Original Dates
July 22-26th
Comic Con @ Home Website
Programming
YouTube Channel
Art Show
Create Your Own Con Experience
Welcome back to the SDCC experience series! This is volume three of a multi-part series, so be sure to check back tomorrow for the final part!
Here are the previous posts if you haven’t read them already!
Panels, Panels, and More Panels…
From highlighting LGBTQ+ characters and creators to learning original stories alongside exclusive new releases from Disney+, the hundreds of virtual panels offered this year present just about everything pop culture that you could ever want. With the new reality of Zooming to connect with fellow geeks, creators, and cast members, there was bound to be a learning curve to conquer while filming and attending these panels. That was evident across the board (especially within the first few days). As with the awkward video calls we all have grown to love, several of the lineups were filled with delays, technical difficulties, and those ever enjoyable moments of silence that always seem to come up during a meeting. However, a lot of the panel members were easily able to roll with these issues, incorporate it into their presentation, and put on a great show. Here are some highlights of my favorite panels across the board this year…
Disney+’s Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Panelists:
Dan Povenmire (creator, executive producer, and star), Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (creator, executive producer), and Bob Bowen (director). This panel also includes the stars of the upcoming movie Ashley Tisdale (Candace), Vincent Martella (Phineas Flynn), Maulik Pancholy (Baljeet), and Dee Bradley Baker (Perry the Platypus).
Summary:
Join the creators and the original voices of the beloved Phineas and Ferb cast as they break down their favorite behind the scenes moments, stories, exclusive sneak peaks, and their favorite memories leading up to the upcoming Disney+ movie, Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe.
News/Additional links:
Such a Beautiful Day- An original song from the CVTU soundtrack.
Review:
Growing up, Phineas and Ferb was one of my favorite shows and I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without it. So of course, this was going to be one of my favorite panels. I love being able to hear the stories from on set of the original series and some BTS of the upcoming film. CVTU was made almost entirely during quarantine so the animators, voice actors, and producers had to work exclusively through virtual platforms to make this movie a reality. During the panel, fans got to check out the first song on the exclusive original soundtrack along with a preview. I am really excited to see the final product streaming exclusively on Disney+ starting August 28th.
Rating:
10/10
Zombies and Coronavirus: Planning for the Next Big Outbreak
Panellists:
Author Max Brooks (World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide, Devolution), biodefense experts Dr. Greg Koblentz (George Mason University), Dr. Gigi Gronvall (Johns Hopkins University), Dr. Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate (University of Nebraska Medical Center), Dr. Jarod Hanson (USAMRIID and University of Maryland Medical Center), and moderator Justin Hurt (Comic-Con Today assistant editor).
Summary:
Ever feel that the current pandemic feels just a little too much like a zombie apocalypse? Then this is the panel for you. Watch this intriguing breakdown of what we have learned from our most recent issues and how to prepare for a future zombie apocalypse with authors of books such as The Zombie Survival Guide Devolution and World War Z alongside biodefense experts giving you real world tips and tricks while having a bit of fun in the process.
Review:
I think at this point we are all a bit tired of hearing about COVID-19, but surprisingly, this was a fun twist on the current situation with some factual claims that might actually help in a walking dead situation. This is a bit of a slower panel, but I thought that it was really fun to listen to this group of educated zombie enthusiasts going back and forth giving their take on how to potentially stay safe if some brain craving creatures decided to roam about. I highly recommend giving it a watch.
Rating:
8.5/10
LGBTQ Characters on Television – What’s Next?
Panellists:
Brian Michael Smith (9-1-1: Lone Star), Jamie Chung (Once Upon A Time), Jamie Clayton (Roswell: New Mexico), Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery), Tatiana Maslany (Perry Mason), Anthony Rapp (Star Trek: Discovery), J. August Richards (Council of Dads), Harry Shum, Jr. (Shadowhunters), moderated by Jim Halterman (TV Guide magazine).
Summary:
Catch some of your favorite actors from blockbuster series like Once Upon A Time and 9-1-1: Lone Star, as they discuss the current, past, and future representation of LGBTQ+ characters in TV with a question and answer panel hosted by moderated by Jim Halterman.
