The San Diego Comic-Con runs kicks off with a preview night on July 20, then runs July 21-24. If you are a comics creator or publisher, and you’re planning to bring something new to the con — a sketchbook, a print, a graphic novel debut, anything! — then we want to hear from you. Drop me an email and let me know if you’ll have something cool on hand that attendees should know about. Feel free to send any artwork as well.

This time around we have panties from Pantheon (seriously), more Mimoco, word of an announcement by Dark Horse, plans for Viz and Arcana, several Hasbro exclusives and more. So let's get to it ...

Skullkickers creators Jim Zubkavich and Edwin Huang will be at the Image Comics booth #2729, selling hardcovers of the first volume of Skullkickers with an SDCC-exclusive cover. You can find more details here.

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Pantheon Books will be at booth #1515, giving away MetaMaus buttons and ... panties? They'll also have the above poster by Craig Thompson, which he'll be signing at the booth:

Pantheon Books will be at this year’s San Diego ComicCon (July 20-24), and we would love to see you there. We will be at Booth #1515.

We have two Pantheon authors joining us at ComicCon this year: Craig Thompson/HABIBI (onsale 9/20) and Chip Kidd/BAT MANGA!. Both will be appearing at our booth and on author panels.

Also, just a note that this year marks the 25th anniversary of Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer-Prize winning Maus, and in the fall Pantheon is publishing Spiegelman’s METAMAUS (onsale 10/4), a studied look at the genesis of Maus, accompanied by a DVD with never-before-seen panels, a home movie, and other objects relating to the original publication of Spiegelman’s groundbreaking original comic book. We will have METAMAUS buttons on hand for giveaway throughout the convention.

Finally, next spring, Pantheon’s sister imprint Schocken Books is publishing its first ever graphic novel: UNTERZAKHN (onsale 3/20/2012) by Leela Corman, a mesmerizing, heartbreaking story of immigrant life on New York's Lower East Side at the turn of the 20th century. In anticipation of this exciting release, we will be giving away women’s panties at the Pantheon booth, since, as some of you may know, the word “unterzakhn” is Yiddish for “underthings.”



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Previously I highlighted the Harley Quinn USB flash drive that Mimoco will have at the show. They've released more details about their plans, which also include SDCC-exclusive Flash Drives featuring Bossk, the reptilian bounty hunter from The Empire Strikes Back, and Emily the Strange:



They'll also be hosting Emily the Strange creator Rob Reger, Harley Quinn voice actress Tara Strong and Billy Dee Williams, aka Lando Calrissian, at various times during the show. You can find all the details here.

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Viz sent out information on their booth activities, which include:



VIZ Media’s Booth (#2813) will be a hub of continual activity on the main show floor. The VIZ MANGA APP is the latest technological innovation for digital manga comics for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Fans that drop by the booth and show the App installed on their Apple device will receive a special free tchotchkie as a ‘thank you’ from VIZ Media while supplies last.

Video game fans will also want to be sure to check out playable demos for Namco Bandai’s NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: ULTIMATE NINJA STORM GENERATIONS, which will be released in Spring 2012, and NIS America’s new BLEACH: SOUL RESSURRECCIÓN, launching in August 2011.

Sunday July 24th is Kid’s Day at the VIZ Media booth. Young and older fans alike are invited to pose for pictures with Kon from BLEACH, NARUTO (Classic Version), Edamame from MAMESHIBA, and more. Visitors can also attend screenings of Episode 1 of the new VOLTRON FORCE anime series and stay for special free VIZ Kids samplers and product giveaways.

Don’t miss other exclusive VIZ Media product giveaways during special times throughout the show (attendees should check the booth for a daily schedule). There will be free NARUTO ninja headbands and whisker tattoos, as well as MAMESHIBA headbands and the ever-popular VIZ Media convention tote bag. This year the tote commemorates VIZ Media’s 25th Anniversary. Don’t miss the chance to score this special convention exclusive!

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Dark Horse, meanwhile, is promoting an announcement that will be made at 7:30 p.m. on Preview Night, July 20::



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Arcana has two new books they'll have at the show:



Kade Art Book. Limited to 250 copies, Arcana's seminal character, Kade, created by owner Sean Patrick O'Reilly is celebrated in style in a limited edition art book. Featuring an original cover by Tim Bradstreet (HELLRAISER, IRON MAN: THE RAPTURE) and including brand new artwork from talented artists such as Tim Seeley (HACK/SLASH), Brent Schoonover (HORRORWOOD), Greg Horn (THOR GOES HOLLYWOOD), Kevin Mellon (GEARHEAD), Ashley Wood (MYSTERY SOCIETY), Liam Sharp (GOD KILLERS), Ben Templesmith (30 DAYS OF NIGHT), Greg Titus (VAMPIRE HUNTRESS), and Whilce Portacio (UNCANNY X-MEN, WETWORKS). Don't miss out on this limited title and your chance to see some of the industry's top talent's take on Kade, Arcana's enigmatic warrior.

Sean Patrick O'Reilly says of the art book, "Kade is Arcana's first comic and graphic novel, and we now have seven graphic novels in the library for the series. This comic book artbook looks back at some of the great talents that have worked on the series, and also showcases some never before seen artwork. Just some of the artists are Tim Bradstreet, Greg Horn, Bob Hall, Whilce Portacio and many of the talented artist at Cadence Comics."

SideShows Launch Edition. Written by Erik Hendrix with art from

Michael David Nelsen, SideShows is an action-packed story of crime and powers set in 1950's Las Vegas. It makes its debut at SDCC this year in an extremely limited "launch edition" of 100 copies. In addition to the story, it contains some behind the scenes of the concept as well as pin-ups from some amazing artists.

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And finally, Hasbro will have a whole bunch of exclusive toys for sale at the show, from Marvel, Transformers, G.I. Joe and Star Wars. Check them out: