11 a.m.-12 p.m.
SPAWN TO THE FUTURE
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane makes a special guest appearance at Wizard World Chicago, introducing the new Spawn team of writer Brian Holguin and artist Whilce Portacio, and sharing secrets about the title’s future. McFarlane will also co-plot the story and lay out pages.
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Join Dynamite Entertainment and special guests from both comics and other media for an exciting hour of news, discussion, free comics and special BIG announcements. It’s a DON’T MISS event!
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT: WONDER WOMAN
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Gail Simone, Aaron Lopresti and Greg Rucka will look at the Amazonian princess’ past, present and, if you’re lucky, they’ll tease at her future!
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
DISNEY’S KINGDOM COMICS PRESENTS HOLLYWOOD AND THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
The Wizard School Room: 8
Join Disney’s Ahmet Zappa and Christian Beranek as they discuss what it takes to navigate between graphic novels to film and back again. Moderating will be screenwriter and The Simpsons comics scribe Tony DiGerolamo.
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
SCHOOL RUMBLE EPISODES 1-3
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
MISSY PEREGRYM SIGNING
The Signing Area
12-1 p.m.
DCU: THE CRISIS IS HERE!
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
Dan DiDio, Senior VP/Executive Editor DCU, Jann Jones, Senior Coordinating Editor DCU, Ian Sattler, Senior Story Editor DCU, and countless DCU talent are gathering for a panel that’s not to be missed. The Sinestro War has passed and the Countdown is over, but the Final Crisis is here! What lies ahead for your favorite heroes? Find out here!
12-1 p.m.
THE ULTIMATE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE WITH MAX BROOKS
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Author Max Brooks shared the secrets of the undead with the bestsellers “The Zombie Survival Guide” and “World War Z.” You’ll get all the information you need to survive the coming apocalypse in this gruesome panel!
12-1 p.m.
GAIA ONLINE GATHERING
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Find out about Gaia's newest games and features while hanging out with fellow Gaians. All attendees will receive free gold and limited edition ring for Gaia’s new MMO as well as other great prizes.
12-1 p.m.
NAKED BUT CLOTHED: THE SUPERHERO COSTUME
The Wizard School Room: 8
Artist and costume designer Adi Granov (“Iron Man”) joins Dr. Peter Coogan (Institute for Comics Studies) and Dr. Stanford Carpenter (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) for a wide ranging look at the superhero costume. A rare copy of “Superhero: The Secret Origin of the Genre” will be given away!
12-1 p.m.
ONE PIECE EPISODES 1-3
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
1-2 p.m.
MARVEL: SECRET INVASION
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
THE INVASION IS NOW! Embrace Change! This is the ONLY panel you can come to and hear directly from the man who’s been building this event for five years—Brian Michael Bendis—as he discusses his plans for the No. 1 event of 2008, what secrets already lay hidden in your back issues, and how it will impact the Universe for years to come!
1-2 p.m.
ASPEN COMICS PANEL
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Find out everything Aspen Comics has in store for the rest of 2008! From Soulfire to Fathom to their newest titles, NBC’s hit series Heroes and everything else in between! Featuring Peter Steigerwald, J.T. Krul, Micah Gunnell, Ale Garza, Vince Hernandez, Mark Roslan and Frank Mastromauro. Plus, the first 200 attendees get a FREE gift!
1-2 p.m.
HOW-TO: CREATING VISUAL EFFECTS FOR "SPACE PIRATES" – HOW STUDENTS GET TO WORK ON FEATURE FILMS
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Creating visual effects is something that fans of science fiction and comic books often dream of doing. Usually it's out of reach of everyone except those in the business of making movies. Learn how students at Chicago's FLASHPOINT ACADEMY are working on the exciting visual effects for the soon-to-be-released film “Space Pirates,” and living their dreams. The Visual Effects Supervisor for the film "Space Pirates," who is also Chair of the VFX and Animation department at FLASHPOINT ACADEMY, will be on hand to show how the effects are being created. Work representing the students and professionals will be shown and discussed.
1-2 pm
HOW-TO: CREATING VISUAL EFFECTS FOR "SPACE PIRATES" – HOW STUDENTS GET TO WORK ON FEATURE FILMS
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Creating visual effects is something that fans of science fiction and comic books often dream of doing. Usually it's out of reach of everyone except those in the business of making movies. Learn how students at Chicago's FLASHPOINT ACADEMY are working on the exciting visual effects for the soon-to-be-released film “Space Pirates,” and living their dreams. The Visual Effects Supervisor for the film Space Pirates, who is also Chair of the VFX and Animation department at FLASHPOINT ACADEMY, will be on hand to show how the effects are being created. Work representing the students and professionals will be shown and discussed.
