It is that magical time of the year again for all of the craziness of San Diego Comic-Con! This is I think my eighth year attending and I get a little more mellow about the event each year. I do have a schedule mapped out, but there are usually just a few must-do’s each day. (You can’t do everything at Comic-Con!) I’m not planning to camp out overnight in the Hall H line so unfortunately there will be no Mockingjay panel for me, but there are plenty of other fun things to do.
Here are some Book and TV events I’m looking forward to (panel descriptions from Comic-Con).
Authors:
Spotlight on Rainbow Rowell: Rainbow Rowell (New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, and Landline) sits down with Leigh Bardugo (New York Times bestselling author of the Grisha Trilogy) to talk about books, fantasy, “the last three words,” and what Rainbow has planned for this year’s Carry On, her much-awaited return to young adult fiction.
Book to Screen: We’re in a heyday for science fiction and fantasy on screen, whether it’s the big screen or the small. Some of the most popular series out there take advantage of the in-depth world and character building of book series to populate their vivid worlds. Ernie Cline (author of Ready Player One, soon to be adapted for the screen by Steven Spielberg), Melissa de la Cruz (author of Witches of East End, Lifetime show by the same name), Andy Weir (author of The Martian, a Ridley Scott-directed adaptation will be released later this year), Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (as James S. A. Corey, author of Leviathan Wakes, on which the upcoming Syfy show The Expanse is based), Lev Grossman (author of The Magicians, soon to be a Syfy show), and Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings (as Christina Lauren, author of Beautiful Bastard, which has been optioned by Constantin Film) discuss how their creations are coming to life on screen.
Spotlight on Allie Brosh: #1 New York Times bestselling author Allie Brosh (Hyperbole and a Half) discusses her award-winning blog, her work as an artist and a writer, and her new book,Solutions and Other Problems (coming in October), with Felicia Day (Geek & Sundry, author of You’re Never Weird on the Internet . . . Almost).
Fantasy Literature: Learn about fantasy literature and book-to-movie adaptations from New York Times bestselling authors Heather Brewer (Vladimir Tod series) and Jonathan Maberry (Rot & Ruin), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures series), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series) and Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle series). Moderated by Henry Herz (Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes).
Keep YA Weird: One of our favorite things about YA lit is that it’s not afraid to be totally weird. Experimental, risky, exciting, and fun-these are the things all our most beloved books have in common, which is why these panelists want to Keep YA Weird. Come discuss and celebrate literary experimentalism and extreme imagination in YA literature with authors Colleen Houck (Reawakened), Rachel Caine (Ink and Bone: The Great Library), Jenny Martin (Tracked), Rachel Hartman (Seraphina and Shadow Scale), and Tom Sniegoski (The Raven’s Child). Moderated by Kim Liggett (Blood and Salt).
What’s Hot in YA Fiction: Strong protagonists, engrossing romance, humor, action, and angst! Join panelists for this popular annual Q&A session and chat about the hottest new titles and trends in YA fiction. Moderated by Nathan Bransford (The Jacob Wonderbar series) and featuring Alexandra Bracken (Darkest Minds series), Rae Carson (Girl of Fire and Thorns series), Susan Dennard (Something Strange and Deadly trilogy), Alan Gratz (The League of Seven), Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass series), Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me series), Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), and Sabaa Tahir (An Ember in the Ashes).
TV:
Sense8: On June 5 Netflix debuted one of their most controversial and provocative new series, Sense8. Be on hand for the very first panel discussion of this new series, hosted by co-creator/writer and executive producer J. Michael Straczynski.
Outlander: Ronald D. Moore (executive producer/writer), Diana Gabaldon (author), Caitriona Balfe (claire), Sam Heughan(Jamie), and Maril Davis (executive producer) discuss the hit series and preview what’s to come in Season 2. Q&A moderated by Kristin Dos Santos (E! News).
American Horror Story and Scream Queens: Get ready to scream! It’s a Comic-Con horror fest when members of the all-star cast of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan’s Scream Queens (Jamie Lee Curtis, the original scream queen, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Skyler Samuels, and Keke Palmer) come face to face with the stars of Murphy and Falchuk’s American Horror Story: Freak Show and upcoming American Horror Story: Hotel (Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Matt Bomer). Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly, this lively gathering of headliners promises laughs, scares and secrets from the sets.
FX TV Block Featuring Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, The Strain, and a sneak peek of The Bastard Executioner: Kick out the jams with Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, premiering on FX on July 16 at 10 pm ET/PT. Denis Leary stars as the lead singer of a legendary ’90s band called The Heathens, who were on the brink of stardom when they broke up and now, years later, are looking to recapture some of the old glory. Creator/executive producer writer/director Denis Leary will be joined on stage by actors Elizabeth Gillies, Elaine Hendrix, Robert Kelly, and John Ales to discuss the new series and present an exclusive sneak peek of the show. Then catch The Strain, a thriller based on the best-selling vampire novel trilogy of the same title that will debut its second season on July 12 at 10 pm ET/PT. Fans will get an exclusive screening of all-new material, including two original pieces created specifically for SDCC and an insightful discussion with showrunner/executive producer Carlton Cuse, co-creator/executive producer/writer Guillermo del Toro, co-creator/executive producer/writerChuck Hogan, and actors Corey Stoll, David Bradley,Mia Maestro, Kevin Durand, Ruta Gedmintas, Richard Sammel, and Natalie Brown. And for an epic finale, get an exclusive world premiere first-look at Sons of Anarchy, creator Kurt Sutter’s highly anticipated new series The Bastard Executioner.
I’ll also be checking out some panels with the Teen like Gravity Falls, Steven Universe & Adventure Time. We’ll see how many of these panels I can actually get into! That is the tricky part…wish me luck! I’ll give you a full report next week!
I want Armada so badly! I hope you’re having a blast!
Great schedule! I hope to get to some of these as well. Maybe I’ll see you in the crowds:-)
I may hate you a little bit right now in a total jelly type of way 🙂
I got into the AHS panel, which was kind of surprising. It was really cool though and now I really need to catch up on that series. I hope you got to do everything you wanted to, Lucy. This was def a more mellow year for me. I didn’t have a ton of books or authors I needed to meet and it was nice to not be running around.