Abrams has announced a full lineup for the booth’s return at San Diego Comic-Con 2023. With convention exclusives, author signings, early releases, and a whopping eleven (11!) panels, Abrams will have something for everyone at SDCC ’23.
Plenty of the publisher’s imprints will be represented. This includes Abrams ComicArts, Megascope, Surely Books and Amulet.
Panels
Here’s the lineup of panels:
THURSDAY, JULY 20
Marvel Classics for the Next Generation and Fans
10:00 a.m. Room: 28DE
Introducing the joy and nostalgia of classic Marvel comics and stories to a whole new generation are Mike Maihack, author of the upcoming Spider-Man: Quantum Quest! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up #2); Andrew Smith, senior vice president and publisher, children’s books; Charles Kochman, editor in chief, Abrams ComicArts; Diego Lopez, editor; Sven Larsen, vice president of licensed publishing for Marvel; and more!
Bill Griffith Spotlight
2:30 p.m. Room 4
Join renowned Zippy the Pinhead creator Bill Griffith (Nobody’s Fool) in conversation with Matt Groening (The Simpsons) as he shares his life, long career in comics and sequential art, and his upcoming graphic biography, Three Rocks, which delves into the life, times, and cultural influence of Ernie Bushmiller, the man who created the classic and iconic comic strip Nancy.
Doom Guy: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
4:00 p.m. Room 25ABC
Join the godfather of the first-person shooter genre and one of the most influential Indigenous and Latino technologists and game developers John Romero (DOOM) to hear how he innovated industry-redefining breakthroughs in design and tech in games like DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3-D, paving the way for games like Minecraft, Call of Duty, Gears of War, and Fortnite. Romero will share stories from his new memoir, DOOM GUY, for the first time and discuss his difficult childhood and storied career. He’ll shed new light on the development of his games and his business partnerships, from the highest highs to the lowest lows, right up to today. Romero will be in conversation with David L. Craddock, director of the upcoming documentary FPS: First Person Shooterand author of Long Live Mortal Kombat, Stay Awhile and Listen, and more.
FRIDAY, JULY 21
Mike Maihack on “Familiar Faces”
10:00 a.m. San Diego Public Library, Shiley Special Events Suite
Beloved characters and renowned creators provide enticing access to the world of graphic novels. Mike Maihack (Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! [A Might Marvel Team-Up]), special guest Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Gene Luen Yang (The Books of Clash Volume 1: Legendary Legends of Legendarious Achievery), and Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer (professor of library media, CSULB Teacher Librarian program coordinator) share insights into using high-profile works to introduce readers to books.
Nidhi Chanani on “Wish They All Could be CA MCs”
10:30 a.m. Room 24ABC
Eureka! Welcome to stories of the Golden State! Explore California stories in disparate settings with the tales of Diane Marie Brown (Black Candle Women), Nidhi Chanani (Super Boba Café), Cory Doctorow (Red Team Blues), Susan Lee (Seoulmates), and Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle (Ebony Gate: The Phoenix Hoard) in conversation with Southern CA bookseller Maryelizabeth Yturralde.
F. C. Yee on “Fantastic Adventures”
11:00 a.m. San Diego Public Library, Shiley Special Events Suite
STE(A)M teacher Nichole Santangelo, Franco Aureliani (Fae and the Moon), Odunze Oguguo aka Whyt Manga (Apple Black), Lucas Turnbloom (Steve L. McEvil and the Second Wind), Gabriel Valentin (Digital Lizards of Doom), and F. C. Yee (Chronicles of the Avatar series) explore exercising imaginations and engaging passions with graphic novels, with middle school teacher Lisa Harrison.
Laini Taylor & Jim Di Bartolo on “Adventures for the Next Generation”
11:30 a.m. Room 24ABC
Inspiring the next generation is a huge responsibility! Join Alexandra Bracken (Silver in the Bone), Laini Taylor and Jim Di Bartolo (Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space), Shannon Messenger (The Keeper of the Lost Cities series), Margaret Owen (Painted Devils), and Comic-Con special guest Mariko Tamaki (I Am Not Starfire) as they discuss the power and joy that goes into crafting strong heroines for future generations. Moderated by librarian Judy Prince-Neeb.
The Vibrant World of tokidoki
5:00 p.m. Room 9
An exploration of the creation and inspiration behind tokidoki, the vibrant and larger-than-life pop culture brand that has taken the world by storm, with Simone Legno, co-founder and chief creative officer, and Pooneh Mohajer, co-founder and chief executive officer, of tokidoki.
SATURDAY, JULY 22
F. C. Yee on “Water, Earth, Fire, Air: Continuing the Avatar Legacy”
12:30 p.m. Room: 24ABC
Abrams Books, Dark Horse Comics, Nickelodeon, and Magpie Games are thrilled to treat fans to a panel worthy of the Avatar! Join publishing’s creators and writers of Avatar, The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, including F. C. Yee (Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Legacy of Yangchen), for an exploration of the beloved world. Moderated by Cara O’Neil (vice president of marketing, Dark Horse Comics).
