Annually near the end of July, hundreds of thousands of fans would be flocking to San Diego, California, for the San Diego Comic-Con. As many as 170,000 would pack the San Diego Convention Center for five days of preeminent celebration of comics and pop culture in all of their facets.
However, the ongoing global pandemic and the need for social distancing has resulted in what would’ve been the 50th anniversary of the convention to be postponed until next year. Nevertheless, the internet has proved to be a valuable asset in providing entertainment in these challenging times. Taking a cue from those who have experimented with them, the San Diego Comic-Con will be streaming their delightful panels and presentations online for everyone to watch and enjoy whenever they want without leaving their homes.
Thus, Comic-Con@Home is born!
Below you will find twenty panels and presentations that were of interest to the Animated Views crew. They range from insightful retrospectives to first-look previews of what’s to come, and from informative seminars to fandom celebrations. They are available to view at any time. Enjoy!
Thursday – July 23
Cartoon Network Studios: The Art of Storyboarding
In this masterclass virtual panel, hear from artists behind some of Cartoon Network Studios’ hit series as they share their journeys, learnings and top tips for aspiring storyboard artists worldwide. Join leading artists behind award-winning shows to learn how a concept or script is brought to life through the beloved art of storyboarding. Panelists include: Mic Graves, director of and voice on The Amazing World of Gumball; Chuck Klein, storyboard royalty and supervising producer/director, Apple & Onion; Julia Pott, creator of and voice on Summer Camp Island; Alabaster Pizzo, storyboard artist, Summer Camp Island.
His Dark Materials Virtual Panel and Q&A Session
Adapting Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy of the same name, which is considered a modern masterpiece of imaginative fiction, HBO/BBC’s His Dark Materials concluded its debut season in December. Join executive producers Jane Tranter and Jack Thorne, as well as cast members Dafne Keen (Lyra), Ruth Wilson (Mrs. Coulter), Ariyon Bakare (Lord Boreal), Amir Wilson (Will Parry), Andrew Scott (John Parry), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Lee Scoresby) in a virtual panel discussion about the hit drama series which will be moderated by award-winning journalist Stacey Wilson Hunt.
Collider: Directors on Directing
Robert Rodriguez (Alita: Battle Angel), Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World: Dominion), and Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) take part in a wide-ranging and in-depth discussion about the craft of directing and projects past, present, and future. Moderated by Collider’s editor-in-chief Steven Weintraub.
Bugs Bunny’s 80th Anniversary Extravaganza
Take a trip through eight decades of laughs and carrots when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) presents an all-encompassing look at one of the world’s most beloved and recognizable stars. Join three of the current voices of Bugs Bunny–Billy West (Space Jam, Futurama, Doug), Jeff Bergman (Tiny Toon Adventures, Our Cartoon President), and Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes Cartoons, Muppet Babies)–alongside Looney Tunes Cartoons executive producer Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa), movie historian, author and TV personality Leonard Maltin (Entertainment Tonight), animation historian and author Jerry Beck (Animation Scoop), and Warner Archive senior vice president George Feltenstein as they cover the gamut of Bugs’ history from theatrical shorts to Saturday morning cartoons and the new HBO-MAX series. Actress Yvette Nicole Brown (Community, Avengers: Endgame, DC Super Hero Girls) will moderate the panel.
The State of the Industry: Animation Superstars
ASIFA-Hollywood and some of the brightest talents in animation will assemble for a lively discussion about the inner workings of the animation biz! Moderator David Derks (vice president of ASIFA-Hollywood VP), Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life), Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse), Brooke Keesling (head of animation talent development at Bento Box), Mike Hollingsworth (BoJack Horseman), and Alonso Ramirez Ramos (Disney Mickey Mouse).
Friday – July 24
Pixel Stories – Reimagining Video Game Narrative
Ever wanted to go behind-the-scenes on storytelling for games? Meet the industry’s most innovative writers working on today’s fan-favorite video games in this exclusive virtual Comic-Con panel! Take a closer look into their creative writing process, character development, world-creation, and production to hear how it’s all done. Learn from Aaron Contreras (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order), Clay Murphy (Control), Amelia Gray (Telling Lies), Jennie Kong (Sky) as they chat with moderator John Wie (Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences) about their approach to narrative in blockbuster and indie games.
Harryhausen100: Into the Ray Harryhausen Archive
2020 marks what would have been legendary animator Ray Harryhausen’s 100th birthday. To mark this occasion, the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation present an exclusive look into the incredible collection which was gathered over a lifetime of creativity. Join Ray’s daughter Vanessa Harryhausen (foundation trustee), John Walsh (foundation trustee), and Connor Heaney (collections manager) for a chance to get close to some of Ray’s most iconic creations, as the three share memories and secrets from the archive, celebrating a century of cinema magic.
Water, Earth, Fire, Air: Continuing the Avatar Legacy
Dark Horse Comics, Abrams Books, and Nickelodeon are thrilled to treat fans to a panel worthy of the Avatar! Join Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra creators and writers, Michael DiMartino, Faith Erin Hicks, F.C. Yee, and Gene Luen Yang for a further exploration of the beloved world as it has grown and changed since the animated series has ended.
GirlsDrawinGirls: Industry Professional Women Artists in Quarantine: Balancing work, art, homeschooling, and life
GirlsDrawinGirls founder Melody Severns, The Simpsons director Debbie Bruce Mahan, Disney Television Animation artist Sherry DeLorme, and other industry professional women artists address working from home during a pandemic and all the challenges they’ve faced with staying productive in the ever changing world that is the year 2020.
