Janet Varney (Korra), David Faustino (Mako), P. J. Byrne (Bolin) and Seychelle Gabriel (Asami) will be featured on the panel and renowned voice director Andrea Romano (Avatar: The Last Airbender) will direct the actors in a live performance from the series. And if you’re extra nice, Mike and Bryan may even drop a hint or two about Book 2. So don’t miss out! Moderated by Rich Magallanes, senior VP of current series for Nickelodeon.

12:00-1:00 Lenore Turns 20— Room 23ABC

Celebrations are in order! Lenore is 20 years old in 2012. Roman Dirge discusses his new Lenore collection Swirlies, upcoming comics, merchandise, and more. Join the artist/magician himself for this exclusive journey into the unique world of Roman Dirge, with a one-on-one interview with moderator Andrew Sumner plus a Q&A session.

12:30-1:30 Firefly 10-Year Anniversary Reunion— Ballroom 20

Calling all Browncoats to unite! It has been 10 years since the crew of the Serenity took flight in the now infamous show Firefly. Science Channel will reunite, for the first time ever, Captain Mal Reynolds and the crew from the ship. Join Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and many more for a trip down memory lane, some special surprises, and exclusive Science Channel giveaways. SHINY.

1:30-2:30 Comic Book Entrepreneurs— Room 8

Get a rare look behind the scenes as the comic book industry’s leading entrepreneurs share their secrets of building successful businesses around the love of comic books. Author and futurist Rob Salkowitz (Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture), CEO and co-founder David Steinberger of comiXology, Dark Horse Comics publisher Mike Richardson, Peter Levin of Nerdist Industries, and comics retailer Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics (who also founded Free Comic Book Day and helped run WonderCon for 15 years), offer a unique view of the business side of comics.

2:30-4:00 Eisner Spirit Award Video Viewing— Room 18

The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award is the industry’s “Hall of Fame” for progressive retailers. Spirit Award facilitator and award recipient Joe Ferrara (Atlantis Fantasyworld, CA) presents the videos for this year’s award finalists, with discussion about each nominated retailer, the store’s display techniques, and other unique features every attending retailer can learn from. Hey, retailers: this is a great place for getting new ideas!

3:00-4:00 The Future of Star Wars Publishing: Dark Horse & Del Rey— Room 7AB

Find out what’s coming up in the Expanded Universe of Star Wars publishing. Editors Randy Stradley and Dave Marshall from Dark Horse Comics discuss what’s next for Agent of the Empire, Dawn of the Jedi, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and Darth Maul, as well as reveal a new secret title that’s on the horizon. From Del Rey Books editors Frank Parisi and Erich Schoeneweiss, along with author Troy Denning (Apocalypse), look at new novels coming later this year from fan-favorite authors Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston, as well as give a peek into 2013. Also on the panel is Jennifer Heddle, senior editor at LucasBooks. Moderated by author Pablo Hidalgo (Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion).

3:00-4:00 Drawing on Your Nightmares: Horror in Comics— Room 23ABC

Throughout comics’ storied history, horror has been an important part of the medium. In the fall of 2012, Dark Horse unveils a whole slate of new titles guaranteed to have you running for the covers. Dark Horse horror line editor Scott Allie is joined by actor-turned-comics writer Lance Henrikson and creators Eric Powell (The Goon), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre), Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash), Paul Tobin (Colder), and others for an exciting look at this year’s most promising four-color thrills and chills!

3:30-4:30 The Art of Death and Darksiders II— Room 5AB

A lively demonstration on bringing 2D comic art to 3D graphics and back again-Joe Madureira (Vigil Games Darksiders creator; artist for Avenging Spider-Man, Ultimates, X-Men), and Han Randhawa (Vigil Games, Darksiders I and II creative director) use exclusive examples from the creative development process to show how they bring a unique comic inspired vision to 3D life in the new Darksiders II video game from THQ, where you become Death, the most feared rider from the legendary Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

In part two, representatives from Dark Horse Comics demonstrates how they took this highly stylized universe in 3D, converted it back to a 2D comic book series, and expanded on the mythos, revealing scenes and storyline threads that complement the events of the video game. Working closely with the Darksiders team at Vigil Games, Dark Horse Comics is creating an important component to complete Joe Mad’s original vision.

