Press Release: Wizard World Chicago

Wizard World Unveils Mobile App In Time For Chicago Comic Con

Schedules, Profiles, News, Photos, Maps, Notifications And More Just A Tap Away

NEW YORK, August 7, 2012 – Just in time for its longest-running and most-attended show, Wizard World today unveiled the “Official Wizard World Comic Con App,” a must-have for attendees to get the most out of events before, during and after each show, beginning with Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 9-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.  The free app is available for smartphones running on iOS or Android, in the App Store (Apple) and Google Play.

The Official Wizard World Comic Con App serves as a robust event guide for convention attendees, as well as a way for fans to connect with each other and learn about what's new with Wizard World year round.  Some of the standout features include:

• Event schedule, with days, times and details of programming, photo ops, VIP events and more.  Attendees can mark their favorites and share with friends on Facebook and Twitter
• Push notifications of programming updates and contests
• Celebrity and artist profiles
• Convention Map
• Handy ticketing function for upgrades and upcoming events
• Exhibitor specials and profiles
• Photos and videos updated from the show floor
• News and info from Wizard World's Twitter, Facebook and Blogs

Features will be added as the app grows, and fans are encouraged to let Wizard World know which they enjoy most and which new ones would be helpful.

“The app is a great way for attendees to keep up with all the fun activities going on at Wizard World shows and to be a part of our shows year round,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO.  “We think it's a good start and we look forward to feedback from attendees and other fans as to how to make it serve them even better.”

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

***** SAVE THE 2012 DATES *****
August 9-12, 2012 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 29-30, 2012 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 26-28, 2012 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
November 30 - December 2, 2012 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
TBD, 2013 – Wizard World Toronto Comic Con
May 30 - June 2, 2013 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

Press Release: Wizard World Chicago

'Vampire Diaries,' 'NCIS,' Stan Lee, Jon Bernthal, 'Star Trek' Captains Q&A's, Evening Parties To Highlight Wizard World Chicago Comic Con Programming
 
Full Four-Day Schedule Includes Sessions With James Marsters, WWE® Superstar CM Punk®, Hayden Panettiere, “Buffyfest” Reunion, Costume Contests, Kids' Activities, Sci-Fi Speed Dating, Jedi Master Classes and More, August 9-12 at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center

NEW YORK and ROSEMONT, Ill., July 23, 2012 – Movies, TV, comics, art, sci-fi and the rest of the pop culture world are covered with the diverse, full four day programming schedule at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 9-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.  From interactive Q&A sessions with stars like Stan Lee, William Shatner, Jon Bernthal and WWE® Superstar CM Punk® to themed panels highlighting “Vampire Diaries,” “Star Trek,” “NCIS” and more, to a movie screening, evening parties, kids activities, costume contests and Jedi Master Classes, there's something for everyone in the expanded offerings.

Highlight programming at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con includes:

• Celebrity Q&A's featuring Lee, Bernthal, WWE® Superstar CM Punk®, Hayden Panettiere, Bruce Campbell, James Marsters and more
• Three “Star Trek” captains reunite as Shatner (“Captain Kirk”) Scott Bakula (“Captain Archer”) and Avery Brooks (“Captain Sisko”) compare stories of their respective times at the command of the Enterprise
• “Vampire Diaries” Q&A with Paul Wesley and Torrey DeVitto
• Discussion of the hit “NCIS” franchise with lovely ladies Lauren Holly and Scottie Thompson
• The Boondock Saints trio of Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus and David Della Rocco rekindle memories of the popular 1999 cult movie and sequel 10 years later
• Screening of the new film Contamination - A Convention Story, an in-depth look at the fans and celebrities who attend Horror, Sci-Fi, and Pop Culture Conventions
• Party with fellow Wizard World revelers at the Artist Party on Thursday and VIP Launch Party on Friday (sites and times TBD)
• Love is in the air with Sci-Fi Speed Dating, for those looking to “Terminate” their single lives
• Kids Day on Sunday, with a full slate of activities specially designed for the youngsters
• It wouldn't be Wizard World Comic Con without cosplay and costume contests – adults on Saturday night, kids on Sunday

Unless noted, programming events take place in designated rooms at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.  Many are included as part of standard Wizard World Chicago Comic Con admission; VIP tickets or additional costs may apply to ensure access to select activities.  Seating for panels is strictly limited and available on a first come first serve basis and each room will be cleared between panels.  Programming subject to change; attendees should check the schedule board on site for updates.

Programming at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con is available in detail at http://www.wizardworld.com/programming-ch.html, and scheduled as follows:

Thursday, August 9
1 – 1:45 p.m. Spotlight On CAFU And Daniel Acuna (Room 11)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Wizard School With Paul Jenkins (Room 11)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Portfolio Reviews With Shon C. Bury (Room 11)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Inside The Shadow Show: Legacy Of Ray Bradbury (Room 11)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Portfolio Reviews With David Macho (Room 11)
7 – 8:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
evening TBD Artist Party

Friday, August 10
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Storytelling With Michael Golden: Taking It To The Next Level (Room 14)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Rob Lean And R.B. Silva (Room 11)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Spartacus Q&A (Room 14)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Portfolio Reviews With David Macho (Room 11)
2 – 4 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Sam Trammell Q&A (Room 14)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Super Secrets: Lifting The Curtain On The Man Of Steel (Room 11)
3 – 5 p.m. Sci-Fi Speed Dating (Room 21)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Art Of Brom (Room 14)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Razor The Mysteriouz–Magic Show (Room 11)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Star Trek Captains Reunion (Room 14)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Comic Con Costuming With The 501st (Room 11)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Five Year Mission Band (Room 14)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Vic Mignogna Q&A (Room 11)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Stan Lee Meet & Greet – Paid Event (TBD)
7 – 7:45 p.m. Rodolfo Migliari Q&A (Room 14)
8 – 9:30 p.m. Film: “Contamination: A Convention Story” (Room 14)
7 – 8:00 p.m. James Marsters 50th Birthday Celebration Concert - Paid Event (Muvico Theater)
evening TBD VIP Launch Party

Saturday, August 11
11 – 11:45 a.m. James Marsters Q&A (Room 14)
Noon – 12:45 p.m. Vampire Diaries Q&A (Room 14)
Noon – 12:45 p.m. NCIS Q&A (Room 11)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
1 – 1:45 p.m. James Hong Q&A (Room 14)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Charmed Q&A (Room 11)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Troma Entertainment (Room 9)
1 – 3 p.m. Sci-Fi Speed Dating (Room 21)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Hayden Panettiere Q&A (Room 14)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Dean Cain Q&A (Room 11)
2 – 4 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Tom Felton Q&A (Room 14)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Star Wars Q&A (Room 11)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Bruce Campbell Q&A (Room 14)
4 – 4:45 p.m. Sean Young Q&A (Room 11)
4 – 6 p.m. Sci-Fi Speed Dating (Room 21)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Greg Capullo Workshop (Room 14)
5 – 5:45 p.m. Kevin Sorbo Q&A (Room 11)
6 – 6:30 p.m. WWE® Superstar Cm Punk® Q&A (Room 11)
6 – 6:45 p.m. Stan Lee Meet & Greet – Paid Event (TBD)
6 – 9 p.m. Wizard World Adult Costume Contest (Room 14)

Sunday, August 12
11 – 11:45 a.m. Stan Lee Q&A (Room 14)
11 – 11:45 a.m. Ghostbusters Reading (Room 11)
Noon –12:45 p.m. Buffyfest Q&A (Room 14)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
Noon – 12:45 p.m. Kids Arts & Crafts (Room 11)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Jon Bernthal Q&A (Room 14)
1 – 1:45 p.m. Wizard World Kids Costume Contest (Room 11)
2 – 2:45 p.m. The Boondock Saints Q&A (Room 14)
2 – 2:45 p.m. Stan Lee Meet & Greet – Paid Event (TBD)
2 - 4 p.m. Jedi Lightsaber Master Class (Show Arena – Show Floor)
2 - 2:45 p.m. Reading With John Sazaklis (Room 11)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Draw Like A Superhero With Art Balthazar (Room 11)
3 – 3:45 p.m. Ben’s Bubbleshow (Room 14) 

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages and dozens of celebrities and industry professionals to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. 

For more on the event, including hours, celebrities, creators, vendors, VIP and photo opportunities, programming schedules, evening entertainment, autographs, sponsorship and volunteer information and more, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-ch.html. 

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

***** SAVE THE 2012 DATES *****
August 9-12, 2012 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 29-30, 2012 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 26-28, 2012 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
November 30 - December 2, 2012 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
TBD, 2013 – Wizard World Toronto Comic Con
May 30 - June 2, 2013 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

The KtS Contest: 500 Films!

UPDATE: This contest has ended. Congratulations to Sarah Rugg! Look for a review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl later this week, and your KtS Care Package soon after! Thanks, everyone, for entering!

Yes, it's been nearly three years since I began kicking seats, and this site has 490 reviews to show for it.*

To celebrate, I'm here to announce The 500 Films Contest!

The rules are simple:

In the "Comments" section below, tell me which movie I should critique for the big five-dash-oh-dash-oh. The movie must be available in the following formats:

• Netflix Streaming or Amazon Instant Streaming
• DVD rental
• Theatrical wide-release feature on the weekend of July 20th** 

If your pick is hard to find or out-of-print, you're out of luck.

Feel free to recommend a good movie, a great movie, or a movie so terrible that I'll question whether or not you actually like me, or are, in fact, part of some sick revenge plot devised by a jilted high school girlfriend.

(Oh, and one movie per comment, please. Lists are messy and will be DQ'd PDQ.)

At 11:59pm on Friday, July 20th, I'll choose a winner at my discretion and post a review of that film shortly thereafter. In addition to bragging rights, the winning entrant will receive a KtS care package containing a hodge-podge of movie-related goodies--some of which have been scribbled on by famous people.

So, sharpen those brain-pencils, kids! Let's make film five-hundred a doozy!

*A handful of older reviews pre-date the KtS launch, appearing as a supplement to my defunct art blog.

**Limited-release films are okay, as long as they're playing in Chicago.

Press Release: Wizard World Chicago

Carlos Pacheco, George Pérez, Greg Capullo, J. Scott Campbell Among Superstar Creators To Attend 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con

Five Eisner Award Winners Including Stan Lee, Eight Nominees And 300+ Artists And Writers To Join Standout Celebrities At Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, August 9-12

NEW YORK and ROSEMONT, Ill., June 28, 2012 – An All-Star lineup of comic and toy creators, including notables Carlos Pacheco, George Pérez, Greg Capullo, J. Scott Campbell and many others from around the world will populate Artist Alley at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, August 9-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.  Among the special guests are five Eisner Award winners, including Hall of Famer Stan Lee, and eight nominees of the prestigious honor.

In addition to Pacheco (“X-Men,” “Green Lantern”), Pérez (“Superman,” “JSA”), Capullo (“Batman,” “Spawn”) and Campbell (“Avengers vs. X-Men,” “Spider-Man”), the head of the roster includes Daniel Acuña ("Wolverine," "Avengers"), Rodolfo Migliari ("Green Arrow," "Green Lantern"), Brom ("Dungeons & Dragons," "The Plucker"), “CAFU” (Carlos Alberto Fernandez Urbano) ("Superboy," "X-Men"), Humberto Ramos ("Amazing Spider-Man," Impulse"), Paul Jenkins ("Batman," "Hulk"), Ken Kelly ("Star Wars," "Star Trek), Pat Lee ("Iron Man," "Wolverine"), Mahmud A. Asrar ("Supergirl," "Adventure Comics"), Budd Root ("Cavewoman"), Shane Davis ("Superboy," "Bruce Wayne - The Road Home"), Rob Lean ("Superboy," "Lady Death"), R.B. Silva ("Superboy," "Supergirl"), Barry Kitson ("Uncanny X-Force," "Avengers"), Clay Mann ("Gambit," "Dark Reign: Elektra"), Mike McKone ("Green Lantern," "Spider-Man"), Yanick Paquette ("Wolverine: Weapon X," "Wonder Woman), Michael Golden ("Daredevil," "The Punisher"), Arthur Suydam ("Marvel Zombies," "Army of Darkness"), Doug Wheatley ("Aliens," "Conan"), Greg Horn ("Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark," "X-Force”), Chris Burnham ("Batman Incorporated," "The Amory Wars"), Mark Texeira ("Wolverine," "Black Panther") and David Mack ("Kabuki," "Daredevil").

Many top local Chicagoland artists such as Burnham and Eisner Award Winner Art Baltazar ("Superman Family Adventures," "Tiny Titans”) will also be on hand.

Eisner winners scheduled to attend the show are Lee, Baltazar, Pérez, Paul Jenkins (“Hulk,” “Origin”) and Dave Dorman (“G.I. Joe,” “Indiana Jones”).  Nominees include Pacheco, Ramos, Mack, Eliza Frye ("The Lady’s Murder," "Lucky House"), Phil Hester ("Wonder Woman," "Daredevil"), Rafael Nieves ("The Apocalypse Plan," "Bob Howard: Plumber Of The Unknown"), Ben Templesmith ("Wasteland, "Buffy") and Billy Tucci ("Birds of Prey," "Sgt. Rock).

As the impressive list of creators shows, Artist Alley at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con covers virtually every popular character ever seen in comics, movies and other media.

In addition to the superstar creator lineup, the expanded, four-day event features more than 50 celebrities, including headliners like William Shatner, Scott Bakula, Tom Felton, Jon Bernthal, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and WWE® Superstars CM Punk™ and John Cena®, in what is shaping up as the biggest Wizard World show ever and the Midwest’s No. 1 Pop Culture Convention.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. 

For more on the 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-ch.html.

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

***** SAVE THE 2012 DATES *****
August 9-12, 2012 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 29-30, 2012 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 26-28, 2012 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
November 30 - December 2, 2012 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
TBD, 2013 – Wizard World Toronto Comic Con
May 30 - June 2, 2013 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con

The KtS Contest: ROCKIN' THE JOURNEY!

UPDATE! This contest has ended. Congratulations to Rachel on winning the DVD!

Hey, Everyone! To celebrate the recent home video release of Journey 2 The Mysterious Island, Kicking the Seat has teamed with Partnershub to offer you a chance to win this action-packed family adventure on DVD!

To enter the Rockin' The Journey Contest, simply head to the "Comments" section below and type the name of your favorite movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Yes, it really is that simple! Post your answer by 11:59pm on Tuesday, June 19th. I'll pick a winner at random to receive their very own copy of the film.

In the meantime, please spread the word and, if you're feeling adventurous, take the "Would You Survive ?" quiz via the app below.

Thanks again for reading, and good luck!