If you're going to WonderCon this weekend in Anaheim, this handy guide will tell you loads of stuff you'll probably want to know.
And you'll probably want to dress for wet weather. At the moment, it looks like rain starting late Friday night or early Saturday morning, rain most of Saturday, then a tapering-off and occasional showers on Sunday. If you're going to be driving through the mountains or the Grapevine area, don't drive through the mountains or the Grapevine area.
I'm hosting five panels over the three days. Here's the rundown again…
Friday, March 16 at 2 PM in Room 204, we'll be playing Quick Draw! And an interesting twist this time is that we'll be playing it without my partner Sergio Aragonés, who is recuperating from back problems and who won't be at the con. But we'll have Scott Shaw!, Mike Kazaleh and Disney Legend Floyd Norman drawing away, along with several surprise cartoonists all moving their Sharpies at a rapid clip. This is always a highlight of any convention so get there early.
Saturday, March 17 at 11:30 AM in Room 211, I'll be interviewing Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. The team of Ruby and Spears has been the most successful writing, creating, and producing team in Saturday morning television. Among the shows they brought you were Scooby-Doo, Wacky Racers, Jabberjaw, Dynomutt, Thundarr the Barbarian, Plastic Man and more than I can list. They don't sit for this kind of chat often so I'm real pleased we've been able to persuade them to do this.
Saturday, March 17 at 3 PM in Room 213, you'll want to attend the Cartoon Voices panel. This time, we have Gregg Berger (The Garfield Show), Laraine Newman (The Fairly OddParents), Wally Wingert (The Avengers), Bill Farmer (Goofy), Alicyn Packard (The Mr. Men Show), Michael Bell (G.I. Joe), and maybe a few others.
Sunday, March 18 at 11:30 AM in Room 211, we have a panel called Tribute to the Legends: Kirby, Simon, Robinson, and Eisner. That is, of course, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Jerry Robinson and Will Eisner. This'll consist of Scott Shaw!, Len Wein, Batton Lash, Marv Wolfman and maybe a few other folks discussing the vital contributions that Jack, Joe, Jerry and Will made to the world of comics, along with some personal remembrances. Sadly, we no longer really have the personnel to do a Golden Age Panel at a convention…but we can still talk about those folks.
Sunday, March 18 at 12:30 in Room 207, I'll be presiding over Cover Story: The Art of the Cover. This is a popular panel with those interested in comic art theories and craft. We bring up a bunch of artists who do great covers, show slides of some of their covers and discuss what went right and wrong with those covers. This time, we have Arthur Adams (Monkeyman and O'Brien), Michael Golden (The ‘Nam), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Eric Powell (The Goon), and Fiona Staples (Saga). I always find this fascinating and audiences seem to, as well.
That's the list. To repeat for emphasis: Sergio Aragonés will not be at this convention…or any others for at least a month or two. Sergio's back problems are healing nicely but this kind of thing takes time so he's having to curtail his con-going for a while.
I, on the other hand, will be at the con all three days. I adhere to a firm principle at conventions of demanding they not give me a table so you won't find me sitting behind one. But I'll be wandering about and loitering at other folks' tables so if you see me, say howdy. Or words to that effect.