Monday, July 12, 2010

San Diego Comic-Con International 2010


Another year has soon passed and the time has once again come upon us for one of San Diego's largest events, Comic-Con International. If you aren't familar with this convention it's about a week long event covering everything from the newest comic books to upcoming movies, tv shows, and video games. And as always your friendly three feathered captain will be there with camera in tow.

A special thank you goes to Ingred of the San Diego's Machina Fatalis for putting together a special steampunk related schedule for those in attendance. A couple of highlights include the steampunk gathering and group photo on the back steps as we're not able to have access to a panel room big enough for all of us this year and a special off site Chrononaut event and concert also on Saturday evening.

Also much like at Anime Expo, Mad Calamity Photos will be offering free mini steampunk photoshoots after the group photo at the steampunk gathering. So please get in contact with Mad Calamity Photos if you are interested.

-Exhibitors-
Ogner Stump/The Slow Poisoner S04 (Small Press)
Chet Phillips Illustration/Steampunk Monkeys P13 (Small Press)
Paul Guinan/Boilerplate CC09 (Artists Alley)
Mysterious Galaxy #1119/1121/1123
Wondermark/TopatoCo #1231/1233
Phil & Kaja Foglio/Girl Genius #1331
Tor Books #2310
Entertainment Earth #2343
Dr. Grordbort/Weta Workshop #2615
Steam Crow/Monster Commute #4207
Rolling Thunder /Dave Dorman #4401/4500
Brute Force Studios #4919
Thing From Another World/CBLDF Fundraiser #5625/5626
Semantik Publishing - "The Heavens" comic due Fall '10 TBD
Dr. Steel's Army of Toy Soldiers MZ20 (Mezzanine Fan Tables)
Gaslight Gathering MZ10 (Mezzanine Fan Tables)

Steampunk Special Features:
Tor Books #2310 - Friday, July 23rd is Steampunk Day at the Tor Books booth. Stop by the booth to say hello and check out some of Tor’s steampunk offerings on display. While supplies last, we’ll be giving away an illustrated short story “The Life and Adventures of Young Sam Smiles by the Brotherly Order of the New Thought”. This short story ties into Felix Gilman’s The Half-made World, a forthcoming steampunk novel set in an alternate American West. At 2:00 PM we’ll be giving away copies of Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. For those of you who can’t make it out to San Diego this year, keep an eye on the @torbooks Twitter as we’ll have a couple of giveaways running that week.

Thing From Another World/CBLDF Fundraiser #5625/5626 Participating artists include Phil Foglio (Girl Genius) and Nick Percival (Legends: The Enchanted). Original sketches to be auctioned for charity, limited edition autograph cards available of each sketch from the artist or TFAW booth.

-Panels & Meetups-
THURSDAY:
The Clockwork Girl - 11:00am-12:00pm Room 9 Alexa Vega (Spy Kids) and Sean Covel and Doc Wyatt (Napoleon Dynamite) talk about the feature film and show an exclusive featurette for The Clockwork Girl.

The Danger Element by Battle Jitni -12:00pm-12:30pm showing in Marriott Hall Room 2 as part of the SDCCI Independent Film Festival. See map in con guide for location.

Twisting Genres - 4:00pm - 5:00pm Room 25ABC Fantastic fiction authors talk about pushing the envelope on genre, not confining it to one definition. Participants include China Miéville (Kraken), Justin Cronin (The Passage), Naomi Novik (Tongues of Serpents), Daryl Gregory (The Devil's Alphabet), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Cold Black Hearts), Robert Masello (Blood And Ice), Keith Thompson (The Leviathan trilogy), and Scott Westerfeld (The Leviathantrilogy). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy.

