Spider-Man has become the exemplar for how the multiverse can reinvigorate the superhero genre, thanks to the Spider-Verse films, the Ultimate Spider-Man books, and now Disney’s Friendly Neighborhood revamp. James Thompson (People’s History of Comics), Patrick A. Reed (co-curator, Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing), and Peter Coogan (Institute of Comics Studies) explore this new landscape where continuity is no longer king, but canon events carry over, no matter the Spider iteration—Peter Parker, Peter B. Parker, or Peter Porker.
Friday March 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 207
Billy San Juan (TCG writer) hosts a panel of experts who discuss how they've made a career out of playing, selling, creating, and streaming trading card games. Panelists include Frank Lepore (Magic: The Gathering, game designer), Tim Shields (owner, Cascade Games), Damyan Brunson (owner, Tier1 Games), and others.
Friday March 28, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 207
From kicking off The Superior Spider-Man saga in Amazing Spider-Man #698-#700 from a story development seeded a hundred issues earlier in ASM #600 to paying off a clue set up in the first issue of Silver Surfer Vol.3 in the last issue of Silver Surfer Vol.4. Marvel & DC writer Dan Slott looks at all the pitfalls, pitfalls, rewards, and . . . mostly pitfalls of long-form storytelling in a shared comic book universe.
Dan Slott has worked with Marvel for many years, giving fans an action-packed 10-year run on The Amazing Spider-Man! His writing credits include She-Hulk, Avengers, Batman, and The Silver Surfer. He recently finished working on a run of The Fantastic Four and Iron Man. Currently... Read More →
Friday March 28, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 207
Star Wars has had nearly 50 years of piracy, from child endangerment and property rights in Skeleton Crew to plundering Kyber Crystals in Clone Wars, smuggling puffer pigs in Star Wars Rebels, employment opportunities for the Bad Batch, and an open threat in Resistance. The Legal Geeks offer an all-hands-on-deck adventure of the law of the high seas as they search for lawful treasures of the pirates of Star Wars in live action and animation. Featuring Judge Carol Najera, Katrina Wraight, and Stephen Tollafield. Moderated by Joshua Gilliland.
Friday March 28, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 207
What is it like to work on a Star Wars show on Disney+? Key droid technician and puppeteer Mike Senna, droid assistant and puppeteer Victor Franco, and puppeteers William Miyamoto and Rob Wight discuss their experiences working on Skeleton Crew and Kenobi.
Friday March 28, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 207
TheOneRing.net (TORn) is the longest-running Tolkien fan website based on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien Reading Day is usually celebrated on March 25th (the day the One Ring was destroyed), or as close to that date as we can get. The Tolkien Society started this tradition in 2003 to encourage new fans of the LOTR films to discover more works by Tolkien. TORn staffers Clifford Broadway (host of TORn Tuesday), Kristi Fojtik (founder of Tolkien Forever), Josh Rubinstein (former host of TORn Book Club), Nicole Roberts (TORn outreach coordinator), and friend Rhonda Morgan (Tolkien Forever founding member) will share select passages from several of Tolkien's books, including many you may never have heard of. Moderated by Cathy Udovch (TORn special events coordinator).
Friday March 28, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 207
Moderator Matt Ryan talks with Star Wars: The Force Awakens editor Maryann Brandon about bringing back the Star Wars saga to the big screen. Ms. Brandon will discuss the editing challenges, tribulations, and her perseverance in overcoming production notes from Sith lords. Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and take a look back at Ms. Brandon’s career, which includes Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the J. J. Abrams Star Trek reboot.
Friday March 28, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 207
Reysuka (The Cosplaying Paleontologist) shares her expertise on the realism of dinosaurs, from stop-motion B movies to CGI blockbusters like Jurassic Park. Reysuka studies dinosaurs and has been on expeditions to collect dinosaurs in China, Denmark, and South America. She shares her knowledge of paleontology on social media while combining it with cosplay and comedy.
