John Mayo, of ComicBookPage, talks with Kay Kellam, of PopArtsPlace, about Wizard World Austin 2015.
Unfortunately Austin and surrounding areas were under a flash flood and Tornado warning the first day of this 2 day convention, which prevented many from being able to attend, it did not however dampen the enthusiasm of those who were present Saturday. (CNN and other national news outlets covered the flooding in Austin and the region.)
Not only did the weather mean some attendees found attending an obstacle, but Brent Spiner (Data of Star Trek the Next Generation among other credits) was unable to get to the convention to attend, and Jason David Frank (Tommy of Power Rangers) left early since his flight was cancelled but he had figured out how to drive home if he left immediately after his final panel.
The official rain totals reported Saturday by Jared Plushnick (@JaredP_KVUE) of the local ABC Affiliate for that flash flood period were:
Among other things, while at the convention John and Kay attended several panels including:
12:30 – 1:15PM CREATING WORLDS AND STORYTELLING (BALLROOM E)
Creators, Novelists, and Narrative Designers discuss the ins and outs of creating worlds and storytelling including the realities and opportunities when seeking a creative career. Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion), Hall Hood (Studio Lead Writer at BioWare Austin), Jack Conner (The Atomic Sea) and Eric Kieron Davis (Senior Producer) will divulge their experiences and their secrets for developing and selling creative projects in this one-of-a-kind panel.
3:30 – 4:15PM THE ART OF SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON PRODUCTION WITH ANIMATOR/DIRECTOR TOM COOK (BALLROOM E)
Wizard World is proud to present world-renown animator Tom Cook (Tarzan; Flash Gordon; He-Man and the Masters of the Universe; She-Ra Princess of Power). This panel will be a demonstration of the steps taken to bring an idea from script to screen. Cook will begin with a short story of how he became an animator back in the late 1970s and then describe the different departments in an animation studio and what they do to move the development of the cartoon forward. Tom will have a few scenes he has worked on over the years on video and then will open the floor for questions about either the process or any other question you may have. So come out and see first-hand how your favorite cartoons were made!
4:30 – 5:15PM FROM CAP’S SHIELD TO AGENTS OF SHIELD TO ANT-MAN! MARVEL COMICS AT 76 with SPIDER-MAN’S DANNY FINGEROTH & THE HULK’S PAUL BENJAMIN (BALLROOM E)
In 1939, Marvel Comics #1 debuted, unleashing The Sub-Mariner and The Human Torch on the world, and launching what would come to be known as the Marvel Universe. Danny Fingeroth (Deadly Foes of Spider-Man; The Stan Lee Universe) and Paul Benjamin (Amazing Spider-Man; Marvel Heroes MMO) present an illustrated tour through the seven decades of comics, movies and TV series that make up the phenomenon that is Marvel.
5:30 – 6:15PM 1940: WORLD WAR II AND COMICS: THE JOKER, ROBIN, THE FLASH, CAPTAIN AMERICA, CAPTAIN MARVEL, AND THE SPIRIT! With SEDELMAIER, LANGLEY, BENJAMIN, ROYAL & FINGEROTH (BALLROOM E)
75 years ago, in 1940, as the Nazi conquest of Europe continued and the Battle of Britain raged, the United States watched from the sidelines while instituting the first peacetime draft. At the same time, the world of comics was experiencing an incredible sustained period of invention, as The Joker, Robin, Green Lantern, the Flash, Hawkman, the Spirit, Catwoman, and Captains America and Marvel all debuted! (Not to mention the debuts of pop culture icons Bugs Bunny, and Brenda Starr, and classic movies Fantasia and The Great Dictator!) Showing and discussing historical and cultural factors that made that year so important is a panel including moderator Danny Fingeroth (Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics and the Creation of the Superhero) as well as an array of history and pop culture experts, including J.J. Sedelmaier (Tek Jansen), Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight), Paul Benjamin (Amazing Spider-Man), and Derek Royal (University of Texas, Dallas).
Links:
Wizard World: Austin: http://www.wizardworld.com/home-tx.html
Discount Comic Book Service: http://www.DCBService.com
Comics Podcast Network: http://www.comicspodcast.com
League of Comic Book Podcasts:http://www.comicbooknoise.com/league/
Email us at TheGuys@ComicBookPage.com
Join the discussion on our forum at: http://forum.comicbookpage.com
This podcast episode originated on the Comic Book Page website:http://www.ComicBookPage.com
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