San Francisco gets its own little taste of Comic Con this weekend. Wondercon brings together comics superstars, film-makers and some legendary actors. This year: a special Tron event, Resident Evil's Milla Jovovich, Doctor Who, Max Brooks and Wendy and Lisa!
Friday:
Wendy and Lisa headline a movie/TV composers' panel, DC Comics unveils its upcoming mega-events, and the Resident Evil: Afterlife trailer premieres. But all you really care about is Tron Legacy's Bruce Boxleitner. Right?
1:30-2:30 Setting the Score: Composing for Film & Television for Sci-Fi/Fantasy:
Featuring Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman (Heroes), Jim Dooley (Pushing Daisies) and Jeremy Zuckerman & Ben Wynn (Avatar: The Last Airbender). We interviewed Wendy and Lisa a while back, and we're eager to see them in person.
2:00-3:00 Dark Horse Comics:
Featuring Dark Horse vice president of publishing Randy Stradley and director of publicity Jeremy Atkins
Time TBD: Ghostfacers
Your first sneak peek at the online spinoff of the CW's Supernatural, featuring a team of plucky-but-dumb ghost-hunters.
4:00-5:00 DC Nation!
Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler and as-yet-unnamed talent (but bet on Geoff Johns, since he has a spotlight earlier in the day) discuss what's coming next.
4:30-5:15 A WonderCon First! Exclusive Warner Bros. Television Screening: Fringe
Unlike the V screening earlier in the day, this is actually a sneak peek at an upcoming episode, "Olivia. In The Lab. With The Revolver."
6:00-7:00 What's Next in New Indie Sci-Fi Movies
Moderated by io9's Annalee Newitz, and featuring DJ Bad Vegan (In-World War), Andrew Gernhart (Opponent), Lee Citron (Android Love), Lynn Hershmann (Killer App), and Mark Stolaroff (Pig).
7:00-9:00 The io9 Meetup
Meet the editors of io9, plus some people from the Indie Movies panel, at 111 Minna, the venue whose name is also its address. More details here.
7:30: Resident Evil: Afterlife trailer screening
They'll be showing the trailer in 3-D at the AMC Metreon, near the convention, but the website doesn't mention how you're supposed to get tickets for this, or if it's just first-come, first-served. The trailer's also showing the next day, in 2-D, at the panel.
8:00: Special Encom announcement
Encom's former CEO and new executive consultant, Allan Bradley (aka Bruce Boxleitner) will be on hand in San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza, downtown. And apparently this will be a very special event.
Saturday:
Panels include Kick-Ass, Resident Evil, the Sorcerer's Apprentice, Toy Story 3 and more. Plus a Doctor Who sneak peek!
11:00-12:00 Comic Writers Unite!
If you can drag your ass out of bed, you get to see Geoff Johns (Blackest Night, Brightest Day, Green Lantern), Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex, Power Girl, The Last Resort), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics, Action Comics, Stumptown), Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Secret Six, Birds of Prey), and Judd Winick (Batman, Justice League: Generation Lost) plus moderator James Robinson (Starman, Superman, Justice League of America) talk about writing comics. Come on — this is why they make Red Bull.
11:00-12:00 New ABC TV Series: Happy Town
Mostly notable for starring Whedonverse MVP Amy Acker, who'll be there.
12:00-1:30 DCU Editorial Presentation
Much the same as the previous day's DC Nation panel — want to find out what Brightest Day is about? Here's the place. Maybe.
12:00-1:45 Walt Disney Pictures and Disney/Pixar: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Toy Story 3
Nic Cage will be there for Sorcerer's Apprentice so, you know, it'll be interesting. Plus you get to see more of Toy Story 3 and find out why they think it's worth making a third one. Oh, and Jerry Bruckheimer will be there, too.
12:30-1:30 Spotlight on Tim Powers
He'll be talking about steampunk, Philip K. Dick, and his incredibly illustrious career.
1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Peter S. Beagle
Another legend from the world of books, Beagle will talk about The Last Unicorn and his upcoming collection, Green-Eyed Boy.
1:45-2:15 Screen Gems: Resident Evil: Afterlife
Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter and director Paul W.S. Anderson will be showing off the new trailer, and explaining what's up with the zombies and the army of Alice clones.
2:15-4:00 Warner Bros. Presentation
Apparently, stars of The Losers, Splice and Nightmare On Elm St. will be there. That means Zoe Saldana, Thomas Dekker, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and more.
2:30-3:30 Marvel: X-Men
What's up with the X-Men's new Second Coming storyline? Find out at this panel.
4:30-5:30 Inside Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Dave Filoni shows off bits of upcoming episodes and explains what to expect at the upcoming Celebration V mega-convention.
4:30-5:30 The Kick-Ass Cast Can't See Through Walls But They Can Kick Your Ass!
The cast and creators, including Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., but not Matthew Vaughn, show off their ultra-violent superhero movie and talk about why they want to kick your ass.
6:00-7:00 Comics Journalism
Featuring io9's own Graeme McMillan, plus David Brothers (4thletter!), Kate Dacey (manga critic), JK Parkin (Robot 6), and Ron Richards (iFanboy), talking about how they're trying to destroy comics. I mean save them! I mean destroy them.
6:30-7:40 and 7:45-8:55 BBC America Presents the U.S. Premiere Screening of the new Doctor Who
Mere hours after it airs in the UK, you get two chances to see the Eleventh Doctor's first episode, "The Eleventh Hour," on a big screen with tons of screaming fans. Jubilation!
8:30-11:00 Sixth Annual WonderCon Masquerade
It's the only time you can do cosplay without getting arrested.
Sunday:
Max Brooks, Star Wars, Chuck and Buffy!
11:30-12:30 Kids Draw Star Wars
Learn how to draw your favorite Star Wars characters! Featuring io9 friend and all around rock star Bonnie Burton, author of You Can Draw: Star Wars. Plus artist Tom Hodges.
11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Max Brooks
He's the son of Mel Brooks and the writer of World War Z, plus he's now writing comics. Find out what he has to say!
2:30-3:30 Chuck Special Presentation and Q&A
Were you flabbergasted by the bizarre revelations in Chuck's latest episode? Do you want to know if he's really going to Rome? Come interrogate the stars and creators at this panel!
4:00-5:00 Buffy the Musical
A raucous screening of "Once More, With Feeling," with lots of audience participation. For charity.
And that's it! See you tomorrow!
Wondercon 2009 images by @Photo ., Everfalling, Garrett Albright, Besighyawn and GoofyGoof on Flickr.