Top 20 Must-See Manga Events at Comic-Con 2010

What happens when you take a CEO of a manga publishing company, a cameraman and six college interns and put them in a colorful bus for an 8-week tour? Maybe a cross between MTV's Road Rules, American Idol and a hotel room at an anime convention?

Stu Levy and the TokyoPop Otaku 6 are looking for candidates to be "America's Greatest Otaku." Just look for the colorful bus and apply for your shot to win a trip to Japan, or check out the TokyoPop America's Greatest Otaku panel. Just want manga news? Head to the TokyoPop panel on Saturday or visit TokyoPop's booth #3917 and #3919.

• America's Greatest Otaku with Stu Levy Friday, July 23, 7:00 - 8:00 pm in Room 8
• TokyoPop Industry Panel Saturday, July 24, 2:00 - 3:00 pm in Room 3

The always entertaining Yen Press crew will be bringing their brand of manga fun to Comic-Con, as they showcase some of their upcoming releases for the rest of 2010, and maybe some new news about upcoming releases for 2011 too. Who knows? They might even share more details about Yen Plus' move from its print magazine format to a new, as-yet-undetermined online format.

Also visit them at the Hachette Book Group booths at #1116, #1118 and #1120 pick up some schwag and see what's new!

• Yen Press Industry Panel: Saturday, 1:00 - 2:00 pm at Room 25ABC

This one's for all you aspiring manga and comic creators out there -- so you say you want to break into the biz? Here's your opportunity, staring you in the face. Several U.S. publishers and a Japanese publisher want you to hit them with your best stuff. Wow them, and you might find yourself creating comics for Yen Press, Dark Horse, Digital Manga Publishing, EigoManga or even take a shot at getting published in Japan in the pages of Kodansha's Weekly Morning magazine.

Check out all the details, schedule for portfolio reviews and tips from the pros in my roundup of Manga Publisher Portfolio Reviews at San Diego Comic-Con 2010.

With the arrival of the iPad and the Kindle, cell phone manga, and the advent of simultaneous U.S. online releases of hot manga like Rin-Ne by Rumiko Takahashi, there's a lot of buzz about what how you'll be reading manga in the next few years. Manga editor, author and expert Jason Thompson explores the possibilities, and gives his take on what's hot and what's not quite ready for primetime.

• The Future of Manga Friday, July 23, 6:30-7:30 pm at Room 3

In honor of his three Eisner Award nominations, French comics creator Emile Bravo will be Fanfare-Ponent Mon's special guest at San Diego Comic-Con. He'll be appearing in two panels, and will be signing copies of My Mommy Went to America and Met Buffalo Bill at Fanfare - Ponent Mon Booth 2102.

Also, be sure to pick up a copy of their other Eisner-nominated books including A Distant Neighborhood by Jiro Taniguchi and their latest, Korea by 12 Creators.

• Spotlight on Emile Bravo - Friday, July 23, 3:00 - 4:00 pm in Room 4
• International Graphic Novels Panel: Saturday, July 24 at 3:30 pm in Room 4

Now that the sixth and final volume of Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series is out, and the Edgar Wright-helmed movie version of this video game-infused adventure/drama/romance is due to hit theaters on August 13, there will be no way on god's green earth will you be able to escape the multi-media onslaught at Comic-Con. So why fight it? Give in and becomes a Scott-aholic too.

Be sure to visit Oni Press Booth 1833 for more Scott Pilgrim goodness galore.

• Universal: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Thursday, July 22, 6:00-7:00 pm in Hall H
• Scott Pilgrim Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour vs. The Fans Saturday, July 24, 4:00-5:00 pm in Room 25ABC

Friday night brings us the Eisner Awards, the Emmys / Oscars / Tonys of the American comics scene. While manga isn't the major focus here, there will be 14 manga nominees doing their part to score an award or two from the capes and spandex crowd. Will the Eisner voters find it their hearts to give some long-overdue love to Naoki Urasawa (Pluto, 20th Century Boys), Jiro Taniguchi (A Distant Neighborhood) or Yoshihiro Tatsumi (A Drifting Life)? You'll just have to head to the Indigo Room at the posh San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel to find out.

• Eisner Awards: Friday, July 23, 8:30 - 11:00 pm
• Doors open for professionals: 7:30 pm
• Doors open to general public: 8:15 pm