This is the detailed list of the programming that will take place at Fabletown and Beyond.
Click any of the links below to be taken directly to the programming for that day:
Friday Programming
Saturday Programming
Sunday Programming
Friday Programming
Starting our getaway fashionably late in the afternoon, Friday is a light day, program wise, but it’s not by any means light on content. It all begins at the Mayo Civic Center.
12:00pm
Badge pick up begins – also the show “set up” time for our artists and exhibitors.
3:00pm
This is when the doors open and the show begins, including our program rooms.
The Talk Show Room
Remember your most beloved talk show of old? Well, since we wanted to have a room specifically dedicated to Star-on-Star interviews, we thought, “Why not do it in the talk show format?” So that’s what we did. In the talk show room we have wonderful panels planned, but with the couch full of guests, the desk for our host, and the cheesy potted palm – just like on TV back when TV was most beloved.
Our first entry into this three-day saga of wonder is ¬The Sandcastle Show! With your host, the charming Chris Roberson. Joining him will be his special guests, Lauren Beukes, Matt Sturges and Sean E. Williams. They will be discussing what it’s like to play in someone else’s sandbox (hence the clever title). When you write or draw in someone else’s world, you don’t get the same freedoms that you’d get in constructing a story entirely of your own making. What are the many pitfalls? What, if any, are the joys? They’ll discuss.
The Boring Panel Room
We call it the “Boring” room only because it’s set up in the same old-fashioned panel room style that one can find in any convention, because that really is a proven best way to have a discussion in front of a large audience. But be assured, the content won’t be boring at all.
Since this show is all about the Mythic Fiction movement in comics, what better way to start the show than by defining our terms? Welcome to the Mythic Fiction panel, hosted by Kurt Busiek, who gave the movement its name. He’ll explain how. He will be joined by, Mike Oeming, Anthony Del Col, Steve Leialoha, and Van Jensen.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
We have two mouse-sized rooms for smaller, more cozy programs. The second of the two is mostly set aside for media interviews, portfolio reviews and such, and it’s closed on Friday, opening bright and early Saturday morning.
However the first of the two mouse rooms begins with a pair of readings by two writers who are as deft with their prose work as they are with making comics.
Mark Finn will begin by reading a short story from the forthcoming World Con anthology, Ray Guns Over Texas. His tale is called, Take a Left at the Cretaceous.
Then Mike Carey will read a selection from his forthcoming (in November) new novel called The Girl With all the Gifts.
4:00pm
We close the normal programming rooms for the evening, to move into a larger venue, that can hold everyone who wants to attend (it’ll either be the Riverview Suites, or the Civic Theater Auditorium – we’ve yet to finalize which one).
Opening Ceremonies
No, not a ceremony in the formal sense. We sacrifice neither virgin nor goat. But we like that most Fantasy and Science Fiction conventions have an official start to their shows, where comic book shows tend not to. So we stole the idea. In this hour we will officially welcome you to the show, tell you a few things about how it’s going to work – including some new things that other shows simply don’t do. We’ll introduce our guests, and, if you’re really, really good, we’re going to have a very short, very special video presentation from a couple of well-known folks who couldn’t be here, but are very glad you could be. Trust us, you’ll be pretty tickled by it. Bill Willingham will be your host for this hour.
5:00pm
Guest of Honor Speech
Mark Buckingham is our Guest of Honor and for good reason. He’s built more worlds than any dozen authors of our literary cannon. We have no idea what he plans to say, but we plan to be there to hang on every word. This takes place in the same venue as our Opening Ceremonies, so you needn’t move a muscle to attend one of the highlights of our three-day weekend.
6:00pm
The speechifying is over, but the conversation goes on. Our exclusive Kill Shakespeare, Elizabethan era bar opens up at the Kahler Hotel. It’s a place where you can meet and interact with our many guests on a more personal level. Children attendees are allowed too, but we’re going to closely watch what they drink.
