Despite pandemic, Comic-Con gets its geek on
Convention reaches out to fans with a lineup of free online panels and events
Although San Diego-based Comic-Con has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event is bringing some of the action to fans with Comic-Con@ Home, featuring a series of virtual panels, how-to demos and other events that are free and open to the public.
Through Sunday, there are hundreds of things to do virtually, and the wealth of choices is almost as overwhelming as the real-life event can be. However, Comic-Con International has created an interactive scheduler via sched.org to help keep things organized and manageable. Even better than the real deal, you won’t always have to make hard choices when panels overlap: You can watch some select panels later to see what you missed. (But not all, so check beforehand.)
Since there are so many to choose from, we’ve pulled out a few of the daily highlights. For a full list of events, dates and times, go to www. comic-con.org/cciathome/2020/ programming-schedule.
Today
CAUSEPLAY, IN SERVICE TO OTHERS (10-11 A.M.) >> A panel discussion about how cosplayers and prop builders serve their communities through their love of pop culture. They will share their experiences and give tips on how to join organized groups to help give back.
DRAW ALONG WITH DARK HORSE (2-3 P.M.) >> Dark Horse Comics’ Gabriel Bá (“The Umbrella Academy”), Naomi Franquiz (“Tales From Harrow County: Death’s Choir”), Tyler Cook (“Colonel Weird: Cosmagog”) and Mike
Deodato (“Berserker Unbound”) discuss their big break into comics via virtual storytelling and explain and demonstrate the process of illustrating comics live.
BUGS BUNNY’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY EXTRAVAGANZA (4-5 P.M.) >> Warner Bros. takes fans on eight decades of animated laughs in a discussion moderated by actress Yvette Nicole Brown that features three current voices of Bugs Bunny and cartoon historians.
SHUDDER — HORROR IS QUEER (6-7 P.M.)>> A discussion of LGBTQ horror film history featuring Sam Wineman (“The Quiet Room”), Nay Bever (co-host of “Attack of the Queerwolf” podcast), Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal” creator), Don Mancini (“Child’s Play” franchise) and Lachlan Watson (“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”).
Friday
CHARLIZE THERON: EVOLUTION OF A BADASS (10-11 A.M.) >> IGN’s Terri Schwartz moderates a Q&A session with actress and producer Charlize Theron as she reflects on playing action heroes in films for over two decades.
MAKE YOUR OWN FELTED FRIENDS (11 A.M.-NOON) >> Hosts of the “In Quest of Geek” podcast will lead a discussion about puppetry and performance and lead an arts and crafts panel to show viewers how to create their own felted friends (aka puppets) with crafts already lying around the house.
ZOMBIES AND CORONAVIRUS: PLAN
NING OF THE NEXT BIG OUTBREAK (NOON-1 P.M.) >> Author Max Brooks (“World War Z,” “The Zombie Survival
Guide”) engages doctors and biodefense experts in an entertaining discussion about how we could prepare for what comes next in the realm of infectious disease.
AMC’S “THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND” (2-3 P.M.) >> Though there are panels featuring “Fear the Walking Dead” and “The Walking Dead,” it’s the next generation of the show that seems to be even more interesting. A panel discussion about the next series in the franchise will be led by “Talking Dead” host Chris Hardwick and feature cast members talking about how the show deals with a first-generation raised in the surviving civilization of the postapocalyptic world.
TODD MCFARLANE TALKS TOYS,
COMICS AND MORE (4-5 P.M.) >>
“Spawn” and “Venom” creator Todd McFarlane will talk about the future of toys, comics and what he’s done during quarantine.
Saturday
“THE SIMPSONS” @ HOME (11 A.M.NOON) >> Al Jean, Matt Selman, David Silverman, Carolyn Omine and Mike B. Anderson will talk about how “The Simpsons” season 32 was created during socially distant times. The talk will be moderated by Lisa Simpson herself, Yeardley Smith.
“BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC” (3-4 P.M.) >> Actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are reprising their most excellent roles in the new “Bill & Ted Face the Music” movie. The panel discussion will be moderated by filmmaker and fan Kevin Smith.
“WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS” (5-6 P.M.) >> The cast of “What We Do in the Shadows,” including Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Kayvan Novak, Mark Proksch and Harvey Guillén will have a spirited conversation about the rise of vampires and the surprising twist from Season 1 into Season 2 of the hit FX show. Show guest star Haley Joel Osment will host the discussion.
Sunday
WHO’S THE BEST DOCTOR WHO? (1-2 P.M.)>> It’s a much-debated topic, but a panel of experts will throw their favorite Doctor Who candidates in the ring for a lively discussion that will end in a public vote.
WAKANDA, FOREVER! THE PSY
CHOLOGY OF “BLACK PANTHER” (3-4 P.M.) >> A panel of psychologists and comic scholars discuss the psychological issues addressed in the “Black Panther” movie and comics, including microaggressions, cultural representation in media and the power of love and empathetic leadership.