4:30-5:30 Falling Skies: The Battle Is Just Getting Started— Room 6BCF

Continuing the fight against alien invaders, TNT’s Falling Skies follows a band of human survivors on their quest to outrun and outwit the powerful alien force that invaded Earth. Join stars Noah Wyle (ER), Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation), Will Patton (Armageddon), Drew Roy (Secretariat), Colin Cunningham (Living in Your Car), Sarah Carter (The Vow), and Connor Jessup (The Saddle Club), and show runner Remi Aubuchon (Caprica), with Q&A hosted by Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Big Bang Theory). Watch never-before-seen clips and be treated to an in-depth discussion on Falling Skies season 2.

5:00-6:00 Breaking into Comics Right Now!— Room 9

If you’re an aspiring comic book creator, this is a panel you don’t want to miss! Some of comic book publishing’s top decision makers, including IDW chief creative officer Chris Ryall, BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon, Dark Horse managing editor Scott Allie, and Top Cow publisher Filip Sablik, give you up-to-date and practical advice on how to break into the comic book industry. Learn what you need to do to make your comic book dreams come true in a world where the Internet and social media have changed everything. This won’t be your grandfather’s “breaking into comics” panel.

5:30-6:30 Dark Horse: Joss Whedon— Ballroom 20

Long before directing the biggest superhero film in history, Joss Whedon rewarded fans the world over with some of the most compelling characters and plotlines in the history of comics, television, and movies. Here’s your chance to find out what he has in store for us next, and hear exclusive insight into Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the ever-expanding number of titles in Dark Horse’s line of Season 9 comics.

5:30-6:30 Berserk— Room 32AB

At long last, the dark fantasy epic Berserk, by creator Kentaro Muira, comes to the silver screen! Join Dark Horse Comics and VIZ Media in a rare interview with Eiko Tanaka, founder and CEO of Studio 4°C (Tekkonkinkreet, Animatrix, Batman). Find out what it really takes to transform this stark manga into an animated feature.

6:00-7:00 Are Digital Comics Expanding the Market?— Room 9

Digital comics are the hottest trend in publishing today, exploding onto the screens of iPads, tablets, and phones everywhere. How is digital distribution transforming the industry and the market? Is digital opening the medium to a vast new global audience, or is it the death knell of comics as we know them? Author and futurist Rob Salkowitz (Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture) leads a provocative, no-holds-barred discussion with the leaders of the digital comics revolution: comiXology co-founders David Steinberger and John D. Roberts, Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, and IDW publisher Ted Adams.

7:30-8:30 Making a Living in Manga— Room 8

Now that Japanese comics have been available in English for over 30 years, several generations of artists inspired by manga are trying to live the Bakuman dream of being full-time comics creators.

But in the superhero-centric North American comics market, are they fighting the odds? Comics creators Adam Warren (Empowered), Becky Cloonan (Demo, Conan the Barbarian), Fred Gallagher (Megatokyo), and Audra Furuichi (Nemu-Nemu), along with industry pros Christopher Butcher (blogger, Comics212.net; director, Toronto Comic Arts Festival), JuYoun Lee (senior editor, Yen Press), Erik Ko (editor-in-chief, UDON Entertainment), and moderator Deb Aoki (Manga editor, About.com), explain the ins and outs and ups and downs of making a living as a manga creator in North America.

8:00-10:30 Syfy Presents the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards— Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

The 24th annual Eisner Awards (the “Oscars” of the comics industry) honor comics creators and works in 28 categories. Presenters will include British talk show host/comics writer Jonathan Ross, actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Family Guy, Pee Wee’s Playhouse), and special guests Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Lynn Johnston (cartoonist, For Better or For Worse), Eric Powell (The Goon), Sergio Aragonés (cartoonist, MAD), Bill Morrison (creative director, Bongo Comics), Michael Uslan (movie producer, Batman films), plus some special surprises!

Other prestigious awards to be given out include the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comics Writing, and the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award.

The article San Diego Comic Con: Dark Horse Friday Panels 2012 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

San Diego Comic-Con 2012 is upon us, and Dark Horse Comics is telling you all the goods ahead of time. Here is the schedules for the Dark Horse Signing Booth #2615 from Friday till Sunday. Plan accordingly!