7:00pm
The Exhibition Hall and Artists Boulevard closes for the evening. Yeah, other shows have an Artists Alley, but we like to treat our creative types a bit better than that, so it’s a boulevard – because words matter.
8:00pm
Kill Shakespeare Bar
Fablescon Trivia will be hosted by Stephanie Cooke in the Kill Shakespeare bar. Make sure you’re up to date on all of your Mythic Fiction knowledge, prepare teams of 4-6 people and then all you have to do is show up for a great evening of fun and shenanigans. Join us for your chance to win all kinds of prizes and bragging rights.
2:00am
The bar closes for the night. Sorry, but we’re old and need some rest.
That’s it for Friday’s program. Saturday’s program should appear in this same spot by tomorrow, and Sunday’s program the next day.
Saturday Programming
10:00am
Show opens
Talk Show Room
Remember your most beloved talk show of old? Well, since we wanted to have a room specifically dedicated to Star-on-Star interviews, we thought, “Why not do it in the talk show format?” So that’s what we did. In the talk show room we have wonderful panels planned, but with the couch full of guests, the desk for our host, and the cheesy potted palm – just like on TV back when TV was most beloved.
We start off the programming day with the wonderful show, Star Gazing! With your host Allison Baker. This time Allison interviews a couple of local stars in the ever-growing comics firmament: Peter Krause and Mitch Gerads.
Boring Panel Room
We call it the “Boring” room only because it’s set up in the same old fashioned panel room style that one can find in any convention, because that really is a proven best way to have a discussion in front of a large audience. But be assured, the content won’t be boring at all.
Our first foray into the big panel room is World Building. If you write fantasy, you need to build a world, sometimes in part, by changing our own world in key ways, or often from the ground up. Who does it well? What are the pitfalls? In comics, is it more the responsibility of the artist or writer? Kurt Busiek will lead the discussion with Mark Buckingham, Gene Ha, Dusty Higgins and David Petersen.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
Lauren Beukes will read from her new novel called The Shining Girls, coming out in April.
Bill Willingham will read from his new novel called Tom O’Harrow, coming out in 2014.
Of Mice and Men Room # 2
Portfolio Reviews with Shelly Bond. Show up here if you want to have the Top Vertigo Editor look over your art pages. Note that she won’t have a ton of time to spend with each artist, so limit your portfolio to no more than your six best pages, and get ready for some serious critiques. Shelly is on the lookout for the next Fables artist, so she can’t spend a lot of time encouraging those who aren’t ready. If you’re not able to hear real critiques of your work, think about giving this a pass.
11:00am
Talk Show Room
It’s The Barbarian Hour! With your host Mark Finn. Mark is a Robert E Howard expert, so he loves nothing better than to talk barbarians. His guests this time are noted Conan writer Kurt Busiek, Matt Sturges, who has a couple of new books coming out featuring certain well known Norse Barbarian Gods, and Dusty Higgens, who draws a certain wooden barbarian near and dear to our hearts.
Boring Panel Room
The Unwritten Panel. If the comic is called unwritten, even though it’s in fact wonderfully written, why isn’t it also called The Undrawn, even though it’s also wonderfully drawn? Maybe Mike Carey, Peter Gross or Shelly Bond can explain why. If not, they’ll have other great stuff to talk about, including their upcoming 50th issue, which kicks off The Event (cue dramatic fanfare).
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
Drawing with Andrew Pepoy. He’s going to talk us through the process of drawing, his philosophy and practices. He may even draw a bit while doing so.
12:00pm
Talk Show Room
What’s the Big Idea? With your host, Shelly Bond. This time Shelly interviews a trio of guests she’s nurtured in their comics careers: Chrissie Zullo, Lauren Beukes, and Andrew Pepoy.
Boring Panel Room
Getting it Made. Comics become movies. It’s how Hollywood works now. But exactly how does that happen. Short version: It isn’t easy. For the longer version join Brad Thomte as he interviews Ken Levin on how comics become movies. Ken has some insider stories about the process, some of which will amaze you.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
Drawing with Gene Ha. What’s worth drawing and what isn’t. He’ll talk about a career in drawing and may even draw a bit while doing so.
