My C2E2 2024 Panel Schedule
All the discussions I hope to attend at this year's C2E2 (even though that's impossible)
Hello! I’m posting this while the Comics Book Club discusses The Incal, but wanted to share what interests me most at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) next weekend, from Friday, April 26 to Sunday, April 28. I have a general rule that I’ll only take off work for travel, so Friday will be reserved for picking up my badge and trying to work up the nerve to converse with other people at the Hyatt Regency lobby. Here’s hoping I run into Jim Terry, since I’ll be missing his fascinating panel. I plan to cram as much experience as possible into my two remaining days!
I submitted a panel for this year, but we got waitlisted and didn’t make the cut. I’m tempted to get a little bitter about what ended up on the schedule (did the Nostalgia Critic really need multiple showcases??), but that’s hardly productive. There is decidedly more LGBTQ+ content this year than last, including a dedicated Pride Lounge. I’ll have to make my way up there at some point.
As usual, I’ve written down everything in which I’m interested regardless of whether this means I’ll have to be in multiple places at once. I’ll figure out what matters most when I get there. :)
What sounds interesting to you? Do you enjoy panels at conventions or skip them altogether? Feel free to share your thoughts below!
My C2E2 Schedule
Saturday, April 27
Holy Newsprint, Batman! From Script to Streets—Creating Comics with The Santos Sisters’ Greg and Fake
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM • Location: S401-ABC
I stopped attending “breaking into comics” panels for a while because I noticed a lot of the same advice getting repeated. Santos Sisters is a really fun comic, and I think its creators might offer a fresh perspective.
BREAKING [INTO] THE SOURCE WALL: How to Work for DC Comics
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM • Location: S403-AB
Meanwhile, here’s a Big Two panel about breaking into comics, but this one features a couple of local Chicago creators who are always fun, Tim Seeley and Gene Ha.
The Science of Science Fiction
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM • Location: S402-B
I don’t get to write about it very often, but science fascinates me! I’d love to learn more about the reality that informs one of my favorite genres.
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM • Location: S405-A
Speaking of favorite genres, here’s a panel tackling another one of mine through a question recently addressed in a newsletter from
And if I skip the DC Comics panel, I can see Tim Seeley here!Descend Into Madness: Horror Comics from Mad Cave
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM • Location: S403-AB
Ryan Stegman’s The Schlub—Building a New Universe
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM • Location: S402-A
Another horror panel, this time from Mad Cave Studios, one of the better indie comics publishers out there, but it’s at the same time as a spotlight on The Schlub, a series about which I’ve heard a lot of great things and drawn by the amazing Chicago artist Tyrell Cannon.
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM • Location: S402-B
Asian American Stories Are About More Than Representation
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM • Location: S405-A
This panel is a must-see for me, because it includes my friend Dr. Mark Martell. I’ve written about his work and had the honor to introduce him to a room at San Diego Comic-Con, and I’m always interested in what he has to say.
Understanding Jewish Representation in Superhero Adaptations
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM • Location: S401-ABC
Unfortunately, that does mean missing out on this panel about Jewish representation. Can somebody attend this one so we can exchange notes?
The Worlds of James Tynion IV: A Decade at BOOM! Studios
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM • Location: S402-A
Mad Cave’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM • Location: S402-B
Another Mad Cave panel, but this one has less competition and includes Joe Corallo, a creator I respect and admire who still writes for a website I used to write for.
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM • Location: S403-AB
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM • Location: S402-A
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM • Location: Family HQ Workshop
The Massive-Verse is set in Chicago, but the collage workshop sounds like an incredible way to broaden the horizons of comics.
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM • Location: FHQ Interactive
In all honesty, I’m probably not attending this, but good on C2E2 for hosting it!
From Candyman to The Blackening: The Spectrum of Black Horror
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM • Location: S405-A
Defending Comics Today: CBLDF Update
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM • Location: S402-A
I’ve been to this panel a few times and I always learn something. As even the most casual reader of this newsletter is no doubt aware, I’m a big defender of the library and am outraged/terrified of the book bans sweeping the country. This panel might be cathartic as well as educational.
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM • Location: S403-AB
Not Your Model Minority!: Asian Media in Fandom Spaces
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM • Location: S401-D
The HEROIC Awards are dedicated to indie comics, which I love, but they’re at the same time as another panel centering a marginalized group. Unfortunately, they both conflict with. . .
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM • Location: S501-D
These are always a must for me. I met several people last year, and I’m developing a project with an artist as a result. Here’s hoping this one is even more successful!
Queer Quests & Ales: A Tavern Troupe's Tipsy One-Shot Adventure
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM • Location: The Yard Presented by Revolution Brewing
Sat, Apr 27, 2024 • 6:15 PM - 7:15 PM • Location: S402-A
Ending the day as it began! I’ll probably skip one or two of these horror panels to make my way around Artist Alley.
Sunday, April 28
Countless Ways to Declare Love: Gender, Sexuality, and Relational Diversity in Roleplaying Games
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM • Location: S401-ABC
YA Book Buzz: Coming of Age with Graphic Novels!
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM • Location: S402-B
YA literature isn’t entirely in my wheelhouse, but I’ve been a fan of Jennie Wood for several years and I can’t wait to see them again.
The Frights and Delights of Queer Horror Comics
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM • Location: S402-A
I might have to visit all the people on this panel individually in Artist Alley. This is probably the hardest decision I’ll make all weekend.
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM • Location: FHQ Interactive
See above.
Create Imaginative New Worlds for All Ages with Papercutz!
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM • Location: S401-D
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM • Location: S405-B
Spoken Blerds: The Intersection of Pop Culture and Poetry
Sun, Apr 28, 2024 • 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM • Location: S402-B
I love poetry and I love poetry comics, but I’m not as versed in spoken word (pun intended). I think this would be a great way to close out the weekend!
That’s everything! I’m not a cosplayer or a gamer, so I know I’m leaving out huge chunks of the schedule. What do you think? Am I spreading myself too thin? Do you think I’m leaving out something important? I’d love to hear from you! If you’re going to C2E2, please leave a comment about what you’re looking forward to. Maybe we can meet up!
The regular newsletter is scheduled to go out the Friday of C2E2. The Comics Book Club will be meeting again on May 15 to discuss Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru. Take care, everyone!
Bagging on the Nostalgia Critic is *always* productive
I wrote about the Superman panel in my latest Substack article!