logo - comic-con thumbnail (distressed)SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2017: SPECIAL GUEST INDEX (L-Z)

These are the CONFIRMED Special Guests for San Diego Comic-Con, scheduled to be held at the San Diego Convention Center on the 20th to 23rd July 2017.

These names were announced on the Toucan Blog by Comic-Con International and are correct as time of press – any changes or cancellations are listed when made available. While every effort will be made to keep this information as current as possible, some alterations may be made which are out of our control. If any errors are spotted, please do CONTACT US so we can make the relevant changes.

This is the index of names, in ALPHABETICAL ORDER, from L to Z, as listed on the SDCC portal of the Comic-Con International website:

  • Jim LEE
  • Paul LEVITZ
  • Sonny LEW
  • Marjorie LIU
  • Jonathan MABERRY
  • John MORROW
  • Dustin NGUYEN
  • Keith POLLARD
  • Eduardo RISSO
  • Mike ROYER
  • Brian SELZNICK
  • Eric SHANOWER
  • R. SIKORYAK
  • Alex SIMMONS
  • Jeff SMITH
  • Joe STATON
  • R.L. STINE
  • William STOUT
  • J. Michael STRACZYNSKI
  • Maggie THOMPSON
  • Bruce TIMM
  • Lewis TRONDHEIM
  • Ron WILSON

Jim Lee at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

JIM LEE

(Artist: SUICIDE SQUAD; DC Entertainment Co-Publisher)

Jim Lee is a renowned comic book artist and the co-publisher of DC Entertainment. In addition to his duties as co-publisher, he is the artist for many of DC Comics’ bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including JUSTICE LEAGUE: ORIGINS, BATMAN: HUSH, and SUPERMAN UNCHAINED.

He also served as the executive creative director for the DC Universe Online (DCUO) massively multiplayer action game from Daybreak Games, currently available free to play on PS4, PS3 and on Windows PC.

For his latest project, Lee is handling the art chores on the SUICIDE SQUAD comic book.

Photo by: Mike Jara Photography

Paul Levitz at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20-23 at the San Diego Convention Center

PAUL LEVITZ

(Writer, editor, publisher: 75 YEARS OF DC COMICS: THE ART OF MODERN MYTH-MAKING)

Paul Levitz is a comics fan (THE COMIC READER), editor (BATMAN), writer (LEGION OF SUPER HEROES, executive (30 years at DC, ending as president & publisher), historian (75 YEARS OF DC COMICS: THE ART OF MODERN MYTH-MAKING (Taschen, 2010)) and educator (including the American Graphic Novel at Columbia). He won two consecutive annual Comic Art Fan Awards for Best Fanzine, received Comic-Con International’s Inkpot Award, the prestigious Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, the Comics Industry Appreciation Award from ComicsPro and the Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award from the Hero Initiative.

His Taschen book won the Eisner Award, the Eagle Award and Munich’s Peng Pris, and was re-released in revised form as three volumes in 2013-15. His latest book is WILL EISNER: CHAMPION OF THE GRAPHIC NOVEL (Abrams ComicArts, 2014). Levitz also serves on the boards of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and BOOM! Studios.

Sonny Liew at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20-23 at the San Diego Convention Center

SONNY LEW

(Writer, artist: THE ART OF CHARLIE CHAN HOCK CHYE / artist: DOCTOR FATE)

Sonny Liew‘s THE ART OF CHARLIE CHAN HOCK CHYE was a New York Times bestseller, and the first graphic novel to win the Singapore Literature Prize. Other works include THE SHADOW HERO (with Gene Luen Yang), DOCTOR FATE (with Paul Levitz), and MALINKY ROBOT, as well as titles for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Vertigo, First Second Books, Boom Studios, IDW, Image Comics, and Disney Press.

Sonny has been nominated for multiple Eisner Awards for his art, and for spearheading LIQUID CITY, a multi-volume comics anthology featuring creators from Southeast Asia.

Marjorie Liu at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

MARJORIE LIU

(Writer, MONSTRESS / BLACK WIDOW / ASTONISHING X-MEN)

Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. Her work with Marvel includes HAN SOLO, X-23, BLACK WIDOW, and ASTONISHING X-MEN, for which she was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.

