BBC.com Culture Takes on San Diego Comic Con with Axel Alonso, Paul Dini and more

By John Freeman on July 3, 2015

Axel Alonso. Photo © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons

Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso joins others on the BBC’s “How Comics Took Over Hollywood” panel at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. Photo © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons

BBC.com Culture will host its first ever San Diego Comic-Con panel, “How Comic Books Took Over Hollywood,” at this year’s annual gathering this month, featuring Marvel Comics’ Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso, Batman: The Animated Series writer/producer Paul Dini, Star Wars: The Clone Wars voice actress Ashley Eckstein, and Fanboys director Kyle Newman, marking the first time these industry legends and trendsetters will be together on one stage.

The panel, moderated by BBC.com’s Deputy Culture Editor Christian Blauvelt, will discuss the recent success of comics in Hollywood, explore why it “gets” comic book storytelling now when for decades it didn’t, and why the format has recently become so massively popular in film and television.

Panel room and time will be released closer to the event. Follow @Ctblauvelt for updates.

Christian Blauvelt Image via @ctblauvelt

Christian Blauvelt is Deputy Editor of BBC.com Culture based in New York. Prior to joining the BBC, he was a culture and entertainment journalist for Entertainment Weekly and Hollywood.com, and he makes frequent TV appearances on BBC World News’ Talking Movies show and the CBS New York Sunday Morning News.

Axel Alonso, Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief, was also an editor at DC Comics from 1994 to 2000, and has at Marvel Comics since 2000. At DC, he edited a number of books published under their Vertigo line, including Doom Patrol, Animal Man, Hellblazer, Preacher and 100 Bullets.

As Senior Editor at Marvel Comics, he edited Spider-Man and X-Men related books before ascending to Vice President, Executive Editor in 2010, and Editor-in-Chief in January 2011, replacing Joe Quesada. He has also worked as a writer and inker.

Writer and producer Paul Dini (whose official biography is much more interesting to read than this) is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond and Duck Dodgers. He developed and scripted Krypto the Superdog and contributed scripts to shows such as Transformers, Animaniacs, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. After leaving Warner Bros. in early 2004, Dini went on to write and story edit the popular ABC adventure series Lost.

He has written a number of comic books for DC Comics, including Harley Quinn and Superman: Peace on Earth and has since served as a writer and producer for Ultimate Spider-Man and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. at Marvel.

Actress Maria Ashley Eckstein, credited as Ashley Eckstein or Ashley Drane, is best known as film and television actress whose credits include Blue Collar TV and the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. She also runs the Her Universe clothing line featuring fashion inspired by Doctor Who, Star Wars and more

Director, writer and producer Kyle Newman is best known for the 2009 release Fanboys (in which Star Wars fanatics take a cross-country trip to George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch so their dying friend can see a screening of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace before its release), The Hollow and Bitten by Love . His new film, Barely Lethal, starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jessica Alba and Samuel L. Jackson is in US cinemas now.

• The How Comic Books Took Over Hollywood Panel room and time will be released closer to the event. Follow @Ctblauvelt for updates.

• BBC Culture: www.bbc.com/culture

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.