1-2 p.m.
HOW TO SCULPT: ROBERT TONNER
The Wizard School Room: 8
Join world-renowned sculptor Robert Tonner, CEO of Tonner Inc., for his “Sculpting from Clay to the Finished Product” panel. Learn how the process works from beginning to end, get sculpting tips and tricks, and learn about the artistry he puts into each Tonner Character Figure. Plus, prizes!
1-2 p.m.
WITCHBLADE EPISODES 1-3
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
1-4 p.m.
ALEX ROSS SIGNING
The Fountain Area
1 p.m.
COSTUME CONTEST
The Event Area
Enter the Wizard Costume Contest and you’ll be eligible for up to $1,000 in prizes! The best entries will be featured in Wizard Magazine and online, so sign up at the Wizard Booth (#953).
2-4 p.m.
IMAGE FOUNDERS PANEL
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
In 1992, seven artists formed one of the biggest comic companies of all time. Now, six of those seven visionaries—Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Rob Liefeld, Whilce Portacio, Erik Larsen and Jim Valentino—are coming together to discuss the past, present and future of the company that brought you Spawn, WildC.A.T.s, Savage Dragon, Youngblood and more. This is a panel you won’t want to miss!
2-3 p.m.
MISSY PEREGRYM Q&A
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Ever wonder what it’s like being the girlfriend of Satan’s bounty hunter? Join Wizard Magazine’s Kevin Mahadeo as he sits down with “Reaper” actress Missy Peregrym to get all the dirt!
2-3 p.m.
THE UNVEILING OF OGENO.COM
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Ever wondered what Entertainment Networking would be like? Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have all your bookmarked sites in one place? If you’ve ever thought about this, your dreams are about to come true!
2-3 p.m.
PETER STEIGERWALD - INSIDE THE LINES AND OUTSIDE THE BOX 8
The Wizard School Room: 8
Join Aspen’s Peter Steigerwald as he lets you know what’s needed to become a comic book colorist. From his work at DC to the current Soulfire series and his recent Marvel covers, Peter has become one of the top colorists in the business! This class is neither to be missed nor for the faint of heart!
2-3 p.m.
XXXHOLIC EPISODES 1-3
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
3-4 p.m.
COMICS ARE FOR KIDS, TOO!
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Creators of all ages are writing stories that bring out the kid in all of us. DC’s Tiny Titans team Art Baltazar and Franco, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man’s Peter David and writers Russell Lissau and Josh Elder from The Batman Strikes! will be present at this colorful panel hosted by Wizard’s Brian Cunningham.
3-4 p.m.
DDP: THE POP CULTURE ZONE
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Pick the brains of collectible toy designer Shawn Smith (NinjaTown) and indie comics icon Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots). See new toys from Devil’s Due POP. Plus, Hack/Slash creator Tim Seeley, FREE comics at the door and big news from the DDP team!
3-4 p.m.
HOW TO SCULPT: CLAYBURN MOORE
The Wizard School Room: 8
Join Master Sculptor Clayburn Moore of CS Moore Studio as he shares sculpting techniques and gives insight into his unique approach during this discussion that collectors and sculptors will both enjoy. Q&A session to follow discussion.
3-4 p.m.
AQUARION EPISODES 1-3
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
3-4:30 p.m.
OLIVIER COIPEL SIGNING
The Wizard Booth: 953
3-5 p.m.
MISSY PEREGRYM SIGNING
The Signing Area
4-5 p.m.
STAR WARS: WHAT’S COMING WITH LUCASFILM’S STEVE SANSWEET
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
With “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” movie and TV series hot on the horizon, not to mention all the other events and projects in the works at Lucasfilm, Steve Sansweet, the entertainment company’s head of Fan Relations, will have much to share with fans at Wizard World. Sansweet’s presentation will reveal exciting looks into the upcoming animated movie and series, as well as into LucasArts’ breathtaking new game, “The Force Unleashed.” Don’t miss this hour covering all the Star Wars excitement to come.
4-5 p.m.
HERD IT THROUGH THE BOVINE: TOP COW PRESENTATION
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Join Special Guest Marc Silvestri and the hottest creators from Top Cow as they give you a tantalizing sneak peek into what’s in store for the company! Plus, every attendee will receive a FREE gift!
