This is a feature I’ve written pretty much every year since 2001 on The Fourth Rail, my look forward at San Diego Comicon. Last year’s feature can be read HERE. This is my tenth year in a row attending the show, and I always have a good time. Warning: This is long and probably remarkably self-indulgent. If you have no interest at all in my approach to San Diego (and who could blame you?), stop here before it’s too late.

Last year was my first year attending when I wasn’t doing regular reviewing and without a roommate, and I was a little nervous I might be bored, without anyone to hang out with, and that I wouldn’t have a hotel room on Friday night. As it turned out, most of this was taken care of when I crashed one night and spent a fair amount of time with my good friend Joe Doughrity and his roommate Dave. This year is my first attending as a retailer, but I have roommates this year, more solid hotel plans (all four nights) thanks to a friend who didn’t need his room and dinner/after-Con plans for most nights. I’d still like to get into the parties, but I’m not connected for such things.

I always have a few unrealistic goals, like getting to meet Joss Whedon or, in the case of last year, hoping to get an autograph or a minutes’ conversation with Samuel L. Jackson, Stan Lee, Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, Kristen Bell or Enrico Colantoni. I did get to spend a couple minutes talking to Rosario Dawson, which was on my “unlikely goals” list, and even got to invite her out for a store signing for Occult Crimes Taskforce if she was ever in town and interested in doing one.

Anyway, every year since I stole the idea from Augie de Blieck, I do a rundown of panels I mean to attend, and every year, I wind up attending maybe half of them. Last year, there were about two dozen panels I had an interest in. I wound up going to six, which is actually a lot more than I usually do. I predicted a minimum of two per day, and that’s more or less what I averaged. This year, there are at least three panels a day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday that I want to attend. I’m guessing I’ll still average two.

First of all, there is fantastic programming this year. There are probably a half-dozen ways you could fill your entire weekend without setting one foot on the convention floor and still get a variety of panels, from comics to film to TV to fandom to academia. There are over 50 single creator spotlight style panels alone! Not to mention exhibitions of every genre TV show and movie you can imagine. It’s an impressive selection of panels, and the folks who put together the programming should be very proud of themselves.

If anything, it’s too jam-packed, and there are a lot of panels this year that are scheduled up against one another, making for some hard choices. But that’s a good way to deal with the crowds at the big panels, and honestly, from my personal point of view, I usually find myself more interested in being on the floor, so I duck out of about 75% of the panels I planned to attend when I actually get there anyway.

My own panel interests are not what a lot of people go in for. I don’t go to the “big announcement” panels like DC Nation or Cup ‘o Joe or the slideshow panels DC puts on… I’d rather hear that news from the creators or at Newsarama, CBR or elsewhere in the blogoverse after the Con. I don’t go to a lot of the TV/movie panels, not because of lack of interest, but because they’re so crowded that getting in means waiting in line and dealing with a crush of people that’s even bigger than the crush on the show floor. There are also a ton of spotlights on individual creators, most of which would probably be very interesting, but I’m picking and choosing on that one as well. And honestly, for the most part, I find it more interesting when there’s more than one creator on a panel talking about a topic, rather than a single creator discussing only their work. But most of the Spotlights I’ve attended, if you’re a fan of that creator, are well worth it.

Anyway, caveats and other such blah-blah aside, here’s my plan for the year. If you want a look at the full programming schedule, you’ll find it HERE.

THURSDAY
There are about a half-dozen panels I have an interest in on Thursday. Five of them conflict with each other in one way or another, which is pretty much OK, because this early in the show, I usually have plenty of energy, still feel like I’m in early “meet and greet” mode with friends and acquaintances and like to spend time on the floor. Odds that I’ll get to even one of these panels is pretty low, honestly. But there are some pretty compelling panels out there.

12:30-2:00 Drawing Style and Storytelling—In a classroom-style workshop, Darwyn Cooke (The Spirit), Brian Wood (DMZ), Cameron Stewart (The Other Side), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), and Colleen Coover (Banana Sunday)—and maybe another special guest—discuss design, look-and-feel, and how they develop the visual style of specific projects. Moderated by Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). Room 30CDE

I have no doubt that this will be a great panel. Wood has said on his blog that if his Thursday morning flight gets delayed, he might not make it, but even so, look at that list of talent! I’m not sure the visual language they’re using will be something I can easily grasp, but it will probably be fascinating. Great line-up.