SFX presents The British Invasion -
5:00pm - 6:00pm Room 5AB Five top UK writers from the worlds of TV, comics, books, and movies discuss what makes modern British SF unique. Dan Abnett(Ultramarines), China Miéville (Perdido Street Station), Paul Cornell (Doctor Who), Kieron Gillen (Thor), Pat Mills (2000 AD), and Toby Whithouse (BBC's Being Human creator) talk to SFX magazine's Dave Bradley in this panel and Q&A session.

Thursday Offsite
Steam Powered Giraffe + Rumbledore 6:30pm - 11:00 pm
San Diego's original singing robot comedy act are joined by one-man-band Michael Reed of The Smart Brothers as they weave a laugh-out-loud colorful performance imbued with pantomime illusion and folk inspired songs. Opening for the robots are the local Harry Potter band Rumbledore,
which will be followed by a live art showdown by SPG members Jon Sprague and Christopher Bennett, as they race to paint portraits of lucky raffle winners.
There will be prizes to win via raffle, Steam Powered Giraffe merchandise for sale, and a tournament of the SPG Card Game. Doors open at 6:30 PM for The Card Game Tournament. If you are participating make sure to arrive on time!
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego All Ages, $10 at the door.

FRIDAY:
The Official Aspen Comics Panel
- 12:00pm-1:00pm Room 32AB Creators Frank Mastromauro (Dellec), Peter Steigerwald (Soulfire), Vince Hernandez (Fathom: Kiani), Mark Roslan (Heroes), J.T. Krul (Mindfield), Joe Benitez (Lady Mechanika), David Schwartz (Fathom: Blue Descent), David Wohl (Witchblade), Micah Gunnell (Shrugged), Alex Konat (Mindfield), Eric Battle (The Scourge), Beth Sotelo (Fathom), and surprise guests are on hand to unveil Aspen's all new properties for 2010 and beyond! See never-before-seen covers and art, hear firsthand from the creators their plans for exciting new properties, and ask them questions directly in a special Q&A session. All fans in attendance will receive an exclusive gift courtesy of Aspen Comics.

Top Shelf 2010
5:30pm-6:30 Room 9 The crew at Top Shelf Productions celebrate their most international year yet, discussing their hit "Swedish Invasion" initiative, the acclaimed graphic novelThe Playwright from British-Australian expats Eddie Campbell and Daren White, and their brand-new book of cutting-edge manga, Ax. And they'll show off exclusive sneak previews of upcoming books from Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots), Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Sweet Tooth), Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), and so much more!

SATURDAY:
Steampunk Meetup - Saturday 12:00pm-3:00pm The official Steampunk at Comic Con meetup is back! This time no room can hold us all, so we will meet at the center terrace stairs, bayside exit from Ballroom 20. Wear your best for the group photo at 2:00 pm, parade through lobby at 3:00.


Spotlight on China Miéville 1:30pm-2:30pm Room 5AB Multi-award-winning author and Comic-Con special guest China Miéville talks about his books -- including The City & the City, Perdido Street Station and his most recent, Kraken -- in this special Spotlight panel.

Spotlight on Dave Dorman 2:00pm-3:00pm Room 8 Eisner Award-winning illustrator and Comic-Con special guest Dave Dorman is best known for his stunning depictions from the Star Wars universe. Dave talks about his paintings and his comics work, including the eagerly awaited sequel to his Steampunk graphic novel Rail -- continuing stories set in his creator-owned universe, The Wasted Lands.

Warehouse 13 and Eureka 3:30pm-5:00pm Room 6BCF Don't miss two of Syfy's biggest hit series in one exclusive event. Catch back-to-backWarehouse 13 and Eureka panels, featuring Warehouse 13's Eddie McClintock (Pete Lattimer), Joanne Kelly (Myka Bering), Saul Rubinek (Artie Nielsen), Allison Scagliotti (Claudia Donovan), and Jack Kenny (showrunner/executive producer) and Eureka's Colin Ferguson (Jack Carter), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo), James Callis (Grant), Jaime Paglia (co-creator/executive producer/writer), and Bruce Miller (executive producer/writer). Plus, Syfy brings back Cafe Diem at Hard Rock Hotel, featuring W13 themed items.