Friday, July 13 

10:00 a.m.—Usagi Yojimbo Signing with Stan Sakai: See a preview of the upcoming Usagi Yojimbo: Way of the Ronin game for smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

11:00 a.m.—Star Wars Signing with Mike Richardson (Crimson Empire), Dave Dorman (Crimson Empire, Darth Maul), Randy Stradley and Doug Wheatley (Dark Times), Dave Wilkins (Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison), Dan Parsons (Dawn of the Jedi), John Jackson Miller (Knight Errant), Michael Atiyeh (colorist), Michael Heisler (letterer) and Tom Taylor (Darth Maul)

12:00 pm.—Valve Signing with Bill Fletcher  (“Cave Johnson”), Laura Dubuk (“Caroline”), Andrew Wilson, Wade Schin, and Arsenio Navarro

12:00 p.m.—Axe Cop Signing with Ethan Nicolle

1:00 p.m.—Hellboy, B.P.R.D., and Baltimore Signing with Mike Mignola, Cameron Stewart, and Tyler Crook

1:00 p.m.—Age of Reptiles Signing with Ricardo Delgado

2:00 p.m.—Berserk Signing with Eiko Tanaka (Studio 4C CEO)

2:30 p.m. – Green River Killer Signing with Jeff Jensen

3:00 p.m.– Domo Signing with Domo creator Tsuneo Goda *Ticketed by drawing

3:00 p.m. – Dragon Age Signing with David Gaider

4:00 p.m. – Empowered Signing with Adam Warren

4:00 p.m. – De:Tales Signing with Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon

5:00 p.m.—Creepy and Eerie Signing with Dan Braun, Angelo Torres, and Christopher A. Taylor

5:00 p.m.—Dark Horse Horror Signing with Steve Niles (Criminal Macabre), Eric Powell (The Goon), and Paul Tobin (Colder)

6:00 p.m. – TNT’s Falling Skies Signing with series stars Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Connor Jessup, Colin Cunningham, Sarah Carter, executive producer Remi Aubuchon and more! *Ticketed by drawing

Saturday, July 14 

10:00 a.m.—Darksiders Signing with David Slagle and Roger Robinson

10:00 a.m.—Aliens Colonial Marines Signing with Josh Williams

11:00 a.m.—Domo Signing with Domo creator Tsuneo Goda *Ticketed by drawing

12:00 p.m.—Joss Whedon Signing *Ticketed by drawing

1:00 p.m.—Whedonverse Signing with Andrew Chambliss, Georges Jeanty, Christos Gage, Jane Espenson, and Drew Greenberg

2:00 p.m – Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra Signing with Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu, and Gurihiru Studios artists Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano *Ticketed by drawing

3:00 p.m. – Valve Signing with Bill Fletcher  (“Cave Johnson”), Laura Dubuk (“Caroline”), Andrew Wilson, and Wade Schin

3:00 p.m.—Concrete Park Signing with Tony Puryear and Erika Alexander

4:00 p.m.—Dark Matter Signing with Joseph Mallozzi

4:00 p.m.—Exile to Babylon Signing with Domagoj Mazuran, Matt Savelloni, and Helen Darras

5:00 p.m. – Mass Effect Signing with Sylvia Feketekuty, Chris Helper, and John Jackson Miller

6:00 p.m.—The Goon Signing with creator Eric Powell

Sunday, July 15 

10:00 a.m.—Beanworld Signing with Larry Marder

11:00 a.m.—Mass Effect Signing with Sylvia Feketekuty, Chris Helper, and John Jackson Miller

12:00 p.m.—The Guild Signing with Felicia Day *Ticketed by drawing

1:00 p.m.—The Strain Signing with Guillermo del Toro *Ticketed by drawing

2:00 p.m.—Emily the Strange Signing with Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner

3:00 p.m.—Doug Sneyd Signing

Events are subject to change.  Some restrictions apply.

The article Dark Horse Signings at San Diego Comic-Con July 11-12 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

As the comics industry looks forward to flourish at another Comic-Con jam-packed with the industry’s greatest talents, IDW Publishing has the following schedule to give fans the opportunity to meet the creators, available at booth #2643 throughout the show.

Thursday July 12th

11:00 – 12:00 Deadworld – Gary Reed

12:00 – 1:00 The Cape: 1969 – Joe Hill, Zach Howard (Check out the show exclusive Comic.)