12:30-2:00 The Many Faces of the Graphic Novel—Graphic Novels come in many shapes, sizes, and formats, and they’ve been written about almost every topic under the sun! Six creators whose work explores very different aspects of the medium—Jeffrey Brown (Clumsy), Becky Cloonan (East Coast Rising), Renée French (The Ticking), Jim Ottaviani (Cowboys, Bone Sharps, and Thunder Lizards), Andy Runton (Owly), and Doug TenNapel (Creature Tech)—discuss the diversity of the form and the innovative places the graphic novel is going with moderator Mark Siegel (First Second Books). Room 4

Why am I interested in this one? Look at that list of indy talent! A pretty wide variety of folks, moderated by someone who knows a lot about producing graphic novels for the burgeoning bookstore/indy comics market. Unfortunately, it conflicts with the start of Matt Wagner’s spotlight and the Paramount Pictures spotlight and it’s early enough in the day that I probably won’t be ready to head into a panel room yet. Still, it promises to be a really interesting discussion… I’ll have to see how I feel on the day.

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Matt Wagner/25 Years of Grendel—Matt Wagner’s signature anti-hero, Grendel, turns 25 this year. Wagner’s rich history with the character, as well as his other comics work, is discussed in this session with Dark Horse editor Diana Schutz. Room 1AB

1:30-3:30 Paramount Pictures—Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, and Nickelodeon Movies present a bold new vision for the future of adventure. Be here for a one-of-a-kind presentation put together just for the fans at Comic-Con as you get a look at such highly anticipated films as Beowulf, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Stardust, Hot Rod, Iron Man, and the next installments of Indiana Jones and Star Trek, plus a few surprises. Appearing in person: JJ Abrams, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Neil Gaiman, Roger Avary, and SNL’s Andy Samberg. Hall H

These are at the same time, and though it’s betraying my comics cred to admit it, if I wind up in one, it’ll probably be the Paramount Pictures one. I’m really interested in Beowulf (Literary story + Gaiman + Zemeckis? C’mon! That’s gonna be good at the very least), Iron Man (Favreau has a great cast and a good track record with me in film), Indiana Jones (that pic of Harrison hanging on the set did wonders to convince me he could still play it) and Star Trek (huge J.J. Abrams fan, and I like the geeky casting rumors flying about). Plus, Andy Samberg (dare we hope he’ll bring some Digital Shorts?) and I hold out hope that with Abrams there, we’ll get a few more tidbits on Cloverfield.

But… I hate trying to get into Hall H. It’s a nightmarish zoo, and this early in the show, I don’t know if I’ll be in the mindset. And I do really want to hear more about Wagner on Grendel, although I think I’ve probably heard a fair amount of the stories just from reading everything published in the Grendel mythos throughout the last 10-15 years.

2:30-3:30 Spotlight on Darwyn Cooke—One of comics’ most distinctive cartoonists, Comic-Con special guest Darwyn Cooke made his mark with the epic DC: The New Frontier. Now he’s tackled an almost-impossible job with incredible skill and joy: updating Will Eisner’s classic The Spirit for a whole new audience. Join Darwyn in this Q&A event as he discusses his work. Room 1AB

I’ve only ever spoken to him in person, never seen him on a panel, but the impression I get is that Cooke is probably quite the racounteur. And I’m a huge fan of his work, so I’m tempted by the notion of a spotlight panel.

4:00-5:00 Where Did That Come From? Dark Fantasy and Suspense Authors Discuss Their Darkest Ideas—They’re the ones who made their parent/significant other/child/editor inquire, “Where did that come from?” Authors F. Paul Wilson (Repairman Jack novels), David Morrell (Captain America: The Chosen), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Missing White Girl), Simon Wood (Accidents Waiting to Happen), Christopher Golden (The Myth Hunters), Stephen Woodworth (From Black Rooms), Mike Carey (The Devil You Know), and Richard Kadrey Butcher Bird) reveal their inner darkness with moderator Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 2

I’m not sure if I’ll get to this one, if only because by the end of the first day, I’m usually still roaming the floor trying to figure out what I need to get done/seen/bought right away, and I’ll also be getting tired and ready to eat, so I won’t want to lose some energy by sitting down and letting myself relax. But it’s practically a guarantee that this will be interesting and probably very funny, as authors talk about their dark ideas. I’ve heard tell of the World Horrorcon “grossout contest” from my friend Nate Southard, and I know very well that authors exploring their dark thoughts can be disturbing and very, very entertaining.

5:00-6:30 Lost Season 4—If the Lost finale was any indication of things to come, you will not want to miss this panel! Co-creator/executive producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Carlton Cuse will discuss the exciting new season of ABC’s Lost, all leading up to the ultimate series finale. They’ll spotlight bonus features from the 3rd season DVD box set, preview the new Lost video game, take questions from the audience, and perhaps serve up more surprises. Ballroom 20

It’s one of these huge Hollywood panels that are a pain in the ass to get into, but I’ll probably make the effort for this one. I always enjoy the Lost panels. Lindelof and Cuse have a fun, engaging manner that they put to excellent use on the Lost podcasts, and the Q&A sessions last year were highly entertaining.

5:30-7:00 Comic Book Podcasting: One Year Later—Since the first gathering of comic book podcasters last year, podcasting has become a mainstay in the comic book community. With more showing up every day, podcasts have become just as big a part of reading comics as going to the shop on Wednesdays. Hear from the voices behind some of your favorite shows. This year’s panel includes podcasters Scott Hinze (Fanboy Radio), Jon Towry (Comic Talk Cafe), Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider), Mr. Phil (Indie Spinner Rack), Josh Flanagan (iFanboy.com), Ian Levenstein (Comic Timing), John Mayo (Comic Book Page) and will be moderated by comic book writer and retailer Vito Delsante (Stuck, JSA Classified). Room 8

Given that I’ve been podcasting with the rest of the Panteon for a little over a year now, spurred in part by enthusiasm from last year’s Con, I have plenty of interest in hearing podcast vets talk about the art form. But I’ll most likely still be in the Lost panel when it starts.

My nights at the Con are almost never spent anywhere near the convention center. This year will most likely be no different, as I have tentative dinner plans for Thursday night. But if those fall through, and I don’t make new ones that run longer into the night as usual, I might try to check out The Pixar Story: To Infinity and Beyond at 7:15. I’m a big fan of Pixar, and I’m fascinated not just by the movies but by what I’ve seen of the corporate culture in the behind the scenes stuff, and a documentary on the studio sounds really interesting. If nothing else, I’ll definitely be looking this documentary up later.

I definitely won’t be around for it, but it also seems worth noting that Superman Doomsday the animated movie is debuting at the Con at 8:30, and then getting an immediate rerun at 10:30, in case you wanted to spend the 8:30-10:30 block at the Friends of Lulu Awards celebrating women in comics.

FRIDAY
Saturday is the busiest day of the Con in terms of attendance and business, but for me, Friday is the busiest day. If I haven’t caught up to people I was hoping to see (or at least found their booth) by the end of the day on Friday, I generally figure I’m not going to see them on Saturday, which is insane. So more than likely, I won’t hit even a single panel on Friday. But if I do, here are the ones I might go to:

10:30-11:30 Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 1—Join three of Disney•Pixar’s most talented filmmakers—Ralph Eggelston (Oscar-winning director of For the Birds), Andrew Jimenez (Oscar-nominated co-director of One Man Band), and Gary Rydstrom (director of Pixar’s newest animated Oscar-nominated short, Lifted)—as they discuss the studio’s acclaimed short films, with a Q&A session to follow. Room 6CDEF

I’ve seen two of these short films (and I’ll probably see Lifted and Ratatouille sometime before the Con), so it seems kind of silly to sit and watch them again at the Con, especially when I own two of them on DVD. But… the idea of a Q&A with these guys about the short films sounds really interesting. I doubt very much I’m going to want to be in any panel first thing on Friday, but I might go to this one if only because I love Pixar and their short films so much.

10:30-12:00 Warner Bros.

