Next week is Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo, and the Shortboxed crew will be there covering the entire con! We’ll be doing interviews, attending panels, talking to artists and exhibitors, photographing cosplayers and doing daily giveaways, so be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram both at @shortboxed. We’ll also be updating the blog with daily recaps of the con. While the show may be hosted by Stan Lee and called “Comikaze,” it’s not just a comic book convention – it’s billed as a pop culture convention, which includes comics, video games, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, tv, film and everything in between. The problem with big pop culture conventions is that it can be difficult for comic book enthusiasts and creators to sift through all the noise to find content for themselves – so we did it for you.
Comikaze is a 3-day convention with dozens of panels each day covering every pop culture topic, so we went through the entire schedule and pulled out the panels for comic book enthusiasts, and especially for comic book creators, both writers and artists. If this is you, check out the curated agenda below, print it out, and enjoy the con. Excelsior!
Friday
3:30pm – 406AB
DIY COMICS: A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING
Providing vital information and advice to aspiring comic book and webcomic creators who want to self-publish their work. We will discuss the creative process, production, publishing options, marketing strategies, and viable ways to fund your projects.
5:00pm – 308AB
HOW TO MAKE BEER MONEY WITH YOUR COMICS
If you make your own zines or comics, you might wonder: how can I turn this into something, like beer? Join us for practical tips on earning money with your art.
5:00pm – 303AB
THE WRITER’S JOURNEY: BREAKING INTO COMIC BOOK AND HOLLYWOOD
SCRIPTWRITING
We’ll address the question every aspiring writer wants answered: “How do I break into the business?” If you are an unpublished writer with dreams of making it in the transmedia marketplace and you don’t know how or where to begin, this is the panel for you. Hollywood screenwriters and graphic novel producers share insider information, publishing secrets, and the professional realities on how to develop your ideas into a viable comics proposal.
Saturday
9:00am – 304ABC
HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR E-BOOK
Take your comic book or novel and publish it as an e-book. We will walk you through the process to get your property from a dream on your computer to a published book, available all over the world.
9:30am – 306AB
INDIE CREATORS, UNITE! A GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING
Are you an independent creator in need of a few helpful hints to get your project off the ground? Do you have questions about publishing and are unsure where to turn? Led by Fanboy Comics Managing Editor Barbra Dillon, this panel of indie creators will guide you through the self-publishing process and answer all of your questions.
10:00am – 303AB
MAKING A COMIC: STEP-BY-STEP
An ultra-focused breakdown of the collaborative process. See exactly how a single page evolves from script to pencils, inks, colors and letters. Hear precise insights on the decisions made at every step. Learn how to work as a team! Discover how to turn your ideas into sequential art!
10:00am – 301B
PLAYING WITH FIRE: MARKETING TO FANBOYS
Hear from those on the front lines of marketing for properties such as X-Men, James Bond, Avatar, Big Bang Theory, Game Of Thrones, Firefly, The Simpsons, Twilight, Lego, Superman and The Hobbit to find, “What were they thinking?”, and hear what worked or just went horribly wrong.
10:00am – 402AB
CREATING CROWDFUNDING SORCERY
It seems like everyone is getting involved in crowdfunding. As the medium continues to grow, how do you keep ahead of the curve with all the others? Learn from a few of our seasoned experts who together have raised over $3M in crowdfunding projects.
3:00pm – 304ABC
THE NERDIST WRITERS PANEL: COMICS EDITION
Watch us talk about the process and business of writing comics. Plus, you never know which of their comics and entertainment pals might join to conversation! NWP: Comics Edition is a popular podcast on Chris Hardwick’s Nerdist network.
3:00pm – 303AB
ASPEN PORTFOLIO REVIEW
Have your comic work reviewed by the professionals from Aspen Comics.
Sunday
10:00am – 304ABC
HIGH-TECH TOOLS FOR MAKING AND SELLING ART
Learn about 3D printing, laser cutting, custom fabric, Kickstarter and more modern tools for making and selling your art!
10:00am – 402AB
PUBLICIZING YOUR PROJECT
You’ve got a new comic, a new webseries, a new novel, a new TV show or movie? That’s great. But pretty meaningless if you and your friends are the only ones who know about it. How do you get the word out? Facebook and webpage, sure. That’s what everyone’s doing. What can you do to cut through the clutter and get your stuff actually seen, actually talked about, actually out there so people can see it, read it, watch it, buy it? People who have been getting projects seen dating back to “Star Wars” will give you advice on how you can do it for your project.
3:00pm – 306AB
SELF PUBLISHING SYMPOSIUM: FROM CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION
Have you ever thought about self publishing? Join a team of successful self publishers as they teach you the tricks of the trade. We will discuss the pros and cons of self publishing, as well as specific topics like goal setting, assembling your team and managing the creative process.
Photo "Making Comics Great for Kids Panel at Comikaze 2013" by Sue Lukenbaugh via Flickr
If this is your first time visiting Shortboxed, thanks for stopping by! We want to provide a place online where people new to comics can come and learn about the culture and be introduced to some amazing stories without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated. We’re always adding new content, so please come back soon! You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr at @shortboxed.