Press Release
BOOM! Studios and Archaia Entertainment are pleased to announce they will set up jointly at Comic-Con International in San Diego in a new location for both companies. The two Eisner Award-winning publishers will exhibit at booth number 2229 on the current show floor map.
This marks the first time the companies have exhibited together since BOOM! Studios acquired Archaia Entertainment on June 24th. Fans of BOOM! Studios, KaBOOM!, and Archaia alike will find all three brands represented individually, but sharing a new common space. The new booth will be positioned between Marvel and Sideshow Toys on the convention floor. BOOM! would like to extend a special thank you to Comic-Con International and Gallery Nucleus/Bolt City Productions for making the last minute change possible. Gallery Nucleus/Bolt City Productions will now be exhibiting at booth number 2743 (previously BOOM! Studios).
BOOM! and Archaia are also pleased to announce their now co-hosted 8th Annual Drink-Up at the Hilton Bayfront Odysea Bar on Thursday night beginning at 9pm. The Drink Up continues the tradition of the only open party at Comic-Con that welcomes fans, professionals, and creators alike to celebrate. BOOM! and Archaia are also pleased to share their panel times and descriptions. Please note that some panel descriptions and participants have changed since originally announced by Comic-Con International due to the availability of panelists.
BOOM! Studios
Scheduled Panels
Thursday, July 18, 2013 – 10am – 7pm
12:00pm – 1:00pm – ‘Editing Comics: The BOOM! Studios Way’ – Room: 28DE
Join BOOM! Studios creators Brian Stelfreeze (WEDNESDAY COMICS, DAY MEN), Paul Jenkins (WOLVERINE: ORIGIN, DEATHMATCH), and Eric Esquivel (FREELANCERS) along with BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon and Editor Dafna Pleban as they look into the editing secrets of one of the comic book industry’s leading independent publishers and discuss editing do’s and don’ts.
1:00pm – 2:00pm – ‘Gender in Comic Books’ – Room: 28DE
Join Ball State University professor Christina Blanch as she moderates a sincere discussion on the topic of gender in comics with Alexa Dickman (LADIES MAKING COMICS), Grace Randolph (SUPURBIA), Disney editor Janelle Asselin, BOOM! editors Shannon Watters and Dafna Pleban, Archaia editor Rebecca Taylor and Marvel editor Jeanine Schaefer.
9:00pm – ?:??am – BOOM!’s 8th Year Anniversary Party, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Odysea Bar, 1 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101. Come one! Come all! Open invite to professionals and fans alike!
Friday, July 19, 2013 – 10am – 7pm
5:00pm – 6:00pm – ‘Breaking into Comics Right Now’ – Room: 32AB
If you’re an aspiring comic book creator, this is a panel you don’t want to miss! Join some of comic book publishing’s top decision makers, including BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon, Avatar Press Vice President of Publishing and Managing Editor Jim Kuhoric, Oni Press Editor-in-Chief James Lucas Jones, and Archaia Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy as they give you the most up-to-date and practical advice on how to break into the comic book industry right now.
6:00pm – 7:00pm – ‘Rise of the Independents’ – Room: 32AB
Join Word Balloon host John Suintres as he moderates a conversation with some of the brightest minds in independent comic publishing – including Image Comics’ Director of Business Development Ron Richards, Dark Horse’s Director of Publicity Jeremy Atkins, BOOM! Studios’ VP of Publishing and Marketing Filip Sablik, and IDW’s VP of Marketing Dirk Wood – on what they are doing to expand the market place.
Saturday, July 20, 2013 – 10am – 7pm
1:30pm – 2:30pm – ‘We Are BOOM!’ – Room: 24ABC
Find out what makes BOOM! Studios different from every other comic publisher in the market and why 2013 is a transformative year for us. Join Founder & CEO Ross Richie, Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon, and Vice President of Publishing & Marketing Filip Sablik along with surprise special guests as they reintroduce BOOM! Studios to the world of comics.
3:00pm – 4:00pm – ‘Adventure Time Comic Boom Panel’ – Room: 8
What time is it? It’s Adventure Time! The top-rated Cartoon Network show and bestselling comic book published by KaBOOM! is bigger than ever in 2013! Join KaBOOM! editor Shannon Watters as she has a lively and fun conversation featuring series writer Ryan North along with series artists Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, and writer/artist Natasha Allegri (ADVENTURE TIME: FIONNA & CAKE).