Friday March 28, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 207
Musical theater, once an accessible entertainment medium, at one point became out of reach for the regular consumer—until film brought musicals onto the big screen. With animated music features, traditional musicals, and music-based storytelling becoming more and more accessible again, why are musical remakes so important to the pop culture zeitgeist? The hosts of Nothing New: A Remake Podcast (Andrew Linde and Justin Quizon) are joined by panelists Bethany Brinton (film composer, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Logan), Joy Regullano (actress; creator of the Supportive White Parents musical), and Alix Catherine (host, The Welcome Party) address the renaissance of musical remakes, how retelling a story with song brings new life to the plot, and why so many films’ trailers hide the fact that they are secretly musicals.
Friday March 28, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT
Room 207
How do you craft a compelling story that combines horror and comedy? Movies like Army of Darkness, Zombieland, The Cabin in the Woods, and Renfield all ventured into the realm of chuckles and goosebumps. Join Art Directors Guild/IATSE Local 800 members and hear from storyboard artists behind those pictures as they discuss their contributions to pulling off such a seeming contradiction. Panelists include Doug Lefler (Army of Darkness, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Joel Venti (Zombieland, Ash vs Evil Dead, The Batman), Simeon Wilkins (The Cabin in the Woods, Hellboy, Black Panther), Robin Richesson (Scary Movie 2, Starship Troopers, Mars Attacks), and Heiko von Drengenberg (Renfield, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Sonic the Hedgehog). Moderated by Storyboard artist Sam Tung (Teacup, Twisters, The Dark Tower).
Saturday March 29, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 207
Whether you’re halfway done with your vampire saga or just jotting down ideas for an urban fantasy novel, this panel is for you. Industry story veterans Stephan Franck (writer/creator/artist, Silver; animation supervisor, Marvel’s What If? . . .),Brandon Easton (writer, Vampire Hunter D: Message from Mars, Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy), and Doug Lefler (director, The Last Legion,Xena Warrior Princess) share their vast knowledge of storytelling and answer your writing questions. Moderated by Sean Rourke (host, The Vampire’s Castle YouTube channel). Your Nosferatu epic awaits!
Saturday March 29, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 207
Coming off of our first successful crowdfunding effort, Ultima Comics is excited to share about the process of running and fulfilling a successful campaign, what's up with the Founding Four, how Ultima is viewing change as an opportunity as it pertains to the distribution disruption and a look ahead of what's to come this summer! Featuring Francis Ssyskowski (The Massacre Twins), Todd Tochioka (Meat Farm), and Anthony Ray Bench (Ultima Comics). Moderated by publisher/EIC, Joshua Waldrop.
Saturday March 29, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 207
Mogwai Rule #5: Never miss a Gremlins panel! The cast and producers of the hit Warner Bros. Animation and Max Original animated prequel series show an exclusive screening of a never-before-seen episode, followed by an in-depth discussion of season 2. Hear straight from the creatives and voice actors about crafting this current chapter of the beloved franchise, and enjoy a sneak peek at the mystery and mayhem ahead for Gizmo, Sam, and Elle along their epic American West adventure. Gremlins: The Wild Batch is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation.
Saturday March 29, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 207
For 85 years, Marvel has built an unparalleled library of characters and stories that have shaped pop culture. What makes a Marvel story unforgettable? Is it the classic characters, the dynamic dialogue, or the action and adventure? Acclaimed writer and actor Patton Oswalt chats with acclaimed writer Jordan Blum about Marvel Comics storytelling.
Saturday March 29, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 207
Get the inside scoop on The King of Kings, an all-new, faith-based family film starring the voices of Kenneth Branagh, Oscar Isaac, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Sir Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, Forest Whitaker, and more. In the film, Charles Dickens (Branagh) and his son Walter embark on a multidimensional adventure as the master storyteller engages his youngest son’s vivid imagination with the fascinating life of Jesus (Isaac), his well-known trials and tribulations, and his notable colleagues and foes. The film’s rich animation allows the Dickens pair (and the family cat, Willa) to become intrinsically immersed in the ancient tale. The result is an animated film that makes the biblical journey easily relatable, readily understood, and captivatingly entertaining for families and, especially, children of all ages. The film’s director/producer Seong-ho “Jay” Jang (Joint Security Area,The Taste of Money), producer and BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer Woo-Hyung Kim, co-screenwriter Rob Edwards (Captain America: Brave New World, Disney’s The Princess and the Frog) are joined by Emmy Award–winning casting/dialogue director and executive producer Jamie Thomason (Young Justice,Spirited Away, The Tigger Movie), ), Angel Studios chief distribution officer Jared Geesey, and several of the film’s acclaimed voice actors like Jim Cummings (voice of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Darkwing Duck), James Arnold Taylor (Star Wars animated franchise), Fred Tatasciore (Hit Monkey, I Am Groot), and Vanessa Marshall (Harley Quinn, Star Wars Rebels) to reveal the magic behind the making of this imaginative film. Publicist Gary Miereanu moderates. Produced by Mofac Studios and distributed by Angel Studios, The King of Kings arrives in theaters on April 11.
