While not all panels have been announced and press events can change everything here, I thought I’d take a moment just to overview the schedule and be slightly prepared. One can never truly be prepared though. You always think you’re ready, but it’s always a bit overwhelming.
FRIDAY, Oct. 14
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
It Gets Better (With Comics!)
LGBT panel with Abby Denson and Ivan Velez, Jr. I am a long supporter and reader of LGBT comics, movies, etc. while being what would be considered straight with a broken tip. The correct term is not bi-sexual or even bi-curious. I guess essentially it would be…”existing”.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Meet Me At The Arcade
Panel about the current and former life of the arcade in New York City. I don’t know which of these two panels I’ll be attending if either.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Locke & Key Fox Pilot Screening
I heard about this all over the net and by the time I got to it, it was pulled. It has been given rave reviews and while I’ve never read the comic I have read Joe Hill’s books and with a severe lack of horror TV shows these days, with only AMERICAN HORROR STORY, so it’ll be bitter sweet to watch this, but rather see it then not if I choose this panel.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Panel to Pixel: The Walking Dead & FABLES, Video Games from Telltale Games
This company is making some of the best games out there and I really want to see them in person. From Sam & Max to Back the Future and now also Jurassic Park, they are truly masters of the concept and these two projects could be something amazing games.
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Batman: Arkham City
This of course is also one of the best games coming out in 2011. I’m on board 100% for it. I’m even replaying Batman: Arkham Asylum in anticipation. Kevin Conroy is going to be on panel and I’m betting Mark Hamill being on site anyways will show up too. Who knows what if any giveaways there might be as well. That sentence applies to any TV, videogame or movie promotion panel. There’s always the chance at exclusive con only shirts, posters, toys, whatever.
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Jane Espenson’s Husbands –A Marriage of Experience and New Media
This brand new webshow started last Tuesday and it is wonderful and by the time Con hits they’ll I believe finished showing all 12 episodes and really be ready to reflect on its success or failure and the entire experience. As much as I want to go to the Batman and Telltale panels, if they plan a special press only attachment to this panel I might to do this tract, as I highly support this show.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Dark Horse Presents: 25 Years of Publishing and Beyond
This could be intriguing just as a retrospective and possible great announcements. One could probably skip this and get
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Food and Comics Panel with Wylie Dufresne
While I’m not going to do the $550 dinner attached to this panel, I wouldn’t mind seeing what this one could be. There’s a chance for an entirely entertaining panel here and maybe food sampling too!
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
DC Universe Animated Original Movies gives an early look at Batman: Year One, Catwoman & Justice League: Doom
Do I really need to go to this and see trailers and stuff that will soon be on blu-ray? Probably not, but I want the option to be in my scheduling.
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
Joe Simon: My Life in Comics
98 years old! His birthday will just be passing. One of the truest legends of all comics. Of all panels this might be the most fascinating and passionate of all and I hope if I can’t be at it for any reason that someone else will make sure this one is captured properly on film.
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
The Superheroes of J.J. Sedelmaier Productions!
Ex-Presidents and The Ambiguously Gay Duo are two of the coolest creations ever. I couldn’t tell from the description exactly what this presentation entails, but J.J. Will on hand to present the video, so if I can fit this in I will, but the next panel is actually one I’m quite interested in.
5:15 pm – 7:00 pm
Unicorn City
The trailer for this film is really good and I assume that based on the 1:45 time set for this means it will be just be a screening. If at this point of the day I still feel like I just want to sit down and relax and watch a movie, I might just have to go to this.
6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
Creator Connection
This panel sounds like a possible chance to maybe meet that artist I’ve been looking for my various projects I’ve come up with and don’t have someone to tackle them with. If there’s a really talented artist looking for the right writer, this would be the place to be.
6:15 pm – 8:30 pm
Comedy Central
They don’t even know what this panel will focus on. It’s their big Comedy Central panel though. Last year their panels filled so quickly and some of the crowd were people who just went to the panel beforehand and didn’t leave. I probably won’t even get into this thing!
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
IGN, Free Sh*t
If this means they are handing out free shit… I’m there.
8:45 pm – 9:45 pm
Indie Toymaker Roundtable: Turning Characters Into Toys
This panel features some of my favorite artists and will have a very niche crowd of fans, so it might be a great place to finish off my Friday night.
8:45 pm – 10:00 pm
Pizza Man
On the Other hand, the Pizza Man panel will have DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE! BANG! Maybe Roddy will show too!
SATURDAY, Oct. 15
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
A Liar’s Autobiography
I don’t know if they plan to air the entire Graham Chapman cartoon here or a trailer or what, but it’s the first official Monty Python movie and any footage or news I can get I want!
2:00 pm – 3:45 pm
NYCC Exclusive! Smallville: The Complete Series Retrospective Premiere
I might skip this since it’s basically the same thing that will be seen on the Smallville boxset and I’m sure will hit the internet or Netflix in some fashion eventually. As the documentary piece is an hour and forty minutes I don’t expect any surprises here.
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
JJ Sedelmaier Shorts
More Sedelmaier… I’m assuming this will include a lot of TV Funhouse from SNL, but the fact that Robert Smigel is not being mentioned makes me wonder if this is worth it.
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
MARVEL Television Presents
This one could be where a major announcement could be made by Jeph Loeb about an as of yet unannounced live action series premiering on some cable channel that intentionally left it out of their upfronts is debuted. I’m going to try and squeeze this in.
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
AMC’s The Walking Dead
Hopefully at this they will explain how the show is working now with losing their showrunner, what season 2 will be like and etc. I will be doing my best to go this for a friend more than for myself. She might kill me if I don’t.
5:30 pm – 6:15 pm
The Heart, She Holler
Which is a shame, as I wouldn’t mind hearing more about this tupcoming Adult Swim show with Patton Oswalt and Kristen Schall… but whatever… what happens, happens.
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Roddenberry Pizza Party Presents
I was thinking I might want free pizza, but I don’t know if I care enough about current Roddenberry productions for this.
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Hasbro: Marvel Action Figures
I’m a toy nut, so I wouldn’t mind seeing these, but not if it means skipping the next panel!
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
MTV Presents Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head
Mike Judge will be on hand for this and the show premieres AFTER the con, so it’ll be awesome to see some footage shown at San Diego along with some new stuff and maybe some giveaways?
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Drew: The Man Behind The Poster
Struzan is one of the greatest artists of all time and while it doesn’t seem he’ll be at this panel, they’ll show off some of the documentary and have a panel and giveaways.
SUNDAY, Oct. 16
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Adventure Time / Regular Show Panel and Q&A
Pendelton Ward and J.S. Quintel will be in attendance, what what? Boo Yeah! Ooooh! Being there being there! This just became a party because I brought it there.
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
IFC’S Portlandia and the Increadingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
It’s so messed up that this panel is at the same damn time. David Cross and Fred Arminsen in one room with fellow crazy geniuses in another. IFC and CN should team this into one huge panel!
12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Ben 10 / Generator Rex: Heroes United Screening and Q&A
When Cartoon Network does this full screenings with a panel attached they usually turn out to be not miss events. I love both these shows and I can’t wait to see how they merge them without it seeming like a waste of time. I’d like it to have consequences on the show like the Jimmy Neutron/Fairly Odd Parents crossovers have had.
2:15 pm – 3:45 pm
ESSENTIAL KILLING
Not sure if this is a screening of the Jerzy Skolinowski film starring Vincent Gallo or just a panel. I know that I am interested as it’s Jerzy’s first English speaking film in almost 20 years.