Image Comics will be at New York Comic Con in full force, with top creators signing and must-have exclusives at their booth in the Javits Center during the October 11-13 convention. In addition, the New York Comic Con programming schedule features ten Image Comics-related panels with discussions both wide-ranging and craft-focused.
The Image creators who will be signing exclusives at the Image Comics booth (#1229):
- Robert Kirkman (NYCC Spotlight Guest) — NYCC Exclusive red foil-stamped THE WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM VOLUME ONE hardcover (limited to 1500) and THIEF OF THIEVES VOLUME ONE: “I QUIT!” hardcover (limited to 1000)
- Brian K. Vaughan (NYCC Spotlight Guest) and Fiona Staples (NYCC Featured Guest) — NYCC Exclusive SAGA bookplate (limited to 200, included with purchase of SAGA VOLUME ONE)
- Jonathan Hickman (NYCC Spotlight Guest) — NYCC Exclusive THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS VOLUME ONE: SCIENCE, BAD hardcover (limited to 500)
- Tim Seeley — NYCC Exclusive Stjepan Sejic WITCHBLADE #160 variant (limited to 1000)
- Ron Marz (NYCC Special Guest)— NYCC Exclusive Stjepan Sejic ARTIFACTS #21 variant (limited to 1000)
- Joe Harris (NYCC Special Guest) — NYCC Exclusive GREAT PACIFIC #1 variant (limited to 500)
- Jim Zub (NYCC Special Guest) — NYCC Exclusive SKULLKICKERS #18 sketch cover variant, available at Artist Alley table #W11 (limited to 100)
- Ed Brisson — NYCC Exclusive COMEBACK #1 ashcan
- Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore — NYCC Exclusive THE LEGEND OF LUTHER STRODE ashcan
Other Image creators signing at the booth include:
Grant Morrison (NYCC Spotlight Guest) (HAPPY!)
Howard Chaykin (BLACK KISS II)
Glen Brunswick and Whilce Portacio (NYCC Featured Guest) (NON-HUMANS)
Alex de Campi (NYCC Special Guest) and Christine Larsen (VALENTINE)
Jay Faerber (POINT OF IMPACT, NEAR DEATH)
Sina Grace (NOT MY BAG)
Jeremy Haun (THE DARKNESS)
David Hine (NYCC Featured Guest) (THE BULLETPROOF COFFIN, THE DARKNESS)
Jason Howard (NYCC Featured Guest) (SUPER DINOSAUR)
Ales Kot (WILD CHILDREN)
Jim McCann and Rodin Esquejo (MIND THE GAP)
Ben McCool and Ben Templesmith (PIGS, CHOKER)
Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder (NYCC Featured Guest) (HALLOWEEN EVE)
Scott Snyder (NYCC Spotlight Guest), Scott Tuft, and Attilla Futaki (SEVERED)
Christian Weiser, Tony Trov, and Johnny Zito (D.O.G.S. OF MARS)
Lee David Zlotoff and Will Sliney (MacGYVER)
A full, updated Image Comics signing schedule will be released before the convention. Please note that signings and exclusives are subject to change.
The Image Comics programming at NYCC will feature a one-on-one conversations with THE WALKING DEAD creator and Image partner Robert Kirkman, a SAGA panel with creative team Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, panels on craft with writers and artists, discussions of science fiction and gender issues, as well as the highly anticipated “The Image Comics Experience” panel, where attendees will be the first to hear new Image Comics announcements.
The full listing of Image Comics NYCC programming follows.
THURSDAY
The Image Revolution Documentary
Twenty years ago, the seven biggest superstars in comics created a company that changed the industry and started a creator rights revolution. From Spawn to The Walking Dead, discover the highs, lows, secrets and controversies of Image Comics in an exclusive sneak preview of The Image Revolution, a new documentary from the creators of Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods and Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts. Speaking on the panel will be director Patrick Meaney, producer Jordan Rennert and Sequart’s Mike Phillips, along with moderator F.J. De Santo, and a special guest! At San Diego Comic Con, Marc Silvestri appeared on the panel, who will be on this one? Date: 10/11/12 Thursday, Time: 6:30 PM, Location: 1A04
FRIDAY
Wondrous Worlds, Fractured Futures: Speculative Fiction and Image Comics
With the unlimited potential of comics, there is perhaps no better medium for speculative fiction than comics. Limited only by their imaginations, Image Comics creators have been creating far-flung universes where science, fantasy, and technology explode in rich possibilities. Find out why they choose science fiction, how they build worlds, and what inspires them in a conversation moderated by Elephantmen creator Richard Starkings. Panelists: Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Wood, Joe Harris, Glen Brunswick, Ming Doyle, David Hine, Fiona Staples; Moderator: Eric Stephenson, Date: 10/12/2012 Friday, Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Location: 1A06
Skybound: On the Rise
There’s no limit on what to expect from SKYBOUND, Robert Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics. THIEF OF THIEVES is a breakout hit and already been optioned by AMC, GUARDING THE GLOBE supplies another monthly fix for the Invincible universe, the all-ages smash SUPER DINOSAUR is about to blow up in a big way… so what’s next? Join Robert Kirkman as he discusses the imprint’s future with his stable of creators! Panelists: Robert Kirkman, Shawn Martinbrough, Jason Howard, and special guests; Moderator: Sean Mackiewicz, Date: 10/12/2012 Friday, Time: 2:45PM – 3:45PM, Location: 1A14