Her newest work is MONSTRESS, a New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-nominated indie comic book series with artist Sana Takeda.

She teaches comic book writing at MIT and lives in Cambridge, MA.

Jonathan Maberry at Comic-Con International, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

JONATHAN MABERRY

(Author: JOE LEDGER THRILLERS / MARS ONE)

Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, five-time Bram Stoker Award winner, and comic book writer. He writes in multiple genres, including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and action, for adults, teens, and middle grade. His works include the JOE LEDGER THRILLERS, X-FILES ORIGINS: DEVIL’S ADVOCATE, MARS ONE, and many others.

Several of his works are in development for film and TV. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including THE X-FILES, V-WARS, SCARY OUT THERE, OUT OF TUNE, BAKER STREET IRREGULARS, NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD, and others. He lives in Del Mar, CA. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com.

John Morrow at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

JOHN MORROW

(Writer / Publisher / Comics Historian, THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR)

John Morrow is one Morrow (and publisher) at TwoMorrows Publishing, the industry’s leading purveyor of comics history and appreciation publications. Starting in 1994 as creator and editor of THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR magazine (now in its 23rd year of documenting the life and career of its comics legend namesake), John has lived out his childhood dream of working in the comics field, albeit not as an artist like he’d envisioned. Instead, TwoMorrows has allowed him to rub elbows with most of his comics idols and produce a slew of award-winning magazine titles since 1994, including Comic Book Artist, Alter Ego, Back Issue, Write Now, Draw, Rough Stuff, and Comic Book Creator, working alongside some of the finest editors (and people) in fandom.

Having now produced books on nearly every major comics creator—and bringing LEGO fandom into the TwoMorrows mix—he’s currently wrapping work on KIRBY100, going back to his roots to showcase the 100 pages that prove Kirby was “King,” just in time to celebrate Jack’s 100th birthday at Comic-Con 2017.

Dustin Nguyen at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

DUSTIN NGUYEN

(Writer / Artist: DESCENDER / SECRET HERO SOCIETY / LI’L GOTHAM)

Dustin Nguyen is a New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning American comics creator. Currently, Dustin illustrates DESCENDER, a monthly comic published through Image Comics that he is co-creator of with artist/writer Jeff Lemire.

He is also working on the next installment of Scholastic‘s SECRET HERO SOCIETY series, as well as LI’L GOTHAM for DC Comics with Derek Fridolfs. WHAT IS IT? is his first children’s book, illustrated by Dustin and written by his wife Nicole Hoang as a child in 5th grade. It is produced by BOOM! Studios and distributed by Simon & Shuster.

Keith Pollard at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

KEITH POLLARD

(Artist: FANTASTIC FOUR / THOR / THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN)

Keith Pollard is an American comic book artist. Originally from the Detroit area, Pollard is best known for his simultaneous work on the Marvel Comics titles FANTASTIC FOUR, THOR and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN in the late 1970s–early 1980s.

Pollard made his professional comics debut in 1974 with stints on such titles as MASTER OF KUNG-FU, DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU, ASTONISHING TALES, and BLACK GOLIATH. He was the regular penciller of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN from issue #186 (November 1978) through issue #205 (June 1980), and pencilled the backup feature in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #15 (1981). With writer Marv Wolfman, Pollard co-created the Black Cat in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #194 (July 1979).

Eduardo Risso at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

EDWARDO RIZZO

(Artist: 100 BULLETS / MOONSHINE / TORPEDO 1972)

Eduardo Risso was born in Leones, Argentina in 1959. His comics work includes EL ANGEL, JULIO CESAR, and PARQUE CHAS in his native country, and (with writer Carlos Trillo), SIMON: AN AMERICAN TALE, VIDEO NOIRE, BORDERLINE and CHICANOS, which were published in Italy and France. In 1997, he did ALIEN: RESURRECTION for Dark Horse and other American works followed. He teamed up with Brain Azzarello on the miniseries JONNY DOUBLE, which led to the creation of the multiple Eisner Award-winning series 100 BULLETS. He has won the Eisner, Harvey, and Yellow Kid awards for 100 BULLETS as Best Artist.

His latest work for DC Comics was DARK NIGHT: A TRUE BATMAN STORY with acclaimed writer Paul Dini. He’s currently working on MOONSHINE with Azzarello and TORPEDO 1972 with Enrique Sanchez Abulí. Since 2010, Eduardo has been president of Crack Bang Boom—International Comics Convention in Rosario, Argentina.

Mike Royer at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

MIKE ROYER

(Artist / Inker / Letterer: JACK KIRBY’S FOURTH WORLD SERIES)

Mike Royer‘s career began assisting Russ Manning as well as working on various titles for Gold Key Comics. He worked with Jack Kirby on NEW GODS, DEMON, KAMANDI, and other titles at both DC and Marvel.

For twenty-one years, Mike worked full time as a product designer/character artist for Disney Licensing and the Disney Store. Since 2001, he’s done product design for a variety of clients and even found time for comics work with Steve Rude, among others. His career has included animation layout, storyboarding, penciling, lettering, inking, product design and record album covers.

Brian Selznick at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

BRIAN SELZNICK

(Author/Illustrator: WONDERSTRUCK / THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET)

Brian Selznick is the Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator of the #1 New York Times bestsellers WONDERSTRUCK and THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, which was adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning movie HUGO.

THE MARVELS, Selznick’s most recent and acclaimed bestselling novel, is a mesmerizing and multi-layered reading experience which takes readers on an awe-inspiring voyage about the complexities of family and growing up, while also creating a loving tribute to the power of story. Selznick’s books have garnered countless accolades worldwide, and have been translated into more than 35 languages. He has previously worked as a set designer, independent bookseller, and a puppeteer.

Coming to theatres in 2017, Todd Haynes directs the film adaptation WONDERSTRUCK, based on the novel by Brian Selznick, who also wrote the screenplay.

Photo by Jamey Mazzie

Eric Shanower at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

ERIC SHANOWER

(Writer/Artist: AGE OF BRONZE; Writer: OZ Graphic Novels / LITTLE NEMO: RETURN TO SLUMBERLAND)

Eric Shanower is the award-winning cartoonist of AGE OF BRONZE (Image), the story of the Trojan War. With Skottie Young, he adapted Baum’s OZ books to New York Times best-selling graphic novels (Marvel Comics). He wrote the Eisner Award-winning LITTLE NEMO: RETURN TO SLUMBERLAND (IDW) with art by Gabriel Rodriguez.

Shanower’s work includes his ADVENTURES IN OZ graphic novels (IDW), “Happily Ever After” in Lambda Award finalist HOW BEAUTIFUL THE ORDINARY (HarperCollins), AN ACCIDENTAL DEATH with Ed Brubaker (Fantagaphics), and HARLAN ELLISON’S DREAM CORRIDOR (Dark Horse). Shanower has illustrated for television, magazines, and children’s books.

He lives in Portland, Oregon. For more info visit www.age-of-bronze.com.

Photo by Roxyanne Young.

R. Sikoryak at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

R. SIKORYAK

(Writer, artist: TERMS AND CONDITIONS / MASTERPIECE COMICS)

R. Sikoryak is originally from New Jersey, earning his BFA from the Parsons School of Design in 1987, and is currently on staff at the school. His comics and illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, The Onion, GQ, MAD, SpongeBob Comics, and Nickelodeon Magazine, as well as on THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART. He is in the speakers program of the New York Council of the Humanities and teaches in the illustration department at Parsons School of Design.

Sikoryak’s most recent book is TERMS AND CONDITIONS, published by Drawn and Quarterly in March 2017, which satirizes Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. Like The Unquotable Trump, each page of the graphic novel is patterned after an page from an seminal comics storyline, and drawn in the style of the original artist, with a caricature of Jobs taking the place of a man character in the sequence, and the dialogue and narration taken entirely from the eponymous contractual terms of Apple’s iTunes media player. His other comics work includes MASTERPIECE COMICS.