Not planning on going to this one, as it’s a hit-and-miss Hollywood panel, but it seems worth noting that this might provide the first looks at Whiteout, Speed Racer, Get Smart and Watchmen. Or at least news tidbits about some of them.

12:15-2:00 Twentieth Century Fox

Ditto for this one, except the previews are Jumper (Doug Liman film about teleportation, Oni has the comic), Aliens vs. Predator sequel and Hitman (based on the videogame), plus a couple others that sound interesting.

1:30-2:30 Kill Your Darlings—Writers of mystery and suspense discuss the satisfaction in (fictionally) killing victims who provide the world with a wealth of suspects and alibis through their daily behavior. Try not to draw the authors’ attention as F. Paul Wilson (Repairman Jack novels), David Morrell (Captain America: The Chosen), Max Allan Collins (A Killing in Comics), Richard Morgan (TH1TRE3N), Josh Conviser (Echelon), Joe Schreiber (Chasing the Dead), and Elizabeth Forrest (At Twilight’s Fall) plan their next victims. Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 4

Same moderator as the intriguing “Where Did That Come From?” panel on Thursday, and another very intriguing panel here. Talking about fictional murder with suspense/crime authors sounds like a lot of fun. Again, it’s Friday middle of the day, so I think the odds are low I’ll actually get there, but this will almost certainly be a very good panel.

2:15-3:00 New Line Cinema: Shoot ‘Em Up—A gritty, fast-paced action thriller, Shoot ‘Em Up kicks into high gear with a memorable opening scene and never relents. New Line Cinema will show exclusive footage from Shoot ‘Em Up, and star Clive Owen, along with director Michael Davis, will be there to discuss the film! Also included in the presentation will be a special preview of New Line Cinema’s upcoming films, including The Golden Compass. Hall H

Like the Warner Brothers and Twentieth Century Fox presentations, I’m interested but probably not interested enough to fight my way in. There is a slight edge, though, in that the preview I’ve seen for The Golden Compass has me truly interested (and I hope to read the book before Harry Potter arrives and consumes my reading time in a couple weeks), and I loved the trailer for Shoot ‘Em Up as well.

2:30-3:30 Dark Horse Comics—Be on hand for a special retrospective on Dark Horse Presents, the anthology series that started it all. Publisher Mike Richardson and editor Randy Stradley, along with a cast of creators, invite you to join them for a special trip down memory lane of who, what, when, where, and why. If that’s not reason enough, make sure to stop by for an announcement so big, it will literally shake the foundations of the San Diego Convention Center! Room 1AB

I have to say, I’m wondering what this announcement would be. I mean, these guys did land Joss Whedon and Gerard Way for comics, it’s not impossible they have something to live up to this (presumably tongue-in-cheek) hype. Plus, I have a fondness for Dark Horse, especially it’s indie roots, and if the announcement is about collecting the Dark Horse Presents stuff into trades, I’ll be elated, as I missed way too many of those back in the day.

2:30-3:30 Archaia Studios Press Round-Up—ASP comics editor Joseph Illidge leads a roundtable discussion of ASP writers and artists as they take questions about their past and future work. Panelists include Russ Manning Award–nominee David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Alex Sheikman (Robotika), Marvin Mann (Inanna’s Tears), Ed Lavallee (Revere), David Rodriguez (Starkweather: Immortal), and Nick Tapalansky (Awakening). Room 2

Opposite old warhorse publisher Dark Horse’s trip down memory lane, we have one of the most exciting new publishers talking about their past and future. Tough decision… which I will probably make by taking option C, wander around the Con floor somewhat aimlessly for an hour instead. Just judging my past behavior here.

8:30-11:30 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards—The 19th annual Eisner Awards, the “Oscars” of the comics industry, will be given out by celebrity presenters, including Reno 911’s Tom Lennon and Ben Garant, comedian Brian Posehn, cartoon voice actor Maurice LeMarche, British TV celebrity Jonathan Ross, and author Neil Gaiman. Other prestigious awards to be given out include the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award and the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award. The master of ceremonies is Bongo Comics’ Bill Morrison, who will be aided by the Go-Gos’ Jane Wiedlen. Admission to the Eisners is free to all Comic-Con attendees—just be sure to bring your badge. Doors open for pros and VIPs at 7:30 and for attendees at 8:15. Ballroom 20

I haven’t been to the Eisners in years, but this year I’m going with a friend to the Eisner dinner, and I’ve been meaning to get back to the event anyway. Sounds like the somewhat staid awards are being spiced up with celebrity presenters, which should add some humor and variety of the festivities, and that also includes plenty of presenters from the world of comics. Actually looking forward to attending this year.