4-5 p.m.
WILDSTORM: WORLD’S END!
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Get the inside scoop from Shannon Denton, Editor—WildStorm on what’s upcoming from DC’s wildest imprint. The Armageddon has gone, the Number of the Beast is here, but soon there will be a World’s End to contend with! See how it affects your favorite WildStorm characters.
4-5 p.m.
COMIC BOOK RESTORATION AND HOW TO DETECT IT
The Wizard School Room: 8
Most comic collectors are aware of the paper restoration controversy, but very few know exactly what it is or how to spot it. Long time collector Richard Evans and noted paper restorer Matt Nelson present guides to understanding restoration and how to detect restored comics.
4-6 p.m.
VEXILLE
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
4:30-6:30 p.m.
SPAWN TEAM SIGNING FEATURING TODD MCFARLANE
The Fountain Area is ticketed
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane makes a special guest appearance at Wizard World Chicago, introducing the new Spawn team of writer Brian Holguin and artist Whilce Portacio, and sharing secrets about the title’s future. McFarlane will also co-plot the story and lay out pages. Come meet the new crew on Spawn and get your Spawn gear signed, but don’t forget to get a TICKET for this signing!
5-6 p.m.
MARVEL: CUP O’ BENDIS
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
Join the top writer in the comic book industry, Brian Michael Bendis, and special guests as they take on any and all questions! It’s a super, happy fun hour you will NOT want to miss!
5-6 p.m.
THE CREATORS OF ADULT SWIM’S “MORAL OREL”
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
“Moral Orel” will soon launch its third and final
season on Adult Swim. You'll hear about the making of this Emmy award winning stop-motion animated show with Dino Stamatopoulos (“Late Night with Conan O’Brien”), Scott Adsit (“30 Rock”) and Chris McKay (40 years old). Come and discover all new reasons to be offended by this show!
5-6 p.m.
CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT: GREEN LANTERN
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
DC’s real-life Green Lantern Corps, Geoff Johns, Ethan Van Sciver and Patrick Gleason, discuss everything related to Hal Jordan and company!
5-6 p.m.
PETER DAVID “TIGERHEART” READING
The Wizard School Room: 8
This programming event features fan-favorite writer Peter David performing a reading from his newly released novel, “Tigerheart.”
6-7 p.m.
SPOTLIGHT ON TONY DANIEL
The Dave Stevens Room: 10-11
Renowned artist Tony Daniel is front and center to talk about his work on the summer’s big Bat-event, Batman R.I.P. Joined by DCU Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler, this Q&A session promises to entertain!
6-7 p.m.
"MORAL OREL" SIGNING
The Wizard Booth (#953)
“Moral Orel” will soon launch its third and final season on Adult Swim. The creators and producers of this Emmy award winning stop-motion animated show--Dino Stamatopoulos (“Late Night with Conan O’Brien”), Scott Adsit (“30 Rock”) and Chris McKay (40 years old)--will be on-hand for a special signing at the Wizard Booth (#953), so bring your “Moral Orel” DVDs, figurines and other swag—or just bring your Wizard World Chicago Program Guide—and get it all signed by the guys.
6-7 p.m.
YOUNG ARTISTS SPOTLIGHT
The Jim Mooney Room: 4
Age is nothing but a number! Mitch Breitweiser, Mike Choi, Olivier Coipel, Shane Davis and Freddie E. Williams II talk about their experiences being young superstar comic artists.
6-7 p.m.
MAKE YOUR OWN WIKI
The Wizard School Room: 8
Wikipedia is just the start! Wiki founders from Wikia—home of Wookieepedia, Memory Alpha and Muppet Wiki—demonstrate how to edit pages, build a community of contributors and protect your wiki from vandals.
6-7 p.m.
SHIN-CHAN EPISODES 1-3
The Anime Insider FUNimation Room
6-7 p.m.
“MORAL OREL” CREW SIGNING
The Wizard Booth: 953
7 p.m.
“BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT” WORLD PREMIERE!
The Steve Gerber Room: 1-3 12-14
The film that bridges the gap between “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” premieres! Following the premiere, writers Brian Azzarello, Alan Burnett, Josh Olson, Greg Rucka and Executive Producer Bruce Timm will take part in a special panel and Q&A session moderated by DC Comics Senior Vice President of Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck.