Sunday, July 21, 2013 – 10am – 5pm
1:00pm – 2:00pm – ‘All Ages Comics Have Arrived’ – Room: 24ABC
Quality all-ages comics are back and better than ever! We’re not just talking about “kids” comics, we’re talking about amazing comics that can be enjoyed by young, old and everyone in between. KaBOOM! Editor Shannon Watters as she has a lively and fun conversation with all-ages creators including Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani (AW YEAH! COMICS, TINY TITANS), Mike Kunkel (HEROBEAR & THE KID), Raina Telgemeier (DRAMA), Mike Holmes (BRAVEST WARRIORS), and Dave Roman (ASTRONAUT ACADEMY, NICKELODEON MAGAZINE) about this phenomenal resurgence!
ARCHAIA
SCHEDULED PANELS
Thursday, July 18, 2013 – 10am – 7pm
4:00pm – 5:00pm – ‘The Editor – in – Chief Panel’ – Room 32AB
Comics may be experiencing a new Renaissance thanks to all the movies, TV shows, and transmedia properties that have brought in thousands of more readers, but to publishers, there’s much more to it than that: The stories are better, the art is better, and the production values are higher! In this rare opportunity, gain some valuable insight as the current editors-in-chief of some of the top comics and graphic novel publishers come together for a lively discussion on topics that include the state of comics publishing today, challenges they face in an ever-evolving marketplace, how the editors broke into the industry in the first place, and much more! Come prepared with questions you’ve always wanted to ask! Moderator Kiel Phegley (News Editor for Comic Book Resources) leads a discussion that includes panelists Stephen Christy (Archaia Entertainment), Matt Gagnon (BOOM! Studios), James Lucas Jones (Oni Press), Chris Ryall (IDW), and Bob Schreck (Legendary Comics).
Friday, July 19, 2013 – 10am – 7pm
2:00pm – 3:00pm – ‘Cyborg 009’ and the Legacy of Shotaro Ishinomori – Room 9
Did you know that in 2008, the late Shotaro Ishinomori was named by Guinness World Records as the world record-holder for the most comics published by one author? It’s true! He created 770 individual stories that were collected into 500 volumes of manga, including Kikaider, Kamen Rider, and Cyborg 009. In a celebration of his legacy, Archaia Entertainment and Ishimori Production Inc. have teamed up to produce a groundbreaking, new graphic novel that re-imagines Cyborg 009 for a new generation! Moderator Stephen Christy (Archaia’s editor-in-chief) will talk with writers F.J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp, along with artist Marcus To (Red Robin, Adventures of Superman) about the process of bringing this new graphic novel to life while also diving into Ishinomori’s incredible legacy with manga/anime expert Deb Aoki (manga.about.com) and Masayasu Takigawa from Ishimori Production Inc. Every attendee will receive a free copy of the Cyborg 009: Chapter 000 preview issue.
4:00pm – 5:00pm – ‘The Thrilling Adventure Hour’ World Domination Tour – Room 32AB
Created in 2005 by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, The Thrilling Adventure Hour (TAH) is a popular staged production in the style of old-time radio. It has since also become a much-downloaded podcast with Nerdist Industries, and—premiering here at San Diego Comic-Con—a stunning graphic novel anthology! Each show consists of a selection of genre-bending stories, advertisements from fictional sponsors, musical numbers, and more, performed by a core group of actors known as the WorkJuice Players, and featuring cameos by stars from Firefly, Doctor Who, Community, and many more! Last fall, Acker and Blacker launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a TAH graphic novel, and they set a record at the time for the fastest graphic novel campaign to reach its goal. Now, almost a year later and with award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment on board to publish the book, the graphic novel is ready to debut! Moderated by graphic novel editor Joe LeFavi, join Acker, Blacker, and panelists that include WorkJuice Players Paget Brewster, Craig Cackowski, Mark Gagliardi, Marc Evan Jackson, Hal Lublin, Autumn Reeser, Annie Savage, and Paul F. Tompkins, along with artist Joanna Estep, as they share fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about The Thrilling Adventure Hour show, podcast, and graphic novel! Whether you’re already a fan or just love great entertainment, this will certainly be one of the funniest, most lively panels you’ll attend!