Review:
I am so sick of the lack of representation of LGBTQ+ characters in TV, and when there is, the blatant stereotypes and tropes that consume the character whole. This panel was a great look into the minds of the actors who portray and are a part of the LGBTQ community. It’s a great way to really show the power of representation in popular programming. They talked about hard hitting issues, what needs to change, and where the future of diversity on the big screen and otherwise is going. This year, SDCC offered several panels touching on diversification in popular culture. This was hands down one of my favorite panels, and I really hope it reaches more people.
Similar Panels:
- Lights, Camera, LGBTQI-Identity! Never Alone
- Out In Comics 33: Virtually Yours (The longest running panel at the con)
- LGBTQ Comics and Popular Media for Young People
Rating:
10/10
Lily’s Panel Recommendations:
Over the course of these few weeks, I have watched about 90% of the 2020 SDCC panels. Here is a list of some of my favorites and some of the most popular videos to come out of the event. You can find out more about the titles below on the official program list.
News, Upcoming Work, and Exclusive Content Reveals:
- Cartoon Network Studios First Look
- Mattel & WWE Elite Squad Fan Panel
- A Look Inside “Marvel’s 616” on Disney+
- Marvel Comics: Next Big Thing
- First Look at Hulu’s Helstrom
- Funko: Fun TV
Interviews & Insights:
- IDW: G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes with Rob Liefeld
- Action Figure Insider – 15 Years of Talking About Toys
- The State of the Industry: Animation Superstars
- A Conversation with Nathan Fillion
- So you want to make an Action Figure, a Conversation with today’s Indie Toy Makers
- Back to the Moon and Beyond With NASA
TV, Movies, and More:
- Bugs Bunny’s 80th Anniversary Extravaganza
- MARVEL HQ
- Star Trek Universe Virtual Panel
- Solar Opposites
- HBO Max and Cartoon Network Studios: Close Enough
- HBO Max and Cartoon Network Studios: Adventure Time: Distant Lands
- I Am Not Okay with This — From the Page to the Screen!
Star Wars:
- The Mandalorian and His Many Gadgets
- Star Wars Audiobooks: Doctor Aphra
- Lucasfilm Publishing: Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away
- The Psychology of Star Trek vs. Star Wars
Comics and Graphic Novels:
- Oddball Comics Not So Live!
- Insider Art: A Compendium of Comics, Crafts & Cats for All Ages
- Image Comics Spotlight
- Inspired: Personal Stories in Graphic Novels
- Giving a Voice to Independent Creators
- Comic Shops: Persevering Through Crisis
Art, Storyboarding, and More:
- Draw Along With Dark Horse
- Cartoon Network Studios: The Art of Storyboarding
- P.S. NPC: Storytelling in Video Games
- Hollyweird Science: Creativity, Correctness, and Collaboration
- MARVEL Storyboards
- Web Comics: Saving the Entertainment Industry, Four Panels at a Time
- From Script to Screen: Behind-The-Scenes of Your Favorite Film & TV Shows
- Terry Moore Is Still Drawing Comics
- Inside the Voice Actors Studio
- Graphic Novel or Illustrated Book: You Make the Call
Pandemic Connections:
- Comics During Clampdown: Creativity In The Time of COVID
- Not the Apocalypse You’re Looking For: Real Life Disasters, Fictional Recovery
- Virtual Fandom: Superhero Fandom Adapts to the Pandemic
- X-Men Fandom Surprise Party
- “Crazy” Talk: Mental Health, Pop Culture, and the Pandemic
Bringing Pop Culture into Your Life:
- Comics in the Classroom Ask Me Anything
- Teaching Graphic Novels Online
- Teaching and Learning with Comics
- Comics on Campus: Fandom at Academia (CCEL)
- Words and Pictures Working Together: Strategies for Analyzing Graphic Texts (CCEL)
- Transforming Together Time: Family Gaming and the Future of Play
Fantasy:
- How Every Epic Fantasy Can Be…Epically Different
- The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal Graphic Novel
- Prototype and Game Pitches: Publishing Your Tabletop Game
- Fantasy & Sci Fi Authors
- Remote Real Time: The Age of Virtual Production
That’s it for now! Check back for the next part tomorrow…