1:00 – 2:30  Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score – Darywn Cooke (*Check out the show

exclusive hardcover)

3:00 – 4:00  Godzilla – Duane Swierczynski

3:00 – 4:00  Love and Capes – Thom Zahler (Check out the show exclusive Comic)

4:00 – 5:00  TRANSFORMERS – Chris Metzen, Flint Dille, John Barber, Livio Ramondelli, Brendan Cahill, Andrew Griffith, Scott Mairghread, Priscilla Tromontano

5:00 – 6:00  30 Days of Night, Frankenstein: Alive, Alive – Steve Niles

6:00 – 7:00  Smoke & Mirrors – Mike Costa, Jon Armstrong

6:00 – 7:00  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Dan Duncan

Friday July 13th

10:00 – 11:00 Kill Shakespeare – Andy Belanger

11:00 – 12:00 Star Trek: TNG/Doctor Who – Scott Tipton, J.K. Woodward

11:00 – 12:00 Memorial  – Chris Roberson

12:00 – 1:00 The Cape: 1969 – Joe Hill, Zach Howard (Check out the show exclusive Comic)

1:00 – 3:00  Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score – Darywn Cooke (*Check out the show

exclusive hardcover.)

3:00 – 4:00  KISS – Gene Simmons, Chris Ryall, Jamal Igle (*ticketed signing – See employee for details)

4:00 – 5:00  Dungeons & Dragons  – Steve Ellis

5:00 – 6:00  Locke & Key – Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez (*Check out the show exclusive

hardcover & exclusive keys by Israel Skelton!)

6:00 – 7:00  Ghostbusters  – Dan Schoening, Erik Burnham, Tristan Jones, Luis Antonio Delgado, Nick Runge

6:00 – 7:00  Crawl to Me  – Alan Robert

Saturday July 14th

10:00 – 11:00  Night of 1,000 Wolves – Bobby Curnow, Dave Wachter

11:00 – 12:00  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Dan Duncan

11:00 – 12:00  Zombies vs Robots – Chris Ryall, Brea Grant, Jeff Conner

12:00 – 1:00  The Crow – John Shirley, Kevin Colden

1:00 – 2:00  Locke & Key – Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez (*Check out the show exclusive

hardcover & exclusive keys by Israel Skelton)

1:00 – 2:00  Silent Hill – Tom Waltz

2:00 – 3:00 Star Trek: TNG/Doctor Who – Scott Tipton, David Tipton, J.K. Woodward

3:00 – 4:00  Star Trek: The Next Generation – Brannon Braga, Joe Corroney (Get a free limited signing card)

4:00 – 5:00  Star Trek – Mike Johnson, Joe Corroney

5:00 – 6:00  Nevsky: A Hero of the People – Ben McCool, Steve Saffel

5:00 – 6:00  G.I. JOE– Mike Costa, Larry Hama (Check out the show exclusive Comic)

6:00 – 7:00  True Blood – Michael McMillian, Joe Corroney

Sunday July 15th

11:00 – 12:00  Doctor Who – Mark Buckingham, Joshua Fialkov

12:00 – 1:00  TRANSFORMERS – Chris Metzen, John Barber, Livio Ramondelli, Andrew Griffith, Scott Mairghread, Priscilla Tromontano

1:00 – 2:00  Zombies! – Craig Yoe, Steve Banes

2:00 – 3:00  Smoke & Mirrors – Mike Costa, Jon Armstrong

3:00 – 4:00 Danger Girl  – J. Scott Campbell

Look for more signings to be scheduled. Rocketeer, Joe Jusko, Amanda Conner; All this, plus Ashley Wood and the 3A crew signing all weekend.

Image Courtwesy of   architecturegeek

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Dark Horse Comics is presenting the following panels at this year’s San Diego Comic Con on Thursday, July 12. Fans should plan ahead to make sure they do not miss anything from Dark Horse Comics.

10:30-11:30 Books and Hollywood: Literary Franchises in Television and Film— Room 24ABC

Authors discuss their work transitioning across various mediums, from screenwriters to novelists turning popular books into hit TV series and Hollywood films. How does the creative process differ when writing a screenplay as compared to a novel? Authors describing the process of adapting novels for the big screen include Rebecca Serle (When You Were Mine), Margaret Stohl (co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series), Scott Speer (Immortal City), Tony DiTerlizzi (The Search for WondLa series), Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz (Colin Fischer), Mike Richardson (president of Dark Horse), and Mark Frost (The Paladin Prophecy). Moderated by Geoff Boucher (Los Angeles Times).

