SUNDAY PROGRAMME

PARK ROOM - RAMADA

NOON WILDSTORM VP - General Manger, Editor World of Warcraft Hank Kanalz is joined by Walt & Louise Simonson, Lee Garbett and Ian Edginton to talk up a Wildstorm from Warcraft to the big summer DCU crossover epic, Dreamwar.

1.00PM DC THOMSON Join the Dandy & Beano gang with what's new from north of the border. The editors, writers and Artists talk about the heroes and Villains from Dundee who have kept generations entertained. And don't miss Marvo the Wonder Chicken! Good news indeed chums.

2.00PM PANINI - The X Factor! Wanna be a comics writer? Of course you do! Well, here we have Panini hosting a special panel where you get the chance to pitch your story ideas. And there's one heck of a prize on offer - the chance to see your story turned into an eleven page strip in Panini's highly successful SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN magazine! Each contestant will have just two-minutes to present their story idea to a panel of judges consisting of Spec Spidey Editor Ed Hammond, writer Ferg Handley and artist Andie Tong - three tough cookies who make Simon Cowell look like a rank amateur! Extra points will be awarded for any props brought along, more points if you turn up in costume, and even more points if you bring along cake (we like cake). The story must centre on Spider-Man, but feel free to chuck in any other Marvel Heroes or Villains you can think of! To enter simply email your name and the title of your story to specspidey@panini.co.uk, or pick up an entry form from the Panini stand on Saturday or Sunday morning. This will be on a strictly first come, first served basis so make sure you get in their quick! Excelsior!

3.00PM DARK HORSE the worlds leading publisher of licensed titles talk War of the Worlds, Hellboy, Starwars and beyond with Ian Edginton, D'isreali, Duncan Fregrado and Rob Williams.

4.00PM JIM STARLIN in conversation with Comics Internationals Mike Conroy covering a career cosmic in comics creation! What better way to wrap up the Expo weekend with yet another star guest interview.

Close.

PARK SUITE - RAMADA

12 - 12:30pm Geek Syndicate live podcast interview with Tony Lee.

12:30 - 1pm The first ever UK Comic Podcasting Panel (which we'd also record) featuring several uk podcasters from the Birds of Geek, Comic Racks, Comic Book Outsiders and Geek Syndicate.

1.00PM Manga to Mainstream and vice versa. The creators are crossing over, so why are the fans still divided? Breaking down the barriers with David Hine, Hans Steinbech , Ilya, Emma Vieceli and Sonia Leong.

2.00PM HELEN MacCARTHY Manga & Anime writer and publisher takes a career spanning look at the life and works of who many consider the godfather of the genre OSAMU TEZUKA.

After a brief outline of Osamu Tezuka's life and work, Helen McCarthy and a group of comic artists, historians and fans discuss his enduring influence and ask what his work means to other comic creators, and to younger readers - if, indeed, it still means anything at all.

Do young Japanese artists have a conscious debt to Tezuka or look back at his example? Do those inspired by more recent anime and manga feel his influence? Does his work mean anything to the independent comic creator? What about comic artists at the start of their career - what do they get from someone whose career started before their grandfathers started school?

Or is it time, twenty years after his death and forty-five years after Tetsuwan Atom stormed America, to relegate Tezuka to 'honoured ancestor' status in terms of relevance to today's creators and readers?"

With special guests ,Tim Pilcher, Sean Michael Wilson, Akiko Shimojima, and John Aggs.

3.00PM Manga Alternatives
An introduction to the world of independent/alternative manga in Japan - books beyond the normal style of manga seen. Discover the little known and rarely seen alternative style manga in Japan. By SEAN MICHAEL WILSON who lives and works in Japan. Also introducing Tokyo manga-ka AKIKO SHIMOJIMA, on her first visit to the UK. She will show and tell us about her manga and working techniques. Joining Sean and Akiko will be Chinese artist Yishan Li talking about her manga work,including her latest book published in France.

4.00PM Paul Gravett talks to Bryan Talbot about his work, especially ALICE IN SUNDERLAND, his current work in progress GRANDVILLE and his new book CHERUBS!, for which they'll be joined by artist Mark Stafford.

BOARDROOM - RAMADA

1.30pm Gay Comics Panel 2008

As gay comics seem to have increasing presence on bookshelves following 2007's release of Fun Home and a great many Yaoi titles, host Alex Fitch (Resonance FM) talks to experts and comic creators about whether increasing gay representation is just a flash in the pan or signals genuine mainstream interest. The panel includes Paul Gravett (Great British Comics), David Shenton (Get Her!, The Shentons) and Yishan Li (Mammoth Book of Best New Manga 2)

PORTFOLIO SESSIONS:

SUNDAY - SUMMIT ONE @ THE RAMADA

NOON TOYKOPOP

2PM TITAN

3.30PM DCU - WILDSTORM - VERTIGO

SIGNINGS AT THE RAMADA: