It’s That Time of Year again, when the comics business, along with seemingly half the population of North America, packs its bags and descends on San Diego for Comic-Con.  This year’s show seems more fraught than usual from a fan perspective, in that the specter of talent strikes in Hollywood hangs over the proceedings and an alarming number of top-tier studios have opted out of Hall H (see "Will Hollywood’s Latest Issues Cause More Trouble for the Comics Business").  But for professionals, SDCC remains the must-do event on the calendar, especially coming out of an era when in-person networking has been in short supply.

Over the weekend, SDCC released its voluminous programming schedule, thankfully back on the SCHED app after a misfire last year.  Here are the panels I’ve circled that might be of interest to industry professionals, either as an opportunity to gain some knowledge or to get a first look at some companies that emerged from the pandemic.

Thursday:

10am:  Women Artists in the Rise of New Technology.  Several accomplished female artists from different parts of the business discuss the impact of AI. Omni Grand Ballroom.

10:30am:  How to Get News Coverage.  Annual panel featuring creators and journalists offering advice to independent creators, small press and crowdfunders on how to drum up buzz.  Your first chance to spot yours truly on the dais!  Room 10.

10:30am:  Comic Book Law School.  First of the annual series of professional legal briefings on issues facing the biz including rights, contracts, copyright and licensing.  Room 11.

12 noon:  Defending Comics Today.  Anti-Drag Laws and the Freedom to Cosplay.  First of the CBLDF programs, depressingly relevant and essential for everyone from publishers to retailers to con organizers.  CBLDF will be running this and similar panels all afternoon in Room 11 on the hour.

12 noon:  fREADom Fighters on the Front Lines.  Advocating Against Book Bans.  Another anti-censorship conversation, this one aimed at librarians.  San Diego Public Library.

12 noon:  The Pitching Hour.  A panel of entertainment professionals and producers offer tips on pitching projects for development.  Room 5AB.

1pm:  Bridging the Digital Gap Between Comics Publishers and Libraries.  Seems like a useful panel for pros on both sides of the gap, featuring a good lineup of experts.  San Diego Public Library.

1pm:  Crowdfund Your Project.  First of several crowdfunding how-tos, this one apparently oriented towards games and media as well as publications.  Room 3.

1pm:  Unveiling a New Comics Universe: Cultivating the Art of Storytelling in the UAE.  I suspect a lot of pros have come into contact with UAE’s comics lead, Mohamed "Momo" Al-Shaibani, as he spearheads an interesting project using comics to drive creative economy development in the Gulf.  Room 9.

2pm:  Spotlight on Jim Lee.  An hour with DC’s president, publisher and Chief Creative Officer is probably worth a look.  Room 6DE.

2:30pm:  From Ideas to Shelves.  Business-oriented publishing panel featuring agents, managers, publishing pros and producers dispensing advice for creators.  Room 24AC.

3:00pm:  Creator-Owned Comics: Myths and Realities.  I’ll be hosting this conversation of top creators comparing the merits of creator-owned, self-published, crowdfunded and work-for-hire models.  Room 23ABC.

3:30pm:  Publishers Weekly: Pans vs. Fans.  What’s the Point of Comics Criticism?  Great lineup of critics talking shop, likely to offer useful insights to creators and publishers looking for reviews.  Room 24ABC.

4pm:  Finance for Creators.  Annual panel where experts talk dollars and sense for creative professionals.  Marriott Marina 12-13.

4:30pm:  Comics Journalism: Looking at Panels Beyond the Page.  Top comics journalists talk shop. Check them out before the profession goes extinct.  Room 24ABC.

4:30pm:  Direct Market 50th Anniversary Celebration.  ICv2’s own Milton Griepp is joined by Mike Richardson, Bill Schanes and Bob Wayne to discuss the origins and history of the business institution at the foundations of geek culture.  Room 29CD.

5:00pm:  Turning a Comic Book into a Franchise.  Seems useful, given that everyone in the multiverse is trying to do it.  Room 5AB.

7:00pm:  Digital Comics: Creation, Distribution and Marketing.  Nuts and bolts shop talk for creators and publishers interested in this part of the industry.  Room 9.

Friday

10am:  A Golden Age for Women in Comics.  Female creators discuss creating stories and global fandoms.  Room 9.

11am:  Self Publishing and Working with a Publisher: A Discussion.  Creators discuss the pros and cons.  Room 10.

12pm:  Comic Collecting in Today’s Market: Buying, Personal Collecting and Long-Term Investing.  Dealers, collectors, graders and experts talk shop.  Room 28DE.  Oddly running at the same time as a similar panel on Art Collecting at the Marriot.

1pm:  Lessons from Successful Kickstarter Comics Creators.  Good discussion of crowfunding strategy.  Room 32AB.

2pm:  Breaking into Comics and Staying In.  Pros give advice to aspiring creators.  Room 11.

2:30pm:  Modern Fanatic: Turning Passion Into Profession.  Marketing and PR pros talk about reaching the geek culture consumer market.  Room 29CD.

3pm:  So You Want to Be A Comic Book Retailer?  Straight talk from ComicsPRO board members for aspiring retailers.  Room 23ABC.

3pm:  Your Origin Story: Starting a Comic Book Business.  Heavyweight business and finance industry folks dispense advice on getting your comics company funded. Omni Grand Ballroom.

4pm: Small Press Publishing 101.  Advice on scaling from self-publishing to small press.  Omni Grand Ballroom.

6pm: Asian Americans Built the Comic Market.  Asian professionals discuss the past, present and future of engagement with the market.  Room 28DE.

Click here for Part 2 covering Saturday and Sunday programs next!

The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.

Rob Salkowitz (@robsalk) is the author of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture and a 2023 Eisner Award nominee for comics journalism.