1:00pm
Talk Show Room
AH HA! The talk show about comics art! With your wacky co-hosts, Adam Hughes (AH!) and Gene Ha (HA!). As always, Adam and Gene are still feuding over who gets to sit behind the host’s desk, but this time their guests are Peter Gross and Chrissie Zullo.
Boring Panel Room
Killing Them Softly With His Nose. This is the Pinocchio Vampire Slayer panel. Basically the more the wooden kid lies, the more vampires he can stake. Join Van Jensen and Dusty Higgins in this exploration of their odd and hilarious series.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Kurt Busiek. He’ll share stories of his long and illustrated (pun intended) career, including his practical and impractical advise on the writing trade, including how he became an overnight success after only 11 years.
2:00pm
Talk Show Room
Get to Work! With your host Conor McCreery. Work for hire still abounds in the comics industry. It may even be said to still dominate. Is it ethical? Are there better publishing templates? Or is anything okay, as long as writers and artists get to work? Conor will discuss this with his guests Allison Baker and Kurt Busiek, both of whom have been known to be able to express an opinion or two.
Boring Panel Room
The Fables Panel. Considering the theme of the show, a Fables panel was required. Here it is. Join Shelly Bond, Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy and Gene Ha for this panel full of stuff about Fables. Will there be some breaking news? Why, yes, it seems there will be.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Anthony Del Col. What’s it like to follow so directly in the steps of Shakespeare, even to the extent of finishing (or at least adding to) his stories? Does one need more ego or humility to pull it off? Since Anthony is in the process of pulling it off, he might know the answer to that question.
3:00pm
Talk Show Room
It’s a Different World! With your host Peter Gross. In the mythic fiction corner of our comics universe, many different books feature the same characters showing up in the different fictional worlds. Pinocchio is out slaying vampires in one world, but another has him trying to grow up and get out from under the shadow of his evil warlord father. Different versions of well-known characters abound. Peter will talk this over with his guests, Chris Roberson, Mike Carey and Van Jensen.
Boring Panel Room
In the Shadow of the Wolf. As long as we’re already in this room talking about Fables, Telltale Games gives us a first look at their upcoming video game based on the Fables Series. Join Richard Iggo from Telltale, as he grills Bill Willingham, or maybe it will be the other way around, but in any case, one of them will show you a few visuals from the game, and give away as few secrets as they can hold on to.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Bryan J. L. Glass. He writes about mice with swords. He also hung out with a fella named Thor for a while. His first job in comics will surprise you. In this hour we’ll find out what’s on his mind, what chips are on his shoulder, and what’s smart and good and right about our silly business.
4:00pm
Talk Show Room
Mad About Mice! With your host Bill Willingham. This time Bill talks to noted chroniclers of adventurous mice stories, David Petersen, Mike Oeming and Bryan J. L. Glass. What’s with all the books about heroic mice? We’ll get to the bottom of it, once and for all.
Boring Panel Room
Drawing Legends. In comics the art is at least half the story, and usually more. The visuals take the place of the exposition in prose tales and bear the burden of implying a thousand scenes for every image presented. It’s a tough job, done alone in a room, often at the cost of what anyone else would consider a normal life. What are its rewards, beyond a paycheck? What sort of person can do this arguably toughest of all jobs in the storytelling field? Steve Leialoha will lead the discussion with Peter Gross, Chrissie Zullo, Mitch Gerads and Peter Krause.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Lauren Beukes. Her first novel got noticed. Her next one won one of the most prestigious awards in fantasy fiction. Her third one’s on the way. In the meantime she’s writing comics, like the just completed run on Rapunzel for Fairest. She’s a force of nature in sensible shoes. Come see why.
5:00pm
Talk Show Room
It’s The Welcome Matt! With your host Matt Sturges. This time Matt throws out his magic welcome mat to Mark Buckingham, Ken Levin, and Sean E. Williams.
Boring Panel Room
Killing Shakespeare. Yes, after all this time, we still can’t keep a good man down. Noted Bardophiles Anthoney Del Col and Conor McCreery will introduce you to their comic series Kill Shakespeare, answer for why they want him dead, and explain why they get the bar named after them.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Chrissie Zullo. She’s too soft spoken to talk much on panels, so the only solution is to give her an hour of her own, all on her own, in a small setting, in which she has to speak up. Once you get her talking, you’ll find out she can spin story out of art like no one else. Maybe she’ll even show you how.
6:00pm
Talk Show Room
The Good Fortune Hour! With your host Mike Carey. With the wealth of public domain and folklore stories individually owned by every single man woman and child in the world, we’re all born rich. Mike will discuss their fortunes, and how some are cashing in on them, with his guests Mark Finn, Bryan J. L. Glass and Chris Roberson.
Boring Panel Room
Ethics of Story. What can be written? What can’t be? What are the forbidden subjects in today’s sensitive culture? What are the writer’s obligations to his readership and what consequences should he bear because of his stories? Mike Oeming will lead the discussion with Matt Sturges, David Petersen, Adam Hughes and Conor McCreery.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An Hour With Sean E. Williams. He started out in Hollywood, now he lives in the middle of nowhere writing comics. Come see how he got from here to there.
7:00pm
The exhibit hall closes.
10:00pm
Informal Poolside Party. It’s a bring your own everything kind of get-together, with straw hats, loud tropical shirts, shorts and swimwear the official dress code. Note the pool rules do not allow alcohol in the pool area, nor any glass containers. Also note that this isn’t exclusive to Fabletown and Beyond attendees. Any guest of the hotel can come. They kick us out at midnight.
2:00am
The bar closes. You knew it had to happen. We may write about gods, but we’re only mortal after all.
Note that some of the panel times and guests on any particular panel are subject to change before the big show begins.
Sunday Programming
10:00am
Show opens
Talk Show Room
Remember your most beloved talk show of old? Well, since we wanted to have a room specifically dedicated to Star-on-Star interviews, we thought, “Why not do it in the talk show format?” So that’s what we did. In the talk show room we have wonderful panels planned, but with the couch full of guests, the desk for our host, and the cheesy potted palm – just like on TV back when TV was most beloved.
We start off the programming day with The Ham Show! Bill WillingHAM and Mark BuckingHAM (get it?) have been working together for longer than Fables has existed. These two old pros will reminisce with each other about their past careers, alone and together, plus spill a few beans about some stuff coming up.
Boring Panel Room
We call it the “Boring” room only because it’s set up in the same old fashioned panel room style that one can find in any convention, because that really is a proven best way to have a discussion in front of a large audience. But be assured, the content won’t be boring at all.
Our initial panel room foray of the day is the first half of a two-hour block featuring our residents of Artists Boulevard. We’ll call this A Stroll Down Artists Boulevard, Part One. They may not be here formally as special guests of the show, but they’re talented and doing projects in the Mythical Fiction realm. We’ll let them take us on a tour of their work. In this first hour, our host Sean E. Williams will coax these often first time panelists to talk about themselves. In this hour he’ll present Savannah MacIntosh, Fiona Meng, Megan Kearney and Tyler Walpole.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Mike Oeming. He’s been out there charting the realms of Mythic Fiction before there was a name for it. This is your chance to pin him down in a small setting and see what makes this veteran storyteller tick.
Of Mice and Men Room # 2
Portfolio Reviews with Shelly Bond. Show up here if you want to have the Top Vertigo Editor look over your art pages. Note that she won’t have a ton of time to spend with each artist, so limit your portfolio to no more than your six best pages, and get ready for some serious critiques. Shelly is on the lookout for the next Fables artist, so she can’t spend a lot of time encouraging those who aren’t ready. If you’re not able to hear real critiques of your work, think about giving this a pass. Also note that this is the second day of portfolio reviews, just in case Shelly couldn’t get to everyone on the first day. If you’ve already seen her on Saturday, you don’t get another chance today – unless of course she specifically asks you back.
