Long Beach Comic Con 2017 takes place at the Long Beach Convention Center this weekend, September 2-3, 2017! The convention will host family friendly entertainment, special guests from the comics, video game, toy and film industries, 60+ hours of panels, a massive Artist Alley, and all-star cosplayers! Read on for some of the Long Beach Comic Con 2017 highlights.
Long Beach Comic Con 2017’s guest list includes:
- William Shatner – Iconic Actor from Star Trek, Boston Legal, and more (VIP package available)
- Dave Gibbons – Legendary Artist on Watchmen, Rogue Trooper, Green Lantern, Writer of the Kingsman comic series (VIP package available)
- Sherilyn Fenn – Actress on Twin Peaks, Gilmore Girls, The Wraith, Boxing Helena
- …and many more! Click here for the full guest list
Comic Creator Conference
Comic Creator Conference on Friday, September 1st is an event designed to connect professional comic creatives with other high-level industry professionals to empower them with exclusive and personal insight, as well as providing access to decision makers, peers, publishers, and other leaders within the industry. Learn how to make smart business decisions on the path to taking your creations into film, television, and interactive entertainment. Note that this event has a nominal, separate fee for entry and is open to industry professionals ONLY.
Saturday, September 2 Highlights
- William Shatner Unplugged, The Bridge (203A), 10:00am-10:30am Spend a half hour with the infamous William Shatner while he shares his untold stories and experiences
- Aliens & Creatures of Cosplay, The Wardrobe (202A), 11:00am-12:00pm Special guest star Keaghan Ashley from FACE OFF! Aliens and Creatures of Cosplay will discuss the process of using prosthetic make up such as sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects as well as cover the basics of body painting and airbrushing techniques. Displays will be provided and attendees are invited to interact with a Q&A session after.
- Extreme Studios 25th Anniversary Celebration, The Bridge (203A), 12:30pm-1:30pm It’s the 25th anniversary of Extreme Studios, and four veterans of the glory days – Matt Hawkins, Todd Nauck, Shannon Eric Denton, and Norm Rapmund – share stories of their groundbreaking studio and the unforgettable era that changed comics for decades to come.
- Comics on the Edge of Forever: STAR TREK in the Age of Discovery, The Bridge (203A), 1:30pm-2:30pm With William Shatner at Long Beach and a new STAR TREK TV series premiering in just a few weeks, some of the best of modern Star Trek comic book writers and artists come to LBCC to celebrate the ever-expanding final frontier. Writer/ producer Mark A. Altman (FREE ENTERPRISE, THE LIBRARIANS) welcomes Ryan Parrott, Scott and David Tipton, J.K. Woodward, and cartoonist Malachi Ward to the bridge.
- The Expanding Universe of Video Games, The Garage (202C), 1:30pm-2:30pm Story in video games is frequently extended into prose publishing, graphic novels, tabletop games, and merchandise. Cryptozoic co-CEO John Nee moderates an extraordinary panel with writers Marv Wolfman, Flint Dille, Shawn Kittlesen, and Francesca Smith, all of whom have experience telling stories that expand narratives beyond the original games.
- The Writer’s Journey: Breaking in and Managing a Career in Hollywood, The Lair (102C), 2:00pm-3:00pm This group of Hollywood screenwriters and graphic novel creators share insider information, publishing secrets, and the professional realities on how to develop your ideas into a viable property and market yourself accordingly. Moderated by 2015 Disney/ABC Writing Program winner and 2014 Eisner Award nominee Brandon Easton (MARVEL’S AGENT CARTER), the panel includes TV producer Geoffrey Thorne (THE LIBRARIANS, Marvel Comics’ MOSAIC), writer Ubah Mohammed (DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW), writer Brandon Thomas (Image’s HORIZON, Lion Forge’s NOBLE) actress/writer Erika Alexander (CONCRETE PARK) and artist/writer Tony Puryear (ERASER, CONCRETE PARK).
- Galaxy Quests: The Humor of STAR TREK (and beyond!), The Bridge (203A), 3:30pm-4:30pm Our panel of Treksperts, comedians, and filmmakers discuss comedy in and about STAR TREK. Join David A. Goodman (executive producer, THE ORVILLE, FUTURAMA), Dave Rogers (director, THE OFFICE and THE MINDY PROJECT), Daren Dochterman (visual effects supervisor, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE – DIRECTOR’S EDITION), Roger Lay (producer, THE ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK) and moderator Mark A. Altman (writer/producer, FREE ENTERPRISE, THE LIBRARIANS) as they discuss the lighter side of Trek.
- Burger Con, 5:00pm-10:00pm: On Saturday night, music tastemakers Burger Records roll out a lineup of incredible bands to keep you rocking into the night. This year’s lineup includes DJ DON BOLLES, NOBUNNY, DWARVES, THE ZEROS AND WHITE FANG. Note that this event has a nominal, separate fee for entry.
- Cosplay Contest, The Wardrobe (202A), 7:00pm-8:30pm The Cosplay Contest will give the West Coast’s most inventive and artistic costuming wizards the chance to show off their fantastic talents and compete for prizes in categories including Best in Show, Best Fabrication, Best Construction, Best Couple/Group, Best SciFi, Best Anime, Best Villain, Best Hero and Best Kid! Spaces have already filled up, but you may be able to sign up the day of if spaces happen to open up.
Sunday, September 3 Highlights
- LBCC Fashion Show, The Wardrobe (202A), 11:30am-12:30pm The LBCC Fashion Show will feature ladies and gentlemen modeling the latest trends from top-level chic and geeky designers who are on the verge of breaking into the fashion world.
- Dave Gibbons Spotlight, The Bridge (203A), 12:00pm-1:00pm The acclaimed co-creator of WATCHMEN and THE SECRET SERVICE (adapted into the movies KINGSMEN and KINGSMEN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE) and artist on dozens of others takes part in a wide-ranging conversation about his career, including some of his famous collaborators, his work on superhero titles in America and the UK, and the upcoming return to print of his creator-owned title THE ORIGINALS in 2018.
- Talking DEADPOOL, The Bridge (203A), 3:00pm-4:00pm Long Beach Comic Con welcomes two of today’s top artists – Scott Koblish (DEADPOOL) and Todd Nauck (SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL) – to share stories of drawing the exploits of the beloved movie-star “Merc with a Mouth.” What’s the most disturbing thing they’ve ever been asked to draw? Did anything cross the line? Secrets WILL be revealed!
All Weekend
Space Expo: The Columbia Memorial Space Center is once again partnering with Long Beach Comic Con for Space Expo 2017. SpaceExpo fills a chunk of the show floor and an entire dedicated panel track with experts in their respected scientific fields talking about our biggest and most current findings alongside displays from actual space exploration and interactive experiments.- GeekFest Film Festival: Two solid days of indie movie bliss, often with the film makers themselves on hand to discuss the ins and outs of their creations.
- South Bay Gaming Community’s “Fighter’s Ring” where gamers can challenge their friends and rivals
- Star Cars! Relive your favorite high speed chases and escapes from certain doom as you take pictures alongside instantly recognizable, film inspired vehicles
- Cosplay Corner: Includes cosplay guests Nicole Marie Jean, Angi Viper, Bernie Bregman, Amber Brite, Alkalie Layke, and more
- If you will be cosplaying, take note of the following cosplay group photo meetups:
Saturday
1:00pm Star Trek (Location TBD)
3:00pm Bob’s Burgers (Front Main Stairs)
5:00pm DC (Front Main Stairs)
5:30pm Marvel (Front Main Stairs)
Sunday
11:00am Overwatch (Location TBD)
11:30am Star Wars (Front Main Stairs)
1:00pm Wonder Woman (Front Main Stairs)
2:00pm Disney (between Convention Center and Hyatt Regency Hotel)
Hours
Saturday: 10:00am – 7:00pm (9:30am for advance ticket holders)
Sunday: 10:30am – 5:00pm (10:00am for advance ticket holders)
Tickets
If you don’t already have tickets, you can click here to buy them online at $60 for a weekend pass ($65 at the door), $40 for a Saturday ticket ($45 at the door), or $35 for a Sunday ticket ($40 at the door). Children ages 10 and under are free with the purchase of an adult admission (limit 2 per adult). Advance ticket pickup begins at 8:00am on Saturday and 8:30am on Sunday.
Click here to see the program schedule grid, or click here to download the PDF, which includes panel descriptions. More details at longbeachcomiccon.com
If you’re curious to see our past coverage of the show, click here!