For those who aren’t, you could catch the world premiere of the Doctor Strange animated movie, visit a presentation on *ahem* Klingon Lifestyle, catch episodes of Eureka and Who Wants To Be A Superhero, see the “Worst Cartoons Ever!” with Jerry Beck or the annual Spike and Mike Sick & Twisted animation showing, or watch a screening of El Muerto, based on Javier Hernandez’s comic. Whew. Plenty to do in San Diego, and that’s not counting the usual “Go out to eat and drink until you fall down” that many favor.

SATURDAY
Time was, I could run up and down the Con hall all day long, all weekend long and not get sick or tired. In the last couple years, age has caught up with me, and I’ve gotten sick and tired. If history holds true, I’ll be a bit zonked and tired on Saturday, but I’ll also still have so much I want to see and do that I don’t stop at a ton of panels. But I’m much more likely to get to one or two panels on Saturday.

9:15-10:15 Special Early Screening: Pushing Daisies—Get to Comic-Con early to see this exclusive screening of one of the fall’s most eagerly anticipated new shows! The stars and creators, including executive producer/creator Bryan Fuller (Heroes), of this new series—about an ordinary guy who can bring people back from the dead with the touch of his finger—come together to screen the Pushing Daisies pilot and answer fan questions. Produced by The Jinks/Cohen Company in association with Warner Bros. Television, Pushing Daisies will air Wednesdays at 8 PM ET/PT this fall on ABC. Room 6CDEF

But this won’t be one of them. “Get to Comic-Con early” indeed. I mean, I tend to wake up early at the Con, a combination of not being in my own bed, the Central-to-Pacific time zone and the excitement of being on vacation, but 9:15? After what is usually a long night out on Friday? You have got to be kidding me. I love Bryan Fuller’s work, and I’m curious about Pushing Daisies, but I think this is going to be an “I’ll catch it when the Fall season starts” much like the previews for Chuck, Moonlight, the Bionic Woman, etc.

10:30-11:30 Meet the Press: Writing About Comics—From blogs to books to magazines, the public conversation about comics is livelier—and faster—than it’s ever been. Heidi MacDonald (Publishers Weekly), Nisha Gopalan (Entertainment Weekly), Tom Spurgeon (The Comics Reporter), Tom McLean (Variety), Graeme McMillan (The Savage Critics), and moderator Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics) discuss the state of the art of comics criticism. Room 3

These are always fun, and I especially remember the year that Gary Groth was on a panel with a bunch of Internet guys whom he dubbed “so-called journalists” while leaning back in his chair, a picture-perfect image of arrogance and snideness that I’ve never forgotten. I don’t know if I’ll attend this one, because it’s early in the morning, and panels aren’t usually the first thing I want to do in the morning. But if you’re up, and you’re not like me, stop by and see which of the panelists are still hungover from post-Eisner parties the night before.

Trick question! The correct answer is all of them… and probably a quarter of the attendees.

10:30-12:00 Quick Draw—We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Quick Draw is just about the most fun you can have at any comics convention panel. Host Mark Evanier keeps artists Sergio Aragonés, and Scott Shaw! on their toes through this rollicking cartoon improv event, while you get to see them draw their hearts out live on the big screen. Room 6CDEF

If you’ve never been to one of these, and you’re going to be in San Diego, go. Trust me. It’s really funny. There are diminishing returns, and I think it’s more of an “every other year” or so kind of thing for me, so I’ll probably skip this year, but this is a really good time.

11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Paul Pope—This popular writer/artist moves easily between self-published personal works and more mainstream material (Batman: Year 100). Comic-Con special guest Paul Pope talks to friend and DC Comics editor Bob Schreck about his career in comics, his upcoming projects, and more, including a visual presentation. Room 1AB

I don’t usually do these spotlight things, but I really love Paul Pope’s work and I don’t know a ton about his earlier stuff, so I’m interested in seeing what he and Schreck would talk about.