11:00am
Talk Show Room
The Mr. Fix-It Show! With your host Peter Gross. There’s a great deal wrong with the comics industry, but it doesn’t help to just gripe about it. Mr. Fix-It and his panel of experts, Allison Baker, Chris Roberson, and Conor McCreery ,will solve all the woes of the industry in one hour. Come and help. Add your two cents, or cue them into problems they forgot to mend.
Boring Panel Room
A Stroll Down Artists Boulevard, Part Two. We change hosts and we change our array of artists. In this hour Anthony Del Col will do the job of drawing out these inexperienced panelists, to help them let us know what they’re up to. Anthony is joined by Ashley Hay, Anthony Hary, Paul Allor, Chris Stevens, and Jeremy Dale.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with David Petersen. His Mouse Guard saga started out by changing the rules for how comics are possible. Find out how this master of the form does comic storytelling that somehow comes out as a new mythology.
12:00pm
Talk Show Room
The Assorted Monkey Business Show! Chris Roberson and Matt Sturges have known each other years longer than either have worked professionally. Since then, they’ve worked together and apart, and produced more good books than can easily be counted. They’ll reminisce during this hour about their books past and many books to come.
Boring Panel Room
The Art of War. Our grumpy collection of artists have a few things to get off their chests. They take the stage to tell us how their writer partners have been abusing and misusing them over the years. “You seriously want me to draw a nine panel page where the first panel shows an army of millions, and has seven dialogue balloons?” We’re making Chrissie Zullo host this talk, because she’s shy and tends not to talk much on panels, and now she can’t hide. She’ll welcome Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Gene Ha, Dusty Higgins and Peter Krause to air their dirty laundry. No writers are part of the panel, but let’s see how many of our writer guests are brave enough to attend this hour and face the music.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Shelly Bond. Want to know what it takes to become a Vertigo Book? In this chance to grill Shelly in a place she can’t avoid answering, you may just find out the rules for her line of books closely resemble the rules for good storytelling anywhere. Please note this is not a try-out session. You can ask all the questions you like, but Shelly won’t be looking for new writers or artists during this hour.
1:00pm
Talk Show Room
The Mythology Hour! With your host Mark Finn. “Norse myth has the best monsters,” Mike Mignola once said. True enough, but the Greeks had their gorgons and krakens. The Egyptians mixed their gods and monsters into the same beings. Rakshasas and nagas haunted the Hindu past, while Leviathan and Behemoth shook the ancient worlds of the Judeo-Christian beliefs. In this hour we’ll shamelessly wallow in the mythology of other lands and lost times, and try to scope out why they’re so attractive to those of us who toil in the Mythic Fiction vineyards. We’ll also debate the ethics of borrowing cool legends that were religions not too long ago, many of whom still straddle that elusive line. Join Mark and his guests Kurt Busiek, Mike Oeming and Bryan J. L. Glass.
Boring Panel Room
Then and Now. Adam Hughes will host this conversation with Shelly Bond, Mike Carey, Andrew Pepoy and Van Jensen on what the comic industry was like then and how it’s changed to the way it is now. Comics used to sell in the millions. Now they sell in the thousands at best. Comics used to be strictly disposable literature, and you’d get laughed at if you dared call them literature. Now they’re published to last, to be read, reread and passed along to your children. Is it the best of times, or the worst of times, or both?
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Steve Leialoha. One of the best comic artists working today, he’s had a long and storied career and is willing to talk about it. Don’t fail to ask him about his Line Dancing books while you’re here, and how his frequent partner in crime Bill Willingham can hardly look at them, without starting to spin stories.
Of Mice and Men Room # 2
If any of the artists that showed their work to Shelly Bond are called back for another look, this time with Bill Willingham tagging along to see for himself, this is the time and place it will happen.