Saturday March 29, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 207
It wouldn’t be WonderCon without one of Mark Evanier’s famous panels of folks who supply the voices for your favorite cartoon characters and TV shows. This time, Mark has assembled Kimberly Woods (Archer, X-Men ’97), Wally Wingert (Invader Zim, The Garfield Show), Candi Milo (Looney Tunes, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends), Daniel Ross (Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures) and a surprise or two!
Mark Evanier attended his first San Diego Comic-Con in 1970 and has been to every one of these annual events ever since. He was then an assistant to the great Jack Kirby, whom he wrote about in his book Kirby, King of Comics. Mark has also written for live-action TV shows, animated... Read More →
Saturday March 29, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 207
From a struggling theatre actor in Chicago to landing his first film role in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight through three Marvel Ant-Man films and starring as Polka Dot Man in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad,David Dastmalchian has turned his life-long love of comic books into a cinematic career and now a publishing career. With three ongoing comic titles—Count Crowley at Dark Horse, Knights vs Samurai at Image, and The Creature Commandos at DC—Perri Nemiroff (Collider) talks with Dastmalchian about his creative process, behind-the-scenes moments, and the future he is plotting for his company, Good Fiend Films.
David Dastmalchian’s feature film debut was as the Joker’s deranged henchman Thomas Schiff in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. In 2014 he wrote and starred in the feature film Animals, directed by Collin Schiffli. In 2018, David wrote and starred in All Creatures Here Below... Read More →
Saturday March 29, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 207
Two people very knowledgeable about the Spider-Man comics—TJ Shevlin (2023 Eisner Judge, product development, Upper Deck) and Alonso Nunez (executive director, Little Fish Comic Book Studio)—join with scientists who understand the limits of biology (Ronald Coleman, Ph.D., Regenerative Medicine) and physics (Chelsea Ballinger, physicist/co-founder of Ishihara Solutions) examine the science of the character. Starting with the mutations induced by the radioactive spider that bit him, through the genius of his web slingers, panelists will explore the things that are possible, the things that are impossible, and the things we just can't know. Moderated by Jonathan Bacon-Liu (host, All the Time We Have podcast).
Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Room 207
Fans love a good tragedy, whether in Shakespearean plays, modern-day true crime documentaries and podcasts, or dystopian novels. There is something about seeing these stories play out that has long captured the attention of consumers. Stories of people grabbing up penny dreadfuls and original newspaper articles focused on the (then) latest Jack the Ripper development continue to fascinate scholars. We followed alongside Katniss as she dismantled the system in Hunger Games and are now finding Shatter Me thanks to #booktok’s boyfriend obsessions. We debate innocence, guilt, or punishment of the heroes and villains of true crime. In this presentation, Dr. Britani Black (assistant professor of psychology, Marshall University), Dr. April Fugett (executive director, Center for Teaching and Learning, Marshall University), Dr. Keith W. Beard (professor of psychology, Marshall University), and Addison Guilliams, B.A. (graduate student, Marshall University) explore the idea of escapism and psychological themes involved in the love of dystopian and true crime media.
Saturday March 29, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Room 207
Daniel W. Rasmus (University of Washington, Serious Insights) and NASA physicists Dr. Morgan L. Cable (co-deputy, PI Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry, NASA JPL), Dr. James T. Keane (planetary scientist, NASA JPL), Dr. Tiffany Kataria (research scientist, NASA JPL) will answer your deepest questions about the science behind science fiction. Ever wondered if lightsabers could actually work? Will warp drives ever break the limits of physics? Is AI on the verge of sentience, or is it just great at faking it? Learn from our panel how to separate science fact from fiction in your favorite books, movies, and shows. Prepare to challenge what you think you know about the world today and what will be possible tomorrow!
