The New York Comic-Con has announced its preliminary schedule of panels. I won’t be able to make it this year, but if I did, these are the chats I wouldn’t want to miss.
10:15 a.m.: Newsflash: Teen Girls Read Manga! The wider media still seems to be amazed that female readers are a huge part of the boom in the manga market, but while the stereotypical manga and anime fan has long been the male otaku, we know that women are making massive contributions to fandom, the industry, and beyond. This panel will discuss the state of women in the manga industry, female fans within the manga community, and just where we might go from here in supporting and advocating for the media we — both women and men — love. Presented by Robin Brenner, Brigid Alverson, and Katherine Dacey. 1A24.
(It’s possible that I might actually skip the ones after this so I could take the panel out for an early lunch, because seriously… Best. Panel. Ever.)
11:30 a.m.: Otaku Collection Development. Manga continues to play a dominant role in the library world. Now that you have become familiar with series such as Bleach, Fruits Basket, Naruto, and Death Note, it’s time to take manga collection development to the next level. Two veteran public librarians will speak about how to grow your collection beyond the current popular series, delving into forgotten, underground, and alternative books that you’re probably missing. This discussion will cover not only the newest manga titles in the USA but go over many manga classics that every library should have. Presented by Dave Inabitt and Christian Zabriskie. 1A24.
12:45 p.m.: Manga as an Extension of Young Adult Literature: Are You There God? It’s Me, Manga. While it is now standard practice for libraries to have manga collections, manga is not often seen as much more than an alternate format to conventional prose narratives. However, manga’s unconventional depictions of gender offer female teens valuable opportunities to contemplate, and thus experiment with, a wider range of sexual identities than usually afforded by young adult fiction. Manga has found a place in young adult collections because of its popularity with teens. However,it also performs the same role as young adult literature: to help teens find their identity. Presented by Lisa Goldstein and Molly Phelan. 1A24.
2:00 p.m.: Dark Horse. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson behind the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals, Dark Horse Comics has grown to become the third-largest comic publisher in the United States and is acclaimed internationally for the quality and diversity of its line, a line that begins with Hellboy, Buffy, and Umbrella Academy and has no end in sight! Get the latest from Dark Horse right here! 1A21.
6:00 p.m.: Vertical Publishing. Vertical publishes some of the most important manga in America, including the fundamental Osamu Tezuka works Buddha, Dororo, and Black Jack. Spend an hour with the publisher as Vertical speaks about its philosophy, titles, and upcoming plans. 1A22.
11:15 a.m. Del Rey Manga. The Del Rey Manga Happy Fun Time Hullaballoo! The gang from Del Rey Manga not only publish your favorite series, but are also perhaps the best-dressed team in all manga publishing. Join Dallas Middaugh (Associate Publisher), Tricia Narwani (Editor), Mutsumi Miyazaki (Licensing and Acquisitions Director), April Flores (Associate Publicist), and Ali T. Kokmen (Marketing Manager) for the latest news and announcements — including new sneak peeks at X-Men: Misfits and Wolverine: Prodigal Son — a lively Q&A session, and maybe even a few fashion tips regarding hats, ties, and other accessories. 1A06.
1:45 p.m. Yen Press. Catch up on the latest news and announcements from Yen Press! Their editorial staff will be on hand to answer questions (and maybe give out some swag). With titles including Haruhi and Soul Eater and their innovative Yen Plus, Yen Press is a publisher to keep a close eye on in ’09! 1A22.
6:45 p.m. CMX: Manga Mania. Get the latest word on all things manga at DC’s CMX panel! Discover what’s coming in 2009 like Genghis Khan, Broken Blade, Name of The Flower, Fire Investigator Nanase, Jihai, Venus Capriccio, and others. Hosted by Manga Editor Jim Chadwick. 1A06.
11 a.m. Viz Media. The VIZ Media team gives you the latest scoop on everything from acquisitions to key marketing campaigns for both manga and anime. 1A23.
1:30 p.m. Scott Pilgrim vs. The Panel! Harvey, Doug Wright, Joe Shuster Award-winning, and Eisner-nominated creator Bryan Lee O’Malley sits down with NYCC to discuss his ground-breaking, slice-of-life series Scott Pilgrim. From its genesis to the NYCC release of volume five, O’Malley talks frankly about where Scott Pilgrim came from and where the series is going from here. With moderation by Douglas Wolk and a fan Q&A to close the discussion, this is a must see event at NYCC 2009! 1A14.