Disney Epic Mickey 4:30pm-5:30pm Room 9 Warren Spector (creative director, Junction Point -- Disney Interactive Studios) and Peter David (award-winning comics writer and author of upcoming Disney Epic Mickey comics) share their insights about bringing the world and characters of the Disney Epic Mickey video game to life in two media -- video games and comic books. Warren and Peter explore "Wasteland," a world of forgotten, retired and rejected creative efforts from the Disney archives, and discuss the joy and challenges associated with writing for Mickey Mouse and his "brother," Walt Disney's first cartoon star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The panel includes discussion, gameplay demo featuring never-before-seen areas, concept art, previews of comic pages and Q&A.
ure Solider video game studio associate producer Adrian Lacey in a panel discussing the upcoming short film, as well as connections between the film and the game. Attendees will be treated to the world premiere debut of the film trailer, as well as a live demo of the upcoming video game.

War of the Worlds: Goliath 6:00pm-7:00pm Room 5AB War of the Worlds: Goliath is an animated, 95-minute, battle epic set in a Steampunk 1914 Earth that has rebuilt and rearmed following the failed Martian Invasion of 1900. Set for release in early 2011, War of the Worlds: Goliath features voices by Peter Wingfield, Adam Baldwin, Elizabeth Gracen, Jim Byrnes, and Adrian Paul, among others. Producer Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Heavy Metal), producer/director Joe Pearson (Roswell Conspiracies, Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys), producer/writer David Abramowitz (Highlander), and producer Leon Tan screen footage from the upcoming feature, discuss the production process, and hold a Q&A session.

SATURDAY OFFSITE
The League of Temporal Adventurers Society Gala 8:00pm-2:00am

Wrap up your Comic Con Steampunk experience with the steampunk party of the year! Featuring
Voltaire, Unextraordinary Gentlemen,The Slow Poisoner, Veronique Chevalier, The Hoop Unit & The League of S.T.E.A.M. With guest DJ, Mr. Bodewell of Sepiachord and Professor Greyshade of Chrononaut.
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego All Ages, beer & wine with ID
$18 in advance, $20 at the door (if available)
L. T. A. Gala

SUNDAY:
Spotlight on Ann and Jeff VanderMeer 10:30pm-11:30pm Room 8Dr. Lambshead, Steampunk, Weird Tales, Imaginary Animals, and You— Weird Tales editor and Hugo Award winnerAnn VanderMeer and her World Fantasy Award–winning husband, writer/editor Jeff VanderMeer, take you on a whirlwind exclusive inside look at a cornucopia of exciting new projects, from The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities, featuring work by Mike Mignola and Greg Broadmore, to the Steampunk Biblecoffeetable book, from the rejuvenated Weird Tales to the insanely entertaining Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals, featuring recipes for Wookiee and Cthulhu by Ace of Cake's Duff Goldman. With discussion, interrogation, arguments, and, er, Mongolian Death Worms. Nom nom.

-Offsite Events-
THURSDAY
Steam Powered Giraffe + Rumbledore 6:30pm-11:00 pm
San Diego's original singing robot comedy act are joined by one-man-band Michael Reed of The Smart Brothers as they weave a laugh-out-loud colorful performance imbued with pantomime illusion and folk inspired songs.
Opening for the robots are the local Harry Potter band Rumbledore,
which will be followed by a live art showdown by SPG members Jon Sprague and Christopher Bennett, as they race to paint portraits of lucky raffle winners.
There will be prizes to win via Raffle, Steam Powered Giraffe merchandise for sale, and a tournament of the SPG Card Game. Doors open at 6:30 PM for The Card Game Tournament. If you are participating make sure to arrive on time!
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego
All Ages, $10 at the door.

Hot Topic Tweetup - Food, Giveaways & surprises for Hot Topic fans. Follow them on Twitter for details.

