If you were to look at San Diego Comic-Con’s programming list for 2020, you would believe that this was their regular, in-person schedule and we weren’t in the middle of a pandemic; however, the team behind this year’s SDCC has created a virtual Comic-Con@Home where everyone can fill their week (July 22 – 26) with some amazing content.
San Diego Comic-Con is a fantastic opportunity to get amazing announcements for upcoming TV shows, movie trailers, and the many creations from the comic book world. It’s also a great way for parents to lean into what their kids are interested in. Not only is SDCC a staple in geek culture, it’s a great place to learn about the various ways that stories come to life and how it can also be applied to learning. This year is no exception – and kids will find there are many people involved in creating stories throughout various mediums. From voice-over actors to musicians, movie location scouts, game designers, writers, and artists, the list goes on and on.
On top of that, SDCC – and stories in general – are a perfect opportunity for conversations about the importance of inclusive representation, while also exploring amazing creations that have already been created. The value of seeing diverse characters and stories for younger kids presents the opportunity that children will be able to imagine that much more is possible. And this year’s San Diego Comic-Con has many panels dedicated to having these valuable conversations.
Parents and their kids will also have the perfect opportunity to geek out over some amazing stars that will be present on their screens. Whether you want to see some of your favorite characters from the Star Trek universe, learn more about the Mexican Lucha Libre history in professional wrestling with the likes of Rey Mysterio, or you’re just all about seeing Keanu Reeves either discussing the 15th anniversary of Constantine or talking about the third installment in the Bill & Ted franchise, you and your kids are sure to enjoy this annual five-day event like every other year.
Let’s take a look at some of the events you and your kids can look forward to with our very own Geeky Parent Guide to SDCC 2020. As a warning, the toughest part about SDCC 2020 will be deciding which panels to watch live.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22
Books for All: It’s Time to Redefine How We Share Books with Kids
Time: 4 – 5 P.M.
Educators and creators come together to discuss how we “can share impactful and diverse comics with kids of all ages.” This panel includes Christina “Steenz” Stewart (Archival Quality), Yehudi Mercado (Sci-Fu), Adan Alvarado (Bloom Township High School), Tony Weaver (Weird Enough Productions), Jill Gerber (Rowland Hall School), and is moderated by Adam Ebert (Bloom Township HS).
Watch this panel live here.
Comics as a Conduit
Time: 4 – 5 P.M.
A collection of creators come together to discuss comic books that address the real world, and how these stories about “environmental activism, civic engagement, physical and mental health awareness, and more” allow readers to see what changes need to be done to make the world a better place. This panel includes Henry Barajas (La Voz de M.A.Y.O.: Tata Rambo), Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird: The Fight for Elder’s Hope), and David F. Walker (Bitter Root).
Watch this panel live here.
GeekEd: College and the Nerd Mind
Time: 5 – 6 P.M.
Panelists Drea Letamendi (UCLA), Jeremy Parker (UCSC), Aaron Jones (UCSC), and Alfred Day (UC Berkley) will discuss the “wide variety of mental health concerns across the education landscape,” and how that’s been further impacted by the pandemic. They will take their expertise on education and mental health to share how a love of fandom and lessons taught from stories can help students moving forward.
Watch this panel live here.
New Kids Comics from Eisner Award Publishers
Time: 5 – 6 P.M.
If you’re looking for new comics for your little ones, then this panel is dedicated to just that. Follow along as Jonathan Hill (Odessa), Derick Brooks (Bright Family), Robin Ha (Almost American Girl), Faith Erin Hicks (One Year at Ellsmere), and Jerry Craft (New Kid) as they talk about new graphic novels for kids, which is moderated by Candice Mack and sponsored by CBC Graphic Novel Committee.
Watch this panel live here.
Spirit Skies: How to publish an international youth comic in the Age of Covid-19
Time: 6 – 7 PM
This large panel will dive into what it takes to create a graphic novel, so if your kids are interested in creating comic books, this is the panel for your kids, especially those in high school. “Spirit Skies is a graphic novel written and illustrated exclusively by high school students!” Learn about how the students accomplished this task, and what they’ve done to move beyond the boundaries set by the pandemic.
Watch this panel live here.
THURSDAY, JULY 23
P.S. NPC: Storytelling in Video Games
Time: 10 – 11 A.M.
Does your household have a big video game fan? Listen to panelists of game developers of such games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, God of War (2018), Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and more to learn “everything it takes to tell an immersive story in video games.”
Watch this panel live here.
Star Trek Universe Virtual Panel
Time: 10 – 11 A.M.
What more is there to say when it comes to Star Trek? This panel is massive and it includes the cast and crew of Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery, and the upcoming animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks. Spoiler warnings are set to Red Alert as the casts will be discussing past seasons and there will be a table read from Discovery, with “Act one of the table read will make its world premiere at Comic-Con@Home followed by a brief cast Q&A.”
Keep tabs on the Comic-Con YouTube page to watch this panel.
Art and the Holocaust
Time: 10 – 11 A.M.
This panel includes Holocaust survivor Miriam Katin, author Sandra Scheller, Holocaust educator Esther Finder, and World War II historian Matt Dunford, and they’ll “present a sampling of artwork and propaganda done during World War II in the U.S. and Nazi Germany. This will also include work from Katin that was created post-war after surviving the Holocaust.
Watch this panel live here.
Cosplay – In Service to Others
Time: 10 – 11 A.M.
