Dr. Langley appears in two of these panels. He recorded and edited the other two.

Jul 23, 2021 1:00 pm
Stan Lee, Marvel, and Rolling Stone: 50th Anniversary
Fifty years ago, a Herb Trimpe-drawn Hulk graced the coveted cover of the hip Rolling Stone magazine’s September 16, 1971 issue. The issue featured an insider’s POV article about Stan Lee and Marvel by Lee’s former assistant, Robin Green (successor to Fabulous Flo Steinberg), who went on to great success as writer/producer for The Sopranos and other landmark TV series. Looking back at the article’s creation and historical significance are Robin Green (The Sopranos), Roy Thomas (first Marvel EIC after Stan Lee), and former Marvel bullpenners Linda Fite (Claws of the Cat), Jean Thomas (Night Nurse), and Mimi Gold (Black Widow). Danny Fingeroth (A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee) moderates.

Jul 23, 2021 3:00 pm Pacific
Neurotic Superheroes and the Writers Who Love Them
Ever since the dawn of Marvel’s “superheroes with real problems,” costumed adventurers have let their psychological damage show, but who scripts these stories and why? What underlies Spider-Man’s angst, Captain America’s survivor guilt, Jessica Jones and Tony Stark’s alcohol problems, and the other mental challenges that vex modern superheroes? Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology; The Joker Psychology) and Danny Fingeroth (A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee) explore the thinking behind the tales of the most neurotic heroes and villains with writers Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man), Bryan Q Miller (Smallville), Louise Simonson (X-Factor), and Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans).

Jul 24, 2021 3:00 pm Pacific
Will Eisner and the Metropolis
From his comics to his graphic novels, city life is at the heart of Will Eisner’s work. Using his native New York as a template, Eisner shows everything from the joys to the terrors of metropolitan life. His classic Spirit stories are set in “Central City” and his autobiographical graphic novels are in the New York City of the Great Depression. In A Contract With God, New York: The Big City, City People Notebook, and others, he reveals the Metropolis as interpreted by his extraordinary skills as a writer and artist. Join David Hajdu (The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How it Changed America), Paul Levitz (Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel), Jerry Craft (New Kid), Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook), and moderator Danny Fingeroth (A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee) in this discussion and slideshow presentation as they reflect on the relationship between the artist, his work, and his city.

Jul 25, 2021 10:00 am Pacific
Comics Arts Conference Session #2: Eisner’s A Contract With God In Depth
Will Eisner’s A Contract With God was a landmark graphic novel when it was published in 1978 and is still influential today. In 2018, Kitchen Sink Books/Dark Horse published the incredible Curator’s Collection edition of the book, reproduced from Eisner’s original art—both pencil layouts and finished inked artwork! The deluxe slipcase, two-volume hardcover provides a rare glimpse into the creative process of the Champion of the Graphic Novel and the making of a comics masterwork. The collection includes commentary from Frank Miller, Dave Gibbons, Denis Kitchen, and the collection’s editor & designer John Lind. Today, publisher Denis Kitchen (Kitchen Sink Books) will give a visual presentation on the book, followed by a discussion with Kitchen and Eisner scholars Andrew Kunka (University of South Carolina Sumter), N.C. Christopher Couch (The Will Eisner Companion), Travis Langley (Henderson State University), and Danny Fingeroth (Will Eisner Week; A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee).