WonderCon 2022 returns to in-person events this weekend! Here is a list of panels happening on Friday, April 1st that shine a light on diverse voices and representation.
Since 2012, WonderCon Anaheim—now called Comic-Con International Presents WonderCon Anaheim—has been held in southern California at the Anaheim Convention Center. WonderCon is the sister show to Comic-Con, embracing all of the main aspects of SDCC, including comics, movies, TV, animation, cosplay, and more. WonderCon 2022 will take place this weekend, April 1-3rd.
List of WonderCon 2022 Panels that feature Diverse Voices and Representation
We strive to provide the most inclusive list possible. If you know of any panels or events we may have missed, then let us know in the comments.
Diversity in Film, TV, Games, Comics: How YOU Can Help!
Friday, April 1, 2022
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Room 207
Speakers share their inspirational career paths in the entertainment industry and discuss issues of diversity and representation for women, ethnicities, LGBTQ+, and more. Panelists include Nhut Le (Judomaster actor from Peacemaker), and Anne Toole (writer, Horizon Zero Dawn game and Women of Marvel comic). Moderated by Kevin Winston (Digital LA).
Publishing Works of Queer Triumph in a Heteronormative Society
Friday, April 1, 2022
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Room 209
YA authors Zabé Ellor (May the Best Man Win), Carly Heath (The Reckless Kind), Naz Kutub (The Loophole), Emery Lee (Meet Cute Diary), Alexandra Overy (These Feathered Flames), and Sonora Reyes (The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School) discuss the rewards and challenges of publishing books with queer representation and offer tips for creators on helping queer kids feel seen in literature.
David A. Robertson on Indigenous Representation and Appropriation in Comics
Friday, April 1, 2022
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Room 208
WonderCon Special Guest David A. Robertson hosts a conversation about the historic representation of Indigenous people in comics. Dive into some of his comics and how they address this issue and promote positive and accurate representations of Indigenous people in comics.
Fierce Reads, Fierce Females
Friday, April 1, 2022
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Room 213AB
Looking for your next high-stakes read? Authors will discuss stories about women warriors and epic adventures, ancient-Mesoamerica-inspired feminist fantasy, and young women fighting to save an indie bookstore. Mary Pearson (Morrighan), Lizz Huerta (The Lost Dreamer), and Aminah Mae Safi (Traveler’s Along the Way) talk about their recent and upcoming female-driven books. Moderated by Adalyn Grace (All the Stars and Teeth).
How Comics Influence STEAM, Social Justice, and Equality
Friday, April 1, 2022
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Room 211
Chris Garcia shares how movies like Black Panther can be used by teachers as resources to analyze the physics of sci-fi movies, giving students opportunities for inquiry. They also raise the opportunities for discussions about minorities, women as scientists, and navigating equality within the fight of good vs. evil. This type of learning environment allows one to foster and facilitate equitable conversations among civil rights, social justice, and STEAM.
Riding the Whirlwind: Women Producers in Video Games
Friday, April 1, 2022
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Room 213CD
Panelists discuss the changing game industry and the women that have been leading the charge at the Game Studios. Hosted by Susan Adams (former executive producer, Global Production of Blizzard Activision, Warcraft/Call of Duty).
Spotlight on Sarah Kuhn
Friday, April 1, 2022
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Room 208
As a prolific writer of prose, comics, and other assorted words, Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex series; From Little Tokyo, with Love) has created many beloved stories in the worlds of fantasy, superheroes, and romance while also writing for such iconic characters as Star Wars’ Doctor Aphra and DC’s Cassandra Cain (Shadow of the Batgirl). Join Kuhn and some of her best writer friends, Jenn Fujikawa (Star Wars: The Life Day Cookbook) and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), for an in-depth conversation about creative collaboration, Asian American superheroines, and protagonists of color, and all their secret and not-so-secret nerd inspirations.
Animation and Diversity in the Age of Black Lives Matter
Friday, April 1, 2022
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Room 207
Aaron Grizzell (The Black and Brown Comix Arts Festival; Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation) hosts Tracy Curry (a.k.a. The D.O.C., NWA), Darius Gainer (Black Representation in the World of Animation, San Diego: Amatl Comics), John Semper (Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Fox Kids Network), Angelique Roché (Marvel Voices; My Super Hero Is Black), Deborah Anderson (Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, Batman: The Brave and The Bold, Scooby-Doo, The LeBrons); and Sean Brown (PECAN Studios). They will discuss their careers in animation, the way the industry has changed, what continues to hamper the industry’s inclusion of more diverse voices, and new projects on the horizon featuring creative talent in storytelling and animation.
Why Diverse Stories Matter: Voices from the BIPOC/ LGBTQ+/Neurodiverse Community
Friday, April 1, 2022
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Room 213AB
A panel of eccentric writers, artists, and mental health therapists hold a lively discussion on why diverse stories matter and why your story matters. How do writers and artists weave their lived experiences into their stories? How do mental health therapists support geeky fans in their therapeutic practices? Lorran Garrison (school psychologist, Little Brainstorm) and Ariel Landrum (therapist, Happiest Pod on Earth) lead a discussion on how pop culture can and should support mental health wellness. Panelists include Mark Nazal (Diwata Komiks), Leo Partible (Nello Bravo Arts), Robert Rice (Demonhuntr, Amazon Prime), Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press), Chance Calloway (Pretty Dudes, Amazon Prime), and Natasha Lee (Insomniac Games). There will be giveaways.
Celebrating AAPI Voices in Media
Friday, April 1, 2022
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Room 208
Trung Nguyen (artist), Mark Nazal (filmmaker), Leo Partible (comic book creator, filmmaker, Nello Bravo Arts), Ariel Landrum (therapist), Stefanie Bautista (educator), and Lorran Garrison (school psychologist and co-author of Little Brainstorm) come together to lift the voices of AAPI creators, AAPI representation, and their hopes for AAPI media in the future.
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