2:00pm
Talk Show Room
The Death Show! With your host Mike Oeming. This time Mike welcomes his guests, David Petersen, Kurt Busiek and Mitch Gerads, in a look at the death of the hero. Are true heroes overdone, passé and a thing of the past? Does true un-cynical heroism actually exist? Did it ever? Do we owe it to our readers to explode the myth that there are good and decent, larger than life heroes out there, who’ll come to your aid when need is greatest? A cursory examination of the current state of superhero comics would seem to argue there’s no such thing as a true hero. “With great power comes a fine opportunity to settle grudges, beat the hell out of anyone who pisses you off, and have our own way,” seems to be the heroic motto of the day.
Boring Panel Room
The Fairest Panel. Since we’ve already had our Fables Panel, it’s only apt that we hear from the other half of the Fables-related guests and talk about that other book. Join Shelly Bond, Bill Willingham, Adam Hughes, Lauren Beukes, Chrissie Zullo, and Sean E. Williams, as they spill some beans just aching to be spilled.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Chris Roberson. Chris has been telling stories all his life. For the past decade or so those stories have been published. But he may still have one or two interesting tales left to spin. Let’s find out.
3:00pm
Talk Show Room
It’s the Big Announcements Show! With your host Bill Willingham. Why him again? Well, Bill has a big announcement or two that doesn’t fit well into any other place or subject in our show. So he’s going to make them here and now. Bill will welcome other guests to make some big announcements of their own, but we’ll keep who and what secret for now. One hint though, if you’re with the comic book press, you’ll want to be here for this one.
Boring Panel Room
Hashtag Intervention! Social Media is a big part of the comics world now. In a world of “breaking news via Twitter” and Kickstarter financing, if you don’t know how to ply your social media skills well, you can turn a sure-fire success into a dud that no one ever hears about. Our host (and social media warrior) Stephanie Cooke will lead Allison Baker, Anthony Del Col, Bryan J. L. Glass and Peter Krause in a discussion on how to do it right, how to do it wrong, and what to look out for.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An Hour with Mike Carey. Just in case we didn’t wring him dry yet on all of those other panels and programs, we’re going to give him one last cozy setting in which he is free to talk about whatever happens to be on his mind.
4:00pm
Talk Show Room
It’s the Survival Show! With your host Steve Leialoha. This time Steve will be talking to his guests, Mark Buckingham, Chris Roberson, and Peter Gross, about how to survive in the comics business. Note, this isn’t about how to break into the business, but how to survive once you’re in it. How do you avoid the land mines? How do you get enough work to keep from having to get a real job? What are the traps you never expected?
Boring Panel Room
Obscure Legends. What’s it like mining the shadowed past for the legends that will become our new stories of the future? Did you know that, long before he was an egg, Humpty Dumpty was a giant cannon on the wall of besieged Colchester? How does one become the other and who cares? Join our intrepid archeologists of myth and folklore as they discuss how and why it’s worth exploring the more obscure stuff of our past, to give us the adventurous stuff of their stories to come. Conor McCreery leads the discussion with Gene Ha, Mike Carey and Matt Sturges.
Of Mice and Men Room # 1
An hour with Adam Hughes. If anyone can show how the story part of comics isn’t just told with the words, Adam is the man (even though he’s written a lovely story or two as well). He draws, he paints, he does things just like drawing and painting with those computer devices, but in every case, he tells stories.
5:00pm
Boring Panel Room
Goodbye, Farewell, and Thanks for all the Fish. Our show has come to a close and sadly we must say so long. But there are a few items of closing business to take care of. Did anyone of our hopeful artists earn the right to draw that Fables story? If so, we’ll announce it here. Any plans for next year? This is the place to find out. Do any of our guests and staff have a final word to say to you? Of course they do, and they’ll say it here.
6:00pm
The exhibit hall closes. The show closes. The bar closes. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey on your way.
Note that some of the panel times and guests on any particular panel are subject to change before the big show begins.