Alex Simmons at Comic-Con International, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

ALEX SIMMONS

(Writer, artist: BLACKJACK)

Alex Simmons is an award-winning freelance writer, comic book creator, playwright, teaching artist, and educational consultant. He’s written for Disney Books, Simon & Schuster, DC Comics, and Archie Comics. Simmons is the creator of the acclaimed adventure series BLACKJACK. He’s developed animation projects and taught creative arts workshops for students and educators. He’s lectured on children’s entertainment, as well as empowering young people through the arts.

Simmons founded the annual family event Kids Comic Con and three comic arts exhibits, which have traveled abroad. He is currently developing creative arts programs that connect children around the world. For more info about Alex, visit www.BlackjackAdventures.com

Jeff Smith at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

JEFF SMITH

(Cartoonist, BONE / R.A.S.L.)

Jeff Smith is the New York Times bestselling author/cartoonist of the BONE and RASL graphic novels. BONE has won numerous awards around the world, including multiple American Eisners and Harveys, and the French Alph Art.

In 2005, Smith’s work was chosen to launch Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Books. Smith was guest editor of Best American Comics in 2013.

Joe Staton at Comic-Con International, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

JOE STATON

(Cartoonist: DICK TRACY / E-MAN)

Joe Staton started working for Charlton Comics in 1971, where he co-created E-MAN and MICHAEL MAUSER. Among his many comics credits are ACTION COMICS, GREEN LANTERN, THE LEGION, CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED, various incarnations of BATMAN, and over 100 issues of SCOOBY DOO. He co-created several GREEN LANTERNS, including Kilowog, Arisia, and Salakk, and designed Guy Gardner’s “bad boy” look.

In 1998, he received the Eisner Award for WORLD’S FINEST: THE SUPERMAN-BATMAN ADVENTURES. Since 2011, Joe has been the regular artist for the DICK TRACY newspaper strip (online at www.gocomics.com/dicktracy), which received Harvey Awards in 2013, 2014, and 2015 for Best Syndicated Strip.

R.L. Stine at Comic-Con International, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

R.L. STINE

(Author: GOOSEBUMPS Series / FEAR STREET)

R.L. Stine is one of the best-selling children’s authors in history. In July 1992, Scholastic introduced his GOOSEBUMPS book series with ‘Welcome To Dead House’. Nearly twenty-five years later, GOOSEBUMPS is now one of the best-selling children’s series of all-time—with more than 350 million English language books in print, plus an additional 50+ million international copies in print in 32 languages. The GOOSEBUMPS series made R.L. Stine a worldwide publishing celebrity (and Jeopardy answer).

His other popular children’s book series include FEAR STREET (recently revived with all new books), MOSTLY GHOSTLY, THE NIGHTMARE ROOM, and ROTTEN SCHOOL. Other titles include: IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOREVER, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S SCREAM, YOUNG SCROOGE, and his first picture book with Marc Brown, THE LITTLE SHOP OF MONSTERS. Stine and Brown’s second picture book, MARY MCSCARY, will be published in September 2017.

For more information, visit rlstine.com and www.scholastic.com/goosebumps.

Photo credit: Dan Nelkin

William Stout at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

WILLIAM STOUT

(Artist: THE DINOSAURS)

William Stout (the Comic Art Professional Society’s co-founder and 10th president) has attended every San Diego Comic-Con. He assisted Russ Manning on TARZAN and Kurtzman and Elder on LITTLE ANNIE FANNY. This prominent underground comix artist‘s WIZARDS poster was his first of 120 film ad campaigns.

He’s made over 45 features (the CONAN films, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE) and helped PAN’S LABYRINTH win two Oscars. Stout’s book THE DINOSAURS (1981) inspired Michael Crichton’s JURASSIC PARK. The San Diego Natural History Museum and Zoo display fourteen Stout murals. 50 Convention Sketches Volume 22 and Dinosaurs: A Coloring Book will have their Comic-Con debut in 2017.

J. Michael Straczynski at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

(Writer: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN / SUPERMAN EARTH ONE; Creator, producer: BABYLON 5)

As a comics writer for Image, Marvel and DC Comics on such titles as THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, THOR, MIDNIGHT NATION, DREAM POLICE, and SUPERMAN EARTH ONE, J. Michael Straczynski has sold nearly 13 million individual issues; as a TV writer he’s written over 300 produced episodes, creating BABYLON 5 and co-creating SENSE8 for Netflix; and in film he’s worked on CHANGLING, THOR, and WORLD WAR Z among others.

He has a RISING STARS movie in development with MGM, is writing a MIDNIGHT NATION pilot for Universal with Gale Ann Hurd attached, and is developing TEN GRAND for A&E.

Maggie Thompson at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

MAGGIE THOMPSON

(Writer, editor, comics historian: COMIC BUYER’S GUIDE, TOUCAN BLOG)

Growing up in the post-World War II world, Maggie Thompson learned to read with the comic books she enjoyed. Such creators as Walt Kelly, Carl Barks, and John Stanley told the stories she kept, and she kept them because there were no comics in libraries.

In the 1960s, she and fellow science fiction fan Don Thompson pioneered in the world of comics fan publishing. She went on to co-edit COMIC BUYER’S GUIDE for three decades; these days, she writes online columns for Comic-Con International and Gemstone Publishing.

And she relishes the fact that today’s libraries do include comics.

Bruce Timm at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

BRUCE TIMM

(Artist, animator, director, producer: BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES / BATMAN & HARLEY QUINN)

Bruce Timm is a 35-year veteran of the animation industry, having worked on such films and TV series as THE SECRET OF NIMH, HE-MAN & THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, G.I. JOE, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MIGHTY MOUSE and TINY TOON ADVENTURES. He is best known for his work as designer, director, and producer on BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, SUPERMAN, BATMAN BEYOND, JUSTICE LEAGUE and JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED.

Taking the occasional break from his “day job”, Timm has drawn comics for DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, and others, including short stories in VAMPIRELLA, CONAN, BIRDS OF PREY, FLINCH and the legendary but little-known GIANT-SIZE KUNG FU BIBLE STORIES. Rare ‘full-length’ works co-plotted and illustrated by Timm include THE AVENGERS 1 1/2 and the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning BATMAN ADVENTURES: MAD LOVE.

His latest animated project is the upcoming direct-to-video feature BATMAN & HARLEY QUINN.

Lewis Trondheim at Comic-Con International 2017, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

LEWIS TRONDHEIM

(Writer, artist: DUNGEON / A.L.I.E.E.E.N. / POPPIES OF IRAQ)

Lewis Trondheim was born in Fontainebleau, France in 1964. A cartoonist by profession, his acclaimed works translated into English are APPROXIMATE CONTINUUM COMICS, RALPH AZHAM, DUNGEON (with Joann Sfar), and A.L.I.E.E.E.N. Trondheim is the artist and co-writer, with his wife Brigitte Findakly, of the Fall 2017 DRAWN & QUARTERLY graphic novel POPPIES OF IRAQ, which is the story of Findakly’s childhood. Trondheim is also the co-founder of the legendary comic house L’Association, co-founder of L’OuBaPo, and director of the Shampooing graphic novel imprint. Findakly and Trondheim have two children and live in the south of France.

Art by Lewis Trondheim.

Ron Wilson at Comic-Con International, July 20–23 at the San Diego Convention Center

RON WILSON

(Artist: THE THING / SUPER BOXERS)

Ron Wilson, esteemed ‘Bronze Age’ Marvel Comic book artist, is known for his prolific work in the ‘70s and ‘80s on some of the most popular titles in comics. He has also drawn a host of other titles including the HULK magazine, which coincided with the Lou Ferrigno TV series. Ron is the creator of WOLFPACK, the AMERICAN EAGLE, and the renowned graphic novel SUPER BOXERS, released in 1984.

His other credits include WHAT IF?, LUKE CAGE: HERO FOR HIRE, MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE, THE THING, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (for Star Comics), CAPTAIN BRITAIN, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING and ARION THE IMMORTAL among many others, as well as covers.

Photo Credit: Luigi Novi

© 2013-2016 An Englishman In San Diego
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