11:30-12:30 TV Guide Hot List—The hippest and hottest names in supernatural/ fantasy/sci-fi television, as featured in TV Guide’s current collector’s issue, will offer sneak peeks at what’s coming up on their shows as well as a look at the genre’s future on the small screen. Panelists include (in alphabetical order) Ira S. Behr (The 4400), Billy Campbell (The 4400), Matt Dallas (Kyle XY), Tim Kring (Heroes), Masi Oka (Heroes), Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman), and Skeet Ulrich (Jericho), among others to be announced. TV Guide’s West Coast Bureau Chief Craig Tomashoff moderates. Ballroom 20

If you don’t want to hit all the TV panels, this is a good “cheat sheet” one that has a little over a half-dozen stars from a little under a half-dozen shows, including Heroes. If it was all my favorites, a combo Lost/Heroes/Veronica Mars or something like that, I’d be there, but I’m only a casual fan of The 4400, and I’ll almost certainly be trying for the Heroes panel, so I’ll skip this one.

12:45-2:00 Heroes: Exclusive Volume II Clip and Q&A—Heroes chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Be the first to see an exclusive clip from Volume II and learn more about the DVD Heroes 360 and more. Participate in a Q&A session moderated by co-executive producer/comic book writer Jeph Loeb, with creator Tim Kring, comic book artist Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween), and the entire cast—Jack Coleman (H.R.G.), Noah Gray-Cabey (Micah Sanders), Greg Grunberg (Matt Parkman), Ali Larter (Niki Sanders), James Kyson Lee (Ando), Masi Oka (Hiro Nakamura), Hayden Panettiere (Claire Bennet), Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli), Zachary Quinto (Sylar), Sendhil Ramamurthy (Mohinder Suresh), Dania Ramirez (Maya), Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli), and more. Ballroom 20

The first Heroes panel was exceptionally good, and given that I really enjoyed the first season (well, OK, except for the disappointing final episode), I’m excited to see a bit more. And it’s in Ballroom 20, not Hall H, which means it’ll be a little less zoo-like trying to get in. I will almost certainly be at this panel.

1:30-2:30 Oni Press Presents: Stumped!—Help celebrate Oni Press’s 10th Anniversary with their first ever San Diego Quiz Show! Pit your wits against a gaggle of Oni Press creators and staff in a brain-battle covering topics far and wide—not just comics!—for a chance to win free comics! Plus, get an exclusive peek at Oni’s upcoming slate of exciting comic book and graphic novel projects from creators like Greg Rucka (Whiteout), Chris Gage (WWH: X-Men), and many more! Room 10

Running concurrent with the last half of the Heroes panel, which means I probably won’t get to it, but this sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. And Chris Gage’s name is interesting, because it has me wondering what he’s doing for Oni.

2:15-3:15 Battlestar Galactica—Michelle Tauber of People Magazine calls it “an instantly addictive, girl-powered show that packs emotional punch, rip-roaring adventure and surprisingly sexy heat.” Come see what all the buzz is about as SCI FI celebrates the ladies of Battlestar Galactica. Panelists include Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Kara “Starbuck” Thrace), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Ronald D. Moore (executive producer), David Eick (executive producer), and Erik Storey (VP, original programming, SCI FI). Moderated by Mark Bernardin of Entertainment Weekly magazine. Ballroom 20

I love Galactica, and love hearing Ronald Moore talk about it on his podcasts… but I just don’t know if I’m up to two full hours of panel time. I might be, though… this comes on right after Heroes, and if I’m tired or not planning anything else, I can definitely see making this panel as well.

2:15-4:00 Disney—Disney and Disney•Pixar showcase two upcoming films with this exclusive Comic-Con presentation!

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian—Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present never-before-seen footage and a Q&A panel with the filmmakers of the second installment of the epic fantasy adventure series! Be sure to collect the exclusive Prince Caspian Comic-Con poster, designed by fans on Narnia.com, and selected by director Andrew Adamson!