Saturday March 29, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 207
We could all use a little more romance on our shelves, so if you’re looking for your next obsession complete with many swoony, toe-curling moments, look no further than this program with authors Vanessa Le (His Mortal Demise), Sara Phoebe Miller (You Belong Here), and CB Lee (Coffeeshop in an Alternative Universe). Get ready to fall head over heels for their latest books! Moderated by Dahlia De La Vega (book reviewer, interviewer, beta reader).
Sunday March 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Room 207
If there’s anything (a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g) you’ve ever wanted to know about comic books, the characters, the people who created them, the business . . . anything, this is the panel for you! If writers Mark Waid and Mark Evanier don’t know it, no one does. Come armed with questions!
Mark Waid is a multiple New York Times bestselling author whose work has appeared in countless languages across the globe. Over the course of his four decades in the comic book industry, Waid has developed characters and written stories for Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, The Avengers... Read More →
Mark Evanier attended his first San Diego Comic-Con in 1970 and has been to every one of these annual events ever since. He was then an assistant to the great Jack Kirby, whom he wrote about in his book Kirby, King of Comics. Mark has also written for live-action TV shows, animated... Read More →
Sunday March 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Room 207
At every WonderCon, we make time to remember the man they call The King of Comics, Jack Kirby. Former Kirby assistant Mark Evanier heads up a dais of folks who knew the man or at least his amazing career. This time out, Mark is joined by two members of Jack’s family—Tracy Kirby and Jeremy Kirby—as well as John Morrow (publisher of The Jack Kirby Collector), Rand Hoppe (founding trustee/director of the Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center), Kirby family friend Dave Schwartz, and attorney Henry W. Holmes (better known as the Kirby-drawn character Destroyer Lawyer).
Mark Evanier attended his first San Diego Comic-Con in 1970 and has been to every one of these annual events ever since. He was then an assistant to the great Jack Kirby, whom he wrote about in his book Kirby, King of Comics. Mark has also written for live-action TV shows, animated... Read More →
Sunday March 30, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 207
Welcome to the Superfan Podcast, where the people who make the comics you love talk about the things they love . . . that are not comics. Co-hosts Christian Gossett (The Red Star, Eyes of Wakanda), Kristen Simon (senior editor, Mad Cave Studios’ Nakama Press) and David Hyde (Superfan Promotions) are joined by superstar creators Pornsak Pichetshote (writer, The Good Asian) and Marco Finnegan (cartoonist, Calvera, P.I.,Morning Star) for a free-wheeling, candid conversation with a surprise or two.
Sunday March 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Room 207
Arts and crafts are fun for all ages! Sarah Scheidegger (artist/cosplayer) Amber Frakes (seamstress/cosplayer), and Summer Stinson-Pull (crafter/cosplayer), join Jasmine Paige Moore (seamstress/cosplayer/actress) for a discussion with Q&A monitored by Phil Acosta to answer questions about painting, sewing, crafting with reclaimed items, and more.
Sunday March 30, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 207
Disneyland is just down the road, so let’s take a virtual field trip to explore the parks from a different point of view. There’s something to discover in every land—life on other planets in Galaxy’s Edge, dinosaurs roaming the railroad, and majestic rock formations in Cars Land, just to name a few. There’s also robotics everywhere, from the original audio-animatronics to the advanced Spider-Man that swings across Avengers Campus. Panelists include astrophysicist Lisa Will, geologist Garrett Vice, paleontologist Stuart Sumida (who worked on the Matterhorn animations), and biologist Elizabeth Rega (who consulted on the Hall of Presidents). All are huge Disney fans who can’t wait to geek out and help you experience Disneyland from a whole new angle.
Sunday March 30, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
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Director Mark Dindal, writer Dave Reynolds, character designer Joe Moshier, head of story Steve Anderson, and story artist Jeff Ranjo are on hand to talk about the long and winding development of one of Disney’s most popular films. Behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-seen art will celebrate 25 years of Kuzco, Pacha, Yzma, and Kronk! Moderated by Tom Racine.
Sunday March 30, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 207