11:00-12:00 Spotlight on Becky Cloonan— Room 32AB

Comic-Con special guest Becky Cloonan, one of the most versatile artists in comics today, talks to Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider podcast host) about her career in comics and illustration, collaborating with writers, artists, and musicians, and the dark secrets she learned through 15 years of self-publishing.

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Geof Darrow— Room 8

Comic-Con special guest Geof Darrow is known for his wildly imaginative and intricately detailed artwork. Geof talks about his comics career, including his current work for Dark Horse, Shaolin Cowboy, in this special spotlight presentaton.

12:00-1:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #2: Once More, with Comics: How the Whedon Universes Continue in Comic Book Form— Room 26AB

Authors Katrina Hill (Action Movie Freak, GeekNation.com), Jennifer K. Stuller (Ink-StainedAmazon, GeekGirlCon), and Traci Cohen (CSU-Sacramento) examine how comic books and graphic novels provide a new form of media adaptation in which the graphic novel form furthers the canon or official continuity of television series as sequels to the original material. Creator Joss Whedon’s television universes enjoy new life in print (e.g. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9).

Sharing their own thoughts on these Whedon comic book follow-ups are comic book writer/actress Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow and Tara), editors Scott Allie (Dark House) and Mariah Huehner (IDW), and actors Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring It On) and Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cabin in the Woods).

1:00-2:00 100th Anniversary of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars— Room 8

He wrestled lions, poachers and ran through fire barefoot without a stunt-double or CGI. Actor Ron Ely will discuss filming Tarzan in the jungles of Latin America with writer Mark Evanier and Burroughs illustrator Tom Yeates. Also featuring David Lemmo, co-author of the new book, Tarzan: His First 100 Years. How Ancient Literature Became Modern Mythology and Created an Ape-Man Mecca in Southern California, coming from Angel City Press in 2013.  Plus a 100-years of Tarzan and John Carter slide show included.

1:00-2:00 Dark Horse: Powered by Creators- Room 23ABC

An In-Depth Look at the Best in Creator-Owned Comics— Just over 25 years ago, Dark Horse arrived with a different agenda than any other publisher in comics. The young company was founded on the belief that comics creators should have the option to retain the rights to their own work, and today it continues to be a highly fertile breeding ground for new characters and concepts. Self-publishing sensation Sam Humphries introduces Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, along with a cast of top talent from around the industry. Expect exclusive announcements, and much, much more!

2:00-3:00 The Sergio and Mark Show— Room 8

An annual Comic-Con tradition! The folks who give you Groo the Wanderer on occasion will tell what’s up with Groo and their other projects and will entertain you with glorious anecdotes and silly stories. Those folks are celebrated cartoonist Sergio Aragonés, his co-conspirator Mark Evanier,  Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai, and the hardest-working man in comics, Tom Luth.

5:00-6:00 Uncle Creepy Presents— Room 9A

Stellar panel of ghoulish creators discuss Warren’s Creepy and Eerie, which have been relaunched at Dark Horse in hardcover archival editions, new comic books, and artist compilation formats. Discover all the exciting things coming up in the Creepy universe. Moderated by Overstreet’s J. C. Vaughn and featuring New Comic Company’s twin engines Dan Braun (Creepy) and Josh Braun (Button Man) and super special guest MAD and Creepy artist Angelo Torres (Mad), plus writer Christopher A. Taylor  and some very special unannounced guests. Plus, there will be Creepy trivia questions with tons of giveaways, swag and prizes.

7:00-8:00 Indie Comics Marketing and PR 101— Room 8

Need tips on how to market your comic? Have questions about doing PR? This is the panel for you! Some of the best and brightest in comics today present a roundtable discussion, revealing all the secrets of doing marketing and PR for your comics.

comiXology marketing and PR maven Chip Mosher is joined by Dark Horse’s director of PR Jeremy Atkins, Image Comics’ PR and marketing director Jennifer de Guzman, IDW Publishing’s VP of marketing Dirk Wood, Archaia’s Marketing Manager Mel Caylo and comics writer David Gallaher (Box 13, the Harvey Award-winning High Moon, and Marvel’s Darkstar and The Winter Guard) for a wide-ranging discussion you will not want to miss!

