Over 200 Hours of Presentations, Workshops, and Screenings!!

Norwalk, CT, January 8, 2009: New York Comic Con (NYCC) has today announced its full line up of panels and workshops. In total, there will be over 200 hours of programming presented at New York Comic Con, encompassing a range of subjects and fields, and including some of the top personalities, creators and industry leaders from the pop culture world. The program is now live on the website enabling thousands of fans to not only see what types of panels and presentations are available at NYCC, but to plan their time at the show accordingly. In related news, convention officials note the introduction of another show planning feature called I-con, a 3D interactive floor plan that allows all attendees to search exhibitors, and plan their route through the NYCC show floor. Now, with both the panel programming live on the website, and access to exhibitor locations and other show features available through I-con, it is possible for fans to completely plan every minute of every day at NYCC in advance!

New York Comic Con will take place February 6 - 8 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Tickets and programming information are accessible at www.nycomiccon.com and more personal insights and anecdotes about the show are available via Show Manager Lance Fensterman's blog, www.MediumAtLarge.net. Show organizers also that while many exciting panels that represent the broad scope of programming at NYCC are being announced now, there is still much more to come, most notably several significant announcements concerning movie studio activity which will be made in the final two weeks before the show.

"The programming that we are announcing for this year is huge," notes Fensterman. "We have over 200 hours of stuff going on, for all areas of interest, and there is still more that will be added in the coming weeks. But most important, after all is said and done, it's not the quantity of panels that is impressive, it's the quality! We have managed to pull together some of the best and most recognizable names in their various fields of interest and they will be speaking, signing autographs, shaking hands, and basically bringing their vast knowledge and talents to New York Comic Con for all of us to enjoy! We are very thankful to these individuals for agreeing to participate in our programming. We simply wouldn't have such a great show without their energetic support."

The following panels and presentations provide an overview of the type of programming that will be offered at New York Comic Con.

COMIC HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

MARVEL: Dark Reign

Norman Osborn and his Cabal of Evil hold the Marvel Universe in their grasp as a new era has been ushered in. This is their day, this is their DARK REIGN. Join the man who put Osborn in power, Brian Michael Bendis (Secret Invasion), as well as the writers behind many of today's hottest DARK REIGN books like Dan Slott (Mighty Avengers), Greg Pak (War Machine), Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man), Jim McCann (New Avengers: The Reunion), Executive Editor Tom Brevoort, Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada, and more, as they unveil the Dark Days in store for our heroes.

Friday - 4:45 PM to 5:45 PM - Panel Room 7

Elvis Schmelvis! How Comic Books Spawned the Rock and Roll Era

The standard history of American youth culture is a myth, argues David Hajdu, professor at Columbia University and author of The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America. It was in the pages of lurid pre-Code comics, not in jukebox records, that teen culture was born and nearly died. David comes to NYCC to discuss the true birth of pop culture.

Saturday - 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Panel Room 2

Batman: Battle For The Cowl Begins

The Dark Knight continues to battle evil -- but who will wear the cowl in 2009? Join Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler, Senior Editor Mike Marts, and a bevy of talented writers and artists for a look at what's new in Gotham City!

Saturday - 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM - Panel Room 4

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!

Sunday - 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM - Panel Room 4

IDW: GI Joe and Transformers - Declassified and Rolling Out

Too much firepower for one panel, IDW focuses on their two biggest franchises of 2009 -- GI Joe and Transformers! Hosted by GI Joe and Transformers editor Andy Schmidt, we've got guest panelists Larry Hama (GI Joe: Origins) and Mike Costa (GI Joe: Cobra) and major announcements!

Sunday - 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM - Panel Room 1

TV HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Robot Chicken

Seth Green and Matthew Senreich (creators/executive producers), Breckin Meyer (writer/actor), Kevin Shinick (writer/actor/creative director), and Geoff Johns (writer), speak about [adult swim]'s Robot Chicken. Now in its fourth season, the network's Emmy-winning series uses stop-motion animation to bring pop culture parodies to life in a modern take on the variety/sketch show format. Throughout the series, Green and Senreich have enlisted the help of numerous guest voice actors, including Conan O'Brien, Hayden Panettiere, Hugh Hefner, Carrie Fisher, and George Lucas. In addition to the series, Green and Senreich have also created two Star Wars-themed specials: the Emmy-nominated Robot Chicken: Star Wars from 2007 and its follow-up, Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II, which premiered last November. A signing will follow in the VIP Lounge, Room 1A01, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Panelists will only be signing Robot Chicken materials. Signing cards will be provided.

Saturday - 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM - Panel Room 3

Comedy Central's Krod Mandoon

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire is an outrageous, live-action, character-driven workplace comedy set in an ancient fantasy realm. This series follows the reluctant hero Krod Mandoon, a thin-skinned and under-confident freedom fighter, who is the last great hope in the struggle against the evil Chancellor Dongalor, but Krod must overcome a myriad of obstacles in his quest to save the world, including name-calling, hired assassins, and wardrobe malfunctions. Get your first look at this new Comedy Central series right here!

Saturday - 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM - Panel Room 10

The Venture Bros.

Jackson Publick (creator and voice of Hank Venture, The Monarch, Henchman 24, Pete White, and Sgt. Hatred) and Doc Hammer (creator and voice of Dr. Girlfriend, Henchman 24, and Billy Quizboy) speak about [adult swim]'s The Venture Bros. Now in production on its fourth season, the show will pick up after the explosive showdown at the Venture Compound in the season three cliffhanger. A signing with Jackson and Doc will immediately follow.

Saturday - 6:45 PM to 7:45 PM - Panel Room 3

LITERARY HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

New York City Through its Authors

New York City may be the world's most-written-about city. While sometimes romantic, sometimes mythic, and sometimes wicked, it's always New York. New York Comic Con invites several of the city's local authors to speak about how living in New York has influenced their words -- whether they're writing about NYC or not. Moderated by Suvudu.com.

Friday - 5:45 PM to 6:45 PM - Panel Room 10

Writers on Writing: Books, Comics, TV, Movies, and Games

Whether it's a book, a comic book, a television show, a movie, or a video game, what hooks us is the story -- the journey the hero and the audience take together. Join a panel of high-profile writers as they discuss the differences and the similarities between storytelling across the diverse spectrum of contemporary media. Moderated by Suvudu.com.

Sunday - 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM - Panel Room 4

LEGAL HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

How to Safeguard Your or Your Company's Intellectual Property

You or your company have created the ultimate spandex-clad protector, but how do you protect him or her from being ripped off? Through this seminar, you will learn how to protect the intellectual property in your work and ideas and discover how to avoid costly infringement lawsuits over copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and other sensitive legal areas. This seminar will further discuss methods of protection for you or your company, fair use, protecting rights in ideas, combating counterfeiting and piracy, and litigation methods and strategies. This seminar is conducted by attorneys Walter-Michael Lee from the IP Practice Group of Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP, Thomas A. Crowell, IP and Entertainment Law practitioner with The Law Office of Thomas A. Crowell, LLC, and Sheafe B. Walker, Employment Law practitioner with The Law Office of Thomas A. Crowell, LLC.

Friday - 11:15 AM to 12:30 PM - Panel Room 8

Intellectual Property 101

Your superhero has the power to bend time, space, and reality… but can he or she land a licensing deal? And just how do you protect your rights? Artists often spend years creating winning characters or works, only to lose at the bargaining table because they haven't prepared for the deal or have failed to properly protect their rights. In this seminar, you'll learn to prepare the legal aspects of your creations for they're ready to be sold and also how to protect your works. Scheduled topics to be discussed include an overview of copyrights, trademarks, and rights in ideas, the importance and how to register your copyrights and trademarks, what to do if someone is improperly using your works or ideas, non-disclosure agreements, work for hire relationships, the pitfalls of joint authorship, employment contracts, and negotiating licensing agreements. This seminar will be conducted by attorneys Thomas A. Crowell, an IP and Entertainment Law practitioner with The Law Office of Thomas A. Crowell, LLC, Walter-Michael Lee from the IP Practice Group of Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP, and Sheafe B. Walker, an Employment Law practitioner with The Law Office of Thomas A. Crowell, LLC.

Saturday - 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM - Panel Room 10

GAMING HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Gabe and Tycho Spotlight

In their first East Coast appearance since 2005, meet Penny Arcade's Gabe and Tycho as they field questions about their web comic, PAX, Penny Arcade Adventures, Child's Play, becoming gamer dads, and life in general.

Saturday - 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM - Panel Room 1

Gears of War

Gears of War and Gears of War 2 took the world by storm and have brought to life a massive saga told throughout books, comics, toys, games, and -- maybe even -- a possible movie. Spend an hour with Joshua Ortega, the writer of Gears of War 2 along with DC's Gears of War comic series as he talks shop about chainsaw rifles and death ray satellites.

Saturday - 6:45 PM to 7:45 PM - Panel Room 7

Wanted

You've read the hit comic by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones and you've seen the hit movie starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie. Now, get ready for the video game and another movie! Join representatives from Vivendi Universal Games and Top Cow Productions as they share exclusive footage from the upcoming video game (due for release in late March) and teasers about the next Wanted film!

Sunday - 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM - Panel Room 10

MOVIE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Who Is The Greatest Badass Of All Time? Presented By MTV News

MTV News hosts a panel of celebrity guests who will answer, once and for all, one of fandom's most notorious questions -- Which movie character is the Greatest Badass of All Time? John McClane or Lara Croft? Batman or Wolverine? Celebrities and fans weighed in with their picks, now find out who made the top ten and who will take the #1 spot. Join us at this live taping as the decision is revealed!

Friday - 7:15 PM to 8:15 PM - Panel Room 3

Summit Entertainment Presents Astro Boy

A thrilling tale of a true hero, Astro Boy is an all-new, feature film full of action, adventure, humor, and heart. Based on the beloved manga, Astro Boy will be brought to life on the big screen in breathtaking CGI animation. See the world premiere of footage from the film in this exclusive presentation!

Sunday - 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM - IGN Theater

ANIME AND MANGA HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Sherrilyn Kenyon on Manga

New York Times Best-Selling author Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dabel Brothers Publishing, St. Martin's Press, Joshua Hal Fialkov, and Claudia Campos present a powerful panel on Ms. Kenyon's work as it's never been seen before! Night Pleasures and Night Embrace are the first books in Kenyon's blockbuster Dark-Hunters series about eternally damned warriors who have sold their souls for vengeance, and, thanks to Dabel Brothers Publishing, they'll soon become manga! Their stories are being adapted by writer Joshua Hal Fialkov, known for his unique storytelling on titles such as Cyblade and the upcoming Afro Samurai manga, and Claudia Campos, already a favorite with Kenyon's fans for her knockout illustrations in The Dark-Hunter Companion, provides the art. Find out what it takes to turn a bestseller into manga!

Friday - 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM - Panel Room 7

Voice Actors and The City

Some of New York City's most accomplished voice actors and actresses spend an hour talking about their craft. Find out what it's really like to work in the voice acting field from some hometown heroes. Also, expect laughing, poking, and funny voices.

Saturday - 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM - Panel Room 6

KIDS DAY HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Kids Comics Workshop

Join creators Dave Roman (Astronaut Elementary, Nickelodeon Magazine), Matt Loux (Saltwater Taffy, Star Wars Adventures), and Abby Denson (Powerpuff Girls, Amazing Spider-Man Family), as they talk about creating comics for kids and lead the audience in a fun comics workshop!

Sunday - 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Kids Zone 1

The Electric Company Performance

Come see the cast of the new PBS KIDS GO! series The Electric Company in a high energy, music-filled show, and check out how this group of do-gooders works to keep their neighborhood safe with their literary super powers.

Sunday - 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM - Variant Stage

Aaron Stone

Be among the first to watch the two-part premiere of Disney XD's first original series, Aaron Stone. Sixteen-year old Charlie Landers is a legend in the online video game world. Via his avatar, Aaron Stone, Charlie is the best player in the world at the video game, Hero Rising. His life is forever changed when an eccentric billionaire recruits him to become the "real life" Aaron Stone, fighting real crimes with real enemies. Now Charlie must juggle his normal life of school, sports, girls, and family while maintaining his secret life of being the free world's last hope. Premiering in February on Disney XD. Check it Out!

Sunday - 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM - Panel Room 9

For Professionals, Educators, and Librarians:

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.

Friday - 10:15 AM to 11:15 AM - Panel Room 7

Teaching with Graphic Novels: Practical Techniques for Evaluating, Reading, and Teaching with Graphic Novels

In this workshop, teachers and educators will be exposed to practical techniques they can apply to the reading of graphic novels. The presentation focuses on strategies educators can use with graphic novels to help students develop skills that relate to the processes of reading and writing. Special attention is paid to helping educators develop criteria for evaluating graphic novels they can use throughout the curriculum (either as supplemental or primary text). Presented by Brian Kelly and Stephen Chiger.

Saturday - 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM - Panel Room 6

Resources for Creators

Where do you find information about insurance for freelancers? How do you get free or low cost legal representation? What about unions and organizations for creative artists? Colleen Doran answers all these questions in this panel that -- for creators who are serious about professional matters -- is essential.

Sunday - 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM - Panel Room 1

And, finally, there will be two very notable anniversaries celebrated at New York Comic Con this year! They include:

TMNT Celebrates 25 Years

Can you believe the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are 25-years-old? Believe it! And, to celebrate, NYCC is holding two very special panels looking at the history and future of everyone's favorite sewer super heroes!

TMNT: Quarter Century of Artistic Evolution starts at 5:45 PM on Friday in Room 1A07 and will walk fans through the artistic evolution of the Turtles. Artists Eric Talbot, Jim Lawson, Michael Dooney, and Steve Lavigne have been with Mirage since the beginning and will give true and new TMNT fans an insider look at the art behind these beloved characters.

TMNT Animation: 25 and Going Strong kicks off at 12:15 PM on Sunday in Room 1A23 and will let fans meet the staff -- including producers, directors, writers, and storyboard artists -- who are a part of the TMNT cartoon series today.

The Twilight Zone Turns 50

Rod Serling's Twilight Zone turns 50 this year, and NYCC is honored to have noted Twilight Zone author and expert Arlen Schumer with us to reflect upon this momentous piece of popular culture through two very special events.

Twilight Zone Forever starts at 7:15 PM on Friday in Room 1A24. A multimedia presentation by Schumer, Twilight Zone Forever traces the classic television show's roots in early 20th Century surrealist art and ideas and in turn its influence on modern art and American pop culture. Part lecture, part performance piece, Schumer will read excerpts of dialogue and narration from the series as spoken word poetry while The Twilight Zone soundtrack plays in sync and images from episodes form a backdrop. From high art to low art and back again, Twilight Zone Forever will make you look at The Twilight Zone -- and television itself -- as you never have before.

Visions from The Twilight Zone begins at 1:30 PM on Sunday in Room 1A04. In this screening and presentation, Schumer will introduce five classic episodes of The Twilight Zone and address the questions they raise. Rediscover what The Twilight Zone has to say about Identity, Man's Obsolescence, Science and Superstition, Suburban Nightmares, and Time. While The Twilight Zone is 50-years-old this year, the landmark series is still poignant and provocative, and the questions it asks only more pressing in modern society.

ABOUT NEW YORK COMIC CON:

New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest and most exciting popular culture convention. Our show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. Our panels and autograph sessions give fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators. Our screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either big or small screens. And with dedicated professional hours, New York Comic Con is a market place, bringing together the major players in the entertainment industry. New York Comic Con is the second largest pop culture convention in America and the only one that takes place in the comic book, publishing, media, and licensing capital of the world -- Gotham City. Further information can be found at newyorkcomiccon.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:

The New York Comic Con is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organizer. In 2007, Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and organized by 39 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2006, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of £1,052 million on turnover of £5,398 million.