SATURDAY 7/24
The League of Temporal Adventurers Society Gala 8:00pm-2:00am
Wrap up your Comic Con Steampunk experience with the steampunk party of the year! Featuring
Voltaire, Unextraordinary Gentlemen,The Slow Poisoner, Veronique Chevalier, The Hoop Unit & The League of S.T.E.A.M. With guest DJ, Mr. Bodewell of Sepiachord and Professor Greyshade of Chrononaut.
at Queen Bee's, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego
All Ages, beer & wine with ID
$18 in advance, $20 at the door (if available)

- Captain Wong Wei -

The 13th Annual Labyrinth of Jareth


As some of you may know the month of July is quite a busy month for us at the society. Nipping at our heels is the 13th Annual Labyrinth of Jareth. Court will be held within the glorious Los Angeles Park Plaza on July 16th and 17th. The Labyrinth of Jareth is a masquerade ball based upon venetian history, celtic faerie, and goblin lore. Amazing artists, costumers, and special effects crews near and far attend the celebration and bring the night alive each year as creatures of legend and fantasy roam the hollowed halls of the labyrinth. The wonderful artists of Sypher Studios work tirelessly each year to bring to us an evening to remember. Mad Calamity Photos and the Manticore Society shall be in attendance this year chronicling the events of the evening.

On Thursday the Darius Exposition a free opening event for attendees of the Labyrinth Masquerade will be held at the Edison downtown. Whilst the Goblin Clockworks prepare to whirl and turn, Sir Darius calls together some of the most innovative entertainers, inventors, and creative minds to host a singular night of intrigue and invention. Before the Labyrinth Masquerade opens its doors. This special engagement is 21+ only.

The Darius Exposition
July 15th, 2010
8:30pm - 12am
The Edison
108 West 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA

On Friday night at the masquerade the Goblin Clockworks will be in effect. The first part of the Labyrinth of Jareth storyline and a complete night of goblin ingenuity and artistry will take place within the Royal Court. Saturday is the masquerade and the second part of the labyrinth storyline which is one of the few classical events which welcomes all those dreamed of an extravagant night of dance and revelry.

- List of those Performing at the Masquerade -

Brother - An Aborigine-Celtic influenced band bringing an unique, creative, and primal experience by drawing upon energy from the dreamtime.

Stellamara - The musicians of Stellamara express profound devotion and passion for the great muse, the Star of the Sea.

Blessed Le Strange - Among the creatures de mort of Los Angeles, Blessed Le Strange is a unique electro-folk, industrial rock takes you into their world of Voodoo styled Cabaret.

Sylphirance - Sylphirance is the alliance of dancers, sculptors, composers, actors, dreamers and builders who create Sypher's Elaborate Court each year.

Tresk - Ambient and orchestral music for the court dreamers, the halls echo with a symphony crafted specifically for the invocation of the court.

The League of S.T.E.A.M. - Supernatural and Troublesome Ectoplasmic Apparition Management or the League of S.T.E.A.M. is an organization comprised of Inventors, Scientists, Adventurers, Craftsmen, Monster and Creature Hunters, and Paranormal Researchers!

Augustus Saunders - Brings us before the Cannons of Dusk and the Gates of Night in the realms of the Queen of Midnight Graces.

Wandering Marionettes - The city has a shadow. Not an underside, an Otherside. crisscrossed by phantom alleyways that twist between the no-longer, the never-ever and the farthest reaches of your imaginings. The dwellers here are myths and legends, in such a place do marionettes come to wander...

Stilt Circus - The jubilant heights of fae majesty.

The Goblin DJ - Dance to the genre mixed, chaotic antics of the Goblin DJ.

Nouveau Cabaret - Enjoy the colorful dance and tribal drums of Sabrina's Nouveau Cabaret.

...and more to be announced! Hope to see you there!

- Captain Wong Wei -