12:30-1:30 PM
Neurodiversity and Comics – The creative community contains a neurodiverse population, but it can be a challenge to understand how to approach working in comics while managing ND. Panelists Christie Porter (The Color of Always), Blake Howard (Punchline), Connor Goldsmith (Cerebro Podcast), Jana Tropper (Animal Rescue Friends), and Konner Knudsen (editor, Dark Horse Comics) offer a frank and helpful conversation. Moderated by Phillip Sevy (X-Men Unlimited), as they discuss navigating a creative career with neurodivergence. Room: 10
3:15-4:15 PM
Creating Superheroes and Not-so-Supervillains – Patton Oswalt (Minor Threats, Black Hammer: Visions), Jordan Blum (Minor Threats, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.), Scott Hepburn (Minor Threats), James Tynion IV (The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos, Something is Killing the Children), Tate Brombal (The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos, Barbalien: Red Planet), and Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer, Mazebook) discuss creating their own heroes, villains, and worlds in their creator-owned comics and more. Moderated by Ben Blacker (Thrilling Adventure Hour, DC’s Hex Wives). Room: 6DE
4:30-5:30 PM
Direct Market 50th Anniversary Celebration – Mike Richardson (CEO of Dark Horse), Bill Schanes (Pacific Comics co-founder, longtime VP at Diamond Comic Distributors), and Bob Wayne (longtime DC SVP), and moderator Milton Griepp (co-founder of Capital City Distribution, ICv2 CEO) discuss the origins, growth, importance, and future of the comics Direct Market, the foundation of geek culture. Room: 29DE
5:00-6:00 PM
Manga Publishing Industry Roundtable – One of the big surprises of 2020-2022 was the astronomical growth of manga sales. Although sales are leveling off, manga’s sales strength in North America appears here to stay. Get a taste of what’s hot, what’s not, and what’s next from the perspective of top publishing pros, including Kevin Hamric (vice president, marketing sales, VIZ Media), Ben Applegate (director, publisher services, Penguin Random House), Bobbi Chase (executive editor, WEBTOON Unscrolled), Ed Chavez (publisher, Denpa Books), Kae Winters (marketing lead, TOKYOPOP), Erik Ko (director, Udon Entertainment), Michael Gombos (director, international publishing and licensing, Dark Horse Comics), Beth Kawasaki (executive director, content and marketing, Media-Do International), Jamie Kim (business development lead, Manta), and Matt Haasch (publisher, Starfruit Books). Moderated by Deb Aoki (Publishers Weekly, Mangasplaining). Room: 29AB
7:00-8:00 PM
Digital Comics–Digital Creation, Distribution, and Marketing – Speakers discuss innovative tech tools to create, distribute, and market digital comics for self, indie, and big publishers. Speakers will discuss cutting-edge favorite tools—including digital drawing tablets, programs, apps, and more—to write, draw, animate, and layout digital comics. Experts will then discuss best practices for digital publishing and distribution, as well as marketing and social media, to engage online communities. Featuring B.Earl (Marvel: Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Echo), Jeremy Adams (writer, Green Lantern, Flash, Flashpoint Beyond), Cara O’Neil (Dark Horse), and Akhsar Kharebov (Intera), with moderator Kevin Winston (Digital LA). Room: 9
FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023
4:00PM – 5:00 PM
The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077: Expanding Worlds — The worlds of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 are rich in untold stories — from collectibles and cookbooks to comic books and more. Join CD PROJEKT RED’s Bartosz Sztybor (comic book and animation narrative director), Marcin Batylda (franchise and lore designer), and Nick McWhorter (global licensing director) for a look into the current and upcoming comic books and media set in these two genre-spanning universes — as well as some other surprises. Moderated by Cara O’Neil (VP of marketing, Dark Horse Comics). Room: 4
4:30-5:30 PM
Found in Translation: Acquiring Comics from Around the World – There is gorgeous art being created all over the world—how do you find it? What are the ins and outs of foreign rights acquisition? And what are translation best practices? Leading comics industry professionals Conrad Groth (Fantagraphics), Tom Devlin (creative director at Drawn & Quarterly), Michele Foschini (BAO Publishing), Michael Gombos (senior director of licensed publications, Dark Horse), Charlotte Greenbaum (Abrams Books), and Olivier Jalabert (senior editor at Dupuis) answer these questions with moderator Amber Garza (Full Bleed Rights, LLC). Room: 26AB
SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2023
10:00-11:00 AM
Usagi Yojimbo and Friends – Spotlight on Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo, Chibi Usagi) and his new Dogu Publishing imprint with Dark Horse Comics, featuring new Usagi Yojimbo comics, new titles with up-and-coming creators, and what’s next for Stan and the team at Dogu! Room: 23ABC
12:30-1:30 PM
Water, Earth, Fire, Air–Continuing the Avatar Legacy – Abrams Books, Dark Horse Comics, Nickelodeon, and Magpie Games are thrilled to treat fans to a panel worthy of the Avatar! Creators and writers of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, including F.C. Yee (Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Legacy of Yangchen), and more special guests go on an exploration of the beloved world. Moderated by Cara O’Neil (VP of marketing, Dark Horse Comics). Room: 24ABC
2:30-3:30 PM
Hellboy: From Comics to Games – Comics creators Mike Mignola (Hellboy, B.P.R.D.), Ben Stenbeck (Koshchei in Hell, Frankenstein: New World), and Tom Sniegoski (Young Hellboy) join members of the team working on the upcoming video game, Hellboy Web of Wyrd, including Amanda Kruse (EP of Hellboy Web of Wyrd, head of publishing at Good Shepherd Games) and more special guests to discuss the ever-expanding world of Mignola’s beloved creation, Hellboy. Room: 5AB
3:00-4:00 PM
The New Comics Career: How to Create Comics Without Gatekeepers – Until recently, there were a few gatekeepers who decided what got published and who got published. That’s all been blown up. While those industry giants still exist, there are far more ways to make your comics a reality than there ever have been before. But there’s more involved than just making a comic—there’s building an audience and a career. Andy Schmidt (CEX), Gamal Hennessy (The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing), Phillip Sevy (X-Men Unlimited), Kit Caoagas (Devil’s Due), and David Marshall (EIC at Dark Horse) show how to build your stories and your audience so that you won’t need the gatekeepers to tell your stories. Real advice, real talk, about making your own way and making it your way. Room: 11
3:30-4:30 PM
Dave McKean: From DC to AI – Take a look back at Dave McKean’s 36-year career in comics, books, films, theatre, music, and other creative stuff, collected together in a massive retrospective book from Dark Horse, due out in November. It covers everything from Arkham Asylum, Sandman, and Mirrormask to The Magic of Reality, Bradbury, Blumenthal, Bruford, Rolling Stones, and Harry Potter. Plus: a final terrifying glimpse into the black hole that is artificial intelligence and Dave’s recent comic book essay “Prompt: Conversations with AI.” Room: 5AB
4:15-5:15 PM
From the Dark Knight to Count Crowley: David Dastmalchian’s Journey from Comic Book Movie Actor to Comic Book Creator – From his haunting debut in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight to appearances in Marvel’s Ant-Man franchise to his beloved portrayal of Polka-Dot Man in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and to the pages of his acclaimed Dark Horse Comics series Count Crowley, David Dastmalchian’s career has been touched by the medium of comics at nearly every page turn. An avid comic book reader since childhood, David wouldn’t have it any other way. Join David as he leads the room on a journey from comic book reader, to adapted comic book film, tv star, and voice actor, to comic book creator and writer. Room: 6DE
SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2023
10:30-11:30 AM
Tabletop Gaming x Comics – Gather your party! Jody Houser (Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins, Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons), Cecil Castellucci (Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins—Yasha Nydoorin, Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories), Brian Schirmer (Quests Aside, Fairlady), Spencer Cushing (editor, Dark Horse Comics), and more special guests discuss roleplaying games, comics, and what it’s like adapting these stories from one medium to another! Moderated by Cara O’Neil, Dark Horse Comics VP of marketing. Room: 23ABC
12:30-2:00 PM
Horror Comics – Calling all Horror Hounds! Join David Dastmalchian (Count Crowley, The Suicide Squad), Leah Kilpatrick (Headless Horseman Halloween Annual), Ben Stenbeck (Koshchei the Deathless, Baltimore: The Plague Ships), Scott Snyder (We Have Demons, Night of the Ghoul, Book of Evil), Rodney Barnes (SHOOK! A Black Horror Anthology, Killadelphia), LySandra Vuong (Covenant) and newcomer Jimmy Stamp (The Beekeeper’s Due) as they talk about creating horror comics that keep readers up at night. Moderated by Jonathan James, Daily Dead. Room: 6DE