The Annual Jack Kirby Tribute Panel
Every year, former Kirby assistant Mark Evanier hosts a gathering of fans of the man some call “The King of the Comics” and his vast, persistent impact on not only comic books but related fields, as well. This year, Mark and John Morrow (publisher of The Jack Kirby Collector) discuss all this with master artist Alex Ross who discusses the influence Kirby had on his work.
Saturday – July 25
Warner Archive’s Secret Origins of Saturday Morning Cartoons
Dip behind the curtain to reveal the beginnings of the beloved tradition of Saturday Morning cartoons with movie historian, author and TV personality Leonard Maltin (Entertainment Tonight), animation historian and author Jerry Beck (Animation Scoop), Warner Archive Home Entertainment senior vice president of theatre catalog marketing George Feltenstein, and the Warner Archive Podcast team of D.W. Ferranti and Matthew Patterson. The panelists will offer a grand history of the evolution of animation–from silver screen shorts to full-fledged television cartoons–with glimpses along the way of Tex Avery, Popeye, and Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, as well as Space Ghost and DinoBoy, Jonny Quest, Lippy the Lion, and more! Accomplished author, NBC/MSNBC political analyst and SiriusXM on-air host and director of progressive programming Zerlina Maxwell (The End of White Politics) will moderate the proceedings.
Disney+’s Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Creators and executive producers Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, director Bob Bowen and stars Ashley Tisdale, Vincent Martella, Maulik Pancholy, and Dee Bradley Baker share an exclusive sneak peek of Disney+’s upcoming Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe and discuss the origins of this iconic animated series!
American Dad!
Ever wanted to learn how to draw one of your favorite AD! characters? Now is your chance, join show supervising director, Brent Woods, as he teaches the cast and executive producers how to draw Roger! Grab a sketchbook & pens and learn to draw everyone’s favorite alien alongside Rachael MacFarlane (Hayley), Wendy Schaal (Francine), Scott Grimes (Steve), Dee Bradley Baker (Klaus), and EPs Nic Wegener and Joe Chandler as they chat about the current season and look toward the series’ 300th episode airing on TBS this fall.
Family Guy
Cast members Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, Seth Green, and executive producers Rich Appel, Alec Sulkin, and Kara Vallow from FOX’s hit animated comedy Family Guy celebrates 350 episodes with a virtual table read! After, they’ll take a look back at some of their favorite moments from the last 18 seasons, plus a special sneak peek at the hilarity and hi-jinx coming up in their 19th season premiering this fall on FOX!
Cartoon Voices
Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show) hosts a celebration of those who speak for animated characters, featuring four of the most-heard voices around: Laraine Newman (Bob’s Burgers), Bill Farmer (Goofy), Misty Lee (Squirrel Girl) and Dee Bradley Baker (Daffy Duck). They discuss their craft and demonstrate what they do with a very odd reading of Little Red Riding Hood.
Sunday – July 26
Animated Illustration
The internet is now the primary tool for artists and designers. Illustration has a new level of demand because of the internet, animated or interactive, and this lecture will cover some of the basic needs for this new 21st century illustrator and the tools it will take to make the art. We will look at the adjustments an illustrator would need to take to seamlessly add this to their workflow.
First TMNT Film 30th Anniversary
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie presents a bit of history of the making of this iconic film with panel guests producer Kim Dawson, writer and ex-offico producer Bobby Herbeck, and moderated by The Old Turtle Den’s creator Chris Castaneda.
Adventures in Spanish Voice Acting
Estimates place the Latin American dubbing market at 450 million consumers, and Mexico produces 65% of it. As entertainment providers look to profit in that area, they face the challenge of publishing in neutral Spanish to serve all countries equally. Hear the stories from Mexican voice actors Cristina Hernández (Catwoman/Selina Kyle, Padme Amidala), Sebastián Llapur (Darth Vader, Daffy Duck), and Claudia Motta (Bart Simpson, Pikachu) about the different obstacles they’ve had to overcome to become successful in this industry, and how Mexico is changing the way dubbing is done in Latin America. Hugo A. Castro (Gamacon founder and CEO) will moderate.
Bronies in the Post G4 Era
Eliana “Dexanth” Summers (founder, PonyFest Online), Cole “Simul” Daigneault (chair, Everfree Northwest), Andy “FableCharm” Reyes (chair, BABSCon), and Ted Visser (chairman, Pacific PonyCon), discuss the fandom of Hasbro’s My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic in its first year after the show’s finale. Moderated by James Udan (coordinator, San Diego Wikimedians User Group).
HBO Max: Looney Tunes Cartoons
Looney Tunes Cartoons executive producer Pete Browngardt, supervising producer Alex Kirwan, art director Aaron Spurgeon, and voice cast members Eric Bauza, Bob Bergen, and Candi Milo come together for the looniest and liveliest panel you’ll find at Comic-Con@Home. Fans will be delighted as the panel exclusively premieres an all-new cartoon and takes you into the process of how they brought back Bugs, Daffy, Porky, and the other iconic Looney Tunes characters.
Thanks for joining us virtually at Comic-Con@Home 2020. We hope to be back next year to bring you all of the excitement and wonder of the convention in person. Until then, enjoy all the treats that online entertainment can provide, and stay safe!
