Books On Film | WonderCon 2014 Edition

WonderCon is a primarily a comic book and collectibles convention, but also includes games, books, and media. Attendees are able to attend moderated panels with industry professionals who come to discuss their upcoming projects as well as show sneak peaks. Several upcoming films promoted at WonderCon were adapted from books/comics and several were adapted into books/comics.

 

Movies

The cast and director of The Maze Runner, schedule to be released September 2014, were present as part of the 20th Century Fox panel. The film is an adaption of James Dashner's teen novel of the same name. To see more about this book, check out one of my previous posts on upcoming 2014 YA adaptations.

The writer/producer of X-Men: Days of Future Past, schedule to be released next month, was also part of the Fox panel and there to discuss the film adaption of the 1980's Days of Future Past storyline. In the comic, Kitty Pryde transfers her mind into that on her younger self in order try to prevent occurrences in the past that lead to mutants being interned in the future. The movie adaption is obviously making one huge departure by sending Wolverine in to the past and it's yet to be seen what other changes have been made.

 

The writer of science fiction thriller Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and scheduled to be released X,  was present discuss the his adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka's 'light novel' All You Need Is Kill. The novel is set in a future earth at war with mysterious aliens called Mimics. A new military recruit with no experience ends up stuck in a time loop after being killed on his first day.

Animated Movies

There's a children's film festival and anime festival that goes on as part of WonderCon, however I did not attend either because there are too many activities and not enough time.

 

However, I did watch the Warner's Brother animated film, Son of Batman, which is schedule to be released on DVD/Blu-ray next month, which was screened in it's entirety. The film is an adaptation of the comic book Batman and Son. The comic is about Damian Wayne, son of Bruce Wayne and Tahlia al Ghul, who meets for the first time.

 

The voice actors and writer of How to Train Your Dragon 2 were also present for the XX panel to talk about the second film adaptation of the How To Train Your Dragon series. To learn more about these books please visit my previous post on the series.

Television Shows

Warner Brothers screened several episodes of their The CW shows, including this weeks episode of The 100. The 100 is an adaptation of a book of the same name by author Kass Morgan. The novel is about one hundred juvenile delinquents who are sent out by their space dwelling society to recolonize earth.

 

Falling Skies, TNT's science fiction television show produced by Steven Spielberg has been adapted into a comic of the same name by Dark Horse Comics. The series is about the survivors of an alien invaded earth and the comics take place between the seasons of the show.

Books & Comics

Since WonderCon is a comic convention there were, of course, many, many comic panels, including a special Batman 75th Anniversary panel in a new Batman Beyond short was shown. Batman Beyond is a bit unique in the Batman-verse. It started as an animated series and was later adapted into a comic unlike the original Batman comics and it's spin-offs. 

 

There were also panels for aspiring novel, comic book, and television writers on the writing process, publishing, and more. Sadly, I missed the 'What's Hot in Young Adult Fiction' panel which featured several young adult authors discussing trends in YA fiction. However, I was able to catch a panel with paranormal romance novelist and Marvel comic author Marjorie Liu who discussed her career change from lawyer to writer, explained the difference between comic and novel writing, and gave tips for aspiring writers.

 

Liu is known largely for her Dirk & Steele and Hunter Kiss series as well as her run on Astonishing X-Men, X-23, and Black Widow comics.

Covers courtesy of LibraryThing.

Books On Film | Teen in '14 (The Maze Runner/The Book Thief)

The Maze Runner by James Dashner is the first book in a trilogy. A boy named Thomas wakes up in 'The Glade' surrounded by a giant maze with no memory of his past. Thomas, and the other fifty other boys, work to survive and protect themselves from the monsters that roam within it.

The movie adaptation is schedule to be released in September. It stars Dylan O'Brien (Teen Wolf) and Kaya Scodelario (Skins).

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is narrated by Death who tells the tale of a young foster child, her family, neighborhood, and the Jewish man hidden in her home in Nazy Germany during World War II.

The movie adaptation is schedule to be released in November. It stars Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson.

Covers courtesy of LibraryThing.

Books On Film (Special Edition) | SDCC for Book Readers

Everyone knows that San Diego Comic Con draws in comic book publishers, artists, and fans. Did you know that San Diego Comic Con also draws in general book publishers, authors, and fans, too?

There is a whole section on the exhibit floor that is full of nothing but book publishers. Big and small publishers are there with books for sale at a discount, advanced copies of upcoming titles, and book signings with authors.

One might think that publishers might only bring science fiction or fantasy titles to Comic Con, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. There are displays for children's books, teen fantasy, adult urban fiction, and much more. The titles span every fiction genre and there books for readers of all ages.

Publishers also host panels to showcase upcoming titles. Panelist, including authors, do book talks and answer questions about their titles. Aspiring writers also have the opportunity to attend panels about writing and publishing lead by authors and industry experts.

Of course, since book to movie/tv adaptations are all the rage there are plenty of book derived things to see, too. To start, all the halls at the convention were decorated with giant banner's from the television adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series!

While at the convention, I attended a panel for the television adaptation of Stephen King's Under the Dome, walked through a set & costume display for the movie adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, the cast of the movie adaptation of James Dashner's The Maze Runner were present for a panel, and I passed by a huge decorated booth giving out t-shirts and posters for the movie adaptation of Veronica Roth's Divergent---just to name a few things.

 

And, of course, no one can't forget the costumes! There were plenty of Harry Potter and Game of Throne characters, of course, but I also ran into at least one Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and these Warm Bodies cosplayers.

All in all, San Diego Comic Con is a fun time for comic book fans, anime lovers, gamers, tv and movie watchers, and readers!

All photos taken by me at San Diego Comic Con International 2013.