What’s Goin’ on at Comic-Con 2009?

Between July 23 and 26, over 100,000 writers, artists, filmmakers and fans will gather for the San Diego Comic-Con International, one of the year’s most highly anticipated pop culture showcases.

Tickets to the Comic-Con have sold out for the second year in a row, which is a fitting way to commemorate the convention’s 40th anniversary. To celebrate this benchmark, many of the Con’s founding committee members, such as Richard Alf and Ken Krueger, will be in attendance as special guests. Industry professionals and Con goers with four day passes will be able to start the festivities early at an exclusive previewing event between 6:00 and 9:00pm on the 22nd. This screening will feature the three primary facets of the nerd entertainment diet: vigilantism, apocalyptic science fiction, and the romantically occult. The screening will consist of never before seen pilots of the Warner Bros. shows Human Target (starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and Watchmen star Jackie Earle Haley), V (starring Elizabeth Mitchell, Morris Chestnut) The Vampire Diaries (featuring Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder) as well as other exclusive preview trailers. There promises to be a surplus of celebrities, films, art, comics and memorabilia on every day of the Comic-Con. Notable celebrities in attendance will include renowned author Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451), controversial animator John Kricfalusi (Ren and Stimpy), illustrator Jim Lee (Batman: Hush) and many others. There will also be a variety of lectures and workshops provided by experienced professionals on how to break into the comic book and entertainment industry. These workshops will run the gamut from how to draw comics and make low-budget films to the basic ins and outs of copyright law. The Comic-Con will also host a gala awards ceremony on the 24th at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel for the presentation of the prestigious Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (also simply referred to as The Eisners). These awards, which are considered to be the “Oscars” of the comics industry, are named after the influential artist and writer Will Eisner and are presented each year to some of the best talents in the comics industry. Also, for the 10th year, Comic-Con will be hosting the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival. This festival will showcase some of the best short independent films in a variety of genres, feature tips on how to make independent film, and award prizes for the best films. For the full program schedule and other information, visit the Comic-Con’s official website: comic-con.org And, most importantly, remember that if you decide to attend dress as one of your favorite comic book characters, "No functional weapons are allowed at Comic-Con International."