Comic-Con 2016

While almost every creator will tell you their greatest joy is in their acts of creation, none will argue that equally (or perhaps more) important is earning a living from their efforts. But commercializing creative works is fraught with peril unless you're prepared. This second stage of the case study focusing on (fictional) author Fitzgerald Scott will concentrate on Scott's efforts to commercialize his critically acclaimed new work, "Shylock Homer: The Sirens of the Baskervilles." Noted attorney Michael Lovitz, author of the acclaimed The Trademark and Copyright Book comic book, and IP and entertainment attorneys David Branfman and Terri Lubaroff present an interactive seminar tackling a group of more advanced issues facing creators (and the businesses that they work with) when marketing their properties and creative ideas, including: licenses and transfers of rights; key things to know when Hollywood comes knocking; publishing, manufacturing, merchandising, and distribution agreements; understanding key terms in contracts, assignments, and licenses; and (and time permitting) how Mrs. Fitzgerald Scott spouse may affect his contracts and licenses. Please note: The Comic Book Law School seminars are designed to provide relevant information and insights to practicing attorneys, as well as practical tips to creators and other professionals who may wish to attend. [This program is approved for 1.5 credits of California MCLE.]

Some of comics' greatest clashes never appeared within the panels; they were decided by a gavel! CBLDF board member Dale Cendali, an intellectual property icon known for litigating high-profile cases (including in the Supreme Court), walks through the history of comics in the courts, examining some of the most important cases about such topics as the evolving nature of the protectability of characters, using real people to inspire characters, termination of rights, and other hot issues. Slides showing the nature of the works at issue will be used in the presentation.

Although free expression is seen as a basic human right, censorship is rampant in the United States and around the world. CBLDF executive director Charles Brownstein presents an overview of the censorship crises facing cartoonists in 2016, from the violence and legal prosecution occurring around the globe to domestic attacks on comics and young adult books in libraries and schools across the country. Learn how comics and books are being challenged and what you can do to fight back!

Ron Lemen (illustrator, concept artist, educator) demonstrates and lectures methods and techniques for designing and rendering expressive hand actions and capturing highly emotive facial expressions. The lecture will also discuss camera angles, lens distortions, ideal expressions, and rhetorical posing.

With the shifting landscape of the comics industry, this is your invaluable guide to breaking into the comics industry-what it takes, whose attention you're vying for, and how to get it in a productive way, but most important, what you have to do to get up to speed and ready for the big show. Comics Experience founder and publisher Andy Schmidt is joined by Dave Marshall (Dark Horse, EIC), Rickey Purdin (Marvel talent manager), and artist Reilly Brown (Deadpool).

The iPad has transformed the way you read comics, but did you know you can create comic art on an iPad too? See a comic book character come to life as Hi-Fi's Brian Miller (Doctor Who) and Kristy Miller (SpongeBob Comics) demonstrate step-by-step how to pencil, ink, and color comics on the iPad. Learn the basic tools and techniques, including which apps and stylus pens work best and how you too can transform your iPad into a portable art studio. A Q&A session will be included.

Samuel Girgis (owner of BiggerBoxModels) will discuss modeling techniques business ideas in the "Garage Kit" world. Fon Davis (25-year veteran of miniature VFX who has worked on over 25 feature films including the Star Wars series) will give you a behind-the-scenes peek at the world of practical VFX and how they fit in the digital world. Roman Dodge will share the practical uses of 3D printers in the world of "Garage Kits."

Daniel Presedo (Photoshop), Brian Haberlin (Anomaly, Faster Than Light), Chris Cox (Photoshop), and Nikolai Svakhin (Photoshop) discuss new features and best practices on how they get their job done. Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard in digital imaging and is used by professionals worldwide for illustration, design, photography, 3D printing and more.

Emilio Soltero, Ph.D. (Draw the Line, Figure It Out, John Buscema: A Life in Sketches) presents a primer on drawing the figure for popular media, including drawing for comics and character design. The focus will be on anatomy and figure drawing. Come ready to take notes and to draw. Cosplayers are welcome to join and artists of all levels are encouraged to attend. Bring your own materials.

You're a comics writer, or you want to be. You're motivated and driven. Great. You're just like a thousand other would-be comics writers. So how do you stand above the rest? John Barber (Ultimate Spider-Man, Transformers) has written for several major publishers and edited for both Marvel and IDW. Between him and Andy Schmidt (X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy), founder of Comics Experience, they've seen thousands of pitches and worked with dozens of editors. Together, they've created a top 10 list of things that the strongest writers do to stand above the crowd. They will give you all 10 in this jaw-dropping panel.