I’m off to Kansas City Wednesday to be a part of MidAmericon II, this years World Science Fiction Convention. If you’re planning to be there and you’d like to talk, or just see me run my mouth (with or without beer involved!), here are the events I’m scheduled for:
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Silent Spaces: Comics Without Words
Thursday 15:00-16:00, 2502B (Kansas City Convention Center)
How do you tell a story without words? Artists have been doing it for centuries, and the tradition continues with silent comics and silent graphic novels. Panelists discuss their favorite silent moments, the benefit of allowing art to speak for itself, reading strategies and the challenge of creating a story without words. [Kurt Busiek, Jessica Guggenheim (M), James Bryant]
Cultural Influences in SF Art
Friday 12:00-13:00, 2504B (Kansas City Convention Center)
Science fiction and fantasy writers have mined the mythologies of many different cultures and societies, past and present. Do artists do the same? Are there specific influences that we can see in science fiction and fantasy art? Kinuko Craft’s Japanese background can sometimes be seen in her art. How do other artists’ personal backgrounds affect their art and reflect the cultures that they grew up in? [Kurt Busiek, Ms. Kinuko Y. Craft, Goldeen Ogawa, John Picacio (M)]
Fast then Slow! Pacing in Comics and Graphic Novels
Friday 16:00-17:00, 2503A (Kansas City Convention Center)
Panelists discuss what it takes to create atmosphere, drama and tension in comics, and then how to take it down a notch. What are some of the most exciting ways to create dynamic stories that fly off the page, and how do you evoke stilness when it’s needed? Our panel weave their way through some key ideas and experiments. [Alison Wilgus (M), Kurt Busiek, Scott Edelman]
Literary Beer: Kurt Busiek, Jane Frank
Friday 19:00-20:00, Literary Beer Space (Kansas City Convention Center)
Kurt Busiek, Jane Frank
Analyzing a Movie: Batman vs. Superman
Saturday 14:00-15:00, 3501D (Kansas City Convention Center)
A Siskel/Ebert, but detailed, look at Batman vs. Superman: what worked and where the film failed to live up to its potential. What could the filmmakers have done to rescue it? What was the cause of its downfall? Did it really fail as badly as some say? And does knowledge/or lack of knowledge about the comics influence the success of the film? This session is suitable for those who wish to learn more about film criticism from a fair and honest perspective, but also for those who just love giving “arm chair quarterback” reviews. [Julia Rios, Matt Jacobson (M), Kurt Busiek]
Superheroes: Oversaturated or Raising the Bar?
Saturday 15:00-16:00, 2503A (Kansas City Convention Center)
For the last decade and a half superheroes have dominated the screen. New takes on old comic book/television favorites pop up every year. Is this a healthy trend or is the topic exhausted?[Pete Balestrieri, Sunil Patel (M), Carrie Vaughn, Kurt Busiek, Marc Zicree]
Comics Collaboration: Kurt Busiek in Conversation
Sunday 13:00-14:00, 2502A (Kansas City Convention Center)
Kurt Busiek discusses his work over the last thirty years in the comics industry with Alison Wilgus. [Kurt Busiek, Alison Wilgus (M)]
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It should also be noted that I’m scheduled for an Autographing session on Sunday at 3pm, but since my flight home leaves at 5pm, I’ll either be at the airport or on the way by then. So if you want something signed, please catch me elsewhere!