Saturday, July 20, 2013 – 10am – 7pm
4:30pm – 5:30pm – ‘Archaia Entertainment Presents: Announcements, Sneak Previews, and What’s Next!’ – Room 8
Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment (Mouse Guard, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Return of the Dapper Men), well known for its eclectic slate of stories and beautiful-looking publications, unveils the rest of its 2013 lineup, and there’s something for everyone! For fantasy fans, hear about The Reason for Dragons from writer Chris Northrop and An Aurora Grimeon Story: Will O’ the Wisp from artist Megan Hutchison. Like noir? Writer Matz is here all the way from France to tell you about his newest volume of The Killer! Sci-fi fans will be represented with a blast from the past by writer Andrew E. C. Gaska’s new collection, Space: 1999 – The Classics Remastered. We’ve also got exclusive sneak peeks of Giannis Milonogiannis’ follow-up, Old City Blues Vol. 2, and Archaia’s first-ever 3D graphic novel, The Joyners in 3D. Actress/producer Alyssa Milano is on hand to announce her upcoming, cyber-thriller, Archaia graphic novel! If you like horror, actor/writer/director Dan Fogler has got another volume of his anthology graphic novel series Moon Lake up his sleeve. And finally, titles that are all-age-appropriate include new volumes of Cow Boy; Spera; and Hopeless, Maine! If you’re an Archaia fan, or just love great content, don’t miss this panel! All attendees will receive a copy of Archaia’s 2012 Free Comic Book Day hardcover book!
Sunday, July 21, 2013 – 10am – 5pm
11:00am – 12:00pm – ‘How and Why to Write a Great All-Ages Comic Book’ – Room 28DE
Join our debate as some of the biggest kids in comics discuss the present state of the industry and what steps are necessary to secure our place in the hearts and minds of the next generation. What are the benefits and challenges involved in writing all-ages comics? How are licensed comics playing a role in our future? How might webcomics, digital publishing, emerging technologies, and self-publishing change the landscape? And how can we ensure that more young readers today become readers for life? Moderated by all-ages comics writer and editor Joe LeFavi (Fraggle Rock), panelists include Andy Runton (Owly), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Katie Cook (My Little Pony), Mike Kunkel (Herobear and the Kid), Neo Edmund (Jurassic Strike Force 5), Otis Frampton (Oddly Normal), and Royden Lepp (Rust).
3:00pm – 4:00pm – ‘Archaia Entertainment Presents: The Year of Mouse Guard’ – Room 28DE
After its debut, Mouse Guard has become one of the most popular, beloved, and honored stories in comics, and in 2013, creator David Petersen is not slowing down! This year will see the release of the Mouse Guard Vol. 3: The Black Axe hardcover and the debut of the four-issue Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Vol. 2 miniseries (followed by the release of a hardcover that collects them) from Archaia Entertainment. In addition, from Skelton Crew comes collectible replica Black Axes, the first in a line of Mouse Guard replica weapons! Moderated by Mel Caylo (Archaia’s marketing manager), join the Eisner Award-winning Petersen and guests, including Jeremy Bastian, Eric Canete, and more to be announced as they give you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of all this Mouse Guard goodness, preview art from upcoming releases, and answer everything you wanted to know about Mouse Guard! Every attendee will receive a Comic-Con exclusive print of an original David Petersen drawing. Plus, one lucky audience member will win a free copy of the limited Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 Black and White Edition!
About BOOM! Studios
Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent. BOOM! Studios is the home of Mike Carey’s SUICIDE RISK, Clive Barker’s NEXT TESTAMENT and HELLRAISER, Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos’ FAIRY QUEST, PLANET OF THE APES, Max Bemis’ POLARITY and Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE. Steven Grant’s graphic novel 2 GUNS will be released as a feature film from Universal Pictures August 2nd, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. BOOM!’s all-ages imprint KaBOOM! publishes Charles Schulz’ PEANUTS, Jim Davis’ GARFIELD, Cartoon Network’s ADVENTURE TIME and REGULAR SHOW, Mike Kunkel’s HEROBEAR AND THE KID and Roger Langridge’s Eisner Award-winning SNARKED.
About Archaia
Founded as a niche publisher in 2002, Archaia Entertainment, LLC has become the world renowned Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel publisher of Mouse Guard, Cowboy, Gunnerkrigg Court, Rust, Spera, Mr. Murder is Dead, Lucid, Artesia, and An Elegy for Amelia Johnson. At the core, Archaia is known for its great content. From its unparalleled reputation for publishing innovative, imaginative, and indelible stories, to its numerous industry awards and nominations, Archaia has proven time-and-time again that it has built one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. This sentiment has also been shared by countless industry news sources, including Ain’t it Cool News, Graphic Policy, and Comic Related, which all honored Archaia as “Best Publisher” of 2010. Additionally, Archaia has built unmatched co-development relationships with some of the most recognizable brands in
Hollywood, including The Jim Henson Company where Archaia has built an entire graphic novel product line, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. (archaia.com).
