Seven Impossible Things Before Lunch

Continuing on my look at the San Diego Comic Con schedule, here's a look at the Saturday events that catch my eye.

10:30-11:30 Warner Bros. Presents 300— Appearing in person: Creator Frank Miller, director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead), and actors David Wenham (Faramir in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Return of the King) and Gerard Butler (Phantom of the Opera; Lara Croft: Cradle of Life). Based on the epic graphic novel by Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, the Spartans' valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller's (Sin City) acclaimed Dark Horse graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale. Hall H

300 is a favorite of mine.

11:45-12:45 Grind House— Rose McGowan (Charmed), Marley Shelton (Sin City), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under), Michael Biehn (Aliens), and Jeff Fahey (Dark Hunters) star in Grind House, the new double feature from Dimension Films, directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, hitting theatres in April 2007. Join filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and members of the cast for a quick trip to Rodriguez's "Planet Terror," and be the first to hear exclusive news about what to expect once Tarantino's "Deathproof" cameras start rolling. Hall H

Grind House looks exciting, and I'm a big fan of QT.

12:00-1:00 The Simpsons— Heading into their unprecedented 18th season this fall, and with their historic 400th episode airing next spring, The Simpsons continues to entertain and delight. Members of the team responsible for the longest-running comedy on television will be on hand to answer the questions everyone wants to know, including: how do you continue to keep it so good? Panelists include Matt Groening, creator and executive producer; James L. Brooks, executive producer; Matt Selman, executive producer; David Mirkin, executive producer; Al Jean, executive producer and head writer; Don Payne, co-executive producer; Bill Odenkirk, co-executive producer; Matt Warburton, supervising producer; Mike Scully, producer; and David Silverman, director. Moderated by Bill Morrison. Room 20

Basically, every single person from every Simpsons audio commentary ever.

1:00-2:30 DCU: One Year Greater— With the world in post-Crisis shock, there's a lot of picking up to do. Look into the future of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman—not to mention Green Lantern, Green Arrow, the Flash, and all your other DCU favorites—in this slide-show presentation moderated by Dan DiDio, senior VP/executive editor, DCU, and Bob Wayne, VP, sales. Joining them will be editor Steve Wacker and creators Terry Dodson (Wonder Woman), Geoff Johns (Teen Titans, 52), Kurt Busiek (Action Comics, Aquaman, Superman), Ivan Reis (Green Lantern), Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Secret Six, All-New Atom), Grant Morrison (52, Batman, WildCATS), Judd Winick (Green Arrow, The Outsiders), Greg Rucka (52, Checkmate), Jimmy Palmiotti (Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Bludhaven, Jonah Hex, Secret Six), Paul Dini (Detective Comics), and Brad Meltzer (Identity Crisis, the upcoming Justice League of America). Room 6B

I'm a geek, but there's a ton of creators that I follow, all on one panel.

2:30-4:00 Spotlight on Shag— If every picture tells a story, Josh Agle (better known as Shag, a contraction of the last two letters of his first name and the first two of his last) has hundreds of stories to tell. His work, punctuated by a playful, vividly colored style, has entered the pop culture pantheon by storm. Comic-Con special guest Shag talks about his work and answers your questions in this special event. Room 6A

My question would be: why is everything you produce so expensive?

3:30-4:30 Spotlight on Brad Meltzer— The New York Times best-selling author of such books as The Tenth Justice, The Millionaires, and the upcoming The Book of Fate is also the writer behind DC Comics' Identity Crisis and the new ongoing Justice League book. Brad Meltzer talks about his career and his life-long love of comics and where he plans to take the World's Greatest Superheroes. Room 5AB

I'm geekily interested in the new Justice League of America book.

5:00-6:30 Sony Presents— Sony Pictures proudly presents a pair of Marvels: The classic Marvel comic Ghost Rider comes to the big screen with Academy Award–winning Nicolas Cage playing Johnny Blaze. Appearing in person to answer your questions and show some previews will be the film's stars Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes and director Mark Steven Johnson. Oh, and did we mention Spidey 3? Come find out why we don't have to say anything else . . . besides Sam Raimi! Hall H

I probably won't attend this, but still: Nicolas Cage!

5:30-7:00 Gays in Comics, Year 19: Infinitely Out and Civil Pride— From Young Avengers to Batwoman, Freedom Ring to Tough Love, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) characters are popping up more in mainstream comics, and GLBT creators are writing, drawing, or self-publishing more than ever. At its near-two-decade mark, the annual Gays in Comics panel takes the pulse of queer comicdom, showcasing some groundbreaking creators and their insights. Joining moderator Andy Mangels (writer of Star Trek novels, director of He-Man and She-Ra DVD documentaries) are Patty Jeres (past DC director of marketing communications, current PRISM board member), Abby Denson (creator of Tough Love: High School Confidential graphic novel), Greg Rucka (writer of Gotham Central, 52, Checkmate), Gail Simone (writer of Secret Six, Birds of Prey), Marc Andreyko (writer of Manhunter), and Phil Jimenez (artist/writer of Infinite Crisis, Otherworld). Afterward, stick around for an hour-long gay comic fan mixer/social, sponsored by PRISM Comics! Room 6A

Dunno how long I can stay at this, since at 8pm we're heading out to see Kathy Griffin.

I just wish Allan Heinberg (who's writing Wonder Woman and Young Avengers) could be there.