Maggie Thompson Spotlight: Wrangling History (How to Preserve the Past So We Can Read in the Future)
3:00 p.m. Room 4
As we lose creators, memories fade, and collectibles are lost or damaged, what can be done to hang on to the creations and establish the facts? Maggie is joined by writer and producer Mark Evanier, Columbia University comics and cartoons curator Karen Green, and Abrams ComicArts editor-in-chief Charles Kochman.
Abrams ComicArts
4:00 p.m. Room 29AB
Look forward to the incredible upcoming titles for fall 2023 and spring 2024, including works from Josh Tuininga (We Are Not Strangers), Josh Trujillo and Levi Hastings (Washington’s Gay General), Stephan Franck (Silver Book 1 and Book 2), and Bill Griffith (Three Rocks, Nobody’s Fool), with Charlotte Greenbaum, senior editor; Charles Kochman, editor in chief, Abrams ComicArts; and more.
Author Signings
Here’s the schedule for the Abrams author signings:
THURSDAY, JULY 20
11:30 a.m.
Mike Maihack will sign Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up)
Autographing Area AA09
4:00 p.m.
Bill Griffith will sign Three Rocks and Nobody’s Fool
Autographing Area AA02. Bill Griffith will also be in Artists Alley, table HH-16, throughout the show.
5:30 p.m.
John Romero will sign DOOM GUY
Autographing Area AA02
FRIDAY, JULY 21
11:00 a.m.
Mike Maihack will sign Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up)
San Diego Public Library, Shiley Special Events Suite
12:00 p.m.
F. C. Yee will sign Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Legacy of Yangchen
San Diego Public Library, Shiley Special Events Suite
12:00 p.m.
Nidhi Chanani will sign Super Boba Café ARC
Autographing Area AA09
1:00 p.m.
Laini Taylor & Jim Di Bartolo will sign Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space ARC
Autographing Area AA09
SATURDAY, JULY 22
10:30 a.m.
Laini Taylor & Jim Di Bartolo will sign Billie Blaster and the Robot Army from Outer Space ARC
Abrams Booth #1216
12:00 p.m.
Nidhi Chanani will sign Super Boba Café ARC
Abrams Booth #1216
2:00 p.m.
F. C. Yee will sign Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Legacy of Yangchen
Autographing Area AA10
2:30 p.m.
Brandon T. Snider will sign Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines
Abrams Booth #1216
5:30 p.m.
Stephan Franck will sign Silver: Of Treasures and Thieves (Book #1)
Autographing Area AA02
Abrams SDCC ’23 Exclusives
Here are the SDCC ’23 con exclusives from Abrams:
Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy
By Bill Griffith
2023 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON EXCLUSIVE EDITION!
Limit of 100 Numbered and Signed Copies Available
Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Legacy of Yangchen (Chronicles of the Avatar #4)
By F. C. Yee
DEBUTING AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON: EXCLUSIVE COLLECTOR’S EDITION!
This exclusive Collector’s Edition features a wraparound poster jacket with stunning artwork showcasing Avatar Yangchen in the newest chapter of the New York Times bestselling series.
Also Available:
Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Dawn of Yangchen (Chronicles of the Avatar #3) Exclusive Collector’s Edition
My Mighty Marvel First Book Boxed SetLIMITED EDITION BOXED SET!
This limited-edition boxed set of The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America, the first two books in the MY MIGHTY MARVEL FIRST BOOK series, features artwork by Jack Kirby and John Romita Sr. and includes a collector’s poster—a must for the youngest superfans and longtime collectors. Additional titles from MY MIGHTY MARVEL FIRST BOOK series, including Ant-Man and the Wasp and Captain Marvel, will be available for sale at booth #1216.
EXCLUSIVE GIFT WITH PURCHASE PRINT!
Spider-Man: Animals Assemble! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up)By Mike Maihack
EXCLUSIVE GIFT WITH PURCHASE POSTER!
Marvel Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book
By Matthew Reinhart
FREE Advance Reader Copy Giveaways at Abrams Booth #1216
In addition to all this, there will also be three free ARC giveaways at Abrams Booth #1216.
Available Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. while supplies last:
A Hundred Vicious Turns
(The Broken Tower Book 1)
By Lee Paige O’Brien
Available Thursday at 9:00 a.m. while supplies last:
The Shape of Time
(Rymworld Arcana Book #1)
by Ryan Calejo
Available Friday at 9:00 a.m. while supplies last:
Oliver’s Great Big Universe
by Jorge Cham
Abrams at SDCC ’23
Will you be checking out any of the panels, author signings, con exclusives or ARC giveaways being offered by Abrams at SDCC ’23?
The Beat wants to hear from you! Give us a shout-out in the comment section.
Miss any of our earlier SDCC ’23 coverage? Find it all here!