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San Diego, U.S.A. — Stern Pinball, Incoporated, the world’s only maker of real pinball games, announced today their second annual International Comic-Con pinball tournament where players and fans will have the opportunity to play Stern’s latest X-Men machine, inspired by one of the most popular comic book series to date.

Hundreds of thousands of San Diego Comic-Con attendees will be able to compete in an X-Men game play tournament for the chance to win a cash prize by signing up to play at booth 114. The tournament starts July 11, on Preview Night at Comic-Con. Contestants will be called to return if they advance in the tournament. The finals will be held on Saturday, July 14 at 3PM. Stern claims to be thrilled to give pinball players and comic lovers at International Comic-Con 2012 a chance to experience the X-Men adventure with their own two hands.

The International Comic-Con in San Diego begins July 12 and lasts until July 15.

“San Diego Comic-Con couldn’t be a more fitting place for fans to get their hands on the new X-Men machine,” said John Borg, game designer for Stern Pinball. “We live and breath pinball design, but there is something about seeing players enjoy the game that really brings the design to life.”

Attendees can find Stern Pinball at the Century Media Nuclear Blast booth #114.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc., headquartered just outside Chicago, Illinois, is the leading producer of pinball games in the world. Stern’s talented creative and technical teams design, engineer and manufacture popular, arcade-quality pinball games. Recent popular Stern titles include Tron, Transformers, Avatar, Iron Man, Batman, Spiderman, Big Buck Hunter and many more. All of Stern’s pinball games are crafted by hand and assembled by Stern’s expert team. Both pinball enthusiasts and casual players around the globe enjoy Stern’s games. For more information visit www.sternpinball.com.

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New York, U.S.A. - Rob Zombie is hosting a night filled with metal and more at San Diego’s Petco Park which is free and open exclusively to all Comic-Con badge holders. VH1 Classic will present the first-ever official Comic-Con Opening Night Attendee Welcome Party, “Dawn of the Con,” on Thursday, July 12, 5:30 – 11PM PT. VH1 Classic will take over San Diego’s Petco Park to ring in Comic-Con in true rocker fashion. The night’s festivities will be hosted by hard-rock icon and celebrated filmmaker Rob Zombie, and live music will be spun by DJ Will from VH1 Classic’s “That Metal Show.”

“Dawn of the Con” promises to be a night full of fantasy, science fiction, monsters and heavy metal. The night will be jam-packed with activities including: a digital photo area where you can pose next to the drag racer from Rob Zombie’s video “Dragula,” hourly limited-edition giveaways of one-of-a-kind illustrated collectible posters, and a T-shirt bar where attendees can choose from different limited-edition custom shirt designs and have them pressed on the spot. Additionally, party-goers will get numerous sneak peeks from Zombie, including a preview of his new music project, to be released August 7th featuring unique remixes of Rob Zombie’s classic hits by today’s top DJ talent.

“VH1 Classic is thrilled to be hosting the first-ever official Comic-Con welcome party for the fans and attendees of Comic-Con,” said Nigel Cox-Hagan, Executive Vice President, Creative and Consumer Marketing at VH1. “‘Dawn of the Con’ is the coming together of two cultural curators – VH1 Classic and Comic-Con – two brands that embrace, honor and are passionate about classic pop culture. This party will set the stage for a great convention.”

“We’re very excited that VH1 Classic has created this event exclusively for the Comic-Con attendees,” said David Glanzer, director of marketing and public relations for the non-profit event. “We know it will be a fantastic kick off to our best convention yet!”

Image Courtesy of  Rob Zombie

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London Film and Comic Con (LFCC) will take place in the Olympia Grand Hall on Friday July 6 until Sunday July 8, and this year’s global gathering of fans and stars is set to be the biggest yet.

The weekend convention has been an annual event since 2004 and celebrates the best in “films, cult television, gaming, anime and comics,” with fans being given the opportunity to meet their favourite stars, attend special talks, pay for professional photo shoots, and engage with other fans from all across the world.

This year, major stars set to attend include: Gillian Anderson (The X Files), Anthony Stewart Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Laura Vandervoort (Smallville, V), Holly Marie Combs (Charmed), and Robert Maschio (Scrubs), along with dozens of others from the world of film, TV, and beyond.