WALL•E—From Academy Award–winning director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), WALL•E is the story of one robot’s comic adventures as he chases his dream across the galaxy. Meet director Andrew Stanton and sound designer Ben Burtt (Star Wars) as they present a first look at Disney·Pixar’s next animated adventure! Hall H

Hall H madness, plus it’s right on the heels of Heroes, so I won’t be going… but I’m really interested in both of these movies.

4:00-5:00 Jeff Smith—Join Jeff for an open Q&A about his latest projects, including Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil (DC Comics), the new Bone Volume 6 color edition (Scholastic), the new Art of Bone book (Dark Horse) and the Ohio State Wexner Center Bone Art Exhibit planned for 2008. Also get a sneak-peek at his upcoming new self-published comic: RASL. Room 8

You know, I don’t really have any specific questions for Jeff Smith, but I am very curious about RASL. Late in the day, after I’ve hit a couple other panels, so I don’t think I’ll get to it, but you never know.

4:45-5:45 Dark Horse Presents: Joss Whedon—With the hugely successful release of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 for Dark Horse Comics, Joss Whedon (Fray, Astonishing X-Men) talks about picking up where the TV series left off, his other projects, future plans, and possibly even a few surprises. A sneak peek from the upcoming Serenity—Collector’s Edition DVD will be shown. Ballroom 20

I’ll probably wind up here instead. Joss Whedon is a very entertaining speaker, and even if his comics work is kind of hit and miss for me, I will always, always check out whatever he does next because he’s the guy who gave us Buffy, Angel and (especially) Firefly/Serenity. The easiest thing to do, if I’m here for Heroes and Battlestar Galactica, would be to stick around through the (no doubt also entertaining) Futurama panel, but there’s no way I’m spending 12:45 to 5:45 in the same room.

5:15-6:45 Sony/Screen Gems

Another Hall H presentation I won’t be going to, but the films are Resident Evil: Extinction (meh), 30 Days of Night (hmm) and Superbad (Yay!) I’d almost attend this one only to see Judd Apatow, whose work I absolutely love. It’s so cool to see him getting the success with Knocked Up and 40-Year-Old Virgin that he should have been getting with The Ben Stiller Show, Undeclared and Freaks and Geeks.

5:30-6:30 Robert A. Heinlein: Centennial Man—Greg

This is actually just a formatting weirdness, it’s Centennial Man (full stop) and then Greg Bear, etc. But I read this, and I see the word “Man-Greg” which makes me think of both “Man-Thing” and this. Which makes me laugh. Yes, I’m quite easily amused, thank you for asking.

9:00-11:00 Spotlight on Warren Ellis—Warren Ellis (Authority, Black Summer) is not only one of the most critically acclaimed writers of comic books but also one of the most outspoken. Don’t miss this chance to see him talk about everything from modern technology to how he crafts a tale, and get special sneak peaks of his new Avatar titles Doktor Sleepless, Black Summer, and some amazing surprise project announcements! Room 6CDEF

Like I said earlier, I don’t usually return to the convention center once I’ve left it for the day to go have dinner. But I might just have to come back for this spotlight on Warren Ellis, which will no doubt be very entertaining to watch.

SUNDAY
Sunday is almost a non-day for me. I’m usually wiped out, possibly feeling ill, and I need to get back to the hotel by early afternoon to catch my flight out. And plenty of folks arrive late to the convention center or just take off early. But I always stop in to do one last run-around picking up sketchbooks that I left with an artist, grabbing last-minute purchases, etc. I almost never hit any panels on Sunday.

Which will probably be the case this year, but not because there’s a lack of good panels. There’s the Pro/Fan Trivia Match, the CBLDF Live Art Jam, an interesting panel where the panelists will discuss whether or not comics should be conflated with literature, another where the sons and daughters of Denis Kitchen, Scott McCloud and Matt Wagner talk about living with a cartoonist dad, a terrific assortment of artists on a Tokyopop panel and a focus on covers and cover artists with a pretty impressive line-up.

Honestly, once Katy and Aaron get old enough, and if they want to come, Sunday may become my favorite day of the Con, as the kids’ day programming this year is excellent.

So that’s my itinerary, or at least the plan. Of course, all of this will probably change. But I’ll be at San Diego for all four days (plus Preview night), and I’m always flattered when someone tells me they read the site, so if you see me there, make sure and say hi!