Panels For Sci-Fi Lovers at Salt Lake Comic Con 2014

Salt Lake Comic Con has a little bit of something for everyone: celebrities, cosplay, advanced screenings, the artist alley, comic books and more. One of best parts of Salt Lake Comic Con, though, is the panels. Put your favorite celebrities, authors, and fellow geeks in a room for an hour, and you might learn a thing or two. Here are a few panels to put on your agenda at the convention next week.

Doctor Who

The Best of Doctor Who (Thursday 3:00 pm in 255B). Get your Doctor Who fix with Michelle Talkington, Tom Maloney, and Heather Maloney of the Geek Port and Keri Sharner of WhoGirls.net.
Who’s Your Doctor? (Friday 12:00 PM in 250A). Because you were a Doctor Who fan before Chris Eccleston. A mainstay of British television for 50 years, some of us have been fans of the Doctor for decades. (I swear I used to watch it when Mom wasn’t home in the early ‘80s) This will be a discussion among fans old and new covering both the good and laughably bad adventures of the world’s favorite Doctor.

Super Heroes

Re-Imagining Super Heroes (Friday 12:00 PM in 255B): Thor is a woman and Donald Glover will play Spider-Man in an upcoming version of the classic super hero comic. A panel of writers, artists and critics take suggestions from the audience to re-imagine a series of beloved super heroes. Who will be altered drastically – and who will be considered too sacred to change?
DC Comics: The Best & Worst of the New 52 (Thursday 8:00 PM in Room 355D): It’s been three years since DC rebooted their comic universe with the New 52. Jeremiah Lupo, Trent Hunsaker, Chad Hardin, and Robert Easton will discuss what they got right, what they got wrong and what the future might hold.
X-Men vs. Avengers: The Smackdown in Film and Comics (Friday at 4:00 PM in Room 251A): It’s hard not to have a favorite. Elias Pate, Andrew Malin, McCord Larsen, Kade Herbert, Blake Casselman and JC Carter will argue the merits of which is better. But the question I want to know is: when will Wolverine become an Avenger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Why People Need to Pay More Attention to Natalia Romanova a.k.a. Black Widow (Friday 6:00 PM in Room 251A):From Soviet super-spy to ally of the Avengers, the Black Widow hits 50 this year – and has never been more important. Come and be part of a lively discussion about the character who faced down an alien horde alongside her more powerful male counterparts, armed with two handguns and her widow’s sting in Marvel’s “The Avengers.”

Star Wars

Star Wars: Rebels (Friday 1:00 PM in Room 250A): If Asoka’s resignation from the Jedi Order hit you where it counts, this might be the panel for you. Watch a bunch of geeks (Bryan Young, Leigh George Kade, James Floyd and Joe Corroney) lose their minds and speculate about how this could be the greatest animated creation since Clone Wars.
What We Know and What We Think We Know about Episode VII (Thursday 5 PM in Room 250A): In J.J. Abrams we trust. A panel of experts will weigh in on what information Disney has allowed to reach the masses, what’s churning in the rumor mill and what is hoped for the next installment of galactic adventures.
The Cinema Behind Star Wars (Friday at 8:00 PM in Room 255F): If parts of Star Wars seemed familiar, it’s because George Lucas wasn’t afraid to borrow – and liberally. Join Sean Smithson, Kevin J. Anderson and Bryan Young as they discuss the cinematic influences which shaped, informed and, in some cases, provided direct content for the Star Wars saga, including the impact of samurai helmets and Toshiro Mifune.

Author and Writing Panels

Building Plot: How to Implement Rising Action, the Try/Fail Cycle and Character Arcs into Your Stories (Thursday 3:00 PM in Room 151G): Starring some of the biggest authors in science fiction, come learn how to keep your audience engaged in your story – or just catch up with your favorite authors. Look for Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time, Mistborn), Brandon Mull (Fablehaven, Beyonders), Jessica Day George (Wednesdays in the Tower, Dragon Slippers), David Farland (Runelords, On My Way to Paradise), Larry Correia (Monster Hunters), Brad R. Torgersen (The Chaplain’s War) and Kevin J. Anderson (Saga of the Seven Suns).
Han Shot First: Character Defining Moments (Thursday 7 PM in Room 255E): When did your favorite character cross the Rubicon? Join authors and superfans James A. Owen, Chad Morris, Jacob Gowans, Patrick Gibbs, JC Carter, John Steinerand Dan Wells as they discuss these moments and how to create them in your own writing.
Why the Hero’s Mentor Has to Die (Saturday 12:00 PM in Room 255C): Obi-Wan and Luke Skywalker, Uncle Ben and Peter Parker. Even Jonathan Kent for Clark Kent. Every hero has a source of wisdom and there is inevitably a moment where that mentor needs to exit to allow the hero to spread his wings. Why does the mentor have to die? Find out here!

And More!

Firefly Film Round-Up (Thursday 4 PM in Room 251A): The Brown Coats are alive and well in Salt Lake City. Come join other enthusiasts and asks questions about the fan films of Firefly, past, present and future. Meet the people working on them and learn how to get involved with production locally and around the globe.
Battlestar Galactica: 10th Anniversary Reimagining of the Classic Science Fiction Series (Saturday 12:00 PM in Room 251A): Dan Wells, John Steiner, Virginia Rush and James Floyd discuss the reimagined shows impact on science fiction. Will someone please ask them to explain how it ended??
BRAIIIINS! Interactive Zombie Apocalypse Rock Opera (Thursday 4 PM in 255E): And now for something completely different – undead performers Paul Genesse, Craig Nybo, Dave Butler, James Wymore and Carter Reid will take you on a hilarious, musical journey through the world premiere of the latest and greatest interactive zombie rock opera!