High-profile guests from previous years include: Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), William Shatner (Star Trek), Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) and Alex Kingston (ER, Doctor Who), while many more are expected to be announced for this year’s convention in the coming months.

LFCC is organised by Showmasters, who are also involved with the planning of such events as Eternal Twilight, Hallowhedon, Mike Tyson Experience, and London Comic Mart. Their convention season has become a cornerstone of London’s tourism scene, with an event like LFCC offering European fans an alternative to the San Diego ComicCon International, which attracts thousands and thousands of attendees every year.

Now with the long-running success of LFCC and the other aforementioned conventions, Britain has successfully established itself as a major international draw for American television and film stars.

The Showmasters Twitter feed has over 3,000 followers, while its online message board has over 15,000 registered users, demonstrating the strength of the organisation’s online presence. Guest announcements are frequently made first on the Twitter feed, however, news of Gillian Anderson’s appearance at LFCC caused the website to crash for a brief period while site members attempted to post their responses.

Considering that many of LFCC’s biggest guests have Twitter accounts also, such as Holly Marie Combs, Hayden Panettiere, and the just-announced Robert Maschio, the organisers are in a fortunate position of being able to effectively utilise the full power of social media in order to spread news about LFCC and the rest of Showmasters’ upcoming events for 2012.

It is important to note that the organisers have moved LFCC 2012 from Earls Court, its previous home since 2005, to the Olympia Hall in Hammersmith in order to make room for the Olympic Games, set to take place in London this July and August.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/entropy1138/

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Comic Con is considered the biggest pop culture event in the East Coast. It is where some of the biggest names in Comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys and movies are hosted. This huge event kicks off on Thursday, with an introduction to the main panels.

Thursday’s special event will begin with a concert featuring Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, as his Nightwatchman acoustic solo act. He will be accompanied by the Freedom Fighter Orchestra, and if that’s not enough, DJ.Z-Trip will perform along with Tom Morello.

Things will start to pick up on Friday, with a selection of panels to choose from, ranging from animations to movies and graphic novels. Locke and Key, which was such a big success at the San Diego Comic Con, will be premiering this year in NY. It will not be airing on Fox, airing instead at NY Comic Con for a one-time screening.

Later that day EA will display its new massive multiplayer online game, The Secret World, where characters will explore and discover dark cultural secrets, while also gaining skills that will be unique to the player itself. Comedy Central will be there to celebrate South Park’s Year of the Fan, in which a trivia game will give fans a chance to win South Park themed memorabilia.

Also showing up are Kevin James and James Mewes for a live performance of their podcast Jay & Silent Bob Get Old. The event will be ending with Corbin Bernsen, David H. Lawrence XVII, Diamond Dallas Page, Joe Eckardt, Marco Mannone, Vitaly Bokser and FrankieMuniz speaking about a family super hero, the Pizza Guy.

Saturday continues with DC: Talent Search, where professionals will explain what requirements are needed to become a DCE artist. Marvel will host a panel featuring all the biggest games to be released from Activision in 2012, which includes trailers, surprise reveals and a Q & A with the creators.

We expect to see the premier of the new Johnny Depp/Tim Burton film too. Lyndsy Fonseca, Maggie Q, and Shane West will speak about season two of Nikita, where Nikita and Michael are on the run with a black box full of dark government secrets. Attending is also the producer of the Marvel Vs. Capcom Franchise, Ryota Niitsuma, to discuss the launch of the new game next month.

The Death Valley cast, along with producers of the show, will discuss the difficulties of combining horror and comedy in one. Later that evening, cast members of AMCs The Walking Dead will talk about season one, and what to expect for season two, along with a sneak peak at said new season.

Saturday night will finish with sneak previews, and never before seen footage for two of the most anticipated movies of the fall and summer, respectively: Boy Wonder, and Marvel’s The Avenger.The Sunday introduction includes meeting the stars of Conan the Barbarian: Jason Momoa, Rose Mcgowan and Stephen Lang.

Also, the franchise that began in the 1980’s, Voltron, will feature all new toys and merchandise, plus an inside look at the new Voltron video game. There will also be a chance to get an exclusive look at some of Capcom’s upcoming releases: Dragon’s Dogma and Asura Wrath. There will also be a chance to hear about the latest on Dead Rising 2.

There is still a lot more coming up at comic con, so stay tuned for the latest news and updates.
CarlaVanWagoner / Shutterstock.com

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