The Thursday slate of panels has finally been revealed. I feel like Hall H is relatively light, but there are some serious standouts throughout the day. One thing you will notice is that time is almost never on your side. San Diego Comic Con is all about picking and choosing what to see and what you will sadly have to miss. Here are our favorite panels fro Thursday:
Ghost Presentation – Comic-Con 2023: Ghosts (sched.com)
Time: Thursday July 20, 2023 12:45pm – 1:45pm PDT
Location: Ballroom 20
Description: Ghosts, one of television’s top comedies on CBS and Paramount+, returns to Comic-Con after a season cliffhanger where Sam saw a piercing white light shoot from the heavens directly into their home. Please join us for a special Ghosts presentation.
Why we chose this panel: This one is a bit light on the description, and leaves a lot of room for what could be shown. However, Ghosts was one of my favorite recent sitcoms because it is just so innocent and light-hearted. With so much going on in life, a show like Ghost allows you to just melt into the show and enjoy it. There aren’t any crazy plot points or dire situations. It’s just a show that exists to entertain and bring the laughs, of which it does both things in spades.
Pokémon: Bringing Iconic Animation to Global Audiences – Comic-Con 2023: Pokémon: Bringing Iconic Animation to Gl… (sched.com)
Time: Thursday July 20, 2023 11:45am – 12:45pm PDT
Location: 6BCF
Description: The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) takes a behind-the-scenes look at how the beloved Pokémon animated series is localized from its original Japanese version to one of the most popular series enjoyed by international audiences. In a panel moderated by streamer and comic book writer Meghan Camarena (also known as Strawburry17), TPCi’s Taito Okiura (vice president of marketing and business development), Andy Gose (senior director of media production), and Hilary Thomas (senior producer) will discuss optimizing the series for global viewers, provide fans with a sneak peek at the special collection of episodes that will conclude Ash and his Pikachu’s 25-season storied journey in Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, and share new behind-the-scenes insights regarding the highly anticipated Pokémon Horizons: The Series coming soon to fans around the world.
Why we chose this panel: Pokémon has truly been the gateway for anime in the west. The staying power of the shows and how they helped catapult the brand in its various gaming divisions has been nothing short of extraordinary. Getting a peek of how Pokémon came to be has me interested due to being a fan, and just absolutely fascinated in how the brand grew to where it is today. Getting a sneak peek of what is to come is also a fantastic selling point.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Symbiotic Relationships – Comic-Con 2023: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Symbiotic Relatio… (sched.com)
Time: Thursday July 20, 2023 2:30pm – 3:30pm PDT
Location: Hall H
Description: Insomniac Games’ creative director Bryan Intihar, game director Ryan Smith, narrative director Jon Paquette, and senior art director Jacinda Chew are joined by actors Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker), Nadji Jeter (Miles Morales), Laura Bailey (Mary Jane Watson), and Tony Todd (Venom), along with VO and creative director Bill Rosemann from Marvel Games, to discuss the upcoming PlayStation 5 game. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Insomniac Games’ take on the monstrous Venom and how the symbiote plays a role in the sequel to the hit PlayStation games Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Why we chose this panel: PlayStation 5 has had an amazing year, and Sony plans to end the year on a bang with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This panel is a bit of an oddity, since we typically don’t see games grace Hall H. If we do, they are typically part of a larger block. If you are a fan of the previous game, you owe it to yourself to check this panel out.
A Different Type of Romance – Comic-Con 2023: A Different Type of Romance (sched.com)
Time: Thursday July 20, 2023 2:00pm – 3:00pm PDT
Location: Room 32AB
Description: Not all love stories are sweet, easy, or pretty. Most love stories are complicated, messy, and sometimes dark and fraught with pain. Comic-Con Special Guests Holly Black, Becky Cloonan, Linda Šejić, Stjepan Šejić, and Rachel Smythe discuss with moderator Tina Horn (writer/creator SfSx [Safe Sex]) how love can go wrong and oh so right.
Why we chose this panel: The second I see the Sejic’s as part of a panel I am all in. The fact they are joined by powerhouses Holly Black, Rachel Smythe and Becky Cloonan makes this a no-brainer! Their books always have strong relationships that actually feel real. All the good, the bad and the mush in-between. It is also in one of the smaller rooms at the con which means you’ll get a nice intimate vibe from the panelists. I also would be lying if I didn’t say that the panel only having one guy wasn’t a selling point. Getting a non-male’s perspective on relationships in a medium historically dominated by men is a welcoming sight.
DSTLRY Live Draw – Comic-Con 2023: The DSTLRY Live Draw with Tula Lotay, Jo… (sched.com)
Time: Thursday July 20, 2023 2:00pm – 3:00pm PDT
Location: Room 29AB
Description: The greatest comic artists of the 21st century collide in this once-in-a-lifetime event, as Tula Lotay (Barnstormers), Jock (Snow Angels), and Mirka Andolfo (Sweet Paprika) draw in real time while answering questions about their process and world building. The quartet will also answer questions about their books for DSTLRY, a new creator-owned publisher devoted to releasing oversized, prestige comics. They’ll also offer some exclusive giveaways. Moderated by DSTLRY founding editor Will Dennis.
Why we chose this panel: DSTLRY has the potential to shift the landscape of comics. We’ve had groups of artists/writers, etc. try to pull back comics more in-house in hopes of owning more of the content (and money) flowing through the comics industry. A valiant effort of which I can’t see many consumers opposed to. The reason why DSTLRY might work is that the founding creators are a who’s who of comics.
I mean, seriously: Mirka Andolfo – Brian Azzarello – Marc Bernardin – Elsa Charretier – Becky Cloonan – Lee Garbett – Jamie McKelvie – Jock – Joëlle Jones – Tula Lotay – Junko Mizuno – Stephanie Phillips – Scott Snyder – James Tynion IV – Ram V – Will Dennis (found editor).
Three creators will be participating in the live draw: Tula Lotay, Jock and Mirka Andolfo
There you have it. These panels represent our favorite selections of the day. There are certainly other great panels to be seen, but I think you’d be happy to make it into any of the above.