The 23rd annual WonderCon kicks off today at the Moscone Center South in San Francisco beginning at 12 noon today and keeps on going until 7:00 pm, with the fun continuing at the nearby Cartoon Art Museum, where they're holding a party to fete special guests Stan Sakai (creator of Usagi Yojimbo) and Dave Gibbons (co-creator of Watchmen).
While there's not as much manga / anime happenings compared to Fanime or San Diego Comic-Con, there'll still be fun for comics fans with a Japanophile bent. For one thing, VIZ Media announced yesterday that they'll be setting up shop at Booth 835, a new addition to the exhibition floor that wasn't included in prior announcements of this show. VIZ will be showcasing their VIZ Signature and VIZ Kids imprints, including grown-up titles like Black Lagoon, Pluto and Vagabond and kid-friendly comics like Pokemon, Legend of Zelda and their new Dragon Ball Evolution chapter books based on the feature film coming soon from 20th Century Fox.
Also, Sakura of America (Booth 1432) will be giving aspiring artists a chance to try their hand at drawing manga with the artists of Manga Start. All artists who complete a drawing will be eligible to spin the wheel to win pens and other creativity-inspiring prizes from Sakura.
There'll also be lots of artists appearances at WonderCon, including a spotlight panel with Wendy Pini (Elfquest, Masque of the Red Death) and the premiere of the new Wonder Woman animated feature from DC Comics. Both events start at 6:00 pm tonight.
Here's the rest of today's relatively manga-centric highlights:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
- 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Oni Press, Room 232 / 234
The folks who brought you the Bryan Scott O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim books (and many other fine, fine graphic novels) will be on hand to showcase the latest, the greatest and the best of what they've got planned for 2009 and beyond. - 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Stan Sakai Autograph Session, Dark Horse Booth 624
Meet the always affable creator of Usagi Yojimbo, and congratulate him on 25 years of his rabbit samurai for hire. - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Spotlight on Trina Robbins, Room 232 / 234
The female cartoonist in me has got to give props to Trina Robbins, pioneering underground comics creator, comics historian and all-around force of nature. Besides being an early advocate for shojo manga, she's also an engaging, outspoken creator who isn't afraid to call it like it is. - 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Sergio Aragones Autograph Session, Dark Horse Booth 624
Say hi to the fastest pen in the Western Hemisphere (and one of the funniest too), and get your copy of Groo signed. If you're nice, he might even draw a quick sketch for you too. - 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Bandai Entertainment, Room 104
Bandai marketing guru Robert Napton will be in the house, showing off some new and upcoming anime releases including Akira on Blu-Ray, Code Geass and perhaps some new manga releases too. - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Spotlight on Wendy Pini, Room 232 / 234
Whether you know her as "Elf-Mom" or "Madame Masque," Wendy Pini is the one of the first original English language manga creators. As one of WonderCon's special guests, Pini will be talking with Mark Evanier about some of her exciting projects on the horizon, including the Elfquest movie. - 6:00 pm - 8:15 pm: Wonder Woman DVD Premiere and Green Lantern Movie Sneak Peek, Esplanade Ballroom
For the evening's showcare movie event, DC Comics is premiering the new Wonder Woman animated feature, and just to make it extra special, Academy Award-nominated actress Virginia Madsen (the voice of Queen Hippolyta) will be on hand to lend her bit of star-power -- and if you're good, DC will also preview the upcoming Green Lantern movie too. - 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm: WonderCon Weekend Party, Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission Street (Admission)
Take a break from Moscone Center and check out the new Watchmen and Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo) exhibits at the Cartoon Art Museum. Rub elbows with all sorts of comics types, and help support one of the Bay Area's true treasures for comics fans. Admission is on a sliding scale, from $10 - $35.
Here's also a list of booths, small press tables and artists alley denizens worth visiting:
- Be Kyoot - Booth 741
- Capcom Entertainment - Booth 533
- Cartoon Art Museum - Booth 824
- Comic Relief - Booth 807
- Cool Jerk - Paul Horn - Artists Alley 077
- Dark Horse Comics - Booth 624
- Camilla d'Errico - Artists Alley 085
- eigoMANGA - Booth 847
- Jason Thompson and Leia Weathington - Small Press 37
- Gama-Go - Booth 1133
- Kinokuniya Bookstores - Booth 834
- Keith Knight - Artists Alley 027
- Lark Pien - Littlebird Books - Artists Alley 046
- Last Gasp - Booths 625, 627
- Namco Networks - Booth 841
- Oni Press - Booth 519
- Pascal Campion - Table D14
- Piximix - Small Press 21
- P.M.B.Q. Studios - Booth 1137
- Sakura of America - Booth 1432
- Sho Murase - Artists Alley 081
- Spicy Brown - Booth 1235
- Stan Sakai - Artists Alley 025
- Steamcrow Press - Booth 1025
- Stuart Ng Books - Booth 1021
- Super 7 - Booth 1232
- VIZ Media - Booth 835
- Wendy Pini - Artists Alley 050
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