If your kids love dressing up or helping others, they’ll love hearing how “cosplayers and prop builders serve their communities through their love of pop-culture.” Attendees will listen to Hanna Trevizo (EMT/Avengers Initiative), Terrance Thompson (nurse/Avengers Initiative), Anthony Wills (pediatrician/Avengers Initiative), Luke Morand (CHOC Children’s), Amber Chavez (CHOC Children’s), and Mark Chu-Lin (Avengers Initiative) as they share their experiences and you can learn how to get involved in service opportunities.
Watch this panel live here.
From Script to Screen: Behind-the-Scenes of Your Favorite Film and TV Shows
Time: 12 – 1 P.M.
From music composers, makeup designers, screenwriters, editors, and cinematographers, the list goes on and on for making great television and films. Discover how these different elements take part in bringing a story alive “from script to screen.”
Watch this panel live here.
Insider Art: A Compendium of Comics, Crafts & Cats for All Ages
Time: 1 – 2 P.M.
“Insider Art is a comics initiative that begin during the early days of the COVID19 pandemic; a way to bring female and non-binary creators together to raise money for our own: female and non-binary comic book retailers who faced financial hardships under quarantine. 8 editors, 1 retailer liaison, and over 100 creators from around the world united for one grand mission: to bring over 250 pages of comics, crafts and cats to the masses and conquer the tedium of the great indoors”
Watch this panel live here.
Draw Along With Dark Horse
Time: 2 – 3 P.M.
Watch Gabriel Bá (The Umbrella Academy), Naomi Franquiz (Tales from Harrow County: Death’s Choir), Tyler Crook (Colonel Weird: Cosmagog), and Mike Deodato, Jr. (Berserker Unbound) will “draw each other’s iconic Dark Horse characters!” They will also talk about their breaks into comics and share their artistic process.
Watch this panel live here.
Music for Animation
Time: 2 – 3 P.M.
If you or your child loves music, you will have the opportunity to listen to creators talk about their craft from popular works like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, King of the Hill, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, and even the Harley Quinn animated series. Discover the magic of how they “write songs, create sounds, and compose music.”
Watch this panel live here.
Afro-Futurism and Black Religion: Connecting Imaginations
Time: 3 – 4 P.M.
“This dynamic panel will explore the connections between Afrofuturism and Black Religion and the way in which comics, graphic novels, and animation are capturing the rich dynamic that spawns new ways in which popular culture is being impacted by these forces.” The panel of academics include John Jennings (MFA: professor of Media and Cultural Studies, UC Riverside/2-time Eisner Award winner; 2016, 2018), Kinitra D. Brooks (PhD: Leslie Endowed Chair of Literary Studies, Michigan State University), Sakena Young-Scaggs (PhD: Honors Faculty Fellow, Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University), and moderator Aaron Grizzell (MA, executive director, Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation).
Watch this panel live here.
Dubbing American into Latin American – A Chat with Dub Actors
Time: 3 – 4 P.M.
The art of dubbing is important to “bring all American shows to Spanish speaking countries.” So, you and your family will get to meet Mexico’s stars when it comes to dubbing, which include popular characters like Loki, Son Goku, Jack Sparrow, and even Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony.
Watch this panel live here.
The Science of Back to the Future
Time: 3 – 4 P.M.
“Great Scott!” That’s right, jump “Back to the Future” and learn about the comic series, its crossover with Transformers, and if the science involved with making those magical 80s elements like the Flux Capacitor and flying cars would actually work.
Watch this panel live here.
MARVEL HQ
Time: 4 – 5 P.M.
Geek out over one of the bigger attractions at SDCC – Marvel! There will be a “comics read-along, an epic LEGO battle,” and fans will get an inside look at the new animated series Spider-Man: Maximum Venom. Make sure to also bring some paper and coloring materials, because you’ll get to “draw that symbiote baddie together in Marvel Draw!”
Watch this panel live here.
LGBTQ Characters on Television – What’s Next?
Time: 5 – 6 P.M.
A collection of stars come together to “discuss the past, present, and future representation of LGBTQ characters on television in a Q&A session.” Panelists include Jamie Chung, Jamie Clayton, Wilson Cruz, Tatiana Maslany, Anthony Rapp, J. August Richards, Harry Shum, Jr., and Brian Michael Smith.
Watch this panel live here.
The Impact and Universality of Superhero Stories
Time: 6 – 7 P.M.
This panel allows families to listen to creators and academics discuss “the educational importance of superheroes and how they allow readers to process complex themes in a more digestible manner.” Moderated by Barbra Dillon (editor-in-chief, Fanbase Press), panelists include Frederick Luis Aldama (Eisner Award-winning author, Latinx Superheroes in Mainstream Comics), Dr. Theresa Rojas (professor, Modesto Junior College), Peter Murrieta (executive producer, Mr. Iglesias), and Sebastian Kadlecik (creator, Eisner Award-nominated Quince)
Watch this panel live here.
The League of Extraordinary Scientists and Engineers: More Science in Your Fiction
Time: 6 – 7 P.M.
All STEM lovers will look for this panel as it will show “how comics and science fiction push scientists and engineers to rocket past what we know is possible at any given moment and into an otherwise unimaginable future! Come curious and leave inspired!”
Watch this panel live here.
Does this encompass every panel available for SDCC Days 1 and 2 (Wednesday and Thursday)? Not even close. If you’re interested in discovering their other events, check out their full programming schedule. Stay tuned for Part 2 in your Geeky Parent Guide to San Diego Comic-Con 2020.
Until next time, happy parenting and happy geeking.