Drawing the Line: Artists on Creator-Owned Comics
Art is as integral to comics as story, and what readers see before they read a word. Independent comics give artists the freedom to create their own worlds and characters. How do some of independent comics’ top artists bring to paper what they and the writers they work with imagine? Delve into the ink-stained world of character design, sequential storytelling, and writer-wrangling with the artists on Nowhere Men, Revival, Luther Strode, Non-Humans, Perhapanauts, and Saga. Panelists: Nate Bellegarde, Mike Norton, Tradd Moore, Whilce Portacio, Craig Rousseau, and Fiona Staples; Moderator: Eric Stephenson, Date: 10/12/2012 Friday, Time: 6:30:00 PM – 7:30:00 PM, Location: 1A23
SATURDAY
The Image Comics Experience
Image Comics brings together some of the most exciting rising stars in comics today and established creators alike to talk about the past, present, and future of Image Comics. Join Publisher Eric Stephenson to experience a lively conversation with surprise guests, and be among the first to hear some big announcements! Moderator: Eric Stephenson, Date: 10/13/2012 Saturday, Time: 11:00AM – 12:00PM, Location: 1A23
The Top Cow Universe’s New Era
Are you interested in writing or drawing comic books? Then YOU need to come to the Top Cow panel where the Image imprint’s top talent will tell you about what it’s like to create comics like Cyber Force, The Darkness, Witchblade, Think Tank and more! Get a first look at new art! Find out what’s going on with The Darkness movie in development! And get the latest on the Top Cow Talent Hunt, in which TWO lucky writers and TWO lucky artists will get jobs. All attendees will also get an awesome exclusive! Panelists: Jeremy Haun, Matt Hawkins, David Hine, and Tim Seeley; Moderator: Matt Hawkins, Date: 10/13/2012 Saturday, Time: 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, Location: 1A14
The Writers Room
Some of comics’ best writers will talk about the challenges, triumphs, and idiosyncrasies of the comics creative process. Find out how comics like Happy!, Saga, and The Manhattan Projects are conceived, written, and brought to the printed page from the writers who knew them from “PAGE ONE, PANEL ONE.”
Panelists: Grant Morrison, Brian K. Vaughan, and Jonathan Hickman, Moderator: Jonathan Ross, Date: 10/13/2012 Saturday, Time: 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM, Location: 1A21
Saga: Sex, Drugs & Rocketships
Saga launched in March 2012 amid great anticipation, excitement, high hopes, and a little controversy and quickly became one of the top-selling independent comics of the year, second only to The Walking Dead. Creators Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples will talk about how they made an epic mash-up of science fiction, fantasy, and romance into the comic industry’s biggest sensation—and hint at what’s in store for Alana, Marko, and baby Hazel! Panelists: Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Moderator: Eric Stephenson, Date: 10/13/2012 Saturday, Time: 6:15 PM – 7:15PM, Location: 1A10
SUNDAY
Creating Comics with Two X-Chromosomes: Real Talk with Image’s Female Creators
The subject of women in comics is often dominated by controversy, but what about conversation? Join some of comics’ top female writers and artists for some candid talk about working the comics industry. Does being a woman make a difference? What perspectives do female creators bring to a male-dominated industry? All that and more—with women who use their talent to get ahead! Panelists: Jordie Bellaire, Alex de Campi, Christine Larsen, Ming Doyle, Amy Reeder, and Fiona Staples; Moderator: Jennifer de Guzman, Date: 10/14/2012 Sunday, Time: 10:45AM – 11:45AM. Location: 1A14
Kirkmania!
Robert Kirkman, creator of the global sensations THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE and THIEF OF THIEVES, opens the floor to all his fans in this lively and engaging Q&A session., Panelist: Robert Kirkman
Date: 10/14/2012 Sunday, Time: 1:30PM – 2:30PM, Location: 1E13
The Image Comics mini-series The Strange Talent of Luthor Strode ended in a baptism of blood as former geeky weakling Luther Strode discovered the depths of the powers he developed with “The Hercules Method” of strengthening — and with a promise of more mayhem.
“While the hyper-violence and how we’re desensitized to violence in comics was one of the points of the first one, we had to be careful not to, you know, desensitize people to the ridiculous violence,” explained writer Jordan.
Jim Zub‘s Skullkickers is a cult hit, thanks to its hilarious writing, vibrant art, and, well, ample skull-kicking. The Image title has so much monster-bashing and face-smashing that it simply can’t be expressed by one creative team. So, with Skullkickers #18, some of independent comics’ best and brightest will be pitching in with stories of their own in the latest “Tavern Tales” issue, a collection of short stories.
